Archive for August, 2009

Bears Receivers Turn Their Swag On

Monday, 24 August, 2009

By Ted Cahill

The NFL preseason is a lot like Soulja Boy to me.

I feel bad having any connection to it, like I’m committing some sort of crime against humanity by supporting it, but everyone else eats it up. They lead with it on SportsCenter and “Kiss Me Through the Phone” goes to the top of the charts. Since its all around me I inevitably get sucked in somehow and find myself signing along to “Turn My Swag On,” and wondering how that exhibition game went.

I knew the Bears played Saturday and I thought I didn’t care. That is until a headline in the Chicago Tribune caught my eye. “Labeled a weak spot, receiving corps dispellin” and then my RSS feed cut it off, but my interest was already peaked. We all know that Chicago’s awful receivers are the reason not to assume Jay Cutler will repeat his fantastic season, so if they’re coming around I’m paying attention.

Looking deeper into the Bears’ second preseason game, I found that Devin Hester didn’t act much like a no. one receiver. Two catches for 14 yards isn’t the game breaker everyone thinks he can become.

Also a miscommunication between him and Cutler led to an incompletion. That’s the second time that’s cost the Bears already. I’ve never been high on Hester and if that’s the best Cutler has to work with I’ll still say he’s in trouble.

But it’s beginning to look like there may be more than Hester to the Bears’ receiving group. Earl Bennett also made two catches, but both were big gainers. He also is taking a shot a returning punts and supposedly looking pretty good doing it. Tribune reporter David Haugh calls Bennett the most improved player on the offense. He’s someone to watch for the rest of preseason and probably into the first couple weeks since he’ll likely go undrafted.

If the Bears can find one more receiver that Cutler can rely on this year, he’ll do just fine. I don’t really care if that’s tight end Greg Olsen or the other Devin on the roster, Devin Aromashodu. I’m not here to say that any of these receivers is worth drafting based on two preseason games, but this is a very positive sign for Cutler and the Bears’ in general.

Actual receivers mean more running lanes for Matt Forte and more time to rest the defense. Everyone is going to benefit from having receivers that Cutler trusts to catch the ball.

Maybe they’ll have Cutler signing “I know a lot of y’all thought I wasn’t coming back, yeah, yeah/I had to prove them wrong/Got back in the studio came up wit another hit, yeah, yeah.”

Boldin Wants 1500 Yards

Thursday, 20 August, 2009

By Zack Cimini

While other high profiled wide receivers shone the spotlight on themselves with self promotions on and off the field, twittering, and nagging injuries to keep them out of training camp, Anquan Boldin’s been straight business since leaving Drew Rosenhaus. Here is an athlete that wanted out of his deal and to be traded more than anyone in the NFL. Yet nothing came to a conclusion the way he would have liked. Instead of pouting all summer and holding out, Boldin’s been all about putting his team ahead of himself. He has been working hard with a chip on his shoulder, and has set high expectations for himself.

On local channel 12 news in an interview with Bruce Cooper based from training camp in Flagstaff, Anquan Boldin told Cooper that he has his eyes set on getting 1500 yards receiving this year. It’s an awfully high goal for a receiver, but don’t rule it out of Boldin’s reach.

After all he has came close to 1500 yards twice already in his career. Those years were in his rookie campaign in 2003, and again in 2005 when he had 1,407 yards receiving. Mind you that 2005 year he missed two games, or would have achieved that mark. Missing games is what has been the distinguishing mark between himself and Fitzgerald. Each of the last two seasons Boldin has missed a big stretch of games (4 each).Though at the end of the season Boldin is right there statistically amongst the best receivers in the league.

His physical style of play for a receiver is unmatched by anyone in the NFL. When he makes a catch he is looking to attack with a demolition mentality. He is not going down without busting into a defender or two. Like Boldin has said what receiver in the league would have been back onto the field after basically fracturing his face? We highly doubt many would have been able to return in that quick of time span. He could have also missed part of the playoffs with a serious nagging hamstring that kept him out the last two weeks of 2008. Instead he played through it even when aggravating it against the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the playoffs.

The finger pointing on Boldin’s contract situation can go right back at the agent that got him into this mess, Drew Rosenhaus. After a strong rookie season Boldin listened to Rosenhaus and held out briefly by skipping mini camp. That strategy did work, but the incentive laden structure of his contract was absolutely pitiful. Rosenhaus set Boldin up well for the first part of the deal with a great signing bonus of $10 million, but his base salaries are atrocious towards the end of his deal. In hindsight, Boldin obviously had his eyes set on the green up front, but now he has to deal with the 2.75 million (2009), and 3 million (2010) he is set to make.

We’d hope the Cardinals will reward Boldin and not be as stubborn as they’ve been in negotiations. Even Larry Fitzgerald just restructured his deal to try to give cap space for a new deal for Boldin.

If he can put together a full healthy season, Fitzgerald and Boldin might be a one-two combination for top fantasy wide receivers in the league. That’d be unprecedented and the closest we can ever think of that happening is back in the 1998 year of Randy Moss and Cris Carter. The Cardinals may keep preaching that they plan on running the football but they’re in poor shape to get that established. They let Edgerrin James and third down back of last year JJ Arrington go. Their decision was to go younger and give the reigns to last years rookie Tim Hightower and the drafting of another in Chris Wells. Hightower will have to show he can be a heavy load back, and Wells has already been hurt multiple times in training camp. The backfield is slim, with huge questions around durability and productivity. The spread it out air attack may be back bigger than ever in 2009.

Turner's Fantasy Value Misleading

Wednesday, 19 August, 2009

By Zack Cimini

Last year saw a free agent running back get his pay day and a starting spot for an NFL team. No one knew where to project him as a fantasy running back, and figured the team would struggle due to numerous variables. Yet this team stormed to a revival and became an overnight success story. There is no question this back should now be a first round fantasy selection, but buyer beware……beware.

Michael Turner had an incredible year that allowed Matt Ryan to be a rookie, and make plays only when needed. Carrying the ball at nearly 400 times gave Turner the output you’d expect from that amount of carries, with 17 touchdowns and nearly 1700 yards. He also led the league in yards after initial contact. At his size he has a rare combination of adding on yards when there is nothing.

At 27, Turner feels he can keep going at last year’s pace without worrying about his body breaking down. Reason for that is he was a primary backup for years in San Diego, so actually feels like he has only played one season. A good season at that, but will the Falcons actually keep Turner’s pace of carries that high?

We think they’ll lessen the load for a few reasons. One, Matt Ryan will be more comfortable with the teams system. It’s not that Ryan didn’t throw a lot last season, as he had many games where he threw in the high twenties for attempts. The x-factor where they’d pull Ryan back a bit came within the red-zone. For a quarterback that threw as much as he did, Ryan only had 16 touchdown passes. Another peculiar stat on Ryan’s touchdown throws is that most of them came on big plays.

That’ll change in a hurry now that the Falcons brought in tight end, Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez has been one of the best red zone targets for over a decade now, and doesn’t seem to have lost anything physically. Double check the amount of touchdowns Ryan threw to a tight end last season. Still looking? That’s right……zero. If Gonzalez hovers around his average for touchdowns a season (7), how many touchdowns will this take away from Turner? It could be a bigger impact than fantasy owners think drafting Turner as a top three fantasy back.

For being fourth in the league in points, the Atlanta Falcons red zone efficiency was amazing. Can they sustain that success within the red zone?

Ready for the third clincher on why Turner’s season a year ago will come down from fantasy craziness? Jerious Norwood. Norwood is a back that has averaged over 5 yards a carry the last three seasons with minimal touches. He makes a big play on a high rate average usually a long burner. Sooner or later the Falcons are going to have to figure a way to make more plays for him. He can’t continue to get 100 carries a season, as he is too productive.

They have figured a way to get him more involved out of the backfield as his catches per year have went up to a career high 36 last season. Last year he had 131 complete touches and scored six touchdowns. More than anything you’d have to expect the Falcons to protect their premier back in Turner by not overworking him. This team is talented and will need to have him energized for a second burst come playoff time. If not a season low average and yards per carry could happen once again in the first round of the playoffs (2.3 ypc for 42 yards against the Cardinals).

Fantasy Football Predraft Selections

Tuesday, 18 August, 2009

Now this is the way to conduct your fantasy football draft spots. Don’t let yahoo or someone else randomize it. Go in knowing so you can game plan for your selection, just like the Pros for the NFL Draft. Take a look at a league we’ve been doing for years. Not everyone can be at one location for it anymore, so we do it live online like most leagues are conducted. Except this year we can anticipate what we want to do with our picks.

Impact of Fantasy Boost for Vikings

Tuesday, 18 August, 2009

By Zack Cimini

It wasn’t a shock; well maybe the timing of the signing of Favre was. The finality and deal of two years finally came to a dotted line contract solution. Now the media hoopla of the Favre saga will continue for weeks upon weeks. In a month though the NFL season will begin and that’s what Favre is back for, to win. He has the right formula of players around him, and surely will be a boost to the Vikings offense. This will make a Vikings offense more dangerous and fantasy friendly. Two combinations we all love. If Tarvaris Jackson can have an impact fantasy wise (his last three games in 08’, 4 TD’s against the Cards, and over 230 yards passing in the last two games), imagine what Favre will do.

Immediately a fantasy owner thinking Adrian Peterson was downgradeable because of their inconsistency behind center. That changes now as Favre has led mediocre backs to career years, from Edgar Bennett, Dorsey Levens, Samkon Gado, Ryan Grant, and even last year with Thomas Jones. Peterson now jumps the board as undoubtedly the number one option for fantasy owners. He’ll get the ball plenty of times and will benefit from Favre being able to make big plays down the field off of him. This will work vice versa in the hands of Favre. Allowing him to take far fewer hits and keep his arm protected from over throwing. This was an area that sparked up and plagued him down the stretch last season with the Jets.

What’s scary is Favre will have a couple of weapons that talent wise may be the highest caliber of players he has ever played with. Adrian Peterson without a question will be the best running back he has played with, and Percy Harvin is a dynamic talent that we’re all waiting to see in action in the NFL. Likely he is going to be a big play receiving threat with a mix of gadget plays mixed in for him as well. His speed is lethal and any space is going to be lights out see you later to the opposing defense.

A position Favre always loves to get involved is the tight end. Visanthe Schiancoe came out with a bang last year and was already on fantasy radars for the 2nd tier tight end selections. Now Schiancoe is around the field of being in the first tier. To have almost 600 yards receiving and seven touchdowns last season could only make fantasy owners grin that have already had their drafts. Ones that are coming up should keep an eye on how tight ends are going before letting Schiancoe slip too far.

At receiver Bernard Berrian has a skill set similar to a player Favre meshed with well in his last few years with Green Bay, that being Greg Jennings. Berrian makes a living off big plays but we will have to see how strong Favre’s arm will be from the gate and down the stretch. Sidney Rice and Bobby Wade will fight for the second receiver spot but we really don’t see either or having a serious fantasy impact. Based upon the few clips of Favre’s first practice he is going to have to make up time to build chemistry with his set of receivers. Numerous drops were showed on easy simple routes with no defense to make it difficult.

As for Favre’s fantasy worthiness, we see him as a spot starter for fantasy owners. So scoop him up as your primary backup and insert him in for favorable matchups. His erratic play will continue but should be more limited, as the Vikings are going to be more manageable with how they throw Favre into the fire. Truthfully his fit is perfect for the Vikings and should lead them to the playoffs. How deep in the playoffs is the main question.

Kouzmanoff Tearing It Up In August

Tuesday, 18 August, 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00

by Steven Iñiguez Ruiz

Kyle Blanks’ walk-off three-run home run last night versus the Cubs may have cost closer Kevin Gregg his job but more importantly may have highlighted a tremendous talent at third base for the Padres and fantast owners looking for RBI production, Kevin Kouzmanoff who was intentionally walked the at bat before Blanks’ blast. Kouzmanoff is hitting .345 with 19 H in 55 AB, is hitting .471 with RISP in the month of August, and is ranked 8th amongst 3B in the MLB in RBIs with 68 runs knocked in. The .260 avg may discourage some from picking up the corner infielder, but sweet Lou knew not to take a risk with the man with the hot stick; even though it cost him the game anyways.
Kevin Kouzmanoff (SD – 3B)
Avg HR RBI R SB
.260 15 68 42 1
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