Month: September 2010 (Page 15 of 60)

      2010 Fantasy Football: Week 3 Rankings

      September 24, 2010 /
      Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin runs after the catch as Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman gives pursuit in the first half of their NFL football game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas September 19, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Below are my rankings for Week 3. I’m participating in a study as part of Fantasy Pros, where they keep track of the accuracy of many of the top fantasy ‘experts’ around the country. For Week 2, I finished in the Top 8 (out of 39 experts) in QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs, and I hope to repeat that success this week. If you utilize my advice on the Q&A, please take a moment to sign up at Fantasy Pros (it’s free) and rate me as an expert.

      These rankings are for a standard (non-PPR) scoring system:

      Quarterbacks

      1. Peyton Manning (IND @ DEN)
      2. Tony Romo (DAL @ HOU)
      3. Aaron Rodgers (GB @ CHI)
      4. Michael Vick (PHI @ JAC)
      5. Matt Schaub (HOU vs. DAL)
      6. Tom Brady (NE vs. BUF)
      7. Drew Brees (NO vs. ATL)
      8. Donovan McNabb (WAS @ STL)
      9. Philip Rivers (SD @ SEA)
      10. Jay Cutler (CHI vs. GB)
      11. Brett Favre (MIN vs. DET)
      12. Carson Palmer (CIN @ CAR)
      13. David Garrard (JAC vs. PHI)
      14. Joe Flacco (BAL vs. CLE)
      15. Eli Manning (NYG vs. TEN)
      16. Alex Smith (SF @ KC)
      17. Matt Ryan (ATL @ NO)
      18. Bruce Gradkowski (OAK @ ARI)
      19. Kyle Orton (DEN vs. IND)
      20. Vince Young (TEN @ NYG)
      21. Matt Hasselbeck (SEA vs. SD)
      22. Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF @ NE)
      23. Sam Bradford (STL vs. WAS)
      24. Shaun Hill (DET @ MIN)
      25. Chad Henne (MIA vs. NYJ)

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Are the Bills trying to showcase Marshawn Lynch for a trade?

      September 24, 2010 /
      ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Marshawn Lynch of the Buffalo Bills runs against the Miami Dolphins during the NFL season opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. Miami won 15-10. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

      Unless you feel the need to break down the differences between Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s throwing mechanics, about the only intriguing storyline in Buffalo these days is what intentions the Bills have for running back Marshawn Lynch.

      Lynch received an increased workload in the team’s loss to the Packers last week and head coach Chan Galiey has already said that the former Cal product “will play a lot” this Sunday against the Patriots depending on the offensive package.

      That begs the question: Are the Bills trying to showcase Lynch so they can deal him before the October trade deadline or do they really want to involve him more in the offense?

      I don’t want to draw concussions off of 17 carries (which is what Lynch had in Week 2) and one vague quote from Gailey, but it stands to reason that the Bills are apt to play Lynch more so that they can showcase him in a trade. C.J. Spiller is the future and Fred Jackson has already proven that he can handle a full rushing load, so why keep Lynch?

      That said, it’s not a bad idea for the Bills to get Lynch more involved anyway, regardless of whether or not they’re going to trade him. Spiller is only a rookie and while he dazzled in preseason, he’s proved in the early going that he’s going to need time to develop. Jackson was also limited this offseason and in Week 1 due to a hand injury.

      In the meantime, the Bills don’t have a quarterback so they need to rely on the running game to keep them in games (or at least, try to keep them in games). And only giving a running back (any running back) three carries (which was Lynch’s total in a Week 1 loss to the Dolphins) isn’t going to help him get into a rhythm on Sundays. Thus, upping Lynch’s carries helps the Bills whether they intend to trade him or not.

      I did find it a tad ironic, however, that Lynch received three carries in Week 1 against the Dolphins and 17 against the Packers in Week 2, seeing as how Green Bay may be in the market for a running back. Again, it’s hard to draw conclusions from the information that is at hand, but would anyone be surprised if Lynch is dealt sometime over the next couple of weeks? I certainly wouldn’t.

      External Sports, NFL

      Don Nelson to resign

      September 24, 2010 /
      Jan. 03, 2010: Golden State coach Don Nelson is also the former Dallas Mavericks coach during an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX Dallas defeated Golden State 110-101.

      Per CSN Bay Area…

      Nelson, the NBA’s all-time coaching leader in victories with 1,335 wins, will be replaced by longtime Warriors assistant coach Keith Smart, according to the sources.

      Nelson, who had one year remaining on his contract worth $6 million, returned to the Bay Area last Sunday night, according to general manager Larry Riley in an interview earlier this week.

      Riley said Nelson had been watching the team scrimmages and doing his usual office-type things to get ready for the season during that conversation.

      But, according to two sources, it was obvious that Nelson wasn’t overly enthusiastic about leaving Maui, where he makes his home, and returning to coach the Warriors.

      Several sources indicated that Nelson will be paid the remainder of his contract.

      He “wasn’t overly enthusiastic about leaving Maui.” I’ve been to Maui twice, so I can relate. No one is really enthusiastic about leaving Maui.

      So Nelson comes back to the Bay Area, wanders around the team facilities for a few days, grumbles about how he’d rather be sitting at a bar in Lahaina or lounging on Ka’anapali Beach and now he’s heading back to Maui with his full salary of $6 million?

      What a life!

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Cedric Benson already complaining about Bengals’ offense

      September 24, 2010 /
      Aug 8, 2010; Canton, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson (32) during the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Fawcett Stadium. Photo by Image of Sport Photo via Newscom

      With as much trouble as Cedric Benson has gotten into over the course of his NFL career, one would think he would be happy to fall in line and allow his situation in Cincinnati to play out (on the field and off it, for that matter).

      But one would be wrong.

      While recently appearing on SIRIUS NFL Radio, Benson took the time to voice his displeasure about the Bengals’ offense and how the team has gotten away from running the football.

      From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

      Said Benson about the offense’s direction right now: “I don’t know. With all those players and names you brought up (Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, Jermaine Gresham) they’re all, except for one, directly involved in the passing game. So, I mean, if I had to guess, it seems that that’s kind of the route that we’re trying to go, which can be a bit frustrating because we were successful running the football last year and being a power team. Being that type of team got us where we ultimately wanted to be, which was in the playoffs. I don’t know what would be the reason the team would want to change their identity, unless in the past season it didn’t work. But that’s not the case here. And, I mean, I don’t know. I guess whoever’s making those shots, or calling those shots, you got to kind of roll with the punches.”

      In the first two games, the Bengals have called 85 pass plays to just 56 run plays. But they also trailed New England 31-3 early in the third quarter in Week 1 and were inconsistent running the ball against Baltimore last Sunday. So what is Benson looking for here?

      The Bengals were successful running the ball last year, but they also desperately needed to upgrade their passing game, which they did this offseason with the selections of Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley via the draft, and Terrell Owens in free agency. They lost to the Jets last year in the Wild Card round partly because they were too one-dimensional. And despite Benson’s claims, the goal isn’t to reach the playoffs – it’s to win in the playoffs.

      The teams that win in the NFL do so because every player accepts his role and executes the plays that are called. If one guy doesn’t accept his role and fails to execute, then the rest of the 10 players usually suffer.

      With that in mind, Benson should stop worrying about the distribution of run and pass plays and just concern himself with what he’s doing to help the team win. Going on SIRIUS radio and bitching about the offense isn’t helping his team win and doesn’t help the Bengals’ reach their ultimate goal.

      External Sports, NFL

      The time is now for Alex Smith to win

      September 24, 2010 /
      Aug 28, 2010; Oakland, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) reacts during the preseason game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The 49ers defeated the Raiders 28-24. Photo by Image of Sport Photo via Newscom

      For those that stayed up to watch the final two minutes of the 49ers’ loss to the Saints on Monday night, you were treated to a rare sight: Alex Smith on the verge of leading his team to victory.

      Granted, the 49ers could only tie the game when Smith led them on an 8-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that took only 53 seconds off the clock in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. But the key is that he put them in position to potentially win the game at some point by throwing the ball with pinpoint accuracy, scrambling for extra yards and making smart decisions to keep the chains moving.

      In the end, Drew Brees just had too much time on the clock not to lead the Saints to victory. That’s what Brees does – he finds ways to win. And now it’s Smith’s turn to do that very thing.

      The 49ers have to win the NL West this year, period. The Rams are rebuilding, the Seahawks are short on overall talent and the Cardinals don’t have a quarterback. Thus, it’s Smith and the Niners’ division to lose.

      That said, they’re already 0-2 and now have to go on the road this Sunday to face a 2-0 Chiefs team brimming with confidence right now. Furthermore, Smith is just 16-24 as a starting quarterback, which is why the time is now for him to step up.

      While some aren’t enamored with his arm strength, he proved on Monday night that he could throw the ball. Believe it or not, he’s also one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league and this season is the first time in his career that he’s had the same offensive coordinator (Jimmy Raye) and playbook for two years straight.

      But he has to win. That’s what great quarterbacks do and while Smith is far from great, he doesn’t have to be at this point. The 49ers don’t come without some glaring weaknesses (i.e. two rookies are starting on the offensive line and some of the decision-making by Raye and head coach Mike Singletary is questionable at best), but the ’08 Lions could win this division. It’s there for the taking.

      Smith doesn’t have to be a Pro Bowler and he certainly doesn’t have to live up to his draft status (No. 1 overall). He shouldn’t have to worry about what Aaron Rodgers (who was taken 23 spots after Smith in 2005) is doing in Green Bay either.

      But he does have to start fulfilling some of the expectations that have been laid out for him. He has plenty of weapons around him and he’s comfortable in the offense; thus, there are no more excuses. Win now.

      External Sports, NFL

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