By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

The lockout doesn’t halt leagues that are continuous, as is the case with dynasty leagues. Owners get to nag each other for an entire year. There is literally no off season. After the NFL Draft, that’s when things become even more interesting. Owners sense who they want with their projected rookie draft picks, and are willing to give up certain players. It’s all projection based, where the hit/miss can fall back hard just like an NFL teams busted pick.

Numerous trade offers are likely filling your inbox. As tempting as they may be, draft picks, multiple player deals, etc. Do not get too entangled that you get Atlanta Falcon’d. Remember you’ve built your team up over several years. The factor waiver wire athletes still pop up each year out of no where. Your key areas that you need help in, aren’t going to fall in place with one trade. Positioning yourself over a two to three year period like a true general manager does, can be the better route. Unless you absolutely outsmart an opposing owner, do not get to over zealous in making a move.

Here are some players that you can leverage well to boost your team, whether with draft picks or necessary depth.

Quarterbacks

Josh Freeman- Freeman is the new big deal. He had a breakout year and seems undaunted as an every week NFL starting quarterback. He developed last year with rookie wide receivers, and a running game that didn’t come on until undrafted rookie, LeGarrette Blount took the job. The Tampa Bay organization believes in him, and he has been a catalyst in many fourth quarter come backs.

Mark Sanchez- As the season progressed, the heat on Sanchez started to wane. Reason being, he was starting to look like a legitimate starting quarterback. He was making proper adjustments under pressure and reading defenses quicker than he had been. Was he just in a stretch of games that he was playing well, or has he transformed to the next step?

Kyle Orton- Rumors are surrounding that Orton could be dealt. to possibly the Arizona Cardinals. A scenario like that could make Orton a top seven to ten fantasy quarterback. What he did as a Bronco just last year, makes him a steady quarterback that a dynasty league owner could be looking for.

Running Backs

James Starks- With Starks you have a few positives that you can entice owners into falling for. He is on a Super Bowl winning team with the best quarterback in football. Towards the end of last season he became the dependable factor back. Even if Ryan Grant returns, he’ll likely be relegated in carries and for measures to protect his health.

Ahmad Bradshaw- The Giants had something clicking when Jacobs lost his full time carries, and Bradshaw took on the bulk. The only problem with Bradshaw is that his fumbles picked up past the midway point of the year. Still, the Giants did nothing in the draft to make you think that Bradshaw’s job will be threatened. Teams in dire need of a second running back on their team, would and will settle for Bradshaw.

Matt Forte- As a dynasty league owner hopefully you stuck it out with Forte, and didn’t trade him for nothing last off-season. Now Forte is back near the top in terms of his involvement with the Bears offense. Not many running backs will get the carries and receptions as Forte does. Will he be worn down or can Mike Martz utilize him even more?

Wide Receivers

Anquan Boldin- Boldin is a veteran but he will be entering just his second season as a Raven. Any time an athlete of Boldin’s caliber makes a switch of teams, it’s going to take time to readjust. Flacco and Boldin seemed to be hit/miss all season last year. If they were on, Boldin had a field day. If not, Boldin went MIA in the fantasy point total column. This year should be different, as Flacco should be much more consistent.

Marques Colston- Colston is a notch below where you would want him to be. Owners know he can be a strong force, but the numbers do not lie. The last three years he has been a number three fantasy receiver on most squads. Drew Brees is spreading the ball around much more, and it has hurt Colston. That, and the fact that Colston has battled through injuries and slowed down a tad. Extended rest through the lockout could boost a player like Colston. Proper rest, and reloading in the Saints offense, could produce Colston’s strongest numbers since 2007.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Bouncing around as a veteran quarterback is common place. Endings seem premature in the athletes mind, and franchises are willing to take the gamble on declining skills. In the case of Donovan McNabb, no one really knows what he has left.

The Philadelphia Eagles basically traded him to move on and go with a younger talent in Kevin Kolb. Just like when he was drafted too booing Philadelphia fans, he exited as if he meant little to a franchise. It was just a few years before that he led the Eagles to their fourth NFC championship game under McNabb. They were a Kurt Warner drive away from going to another Super Bowl.

What happened last year as a Redskin was undeserving. McNabb gutted out many performances for a front office and coach that expressed their displeasure in McNabb. It was as if, Daniel Snyder was being over rode more and more as the season went on. No athlete is too tired to take a beating an entire game and not want to attempt a game winning drive. The fact that Rex Grossman took over the final few games for the Redskins was a true slap in the face move.

So McNabb is basically a free agent at this point with zero suitors because of the lockout. You have to believe that once the lockout is lifted, McNabb will be a highly sought after quarterback. Even though teams were able to stock pile youth with a high talent pool of quarterbacks in the draft, there are still many teams that need dire help.

Two teams that pop out at you are Minnesota and the Arizona Cardinals. Minnesota addressed their future quarterback hopes in Christian Ponder. Drafted as the number twelve pick, Ponder will be expected to jump in. How soon though? Do the Vikings want to try and recapture the same thing they did with Brett Favre? They’re talented enough to attempt to make a strong run with a veteran quarterback, and Adrian Peterson. It’s always tempting as a new head coach to perform now rather than later.

Arizona though could be the best option and most realistic. The Cardinals have discussed names of Marc Bulger and Kyle Orton more, but McNabb would seem to be the top selection amongst the three. Arizona’s year without Kurt last year was as bad as their pre-Jake Plummer quarterback shuffling days. Derek Anderson’s press conference rant, will join the ranks of Dennis Green’s in Cardinals fans YoutTube favorites.

Throwing out a lowly touted third day drafted quarterback in Jon Skelton, and also undrafted Max Hall last season, started to turn the career hard worker Larry Fitzgerald into a Randy Moss. You could see him giving up on routes and not into it, because he couldn’t trust the quarterback. He knew they couldn’t throw the tight throws or stick him deep with an accurate pass. Not going after a quarterback in the draft was one of the more puzzling moves of the NFL Draft.

If the Cardinals want to keep one of the best receivers in football they better go after a solid veteran quarterback. Who is currently throwing the ball to Fitzgerald in off-season workouts? Yes, that’d be Donovan McNabb. An athlete that has trained every off-season in Arizona and has developed a relationship with some of the Cardinals.

McNabb has loved Arizona since he came as a senior for the Syracuse Orangemen vs. Kansas State in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Everyone wants to say McNabb is too old, injury proned, and lacks the proper effort for a full football game. Quarterbacks are going to make mistakes. The success McNabb has had can’t be overlooked. Veteran quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are right up there in age with McNabb.

He has a solid two to three years left, and he will be seeking to land with a team that he can fully utilize those years. Arizona seems to be the best fit for that.. Their organization made the right move with a similar veteran quarterback that had been rode off, and spun it very close to a Super Bowl.

McNabb’s third uniform in three years should sport pure red and white, and occasional pure black.

By Vidur Malik

 notjustagame23@gmail.com

Cam Newton – Getting picked at No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers wasn’t much of a surprise, and now Newton will have to learn how to capitalize on his athleticism without relying on it. He doesn’t have many weapons to throw to, making his task much more difficult, so it will be interesting to see how his career unfolds. Newton has the potential to be successful if he can become a Ben Roethlisberger-type quarterback who can pass in the pocket and also have the ability to move in the pocket and run if necessary.

Jake Locker – While Newton’s early selection in the draft didn’t shock anyone, the Tennessee Titans taking Locker and eighth overall is one of the most surprising picks of the draft. Though he went much earlier than anyone thought, Locker does have a chance to be a solid quarterback. The Titans have an elite running back in Chris Johnson and a great defense, giving Locker the luxury of not having to lead the team if he becomes the starter. Like Newton, Locker will need to quiet his many doubters and prove that he can play quarterback in the NFL.

Blaine Gabbert – The Jacksonville Jaguars are a team in need of some excitement, and Gabbert could give it to them. Gabbert seems to have more NFL readiness than Newton or Locker, so there aren’t as many questions surrounding his selection. With a versatile running back in Maurice Jones-Drew and an emerging star in tight ends Marcedes Lewis, Gabbert does have some targets to go to. Based on current projections, it seems like Gabbert will be the most prepared to have a successful pro career.

Christian Ponder – The Minnesota Vikings selecting Ponder at No. 12 was easily the most surprising pick of the first round and probably of the entire draft. The Vikings could definitely use some competition at quarterback, and Ponder should probably have a chance to compete for the starting job. There is no shortage of talent on Minnesota’s offense, with running back Adrian Peterson in the backfield and Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe giving Ponder several downfield threats to throw to.

Andy Dalton – With their quarterback situation in limbo, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Dalton early in the second round to take a shot at leading their offense. Dalton’s collegiate success at TCU should translate well to the NFL. He may not be as athletic as other rookies at his position, but he should be able to make the mental adjustment. With rookie receiver A.J. Green also coming to Cincinnati and joining Chad Ochocinco and running back Cedric Benson, Dalton should have a good nucleus of weapons to lead.

Colin Kaepernick – Another surprise quarterback pick, Kaepernick will go from leading Nevada’s pistol offense to trying to make it as a leader of a pro-style offense. At 6-foot-5 and 233 lbs., Kaepernick has the physical tools to make the transition, but having to learn a professional offense will be a daunting task for him. As part of a team that hasn’t had a consistent starting quarterback for almost a decade, Kaepernick might get the chance to prove himself soon.

Ryan Mallett – The New England Patriots made an intriguing selection by picking Mallet in the third round. The Patriots won’t be having a quarterback controversy anytime soon, but Mallett gives the team a chance to prepare for life after Tom Brady is no longer under center. Physically, he’s got everything he needs to be a good NFL quarterback, and there is enough young talent on the Patriots’ offense to help him find success whenever he gets his chance.

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.

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

Defensive intensity has long left the NBA. The lack of effort is evident each night with teams scoring averages rising considerably. It’s a run and gun league that is guard oriented. Coaches get so desperate that they try to implement gimmick zone defenses for stretches.

 Come playoff time some teams can ultimately decide that they’re going to suddenly play defense, as the Lakers have done the past few seasons.

 We saw a crop of rookie guards last year storm the scene and make a relatively easy transition. This year Derrick Rose has went from an rising star to likely league MVP. The main reason for this is poor interior defense. Interior defense is supposed to be the area where the point guard has to make the decision. Not score at will.

The non threat inside the paint on the majority of NBA teams is causing a domino affect. Poor rotation is leaving legitimate shooters left wide open. JJ Redick has resurged from draft lottery bust, to finding minutes nailing open jumpers. There are a plethora of guys shooting in the high thirties or even above forty percent from three. Designing a play for offensive purposes has to be as easy as Charles Barkley uttering a sentence.

 In comes Derrick Rose. An athlete barely past the age of 21. There is no doubt what he makes his living off of. He is an attacker and slasher. A bigger sized athletic point guard. It’s hard for anyone to stay in front of him. Sure he has worked on his jump shot and at times has had explosive games with it. Check his nightly highlight reels and game action, and he is scoring at will in the paint. Burning the other teams point guard, and getting to the hole with defenders waving him to the bucket.

 Many think the Bulls can make a surprise run in the playoffs and why not. In the eastern conference there are no teams that scare the Bulls at all from the center position. The only team that does is Orlando with Dwight Howard. Howard gets his fair share of blocks, but the Magic lack the depth of big men to pose a seven game series threat. Everyone knows that Miami has struggled with the five position. They’re just trying to have the health to throw a 6’10 guy out there.

 Boston’s strength was supposed to be at the five, but they decided to build by letting Kendrick Perkins go. Now they’ll take their chances with age. Both O’Neals have missed extensive time. Kevin Garnett may be called upon even more than prior years for Boston. Garnett’s true position like Amare Stoudemire is power forward.

Pick a team in the NBA and the majority have a weakness at the center position. The lack of skilled big man is a huge void currently. There are plenty of raw young talents that just need some time to develop.

This next NBA Draft shows no signs of any centers emerging. Derrick Rose might be the first point guard in a long time to win MVP with a scorers mentality. How long will his success slashing to the hole continue? As long as the NBA’s weakness at the five is prevalent it could extend for the next eight to ten years of his career.

The Wizards are one of few teams with athletic big men. When the Bulls have faced the Wizards, Javele McGee, Trevor Booker, and Andray Blatche have done a decent job shutting down Rose. In four games vs. the Wizards this year, Rose hasn’t had a game where he shot near fifty percent. In McGee’s triple double where he had twelve blocks, six of them were on Rose.