Johnson looks sharp, scores early

by | Aug 8, 2008 | Fantasy Football, NFL News

I watched maybe a single series of NFL preseason Thursday night continuing a several-year long promise to myself to not put much stock in games that generally amount to glorified scrimmages held between backup players, most of whom will be bagging groceries and supersizing french fry orders at McDonald’s in the weeks ahead.

Instead I follow preseason largely from game write-ups and comments from coaches. Based on most accounts one recovering star who apparently looked the part last night was Larry Johnson.

The overall numbers weren’t fantastic. He rushed eight times for 18 yards. But he scored a touchdown on the game’s opening drive and “burst through the middle, past Brian Urlacher, for a 7-yard-gain on the second play from scrimmage,” according to the Associated Press.

For the Chiefs to have any chance this season Johnson is going to have to shoulder the load, taking pressure off of Brodie Croyle (or Tyler Thigpen, as it reportedly may be) and keeping the defense fresh. He missed half of last season with a broken foot and didn’t play ALL that well when he was available.

A solid performance by Johnson would also provide a sigh of relief to fantasy football players picking in the second half of round one or the early parts of round two selecting from the good-but-not-elite heap of running backs. Johnson, a consensus top three pick the last two seasons has faded some following his injury and the overuse he sustained in 2006. But this game against Chicago, whose defense is still pretty solid despite an offense devoid of, well, nearly anything, gives some hope that Johnson may prove worthy of a risk-taker’s pick despite a mediocre quarterback situation and an offensive line that has yet to recover from retirement and injury.

Favre trade brings fantasy ramifications

by | Aug 7, 2008 | Fantasy Football

The trade to New York reunites Brett Favre with a familiar tight end and improves the fantasy prospects of several Jet skill-position players.

Bubba Franks played with Favre for eight years and while he hasn’t had more than 34 catches since 2002, he provides the former Packer star with a familiar target and a big body in the red zone. Franks likely will be the number two tight end behind Dustin Keller, the athletic first-round pick from Purdue.

Keller was set to provide another weapon for whoever became the Jets’ signal caller this season, but the Favre acquisition likely accelerates Keller’s upward movement on tight end cheat sheets. He will be a fantasy factor this season.

Jerricho Cotchery caught 82 passes for 1,130 yards last season but scored only two touchdowns. The aging Laveranues Coles caught 55 passes and six touchdowns. Donald Driver’s numbers were almost identical last year to Cotchery’s while Greg Jennings’ reception totals mirrored Coles’ – but Jennings scored 12 touchdowns. My guess is each Jets wide receiver bumps up their touchdown totals this year with a stronger-armed, better-skilled quarterback at the helm.

But nobody benefits more than Thomas Jones. With the additions of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody to last year’s sieve-like offensive line, Jones already had to be happy about the team’s offseason improvements. But with a quarterback that can legitimately fling the rock it’ll open up running lanes for a back who eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing but only hit paydirt once. Those numbers, especially the touchdown one, will improve.

And don’t forget Leon Washington – Favre doesn’t mind throwing to his backs. Remember Ahman Green – during his first four seasons with the Packers, Green caught 73, 62, 57 and 50 passes from Favre and in the last of those four scored five touchdowns through the air. Washington could be the beneficiary of many of those touches.

Favre himself was a top five fantasy quarterback last year, throwing for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns. He’s unlikely to keep up that pace for any lengthy period of time, but he doesn’t have to in order to provide substantial improvements to the fantasy fortunes of his new teammates. Chad Pennington, while not terrible, has a rag arm and Kellen Clemens threw only five touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 2007.

The talent around him decreases somewhat from his Packers team that went 13-3. But the Jets have some skill players and while Favre will help them, they will help Favre retain his status among the top handful-and-change of fantasy quarterbacks as well.

Not a lot is expected of the Jets this year but this trade makes them an interesting team – and their skill players intriguing sleepers as this fantasy season gets underway.

Orton to start game one – but don’t read into that

by | Aug 6, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

In what might be more of a punishment than a reward Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has tapped Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback for the first preseason game Thursday against Kansas City.

Smith cautioned against reading too much into the announcement as the team intends to give Rex Grossman equal snaps with the first team … or whatever of the first team exists at the moment. Only two projected starters on the offensive line – center Olin Kreutz and right tackle John Tait – might be in action at their positions.

The two quarterbacks have rotated in camp and Grossman will start the second game, according to an Associated Press story posted at Yahoo! Sports.

“We want both guys to get an equal opportunity and that’s what we’re going to do,” Smith announced after the Tuesday practice.

It’s said that a team with two leaders truly has none. The Bears have enough struggles ahead on offense with a mediocre collection of receivers and an unproven – though full of potential – running game lead by Matt Forte and backed by the other Adrian Peterson and Kevin Jones. Those backs have the skills to be adequate – but they’ll only be so if one of the quarterbacks steps up and at least provides the threat of a passing game. Otherwise it’s Goodnight Irene for the Bears this season.

Favre likely dealt within a day

by | Aug 6, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

While the Web site www.SaveBrett.net was wrong about the timing of a potential trade announcement it does appear as though the Green Bay Packers will deal Brett Favre within the next several hours.

Several media reports indicate that while the New York Jets are interested in Favre the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be the likely destination for the diva/star quarterback.

Some reports indicate he will be traded for a draft pick. Fanball cited a Tampa Tribune story that I have not yet located saying Brian Griese will head north to backup Aaron Rodgers.

A move to Tampa creates a few more interesting sidenotes. First of all, Jon Gruden has accumulated an entire roster’s worth of quarterbacks including Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowski, Griese, Luke McCown and, of course, Jeff Garcia, who had a solid season last year but who also has been upset at the Bucs’ refusal to renegotiate his contract.

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Favre to the Bucs, according to …

by | Aug 5, 2008 | NFL Breaking News

SaveBrett.net, yes, the fan site SaveBrett.net, is reporting that Brett Favre is being traded to Tampa Bay.

In yet another example of how this bizarre soap opera continues to set new thresholds for the bizarre, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is citing the web site in reporting that Brett Favre has been traded to Tampa Bay.

Ted Thompson reportedly has been with Favre and family discussing trade possibilities all day. SaveBrett.net, which has someone on site at Packers training camp, believes coach Mike McCarthy will be announcing the deal in a press conference shortly.

SaveBrett.net apparently informed the Green Bay Press Gazette, the Journal Sentinel, and another fan site, BringBackBrettFavre.com of the deal, which it sources to “a source close to Favre.”

SaveBrett.net, which wants management to restore Favre to his positions of Lord, err, quarterback of the Packers, claims the mood at training camp is “very down and gloomy.” The site is also asking fans to sign a petition protesting the team’s decision.

Has a fan site beaten Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, all the local papers and every other news source in the world to the news of a Favre trade? Time will tell. Can this get any weirder? One can only guess.