Fantasy FanHouse

Never Too Early: Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, AFC North, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Chad Johnson media circus. Seriously, dude, just shut up and play. Other than him -- though I doubt he thinks we're all aware there are actually other players on the team -- there's a decent crowd of players here with whom fantasy owners are quite familiar. Rudi Johnson and Carson Palmer are traditional high picks, and T.J. Houshmandzedah has really come on strong as an elite wideout.

The Breakout
As much of a punk as he is, Chris Henry put up numbers in this offense when he was actually on the field. Palmer doesn't utilize his slot receiver like Peyton Manning, but he does it quite well. So will it be Jerome Simpson or Andre Caldwell? Palmer's already raving about the maturity of Caldwell and is weary of the rawness to Simpson. That's enough for me. Andre Caldwell is your Bengals breakout for '07. It's gotta be late in a bigger league before you decide to take him, but he's still got a chance to hit it quasi-big this year in the slot.

The Bust
Chad Johnson, easy. There's just too much noise going along with his injury and the fact that Housh is a better player ... not to mention that Palmer is probably getting a little annoyed with Ocho's act. (In my best Dwight Shrute voice) QUESTION: in how many leagues will you see Housh get picked before Johnson? Exactly. That's a bust: failing to live up to expectations.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Carson Palmer
QB2 - Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB1 - Rudi Johnson
RB2 - Kenny Watson
RB3 - Chris Perry
RB4 - Kenny Irons (will move up if he gets healthy)
WR1 - Chad Johnson
WR1a - TJ Houshmandzadeh
WR3 - Andre Caldwell
WR4 - Jerome Simpson
WR5 - Antonio Chatman
WR6 - Mario Urrutia
TE1 - Ben Utecht
TE2 - Reggie Kelly
K - Shayne Graham

The D/ST
Marvin Lewis has never really worked his magic on this unit, and I'm not sure why this would be any different. The linebacking corps got a makeover with Dhani Jones and Darryl Blackstock now starting, and replaced Justin Smith with Antwan Odom on the defensive line. I could see enough strides to put this team in contention for a top 20 showing, but do you really want to count on that for any production at all? I wouldn't ...

The Skinny
Last year was rough on Rudi Johnson owners, but the Bengals obviously weren't fazed this off-season ... they haven't added anyone to push him. Sure, there are Shaun Alexander rumors circulating, but nothing firm has come forth. I'm not overly bullish about Rudi heading into this season, but his value is quite low and, again, this job is in his sole possession. Grabbing him in the third round is not a bad spot at all.

Carson Palmer still has plenty of weapons, and he's actually become a bit less sexy of a pick. Maybe people are getting bored with the Bengals? Who knows, but he's a solid starting QB in real life and fantasy. Housh is an elite wideout that should be taken in the top ten for his position. Ocho Cinco should go around 15, but he'll be gone before that.

Other than that, Watson is a handcuff, Caldwell is a late-round sleeper, Utecht is a low-end backup TE, and Graham is an elite kicker. That's it for draft day!

Never Too Early: Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Pittsburgh Steelers Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Steelers, AFC North, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Most balanced offense in the NFL. With the addition of Rashard Mendenhall the Steelers now have a talented between the tackles runner to go with Fast Willie Parker. This is thunder and lightning to a higher level with the single-back abilities each guy has. They can go deep to Santonio Holmes, or to the reliable possession receiver Hines Ward. Add the extremely athletic 6'4" Limas Sweed to the fray to catch jump balls, and the very solid over-the-middle TE Heath Miller. Oh yeah, and Ben Roethlisberger is coming off easily the most prolific season of his career.

The Breakout
Really tough call here. Did Santonio already have his breakout season last year? (YES) Is Sweed really ready to have a good enough season to call it a breakout? (HMMM ... ) Hasn't Mendenhall received enough hype that he's accurately "rated" (as opposed to underrated or overrated)? I guess if pushed I'll go with Mendenhall. Ward seems a lot less ready to yield his spot outside than Fast Willie is in the backfield to me, plus Nate Washington clouds things at WR. Mendy (yeah, just made that up) will at least vulture the goal-line TDs and has enough speed to fully take over should Parker go down via injury.

The Bust
Willie Parker still carries a lot of name recognition -- as well he should -- but Fast Willie is going to lose a substantial amount of touches to Mendenhall, including those all-important goal-line carries. Sure, he can break free for the long TD from time to time, but if you are expecting the Fast Willie is the past few years you better brace yourself. Also, remember how much more balanced the offense has become than the running-and-defense machine Bill Cowher ran. Willie's more likely a 1000-yard back with only a small handful of TDs at this point. Still usable, obviously, but burning a second round pick on him is not advisable.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Ben Roethlisberger
QB2 - Charlie Batch
QB3 - Dennis Dixon
RB1 - Willie Parker
RB2 - Rashard Mendenhall
RB3 - Mewelde Moore
WR1 - Hines Ward
WR2 - Santonio Holmes
WR3 - Limas Sweed
WR4 - Nate Washington
WR5 - Willie Reid
TE1 - Heath Miller
K - Jeff Reed

The D/ST
Oh mama does that Steel Curtain carry some weight in name. The problem, last year, was that it didn't match up. They tied for last in the league with only 11 interceptions and only scored three times. Still, they did record a respectable 36 sacks, recover 14 fumbles, and only the Colts allowed less points. Overall they ranked 13th in points in a standard format. You just expect more from the rugged Steel Curtain. This year you'll get more. They'll bounce back, and a full 16 games from Troy Polamalu won't hurt. Neither will Lawrence Timmons taking over full-time at ILB. I expect the Steelers to return to top-5 D/ST form.

The Skinny
It's another fantasy goldmine! Including the K and D/ST, I count nine players that should be owned in the majority of fantasy leagues, and all but Sweed should be starters in leagues that use flex players (I've got Mendenhall as a flex in a 12-teamer to start the season) when the season kicks off. I expect this to be one of the best teams in the NFL, and you'll be plenty pleased with their fantasy personnel as well.

Never Too Early: Pittsburgh Steelers Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: New Orleans Saints Fantasy Football Preview

Will Brinson — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Saints, NFC South, New Orleans, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet the ...
The Shootouts (it sounds nicer than the "Aints"). Not that New Orleans can't be good -- they can. And they're a nice unit for fantasy football teams, because, in theory, they have a ton of offense. But theorizing is fine until you end up burning through three top 50 picks, which is what Drew Brees, Marques Colston and Reggie Bush will cost you.

The Breakout
Perhaps I'm being old fashioned, but Deuce McAllister seems to me like the best possible "breakout" option on this team. Sure, he's gone through more ACL's than Alonzo Mourning has kidneys, but the Saints can't function without a strong between the tackles runner. Oh, and he "don't cost nuthin'!" Which, to me, is the ideal scenario for finding a breakout -- cheap, easy and late.

The Bust
I thought that people had stopped sweating Bush, but judging from his ADP (30), I guess not. Seriously, he's going 30th. (30!!!) It just goes to show how much potential, upside, etc can drive someone's fantasy value. Anywho, I wouldn't draft Reginald with your pick, personally. What justifies taking him? The 3.7 YPC last year or the 3.6 the year before? Granted, the 80+ catches per year are nice, and he's a nice RB2 in PPR leagues but let someone else fall prey.

The Depth Chart
QB - Drew Brees
RB1 - Reggie Bush
RB2 - Deuce McAllister
RB3 - Aaron Stecker
WR1 - Marques Colston
WR2 - David Patten
WR3 - Terrence Copper
TE - Mark Campbell
TE2 - Eric Johnson

The Team DS/T
It kind of pains me to say this, but the Saints might be a sleeper defense this year. They added Jonathan Vilma and Randall Gay to a defense that stuffed the run but got thrashed through the air last year. Josh Bullocks and Roman Harper are improving, and while they aren't my first, second or third choice for a D/ST, I would consider a late round flier.

The Skinny
I would draft Brees and Colston if they dropped to reasonable levels; Brees somewhere in the late five or sixth round range and Colston I would take in the third or fourth round (not that he'll make it that far). Ideally, you'd land Colston as a WR2 in a sick tandem, but his contract status (to-be-FA) and third year status won't let that happen. Avoid Bush at all costs and look for Stecker and Deuce in the later rounds -- Stecker's a nice 10th or so option while Deuce could end up being a great flier. Patten and Copper have late round WR flier written all over them.

Never Too Early: New Orleans Saints Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Philadelphia Eagles Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, NFC East, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Personal nightmare for Donovan McNabb. Not only have the Eagles become the worst team in a loaded NFC East, but he can't stay healthy ... as much of the city of Philadelphia is now turning on him after learning of his shoulder tendinitis in mini-camp following bouts with a torn ACL, sports hernia, and bum ankle in the past few seasons. Oh, and the receivers aren't exactly All-World. Luckily he's got the ever-explosive Brian Westbrook behind him to provide stability to the offense.

The Breakout
It's tough to tag a rookie as a solid breakout candidate. They are just so unpredictable and the hype that comes with them makes them overvalued in so many situations -- I saw Calvin Johnson picked before Roy Williams last season, for example -- but DeSean Jackson is stepping into a good situation for himself here. Reggie Brown has disappointed more often than not in his three seasons, and Kevin Curtis can't be counted on as more than a big-play threat on the outside. We know Andy Reid loves the throw the football, and Donovan can still sling it with the best. Grab Jackson late and reap the rewards by midseason.

The Bust
I hate themes, but it seems like we're headed for an "Eagles' wideouts" one here, no? Yeah. Of the two bust candidates, Curtis has much higher value at this point ... making him the bust. Sure, you'll see a 30+ point fantasy game from him, but will he be in your active lineup that week after the multiple 3-pointers you sat through? That's what he does, and you can't have that out of a top-40 WR. He's not, but he's valued as one in this fantasy pre-season.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Donovan McNabb
QB2 - Kevin Kolb
RB1 - Brian Westbrook
RB2 - Correll Buckhalter
RB3 - Lorenzo Booker
RB4 - Tony Hunt
WR1 - Reggie Brown
WR2 - Kevin Curtis
WR3 - DeSean Jackson
WR4 - Hank Baskett
WR5 - Jason Avant
WR6 - Greg Lewis
TE1 - L.J. Smith
K - David Akers

The D/ST
This group was loved by many-a-fantasy owner heading into '07, and surely exited the season hated by those same owners. The Eagles checked in at 27th in D/ST fantasy points. Jevon Kearse departed and there weren't any significant additions to the front seven. Thus, you'd expect the 36 sacks to remain relatively realistic as far as expectations go. In the secondary, the Eagles were last in the NFL (tied with the Texans and Steelers) in interceptions in '07, but they have added Asante Samuel to the fold. His six picks last year was more than half the ones the Eagles grabbed on their own. Expect his big-play ability to have an impact, and only the tough division in which they reside prevents a huge bounce-back. They're a low-end backup fantasy D/ST.

The Skinny
Outside of the dynamic Westbrook -- who is easily a top five pick -- the pickings are relatively slim here compared to what the Eagles offense used to provide. McNabb's big-time name recognition will make him overrated to inexperienced players, but the stigma around his recent injury history will make him underrated to many experienced fantasy players. Know your peers, because he's gonna finish as a top ten QB ... not top five. Don't overpay for Brown or Curtis, but they could be helpful as your fourth or fifth WR. Jackson's a good last round-type gamble, and you should ignore L.J. Smith and Akers for the most part.

Never Too Early: Philadelphia Eagles Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Washington Redskins Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
New look offense! Out with Al Saunders and Joe Gibbs and in with Jim Zorn's high-powered west coast offense. The offense Zorn is installing is the one used in Seattle under Mike Holmgren and has made fantasy stars of numerous players through the years, including Brett Favre, Shaun Alexander, and Matt Hasselbeck. This has caused everyone to expect that Clinton Portis -- since he's arguably more talented and much tougher than Alexander -- to become an absolute beast. That's all well and good ... just remember that Portis isn't following Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson on one side of the line.

The Breakout
Jason Campbell has shown flashes of being a productive QB, but been derailed by injuries and inconsistency. He has plenty of tools and weapons to become a fantasy starter (top 12ish) in this offense. The Skins even tried to overload the receiving corps during the draft by selecting TE Fred Davis and WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly with upper round selections. He did throw for 215, 348, 301, and 216 yards in the last four full games before he was injured. Be ready to pounce on Campbell as a quality backup with the chance to become a starter at some point in '08.

The Bust
I'm gonna go with Santana Moss, as I'm counting on the offense to spread the ball around -- other than to load up Portis with touches. Look at the depth the 'Skins drafted ... they obviously want to run guys in and out while utilizing the quick throws of the west coast offense. I'm not saying he's going to suck, but if you are drafting him with the hopes that he's going to be a standout performer you'll be quite disappointed ... 60 catches, 900 yards, and five TDs are his ceiling this year. Expect more? That's why he's listed here.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Jason Campbell
QB2 - Todd Collins
RB1 - Clinton Portis
RB2 - Ladell Betts
RB3 - Eric Shelton
WR1 - Santana Moss
WR2 - Antwaan Randle-El
WR3 - Devin Thomas
WR4 - Malcolm Kelly
WR5 - Anthony Mix
WR6 - James Thrash
TE1 - Chris Cooley
TE2 - Fred Davis
K - Shaun Suisham

The D/ST
Kinda mediocre here. The Skins were 16th last year in points and didn't make any real adjustments. They do have an experienced nucleus that doesn't have to go through the system change like the offense does (new D-Coordinator Greg Blache was promoted from within). They don't get a ton of sacks or takeaways, and they only scored two times last year. All in all, they are a much better real unit than fantasy. You can use them as a bye week replacement, or when they face an anemic offense; but other than that it's just not that exciting a pick.

The Skinny
Like I said in the intro, this offense has been given a makeover. Hopefully it's not one of those makeovers that's an acquired taste, because there is some seriously explosive potential here for fantasy players. It's possible that Campbell emerges as a top ten QB -- yes, it really is -- with six viable receiving options by year's end (including the two TEs). Thomas, Kelly, and Davis have lots of talent and they can learn from the veteran leadership at their positions provided by Randle-El, Moss, and Cooley.

With Portis making a run at the top five overall, the offense will have an incredible balance by the season's midpoint. I alluded in the intro that I don't think you should overreact about Portis, but he's still gonna be a stud. An overreaction would be to pick him first or second. For now, take Portis as the seventh RB -- we covered the top six here -- Campbell as a sleeper-type backup QB, Cooley as a solid TE1, and let the WRs fall below their perceived value before taking them because of the unknown in this new offense. Still, it's an exciting time for a formerly boring offense.

Never Too Early: Washington Redskins Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Team everyone is sick of hearing about. If not, give it some time. You already have the circus around The Artist Formerly Known as Pac-Man and constant updates on Tony Romo's social life ... mix in the storylines involving my personal least favorite player in the NFL (he wears #81), speculation about the head coaching situation, and anything involving Jerry Jones; and it's a cornucopia of maddening media attention.

The Breakout
Actually, most of the guys on this team are properly rated, but since I have to pick one I'm going with Patrick Crayton. He has been steadily improving since his rookie season in Dallas each year, and exploded once last year (7-184-2 in week 4). With Terry Glenn back in the fold some fantasy owners may downgrade Crayton's value. The thing is, he's still gonna be their second outside option. I like him to be a top-40 wideout for '08. He quietly set career highs in everything last year (50 catches, 697 yards, seven TDs) and will far exceed those.

The Bust
It may just be because I despise everything about him, but I can't move past this category without listing Terrell Owens. The Cowboys were bounced from the playoffs in round 1 last year, so my prediction is that once any sign of adversity hits this squad, T.O.'s attitude goes predictably south. And they'll have adversity. He's ranked as the #2 overall wideout on nearly every draft ranking system. No way in hell do I want him on my team before Reggie Wayne, Braylon Edwards, or Andre Johnson. Draft him at your own peril.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Tony Romo
QB2 - Brad Johnson
RB1 - Marion Barber
RB2 - Felix Jones
WR1 - T.O.
WR2 - Patrick Crayton
WR3 - Terry Glenn
WR4 - Sam Hurd
TE1 - Jason Witten
K - Nick Folk

The D/ST
The 'Boys D/ST ranked ninth in points last year (again, I'm using my league ... it has a fairly standard scoring system but D/ST points vary greatly from league to league) on the strength of 46 sacks (third in the NFL) and 19 picks (tied for sixth). The group adds the aforementioned Adam Jones along with the smartest player in the league. Hopefully that curbs some of the idiocy emanating from #81's locker. Seriously, though, the two additions are big names but don't do a ton to bolster the fantasy value of the unit as a whole. Zach Thomas is getting up there in years and is more of an anchor than playmaker, while Jones is such a wild card you can't count on a boost at this point. I do expect the DeMarcus Ware-led pass rush to remain stellar and the ballhawking on the outside by Terence Newman and Anthony Henry to continue as well. Depending on your league size and scoring setup, the 'Boys should fall between 10-15 in the D/ST ranks.

The Skinny
Romo, Witten, and Folk are elite performers at their position, while Barber is a first-rounder. If you want an idea of what to expect from the rook in the backfield (Felix Jones), look no further than Julius Jones' numbers from last year. Glenn, Crayton, and the D/ST are also usable more often than not. While they aren't the Colts, this is one loaded fantasy team.

Finally, remember the term "bust" is relative to draft position. T.O. can help your team. I'm simply calling him a bust because I don't believe he'll be a top-two WR this year, and that's where he'll be picked in 99 percent of the drafts out there. Bust does not equal suck.

Never Too Early: Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Carolina Panthers Fantasy Football Preview

Will Brinson — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, NFC South, Carolina, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet the ...
Super Bowl Champions. Look, people can claim they're not homers all day long, but the fact of the matter is, I read/watch/write re: the Panthers a lot. (Well, as often as I can anyway.) And maybe I'm a little biased, but they're going to win the NFC South this year and they're going to do it by scoring a ton of points. Of course, if Jake Delhomme goes down again, I may look stupid. But it wouldn't be the first time.

The Breakout
The bad news? Jonathan Stewart is already getting a lot of preseason love (check him dead center of the sixth round in an average 12 teamer). The good news? The love is warranted. Stewart was thought to be a top choice of plenty of teams in the draft, but a turf toe injury let him hang around for the Cats. Note that the Carolina team doctor performed his surgery

The Bust
Honestly, I don't see one on the depth chart ... assuming that Delhomme stays healthy. (DeAngelo Williams would qualify, but he's getting drafted later than Stewart). Which means I have to pick the highest rated guy and assume that the worst could happen. And that makes Steve Smith a bust candidate; without Delhomme, he is a substantially worse option at WR1, considering what you have to pay for him. (Note that I'd still draft him, but it has to be noted.)

The Depth Chart
QB -- Jake Delhomme
RB1 -- DeAngelo Williams
RB2 -- Jonathan Stewart
WR1 -- Steve Smith
WR2 -- D.J. Hackett
WR 3 -- Mushin Muhammad
TE -- Jeff King

The Team D/ST
The once ridiculous defensive line is a lot thinner than in years, with Julius Peppers being the only holdover. But the additions of Landon Johnson and Terrence Holt are going to help shore up the linebackers and secondary. The Cats aren't the early round D/ST they once were but a nice later round alternative to overpaying.

The Skinny
The Panthers are going to be heavily undervalued in fantasy drafts; Delhomme is going to be an unbelievable steal in the 10th round (or thereabouts) while Hackett is a nice later round steal as well. King provides decent value as a low end TE2 and both Williams and Stewart will have RB value in leagues, particularly the latter. In other words, you want to target the Cats in your draft and let the haters play on without them.

Never Too Early: Carolina Panthers Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Chat: 1 P.M. Thursday

Matt Snyder — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:36:00 EST

Filed under: Featured Stories, Fantasy Football, Chat

Seriously, no one works the day before our Independence Day. Just look at Devin's dance. That's his "Fourth of July dance."

Even your bosses know you don't work today. They accept it because it's a fact of life.

Why not come discuss some fantasy issues like -- but not limited to -- rookies that will/will not justify their hype, our previews, this year's Big Ben, this year's Braylon Edwards, or who is completely overhyped?

All this and more, at 1:00 on the day before a holiday ... at work ... you know you want to ...

Fantasy Football Chat: 1 P.M. Thursday originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: New York Giants Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: NY Giants, NFC East, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
David who slayed Goliath ... and you know how that goes in the world of fantasy football. At least you should. The residue of a strong post-season run by a team almost certainly means several players are going to be overrated the next fantasy season. I'm looking right at you, Thomas Jones. So the question with the Giants is, can you look past the post-season and judge flatly on what you think they'll do in this regular season? Imagine the Giants had lost in the first round at Tampa Bay. Now judge their fantasy players. That should be an accurate rating system. For example, settle down about Eli Manning. Sure, you can believe he's taken a giant (pun unintended, but I'm keeping the word choice) step forward in terms of maturity and taking care of the football. You also should remember that 13 QBs outscored him in fantasy points in '07. His last name doesn't do him any favors either. Hypnotize yourself into believing that Eli Smith lost in the first round to the Bucs. Now do you like him as a top ten QB? Me neither.

The Breakout
Brandon Jacobs ... I already covered him.

The Bust
He doesn't have a ton of value left at this point, but Amani Toomer's days as a usable fantasy option are limited ... and will be over before the midway point of the season. Whether you believe it's going to be Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, rookie sensation Mario Manningham, or Super Bowl hero David Tyree (the best example of forgetting about the post-season before your fantasy draft ... don't touch him); someone is going to supplant Toomer as the 2nd receiving option during the course of the season. He's 33, so his best days are behind him. Plus, the Giants likely won't feel the need to surround Eli with experienced vets so much anymore now that he's confident. Enter the new wave of Giants wideouts. Exit stage left, Amani.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Eli Manning
QB2 - David Carr
QB3 - Andre Woodson
RBBC1 - Brandon Jacobs
RBBC2 - Ahmed Bradshaw
RB3 - Derrick Ward
RB4 - Reuben Droughns
WR1 - Plaxico Burress
WR2 - Amani Toomer
WR3 - Steve Smith
WR4 - Sinorice Moss
WR5 - Mario Manningham
WR6 - David Tyree
TE1 - Jeremy Shockey
TE2 - Kevin Boss
K - Lawrence Tynes

The D/ST
Coming off a season in which they were eighth in fantasy points, the Giants aim to improve even further ... BUT ... they lost Michael Strahan. He had nine of the team's league-leading 52 sacks, but it's not just the numbers. The respect given to him by opposing offensive blocking schemes cannot be replaced. The rest of the defense is still quite exciting. Antonio Pierce mans the middle, while Mathias Kiwanuka and Osi Umenyiora will look to keep pressure on the QB, and Sammy Knight was added to anchor the secondary. The sacks will decrease, but the interceptions should increase. This is a top ten unit, so if people overreact to the loss of Strahan you'll get a quality late round steal.

The Skinny
If you can do what I suggested in the intro and not get overly excited about what you saw in the post-season, there are plenty of valuable fantasy players to be had here. They aren't the Colts or Pats, but they do have a top 15 QB, RB, WR, K, and D/ST, along with a host of other characters (when you call them that word, you know I'm including Shockey) that will be helpful from time to time should injuries or bye-weeks hamper your squad. The Champs are balanced, that's for sure.

Never Too Early: New York Giants Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Houston Texans Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Team that needs to change divisions. How about going 8-8 and finishing last? The Texans are joined in the AFC South by three playoff teams, none of which is significantly worse entering the 2008 campaign. The problem for the Texans is that their offense didn't really improve itself and the rest of the divisional teams have stout defenses. Having Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub healthy for the entire season, though, is a start. Those two have a year under their belt working together and will be the key to this offense. You also know Gary Kubiak likes to run the ball, but it's tough to trust Ahman Green or Chris Brown.

The Breakout
ZZZZZ ... sleeper time. Steve Slaton, the rookie RB from West Virginia was the Texans' third round pick. I just mentioned how Coach K (is that blasphemy to say when it's not "him," by the way?) enjoys running the football. Again, do you trust Ahman Green to stay healthy? Do you trust Chris Brown at all? If you shook your head at both of the above -- I know I did -- enter Slaton. The best part is that he'll be dirt-cheap on draft day. Last round flier time, baby!

The Bust
Kevin Walter had 65 grabs for 800 yards last season. He won't even sniff those numbers on his video game at home in '08. I'd much rather Andre Davis or Jacoby Jones heading into the season.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Matt Schaub
QB2 - Sage Rosenfels
RB1 - Ahman Green
RB2 - Chris Brown
RB3 - Steve Slaton
WR1 - Andre Johnson
WR2 - Kevin Walter
WR3 - Andre Davis
WR4 - Jacoby Jones
TE1 - Owen Daniels
TE2 - Mark Bruener
K - Kris Brown

The D/ST
DeMeco Ryans and "Super" Mario Williams lead this group, but it's not really exciting after those two. The Texans finished 21st in sacks, despite being aided by Mario's 14. The real problem, though, is that they were dead-last in the NFL in interceptions. They added two DBs (Jacques Reeves and Nick Ferguson), but their impact in fantasyland should be minimal. They do have a solid enough return game with Andre Davis (3 '07 KRTDs) to garner points, but it's a lower-tier unit overall.

The Skinny
Schaub never really got the chance at his potential breakout season last year in Houston, with his big play man going down and then suffering an injury of his own. He'll have that chance this year and is going to be ranked around the likes of David Garrard and Jake Delhomme. Johnson's an absolutely elite wideout. I expect him to stay healthy and stay right with Braylon Edwards on the heels of Reggie Wayne. Daniels had 63 catches for 768 yards and three TDs in '07. Those numbers should remain almost identical this year, making him a top 15 TE. Brown is circling around the top 15 for kickers, which means you don't want him (you don't seriously draft two kickers, do you?), and the D/ST is unownable until more players step up to aid Mario and Ryans.

Now, RB and the WRs behind Johnson are murky. I would avoid Walter altogether, gamble on Davis in the last round of middle sized leagues (12-14 teams) and on Jones in the largest leagues' last round (16+ teams). Green can't be trusted as more than a flex back in any league, and even then I'm weary. Chris Brown sucks. I'd just assume pass on him and get Slaten in the last round to handcuff Green. Seriously, don't sleep on Slaton! Ron Dayne was a quality back in this offense.

Never Too Early: Houston Texans Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Jaguars, AFC South, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Nic Cage of the NFL. I don't know if it was his awful attempt at an accent in Con Air or what, but Cage just seems like a bad actor. Yet there he is bringing in all kinds of money with the National Treasure franchise, and he's even won an Oscar. You looked at the 2007 Jags and saw a diminutive running back flanked by a walking injury behind an inexperienced QB who had to throw to an awful receiving corps. Much like Cage, they got it done ... so why would 2008 be any different?

The Breakout
It looks like the Jags decided that David Garrard needed some receiving help, so they got him some in the off-season in the form of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson. Both had fallen out of favor in their previous situations, yet sport undeniable talent. I'm going with Williamson here. He's still a young speedster, and has been heaped with praise early on in camp by Garrard. You should be able to get him close to the end of your draft.

The Bust
Once maligned for being terribly injury prone, Fred Taylor ended up being an incredible steal on draft day. Owners reaped the rewards to the tune of 1202 yards rushing and five TDs. Unfortunately anyone who watches football games with any sort of consistency had it pounded into our heads all season by announcers and analysts that he's underrated ... to the point that he ended the season overrated. Mission accomplished, talking heads! Look, I do think that the stigma surrounding Fred Taylor was probably unfair in light of his career numbers (six 1200+ yard seasons), but he's not a top 25 back in 2008 at age 32.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - David Garrard
QB2 - Cleo Lemon
RBBC1* - Fred Taylor
RBBC2* - Maurice Jones-Drew
FB - Greg Jones
WR1 - Jerry Porter
WR2 - Troy Williamson
WR3 - Reggie Williams
WR4 - Dennis Northcutt
WR5 - Matt Jones
TE1 - Marcedes Lewis
K - Josh Scobee

The D/ST
You have to draw the line between fantasy and reality here. The Jags defense is generally regarded as one of the best in the NFL, but they only finished 12th in fantasy points in '07. They finished towards the bottom in forced fumbles and recoveries. It's the anti-Dungy/Lovie ball. The Jags D actually tries to make tackles instead of ripping constantly at the ball. Again, fantasy/reality because it's much less frustrating as a fan of the team, but more frustrating as a fantasy owner. This group has undergone some changes, too. Pro-Bowler Marcus Stroud and Bobby McCray leave the defensive line, while Sammy Knight, Terry Cousin, and Aaron Glenn have departed from the backfield, only adding Drayton Florence. Expect them to be a serviceable bye-week replacement in most leagues, ranking in the top 15, but not top ten.

The Skinny
Much better real team than fantasy, but it's not barren in Jacksonville for our purposes. Assuming Williamson and Porter play well -- I believe they will -- Garrard will see a slight spike in his passing production, putting him in the running for the top ten. He likely resides immediately outside of it. Williamson, Porter, and Williams (who did catch 10 TDs last season) should be taken late in the draft in hopes of a low-risk/high-reward breakthrough. The value here, though, is still in the running game, where MJD is a top 15 back and Taylor's going to get the rock as long as he's healthy. I'm weary of relying on Taylor, but if he's your 3rd RB in large leagues (14-16 owners) or 4th in smaller ones (10-12) you should be okay. Scobee is in low-end starter/high-end backup range. Ignore everyone else.

* -- RBBC = Running back by committee. This means the backs should share an equal amount of time in the backfield, but shows the "listed" starter as the "1."

Never Too Early: Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Tennessee Titans Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Only team that rivals watching paint dry in the boredom department. The Titans likely hate fantasy football. They definitely hate the pass. Their 543 rushing attempts last year led the NFL, even though they averaged a subpar 3.9 yards per carry. Only four teams threw the ball less often, and they were the only team in the entire league that threw less than 10 TD passes. I'm bored just thinking about this offense as I type. So they did the only rational thing to do in the off-season ... shore up the run game while nearly ignoring the passing situation. Yeah, they added tight end Alge Crumpler -- a 30 year-old TE who endured a rough 2007 in easily the worst season of his career. Still, the team virtually ignored wideouts in the off-season, fully content on letting Justin Gage and Roydell Williams being the top two with an absymal supporting cast. Instead, they used their first round pick on speedster RB Chris Johnson. Do you really believe them when they say they wanna pass more?

The Breakout
Ugh. Truth be told I really like no one, but they tell me I have to pick someone. Okay, I'll go with Chris Johnson. I can envision a thunder-and-lightning type combo with LenDale White here that evolves into White taking the short yardage carries and Johnson getting 15-20 outside touches. He has enough speed and running ability to become a decent flex guy by the end of the year. Gamble on him late.

The Bust
In sticking with what I said above, it's going to be White. Sure, he didn't run for a single TD last year and that will change in 2008. The problem is that everyone knows that. They also know he ran for 1110 yards last year and is the incumbent starter. Johnson's going to cut into that yardage big-time, so people drafting White and expecting 1110 yards and six TDs are going to be disappointed ... by about 400 yards. Of course, should they sign Kevin Jones, LenDale should completely disappear.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Vince Young
QB2 - Kerry Collins
RB1 - LenDale White
RB2 - Chris Johnson
RB3 - Chris Henry
WR1 - Roydell Williams
WR2 - Justin Gage
WR3 - Brandon Jones
WR4 - Justin McCareins
WR5 - Lavelle Hawkins
WR6 - Mike Williams
TE1 - Alge Crumpler
TE2 - Bo Scaife
K - Rob Bironas

The D/ST
Well, it's pretty obvious that as much as the Titans like to run the ball they really trust their defense to keep them in and win games. They finished 11th last year and added soon-to-be 32 year-old Jevon Kearse to the defense that was seventh in sacks last season. Gotta love the possibility of them increasing their standing in that category, and they were second in picks as well. The reason they were only 11th last year was that they only scored two TDs (the Eagles didn't score, and three others only scored one time). Defensive TDs are somewhat fluky -- unless you have a returner like Devin Hester -- and are therefore quite fickle. With this in mind the Titans are a lower-tier starting D/ST for 2008.

The Skinny
Like I said at the start, pretty boring around here for fantasy purposes. Young is a lower-tier backup fantasy QB at best, White's a flex guy, Johnson's hopefully a startable flex by midseason, Crumper and Bironas are low-end starters or high-end backups, and the D/ST is good. None of the WRs are worth starting unless you are required to start four wideouts and play in a league of 16 teams ... in which case you can take a look at Gage and Roydell as last resort options ... maybe gamble on Jones in the last round. No one else is even ownable. This is a great example of a real team that is much, much better than their fantasy parts.

Never Too Early: Tennessee Titans Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Roundtable: LDT and Peterson Gone, Who's Next?

Matt Snyder — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Position Rankings

The Fantasy FanHouse team will occasionally debate pre-draft topics for your perusement and amusement. Any excuse for a Roundtable really. Today's topic: picks 3-6 in the first round.

Matt Snyder: Right behind the obvious top two picks is another tier of elite running backs. There shouldn't be much debate that the next four players off the board are Joseph Addai, Brian Westbrook, Steven Jackson, and Frank Gore -- unless someone wants to waste their top six pick on Tom Brady or Randy Moss, in which case you happily let them. The debate, though, is in what order they should be taken.

So, Fantasy FanHouse ... what order and why?

Matthew Greber: I'll let the assumption that it's obvious that Peterson is the #2 pick slide, because I acknowledge it may often play out that way. However, I think I'd take both Steven Jackson and Joe Addai before AP -- I just like to know what I'm getting and folks are going to be teeing off on the Vikes this year. I still expect big things from Peterson, but when you can stack against the run (see my man Frank Gore last year), things are a bit tougher. Therefore, I'd say it goes like this:

1. LDT
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Steven Jackson
4. Joseph Addai
5. Brian Westbrook

Honestly, you could put Westbrook up higher but I just have a sneaking suspicion that this year he's going to break in half. As a die-hard 49er fan, I'd simply LOVE to put Frank Gore in here, or even at #6 - but I don't see any reason that it's a lock that he rebounds from last year's dismal performances. Mike Martz didn't know how to use Marshall Faulk! If I had the #6 pick, I'd actually have to consider being one of the morons who take Tom Brady or Peyton Manning rather than roll the dice on whether a Gore, Portis, Lynch or LJ is going to earn his pay at that slot.

MS: Then I'll take this opportunity to hype Ryan Grant as Greebs' sixth pick! I'd take him over any of the dudes you listed at the end there and I'm not especially in love with Gore either.

MG: Snyder! YOU are the one that said "there wasn't much debate" that Gore was in that group. Flip-flopper! Naysayer! I agree that Grant is as good a pick there as any, but if we want to get into a discussion about RB poised to fall back a bit, I think Grant gets put in that discussion as well. But that's just as good an example as any of how mixed the talent is at that point in the draft. If I have the 6th pick, I might decide to lock up QB with Peyton or Brady and get one of those same RB at the 15th slot.

MS: I'd rank Gore 6th and Grant 7th. Just to clarify. I'm just saying that someone (cough, cough) said he'd take Gore third overall during a chat. I don't feel that.

Will Brinson: Easy, third. I said Addai was the lockjob third guy. I threw out Gore at fourth and I think he, Westbrook and SJax are in another tier at 4, 5 and 6. Each have a ton of upside and each have a ton of um, downside.

And I think rolling the dice on Grant or Lynch is dangerous. Two reasons: first, you're going to get one of the top five listed below, because you absolutely know Brady is going early in almost every draft. And second, I think that with Moss, Peyton and the other WR's (and maybe Romo), Jamal Lewis, LJ, to name a few, you can still grab Lynch or Grant in the second round pretty easily.

MG: I really hope I'm in a league where someone takes Jamal Lewis in the first round. That would make me so very happy. I love Jamal - I owned him when he broke 2000 yards - but he's nowhere near a first round pick, regardless of what the stats might say. But I think in principle we're in agreement -- there's a lot of folks after this top five (okay, or six) that get pretty suspect. I would guess that by the time actual drafts roll around, things will be a bit clearer - but right now, it's pretty unclear. Usually the real difference in drafts from league to league is the order that players get taken - the top 10 folks are, by and large, the same cast and crew. But as it stands now, there could be at least three slots or so that are different in many, many drafts.

What were we talking about again? Oh, right, the top five or six. Gore is my boy, but he's not the 4th best fantasy player, Will. I don't care if it is [editor's note: we did this yesterday] your birthday, that's crazy talk. He's at best worth choosing at the bottom of the first round - I don't think DeShaun Foster is an actual threat for carries, but I just don't buy the rebound this year. Wish it were so, but I think he's in that mix of RB like Grant, Portis and Lynch instead of a cut above.

MS: So -- if I can try to translate -- it sounds like our general consensus is that the very specific tiers go:

1 - LDT
2 - Peterson
3 - Addai
4 - Westbrook, SJackson
5 - Gore
6 - Grant, Lynch, LJ, Portis, Barber

Sound right?

Then the next group would include guys like Willie Parker, Willis McGahee, JLewis, MJD, Jacobs, Bush, etc.

WB: Fair enough. I'm thrilled for an entire season of hell, er, rooting for the 49ers while watching Gore blow up. My point was just that -- and I'm willing to concede a backtrack here -- that there's a first cut of LT/AP/Addai followed by a second tier of SJax/Westbrook/Gore.

As for J-Lew, he's not going first round. But after his season last year, I bet he's someone thinks about him in that early second round if they're desperate to go RB-RB and don't like Grant/Lynch et al. (Although what's not to like, right?)

The point of it is that, as is the case almost every year, you want a top three pick and if you don't get one, you want a late first rounder.

MG: Your last point is actually a pretty good roundtable discussion on its own, though I'm not quite prepared to answer it yet...but it would be, "What pick would you most want in the draft?"

Cause I'm not sure I even agree with your point that you want a top three pick. Is even getting LDT and whoever is left at 20 going to be that much better than pairing up, say, Marshawn Lynch and Clinton Portis? Or Tom Brady and Ryan Grant? (The latter of which I think should actually go in the second round)...I don't know the answer to that yet, but it's definitely on my mind.

-----

Oh, it's on everyone's mind. Yeah, that's right. We're leaving you wanting more. Our next roundtable is right around the corner. Meantime, keep your eyes on the Fantasy FanHouse page for our Team Previews. It's never too early to start thinking about fantasy football.

For the record, my top six:
1. LDT
2. Peterson
3. Addai
4. SJax
5. Westbrook
6. Gore

Fantasy Roundtable: LDT and Peterson Gone, Who's Next? originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Fantasy machine. The Rams had their run, and the Patriots were stellar last year, but there has been no offense as consistently absurd in fantasy football as the Colts for the past decade. As long as Peyton Manning is healthy -- which is always -- you could plug anyone into a prominent role and accrue stats. Case in point, Kenton Keith was a good player in the CFL; not great. Last year in limited duty for the Colts he amassed 522 yards with a 4.4 yards-per-carry average (including 28 carries, 121 yards, 2 TD in week 5). I'm convinced that I could put up five fantasy points if I suited up for the blue and white ... but that's the thing. They don't have dudes with reconstructed knees who don't work out. They have studs. Lots of them.

The Breakout
It's awfully tough to find one, considering the whole team is already established. Well, except for one man. Marvin Harrison is on the downside of his glorious career, and is still a little banged up. Peyton likes to use two outside weapons. Enter Anthony Gonzalez. He's ready to build upon a quasi-productive rookie campaign. Even if Harrison plays, Manning utilizes his third wideout quite well. Remember Brandon Stokley's 2004?

The Bust
Once again this is tough because the team is pretty studly. I'll just continue where I was going and take Harrison here. Don't pay for the name recognition. Sure, if there have been 25 WRs taken and he's still there, you have to pull the trigger. Just don't take him in the top 20. He's not the same guy he once was.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Peyton Manning
QB2 - Jim Sorgi
RB1 - Joseph Addai
RB2 - Dominic Rhodes
RB3 - Mike Hart
WR1 - Reggie Wayne
WR2 - Marvin Harrison
WR3 - Anthony Gonzalez
WR4 - Devin Aromashodu
TE1 - Dallas Clark
TE2 - Gijon Robinson
K - Adam Vinatieri

The D/ST
You know how people hear things on talk radio and regurgitate them as if it's their own opinion? I live in Indianapolis, and I can hear, "we can't stop the run if Bob Sanders is hurt" at least twenty times a day in the fall. Even from people's pets. It's embarrassing ... but that doesn't hurt the fantasy value. This is a nice unit. They'll pressure the passer with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, causing sacks and picks. Meanwhile they ballhawk the way Coach Dungy loves it. Easily a top ten squad and weekly must-start.

The Skinny
Hmmm ... let's see. The must-starts: Manning (No. 2 QB), Addai (No. 3 overall pick), Wayne (No. 3 WR ... No. 1 sane WR), Clark (top-10 TE), Vinatieri (top-10 K), and the D/ST (top 10). That's only the elite players. Harrison and Gonzalez will be worth starting in most weeks, while Rhodes is the most valuable backup running back (please realize this doesn't include time-sharing backs) because of what I mentioned earlier with the Colts prolific offense. Rhodes and Addai are interchangeable parts. Just because Addai's a better player doesn't mean Rhodes won't blow up if he gets the chance to play. He will. Finally, I believe Keith has played his last game as a Colt. Hart's your third-stringer here. Again, if he gets a chance to start, he'll blow up. They always do in this offense.

Yes, this is the best all-around fantasy team in the league. Again.

Never Too Early: Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy FanHouse: Football Pre-Draft Chat, Thursday at 1 PM

Will Brinson — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Featured Stories, Fantasy Football, Chat

You may have seen discussion yesterday about LaDanian Tomlinson v. Adrian Peterson for the number one overall pick in your fantasy draft. It's one of the many issues you have to face heading into the 2008 fantasy football season. And before you think, "Wow. Football is like three months away, losers" I will say to you "Football is only a few months away, loser".

Besides, the theme this year is "Never Too Early" and thinking that way is how you win fantasy leagues. So join myself and Matt Snyder (among other celebrities*!) on Thursday at 1pm when we will be discussing how to help you get ready for the fantasy football season (please do stop by and ask questions -- it's totally free!)

(Oh, p.s., it's my birthday. So stop by and say hello and give me stuff. Kthxbai.)

Fantasy FanHouse: Football Pre-Draft Chat, Thursday at 1 PM originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Detroit Lions Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:35:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Adam Sandler movie of the NFL: always entertaining, yet never really winning anything notable. Whether it's drafting a WR in three consecutive first rounds (slapstick/unrealistic comedy like Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore), putting together a highly productive offense in terms of fantasy football (funny, yet quasi-legit Big Daddy or Wedding Singer? Maybe?), or guaranteeing ten wins ("I'm gonna go legit with Spanglish!"); you'll always be entertained and they'll always avoid the playoffs. This year is no different. The former laughingstock of a division is now somewhat of a powerhouse, and the Lions are still a step behind even the obviously third-best Bears. If you want entertainment, though, they won't disappoint.

The Breakout
Calvin Johnson is ready to take the next step after becoming acclimated to the NFL in his rookie season. I love it when people proclaim a rookie to have freaky mad skills and then if he doesn't perform to expectations he's an afterthought one year later. That's a year of experience, man. Never a bad thing. He's ready to make the leap into fantasy stud-dom. You'll see.

The Bust
Roy Williams. The name carries much more weight than production in '08. Talk of a contract year increasing his usual numbers will only fan the flames of hype, inflating his value even more. He's not going to suck by any means, but the transition of the offense to more balance and the emergence of Johnson will make Williams a low-end 2 or high end 3 ... and he'll be drafted in the top 20 wideouts. Remember, a bust is someone that fails to meet drafted value ... not someone who is a bad player.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Jon Kitna
RB1 - Kevin Smith
RB2 - Tatum Bell
RB3 - Brian Calhoun
RB4 - Aveion Cason/Artose Pinner
WR1 - Calvin Johnson
WR2 - Roy Williams
WR3 - Shaun McDonald
WR4 - Mike Furrey
K - Jason Hanson

The D/ST
Unless you can play two at once, this unit shouldn't be on your list. They did seriously revamp the defensive backfield with Brian Kelly, Leigh Bodden, and Dwight Smith; so you have to like their potential for some picks and the occasional defensive TD. On the other hand, the defensive front is awful. They'll struggle against the run (bad news in the NFC North) and won't pressure the QB at all. We haven't compiled our staff rankings yet, but I'll guess when we do they sit around 20th.

The Skinny
Expect a sharp drop in passing for the team as they transition from Mike Martz to a running-oriented coordinator (Jim Colletto). Kitna threw for over 4K yards last season. Of course, the 18/20 TD/INT ratio was not tasty, so he's a low-end backup QB. Williams is still a starter for most weeks (I just think he'll be overvalued in drafts), and Johnson is a weekly starter. The real difference from '07, though, is that Furrey and McDonald won't be especially ownable and certainly won't be startable, save for a few bye-heavy or injury-heavy weeks. Kevin Smith will be a useful third RB or flex guy as he grows throughout the season, while Tatum Bell is a necessary handcuff. No TE is ownable at all, while the defense and kicker are marginal.

Never Too Early: Detroit Lions Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Roundtable: LaDanian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and the First Overall Pick

Will Brinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Vikings, Fantasy Football, NFL Position Rankings

The Fantasy FanHouse team will occasionally debate pre-draft topics for your perusement and amusement. Any excuse for a Roundtable really. Today's topic: what to do with that first overall pick, should it fall your way.

Will Brinson: There are only two choices with the first overall pick -- LaDanian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson -- unless you're in Chad Johnson's fantasy league. Then you draft Ocho Cinco first, hold him out from fantasy training camp and trade him to the real 85 for his first five picks. But since that ~~horrible joke won't become reality~~ isn't happening, you gotta pick LT or AP. So who ya got?

Matthew Greber: Well, it's not like the #1 pick always works out but this year that pick has the most uncertainty in a long time. But if I do get that pick, I'm probably taking LDT each and every time. (Note...not LT, that's a taken nickname, folks. Either LT2 or LDT.)

Matt Snyder: Has to be LDT. His rushing totals have gone 1236, 1683, 1645, 1335, 1462, 1815, and 1474 with an average of 16 TDs per season. Even if you think Peterson can exceed those numbers (which I don't), he won't garner the additional points LDT will through the air -- both as a receiver and a passer.

In seven seasons Tomlinson has averaged 65 catches for 482 yards through the air, with 14 total receiving TDs. And you know he's good for two TD passes a season.

MG: I can't count how many times a player shreds it up in his rookie year, then takes a giant step backwards the following season. And while I think Adrian Peterson is the exception and will end up being very solid, if I'm waiting until the 20th or 24th pick for my second player, I want as much of a lock as there is. LDT is The Lock. (Hey, now that's a nickname!)

WB: Wow. That is a pretty solid nickname. And I wholeheartedly agree -- LT is the pick (although I'm surprised there's not some AP dissension at the very least.)

Some might argue LT's dropoff in yards per carry in 2007 (down to 4.7 from 5.2), but his career numbers have been reasonably varied anyway. And he only had 315 carries as well last year, which is his lowest total since 2003, which means he should have plenty in the tank for 2008.

I was high on Peterson last year (seems easy enough to say now, no?) and think he'll be great again in 2008. Even when teams keyed on him, the Vikings have enough of an offensive push, and he's enough of a freak of nature, to still dominate. If Tavaris Jackson makes some sort of leap from godawful to awful (okay, he's really not that bad), which I think he could, then suddenly Peterson could dominate fantasy football like we haven't seen in a while.

But still, I want LT. You know for a fact, injury aside, what he's going to bring to the table, at least until that tragic magic age of 31. Which would be 2009. So unless there are keeper ramifications involved, I'll be more than happy to pull the trigger on Tomlinson or let him fall to me at 2.

MS: Speaking of the age thing, if there are any new keeper leagues for 2008 out there -- I'd be surprised if there weren't -- Adrian Peterson is hands-down the #1 pick. He'll be the top fantasy player over the next five to eight years. Maybe Darren McFadden will challenge, but you don't use the top pick on the unknown.

WB: Agreed 100 percent. Unless you can get your hands on Cody Paul already. Then it's open season.

Fantasy Roundtable: LaDanian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and the First Overall Pick originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Football Preview

Will Brinson — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Falcons, NFC South, Atlanta, Fantasy Football

Yeah. You totally want this guy on your fantasy football team. Ice-man.

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet the ...
Wal-Mart shoppers. And I don't mean that like the Falcons are cheap or reside in the upper echelon of America. I just mean to point out that they're horrible consumers. Both the contracts to Michael Turner and Matt Ryan were a touch absurd, but at least as a result they'll be more entertaining to watch this year. And maybe help your fantasy team. Maybe.

The Breakout
There's really no other option -- it's Turner. Now, the true sleeper (look how I highlight key phrases!) would be Jerious Norwood, because people are casting him aside, talent be damned. But Turner is getting relatively little love for the quality of work he's shown while backing up LaDanian Tomlinson. He's probably going to go third round or later, which is reasonable considering the Falcons stink and he's untested as a starter. But I would probably reach up to the middle/late second round to grab him; I've done the same thing with other untested guys on crummy teams (LaMont Jordan, Chester Taylor) over the years, and it's worked out well.

The Bust
Ryan is worth a QB2 spot in deeper leagues, and keepers obviously want to target him, but I'm not convinced he's going to be anywhere near worth what the Falcons paid. Corallary bust: Roddy White played well last year and it stands that he would improve again, no? Well, not exactly. Look who will be throwing the rock his way.

The Depth Chart
QB -- Chris Redman/Matt Ryan
RB1 -- Michael Turner
RB2 -- Jerious Norwood
WR1 -- Roddy White
WR2 -- Michael Jenkins
WR3 -- Joe Horn
TE -- Ben Hartsock
K --Jason Elam

The Team D/ST
No, no, no, no, no no nooooooooooooooooo. Moving on.

The Skinny
There's just not a lot to love about the Atlanta Falcons from a fantasy perspective. Norwood is a nice handcuff/sleeper type and Turner is a upside filled RB2 if you can get him late enough, but expecting the Falcons to dominate and/or be good offensively is probably a bit of a stretch. I wouldn't get near the passing game unless White fell to me in the early teens and for the moment, would probably steer clear of everyone else.

Never Too Early: Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Never Too Early: Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Football Preview

Matt Snyder — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Vikings, NFC North, Minnesota, Fantasy Football

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...

Best running team in football. If anything they'll be better at running the ball this season. The Vikes have committed to a better balance between passing and running, which will (hopefully) prevent teams from stacking the box against the run -- opening more running lanes. Tarvaris Jackson has experience under his belt and is unchallenged as the starter, not to mention they signed Bernard Berrian in the off-season to give him a legitimate NFL wideout. Adrian Peterson has a year of NFL experience, and Chester Taylor is an able-bodied complement to Peterson. Expect the same, if not better, numbers as last season from the ground game.

The Breakout

He's not going to be a pro-bowler or even a fantasy starter, but "breakout" is defined as someone whose eventual value exceeds the value he held on draft day. Tarvaris Jackson is going to be avoided in nearly all drafts, or possibly taken as a third string fantasy QB with the hopes of upside. By the end of the year, he'll pick his spots well enough to be worthy of a backup fantasy QB for bye-week replacement or injury replacement purposes. He'll get rushing yards -- which is such a huge bonus for QBs -- avoid the interception quite well, and throw for 150-200 yards a week with a passing TD per game.

The Bust

I know contracts create enormous hype, especially when you move to an offense that I already deemed to have an up-and-coming passing attack. Still, if you see Bernard Berrian's name appear on your draft board around the same time as Brandon Marshall, Santonio Holmes, Calvin Johnson, or Lee Evans -- to name a few -- please mock and ridicule the drafter until he/she leaves the room in tears. This is still a running team. In my analysis on Jackson, please remember that breakout/bust words are terms that relate to value. Jackson is valued so little he's a good breakout candidate. Berrian is not. He's valued as a low-end 2nd fantasy WR in several circles, and he's not even close to that good. Expect 900 yards and about five TDs; any more and you're fooling yourself.

The Depth Chart

QB1 - Tavaris Jackson
QB2 - Brooks Bollinger/Gus Frerotte/John David Booty
RB1 - Adrian Peterson
RB2 - Chester Taylor
RB3 - Maurice Hicks
WR1 - Bernard Berrian
WR2 - Sidney Rice
WR3 - Bobby Wade
TE1 - Visanthe Shiancoe
K - Ryan Longwell

The D/ST

The Vikes were the third best fantasy D/ST unit last season, and they could very well be the best this year. The Williams boys clog the middle for opposing runners, freeing up multiple other positions for better pass coverage. Up and comer Chad Greenway now has a year under his belt and will only get better, and they added pro bowl defensive end Jared Allen and his 15.5 sacks to the edge. Add in the playmaking corners -- Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin -- and you have quite a beastly defense in both real life and fantasy.

The Skinny
This should be one of the stronger teams in the NFL, as long as the passing attack provides good offensive balance. For our purposes, though, you have a top two overall player (Peterson is second only to LDT -- if anyone), a top echelon D/ST, and a handful of mediocrity. You must handcuff the injury-prone Peterson with the very capable Taylor. I also believe that Jackson exceeds his low expectations, but he still won't be worth using more than four weeks as a starter. Longwell is a decent-at-best kicker, Berrian is overrated, and the other options are all likely useless. It's pretty top heavy, and surely a better real team overall than fantasy.

Never Too Early: Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Football Preview originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opposing Viewpoint: Why You Should Heart BJakes in Fantasy Football

Matt Snyder — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

It's tough doing something like this. You see, I respect the hell out of Tom Herrera's writing and fantasy opinions. On the other hand, there is always room for a respectful disagreement. And I have one issue with Tom's running backs piece from last week. Just one. The rest I pretty much agree with.

On Brandon Jacobs ("BJakes" from the title -- and I'm sure no one else calls him that), Tom stated:

There is such a thing as fantasy déjà vu. Last season, some were predicting 1,800 yards for "The Beast," and he wound up with 1,009 and missed five games. This year, people are flocking to hype Jacobs again, and it surely wouldn't be a surprise if he derailed and fell short of expectations. Watching a 264-pound running back plow into linebackers is fun to watch on Sunday ... until he goes down and spoils your squad. Both Bradshaw and Derrick Ward will be there again to change the pace.

Count me among the people flocking to hype him. I loved him last year, and had it not been for an injury in week 1 the Giants never would have even tried the "change of pace."

But they learned things worked better that way, right?

Well, sorta.

Derrick Ward's big enough that the Giants could allow him to the be the lone back when Jacobs was hurt. A true mix was never realized until later in the season, when little Ahmed Bradshaw proved himself as the best compliment to the bruising Jacobs. Now Bradshaw is in trouble with the law, and you know how "lightly" (cough, cough) Commissioner Roger Goodell treats that business. If he's suspended for any amount of time, the Giants will not have the inside/outside options they'd like. That means Jacobs is the man, while Ward is the backup. Jacobs gets 25 touches to Ward's maybe 5 per game.

Even if Bradshaw avoids any type of suspension, Jacobs has the capability to explode. He'll be getting 20 touches a game in this case, including all the goal-line carries.

Look, he was never even healthy last season, and he still put up 1009 yards in 11 games with a 5.0 yards per carry average. He's huge and fast. If you prorate those stats alone over the course of 16 games you get a guy that runs for 1468 yards and scores 9 total TDs (he had 6). I'm expecting a TD rise -- to about 12 -- and that sounds about right for yardage.

Plus, it's the Christian Okoye factor. It's really cool to watch a dude bowl over opposing DLinemen or 'backers, and a bonus if he's on your fantasy team.

So, yeah, I heart BJakes.

You should, too.

Opposing Viewpoint: Why You Should Heart BJakes in Fantasy Football originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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