**** NOTES FOR EVERY GAME WILL BE UP AS SOON AS I WATCH THEM ****
MISSING
Vikings 17, Texans 10
The entire nation watched as Brett Favre took the field at Reliant Stadium. Fans were rooting for a long bomb. Detractors prayed for a pick-six. Favre went out onto the field, stood behind center, took the snap, and… handed off to Adrian Peterson who rushed for a 75-yard touchdown.
ESPN was granted its wish later, however, as Favre exceeded expectations and lit up Houston’s secondary, going 13-of-18 for 142 yards and a touchdown.
Favre made a number of impressive throws in this contest. On one play, he scrambled away from defenders and got the ball to Visanthe Shiancoe 19 yards downfield. Favre later showed off his arm strength with an 11-yard dart to Shiancoe on 3rd-and-7 on the next drive. Favre tossed a nice fade to Percy Harvin in the end zone which was dropped. On a later possession, Favre fired a 10-yard dart to Sidney Rice on third down to move the chains.
Favre made one mistake in this contest; he threw a quintessential Favre heave into double coverage in the second quarter that was almost picked off. I’m expecting more of those once he’s behind in the fourth quarter. Favre also drew some criticism (but not nearly enough) from the ESPN announcers when he threw a dirty block on Eugene Wilson in the third quarter. Favre can’t end his own career, but he apparently tried to end Eugene Wilson’s by going low on him.
Not to forget the best player on the Vikings, Adrian Peterson rushed for 117 yards on 11 carries and the aforementioned 75-yard score. Peterson caught a pass for eight yards, but is still relinquishing third-down duties to Chester Taylor, who had three grabs.
The Vikings ran the Wildcat twice. Percy Harvin took both direct snaps. He gave the ball to Adrian Peterson for a 5-yard gain the first time. On the second instance, he kept the ball for a 3-yard gain. Harvin also had three receptions for 31 yards.
With Bernard Berrian out, there were no other receivers of note for Minnesota.
Brett Favre found Visanthe Shiancoe for the two aforementioned impressive throws. He also completed another 11-yard pass to Shiancoe, but that was wiped out by a penalty. Shiancoe finished with two receptions for 30 yards.
Things really looked bleak for the Texans early on. After surrendering a 75-yard touchdown to Adrian Peterson, the Texans’ first offensive play was a fumble by Steve Slaton. Slaton struggled to find any room against the Williams Wall, garnering 27 yards on 12 carries. On the bright side, Slaton also had three receptions for 20 more yards, and scored on his only goal-line opportunity.
Matt Schaub (10-of-14, 108 yards, 1 INT in first half) struggled early on. He opened the game 1-of-4 on third downs, and failed to lead the Texans into Minnesota territory until there were eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. Schaub was pressured often (sacked once, called for intentional grounding another time). Worst of all, Schaub stared down a receiver and was consequently picked off in the second quarter.
Fortunately, Schaub got into a groove later in the second quarter. After the pick, Schaub led the Texans on a 7-minute, 11-play scoring drive. However, Schaub tweaked his ankle on a 5-yard gain. He was hobbled and began limping even though no one touched him. He stayed in the game, but got taped up after Steve Slaton scored. The good news is that Schaub came back into the game and led the Texans to a field goal on the following possession, thanks to two deep throws of 20 and 16 yards. The bad news is that this is a reminder of how fragile Schaub is. If you take Schaub, make sure you have a very good backup.
Steelers 17, Bills 0
The Steelers dominated every aspect of this game. With Willie Parker out, Rashard Mendenhall ran over Buffalo’s defensive front for 48 yards on 16 carries. He fumbled on the first drive of the game and looked hesitant on his next two carries. However, he burst for a 13-yard gain on the third drive and later scored on a 4-yard rush. Mendenhall also has two receptions for 16 more yards.
Though Rashard Mendenhall had those two catches, he was absent on third downs; Mewelde Moore was in the backfield instead.
Hines Ward led the team with five receptions for 74 yards. He was also targeted once in the red zone, but failed to come up with a very tough catch.
With Santonio Holmes out, Limas Sweed started. He made a great leaping catch for 11 yards on 3rd-and-8. He also had a nice grab that was behind him for 16 yards. Unfortunately, he was whistled for a holding penalty and failed to get past the marker when running his route on a third down. Still, it was encouraging that Sweed flashed signs of talent. He finished with four receptions for 34 yards.
Ben Roethlisberger shredded Buffalo’s secondary, going 15-of-19 for 168 yards. His offensive line gave him solid protection, but even when Buffalo defenders flooded the backfield, Big Ben was able to escape and find his receivers downfield. Every Arizona and Baltimore fan just grimaced.
Buffalo’s offense was abysmal, which is a huge understatement. The Bills were 0-of-5 on third downs with Trent Edwards and 0-of-8 on third downs the entire game. They also struggled to protect Edwards.
Trent Edwards was 6-of-13 for 31 yards and a pick-six. On the interception, Josh Reed stopped running his route, and Edwards, who was under pressure, of course, had to hurry his throw. That wasn’t Edwards’ fault, but he nearly tossed another interception on a misfire to Reed in the flat later in the game. Edwards also overthrew Reed on a 3rd-and-9 on another occasion. The only silver lining here is that Terrell Owens and Lee Evans were out. That said, I’d still be extremely concerned if I were a Bills fan.
Seahawks 14, Chiefs 10
Todd Haley’s great offense crumbled before his very eyes Saturday night. Matt Cassel was hit on his first pass and had trouble getting up. He finally got onto his feet, but had to call a timeout as he tried to take the next snap. Cassel was diagnosed with an MCL injury and could be out until Week 3, though the Chiefs are hopeful he can get debacled play against the Ravens in the opener.
Tyler Thigpen came in for Matt Cassel and was predictably awful. On one play, Thigpen missed a wide-open tight end five yards in front of him. on another play, Thigpen underthrew Devard Darling, which would have been picked off if Josh Wilson didn’t fall down. On a third play, Thigpen was nearly intercepted by Lofa Tatupu. The Chiefs were an embarrassing 0-of-7 on third downs with Thigpen under center. Thigpen finished 8-of-15 for 56 yards. Have fun trying to land a mid-round pick for him, Pioli. Not everyone favors spread-shotgun system quarterbacks with no arm strength.
On the bright side, both Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles looked good. On one drive, Johnson had runs of eight and 10 yards. Charles then spelled Johnson and had gains of six and 31 on the ground. Johnson had 36 yards on eight carries, while Charles gained 54 yards on seven rushes.
Tyson Jackson beat Ray Willis on Seattle’s second drive for a sack. However, that was the only time Hasselbeck was sacked all game. He had a clean pocket on almost every play.
Matt Hasselbeck was certainly impressive statistically, going 19-of-25 for 216 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that was tipped twice and returned for a touchdown by Brandon Flowers. Hasselbeck’s only mistake was completely missing Nate Burleson on one throw. He was very sharp otherwise, even going back to Burleson for a 31-yard connection on the next attempt.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh didn’t get his first target until three minutes into the second quarter. However, Matt Hasselbeck made up for lost time, gunning for Houshmandzadeh six times until the second-team offense entered the game in the middle of the third quarter. Houshmandzadeh finished with five receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. The sole target he didn’t catch was broken up by a defensive back.
John Carlson caught all five of his targets, and it looked like Matt Hasselbeck was very comfortable throwing to him. Carlson’s five grabs went for 68 yards and a score.
Both kickers were terrible in this contest. Ryan Succop was wide left from 28 yards. Olindo Mare was also wide left from 27.
49ers 20, Cowboys 13
No punts hit Jerry Jones’ precious scoreboard, but once again, none of Tony Romo’s passes were close to doing so either. Through three preseason games, Romo has only one completion longer than 25 yards. Romo was 11-of-17 for 125 yards against the 49ers. Despite missing Roy Williams, Romo was pretty sharp, but made a mistake when he underthrew Kevin Ogletree for an interception.
With Roy Williams out of the lineup, rookie Kevin Ogletree ran with the first team. Ogletree was targeted thrice by Tony Romo, catching two of those balls for 36 yards. One reception was caught for 15 along the sideline to move the chains on a 3rd-and-6. The second was for 21 over the middle on another 3rd-and-6. Ogletree’s final target was underthrown. Ogletree is a very talented receiver who is worth picking up if Williams gets hurt during the regular season. Draft him in keeper leagues.
With all the talk of using two-tight end sets this season, Martellus Bennett sure hasn’t done anything. Tony Romo went to Bennett only once in this contest. Bennett dropped a pass that would have been good for a gain of 15 yards.
Miles Austin nearly cost Tony Romo a second interception; he ran the wrong route and Romo was nearly picked off. Austin also dropped a pass in the third quarter. On the bright side, he had a nice diving 22-yard catch. On that play, you could see why Jerry Jones wants to make passionate love to him (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Marion Barber looked great, gaining 47 yards on his first 10 carries, running with great speed and power. Felix Jones wasn’t featured much with the first-team offense, but managed to vulture a touchdown when Barber was taking a breather.
Shaun Hill was pedestrian at best in this contest, going 9-of-17 for only 97 yards. Hill threw four very inaccurate passes, and on one play, had Josh Morgan wide open but decided to check down instead. Hill is a far better quarterback than Alex Smith, but this performance was very discouraging.
With Shaun Hill struggling, it was no surprise that the 49ers featured Frank Gore early. Gore touched the ball on four of the team’s first five plays, catching an 8-yard screen, and running for gains of 5, 3 and 5 yards. Gore, who finished with 19 yards on five carries, is very talented but remains an injury risk.
Frank Gore played two drives and then made way for Glen Coffee. Like Gore, Coffee was featured early; the rookie got the ball on five of the team’s first six plays: a screen of six yards, and runs of 1, 5, 7 and 6 yards. Coffee, who had 34 yards on eight attempts, once again did a great job breaking numerous tackles on some of his rushes.
Shaun Hill targeted Josh Morgan only twice. One throw was inaccurate, while the second was broken up by Terence Newman. As mentioned earlier, Hill also missed a wide-open Morgan for about a 15-yard gain, choosing to check down instead. Morgan is a talented receiver, so it’s really frustrating to see Hill and Alex Smith struggling like this.
Browns 23, Titans 17
If Eric Mangini thought he had a tough choice between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn before this game, he may have an even tougher decision now.
Brady Quinn started and played the first two series. Though he was 7-of-9 for 74 yards, he made a mistake by underthrowing Josh Cribbs in the flat. None of Quinn’s passes went longer than 18 yards.
Derek Anderson came in on the third drive – his only series against Tennessee’s starting defense. He went 4-of-5 for 54 yards. Anderson’s second throw was an impressive 14-yard dart to Mohamed Massaquoi, who didn’t receive a target with Quinn under center. Anderson’s next pass was a back-shoulder throw to Braylon Edwards. Anderson fit that ball in the perfect spot amid great coverage.
Both quarterbacks played well, but Anderson has been the superior signal-caller this preseason. Mangini will probably go with Quinn, which is a move I can’t really scrutinize. For the record, I would start Anderson.
Jamal Lewis looked as slow and lethargic as ever on most of his carries. He did have a nice 12-yard screen where he dragged defenders, but overall, it was another lackluster performance for the old runner. Lewis finished with 23 yards on 10 carries. On Monday, Mike Lombardi speculated that Lewis could be cut this upcoming weekend.
James Davis was in the game on the first drive, catching an 8-yard reception. Davis was the much better running back, gaining 28 yards on five carries and chipping in with four grabs for 27 more yards. It won’t be long until Davis is starting.
Braylon Edwards caught three passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. He also made an amazing one-handed catch in the end zone in the third quarter, but landed out of bounds.
Kerry Collins played only a quarter and a half, but that’s a bit misleading because Tennessee controlled the clock for most of the opening 30 minutes. Collins was sharp on almost all of his throws, finishing 11-of-14 for 102 yards and a score.
Jared Cook started and was targeted three times by Kerry Collins. Cook caught all three balls for 12, 9 and 4 yards. I’d say Cook would make a decent TE2 for you, but I’d never recommend drafting two tight ends.
Jared Cook wasn’t the only rookie starter in Tennessee’s lineup; Kenny Britt was split out wide to open the game. Kerry Collins looked his way twice; Britt was overthrown on a long ball the first time and caught a 19-yard pass deep over the middle later on.
Justin Gage led the Titans with six catches, 57 yards and a touchdown. He dropped a pass on the second drive, but later redeemed himself with a great fingertip catch in the end zone. With Nate Washington hobbled by a hamstring injury, Gage will be Kerry Collins’ No. 1 option to open the season.
It was business as usual for Tennessee’s running game. Chris Johnson got all of the carries to open the game until the Titans got inside Cleveland’s 10. That’s when LenDale White took over. Johnson had 27 yards on seven carries and a 15-yard reception. White rumbled for 20 yards on four rushes.
Bears 27, Broncos 17
This may have been one of the more hyped preseason games in recent memory. Rarely do you see a franchise quarterback get traded, so having that player go into his old home rightfully drew a lot of attention. If you missed it, Invesco Field was packed with Bronco fans holding anti-Jay Cutler signs. Not all of them were against Cutler, but there were enough to boo so loudly that Cutler had trouble getting his few plays in.
Jay Cutler didn’t begin the game well, as Denver’s defense was energized by the crowd and got by Chicago’s offensive front. Cutler had to settle for underneath stuff to avoid getting sacked, which is why he began the contest 2-of-4 for three yards, though one incompletion was a dropped pass by Desmond Clark. He was also nearly sacked for a safety.
However, Cutler weathered the storm and showed exactly why this trade was one of the more lop-sided deals in NFL history. Cutler put together three scoring drives in the first half – one field goal, two touchdowns – and showed off his arm with a few deep throws Kyle Orton couldn’t make in his dreams. Cutler finished the game at halftime, going 15-of-21 for 144 yards and a score.
Kyle Orton, meanwhile… well… didn’t throw any interceptions. Orton was 12-of-16 for 96 yards. That completion percentage is excellent, but as his pedestrian YPA of 6.0 would indicate, he didn’t take many shots downfield. In fact, almost all of Orton’s passes were checkdowns and screens. Making matters worse, Orton nearly threw a pick in the first quarter.
Orton left the game in the second quarter after cutting his finger on a hit by Adewale Ogunleye. He didn’t return. Tom Brandstater replaced him and led the Broncos to a touchdown. He actually looked somewhat decent until he tossed a pick.
Josh Mishandles will eventually learn that a system doesn’t matter if you have crappy players. Unfortunately for Denver fans, Mishandles is pompous enough to ignore the evidence right in front of him for a while. Hello, Colt McCoy?
The one bright spot for Denver’s offense was Eddie Royal, who caught five balls for 44 yards. Royal was actually targeted 10 times in three quarters. He’s going to be a PPR monster this year, but his small frame will limit his end-zone looks (assuming Kyle Orton ever leads the Broncos to the red zone).
Knowshon Moreno didn’t play, but the good news is he warmed up with the team. All indications are that Moreno should be ready for Week 1. With the Broncos so devoid of offensive talent (except for Eddie Royal), they’re going to have to lean on Moreno to have a shot at winning a game or two this year.
Correll Buckhalter started but predictably couldn’t do anything of significance until breaking a 21-yard behind Ryan Harris in the third quarter.
Peyton Hillis gained 24 yards on seven carries and grabbed two balls for 21 more yards. He also received the ball on the goal line, scoring on his second opportunity. Even with Knowshon Moreno in the backfield, Hillis may get the goal-line touches in the regular season.
Speaking of running backs, Matt Forte scored both of Chicago’s first-half touchdowns. He rushed for 21 yards on nine carries and also caught four balls for 11 more yards. With Chicago’s offense clicking, Forte has a shot to lead the league in total touchdowns this year.
Forte also attempted a pass on a trick play, which he threw away by firing it out of the back of the end zone. As this happened, forum member “…” joked, “Forte has a stronger arm than Orton!”
Devin Hester caught three of his four targets for 24 yards. The one incompletion was nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty.
Greg Olsen was targeted three times in the first half and caught all three passes for 47 yards. Earl Bennett also saw three targets, catching two for 24 yards.
Rodney Harrison stopped by to join Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth in the booth in the fourth quarter. Though Harrison used the old cliche, “The fourth quarter of preseason games means a lot to these young kids blah blah blah,” I enjoyed his analysis and he wasn’t afraid to criticize some NFL personnel. For example, Harrison said of Josh Mishandles’ attempt to trade for Matt Cassel: “I don’t understand why you want a career backup. No offense to Matt Cassel, I like the guy.”
Jets 27, Giants 25
I’d say the Giants have some issues at the receiver position, but that’s an obvious understatement. From Domenik Hixon, to Mario Manningham, to Steve Smith, to Hakeem Nicks, all of the wideouts made at least one crucial error Saturday night.
Domenik Hixon, usually the first Giants receiver taken in fantasy drafts this summer, saw five targets against the Jets. Unfortunately, Hixon caught only one ball for 10 yards. Three were misfires by Eli Manning, but Hixon’s big mistake was a dropped ball that popped out of his hands and into the arms of a defender.
Mario Manningham was thrown to eight times by Eli Manning, finishing with four grabs for 41 yards. Manningham’s first target was broken up because he couldn’t get any separation on the corner. He also dropped a pass later. On the bright side, Manningham drew a 33-yard pass-interference penalty.
Steve Smith had one reception for 12 yards, but could have had a lot more. The first of Smith’s three targets would have been a 90-yard touchdown, but Smith, who was wide open downfield, dropped a ball that hit him right on the numbers.
Statistically, Hakeem Nicks was the top Giants wideout in this contest. Nicks had six receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Only one of those catches (16 yards) was with the first-team offense, however. Nicks made some nice grabs from David Carr, but dropped a ball that hit him right in the hands. On another occasion, Nicks failed to run past the first-down marker to move the chains on a third down.
That said, it was quite apparent that Nicks is the most talented of all of New York’s receivers, and the fact that he ran a few plays with the first team was encouraging. After the game, Tom Coughlin told the media that Nicks might be moving up the depth chart. Draft Nicks in Rounds 11 or 12 as a backup with a ton of upside.
Kevin Boss saw only three targets in two-and-a-half quarters, but the good news is that two of them were in the end zone. Boss could have eight touchdowns this year.
Brandon Jacobs played exclusively during the first two drives, catching an 8-yard touchdown pass in the end zone, which was a really rare sight. Ahmad Bradshaw took over on the third drive. Jacobs re-entered the game on the fourth possession, but fumbled the ball away. Bradshaw played from then on and had a 27-yard run as soon as the Giants re-claimed the ball.
Mark Sanchez faced a tough Giants defense but handled himself well, going 13-of-20 for 149 yards and a score in three quarters of work. Sanchez could have some success as a rookie in terms of winning, but don’t count on him from a fantasy perspective just yet.
It looks like Chansi Stuckey will be the No. 2 receiver for the Jets. Mark Sanchez targeted him five times. Stuckey came away with four catches for 69 yards and a score, as the sole incompletion was broken up by a defender.
Thomas Jones started this game, but rushed for 16 yards and a score on 12 carries. Jones looked as bad as those numbers indicate; he ran slowly and sluggishly. Leon Washington was far more effective, gaining 62 yards on only nine rushes with the first-team offense. Washington also had three receptions for seven more yards. Look for Washington to steal a significant amount of touches from the suddenly fossilized Jones.
Ravens 17, Panthers 13
Joe Flacco is now officially on my sleeper list, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if he finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback.
Flacco began the game 10-of-11 for 136 yards, with his only incompletion coming on a drop by Todd Heap’s carcass. Included in those numbers was a beautiful 42-yard connection to Kelley Washington on a fade route.
Despite playing just two-and-a-half quarters, Flacco finished 23-of-28 for 247 yards and a score. All five incompletions were either drops, deep shots off by a bit, or balls that were thrown away. Now that Flacco is in his second year, it appears as though John Harbaugh is trusting him a lot more. You should as well during your fantasy draft.
In two-and-a-half quarters of work, Derrick Mason had six grabs for 71 yards. With John Harbaugh having more confidence in Joe Flacco, Mason will be upgraded in my 2009 Fantasy Football Rankings.
Ray Rice once again started and looked great. He had 32 yards on 10 carries, but caught eight balls for 67 more yards. Rice was in the backfield for Baltimore’s first trip on the goal line, but Le’Ron McClain, the up back, got the ball. Rice later picked up a 3rd-and-1 on the second drive with a 6-yard gain, but was not given the chance to carry the ball on the next trip to the red zone. Instead, Willis McGahee scored. Still, Rice was outstanding and only cemented his role as Baltimore’s feature back.
Steve Hauschka missed a 27-yard field goal on the opening drive. With Graham Gano also struggling, perhaps it’s time to page Matt Stover.
Jake Delhomme was 11-of-16 for 180 yards in two-and-a-half quarters. He was nearly intercepted by Ed Reed on his first pass. Delhomme’s YPA seems nice, but 39 of his yards were throws at the line of scrimmage that were taken for long gains. Delhomme also completed a 38-yard deep ball to Muhsin Muhammad, but that was against Baltimore’s second-string defense.
DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart were out, but Mike Goodson was able to put on a show. Four of his first five touches were as follows: 15-yard rush left tackle (wiped out by penalty); 13-yard screen pass; 10-yard rush left guard; reception for nine yards. Goodson had 52 yards on 11 carries, as well as three receptions for 26 more yards.
Falcons 27, Chargers 24
Despite missing both LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, Philip Rivers was extremely sharp, finishing 10-of-15 for 185 yards and a touchdown. On one drive in the second quarter, Rivers converted a 3rd-and-13 with an 18-yard pass to Malcolm Floyd; a 3rd-and-17 with 18-yard toss to Chambers; and 3rd-and-24 on a 48-yard hookup to Michael Bennett, who did a great job staying inbounds and getting into the end zone.
Darren Sproles started for LaDainian Tomlinson. He touched the ball only six times, but managed 16 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards on three rushes and three receptions. Sproles was as electrifyingly quick as always, and he’s an intriguing player to draft in the middle rounds because he’s capable of going the distance at any time. Keep in mind, however, that if Tomlinson goes down, he won’t be getting any goal-line carries and his small frame limits the amount of touches he can get per game.
Vincent Jackson hauled in two balls for 60 yards, but both were great downfield grabs. The first pass was a 28-yard reception, though you could have argued that Jackson should have been whistled for pass interference. On his next grab, Jackson managed to snatch a ball that was behind him with one hand for a 32-yard gain. Those were the only two times Jackson was targeted, but the Chargers’ starting offense played just a quarter and a half.
For the first time this preseason, Michael Turner didn’t break a long touchdown. He gained 47 yards on 12 carries against a San Diego defense that was missing nose tackle Jamal Williams. Turner also caught a 3-yard pass, which was odd because he had only six receptions last year.
Jerious Norwood left the game with a knee injury. He looked OK on the sideline and was able to stretch his leg. Once news breaks, I’ll let you know.
Matt Ryan was 14-of-20 for 140 yards and a score. He also chipped in with a 10-yard scramble. Those numbers look impressive, and Ryan did make some nice throws, but he also nearly threw three picks. If the San Diego defensive backs knew how to catch, Ryan’s stat line would have been completely different.
Because this game was on CBS, the announcers didn’t suck (see other game analysis). Dan Fouts was especially entertaining, though he managed to say, “The player was whistled for an illegal cock block.” Fouts later redeemed himself by joking about a photo, “There’s me and there’s Norv Turner, behind me, just like he should be.”
Speaking of Norv Turner, I found it extremely odd that he was interviewed during the game. His starters were out, but it was still very strange. I’ve never seen an NFL coach conduct an interview during live game action. Perhaps Fouts blackmailed Norv with a naked picture that no one in the right mind would want to see.
Saints 45, Raiders 7
The score says it all. This game was humiliating for any Raiders fan out there. I know this was a meaningless preseason contest, but Oakland was blown out in its third preseason game last year as well, losing 24-0 to the Cardinals. Things didn’t go well after that.
Drew Brees was on fire in this contest, easily abusing the Raiders’ pathetic defense. He finished 14-of-17 for 179 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a sterling YPA of 10.5. Brees actually began the game 8-of-8 for 83 yards; his first incompletion was broken up by Nnamdi Asomugha.
Marques Colston owners were disappointed Saturday afternoon, as their wideout was targeted only once, finishing with only 15 yards. Drew Brees simply didn’t look his way, wisely avoiding Nnamdi Asomugha. Colston’s only reception came out of the slot.
With Nnamdi Asomugha erasing Marques Colston, Drew Brees targeted Jeremy Shockey four times in a quarter and a half. Shockey caught all four balls, finishing with 48 yards, including receptions of 21 and 22.
Lance Moore was on the field for the first time all preseason. Playing out of the slot, Moore caught four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown. Moore is an excellent PPR fantasy option this year.
So much for Mike Bell getting a heavy dose of the ball. With Pierre Thomas out, you may have speculated that Bell would have gotten a lot of work. That was hardly the case, as he had only 15 yards on five carries and one reception for 11 yards. Bell was also replaced on the goal line. This is great news for Frenchie owners, though you still never know with Sean Payton.
Oakland’s offense was better than the defense, but only by default. Seriously, the Raiders’ first-string defense couldn’t keep New Orleans’ second-team offense from scoring.
JaMarcus Russell went 12-of-18 for 153 yards in this contest. As those numbers indicate, Russell didn’t struggle. However, he had little help from his teammates. He was constantly under pressure and had to endure two drops by Louis Murphy.
That said, Russell wasn’t perfect. He lost a fumble on the first drive and was nearly picked off at the end of the first half.
As mentioned, Louis Murphy struggled early. He dropped his first two targets; the first should have been called a reception and a fumble. In the third quarter, Murphy made a great 38-yard catch but fumbled the ball away. With Jeff Garcia in the game, Murphy stepped up and caught two balls for 46 yards on one drive. This wasn’t a great performance by any means, but Murphy is being targeted much more than Darrius Heyward-Bey. I’d rather have Murphy in any fantasy league.
Darrius Heyward-Bey was targeted three times, but managed to haul in only one reception for 12 yards.
Statistically, Zach Miller had the best game of any of JaMarcus Russell’s targets, finishing with five grabs for 74 yards. Unfortunately, Miller committed a fumble as well.
Michael Bush started, but received only one carry. Darren McFadden, meanwhile, rushed three times but couldn’t pick up a single yard. He did catch three balls for 21 yards, but seemingly like every other Raider, he lost a fumble.
A funny quote from Jim Plunkett on the Raiders Broadcasting Network: “This is an embarrassment for a Raiders defense that planned on playing well today.” Well, I’m glad the Raiders actually PLANNED on playing well. I’m sure the fans are thrilled to hear that.
Official Don Carey, who remarkably looks like Carl Winslow, had a few gaffs in this game and missed some calls. One gem included this announcement: “There is no penalty for intentional grounding, the quarterback was not out of the pocket.”
Lions 18, Colts 17
Once again, Matthew Stafford was the headliner in this game, so let’s not waste any time. Stafford, who struggled mightily against the Browns last week, did a great job rebounding. Stafford played off the bench but entered the game in the second quarter, finishing 13-of-19 for 160 yards and a pick. It’s amazing how much better you can look with Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew on the field.
Like last week, I charted all of Stafford’s throws. Here are the ones he made in the first half against Indianapolis’ starting defense:
1. A side-arm throw to Aveion Cason for seven yards; nullified by penalty.
2. A dart to Calvin Johnson for 37 yards. A great throw and a connection we should see for many years.
3. Thrown to Brandon Pettigrew for 11 yards.
4. A pass in the flat to Megatron, who turned it into a 9-yard gain.
5. Fade route to Megatron in the end zone. Just a bit off; the momentum took him out of bounds.
6. A poor decision by Stafford; he lobbed it up for grabs in the end zone, though Megatron nearly miraculously came down with it.
7. Fitzsimmons caught a 2-yard throw.
8. Screen to Aaron Brown, loss of three.
9. Converted a 3rd-and-11 to Pettigrew for 13 yards.
10. A 7-yard checkdown to John Standeford.
11. Interception – thrown deep to Bryant Johnson on what was a desperate attempt to score at the end of the first half. Don’t know why Stafford didn’t throw to Calvin Johnson. Maybe he got confused between the 80 and the 81.
Against the backups, Stafford did a great job drawing the defense offside and subsequently throwing up a 40-yard bomb to Derrick Williams. Stafford hooked up with Williams on the next two passes as well.
Stafford’s good enough to start right now, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting him behind a line with no legit left tackle.
Daunte Culpepper played in the first quarter and went 7-of-12 for 67 yards and a touchdown. Culpepper did a solid job, and while Matthew Stafford performed well, Culpepper didn’t do anything to warrant his benching – especially considering that the Lions have nothing at left tackle.
The Lions wasted no time getting Kevin Smith involved in the offense. Smith touched the ball on the first five plays of the game: a 9-yard gain left tackle; a 4-yard reception; a 3-yard run up the middle; a loss of one yard; and a 10-yard screen pass – which was good enough to move the chains on a 3rd-and-9. Later, Smith had a 19-yard reception to convert another 3rd-and-long. Smith then had a 24-yard run out of a big hole on the second possession.
Smith finished with 50 rushing yards on eight carries and three receptions for 33 more yards. He’s an excellent RB2 you should be able to get in the third round. In deep PPR leagues, he’s a low RB1.
Calvin Johnson saw his first preseason action and didn’t disappoint, catching four passes for 67 yards. Matthew Stafford and Megatron clicked instantly. If you own Megatron, you don’t need to worry whom Detroit’s starting quarterback is.
Brandon Pettigrew also played for the first time. He caught two balls for 24 yards. He was also overthrown by Daunte Culpepper early in the contest.
Peyton Manning made things look easy on the opening drive of the game. He was 5-of-5 for 46 yards and a score. Manning had all of the time in the world to make his throws. Detroit finally got some pressure on the next couple of drives, but once again looked feeble as Manning led a scoring drive to open up the third quarter.
Manning finished the game 12-of-15 for 123 yards and a touchdown. His first incompletion came with 2:02 remaining in the second quarter when Anthony Gonzalez dropped a perfect pass that he probably could have taken for a 55-yard score.
Dallas Clark led the Colts in receptions with six for 63 yards and a score. Clark caught all three of his targets on the first drive. Look for a bump in his numbers now that Marvin Harrison is gone.
Joseph Addai started the game with three yards on four carries. He looked sluggish and slow, but Indianapolis made it a case to get him involved in the third quarter. Peyton Manning completed a 21-yard pass to Addai. Addai then ran right tackle for 11 yards and picked up a first down with a 2-yard push on 4th-and-1. Addai finished the game with 22 yards on seven rushes in addition to the aforementioned 21-yard reception.
Donald Brown spelled Joseph Addai in the second quarter, but didn’t have much luck running against the Lions (strange, I know). Brown later subbed in for Addai in the third quarter. He had rushes of five and two yards; the latter being a touchdown.
The play-by-play guy for the Indianapolis Colts broadcast really needs to be replaced. He made numerous factual errors, including one statement where he said, “Nineteen seconds left. The Colts have one play left.” Really? You can only get off one play in 19 seconds?
Check out this exchange between the two announcers:
“The game turned on the turnover.”
“The turnover turned the game, Don!”
Wow, thanks guys. I’ll go ahead and put the game on mute the next time you’re on the air.
Packers 44, Cardinals 37
I know it’s just the preseason, but Aaron Rodgers is unstoppable. In three games, Rodgers has yet to be sacked or intercepted. Rodgers was 14-of-19 for 258 yards and three touchdowns in only one half of work, and he definitely was as sharp as those numbers indicate. In fact, Rodgers had a fourth touchdown nullified because of an illegal touching penalty. Also, two of Rodgers’ incompletions were a thrown-away ball and a deep shot downfield knocked away by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Rodgers had two deep completions – one of 55 yards to Donald Driver and another of 76 yards, where Jordy Nelson burnt Rodgers-Cromartie for a touchdown. Rodgers ran for a gain of 34 yards as well. His only mistake of the night was a nearly thrown pick he made off his back foot.
I’ve said repeatedly that it wouldn’t surprise me if Rodgers finishes the year as the top fantasy quarterback. He’s an incredible bargain if you can get him late in Round 3 or early in Round 4, depending on the size of your league.
Greg Jennings was hit in the helmet by Aaron Francisco on the first drive of the game. He left the contest with a mild concussion, but has told the media that he’s OK. With Jennings out, Jordy Nelson stepped up with three receptions for 88 yards and a score. If either Jennings or Donald Driver suffers an injury, pick up Nelson immediately.
Ryan Grant had a lot of room to run with Aaron Rodgers and all of his weapons garnering all of the attention. Grant carried the ball only five times, but gained 22 yards. More importantly, he was in the backfield on the goal line.
Jermichael Finley was targeted four times in the first half. He caught all four balls for 28 yards. The big thing here is that Aaron Rodgers found Finley twice in the end zone.
Mason Crosby had a rough outing. He missed a short field goal because of a poor snap. He was later wide left on a 48-yard attempt and then had an extra point blocked.
Another mediocre performance by Kurt Warner. Warner opened the game with a number of short throws and then found Larry Fitzgerald for an 18-yard completion. Unfortunately, Warner struggled after that, completely missing a wide-open Fitzgerald on what would have been a 15-yard gain. Warner fumbled in the red zone a few plays later.
Warner had a second fumble returned for a touchdown by Aaron Kampman on the next drive. He later had a horrendous throw picked off by Anthony Smith.
Warner finished 10-of-16 for 139 yards and the interception, as most of his completions were short conversions. To be fair, Warner was screwed on four drops by Jerheme Urban, Tim Castille, Lance Long and Early Doucet.
Larry Fitzgerald had five catches for 75 yards. Both Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston were sidelined.
Chris Wells finally played, though he had to wait until the third drive to enter the game. Wells looked very spry and quick on his first carry of 11 yards. On the next possession, Wells eluded four tackles with his quick feet to score a 20-yard touchdown behind right tackle. Wells also had a 9-yard rush where he pushed defenders around, but that was nullified by holding.
Wells, who predictably didn’t catch any passes, rushed for 46 yards on seven carries. He also scored two touchdowns.
Chris Wells won’t have an easy time getting into the lineup because Tim Hightower looks a lot better than he did last year. Instead of dancing around, he’s making one cut and going. He rushed for 38 yards on six carries in this contest, including a 23-yard gain behind right guard.
It was an ugly first half for the Cardinals, who were down 38-10 at intermission. However, Matt Leinart led an unlikely comeback that fell one point short before Green Bay returned an onside kick for a touchdown. The Cardinals actually should have taken a 39-38 lead, but Early Doucet dropped yet another pass that fell into his lap on the two-point conversion.
Leinart went 24-of-38 for 360 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Those are great numbers; certainly something Nick Lachey can appreciate. That said, take it with a grain of salt. Leinart did this against Green Bay’s second- and third-string defenders who let him march down the field with underneath stuff. Leinart also had a second interception that was dropped by a Packer defensive back.
Still, this is an improvement for Leinart who should be added to your fantasy roster when if Kurt Warner gets injured.
Patriots 27, Redskins 24
It was a crazy roller-coaster ride for Tom Brady owners in the first half of this contest. Brady was 0-of-2 on his first drive, as he missed Fred Taylor on a short pass and endured a Joey Galloway drop.
Brady was able to bounce back, leading the Patriots to a touchdown on the next possession, going 4-of-4 for 59 yards. Brady found Randy Moss in the end zone on a 26-yard strike. On the next drive, Brady was 5-of-6 for 44 yards, finding Moss once again for a 27-yard touchdown.
Unfortunately, things went downhill from there. Brady nearly threw a pick (dropped by Fred Smoot) and later Brady injured his shoulder on a fierce hit by Albert Haynesworth. Brady grimaced and appeared in discomfort on the sidelines. He left with the team doctor just prior to the beginning of the third quarter, meaning he ended his night 12-of-19 for 150 yards and two scores. The Patriots told the media that Brady had a “sore shoulder.” Whatever that means. Stay tuned for updates.
Randy Moss looked great, catching six balls for 90 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of work. He looked completely in sync with Tom Brady. He has been my top fantasy receiver all along, and will continue to be so as long as Brady is healthy.
Wes Welker was once again out of the lineup.
Fred Taylor started the game and rotated with Laurence Maroney. Neither Taylor (7 carries, 20 yards) not Maroney (7 carries, 16 yards) could get much on the ground. Maroney caught three balls for 30 yards, while Taylor dropped a pass thrown to him. Maroney was also guilty of a fumble. You probably don’t want either of these guys on your fantasy roster unless one of them gets hurt.
Check out these numbers: Jason Campbell was 13-of-22 for 209 yards in slightly more than two quarters of work. Campbell was very impressive early and late in the first half, connecting on double-digit-yard passes with his targets on eight occasions. Campbell is a pretty solid QB2.
Jason Campbell went to the PPR-friendly Santana Moss a whopping nine times in this contest. Moss caught five balls for 56 yards, including a great 21-yard connection deep along the sideline. He was also overthrown twice on deep passes.
Chris Cooley saw three targets, one of which went for 73 yards. Cooley caught the pass deep and ran downfield until he was tackled in the red zone.
Malcolm Kelly started across from Santana Moss. He was targted four times, but managed to haul in only one reception for 11 yards. Kelly drew a pass-interference penalty in the end zone, but later dropped a potential touchdown.
Devin Thomas played off the bench behind Malcolm Kelly, but was more impressive of the two. He caught all three targets thrown to him, gaining 36 yards.
Clinton Portis struggled to get anything versus New England’s tough front seven. Portis rushed for just eight yards on six carries. Both Portis and Ladell Betts didn’t get a single touch inside the red zone; instead, waiver-wire-fodder Marcus Mason got the carries. Mason may not make the team, so I wouldn’t worry about it. The promising thing for Portis owners is that Betts didn’t get the goal-line carries after failing in that role last week. Betts was on the field on third downs, but Portis was being shuttled in and out of the game, so it was tough to gauge what Jim Zorn’s epic plan will be.
I’m glad I didn’t wager on this game because Walt Coleman, the zebra who screwed up the second Baltimore-Pittsburgh game last year, was the official in this contest. Here’s a Coleman gem: “There are two penalties on the offense … Pass interference on the defense.”
And speaking of quotes, thanks to Wraith for pointing out and commenting on this epic statement from Phil Simms: “[LaRon] Landry had his hands on lots of balls during practice.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Rams 24, Bengals 21
You’re not going to get much information out of a game featuring Kyle Boller and Just Turnovers O’Sullivan as the starting quarterbacks. Carson Palmer was once again held out for precautionary reasons. Marc “Mr. Glass” Bulger, meanwhile, predictably missed yet another game with an injury.
Boller wasn’t too bad (14-of-20 for 96 yards and a touchdown), but O’Sullivan managed to live up to his nickname. He took a sack on the first play of the game and lost a fumble on the second snap.
The stats say that Cedric Benson wasn’t too impressive; Benson gained 17 yards on five carries. However, Benson had a 16-yard rush wiped out by a penalty. Benson also had nice runs of eight and 12 yards where the offensive line blew open huge holes for him. The problem was that Benson took two big losses because Carson Palmer’s absence allowed the Rams to constantly put eight men in the box.
Chris Henry caught two passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, but he didn’t receive a target when the team’s first-string offense was on the field. The Bengals seemed determined to get Andre Caldwell the ball instead. Of course, with Just Turnovers O’Sullivan under center, Chad Ochocinco received only four targets himself; O’Sullivan spent most of his time taking sacks and throwing short checkdowns to Daniel Coats and Caldwell.
Rookie Bernard Scott subbed in for Cedric Benson relatively early. Unfortunately, his first carry resulted in a fumble returned for a touchdown. After that, Scott didn’t get onto the field until very late in the game, as Brian Leonard received the carries instead.
Like Cedric Benson, Steven Jackson didn’t play much either. Jackson rushed five times for 12 yards and chipped in with an 11-yard reception. Jackson had a 9-yard rush nullified because of an illegal block by Laurent Robinson.
Speaking of Laurent Robinson, the new Rams wideout received four targets, three of which were completed for 20 yards. Robinson dropped the first pass thrown to him, and as mentioned earlier, was responsible for an illegal block penalty that wiped out a nice Steven Jackson run. Still, Robinson once again out-performed Keenan Burton, who saw just two targets. Robinson will be the No. 2 wideout once Donnie Avery returns to the lineup.
Kyle Boller threw to Randy McMichael more than any of his targets (five times). The first two tosses were broken up by the defense. The next two were complete for a combined 22 yards. The final throw was dropped by McMichael. This wasn’t the worst outing in the world for McMichael, but you still don’t want him on your fantasy roster unless you’re in a league with 16 or more teams.
Eagles 33, Jaguars 32
This game was all about QB Dog Killer, so let’s start with him.
The initial thing I noticed was all of the empty seats at Lincoln Financial Field. Eagles fans are very dedicated and usually fill the stadium to capacity, even during meaningless preseason contests, so clearly those who were absent were boycotting this game because of Philadelphia’s newest addition.
QB Dog Killer didn’t wait too long to see action. He was brought in on the second play of the game. As he ran onto the field, the scumbags who were in the stands cheered for him. I’ve never been more embarrassed to be a Philadelphian, and I can now proudly say that I’ll be moving out of this soon-to-be bankrupt city soon.
QB Dog Killer’s first play was in the Wildcat formation. He took the direct snap and pitched a 4-yard shovel pass to LeSean McCoy. On the second drive, QB Dog Killer was once again in the shotgun. He ran for a 1-yard gain and looked like he was moving in slow motion.
Later in the contest, QB Dog Killer completed a very impressive 13-yard pass to Hank Baskett. The throw was a dart, and you could see that the 18 months of prison time did little to affect QB Dog Killer’s arm strength.
In all, QB Dog Killer went 4-of-4 for 19 yards. Only 13 of those yards and just one of those completions were legitimate; the other three were shovel passes.
Despite QB Dog Killer’s “success,” the Eagles looked miserable on offense. They constantly made mistakes, especially inside the red zone, and managed to score only six points against Jacksonville’s starting defense, a unit that isn’t any good. I get the feeling that the Eagles have spent way too much time designing plays for QB Dog Killer that they’ve forgotten to practice their regular offense.
Eagles fans should be very concerned right now; aside from all of the bad karma that comes with signing a disgusting individual like QB Dog Killer, they also seem less concerned with winning and more fixed on redeeming a guy who held dogs underwater in a pool until they drowned. And anyone who is familiar with owner Jeffrey Lurie knows that winning is definitely not his top priority.
Aside from the QB Dog Killer antics, Donovan McNabb actually put together a good game, going 21-of-36 for 244 yards, one touchdown and a pick in less than three quarters of work.
McNabb often looked toward DeSean Jackson (4 catches, 47 yards) and Jason Avant (5 catches, 92 yards). Avant is a very good slot receiver and could make for a decent backup in deep PPR leagues this year.
Despite the fact that the Eagles announced Brian Westbrook would play, he did not suit up for precautionary reasons. LeSean McCoy managed 31 yards on 11 carries and five receptions for 17 yards. However, he cost the Eagles seven points when he dropped a pass that was thrown laterally to him; a Jaguars linebacker scooped up the ball and went the other way for a touchdown.
David Garrard went 8-of-14 for 93 yards and a pick. Not his greatest performance, but it should be noted that Trent Cole was abusing left tackle Eugene Monroe all evening, giving Garrard very little time to scan the field. Garrard was knocked out for one drive in the second quarter on a play that should have been whistled for a blow to the head. I was disgusted when I heard some of the fans cheering as Garrard was down on the ground.
Torry Holt owners should be encouraged because David Garrard threw to his new receiver five times. Unfortunately, they connected only twice for 14 yards. One misfire was incomplete deep on the sideline. Another was stripped away by Asante Samuel. And the last one resulted in a Samuel interception.
After last week’s impressive performance, Troy Williamson garnered only one reception for 11 yards. He was thrown to thrice; two of the incompletions were simply inaccurate deep balls from Garrard. Williamson should have a Devery Henderson-type season. He’ll have a big game where he makes a couple of long receptions, but then he’ll disappear for a couple of weeks.
Maurice Jones-Drew couldn’t run against Philadelphia’s tough run defense, gaining only 12 yards on five carries. However, he pitched in with two receptions (both screens) for 58 yards, including a gain of 45.
Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of this contest were the dreadful announcers who called the game on the Eagles Television Network.
Play-by-play guy Kevin Reilly constantly made factual mistakes, calling Maurice Jones-Drew “Maurice Drew-Jones;” referring to Torry Holt as “Terry Holt;” and telling the viewers that the Eagles were playing the “Jacksonville Jag-wires.” The misinformed Reilly also said of an Eagles player, “He can be big for US this year.” Us? Are you on the roster, Kevin?
The two color commentators, Hugh Douglas and Herman Edwards, were just as painful to listen to. On one occasion, Hugh did his best Emmitt impression by saying, “One of things he does that’s extremely well, he catches the ball when it’s thrown to him.” Hugh also said, “You cannot talk about the defense without talking about Michael Vick.” Really? I didn’t know QB Dog Killer plays on defense.
Edwards, meanwhile, was his usual incoherent self. Check out this bit of analysis when he was talking about an illegal contact penalty: “I’m OK with the first down. I’m OK with the five yards. What I don’t like is the first down.”
I’ll leave you with a funny exchange between Reilly and Herm when the Eagles called a timeout to avoid the play clock running out:
Reilly: “What happened there, coach?”
Herm: “…”
Reilly: “We’ll be right back after this!”
Dolphins 10, Buccaneers 6
It’s amazing how many outlets – ESPN, AP, etc. – have stated that Byron Leftwich out-performed Luke McCown in this game. While Leftwich had the superior statistics (9-of-17, 100 yards) compared to McCown (5-of-11, 38 yards), anyone who believes that Leftwich was the better quarterback did not watch the game and lazily looked at the box score instead.
Leftwich made some nice throws in this contest, most of which went to Maurice Stovall, but he completely missed several wide-open receivers. I counted a whopping four times when Leftwich sailed a pass over the head of an open target. Leftwich also fumbled in the red zone, which forced the Buccaneers into a field goal.
McCown wasn’t all too great himself, but he received no help from his teammates. When McCown was under center, he was pressured constantly, thanks to an offensive line that simply seemed to give up. One of McCown’s incompletions was predictably dropped by Jerramy Stevens along the sidelines. Another incompletion was dropped by Kelly Campbell in the end zone. Two more of McCown’s incompletions were thrown away. McCown was really 5-of-7 for 38 yards, which sounds a lot better.
McCown (or even Josh Freeman) should be the starting quarterback, but I have a feeling Raheem Morris will make a huge mistake and choose Leftwich to be his guy. To be frank, I can’t understand how Morris can justify naming Leftwich his starter; the Buccaneers have a great shot at going 0-16 if Leftwich starts every game.
Cadillac Williams got the start in this game. Though I was a bit skeptical that Cadillac could perform well, he actually looked really good. He pushed the pile forward on his first carry of four yards. Later, he burst through an open hole behind left guard and dragged tacklers for a gain of 19. Cadillac finished with 54 yards on eight carries. This spells trouble for Derrick Ward fantasy owners, as Morris’ dreadful 2-2-1 RBBC rotation looks like it’ll come to fruition.
Speaking of Ward, he simply couldn’t get anything on the ground, gaining just three yards on four carries. He salvaged this game by catching two balls for 13 yards, including a 9-yard reception.
Earnest Graham was the third running back to see the field. He generated 39 yards on five carries, most of which came on a 27-yard gain.
Despite the fact that Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton were out, Kellen Winslow Jr. only saw two targets. Winslow didn’t come away with a catch because Leftwich was completely inaccurate on both attempts. Winslow owners should continue to expect this until Leftwich is benched.
The Dolphins looked completely stagnant on offense, but my belief is that because they play Tampa Bay later in the year, Tony Sparano didn’t want to give anything away. Miami didn’t even run the Wildcat at all.
Brian Hartline once again started at split end for the Dolphins, with Davone Bess working out of the slot. Hartline saw seven targets from Chad Pennington, three of which were complete for 79 yards, including a great 54-yard connection. Hartline had 39 yards wiped out because of a B.S. offensive pass interference call by crooked official Jerome Boger. Hartline also drew an illegal contact penalty. His only mistake was a dropped pass in the second quarter.
Another clunker from Ted Ginn. Ginn saw just two targets, catching the first for 19 yards with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. Ginn was later overthrown in the end zone.
Pennington targeted Davone Bess twice. One was a checkdown for an 11-yard gain. Another was caught, but was out of bounds.
With the Dolphins constantly going three-and-out in the first half, Ronnie Brown didn’t have a chance to do much; he had four carries for 12 yards and two receptions for 15 more yards.
MISSING
More 2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football: Home
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2010 Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings - 1/5 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Week 17 Fantasy Rankings - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 6/6 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 7/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 7/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 7/20 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/10 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/11 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 9/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Linemen - 8/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Linebackers - 8/7 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Backs - 8/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Team-by-Team - 6/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Rookie Rankings - 4/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Rookie Rankings - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Traditional - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: WF.com Free League - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Traditional Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/26 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/18 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Experts PPR Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Experts Mock Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Pros vs. Joes - 7/28 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR Draft with AKA - 7/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Mocking ESPN's Fantasy Mock Draft - 7/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: The Four-Man PPR Fantasy Draft - 7/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 17 - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em - 12/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Add/Drop - 12/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Stock Index - Week 8 - 10/29 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football Buffet: Week 8 - 10/28 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Stock - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: High-Upside Late-Round Sleepers - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Top 12 Players to Avoid - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Undervalued Players - 8/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Buy Low - 8/6 (Walt)
ESPN's 2010 Fantasy Football Magazine Errors - 8/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 8/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - 7/27 (Walt)
Lack of 2010 Fantasy Depth: Blame the 2008 NFL Draft Class - 7/26 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Why You Should Pass on Chris Johnson - 7/14 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Draft Strategies - 7/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Scarcity - 6/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Late-Round) - 6/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Mid-Round) - 6/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Busts - 5/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 5/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks with New Receivers - 5/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Up - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Down - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Up - 4/15 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Down - 4/12 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/10 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 15
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
