By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Your star wide receiver is widely mouthing to reporters that he wants a reliable quarterback in 2011. Not to deal with an undrafted rookie as his starter or a player that competed at Fordham at quarterback. Larry Fitzgerald wants to have a chance to win now, and knows that won’t happen with quarterbacks that can only make predictable throws. Veterans out there aren’t plentiful, but it appears the Cardinals may be heading that route once the lockout phase ends.

Arizona did make a statement on the second day of the draft though, by grabbing running back Ryan Williams from Virginia Tech. It wasn’t an area many draft experts figured the Cardinals would attack early. Obviously, the Cardinals have grown impatient with the duo of Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells. This crowded backfield now becomes one of serious fantasy football monitored situations. Running backs never can be enough in a fantasy football league. Whisenhunt wants to run the ball down opposing teams throats but hasn’t had the consistency from the position.

With Beanie Wells, he has shown glimpses of being an every down back. He has shown explosion in the open field and an ability to get in the end zone. From the very first day he became a Cardinal, the issue has been injuries. Wells can’t stay on the field. Some of the injuries that seem to keep him delayed, are nagging and on going. His body doesn’t’ seem to recover well, which is not a trait you want to have from an every down player. Between Hightower and Wells, Wells is probably higher on Whisenhunt’s short leash. There was too much potential unrealized from Wells. He is likely headed down the same road former first round pick, Thomas Jones, was with the Cardinals. Exiting off his first year contract and having to regain trust with a new team.

Tim Hightower has the physical toughness and demeanor you like from a back. With Kurt Warner he even showed an extra threat of being able to catch the football out of the backfield. Including a huge touchdown in the NFC Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles a few years ago. His biggest issue is leaving the football on the ground. A whopping ten fumbles over the last two years, in which eight were lost. That just can’t happen when you’re only carrying the football around 140-150 carries a year.

The Cardinals tried this rotation for two years and it just wasn’t working. Kurt Warner was able to lift the awareness of this glaring backfield for a year. Jon Skelton and Max Hall were not able to. Ryan Williams is sort of like a Jonathan Stewart. Due to injuries in college his stock dipped from what is was when he was a freshman. He has lost a bit of his speed, but is still a dynamite in between the tackles runner.

This day and age, teams need two strong reliable running backs. The Cardinals have that in Williams now. Who will the other back be, and will Williams get a fair share of carries. We believe he will split carries, and will likely do so with Tim Hightower. So the odd man out would be Wells.

Give the Cardinals organization credit for not just going back to the same tandem, just because they’re young and on the first contracts.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Jumping out the gates in April is always great. If you’re an owner that has shot to the front of your league, you can further yourself from the pack with proper moves. Deciding on the right players to deal out and capitalize off their hot start is the tricky part. Being in a competitive league, you almost have to nowadays play your leverage to further differentiate your team. If not, owners can capitalize off their waiver position and gain on you by August.

In every league there are going to be owners quick to make changes that are suffering out the gate. Making a sneaky proposal just to break the ice is the norm. A good percentage of the time no deal is going to be done after the first offer. If a guy has a major need and he continues to see your offered players do well, he will bend. Give it some time.

Here are some players that have started off very well, that you may be able to get high value for before they dip back down to reality.

Lance Berkman– Berkman seemed buried alive with the New York Yankees last year. The notion figured to be another overpaid big name turned bust. Age seemed to have caught up to Berkman. He went undrafted in many leagues and figured to be an after thought with the St. Louis Cardinals. While other big names on the Cardinals started off rocky, Berkman was the bat the produced. An owner with him is probably thinking when will he slow down? It’s going to happen, and his numbers will likely tail off drastically. Offering him up for desperate owners on the other side, may be the route to go.

Travis Hafner- Injury issues sometimes just never leave a player, until it causes the exit of his/her career. That seems to be the number one issue for Hafner. Health. Cleveland as a whole has exceeded April’s expectation with their start. Hafner is widely available in 46% of Yahoo leagues, which is a troubling number in itself. This is a guy that can produce and if he can sustain for another month, will be worth dealing to give yourself extra depth in a necessary area.

Ike Davis- Talk about a guy having a career year. When a young player has a start like this, it’s hard to project if he can sustain it. Often times though, it’s just a streaky run. Pitchers and managers will figure out Davis’s weaknesses and expose them. Once a rut begins, Davis could tail back off to his earthly averages of a year ago. Which were abysmal. Davis already has five home runs, when he only hit nineteen last year. Every statistical category he is on pace to crush exponentially. With Davis’s age, leveraging should figure better for the fantasy owner.

Ben Zobrist- The key with Zobrist now is that he is getting on base and the whole Rays lineup is delivering. With Evan Longoria returning to the lineup, numbers could continue to soar. On the contrary, Zobrist has never been a great hitter. A career .253 hitter. His power numbers have never jumped out at you either. There’s no questioning that he could be on the brink of a career year. Will he turn that corner completely, and shake off career averages?

notjustagame23@gmail.com

The lockout couldn’t stop the draft from happening. The lingering battle between owners and players looks like it’ll be handled and keep football going for a little longer. We’ll all have to see. Day one of the NFL Draft came and to no surprise featured a plethora of quarterbacks being drafted. It happens in waves in the NFL. 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009 all featured many first round quarterbacks that are staples in today’s game.

This new class of 2011 though has a feel similar to the 1999 class. Expectations are heightened and teams are ready for this new wave. Too many teams were in need of a true talented quarterback. Starting journeyman veterans or settling for back and forth quarterback battles, was getting old. Even worse, was the horrid play being displayed on a weekly basis from weekly starters.

Coaches are now going to put the pressure on their veterans, and train these young quarterbacks to take over the starting reigns. How soon will that be?

Dynasty rookie drafts will be right around the corner. A draft in which you can protect an innumerate amount of players. This allows you to keep an athlete tapped for future potential in your system. Trade bait or eventual take over for your own aging quarterback (Brady, Manning, McNabb). You’ve got just as many decisions to make for your short term vs. long term scenarios on your roster.

Based on the first days draft, here is how I figure dynasty drafts will go. Oddly enough, skilled offensive position players such as QB, RB, and WR did not dominate the first round of the draft. Our rankings will be added upon each day of the draft.

1. Julio Jones- Right off the bat Jones gets to pair up with excellence all around him. A dynamic running game with Michael Turner and one of the best emerging young quarterbacks in the NFL. He’ll be directly opposite a receiver in Roddy White who now commands a double team, and schemes tailored to stop him. Jones should have no problem becoming another weapon for the Falcons.

2. Jake Locker- Locker got picked by a team that has shown the best in terms of winning over the last decade. Compared to the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, which have been successful but have nose dived over the last few years. It’ll be very difficult for either Gabbert or Newton to excel right away. Locker will need to develop in the pocket, and be a student of the game. Which he can do. If Vince Young can win with his inaccuracy, than so can Locker. He’ll hand the ball off enough to Chris Johnson and be mentored by Kerry Collins, to not get rattled his rookie year.

3. AJ Green- Depending on who the Bengals have at quarterback could be make or break for Green. There’s a lot waning in the Bengals future that makes Green a shaky first year player. We all know that Carson Palmer wants out, and that the Bengals have shown no interest in doing such. If Palmer does sit out and they have to go with Jordan Palmer, things could get ugly as a whole for the Bengals. Additionally, Green will likely have to be the main receiver as the Bengals are likely to part ways with Ocho Cinco and not resign Terrell Owens.

4. Cam Newton- In dynasty drafts, do not expect a return on this pick for quite awhile. Newton is at least a full season and a half away from being a fantasy starter. His skill set and determination should make the freak show we saw at Auburn continue in the NFL. Barring injury, Newton is going to be the new breed at the quarterback position. Daunte Culpepper of old before the injuries, but at a favorable weight to endure continuous NFL seasons.

5. Blaine Gabbert- Sometimes live air time needs that drama to keep the suspense alive. Mel Kiper and Chris Berman were trying to create just that. Flashing Aaron Rodgers, Brady Quinn and other players that have had to sit in the awaiting room, while falling in the draft. Landing at tenth isn’t what you would call falling. Gabbert is with a Jacksonville team that traded up to get him, and has wanted to yank David Garrard several times the past few seasons. To Garrard’s credit, his past season was one of his better since he led the Jaguars to a playoff victory over the Steelers a few years ago. Gabbert will be able to get the proper training and development to carry over his amazing accuracy. He could end up being the best quarterback of the draft.

6.  Mark Ingram- Ingram goes into a Saints structure that has loved the duel back system since the Deuce McAllister days. So his role for fantasy production is up in the air. Being the youngest back on the team though suits him well. There is always changes and Ingram figures to be part of the mix for the next four to five years. Can he stay healthy consistently, to become a factor for the Saints?

7. Christian Ponder- What you love about Ponder is his toughness. He was beaten down at Florida State and forced too much to carry the Seminoles almost single handedly in games. Experience as a three year starter at a major program, gives him the repetition edge over some of the other quarterbacks. As all of the other quarterbacks, besides Gabbert, were protected with a running game. Ponder aired the ball out nearly thirty attempts a game, and passed for an average of 316 attempts each year he started.

8. Jonathan Baldwin- An odd fit for a team that already has a big target at wide receiver. Baldwin didn’t dominate in a conference that was definitely down the past couple of years. Yet he is a big target that the Chiefs feel can hold his own against NFL style cornerbacks. We believe Baldwin will have a tough time adjusting, especially if he is expected to step in as the number two receiver.　

By Zack Cimini

 notjustagame23@gmail.com

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been buried in the depths of major league baseball over the last several years. Management changes, poor attendance, and constant shuffling of youthful prospects. Now Kirk Gibson gets his chance to resurrect a franchise that just a little over ten years ago won a world series. He has made it known that no ones job is safe. He will make just as many risks as the franchise has made over the last few years. What he won’t do is let inconsistency stay apart of his lineup.

A guy right now that is driving the franchise and fantasy owners crazy is Chris Young. Limitless talent as a strong defensive center fielder, he has struggled to be consistent at the plate. Over the baseball off-season he rededicated himself to becoming a better hitter. Countless hours of work hasn’t translated on the field in the first month of the season. He is still showing the boom or bust at the plate. Striking out, creating an out, or going deep. Owners can’t let go of his power numbers. He hit two home runs yesterday to boost his total to seven home runs now. It’s safe to assume that he should easily get between twenty five and thirty home runs.

Will he be able to progress at the plate? Currently he has a .216 batting average. What may me the biggest problem for Young is the fact that he hasn’t been settled in a spot in the batting order. Gibson has shuffled him up and down the order. Once Gibson figures out a proper batting order, Young should calm down and hopefully get his scary average to a respectable number.

Another Diamondback that didn’t figure to play a large role but has made the most of his opportunities is Ryan Roberts. He is only 49% owned in Yahoo leagues. Another couple of solid series for him and that should change drastically. Roberts is doing it all. At home he has been a force. Finding a groove and batting .344 overall at home. Away his numbers aren’t too bad but dip down to .276. He gets on base regularly, and now the Diamondbacks must find a way to keep him in the lineup. Five home runs, a .311 batting average, fifteen RBI’s, eleven runs, and three stolen bases. Tell me that you don’t have a fantasy roster spot to fit Roberts on your team?

By Zack Cimini

 notjustagame23@gmail.com

Acquiring a name from the Tampa Bay Rays wouldn’t seem like a strong idea. Their team has been horrid from the plate. An abrupt retirement from Manny Ramirez figures to drop their capabilities even more. Tampa Bay, tried blending in a mix of the older veteran players with youth. That idea has now come to a screeching halt. If they’re going to build it’s going to come from their own in-house talent.

Currently only owned by 30% of fantasy leagues, Sam Fuld has been quite impressive. He is obviously not going to hit for power. At the small size of 5’10 and 185 pounds, he is just someone the Rays want to get on base. He’s showing the discipline at the plate to make his coaching staff believe in him. Thus far he is batting .313, and already stolen six bags.

Streakiness in any sport is bound to happen. Fuld’s shown that a good day with his bat, or team is going to translate exponentially in his stats. April 7^th, he was able to get on base twice with a hit and a walk. The green light was given to him and he was able to get three steals. In the back from death game for the entire Rays squad against the Boston Red Sox, Fuld nearly hit the cycle. Cranking out two doubles and a home run.

Tampa Bay isn’t going to be a despot, which is scary for any league owner. Don’t sleep on picking Fuld up now though. The team will show enough offense to help Fuld utilize his speed on bases. Remember Evan Longoria should be back in in ten to fourteen days. At this early stage in the year, most owners should be getting a feel for their team and not panicking. Still the likelihood of having that gut feeling that you need to dispense a certain player is there. Make that move and bring up Fuld.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Lack of depth was supposed to be the outcome from the vast amount of trades the Orlando Magic have done this year. Has it shown? Not necessarily. The Magic haven’t changed their game plan. They run and gun threes and force feed Dwight Howard. They’re style of play alone keeps them in games for the most part. That has a lot to do with how well numerous athletes can shoot the long ball.

Problems with depth were pin pointed at center. Behind Dwight Howard for the last several years was Marcin Gortat, and they also had 6’10 forward Rashard Lewis. Ryan Anderson hardly received minutes, but it’s beginning to look like the Magic needed to find him minutes. Over the last month or so you can see that he is in the flow of the offense and his team is searching for him. It’s tough to cover a 6’10 big man that’s agile. Anderson is just that. He is able to find his spots on the perimeter and be wide open for the most part.

That could be why he is gunning up between five and seven threes a game. A stat most coaches would frown upon from their big man. Anderson though is shooting the three point shot at near 40%. He does the little things as well. He’ll attack the glass and get some put backs when the Magic go with a small guard lineup. Which they have had to do for stretches.

For the Magic to have post season success it’s going to come from an unfound young talent. It won’t be veterans Jason Richardson, Jameer Nelson, and definitely not Gilbert Arenas. Turkoglu has shown his age, even though he typically raises his game in the playoffs. Anderson is comparable to Channing Frye but a tad bit higher in terms of talent. If he can transfer his forty percent three point shooting with this veteran cast into the playoffs, watch out.

From a fantasy standpoint, Anderson will deserve a shot to be drafted next season in later rounds. His minutes won’t peak above the thirty minutes a game mark, but he gets enough done with his minutes. With Turkoglu on the decline who knows how his minutes will fare. There’s tremendous upside for Anderson and he should be on all fantasy radars as a potential steal in next years drafts. Remember he came out of college in 2008 from California early, and won’t be 23 until next month.