So Cedric Benson finally ended his holdout and signed a five-year deal with the Bears. How does that affect your draft rankings and upcoming fantasy football season?

Well, for starters, Chicago RB Thomas Jones, last year’s starter and the biggest benefactor from Benson’s holdout, should be sliding down your lists. Jones will still start the first few games of the season, at least, but Benson’s the future and the Bears will hand him the job at some point this year. Jones should be the team’s third-down back because he’s a much better receiver than Benson, but most of Jones’ fantasy value goes out the window with Benson signing.

As for Benson, he should be drafted or claimed in every league since rookie runners have a much higher success rate than rookies at other positions. He’s so far behind at this point that you can’t expect a 1,000 yard season for Benson, but also keep in mind that Willis McGahee sat behind Travis Henry for the first four games in Buffalo last year and still totaled 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns, while rookie Julius Jones finished with 819 rushing yards and seven touchdowns despite playing in only eight games last season. Don’t draft Benson in the third or fourth round expecting that kind of production but, with his upside, Benson certainly deserves consideration once the first 20-25 backs are off the board, maybe even earlier in keeper leagues. After all, there’s a reason the Bears chose Benson with the fourth-overall choice in last April’s draft.

As rookie runners go, I prefer Carnell Williams, J.J. Arrington and maybe even Ronnie Brown (depending on what the Dolphins do with Ricky Williams) to Benson this year but, going forward, Benson has just as much potential as any of his fellow first-year backs and he’s a great fit in the Bears’ offense. Just don’t expect to see big numbers right away.

Got your own questions on the upcoming fantasy season? Wondering if Randy Moss is a first-round choice or if Fred Taylor is a reliable #2 running back? We’ve got the answers, so let’s hear your questions. Post ‘em here and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours with a response.

Last month, we talked about Maurice Clarett’s decision to pass up $410,000 in guaranteed money to sign an incentive-laden deal that could’ve been worth as much as $7 million. At the time, the general consensus was that, while forgoing the guaranteed cash showed just how confident Clarett was in his ability, it was a move that could come back to bite him in the ass.

Well, chomp chomp, I guess.

NFL.com’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Denver Broncos will likely cut Clarett, the last pick in the third round of April’s draft, before the season starts. Of course, the kick-in-the-nuts irony about all of this for Clarett is, Denver likely would’ve stashed him on the IR all season had they invested any guaranteed money in him, allowing Clarett to recover from his groin injury. But since Clarett passed on his signing bonus, the Broncos apparently are ready to cut their losses with the former Ohio State back because, as Steffer says:

“One of the biggest reasons Clarett is not expected to make it in Denver is the lack of maturity he demonstrated during the summer. He had a warped perception of his talents, thus bypassing a signing bonus for incentives. Clarett also agitated some of his teammates for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was conducting national TV interviews before he had accomplished anything on the field — or even gotten on the field.”

As a Buckeyes fan, I must confess a certain amount of personal satisfaction with this story. Clarett’s ego has always surpassed his talent, and that ego has once again cost him dearly. Granted, he’ll likely find another job in a matter of weeks, but it’s nice to see a punk like Clarett get knocked off his all-too-high horse again.

Though I must admit, the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this wasn’t what Clarett had planned all along. Think about it — he gets drafted in the third round by a team with a glut of backfield talent, and he recognizes immediately that he’s not going to see the field anytime soon. So what does he do? He signs an incentive-laden deal that makes it that much easier for the Broncos to cut him, then he sulks and pouts and half-asses his way through camp with an injury that many of his teammates and coaches question the severity of, and now he could be on his way to becoming a free agent with the ability to choose the team that offers him the best chance to succeed. Sure, it’s a complicated, underhanded and far-fetched plan, but considering Clarett’s history of complications and underhandedness, would you really be surprised?

I watched the Falcons/Jaguars game last night and, aside from Jacksonville rookie Matt Jones’ sensational one-handed diving catch, I saw something else of interest: the same old Michael Vick. Many feel Vick is nothing more than a SportsCenter highlight and a fantasy football tease, and from a purely statistical standpoint, that’s certainly a valid point. But when it comes to Vick, I’m not so sure that statistics tell the entire story.

Vick threw for 2,313 yards and 14 TDs vs. 12 interceptions while running for 902 yards and an additional three TDs in 15 games last year. Of course, everyone latches on to the impressive rushing totals, which is certainly understandable considering he ranked 23rd in the NFL in rushing yards, ahead of running backs Priest Holmes, Marshall Faulk, Julius Jones and Duce Staley. But when you add up Vick’s total production, you’re left with 3,215 yards and 17 TDs, hardly gaudy numbers compared to those put up by guys like Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb and Trent Green.

But when analyzing Vick, the only stat that really matters at this point in his career is 11, which is how many wins the Falcons had last season. Vick may not match the statistical output of Peyton Manning and Daunte Culpepper, but he’s not the same kind of quarterback. While opposing defenses only need to worry about Manning beating them with his arm, Vick’s athleticism gives defensive coordinators nightmares because, quite frankly, he’s the most dangerous guy on the field. Sure, he makes poor reads and, occasionally, even worse throws, but he can also turn a 10-yard loss into a 30-yard run, and that kind of playmaking ability can’t be ignored.

In this fantasy football era, fans have become obsessed with statistics, and since Vick hasn’t taken a giant statistical step forward in his NFL career, many of these fans are quick to label him as a failure. But the NFL is about winning, not about compiling stats, and considering the Falcons were one win from the Super Bowl last year, I’d say Vick is doing everything right, even is his numbers may suggest otherwise.

Milton Bradley is feuding with Jeff Kent. Big surprise. Now Milton is playing the race card. Wow, I’m floored.

This guy is trouble. The Cleveland Indians made a great move last year when they dumped Bradley just before the season started. They wanted to develop their young players in a positive atmosphere. Now they’re in the Wild Card hunt. Bradley is a talented player, but had Cleveland kept him, he would have poisoned the clubhouse and destroyed the great chemistry.

Now the Dodgers have to deal with this idiot. Last year he threw his customary tantrums. This year he’s calmer, but his recent statements demonstrate that he’s not any smarter.

In Tampa Bay:
Down 4-2 in the top of the seventh, the Cleveland Indians have runners on second and third with one out. Leadoff hitter Grady Sizemore hits a chopper to third and Alex Gonzalez boots it, allowing a run to score and putting runners on first and third. Coco Crisp follows with a laser to right for a two-run triple and a 5-4 lead. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Tampa’s leadoff hitter Julio Lugo singles to left-center off Tribe closer Bob Wickman and moves to third on Carl Crawford’s single. Crawford wastes no time stealing second, taking off on Wickman’s first pitch to Jorge Cantu. With the count 0-1, Wickman commits one of the most obvious balks you’ll ever see in a game, failing to come to a stop before delivering his pitch. Lou Pineilla explodes, and rightfully so, dropping f-bombs on any umpire who’ll look his way, but to no avail. Cantu sends Wickman’s next pitch up the middle but somehow, the rotund Wickman manages to knock the ball down with his glove, scamper off the mound and underhand it to first for the final out of the game, securing Cleveland’s sixth-straight win and seventh in their last eight games.

In New York:
The Blue Jays and Yankees are tied 2-2 heading into the eighth but Toronto takes a one-run lead on a Shea Hillenbrand RBI single. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Bernie Williams ties the game with a single to center, knocking in Tony Womack, but in the top of the ninth, Reed Johnson drives in the potential game-winning run with a two-out single off Mariano Rivera. Hideki Matsui promptly ties it back up with a leadoff homer off Toronto closer Miguel Batista, who’s converted saves in his last five outings. Batista then proceeds to get Jason Giambi on a grounder, walk Jorge Posada, strike out Womack, walk Robinson Cano and then, after intentionally walking Derek Jeter to load the bases, surrender a game-winning single to Felix Escalona.

The come-from-behind wins by the Indians and Yankees, coupled with Oakland’s 4-1 loss to the Tigers, leaves Cleveland and New York tied atop the AL Wild Card standings with the A’s a game back and the Twins 2.5 behind.

You don’t hear too many purists complaining about the Wild Card these days, and if they are, they’re friggin’ clueless because, while the AL race is tight, the NL standings are even crazier, with Houston, Philly, Florida, Washington and the Mets all within 2.5 games of each other. If I had to guess, I’d call Cleveland (hitters are hot, starters have been solid all year and the ‘pen is lights out) and Florida (great staff, some big bats and Jack McKeon), but it’s anybody’s guess at this point.

Reggie Bush has been getting plenty of well-deserved hype as the most exciting player in college football. Pat Forde, however, points out that Bush might be challenged this season by Ohio State’s Ted Ginn Jr. Last season Ginn touched the ball 59 times and scored 8 touchdowns. Naturally, the Buckeyes will be sure to get the ball in his hands even more this season. Ginn might be the fastest player in college football, and the Buskeyes will be a much better team this year, so look for Ginn to give Bush a run for his money.

If SI’s Steve Mandell is correct, we’ll be treated to a Bush vs. Ginn matchup in the Rose Bowl, as he predicts that USC will face Ohio State for this season’s National Championship. That’s not a bad prediction, and it would be a great game. We’ll know early if Ohio State can meet the high expectations, as they host #2 Texas in Ohio Stadium on September 10th.

If you saw this headline on ESPN:

“Ex-NFL running back runs into teens with stolen car”

you may at first wonder who the former running back could be. But it probably wouldn’t take very long for you to say to yourself, “Duh, it’s gotta be Lawrence Phillips.”

And, of course, you’d be right. Phillips was arrested Sunday after allegedly running a car, which had been reported as stolen earlier in the week, into three teenagers who argued with him during a pickup football game. Even better, police had been looking for Phillips for almost a month for allegedly attacking his girlfriend twice, once choking her into unconsciousness.

Dude….

How depressing would it be to be Lawrence Phillips? You watch guys like LaDainian Tomlinson and Edgerrin James make millions and millions of dollars playing a game, and you know that you had more than enough talent to be doing the exact same thing. Instead, you’re choking your girl and playing in a pick-up football game with a bunch of high school kids. I’d love to know what those kids said to Phillips to set him off. It was probably something like, “Dude, what the fuck are you doing here?”

The NFL preseason moves on to week three, which means opening kickoff is even closer. Still trying to figure out who to take in the first round or how long you should wait before selecting a QB? Post your questions here and we’ll have an answer for you within 24 hours.

This week, we’ll start with an update on a previous question. On our last Q&A thread, mikedill asked, “…how do you think the Browns RB situation will shake out and will the winner be worth drafting?” J. Paulsen and I orginally recommended targeting Lee Suggs, Cleveland’s apparent starting running back, but we also both pointed out that Suggs is injury prone and that, with William Green and Reuben Droughns standing as more-than-capable backups, Suggs’ fantasy value for ‘05 is far from assured.

Now, we learn that Suggs will be out at least two weeks with a high ankle sprain. That’s bad news for Suggs owners since high ankle sprains tend to linger and, considering Suggs’ injury history, there’s a decent chance that this could hamper him all season. Meanwhile, in Suggs’ absence Saturday against the Giants, Green ran for 29 yards on seven carries while Droughns totaled 30 yards on eight attempts. Green got the start, which suggests he’d probably benefit the most from a long-term Suggs injury, but Droughns still has plenty of time to close the gap.

Calling it “the worst Madden release ever,” Bullz-Eye.com reviewer Jason Zingale had this to say about “Madden ‘06“:

“…while the ‘Madden’ franchise has continued to introduce innovative gameplay with each successive release, the new additions to 06 only make the game worse.”

Pretty harsh words for a pretty popular game, and considering this is the first Madden release since EA Sports bought the exclusive NFL licensing rights, it’s also bad news for gamers worldwide.

In perhaps the least shocking news of the NFL offseason, Randy Moss told HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” that he’s smoked pot during his professional career. “I have used, you know, marijuana … since I’ve been in the league,” Moss said in the interview, scheduled to air Aug. 23. “But as far as abusing it and, you know, letting it take control over me, I don’t do that, no.” When asked if he still smokes, Moss replied, “every blue moon or every once in a while I might.”

To most of you, this probably can’t be classified as news. After all, when Moss was arrested for “bumping” a traffic control officer with his car a couple of years ago, police found some pot in the ashtray which conveniently belonged to one of Moss’s friends. Rrrrright.

But something of significance can be found in this story. Check out this quote from the “Real Sports” interview:

“But, you know, I don’t want any kids, you know, watching this taking a lesson from me as far as ‘Well, Randy Moss used it so I’m going to use it.’ I don’t want that to get across.”

That’s Randy for you, always thinking about the kids. Here’s a hint: If you don’t want kids to get the wrong message about you admitting that you smoke dope, DON’T TALK ABOUT HOW YOU SMOKE DOPE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.

On another note, fantasy leaguers shouldn’t worry. Unless he’s actually failed a drug test (and according to reports, he has not), the league is highly unlikely to take any action against Moss this year. He’s still most likely the top receiver on the board and a late-first/early second round pick.

If you like picking games during the NFL season, you’ll love the Ultimate Survival Pool. I’ve played this game the past couple of years and it’s a blast. The object of the game is to pick the winner of only one NFL game each week. NO POINT SPREADS CONSIDERED. If the team you pick wins in that week, you survive to the next week. If your team losses or ties, you are eliminated. Once you have selected a team you can’t pick that team again for the rest of the season. The entry fee is $100.

In a move that further suggests NFL owners and GMs are no longer willing to overlook character issues, the Tennessee Titans agreed in principle to a five-year deal with rookie corner Pacman Jones that, as ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli writes, will be “rife with penalty clauses” given that Jones has been arrested three times since the draft. Now facing two counts of misdemeanor assault and one of felony vandalism for the latest incident, Jones, the sixth overall selection, will probably get between $13 and $14 million in guaranteed money, which is more than I would’ve expected considering Cadillac Williams, chosen one spot ahead of Jones at #5, got just over $13 million guaranteed from Tampa Bay.

Still, props to the Titans for protecting themselves and sending this knucklehead a message. Tennessee will be able to get bonus money back from Jones if he misses time due to legal troubles, which is about the only way the Titans could justify actually signing Jones to a contract at this point. They’re still taking a risk, of course, but at least Jones is being held accountable for his past mistakes and will have to pay for any future screwups as well.

Tiger’s back. At least, that’s what everyone said after Woods claimed his fourth Masters victory in April and then dominated the British Open field last month. But last weekend, on a long course seemingly built for his game, Tiger nearly missed the cut after opening the tournament at five-over Thursday and finished tied with Davis Love for fourth at two-under, two strokes behind Phil Mickelson.

Of course, the fact that Woods was even in contention shows just how well he played after the opening-round disaster, shooting 69-66-68 to round out the weekend. Still, while Tiger certainly appears to be the best player in the world once again, everyone waiting for the 1999-2002 Tiger Woods to reemerge could be disappointed because we may never see that version again. Instead, it may be more accurate to call Woods the greatest player of his generation rather than the greatest player of all time.

Hines Ward is in camp, Ronnie Brown just signed and T.O. is still flapping his gums. How does all of this affect your upcoming fantasy drafts?

The Raiders and Patriots kick off the season Thursday, September 8, which means it’s time to amp up the draft prep. Post your fantasy questions and we’ll have an answer for you within 24 hours.

Sources are reporting that Terrell Owens and head coach Andy Reid exchanged words at a team meeting Wednesday and the wide receiver was asked to leave. Apparently, Owens gathered his belongings and left camp. The receiver has missed several days of practice due to a strained hamstring after threatening to hold out of camp due to the unwillingness of the Eagles to re-work his seven year/48 M deal. It is doubtful that the Eagles are going to trade the troublesome receiver, so the holdout may be back on. Fantasy implications: On average, Owens has been the #2 WR (after Randy Moss) off the fantasy board - Rams WR Torry Holt will likely take his place. If Owens returns to camp in the next week or two, expect him to go in the Top 5, but conservative fantasy owners will be leery of this combustible situation and take players like Holt, Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison and even Javon Walker ahead of him.

Pathetic. An arbitrator ruled that Kenny Rogers be reinstated, knocking his 20-game suspension down to 13 games, or “time served.” Basically, Bud Selig gets slapped on the wrist for a penalty that, frankly, was a slap on the wrist for Rogers. I have no doubt that if you were to look at Donald Fehr’s cell phone, you would find Selig’s number under the name “My Bitch.”

If I’m Selig right now, I’m pissed. It’s bad enough that the players’ union basically kicks the owners around like a stray dog, but the message this ruling sends to players is loud and clear: do whatever the hell you want. You want to assault a photographer? Have at it. You want to squeeze Sam Ryan’s tits on camera while she’s interviewing you? Great, let us know what they feel like. Did Peter Gammons say something you didn’t like? Slit his throat, then sell his head on eBay.

It’s open season now, kids. You think players were only beginning to act like complete idiots? Just wait. The gloves are off now. Next time Oliver Perez wants to kick someone, he won’t bother with a laundry cart, not when he can kick Joe Buck or a beat writer with no fear of reprisal. The Steroids Era may be coming to an end, but the Jackass Era has just begun.

Pittsburgh RB Duce Staley is out a month after arthroscopic surgery revealed a torn meniscus in his right knee. The scope was conducted Monday after a MRI on Sunday was inconclusive. Missing a month will certainly hurt Staley’s fantasy value heading into the season, but since he’s slated to be back for the opener, it is unclear if this will have a major impact on the Steeler running game. Jerome Bettis will be penciled in as the starter, with Verron Haynes and Willie Parker vying for backup duties. In the six games that Staley missed last season, Bettis put up Top 10 numbers, so he may be a nice middle round pick if Staley’s problems linger on.

We had some great questions and even better discussions on our first preseason Q&A thread but, with week one getting closer, it’s time to amp up the draft prep. Go ahead and post your questions on draft strategy, rankings and player analysis and we’ll post our responses within 24 hours.

Remember, we’ll post a new Q&A thread each week so if you’re looking for answers, you’ve come to the right place.

PLUS: We’ll also be running weekly Q&A threads during the regular season to take your questions on match-ups, lineup decisions, trades and free-agent pickups.

In addition to the weekly Q&A threads we’ll be running (find the first one here) throughout the preseason and regular season, you can also find helpful columns and up-to-the-minute player updates and injury reports on our Fantasy Football and Fantasy Baseball homepages, courtesy of Rotoworld.com

And look for our next Q&A thread Sunday morning.

Well kids, domestic abuse isn’t just for professional athletes anymore. There is an exciting home game that only requires a spouse and a claw hammer as Christopher Offord of Panama City, FL found out. Reportedly, Offord and his wife engaged in some sexual activity, and afterward wife Dana Noser wanted to cuddle. Offord wanted to watch sports on television. So, he struck her approximately 70 times with a claw hammer. Problem solved. He was sentenced Wednesday for the 2004 slaying.

I think the majority of us have said or done some stupid things to spouses, girlfriends, etc. to allow us to watch sports. I know I have. I am passionate about sports, but never has the idea of striking someone with a claw hammer crossed my mind. To be fair, never have I seriously considered striking someone not directly involved in the sporting event with a sharp object. I, like most, have wished bodily harm upon a player before, or at least a nasty bout of incontinence. I haven’t even wished a player death before, much less executed upon someone in the immediate vicinity.

And if you think about it, this probably occurred in the late evening hours when only timber sports and re-runs of the World Series of Poker were on. I think only now do we have an idea of how truly sick this individual is.