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      2010 Fantasy Football Preview: PKs

      August 3, 2010 /
      GLENDALE, AZ - AUGUST 28: Mason Crosby #2 of the Green Bay Packers kicks a field goal during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on August 28, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

      All 2010 Fantasy Football Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

      Ah, the kicker. This is always the last part of our annual preview that I write because, honestly, it’s the last thing I’m thinking about on draft day. In most leagues, it doesn’t matter who your kicker is, as long as he’s decent. And if you don’t find a decent kicker on draft day, you’ll surely have an opportunity to pick one up as the season wears on.

      I generally look for two things when selecting a kicker:

      1. He kicks for a team with a good offense.
      In each of the last three seasons, six of the top 10 fantasy kickers played for teams that finished in the top 10 in yards per game. More yards generally means more opportunities for the kicker, be it field goals or extra points. Moreover, 23/30 (77%) of the top 10 kickers over the same span have been on teams that finished in the top 15 in yards per game.

      In the last three years, only three teams have had a kicker make the top 10 every season: Tennessee (4th, 4th, 2nd), New England (9th, 1st, 7th) and Green Bay (6th, 10th, 1st). Of those three, only the Patriots and the Packers made the top 10 in each season in yards per game. Tennessee was 12th in 2009, 21st in 2008 and 21st in 2007. For whatever reason, Tennessee’s strong running game coupled with a quality kicker (Rob Bironas) leads to a lot of made field goals.

      Four teams — Philadelphia, Minnesota, New York Giants and Denver — have had a kicker make the top 10 in each of the last two years.

      2. He kicks indoors or in a warm weather city, especially in the fantasy playoffs.
      Looking at the aforementioned list of teams with consistent kicking success, nice weather has nothing to do with it. New England, Green Bay, Philadelphia, New York and Denver are hostile in December, while Tennessee is pretty iffy.

      This is just a personal preference. I have been willing to give up a few points during the season if it means my kicker has nice weather to kick in during the fantasy playoffs. I don’t want to be looking at a goose egg when my guy has to go out into below freezing weather and a 32 MPH crosswind.

      But, thinking about it a little more, if it comes to that — why not just change kickers? There are always guys out there on the waiver wire with good matchups, so if you have Mason Crosby and he’s about to kick in terrible weather, you have options. Looking ahead, I’m going to put more of an onus on #1 than on #2.

      The most important rule to remember on draft day is that you don’t want to draft your kicker too early. A good rule of thumb is to wait until 8-10 kickers are already off the board before scooping up the best of what’s left. I’d rather use those 12th, 13th and 14th round picks on a few RB or WR flyers, the last part of my QBBC or the start of my DTBC.

      With that in mind, here are a few players going in round 15 or later that look to be good values on draft day. ADP data from Antsports.com.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL Camp Notes: Favre, Maclin injured & Babineaux suspended

      August 3, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 27: Jeremy Maclin #18 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      Favre has yet to tell Childress that he’s retiring
      Despite reports that state he won’t return, Vikings’ head coach Brad Childress insisted on Tuesday that Brett Favre has not told him he’s retiring. Minnesota still considers the situation “fluid” and Viking players have told the media that nothing has changed in regards to Favre’s status with the team. A “family source” also tells the Biloxi Sun Herald that Brett has not decided whether to play this year. With over a month left before the season starts, it’s doubtful that Brett has made any concrete plans about whether or not to come back – even though many media outlets are reporting that he’s likely done.

      Eagles’ Maclin suffers hyperextended knee injury
      Second-year receiver Jeremy Maclin suffered a hyperextended left knee injury during practice today. According to some reports, he looked to be in serious pain on the field and his teammates even huddled for a prayer after practice. He’ll undergo an MRI on the knee to determine how much camp time he’ll miss. Hopefully the injury wasn’t serious and he’ll only miss a week or so.

      Falcons’ Babineaux suspended one game
      The Falcons won’t have their best interior pass-rusher when they take on the Steelers in Week 1, as defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux has been suspended one game for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. (The suspension stems from Babineaux’s 2009 arrest for possession of marijuana.) Kudos to GM Thomas Dimitroff for having the wherewithal to know Babineaux was likely to be suspended and to select DT Corey Peters in the third round of April’s draft. Non-kudos to Babineaux for the arrest.

      Haynesworth skips conditioning test again
      Another day, another skipped conditioning test for Albert Haynesworth. Mike Shanahan says that Haynesworth’s knee is still bothering him and that when he’s ready to take the test again, “he’ll take it.” Shanahan is standing firm that Haynesworth is not allowed to practice until he passes the test (which some media members have reportedly attempted and passed over the last coupe of days).

      External Sports, NFL

      XBox 360 Games are Bigger and Better Than Ever

      August 3, 2010 /

      As the fall sports seasons approached, many XBox 360 games users were eagerly awaiting the release of the sports game, Madden 2011, featuring Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees as its 2011 coverman. EA sports returned with another excellent version, and Madden players from across the country are enjoying the latest installment of Madden, season 11.

      Another sports lovers delight was the recent release of NCAA football 11, featuring former Florida Quarterback, Tim Tebow, as the 360 games coverman.

      If the 360 games of football aren’t your choice, hundreds of thousands of 360 games users from across the world can be found nightly playing one of the 360 games most successful versions, Halo 3. Halo 3 is another of the 360 games that capitalizes on extraordinary graphics, transforming players into an alternate world of mystery, war and combat.
      Halo 3 is the concluding chapter in the halo series of 360 games. The games are an award-winning action series that has sold more than 14-million copies worldwide.

      Halo lovers are eagerly awaiting the expected October release of Halo Reach. The fall release is expected to satiate the worldwide cauldron of Halo lovers with another 360 game of epic proportions. Some 360 games users are calling Halo Reach the biggest release of 2010.

      Other 360 games that are rated extremely high are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Red Dead Redemption, Bio Shock 2 and Dragon Age: Origins.

      Whether it’s the high-flying combat of the NFL or the reformed outlaw, John Marston shooting his way through the old west in Red Dead Redemption, the 360 games available are certain to offer something special to today’s gamers. Users of 360 games rave about the quality of graphics and the affordability of ‘their’ games.

      For more information on 360 games or upcoming releases, visit your local 360 games dealer, or type 360 games into your favorite search engine.

      Uncategorized

      Let’s keep Rivers and Gates’ comments about LT in context

      August 3, 2010 /
      SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 and running back LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers celebrate a play against the New York Jets during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Qualcomm Stadium on January 17, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

      Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates made some interesting comments to the San Diego Union-Tribune yesterday about former teammate LaDainian Tomlinson.

      If you read between the lines, it would appear as though the Chargers are relieved LT is making his home in the Big Apple now instead of San Diego.

      “I don’t know how everyone feels or if they felt it,” said Rivers, who answers questions about Tomlinson the way someone walks through a minefield. “Maybe it was a little bit of a relief. Maybe it’s a feeling of, ‘I can do a little more without wondering what he thinks.’ ”

      “Sometimes you would get the sense that people felt bigger than the team,” Gates said. “Not to say it was an issue, but we know it’s not an issue for sure now.”

      “Me and LT had a wonderful relationship too. But sometimes you got the sense of stardom status and you can only take it so far. With Philip, I never feel that.”

      Some may read Rivers and Gates’ comments and think that they’re glad to be rid of LT or are even unappreciative of what Tomlinson did for the San Diego organization. But it’s important to keep what they said in context and remember that players don’t often get together to sing Kumbaya in a circle in the middle of their locker rooms. A football team is comprised of 50-plus players from all walks of life. Race, age, personality and financial status separate each player, so not everyone is going to have a great relationship.

      Tomlinson is among the best players to have ever wore a lightning bolt on the side of his helmet and will always be known for being an intense player. It appears as though he may have created some tension between he and his teammates with his intensity, but that’s to have been expected given the circumstances. It wouldn’t have been easy for any competitive athlete to have been the superstar for almost a decade and then be relegated to backup duties once the team didn’t think they had what it took anymore.

      When asked to give his response to what Rivers and Gates said, this is what LT had to say:

      “It doesn’t hurt me, but nothing surprises me because guys want to speak their opinion on things. Junior Seau went through the same thing with guys when he was the big star and he left the team and guys said how they felt about him. It’s the same situation. Good luck to those guys,” Tomlinson told the Post.

      I wouldn’t have blamed LT if he vented his frustrations about what was said about him, but the fact that he took the high road showed his class.

      It appears as though all parities have moved on.

      External Sports, NFL

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