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NFL Insights into fantasy football analysis, player news, and team trends and developments as well as pure speculation about players and trades.
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December 30
Week 17
Week 17 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines.
December 21
Good Timing
The Dolphins interim coach, Jim Bates, interviews today for the 2005 coaching position, after shocking the NFL world with a comeback win over the Patriots.
NFL Week 16 Game Analysis
Game of the Week: Green Bay at Minnesota rates up there. So does Baltimore at Pittsburgh is another chance for Baltimore's defense to step up. Redskins at Cowboys for rivalry sake. And, Arizona at Seattle (NFC West up for grabs). Can anyone slow down Kansas City's #1 ranked offense? Oakland will try. But the game of the week... New England at the Jets (all because of Monday Night). Must watch: Chargers at Colts. This is yet another chance for the Chargers to prove that they really have what it takes. San Diego's defense is tied for 2nd best in the NFL... against the run. Their 11th overall, which means... well, they have trouble with good passing games. Enter Peyton Manning. Should be a new TD record by 2:30 EST on Sunday.
Peyton Manning
Manning was sensational in the second half against Baltimore. The Ravens defense was keyed up to shutting Manning and the Colts down. And for the most part, they did. Manning only got one TD. Still, Peyton managed to throw for 249 yards and no interceptions. But the sensational part was the Colts Q3 drive with the game still tight (6-3 Colts). Manning drew the Ravens defense in with several runs and close passes, and then surprised everyone when he opened it up-- hitting Marvin Harrison for a 29-yard TD. It was masterful, and the Ravens knew they had been sucked in by a QB who is, everyday, becoming worthy of the records he will set.
Week 16 Preview
Week 16 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines.
December 20
Donovin Darius
The hit looked bad live (and, it sounded bad), and the impact on Robert Ferguson (still recovering) has been serious. But, all in all, it wasn't a cheapshot or terrible play ("it was nothing intentional". But, we'll see what the NFL has to say about it.
Seattle Seahawks
This was supposed to be a big year for the Seahawks. And instead they are 7-7. Normally, a game against Arizona (at home) would be cause to breathe easy. But the Seahawks have a lot on the line and the Cardinals have nothing to lose. QB Matt Hasselbeck is expected to play. His condition will be more apparent on Wednesday--- he is supposed to be back in practice.
Washington Redskins
Coach Joe Gibbs-- who stuck with Brunell far too long early this season has already named next year's starting QB (I suppose we should all start adjusting our 2005 fantasy cheatsheets). The Redskins have yet to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but Gibbs is already looking ahead to next year.
December 15
Around the NFL
Some random links: NFL Notes from The Desert Sun. And the Daily News Transcript. And, The Post Game.
Eli Manning
Eli Manning will start Sunday. Big game as the New York press is (not surprisingly) starting to really rip him apart. For Eli, it is a chance to steal Peyton's record-breaking headlines by shocking the NFL with a win over Pittsburgh.
Week 15 Preview
Week 15 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines. Big games: Saturday- can the Manning/Giants end Steelers streak? Sunday afternoon- Jacksonville at Green Bay, Sunday night- Baltimore at Indianapolis. Looking at the picks: interestingly, the computer picks Denver over Kansas City. As for a pick on thin ice? San Diego may be due for a loss as they head to Cleveland (even with Garcia out). SportsLine has picks up this season (all of their writers are getting eaten up-- except Clark Judge).
December 10
LaVar Arrington
No surprise, Arrington will miss another week. He was dreaming of coming back for Sunday's game against the Eagles, but isn't ready. Truth is- the Redskins defense has been just fine (actually phenomenal) without him. Speculation is rising that the Redskins will give the Eagles a tough time on Sunday night.
Ben Roethlisberger
The Steelers QB still expects to play on Sunday despite a sore quadricep that caused him to miss practice. The Steelers have won 10 straight with Ben at the helm. And Pittsburgh has won 11 straight so far this season, tying the team record set by the 1975 Steelers. On Sunday, Roethlisberger can also tie another team record-- Terry Bradshaw's 11-game win streak. The interesting thing about Ben's run is that he has yet to pass for more than 231 yards in a game. In 8 of his 10 starts he has thrown for less than 200 yards. In week's 10, 11, and 12 he threw for less than 140 yards. But his QB rating is 4th in the NFL and that's why he is a winning QB.
December 8
Pittsburgh Steelers
What is the secret to success in Pittsburgh? Is it the female influence? Trainer Ariko Iso was pictured on the front page of USA Today's sports section today. More on Ariko at the Women's Sports Foundation. Iso was the first full-time female trainer in NFL history.
Philadelphia Eagles
It ain't saying much but NFL.com's Vic Carucci is absolutely right that the Eagles are in a league of their own in the NFC. Only 3 other NFC teams have winning records: Atlanta (9-3), Minnesota (7-5), and Green Bay (7-5). In our NFL team power rankings Green Bay (#9) and the Eagles are the only NFC teams in the top 12. ESPN's Sam Paolantonio writes that perhaps now is a good time to worry. Could the Eagles lose a 4th straight NFC Championship game? Do the Eagles have worse luck than the Buffalo Bills-- at least the Bills made it to the Super Bowl four times in a row. Can the Eagles make it to their first Super Bowl since 1981? Which happens to be the only Super Bowl the Eagles have played in. Andy Reid is "focused" on home-field advantage and then he will start worrying about other things.
December 7
Week 14 Preview
Week 14 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines. Our pick for the must-see game of the week is the New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers. A close runner-up is the computers pick for the closest game, which is the Monday Night Game: Kansas City at Tennessee. The Redskins will try desperately at home to hang with the Eagles on Sunday night. Other thoughts on the week: San Diego may run into trouble with Tampa Bay and is Pittsburgh due for a loss?
November 30
Week 13 Preview
Week 13 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines.
Week 12 Recap
The computer was 12-4 for the second week in a row.
November 23
Week 12 Preview
Pittsburgh will try to keep its streak alive vs. Joe Gibbs and the Redskins. Week 12 NFL Picks are up. Schedule. Lines. Game of the week: Baltimore at New England. Thanksgiving: great games, Bears at Dallas should be close. Dallas needs the win.
Week 11 Recap
An easy week for everyone. Our computer was 12-4.
November 16
Week 11 Preview
All 32 NFL teams are in action this week. Bye weeks are over with. Game of the week? There are several interesting games, but no real stand out. If forced to pick one game its New England at Kansas City. The Chiefs need the win and our computer says they should get it-- barely. Other big games: Washington at Philadelphia. Can Gibbs and the Redskins lose again? Dallas at Baltimore. The Ravens are the better team but Dallas needs the win. Finally, maybe its not the game of the week but its must-watch-TV: Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants. Eli Manning gets the start with Michael Vick in town.
Week 10 Recap
A tough week for our computer rankings (7-7), but on the season our NFL picks are the best out there (though Mike Harmon closed the gap last week). Fanbay.net is 90-54 on the season.
Eli Manning
Eli will start next week at home against Vick and the Falcons. Expect Eli to more than hold his own. He's got a history of rising to the occasion right out of the gate. As for the rest of the season-- expect a lot of ups and downs.
Terrell Owens
Last week the networks were running footage of Terrell and Donovan McNabb in what appeared to be a big disagreement, if not basically a fight, on the sidelines. This week, any thoughts of tension were quickly cast aside. Terrell taunted the Cowboy fans in Irving, Texas. All is just fine in Philly. Super Bowl plans back on.
November 12
Game of the Week
There are a few important games this week. First, it would be a big win for the Packers to knock off Minnesota. Second, Dallas really needs to beat the Eagles. Third, Buffalo would love to beat New England on Sunday night. But the game of the week is Baltimore and the New York Jets (1 PM Sunday, CBS).
Week 10
Week 10 Picks. Odds/Lines. Bettors, probably with good reason, are expecting another Jets loss. The computer says the Seahawks look good on the road. Otherwise, everything else is pretty much in line with the odds.
November 9
Week 10 Picks
The latest NFL team power rankings are now posted. And Week 10 NFL Picks are also up.
Week 9 Recap
The computer generated some great picks in a difficult week. Most notably, the computer picked Tampa Bay, Arizona, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati-- all games that most other people were picking the other way.
November 7
Pittsburgh Steelers
It's all about Bill Cowher and the Steelers. The latest victim: the Eagles.
November 2
Week 9 Picks
Week 9 NFL Game Picks are up.
Week 8 Review
A very good week for our computer rankings. The computer cranked out the Pittsburgh win, and Chiefs victory on its way to 11-3 on the week. The computer model takes into account a number of varying factors including NFL team power rankings and strength of schedule played, as well as the actual stats and numbers from the field. Week 9 coming soon.
October 26
Week 7 Review
We used the term "opportunities" last week to say we weren't so confident that things were going to go as usual last week. Perhaps we should have used stronger language and ran with our gut opinion. But we didn't want to come out and say, 'hey, we think the computer is wrong this week'. It just didn't seem like it was going to be a by-the-numbers kind of week. And we pointed out the KC game as an example of what we were feeling. It just didn't 'feel' like KC would lose again. And on down the list, there were a couple other games that fell into that category. Now, Denver losing-- that's a different story.
October 19
Handicapping Week 7
Week 7 seems like it will be full of some opportunities. One game that stands out in our minds is Kansas City vs Atlanta. Already, the line is tightening up. Its a big game for KC.
The State of the NFL: Heading into Week 7
Here are the current NFL standings. And here is the lastest computer-generated Power Rankings. Some observations: 1) Denver is #1 in the NFL Team Power Rankings and has one of the easier schedules remaining (see the 2nd to last column). Although this is arguable given Denver plays Tennessee on the road and hosts Indianapolis to close the season. Tampa Bay is the other team with a relatively easy remaining schedule. The New York Giants are 4-1 and have played a very tough schedule so far. Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, despite having good records are 12th, 13th, and 15th respectively in our Power Rankings. Kansas City is right between this bunch despite a 1-4 start.
Week 7 Picks
NFL Picks are up for Week 7 games. Also check the latest NFL team power rankings. Take a look at the current lines.
October 12
Week 6 Picks
Week 6 NFL Picks are up. This is the first week that we have added O/U (over/under) to the picks. Also check the latest NFL team power rankings. Take a look at the current lines.
Joe Gibbs
Gibbs has been here before-- losing streaks. But Redskin fans are sick of losing so this 4 game skid is hitting Washington DC hard. So far Gibbs has spread the criticism and stood behind Mark Brunell-- despite critics and fans concerns about the QB. However, according to our combined stat rankings, the Redskins defense is 2nd in the NFL (see adr- which is the defense ranking for the away team). So there may be something to the fans finger pointing.
October 10
Deion Sanders
His NFL career began in 1989 with the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday night, the 37-year old Sanders grabbed his 49th career INT (a phenomenal leaping catch that he made look so easy).
Daunte Culpepper
Another monster game for Culpepper. He threw 50 passes, connecting on 36 of them for almost 400 yards passing and 5 touchdowns. He added 30 yards rushing. And no INT's. Still, the Vikings needed OT to hold off the Texans.
The Michael Vick Experience
You have to check out the website: NikeGridIron.com.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Today's loss to the Chargers validates the weakness that our NFL Power Rankings (Jacksonville was 19th in the NFL following Week 4 despite a 3-1 record) have been showing so far. The Jaguars had a great start to the season, but its not for real.
October 9
Jamal Lewis
Adding insult to prison time (perhaps for good reason), the NFL has decided to follow in the footsteps of the NBA (aka Chris Webber) suspending a player for a court finding regarding allegations that pre-date the players entry into the league. In the NBA's defense, Webber's wrongdoing was specifically related to basketball. But Lewis is not at all upset with the NFL for being suspended for two games. First, the penalty could have been worse. And second, Lewis just wants to put this whole thing behind him.
October 8
Week 5 Picks
NFL Picks for Week 5 are up. So are the new and latest NFL team power rankings. Take a look at the current lines.
September 29
Week 4 Picks
NFL Picks for Week 4 are up. So are the new and latest NFL team power rankings. Good games this week: particularly Monday Night as the Chiefs need a win, but the Ravens are starting to put it together. Chiefs were red hot out of the gate last year and could be ice cold out of the gate this year after Monday Night. The line has that covered. Sunday Night's game may be interesting.
NFL Officiating
The water cooler chatter is getting a little heavier these days. Whether it is this Monday Night Football game, or last week's game (the Terrell Owens TD), or the Bears in Minnesota, NFL fans across the country are taking note of a seeming rise in the number of game changing bad calls. Of course we must not forget that officiating controversy isn't new to the NFL or Terrell). CNNSI's Josh Elliott attributes the game changing calls to parity (word for word: "Too many teams are just as good as too many others" which means games "are increasingly decided by bad officiating or lousy coaching"). That's a happy thought. And NFL fans can find solace in remembering that bad officiating is not just an NFL issue.
Tom Coughlin
The tide of opinion on Coughlin started to change just before the start of Week 2 games on the pre-game shows. The fact is the Giants were in for a tough season this year. They needed to be whipped into gear if they were going to get anywhere. Coughlin came in and cracked the whip. Many players, while not enthusiatically endorsing Coughlin, recognize he's doing his job. His unapolagetic nature drives a lot of people crazy, but so far, his 'system' is getting the job done. Positive articles on Tom are starting to pop up all over the place: "Perhaps there is method to Coughlin's madness.
Joe Gibbs
Its difficult to walk away from something and then step back in and perform at the level you have in the past. If you play football all the time for years, then quit for 10, then pick up a football, your not going to be as good as you were. And coaching is no different. There are the new players, the new offensive schemes, the new defensive schemes, coaching tendencies, etc. But, you can bring yourself up to speed. And Gibbs has proven he will "figure it all out." But its more than just coaching, its a team and personnel problem. Especially at QB. Redskin fans want to act like they have a team that is top tier, but they have a bottom half QB, and that's the major problem (but all of the focus is on Gibbs).
September 28
Jacksonville Jaguars
What an excellent start to the season. It hasn't been pretty, but Jacksonville continues to find a way to win-- tough games. As a comparison, last season, Dallas surprised people out of the gate and our power rankings confirmed that it was no fluke. They went on to have an excellent season. This year, our power rankings have Jacksonville lingering near 20. Don't get too excited about the Jaguars quite yet.
September 24
Ricky Williams
OUCH! An arbitrator has ruled that Williams owes the Dolphins $8.6M. Miami attorney Jim Fierberg says no problem, just file for bankruptcy and become a free agent. Don't think it will be quite that easy.
September 22
Power Rankings
Our NFL Team Power Rankings have started for the 2004 season. Only the numbers matter. And that means plenty of surprises to conventional opinion, and other power rankings.
Week 3
Predictions for NFL Week 3 games are up.
September 17
Week 2 Games Analysis
What we try to do when looking at our computer projection NFL picks is find where there are differences greater than 5 points from the current line. That's where our computer model is indicating that Vegas may not have it right. This week several games fall into that category. First off New England, Green Bay, and Dallas should easily cover. Then comes 4 interesting games. First, Baltimore, coming off a surprising loss looks good to recover against the Steelers. Second, Buffalo is an underdog in Oakland and the computer says the Bills will win by 7. Finally, the toughest ones. The Giants are getting 3 points at home vs. the Redskins. Everyone loves the 'Skins this year. We are skeptical. Probably best to just stay away from this game. Then there is Tampa Bay at home against Seattle. Vegas is giving the Bucs 3 points. Seattle is tough, but wouldn't bet against the Bucs.
September 16
Monday Night Football
Ratings have been slipping as it is. Now a five second delay. That's not going to help. Five seconds doesn't seem like a big deal until your on the phone with your friend whose watching the games on satellite. ESPN/ABC is probably going to offer a pay-per-view live version.
September 15
Age No Longer a Problem
Whether its quarterbacks or running backs, week one is proving that a lot of older players still got game.
Turnaround Seasons
Sporting News picked 11 players that will reverse a bad 2003 season. Drew Brees, Josh Reed, David Patten and Ron Dayne are the notable offensive players on their list.
Best Coaches in the NFL
Sports Illustrated polled the players to get an inside look at who are the best and worst coaches in the NFL. No surprise that Tom Coughlin is a runaway leader for worst coach (29% of the players picked him). Bill Belicheck was easily the best coach in the NFL (45%). But, the players would rather play for Tony Dungy or Dick Vermeil.
September 14
Fantasy Football Tip
Checking the box scores is everything. And its not always just about the bottom line either. For example, look at the number of rushes your backs are getting. If they have big games on not too many carries, you may want to trade them while their hot.
Keyshaun Johnson
Keyshaun is glad to be out from under Gruden. He reflected on the differences between Parcells and his former coach after picking up 111 yards on 9 receptions.
Week 2 Picks
Week 2 picks are up. Vegas lines are here, or here.
September 13
Week 1 Recap
Terry Bradshaw wraps up week one: "Impressed" that Cleveland "stuffed" Jamal Lewis. Disappointments: Kyle Boller, the Rams, and the Saints. Finally, "Clinton Portis is the real deal". Pete Prisco (SportsLine): "So much for all that talk about how there would be an explosion of points in the NFL".
September 6
Analysis of Week 1 Picks
Our Week 1 picks are up. Vegas lines are here, or here. Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Philadelphia should have no problem covering current lines. As for surprises: San Francisco looks good at home, Tampa Bay could shock Gibbs and the 'Skins in Washington, and the Saints could squeeze out a victory at home vs. Seattle. If your into Monday Night Football, don't count out the Packers.
September 3
NFL Picks and Predictions
This season (as last year), Fanbay.net will continue posting computer model game picks and predictions. Our picks for Week 1 are up now at our NFL Predictions link. The computer model takes into account defense and offense, points scored and points given up, yards gained and yards given up, and additional factors. Last year the predictions were very valuable. They are a unique data point that analyzes the competing teams and statistics, completely outside the supply and demand that influences Vegas lines and odds.
New England Patriots
What is going on in New England? No need to panic. However, a complete reversal (in a week's time) is nescessary because game one for the Patriots is Thursday September 9th vs. Indianapolis.
August 31
Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman remembered. Tillman's wife Marie said "Our goal is to inspire and support others who live their lives with a similar spirit and strive for positive change".
Seattle Seahawks
Move over Itula Mili, Holmgren and Hasselbeck say 6-7 TE Jerammy Stevens is "really, really improved". Fantasy impact right now is pretty minimal but you may want to keep an eye on him. Fantasy owners are busy trying to decipher between Seattle's WR's Darrell Jackson and Koren Robinson. Sporting News says "Jackson is the safer pick than Robinson, but Robinson has more upside". We like Jackson.
Rudi Johnson
Fantasy owners perceptions of where to pick Rudi Johnson are all over the map. Which means, someone will pick him too early. We say, don't be that person. Dillon only had 138 carries last year, and many of those will go to Perry this year. Even if Johnson gets 100 of them and averages 4.5 yards thats an extra 450 yards or around 1400 in 2004. But, that's being optimistic. Johnson is a decent pick, but don't get too excited. If someone else grabs him early just grin and grab the next guy.
August 30
Mock Draft
The Top 12 picks of a mock draft over at NFL.com is worth a look. One surprise: Shaun Alexander was picked third.
Mike Anderson
Bell, Griffin, and Hearst are left to battle it out for carries and yards in Denver following Mike Anderson's season-ending groin injury.
August 29
Kurt Warner
It is now official: Warner will be the starting QB to begin the NY Giants season.
Game Stats
Have you been trying to find good (or just any) individual player stats on the pre-season games? Head over to NFL.com's Scoreboard-- an absolute goldmine for preseason game data.
Moe Williams
Looks like Moe Williams will be starting off the season about just like he did last year. Michael Bennett is now expected to miss 1-3 weeks and Onterrio Smith is scheduled to miss the first 4 games.
August 27
RB in Denver
The running back situation in Denver could be even more crowded then expected. Some analysts say Mike Anderson will steal more than a few yards from Griffin or Hearst (but the rumors are Anderson will be traded). And, others are excited about Tatum Bell. Shanahan has a history of finding surprises.
Ricky Williams
This article says no way the Dolphins will take Ricky back. But Ricky is obviously already homesick and may apologize or do whatever necessary to get on the roster and collect the real green stuff. Guess that other green stuff ain't as good when its rolled up in Australia. So, off to India.
Fantasy Football Rankings
This year, we think the best overall rankings are over at FFToday. We don't agree with some of their rankings, but we love how they show the individual rankings of 9 different people and rank them by consensus. Where do we disagree? Start at their QB rankings. We think Bulger is too high, while Tom Brady and Trent Green are a little too low. We also think Peyton Manning is a clear-cut, no-questions-asked #1 pick at QB. Running Backs: We strongly disagree with their Jamal Lewis fears.
August 26
Quarterback Rankings
Yahoo! has a Top 10 quarterbacks up, and there are several surprises. Check out all of their rankings while your there- they have top players at every position, including defensive position rankings.
Jamal Lewis
Coach Brian Billick's comments have increased concerns that Jamal will not play the full season: "I understand Jamal's date is set. ... There's some finality to it, that's great, and we'll deal with it." The trial is set to begin November 1st-- which is the day after Baltimore plays Philadelphia in Week 8. We still think things work out for Jamal and that he is worth a very high draft pick.
August 25
Drew Bledsoe
Chad Mortensen, ESPN, (buried deep in this interview) says "I think Bledsoe does bounce back" this year. Though Drew is at the top of CNNSI's list of players to avoid.
Top 15 Sleepers
Also over at CNNSI is a list of fantasy football sleepers. We don't like it, but check it out. Maybe you'll see something. They also have a list of 10 players to avoid, and a Top 75 fantasy players list which (like us) isn't afraid of Jamal Lewis.
10 Players to Watch
The 10 Players to Watch list over at SI.com is not really for fantasy owners, but its good preseason reading. Ron Dayne (missed all of last season) is on the list for resurfacing "to give New York's offense a bolt of much-needed juice." SI's Don Banks is also big on Cleveland's Lee Suggs though he admits Green and Suggs are likely to split time.
August 24
St. Louis Rams
There is worry in St. Louis after the Rams 24-7 loss to the Chiefs. Bulger had a "nightmarish" game. Coach Mike Martz accepted all the blame and said "we'll make sure these guys are ready to play."
Rudi Johnson
One thing is certain. Rudi will get more carries this season. And that means more yards and more TD's. But we don't think he will top 300 carries this year and so your really looking at an extra 350 yards or so and a couple extra TD's. And SportsLine points out that Chris Perry will be in the mix too.
Chris Brown
Brown has been very impressive thus far in the preseason. But, even though Titans coach Jeff Fisher admits he is "off to a good start" he says "what Chris has to understand now is that he has to put three more quarters together." In his first NFL season (as a back-up for Eddie George) Brown never rushed more than 12 times in a game. Brown had just 56 carries last year and he averaged 3.9 yards.
Defensive Back Rule Enforcements
This will have an impact on the NFL going forward. It is really interesting that the NBA made rule changes that have led to ugly 72-67 defensive battles, while the NFL continues to try to boost scoring. The NFL is definitely doing the right thing. The fantasy impact may be a little muted in the first year, but definitely next year (and maybe even by mid-season this year) passing and receiving stats will be marginally higher. But, the twist might be that the TD's are likely to be spread around. More passing stats doesn't necessarily translate to TD's. It will be Tomlinson, Green, Holmes, Lewis, etc ending their share of drives in the end zone.
Marshall Faulk
Taking baby steps in getting ready for what could be his last season. Faulk is a tough player to judge this season.
Michael Vick
Coach Jim Mora says he's just being "very, very careful" about a "little tightness in his hammy."
August 23
Weekend Wrap-Up
Eric Moneypenny (FoxSports) says "Eli looked more than competent", "Delhomme lit up the Giants", Mark Brunell was "sharp", and now the Bengals are "the obvious choice to be the big surprise in the AFC North".
McGahee-Henry
Buffalo has confirmed that there will be no trade to make way for one or the other. McGahee and Henry will split time. Henry was injured over the weekend, but x-rays were negative and Henry is listed day-to-day.
Aaron Brooks
You'll need to keep an eye on Brook's status. The fact that he aggrevated his quadricep strain might not be a concern if it weren't for the fact that this has been dragging on for 3 weeks now.
Adewale Ogunleye
The Dolphins Pro Bowl defensive end is heading back north (he was a Hoosier-- leading Indiana in sacks 4 years in a row). He's got a $10 million signing bonus to spend on a new home in Chicago, where he will be for the next 6 years. Ogunleye will be a big boost for the Bears defense, but don't think this alone changes the overall outlook for the Bears. Maybe they sneak in for third. As for the Dolphins, this increases odds of a this weekend's schedule.
August 19
Updated Quarterback Rankings
Peyton Manning is our clear number one. Click to see updated fantasy football quarterback rankings and analysis. One big note different from what you will see around the web. We like Tom Brady and don't like Bulger.
August 18
2004 Team Predictions
Our projections for the NFC and the AFC are up. You can also access them in the second column of the main nfl stats page. We used a computer model that takes into account power rankings with offseason changes and strength of schedule inputs.
August 17
Jamal Lewis
The news today is merely a headline and not much more. As Jamal's defense attorney said "this is not big news for us." The article mentions that the trial is still scheduled to begin November 1st. We hate to throw caution to the wind, but we don't think anyone should worry about Jamal Lewis this season. He's good to go until November, at least. No matter what they are saying out there, since these are charges dating back to 2000, the timing of this trial, its dates, and whatever, are all likely to work out in Jamal's favor.
August 14
Running Back Preview
Check out George Winkler's (Yahoo!, Sporting News) preview of running backs for fantasy football. He's big on Rudi Johnson, Domanick Davis, Corey Dillon, Chris Brown, and whoever wins out in Denver.
Champ Bailey
Dan Pompei of Sporting News, featured at FOXSports.com, thinks Champ will make the ultimate difference for the Broncos. He raves about Bailey and counts off the ways Champ is going to improve Denver's defense. And if Pompei is right, he says Denver's could win the Super Bowl, and it will be all about their trading Clinton Portis for the Champ.
Fantasy Football
Michael Fabiano takes on all fantasy football e-mail questions. He says Quentin Griffin is the man in Denver, don't sell Travis Henry short in Buffalo, and he goes soft on Michael Bennett.
August 10
Kevan Barlow
Broke 1,000 yards last year-- his 3rd NFL season. And it was his play in the last 7 games of the season where he piled up his best numbers (he was only inserted into the starting lineup for 4 games when Hearst got injured). Now, Garcia is gone. Hearst is gone. But this will really get you going. You have to read this article.
Willis MaGahee
Early training camp performances by MaGahee are once again fueling speculation about a Travis Henry trade. But, Buffalo fans want nothing of it-- they say keep 'em both. Not everyone is surprised by MaGahee's performance and the possibility of Travis Henry losing a lot of carries. In fact, most fantasy magazines are predicting just that. However, this may not be so cut and dry. And this is an area to watch closely. Three issues: 1) Any trade immediately boosts both their value. 2) Any injury immediately boosts the other. 3) Don't presume everyone in your fantasy draft will be paying attention here. It is situations like this where fantasy football winners are made-- especially if your in a league that requires 3 or more RB's.
Sean Taylor
What a debut for the Redskins rookie cornerback--- two interceptions, one for a touchdown that gave Washington the lead in the third quarter.
Dallas Cowboys
In the words of Bill Parcells, Jerry Jones "was very excited" about Drew Henson's scrimmage performance. Parcells wants to see Henson get hit-- and then maybe he will become a convert. But, Testaverde will be the Cowboy's starting QB this season.
August 7
New York Giants
It looks as if it will be Kurt Warner starting the season as QB. He was a clear leader in Saturday's "shared practice" with the New York Jets. But, it is also clear that Eli Manning will be no Carson Palmer. Eli will get plenty of playing time this season (the 33 year-old Warner is using a lot of ice these days-- and that's just after practice sessions). So, despite the fact that Warner will likely be starting initially, at some point during the season it should become pretty much all Eli. For fantasy owners timing will be everything.
Fantasy Football Rankings
One of the best places to turn on the web for fantasy football player rankings is at FF Today. The link sends you to the QB rankings. They use a consensus of 9 people for their rankings.
Michael Vick
"It shouldn't be a problem."
July 30
Kellen Winslow
The Browns literally laid their "best offer" out on the table. If this doesn't get Winslow to camp in the next couple days, hard to know what would.
Training Camp
Things are starting to get serious.
More Predictions at Yahoo!
Mike Harmon's look at the AFC is up. Interestingly, he points out that Carson Palmer isn't getting any respect in fantasy drafts. Then, Chris Carter has his early predictions up. In the AFC there are no big surprises. In the NFC, Carter gives Minnesota the nod in the North and likes Seattle out in the West.
July 28
NFC
A great look (by Mike Harmon) at the coming season and offseason changes for the NFC... from a fantasy football perspective.
AFC
ESPN takes an "optimistic" look at all the teams in the AFC... and NFC.
July 26
Miami Dolphins
The timing of Ricky Williams retirement couldn't be worse for the Dolphins-- coming right after Eddie George was signed by Dallas and Antowain Smith signed with the Titans. Wannstedt, for his part, is not looking back, despite Ricky's "bizarre" decision.
July 25
Ricky Williams
A stunning decision to abruptly retire by the Dolphins rusher-- who led the entire NFL in rushing yards in 2002. Though, Ricky has pretty much always marched to his own drum the decision has shocked friends and completely surprised the Dolphins, coming just a few days before training camp begins. Ricky seems pretty unequivocal about the decision, but perhaps a year off to do something else ("travel asia") and he will return. SportsLine had Ricky Williams ranked 8th among NFL running backs.
July 18
Fantasy Football Rankings
The fantasy football rankings have been updated: Top 190 overall and position rankings for: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, kickers, tight ends, and team defenses. There is a cheatsheet that sums up all the rankings. And a fantasy football mock draft.
July 17
NFL Training Camps 2004
Players begin reporting to training camp in just under 2 weeks. Full coverage over at NFL.com. Including all camp locations and dates. Here's a training camp preview from Yahoo! Sports. Preseason games begin August 12th.
July 1
Fantasy Football
Our fantasy NFL player rankings are up, including a Top 190 overall and position rankings for: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, kickers, tight ends, and team defenses. There is a cheatsheet that sums up all the rankings. And a fantasy football mock draft. Fantasy Football Toolbox has a cool mock draft of their own. All the stats, rankings, news, and links you need are available via our NFL Stats and Resources page.
June 26
AFC West
Preview of the "wild, wide open" AFC West over at NFL.com. Not so wide open for San Diego- unless your talking about defensive lines zeroing in on Rivers.
Training Camp
Tuesday, July 27th is the date that a few NFL training camps kick off. All the details (starting dates, location, etc)over at ESPN.
Strength of Schedule
Who has the toughest schedule in 2004? Miami. Easiest? Cowboys, Giants, and Bucs. Check out our computer model NFL 2004 strength of schedule rankings.
Preseason
Mark your calendars-- here's the TV schedule. Philly, Washington, and Baltimore are each on a couple times.
June 23
NFL Schedule
Just to keep it at the top of your head: The first preseason game is Monday Night, August 9th- Denver and Washington. Games follow on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then again on Monday Night.
Jeremy Shockey
The Giants TE had surgery on Tuesday. Will be out of action at least 6 weeks, but is expected to play at the beginning of the season.
June 14
Jeremy Shockey
The latest injury concerns are something to keep an eye on as your fantasy draft approaches.
June 8
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is just getting started. His best numbers are likely ahead of him. And another big reason to grab Terrell is the fact that he's with Donovan McNabb. This is a match made in heaven. Owens is going to be a value in your fantasy draft-- even if he's picked a little higher than you think he should go.
Tom Brady
If your looking for a good quarterback pick in your fantasy draft, this is likely the guy. Brady is going to be ranked about 10th among quarterbacks in most preseason fantasy rankings. He's averaged right under 3700 yards passing the last two years and will likely push 4,000 this year, placing him in the top 3 in passing yards.
June 3
Kurt Warner
The Giants closed the deal, officially bringing Kurt Warner on board as a backup for Eli Manning.
May 27
Offseason Player Movements
If your wondering what players went where in the offseason. Check out ESPN's offseason player movement charts: AFC and NFC. Or if you just want to know how your favorite team has changed go to the team pages. Here is the Bronco's team page.
June First
The big day approaches. And you can add, Eddie George to the list of veterans whose futures are in doubt. Door opens on June 1st for NFL teams to dump high priced veterans.
Power Rankings
CBS SportsLine Power Rankings are up and running. New England is #1, followed by the Broncos, Colts, Eagles, and Seahawks.
Football in L.A.
Their still kicking the idea around. But a team isn't likely until 2008. Decision time is slated for May 2005.
May 25
Kerry Collins
The Oakland Raiders picked up the successful veteran quarterback. Collins is extremely reliable and a proven winner, shedding doubt on the future of Rich Gannon.
May 20
2005?
The 2004 season doesn't kick-off for another 3 months, but that isn't stopping Gil Brandt from thinking about tomorrow. Its a great piece (scroll down to the bottom and check out the names).
May 18
ESPN Offseason Overviews
ESPN.com has started a series of NFL team offseason overviews ("What They've Added, What They're Missing, What it all Means"). The most recent one is on the: San Francisco 49ers.
May 12
New York Giants
The Giants clearly have the upperhand for Warner. They are dangling the prospect of starting, since Eli and the team have already stated that he may not start right out of the gate.
May 8
Kurt Warner
Rumors swirling that Kurt could be on his way to New York. The Giants could use the 'veteran' as a mentor for Eli Manning. So, Kerry Collins out, Manning (and perhaps Warner) in. Things looking up for Giants fans.
May 5
Eli Manning
The guy deserves some heat, no doubt. The whole draft snafu definitely did not go over well. And now recent quotes about how football isn't that important to him are legitimately raising questions about whether Eli has what it takes to compete in the NFL. In fact some are wondering if the Giants would be better off with Kerry Collins. However, Eli has stepped up to the plate in the past and he has delivered. More notably, he has delivered from day one, no matter the challenge. In his first career start at Ole Miss, Eli Manning connected on 20-of-23 passes (including an Ole Miss record 18 straight) and tossed five TD passes. Will there be some edge and controversy when the season starts up. No doubt. And New York is a far way from Mississippi. But Eli's career stats and accomplishments pretty much speak for themselves.
April 25
Washington Redskins
The buzz is back in Washington, D.C. this season. The Redskins have Joe Gibbs back at the helm. And they picked up Sean Taylor with the 5th pick in the draft.
Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman honored at the NFL Draft.
Eli Manning
How much respect the guy lost is yet to be known. But on a day when most every player is just happy to be drafted, Eli (the first overall pick of the entire draft), whined his way into a trade to play for another team. Now, teams can have bad ownership that isn't worth playing for. There are teams in all major sports with owners that should have nothing to do with owning sports teams. However, the Manning's did not have to make this a big public stand-off. Eli could have handled the situation in a much more mature fashion. Eli will be absolutely despised in San Diego, and will likely not be well received at just about every stadium in the NFL. And even some Giants fans are going to have to cheer this kid on with a lump in their throat.
Eli Manning on Draft Day
What Draft Day is All About
What Life is All About
April 23
NFL Draft Preview
Everyone has an opinion about the Manning/Chargers stand-off. One thing is certain: its always fun to watch a little of the draft, or scan the list of picks early and often throughout the day. But, this year, being there for the first pick is almost essential. What do the Chargers do? How does Manning react if picked? Coverage starts at Noon Eastern Time on ESPN.
NFL Notes- rumors, insights, and analysis
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