Lessons from the Titans-Raiders game

by | Aug 15, 2008 | Fantasy Football, NFL News

I didn’t catch the first quarter of the Tennessee v Oakland game Friday night but it only took a quarter to learn two lessons.

First, Tony Siragusa is one of the worst sideline reporters in the history of football. He stands on the sideline making stupid wisecracks and adds nothing to the Fox broadcasts, just like two or three years ago when the only difference was that he did the same thing only louder.

Second, damn, Chris Johnson is fast. The Titans’ Lightning to Lendale White’s Thunder doesn’t appear to have the softest hands when it comes to catching the ball. But whether it’s running outside or busting up the middle the fastest rookie at the 2008 NFL Combine in Indianapolis (4.24 40-yard dash) translates that speed to the field well.

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Report: Vikings McKinnie to miss four games

by | Aug 14, 2008 | NFL News

While the Minnesota Vikings had a solid offseason the team has been hit by some bad news during the first few weeks of camp.

First, starting defensive end Ray Edwards missed several practices with back issues. Then in the first preseason game, special teams guru/backup linebacker Heath Farwell and backup defensive end Jayme Mitchell suffered season-ending injuries.

Starting safety Madieu Williams was next as it was reported earlier this week that the free agent signee would miss up to six weeks with a neck injury.

Now Sirius NFL Radio is reporting that starting left tackle Bryant McKinnie is likely to get a four-game suspension for his role in a brawl outside a Miami nightclub in February. McKinnie has pleaded not guilty to the offense but the commish isn’t bound by legal decisions in deciding how players will be disciplined according to the league’s personal conduct policy.

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Pennington picks Miami

by | Aug 9, 2008 | NFL News

Chad Pennington told the New York Times that if he signed with Miami it would be because he liked the situation, not because he was “trying to prove a point.”

But he will get a chance to do just that – and he’ll get that chance right away. Pennington signed a two-year deal to that likely makes him the starting quarterback for the Dolphins when they start the season in Miami against Pennington’s former New York Jets.

While those crazy scheduling elves occasionally create some interesting story lines don’t expect Pennington to provide a panacea of any kind in Miami. While he has the all-time high completion percentage for quarterbacks with more than 1,500 attempts and he is likely a short-term step up from Josh McCown, John Beck and Chad Henne, Pennington joins a team short on offensive weapons.

Ronnie Brown, who is recovering from an ACL tear, and Ricky Williams, who is recovering from … well, he’s recovering from all sorts of issues over the years, provide potentially a solid-or-better one-two running back punch. But competing for the starting wide receiver positions are the undersized-and-young, but talented Ted Ginn, Derek Hagan, David Kircus, Ernest Wilford, and Greg Camarillo, among others.

And while the offensive line may be improved, left tackle Jake Long is a rookie, Justin Smiley is a free agent import, and Trey Darilek is … well, I don’t know who Trey Darilek is, but miamidolphins.com currently lists him as the starting right guard (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports, however, that rookie Shawn Murphy appears to have overtaken him on the depth chart).

Look, the Dolphins of 2008 are better than the team that went 1-15 last year. And with Bill Parcells, Tony Sparano and co. running things they’re likely to continue improving. But that team last year was hideous and it’s going to take a couple years before the Dolphins resemble anything that will be playoff-competitive.

If Pennington survives to see a couple years from now, however, he might get a chance to lead that semi-playoff competitive team.

Bears’ Williams out 10-12 weeks

by | Aug 9, 2008 | Fantasy Football, NFL News

Avoiding injuries is vital for the success of most NFL teams, especially those already short on talent in several key areas.

Chalk up another rough break for the Chicago Bears, who learned Friday that rookie left tackle Chris Williams will miss 10 to 12 weeks after surgery to repair herniated disk in his lower back.

While the Bears told the Chicago Tribune that they have no plans to put Williams on injured reserve, the news leaves the receiver-less, quarterback-less Bears also short the guy they hoped would protect the blind side of whichever of two starting quarterback candidates sucks less during the preseason through at least week 9.

If you had yet to remove Rex Grossman, Kyle Boller or any of the Chicago receivers from your fantasy cheat sheets this news should be the last dagger in any hopes you had for them. Rookie running back Matt Forte reportedly looked okay in Thursday preseason action, but I’d drop him a notch on this news. He’s probably a fine back but he’s got an uphill battle ahead of him this season.

All in all this is a tough start to the 2008 season after a rough offseason and a far below expectations 2007. Not a good start.

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.

Livid to loved: Grant happy with contract

by | Aug 4, 2008 | Contract Squabbles, Fantasy Football, NFL News

About a week after his agent told reporters Ryan Grant was livid with the Green Bay Packers’ first contract offer, the running back has joined teammates in training camp after signing a 4-year, $30 million deal.

He had been an exclusive rights free agent but held out seeking a long-term contract.

Grant took control of a putrid Packers running game last season falling just short of 1,000 yards rushing in half a season as a starter. He figures to start again this year despite a strong camp thus far by Brandon Jackson, a second year player who disappointed as a rookie.

Grant’s biggest concern now is that several teammates have demanded that he take them out for dinner.

While Grant looked good last year we think he’s a risk as a fantasy player this season, especially if Aaron Rodgers wins the quarterback competition allegedly taking place between he and Brett Favre. Defenses have had an offseason to study him and they’ll also likely be keying on Grant to force the passing game to beat them. Expect a decent season but games where he looks nothing like the backfield savior he was last year.