It's now Tuesday, and we're still playing the waiting game here with the People's Pigskin. As we wait for the snow-delayed game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles to kick off, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team sits on a 77-54 lead over the Fighting Amish. The Pigskin side is done for this first week of the two-week final, while the Amish will field Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin.
The National Football League can't be completely happy about the Tuesday night game, in part because the league had set this evening aside for the unveiling of this year's Pro Bowl rosters. Longtime readers of this blog will recall our various attempts to have voters use fantasy football (instead of commercials and autograph lines) to determine who should play in football's all-star game. Did it work? The results are out. Here's how the fans, players and coaches voted.
(Most of the fantasy points are from ESPN.com and reflect the first 15 weeks of the season.)
QUARTERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Tom Brady (2nd among QBs with 256 fantasy points), Philip Rivers (3rd, 248), Peyton Manning (T-5th, 244), NFC: Michael Vick (1st, 280), Drew Brees (T-5th, 244), Matt Ryan (7th, 210).
Who got snubbed: Aaron Rodgers (4th, 245). At least he didn't lose out to this guy.
RUNNING BACKS
Who's in: AFC: Arian Foster (1st, 263), Maurice Jones-Drew (8th, 186), Jamaal Charles (9th, 185). NFC: Adrian Peterson (3rd, 213), Michael Turner (7th, 193), Steven Jackson (13th, 164).
Who got snubbed: How do Peyton Hillis (2nd, 214), Darren McFadden (4th, 201) and LeSean McCoy (5th, 198) get left out? Obviously, the folks in charge of assembling these rosters didn't play fantasy football this season.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Who's in: AFC: Brandon Lloyd (1st, 179), Dwayne Bowe (3rd, 173), Andre Johnson (6th, 164), Reggie Wayne (12th, 146). NFC: Calvin Johnson (2nd, 177), Roddy White (4th, 171), Greg Jennings (5th, 170), DeSean Jackson (9th, 149).
Who got snubbed: Mike Wallace (T-7th, 150) and Hakeem Nicks (T-7th, 150) lost popularity contests.
FULLBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Vonta Leach (T-104th among running backs, 6). NFC: Ovie Mughelli (T-84th, 14).
Who got snubbed: It's hard to say anyone was snubbed here. Leach opens holes for Foster, and Mughelli opens holes for Turner.
TIGHT ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Antonio Gates (1st, 134), Marcedes Lewis (3rd, 110). NFC: Jason Witten (2nd, 126), Tony Gonzalez (T-7th, 82).
Who got snubbed: Anyone who feels Gonzalez deserves a trip to Honolulu more than Vernon Davis (4th, 107) simply isn't paying attention to anything but the names on the back of the jerseys.
OFFENSIVE LINE
(Voters were asked to pick 3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 tackles for each conference.)
Who's in: The only teams with multiple picks on the offensive line are the New York Jets (D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold), the New York Giants (Chris Snee and Shaun O'Hara) and the New Orleans Saints (Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks).
Who got snubbed: If you listened to our friends at Trench Fantasy and consulted their handy matchup documents, you would have picked linemen from the Indianapolis Colts (1st in pass blocking fantasy points, with 74 per game), the New Orleans Saints (2nd in pass blocking, 71), the Dallas Cowboys (3rd in pass blocking, 66.2), the Jacksonville Jaguars (1st in run blocking, 43.2), the Kansas City Chiefs (2nd in run blocking, 33.4) and the Philadelphia Eagles (3rd in run blocking, 28.1).
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Who's in: AFC: Jason Babin (4th in individual defensive player leagues, 170), Robert Mathis (12th, 148), Dwight Freeney (T-20th, 114). NFC: Justin Tuck (1st, 213), Julius Peppers (2nd, 178), John Abraham (T-9th, 151).
Who got snubbed: Tamba Hali (6th, 167) was listed as a both linebacker and a defensive end on IDP fantasy leagues. Trent Cole (3rd, 175) simply got lost in the shuffle.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Who's in: AFC: Haloti Ngata (5th, 142), Vince Wilfork (19th, 95), Richard Seymour (8th, 124). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (2nd, 157), Jay Ratliff (T-26th, 84), Justin Smith (13th, 132).
Who got snubbed: This list is long and distinguished: Kyle Williams (1st, 161), Ahtyba Rubin (4th, 145), Israel Idonije (3rd, 146) and Barry Cofield (9th, 121).
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: James Harrison (6th among LBs, 258), Cameron Wake (T-26th, 198), Terrell Suggs (30th, 190). NFC: Clay Matthews (28th, 196), DeMarcus Ware (31st, 188), Lance Briggs (T-32nd, 186).
Who got snubbed: They batted 1.000 in the AFC but .000 in the NFC, where James Anderson (9th, 253), Chad Greenway (12th, 240) and Jon Beason (19th, 212) were left out.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Who's in: AFC: Jerod Mayo (1st among LBs, 288), Ray Lewis (5th, 259). NFC: Brian Urlacher (3rd, 265), Patrick Willis (10th, 249).
Who got snubbed: Stephen Tulloch (2nd, 267) and London Fletcher (8th, 256) need to consider appearing in Old Spice commercials.
CORNERBACKS
Who's in: AFC: Devin McCourty (4th, 206), Nnamdi Asomugha (131st, 42), Darrelle Revis (T-99th, 72). NFC: DeAngelo Hall (2nd, 220), Charles Woodson (3rd, 208), Asante Samuel (79th, 100).
Who got snubbed: Cortland Finnegan (6th, 197), Bryant McFadden (8th, 191) and Terrell Thomas (1st, 245) need to consider holding out of training camp to raise their profile.
STRONG SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Troy Polamalu (T-20th, 174). NFC: Adrian Wilson (17th, 183).
Who got snubbed: T.J. Ward (1st, 235) and Roman Harper (T-4th, 221).
FREE SAFETIES
Who's in: AFC: Ed Reed (T-54th, 104), Brandon Meriweather (40th, 132). NFC: Nick Collins (34th, 147), Antrel Rolle (27th, 160).
Who got snubbed: Michael Griffin (3rd, 222) and Kerry Rhodes (6th, 219).
KICKERS
Who's in: AFC: Billy Cundiff (15th, 104). NFC: David Akers (1st, 134).
Who got snubbed: Sebastian Janikowski (T-2nd, 118).
PUNTERS
Who's in: AFC: Shane Lechler (8th in NFL with 3,384 total yards). NFC: Mat McBriar (22nd, 2,758).
Who got snubbed: Dustin Colquitt (6th, 3,682) and Andy Lee (1st, 3,937).
KICK RETURNERS
Who's in: AFC: Marc Mariani (3rd in NFL with 1,411 return yards). NFC: Devin Hester (37th, 427).
Who got snubbed: At least LaRod Stephens-Howling (1st, 1,548) lost out to a record holder. Brad Smith (2nd, 1,432) lost out to the former roommate of Jeff Fisher's son.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS
Who's in: AFC: Montell Owens. NFC: Eric Weems.
Who got snubbed: No one. If you're hoping to make the Pro Bowl on the basis of your special teams play, you'd be better off trying to getting starting spot on your team's offense or defense.
We'll be back with a roundup of the past week's results.
Showing posts with label Pro Bowl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pro Bowl. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A People's Pro Bowl - Updated
Last month, we at the People's Pigskin offered a two-part guide for those who wanted to use fantasy football (instead of Q ratings) to make their selections for this year's Pro Bowl. Since the fan ballots are due Monday, we thought we'd update you on which players are producing the numbers that would make them worthy of the NFL's all-star game.
Quarterback (3 per conference). AFC: Tom Brady (242 points in standard ESPN leagues), Peyton Manning (227), Philip Rivers (226). NFC: Aaron Rodgers (245), Michael Vick (242), Drew Brees (224).
Running back (3). AFC: Arian Foster (258), Peyton Hillis (207), Darren McFadden (189). NFC: Adrian Peterson (213), LeSean McCoy (191), Michael Turner (185).
Wide receiver (4). AFC: Dwayne Bowe (168), Brandon Lloyd (166), Andre Johnson (153), Terrell Owens (147). NFC: Calvin Johnson (162), Greg Jennings (161), Roddy White (159), DeSean Jackson (140).
Fullback (1). AFC: Mike Tolbert (140). NFC: Earnest Graham (30).
Tight end (2). AFC: Antonio Gates (134), Marcedes Lewis (104). NFC: Vernon Davis (107), Jason Witten (106).
Offensive line (3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 centers). Our friends at Trench Fantasy post weekly spreadsheets about the fantasy impact of the folks in the trenches. According to them, the top lines for protecting passers are the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys. The top lines for protecting runners are the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Defensive end (3). AFC: Jason Babin (142 points in an ESPN league that uses individual defensive players), Robert Mathis (136), Matt Shaughnessy (118). NFC: Justin Tuck (191), Osi Umenyiora (165), Julius Peppers (162).
Defensive tackle (3). AFC: Kyle Williams (147), Haloti Ngata (135), Ahtyba Rubin (130). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (152), Barry Cofield (119), Darnell Dockett (109).
Outside linebacker (3). AFC: James Harrison (241), Cameron Wake (194), Shaun Phillips (173). NFC: James Anderson (248), Chad Greenway (228), Jon Beason (196).
Inside linebacker (2). AFC: Jerod Mayo (262), Stephen Tulloch (250). NFC: Brian Urlacher (250), London Fletcher (238).
Cornerback (3). AFC: Cortland Finnegan (185), Devin McCourty (181), Bryant McFadden (177). NFC: Terrell Thomas (226), DeAngelo Hall (216), Charles Woodson (196).
Strong safety (1). AFC: Donte Whitner (214). NFC: Roman Harper (210).
Free safety (1). AFC: T.J. Ward (216). NFC: Kerry Rhodes (208).
Kicker (1). AFC: Dan Carpenter (115 in standard ESPN leagues). NFC: David Akers (131).
Punter (1). AFC: Mike Scifres (48.2 yards per punt, according to NFL.com). NFC: Mat McBriar (also 48.2)
Kick returner (1). AFC: Brad Smith (27.9 yards per return, according to NFL.com; yes, Antonio Brown has a higher average, but he's only returned 9 kicks this season). NFC: Stefan Logan (28.8; yes, Devin Hester has a higher average, but he's only returned 10 kicks).
Special teams player (1). You're on your own here.
Now that you're informed, go ahead and vote wisely. Not just for the Pro Bowl, but also on the People's Pigskin poll about whether to start Antonio Gates and/or Randy McMichael on Thursday night. We'll be back with the results.
Quarterback (3 per conference). AFC: Tom Brady (242 points in standard ESPN leagues), Peyton Manning (227), Philip Rivers (226). NFC: Aaron Rodgers (245), Michael Vick (242), Drew Brees (224).
Running back (3). AFC: Arian Foster (258), Peyton Hillis (207), Darren McFadden (189). NFC: Adrian Peterson (213), LeSean McCoy (191), Michael Turner (185).
Wide receiver (4). AFC: Dwayne Bowe (168), Brandon Lloyd (166), Andre Johnson (153), Terrell Owens (147). NFC: Calvin Johnson (162), Greg Jennings (161), Roddy White (159), DeSean Jackson (140).
Fullback (1). AFC: Mike Tolbert (140). NFC: Earnest Graham (30).
Tight end (2). AFC: Antonio Gates (134), Marcedes Lewis (104). NFC: Vernon Davis (107), Jason Witten (106).
Offensive line (3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 centers). Our friends at Trench Fantasy post weekly spreadsheets about the fantasy impact of the folks in the trenches. According to them, the top lines for protecting passers are the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys. The top lines for protecting runners are the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Defensive end (3). AFC: Jason Babin (142 points in an ESPN league that uses individual defensive players), Robert Mathis (136), Matt Shaughnessy (118). NFC: Justin Tuck (191), Osi Umenyiora (165), Julius Peppers (162).
Defensive tackle (3). AFC: Kyle Williams (147), Haloti Ngata (135), Ahtyba Rubin (130). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (152), Barry Cofield (119), Darnell Dockett (109).
Outside linebacker (3). AFC: James Harrison (241), Cameron Wake (194), Shaun Phillips (173). NFC: James Anderson (248), Chad Greenway (228), Jon Beason (196).
Inside linebacker (2). AFC: Jerod Mayo (262), Stephen Tulloch (250). NFC: Brian Urlacher (250), London Fletcher (238).
Cornerback (3). AFC: Cortland Finnegan (185), Devin McCourty (181), Bryant McFadden (177). NFC: Terrell Thomas (226), DeAngelo Hall (216), Charles Woodson (196).
Strong safety (1). AFC: Donte Whitner (214). NFC: Roman Harper (210).
Free safety (1). AFC: T.J. Ward (216). NFC: Kerry Rhodes (208).
Kicker (1). AFC: Dan Carpenter (115 in standard ESPN leagues). NFC: David Akers (131).
Punter (1). AFC: Mike Scifres (48.2 yards per punt, according to NFL.com). NFC: Mat McBriar (also 48.2)
Kick returner (1). AFC: Brad Smith (27.9 yards per return, according to NFL.com; yes, Antonio Brown has a higher average, but he's only returned 9 kicks this season). NFC: Stefan Logan (28.8; yes, Devin Hester has a higher average, but he's only returned 10 kicks).
Special teams player (1). You're on your own here.
Now that you're informed, go ahead and vote wisely. Not just for the Pro Bowl, but also on the People's Pigskin poll about whether to start Antonio Gates and/or Randy McMichael on Thursday night. We'll be back with the results.
Friday, November 26, 2010
A People's Pro Bowl - Part 2 (Defense/Special Teams)
In an earlier post, we discussed the ways fantasy football could help you make informed (and not knee-jerk) choices for the offensive teams for this year's Pro Bowl. Now, it's time to discuss the rest of the roster.
At this point, it would be useful to have access to a fantasy football league that uses individual defensive players, because it does a good job of showing you which players are actually getting work done in a typical game and which ones are simply taking advantage of their past glory to get camera time now.
Defensive end (3 players per conference). According to the ESPN IDP league I consulted, your AFC choices should be Jason Babin (116 points), Robert Mathis (113) and Dave Ball (98). In the NFC, it's Justin Tuck (156), Osi Umeniyora (135) and Trent Cole (133).
Defensive tackle (3). AFC: Haloti Ngata (115), Kyle Williams (108) and Ahtyba Rubin (108). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (126), Barry Cofield (87) and Darnell Dockett (79).
Outside linebacker (3). AFC: James Harrison (213), Cameron Wake (142) and Shaun Phillips (140). NFC: James Anderson (201), Chad Greenway (190) and Clay Matthews (158).
Inside linebacker (2). AFC: Jerod Mayo (212) and Lawrence Timmons (208). NFC: Patrick Willis (196) and London Fletcher (185).
Cornerback (3). AFC: Bryant McFadden (159), Cortland Finnegan (148) and Kelvin Hayden (136). NFC: DeAngelo Hall (187), Charles Woodson (162) and Terrell Thomas (159).
Strong safety (1). Donte Whitner (159) and LaRon Landry (184).
Free safety (1). T.J. Ward (172) and Kerry Rhodes (155).
Kicker (1): Sebastian Janikowski (89) and Matt Bryant (89).
Punter (1): For this category, we don't even need fantasy football. We can go straight to NFL.com's leader page. The current leaders by yards per punt are Shane Lechler (49) and Mat BcBriar (48.2).
Kick returner (1): Again, we can consult NFL.com. The leaders by total return yards are Brad Smith (992) and Stefan Logan (1,123).
Special teams player (1): OK, here's where the People's Pigskin can't really help you. Feel free to flip a coin or just vote for the player from your favorite team.
By using fantasy football as your guide, you can help keep the Pro Bowl from being a popularity contest or a referendum on which players are getting plenty of air time from the TV folks. You can make the Pro Bowl something that players earn.
We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
At this point, it would be useful to have access to a fantasy football league that uses individual defensive players, because it does a good job of showing you which players are actually getting work done in a typical game and which ones are simply taking advantage of their past glory to get camera time now.
Defensive end (3 players per conference). According to the ESPN IDP league I consulted, your AFC choices should be Jason Babin (116 points), Robert Mathis (113) and Dave Ball (98). In the NFC, it's Justin Tuck (156), Osi Umeniyora (135) and Trent Cole (133).
Defensive tackle (3). AFC: Haloti Ngata (115), Kyle Williams (108) and Ahtyba Rubin (108). NFC: Ndamukong Suh (126), Barry Cofield (87) and Darnell Dockett (79).
Outside linebacker (3). AFC: James Harrison (213), Cameron Wake (142) and Shaun Phillips (140). NFC: James Anderson (201), Chad Greenway (190) and Clay Matthews (158).
Inside linebacker (2). AFC: Jerod Mayo (212) and Lawrence Timmons (208). NFC: Patrick Willis (196) and London Fletcher (185).
Cornerback (3). AFC: Bryant McFadden (159), Cortland Finnegan (148) and Kelvin Hayden (136). NFC: DeAngelo Hall (187), Charles Woodson (162) and Terrell Thomas (159).
Strong safety (1). Donte Whitner (159) and LaRon Landry (184).
Free safety (1). T.J. Ward (172) and Kerry Rhodes (155).
Kicker (1): Sebastian Janikowski (89) and Matt Bryant (89).
Punter (1): For this category, we don't even need fantasy football. We can go straight to NFL.com's leader page. The current leaders by yards per punt are Shane Lechler (49) and Mat BcBriar (48.2).
Kick returner (1): Again, we can consult NFL.com. The leaders by total return yards are Brad Smith (992) and Stefan Logan (1,123).
Special teams player (1): OK, here's where the People's Pigskin can't really help you. Feel free to flip a coin or just vote for the player from your favorite team.
By using fantasy football as your guide, you can help keep the Pro Bowl from being a popularity contest or a referendum on which players are getting plenty of air time from the TV folks. You can make the Pro Bowl something that players earn.
We'll be back with the weekly predictions.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A People's Pro Bowl - Part 1 (Offense)
It's that time of year again -- no, not that one and not that one, either.
The National Football League is asking its fans to pick the players who will take the field a week before the Super Bowl for the Pro Bowl. It's no secret that some fans vote for the players on their favorite team, and others vote for the most popular players in the leagues, or those who have an annual pass to the Pro Bowl simply because they've been there before.
But we at the People's Pigskin would like you to think about things a little bit differently. After all, the Pro Bowl is the ultimate measure of individual performance, and what better barometer could you want than fantasy football?
If you based your offensive picks on fantasy football, here's who you might select.
Quarterback (pick 3 from each conference). According to the standard ESPN fantasy scoring rules, your AFC picks would be Philip Rivers (170 points), Kyle Orton (165) and Peyton Manning (157). In the NFC, the picks would be Aaron Rodgers (162), Michael Vick (151) and Drew Brees (147).
Running back (3). AFC: Arian Foster (180), Chris Johnson (136) and Peyton Hillis (135). NFC: Adrian Peterson (163), Frank Gore (137) and LeSean McCoy (123).
Wide receiver (4). AFC: Brandon Lloyd (128), Terrell Owens (122), Dwayne Bowe (111) and Mike Wallace (104). NFC: Roddy White (131), Hakeem Nicks (123), Calvin Johnson (120) and DeSean Jackson (98).
Fullback (1). Here, you could vote for the fullback who helped his fellow running back top the fantasy charts. You also could vote for the fullback who scored the most fantasy points. That would be Mike Tolbert (84) for the AFC and Earnest Graham (26) for the NFC.
Tight end (2). AFC: Antonio Gates (117) and Marcedes Lewis (75). NFC: Vernon Davis (73) and Jason Witten (65).
Offensive line (3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 centers). These are always the toughest players to assess from a fantasy standpoint. Fortunately, our friends at Trench Fantasy specialize in analyzing line play. They put together documents like this one that can tell us which lines deserve to play in football's all-star game.
Top lines for passing game: Indianapolis Colts (71.4 fantasy points per week), Dallas Cowboys (69.8), New Orleans Saints (68.6), San Diego Chargers (66.7).
Top lines for running game: Kansas City Chiefs (39), Atlanta Falcons (31.6), Houston Texans (30.9), New York Giants (29.1).
We'll be back tomorrow to discuss defense/special teams picks. In the meantime, be sure to vote in our NASCAR polls, which will close in a couple of hours. And if you had any question about whether Chad Henne would start for the People's Pigskin, here are the results of that poll.
[polldaddy poll=4095047]
The National Football League is asking its fans to pick the players who will take the field a week before the Super Bowl for the Pro Bowl. It's no secret that some fans vote for the players on their favorite team, and others vote for the most popular players in the leagues, or those who have an annual pass to the Pro Bowl simply because they've been there before.
But we at the People's Pigskin would like you to think about things a little bit differently. After all, the Pro Bowl is the ultimate measure of individual performance, and what better barometer could you want than fantasy football?
If you based your offensive picks on fantasy football, here's who you might select.
Quarterback (pick 3 from each conference). According to the standard ESPN fantasy scoring rules, your AFC picks would be Philip Rivers (170 points), Kyle Orton (165) and Peyton Manning (157). In the NFC, the picks would be Aaron Rodgers (162), Michael Vick (151) and Drew Brees (147).
Running back (3). AFC: Arian Foster (180), Chris Johnson (136) and Peyton Hillis (135). NFC: Adrian Peterson (163), Frank Gore (137) and LeSean McCoy (123).
Wide receiver (4). AFC: Brandon Lloyd (128), Terrell Owens (122), Dwayne Bowe (111) and Mike Wallace (104). NFC: Roddy White (131), Hakeem Nicks (123), Calvin Johnson (120) and DeSean Jackson (98).
Fullback (1). Here, you could vote for the fullback who helped his fellow running back top the fantasy charts. You also could vote for the fullback who scored the most fantasy points. That would be Mike Tolbert (84) for the AFC and Earnest Graham (26) for the NFC.
Tight end (2). AFC: Antonio Gates (117) and Marcedes Lewis (75). NFC: Vernon Davis (73) and Jason Witten (65).
Offensive line (3 tackles, 3 guards and 2 centers). These are always the toughest players to assess from a fantasy standpoint. Fortunately, our friends at Trench Fantasy specialize in analyzing line play. They put together documents like this one that can tell us which lines deserve to play in football's all-star game.
Top lines for passing game: Indianapolis Colts (71.4 fantasy points per week), Dallas Cowboys (69.8), New Orleans Saints (68.6), San Diego Chargers (66.7).
Top lines for running game: Kansas City Chiefs (39), Atlanta Falcons (31.6), Houston Texans (30.9), New York Giants (29.1).
We'll be back tomorrow to discuss defense/special teams picks. In the meantime, be sure to vote in our NASCAR polls, which will close in a couple of hours. And if you had any question about whether Chad Henne would start for the People's Pigskin, here are the results of that poll.
[polldaddy poll=4095047]
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Now, About the Super Bowl...
Nothing against the Tim Tebow Lovefest known as the Senior Bowl, or the burning question about whether Chad Ochocinco should kick in the Pro Bowl (and whether the NFC can borrow him to play offensive tackle), but it's time to refocus attention on the game that has motivated every NFL player since he put on his first shoulder pads: the Super Bowl.
The People's Pigskin's quest to kick virtual butt in the NFL Fantasy Playoff Challenge took almost as many hits as Brett Favre took last week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team scored 89 points. Our three-week total is 314, which leaves us tied for 118,427th overall and 40th in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league.
That's the bad news. The good news is that six of our players from last week are eligible to be used in the Super Bowl. Drew Brees would get triple the points, since we would be using him for the third straight week. Five other players (Pierre Thomas, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Marques Colston and Dallas Clark) would get double the points for their work.
With that in mind, it's time for you, the Internet, to rise to the challenge again and pick our lineup for Super Bowl XLIV. The polls are open and will stay open until Super Sunday. Happy picking. We'll be back with some insight on our upcoming fantasy racing season. By the way, here are the results for our poll on other fantasy sports.
[polldaddy poll=2538706]
The People's Pigskin's quest to kick virtual butt in the NFL Fantasy Playoff Challenge took almost as many hits as Brett Favre took last week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team scored 89 points. Our three-week total is 314, which leaves us tied for 118,427th overall and 40th in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league.
That's the bad news. The good news is that six of our players from last week are eligible to be used in the Super Bowl. Drew Brees would get triple the points, since we would be using him for the third straight week. Five other players (Pierre Thomas, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne, Marques Colston and Dallas Clark) would get double the points for their work.
With that in mind, it's time for you, the Internet, to rise to the challenge again and pick our lineup for Super Bowl XLIV. The polls are open and will stay open until Super Sunday. Happy picking. We'll be back with some insight on our upcoming fantasy racing season. By the way, here are the results for our poll on other fantasy sports.
[polldaddy poll=2538706]
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A People's Pro Bowl? Not Quite
Last month the People's Pigskin offered a primer for those who wanted to use fantasy football stats to determine who really deserved to go to the Pro Bowl. On Tuesday the National Football League announced the rosters for football's all-star game.
Of course, those rosters are nowhere close to final; anyone making the Super Bowl will not play in the Pro Bowl, and every year several players miss the game because of injuries (some of them major, and some of them legitimate). But it's never too early to look at the rosters and see how they would compare to rosters set by fantasy football points.
AFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: This year the NFL picked Peyton Manning (currently 3rd among quarterbacks with 271 fantasy points, according to ESPN), Tom Brady (4th, 256) and Philip Rivers (5th, 251). So far, so good.
Running back: Chris Johnson (1st among running backs, 304), Maurice Jones-Drew (3rd, 247) and Ray Rice (4th, 220). Again, pretty good, and Rice got his fullback, Le'Ron McClain, on the roster.
Wide receiver: Andre Johnson (1st among receivers, 199), Reggie Wayne (5th, 175), Brandon Marshall (tied for 7th, 166) and Wes Welker (10th, 154). Here we have our first legitimate snubs: Randy Moss (2nd, 189) and Vincent Jackson (tied for 7th, 166).
Tight end: Dallas Clark (1st among tight ends, 158) and Antonio Gates (3rd, 149). Again, solid choices.
Offensive line: Here we turn once again to our friends at Trench Fantasy for help. In the first half of 2009, according to Trench Fantasy, the top-scoring AFC fantasy offensive lines were New England (1 lineman Pro Bowler, Logan Mankins), Pittsburgh (none) and Indianapolis (1, Jeff Saturday). By comparison, we have 2 representatives of the New York Jets (Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold) and 1 each from Miami, Denver, Cleveland and San Diego. No one from Tennessee, though; looks like Chris Johnson opened his own holes.
NFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers (1st among quarterbacks, 308), Drew Brees (2nd, 280) and Brett Favre (8th, 246). One possible snub: Tony Romo (7th, 249).
Running back: Adrian Peterson (2nd among running backs, 254), Steven Jackson (10th, 174) and DeAngelo Williams (11th, 166). A couple of snubs: Frank Gore (7th, 190) and Ryan Grant (8th, 186). And none of these runners even got a fullback to the Pro Bowl. That honor went to Leonard Weaver.
Wide receiver: DeSean Jackson (3rd among receivers, 186), Miles Austin (4th, 185), Larry Fitzgerald (6th, 173) and Sidney Rice (14th, 146). Here we have a few candidates for snubhood, including Roddy White (9th, 162) and Steve Smith of the New York Giants (11th, 153).
Tight end: Vernon Davis (2nd among tight ends, 154) and Jason Witten (9th, 94). Again, a few nominees for snubdom, including Brent Celek (4th, 128) and Tony Gonzalez (5th, 114).
Offensive line: According to Trench Fantasy, the top NFC fantasy offensive line in the first half of 2009 was New Orleans (with 2 Pro Bowlers, Jonathan Stinchcomb and Jahri Evans). We also have 2 line representatives from Minnesota (Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson) and Dallas (Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode), along with 1 each from Philadelphia and the New York Giants.
AFC DEFENSE
(For the defensive units, we will be borrowing individual defensive player stats from FFToday.)
Defensive line: Here's where things get dicey. Actual Pro Bowlers: Robert Mathis (9th among defensive linemen with 85.5 fantasy points), Mario Williams (tied for 12th, 81.5), Dwight Freeney (14th, 79.5), Vince Wilfork (tied for 85th, 43), Haloti Ngata (tied for 90th, 42.5) and Casey Hampton (tied for 97th, 40.5). Your top snubs: Aaron Schobel (2nd, 113.5) and Jarret Johnson (11th, 82).
Linebacker: Brian Cushing (3rd among linebackers, 159), Ray Lewis (8th, 130.5), Elvis Dumervil (9th, 129.5), James Harrison (10th, 129) and DeMeco Ryans (25th, 112.5). Top snubs: David Harris (4th, 145) and D.J. Williams (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Brian Dawkins (3rd among defensive backs, 128), Darrelle Revis (13th, 117.5), Champ Bailey (tied for 43rd, 96.5), Jairus Byrd (46th, 95), Ed Reed (85th, 78) and Nnamdi Asomugha (tied for 166th--that's right, one hundred and sixty-sixth--with 40.5). Top snubs: Tyvon Branch and Bernard Pollard (tied for 5th with 126 points each), along with pretty much everyone in the defensive backfield wearing a Cincinnati Bengals jersey.
NFC DEFENSE
Defensive line: Jared Allen (1st among defensive linemen, 132), Julius Peppers (5th, 110), Trent Cole (6th, 108.5), Darnell Dockett (tied for 12th, 81.5), Jay Ratliff (23rd, 70) and Kevin Williams (tied for 37th, 61.5). Tops among the snubbed: Will Smith (3rd, 111) and Andre Carter (4th, 110.5).
Linebacker: Patrick Willis (1st among linebackers, 180), Jonathan Vilma (tied for 11th, 128.5), Lance Briggs (tied for 19th, 117), DeMarcus Ware (tied for 21st, 115.5) and Brian Orakpo (tied for 50th, 91.5). Your all-star-caliber snubees: Jon Beason (2nd, 160.5) and London Fletcher (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Charles Woodson (1st among defensive backs, 159), Darren Sharper (2nd, 141), Adrian Wilson (tied for 7th, 122.5), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (tied for 10th, 120), Asante Samuel (tied for 24th, 105.5) and Nick Collins (tied for 40th, 97.5). The biggest snubs: Dashon Goldson (4th, 127.5) and Terrell Thomas (tied for 7th, 122.5).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: No real surprises here. For the NFC, we have David Akers (1st among kickers with 148 ESPN fantasy points). For the AFC, we have Nate Kaeding (2nd, 142).
Punter: Again, no real surprises. For the NFC, we have Andy Lee (2nd in the NFL with a 47.7-yard average). For the AFC, we have Shane Lechler (1st with a sick 51.1 average).
Kick returner: No major shockers here, either. For the NFC, it's DeSean Jackson (yes, as both a receiver and a returner). For the AFC, it's Josh Cribbs, and if he needs an introduction, it's time to take up a new hobby.
Special teamer: Again, I have nothing here. Flip a coin.
To keep this post brief--OK, shorter than it could have been--I limited myself to 2 snubs per unit. But please note that in several cases I could have listed as least twice as many. Clearly, whoever had the final word on the Pro Bowl has never been a fantasy football commissioner.
And in case you were wondering, the number of Pro Bowlers currently on the People's Pigskin roster ... drumroll, please ... zero. Well, unless you count Trent Cole, Patrick Willis and Asante Samuel as members of the Philadelphia and San Francisco defense/special teams.
We'll be back later with some updates on the final Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Of course, those rosters are nowhere close to final; anyone making the Super Bowl will not play in the Pro Bowl, and every year several players miss the game because of injuries (some of them major, and some of them legitimate). But it's never too early to look at the rosters and see how they would compare to rosters set by fantasy football points.
AFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: This year the NFL picked Peyton Manning (currently 3rd among quarterbacks with 271 fantasy points, according to ESPN), Tom Brady (4th, 256) and Philip Rivers (5th, 251). So far, so good.
Running back: Chris Johnson (1st among running backs, 304), Maurice Jones-Drew (3rd, 247) and Ray Rice (4th, 220). Again, pretty good, and Rice got his fullback, Le'Ron McClain, on the roster.
Wide receiver: Andre Johnson (1st among receivers, 199), Reggie Wayne (5th, 175), Brandon Marshall (tied for 7th, 166) and Wes Welker (10th, 154). Here we have our first legitimate snubs: Randy Moss (2nd, 189) and Vincent Jackson (tied for 7th, 166).
Tight end: Dallas Clark (1st among tight ends, 158) and Antonio Gates (3rd, 149). Again, solid choices.
Offensive line: Here we turn once again to our friends at Trench Fantasy for help. In the first half of 2009, according to Trench Fantasy, the top-scoring AFC fantasy offensive lines were New England (1 lineman Pro Bowler, Logan Mankins), Pittsburgh (none) and Indianapolis (1, Jeff Saturday). By comparison, we have 2 representatives of the New York Jets (Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold) and 1 each from Miami, Denver, Cleveland and San Diego. No one from Tennessee, though; looks like Chris Johnson opened his own holes.
NFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers (1st among quarterbacks, 308), Drew Brees (2nd, 280) and Brett Favre (8th, 246). One possible snub: Tony Romo (7th, 249).
Running back: Adrian Peterson (2nd among running backs, 254), Steven Jackson (10th, 174) and DeAngelo Williams (11th, 166). A couple of snubs: Frank Gore (7th, 190) and Ryan Grant (8th, 186). And none of these runners even got a fullback to the Pro Bowl. That honor went to Leonard Weaver.
Wide receiver: DeSean Jackson (3rd among receivers, 186), Miles Austin (4th, 185), Larry Fitzgerald (6th, 173) and Sidney Rice (14th, 146). Here we have a few candidates for snubhood, including Roddy White (9th, 162) and Steve Smith of the New York Giants (11th, 153).
Tight end: Vernon Davis (2nd among tight ends, 154) and Jason Witten (9th, 94). Again, a few nominees for snubdom, including Brent Celek (4th, 128) and Tony Gonzalez (5th, 114).
Offensive line: According to Trench Fantasy, the top NFC fantasy offensive line in the first half of 2009 was New Orleans (with 2 Pro Bowlers, Jonathan Stinchcomb and Jahri Evans). We also have 2 line representatives from Minnesota (Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson) and Dallas (Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode), along with 1 each from Philadelphia and the New York Giants.
AFC DEFENSE
(For the defensive units, we will be borrowing individual defensive player stats from FFToday.)
Defensive line: Here's where things get dicey. Actual Pro Bowlers: Robert Mathis (9th among defensive linemen with 85.5 fantasy points), Mario Williams (tied for 12th, 81.5), Dwight Freeney (14th, 79.5), Vince Wilfork (tied for 85th, 43), Haloti Ngata (tied for 90th, 42.5) and Casey Hampton (tied for 97th, 40.5). Your top snubs: Aaron Schobel (2nd, 113.5) and Jarret Johnson (11th, 82).
Linebacker: Brian Cushing (3rd among linebackers, 159), Ray Lewis (8th, 130.5), Elvis Dumervil (9th, 129.5), James Harrison (10th, 129) and DeMeco Ryans (25th, 112.5). Top snubs: David Harris (4th, 145) and D.J. Williams (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Brian Dawkins (3rd among defensive backs, 128), Darrelle Revis (13th, 117.5), Champ Bailey (tied for 43rd, 96.5), Jairus Byrd (46th, 95), Ed Reed (85th, 78) and Nnamdi Asomugha (tied for 166th--that's right, one hundred and sixty-sixth--with 40.5). Top snubs: Tyvon Branch and Bernard Pollard (tied for 5th with 126 points each), along with pretty much everyone in the defensive backfield wearing a Cincinnati Bengals jersey.
NFC DEFENSE
Defensive line: Jared Allen (1st among defensive linemen, 132), Julius Peppers (5th, 110), Trent Cole (6th, 108.5), Darnell Dockett (tied for 12th, 81.5), Jay Ratliff (23rd, 70) and Kevin Williams (tied for 37th, 61.5). Tops among the snubbed: Will Smith (3rd, 111) and Andre Carter (4th, 110.5).
Linebacker: Patrick Willis (1st among linebackers, 180), Jonathan Vilma (tied for 11th, 128.5), Lance Briggs (tied for 19th, 117), DeMarcus Ware (tied for 21st, 115.5) and Brian Orakpo (tied for 50th, 91.5). Your all-star-caliber snubees: Jon Beason (2nd, 160.5) and London Fletcher (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Charles Woodson (1st among defensive backs, 159), Darren Sharper (2nd, 141), Adrian Wilson (tied for 7th, 122.5), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (tied for 10th, 120), Asante Samuel (tied for 24th, 105.5) and Nick Collins (tied for 40th, 97.5). The biggest snubs: Dashon Goldson (4th, 127.5) and Terrell Thomas (tied for 7th, 122.5).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: No real surprises here. For the NFC, we have David Akers (1st among kickers with 148 ESPN fantasy points). For the AFC, we have Nate Kaeding (2nd, 142).
Punter: Again, no real surprises. For the NFC, we have Andy Lee (2nd in the NFL with a 47.7-yard average). For the AFC, we have Shane Lechler (1st with a sick 51.1 average).
Kick returner: No major shockers here, either. For the NFC, it's DeSean Jackson (yes, as both a receiver and a returner). For the AFC, it's Josh Cribbs, and if he needs an introduction, it's time to take up a new hobby.
Special teamer: Again, I have nothing here. Flip a coin.
To keep this post brief--OK, shorter than it could have been--I limited myself to 2 snubs per unit. But please note that in several cases I could have listed as least twice as many. Clearly, whoever had the final word on the Pro Bowl has never been a fantasy football commissioner.
And in case you were wondering, the number of Pro Bowlers currently on the People's Pigskin roster ... drumroll, please ... zero. Well, unless you count Trent Cole, Patrick Willis and Asante Samuel as members of the Philadelphia and San Francisco defense/special teams.
We'll be back later with some updates on the final Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The People's Pro Bowl
At this time of year, the People's Pigskin is not the only football team seeking your help in choosing its lineup. (Hint: the polls are on the right.) The National Football League is soliciting fans' help in picking the players who will be invited to play in the Pro Bowl. The official ballot is here. The winners will be invited to play in Dolphin Stadium (not Landshark Stadium; the NFL has its own beer sponsor) the week before the Super Bowl.
Of course, the fans won't have the final word on the lineups. At least officially, the fans, players and coaches get an equal say in who goes to the Pro Bowl. But that doesn't mean fans can't put a little thought into their votes.
One of the consistent knocks against pro football's all-star game is that reputations count more than results -- a player who gets more TV interviews and films more commercials (or one who simply has been going to the Pro Bowl since the "Seinfeld" finale) will be chosen over a player who actually made the mistake of having a better season. But you, the Internet, have the power to overcome that, and you don't have to watch 40 hours of game film to do it.
Here's where fantasy football comes in. There are few better ways to compare one player to another heads-up without the bias of team logos or Nielsen ratings. This year, instead of simply voting for your favorite team's players or the first players that pop into your head, I would encourage you to vote for the players who are putting up the best fantasy numbers this year. If you do that, here's how your Pro Bowl ballot might look.
OFFENSE
Quarterback (3 from each conference). If you use ESPN fantasy points as your guide, your NFC passers would be Aaron Rodgers (185), Drew Brees (159) and Brett Favre (147, just 1 point above Tony Romo). Your AFC picks would be Peyton Manning (178), Tom Brady (176) and Matt Schaub (155).
Running back (3). Again, using ESPN points, your NFC backs would be Adrian Peterson (163), Michael Turner (138) and DeAngelo Williams (137). Your AFC picks: Chris Johnson (181), Maurice Jones-Drew (169) and Ray Rice (142).
Wide receiver (4). From the NFC: Larry Fitzgerald (115), Miles Austin (104), DeSean Jackson (103) and Roddy White (99). From the AFC: Reggie Wayne (130), Randy Moss (128), Vincent Jackson (112) and Andre Johnson (102).
Tight end (2). From the NFC: Vernon Davis (89) and Brent Celek (78). Yes, that means saying no to a certain PETA fan. From the AFC: Dallas Clark (90) and Antonio Gates (74 -- he's behind Owen Daniels but isn't on injured reserve).
Fullback (1). Here you can vote for the fullback with the most fantasy points or the fullback who helped his fellow running back get to the top of the fantasy heap. In that case, you would pick Minnesota's Naufahu Tahi for the NFC and Tennessee's Ahmard Hall for the AFC. (And if you haven't heard of either one until now, you're welcome.)
Offensive line (2 centers, 3 tackles, 3 guards). Here's where things get tricky. Most fantasy formats don't have scores for individual linemen. Your options: vote for the lines that got their running backs to the top, vote for the lines that got their quarterbacks to the top, or register for a site like Trench Fantasy that actually tracks blocking stats. For example, in the first half of the season, Trench Fantasy's top-scoring lines were the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts.
DEFENSE
If you play in a league that treats defense/special teams as a single entity (as most leagues do), you can simply vote for the players on the top-scoring defense/special teams. In ESPN's case, that would be the Saints, Eagles and Vikings on the NFC side and the Ravens, Broncos and Bengals on the AFC side. However, you can make more precise votes if you have access to IDP (individual defensive player) stats. These numbers come courtesy of FFToday.
Defensive end (3). NFC: Jared Allen (98), Andre Carter (80) and Julius Peppers (76.5). AFC: Robert Mathis (76), Aaron Schobel (65) and Dwight Freeney (59).
Defensive tackle (3). NFC: Kevin Williams (55.5), Jonathan Babineaux (48) and Albert Haynesworth (42). AFC: Marcus Stroud (52), Tommy Kelly (40) and Shaun Rogers (32.5).
Outside linebacker (3). NFC: Lance Briggs (74.5), Chad Greenway (74) and Mike Peterson (74). AFC: James Harrison (97.5), Brian Cushing (94) and Elvis Dumervil (85.5).
Inside linebacker (2). NFC: Patrick Willis (111.5) and Curtis Lofton (86.5). AFC: David Harris (85.5) and D.J. Williams (85.5).
Cornerback (3). NFC: Charles Woodson (92.5), Tracy Porter (75.5) and Terence Newman (74.5). AFC: Leon Hall (80.5), Johnathan Joseph (72) and Chris Johnson (68).
Strong safety (1). NFC: Roman Harper (73.5). AFC: Tyvon Branch (71.5).
Free safety (1). NFC: Darren Sharper (97). AFC: Antoine Bethea (92).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker (1). Going back to ESPN stats, you get David Akers (90) for the NFC and Stephen Gostkowski (84) for the AFC.
Kick returner (1). If you can find a fantasy league that credits receivers with return points, you get votes for Percy Harvin (only 889 yards, but 2 touchdowns to put him past Danny Amendola) for the NFC and Joshua Cribbs (1,236 yards, 2 touchdowns) for the AFC.
Punter (1). Here you can simply go with the NFL leaders: Andy Lee (2,665 yards) for the NFC and Shane Lechler (2,938 yards) for the AFC.
Special team player (1). OK, there are some areas where fantasy football can't help you. Pick your personal favorite.
You'll notice that this list is missing some famous names -- players who have spent so much time in Honolulu that they should probably be registered to vote there. But when you make your Pro Bowl picks according to fantasy stats, you realize something: Reputation is not a fantasy stat.
We'll be back tomorrow with the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Of course, the fans won't have the final word on the lineups. At least officially, the fans, players and coaches get an equal say in who goes to the Pro Bowl. But that doesn't mean fans can't put a little thought into their votes.
One of the consistent knocks against pro football's all-star game is that reputations count more than results -- a player who gets more TV interviews and films more commercials (or one who simply has been going to the Pro Bowl since the "Seinfeld" finale) will be chosen over a player who actually made the mistake of having a better season. But you, the Internet, have the power to overcome that, and you don't have to watch 40 hours of game film to do it.
Here's where fantasy football comes in. There are few better ways to compare one player to another heads-up without the bias of team logos or Nielsen ratings. This year, instead of simply voting for your favorite team's players or the first players that pop into your head, I would encourage you to vote for the players who are putting up the best fantasy numbers this year. If you do that, here's how your Pro Bowl ballot might look.
OFFENSE
Quarterback (3 from each conference). If you use ESPN fantasy points as your guide, your NFC passers would be Aaron Rodgers (185), Drew Brees (159) and Brett Favre (147, just 1 point above Tony Romo). Your AFC picks would be Peyton Manning (178), Tom Brady (176) and Matt Schaub (155).
Running back (3). Again, using ESPN points, your NFC backs would be Adrian Peterson (163), Michael Turner (138) and DeAngelo Williams (137). Your AFC picks: Chris Johnson (181), Maurice Jones-Drew (169) and Ray Rice (142).
Wide receiver (4). From the NFC: Larry Fitzgerald (115), Miles Austin (104), DeSean Jackson (103) and Roddy White (99). From the AFC: Reggie Wayne (130), Randy Moss (128), Vincent Jackson (112) and Andre Johnson (102).
Tight end (2). From the NFC: Vernon Davis (89) and Brent Celek (78). Yes, that means saying no to a certain PETA fan. From the AFC: Dallas Clark (90) and Antonio Gates (74 -- he's behind Owen Daniels but isn't on injured reserve).
Fullback (1). Here you can vote for the fullback with the most fantasy points or the fullback who helped his fellow running back get to the top of the fantasy heap. In that case, you would pick Minnesota's Naufahu Tahi for the NFC and Tennessee's Ahmard Hall for the AFC. (And if you haven't heard of either one until now, you're welcome.)
Offensive line (2 centers, 3 tackles, 3 guards). Here's where things get tricky. Most fantasy formats don't have scores for individual linemen. Your options: vote for the lines that got their running backs to the top, vote for the lines that got their quarterbacks to the top, or register for a site like Trench Fantasy that actually tracks blocking stats. For example, in the first half of the season, Trench Fantasy's top-scoring lines were the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts.
DEFENSE
If you play in a league that treats defense/special teams as a single entity (as most leagues do), you can simply vote for the players on the top-scoring defense/special teams. In ESPN's case, that would be the Saints, Eagles and Vikings on the NFC side and the Ravens, Broncos and Bengals on the AFC side. However, you can make more precise votes if you have access to IDP (individual defensive player) stats. These numbers come courtesy of FFToday.
Defensive end (3). NFC: Jared Allen (98), Andre Carter (80) and Julius Peppers (76.5). AFC: Robert Mathis (76), Aaron Schobel (65) and Dwight Freeney (59).
Defensive tackle (3). NFC: Kevin Williams (55.5), Jonathan Babineaux (48) and Albert Haynesworth (42). AFC: Marcus Stroud (52), Tommy Kelly (40) and Shaun Rogers (32.5).
Outside linebacker (3). NFC: Lance Briggs (74.5), Chad Greenway (74) and Mike Peterson (74). AFC: James Harrison (97.5), Brian Cushing (94) and Elvis Dumervil (85.5).
Inside linebacker (2). NFC: Patrick Willis (111.5) and Curtis Lofton (86.5). AFC: David Harris (85.5) and D.J. Williams (85.5).
Cornerback (3). NFC: Charles Woodson (92.5), Tracy Porter (75.5) and Terence Newman (74.5). AFC: Leon Hall (80.5), Johnathan Joseph (72) and Chris Johnson (68).
Strong safety (1). NFC: Roman Harper (73.5). AFC: Tyvon Branch (71.5).
Free safety (1). NFC: Darren Sharper (97). AFC: Antoine Bethea (92).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker (1). Going back to ESPN stats, you get David Akers (90) for the NFC and Stephen Gostkowski (84) for the AFC.
Kick returner (1). If you can find a fantasy league that credits receivers with return points, you get votes for Percy Harvin (only 889 yards, but 2 touchdowns to put him past Danny Amendola) for the NFC and Joshua Cribbs (1,236 yards, 2 touchdowns) for the AFC.
Punter (1). Here you can simply go with the NFL leaders: Andy Lee (2,665 yards) for the NFC and Shane Lechler (2,938 yards) for the AFC.
Special team player (1). OK, there are some areas where fantasy football can't help you. Pick your personal favorite.
You'll notice that this list is missing some famous names -- players who have spent so much time in Honolulu that they should probably be registered to vote there. But when you make your Pro Bowl picks according to fantasy stats, you realize something: Reputation is not a fantasy stat.
We'll be back tomorrow with the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
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