Fantasy Nfc North

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.

After two full days of practice, we still don't know the exact statuses for the players that are injured, but we do know who has and who hasn't been practicing. Here's the breakdown from the NFC, for fantasy purposes, of players that might be affected by injury this weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

• Anquan Boldin (hip) - Boldin hasn't practiced either Wednesday or Thursday. The first day was kind of funny in that "ha-ha" kind of way but missing Thursday is pretty disconcerting. He's probably going to be listed as Questionable and you're probably going to have to plan on starting him against the Steelers unless he absolutely gets ruled out.

In a move that will have major implications for two teams and millions of fantasy football players, the Detroit Lions have traded cornerback Dre Bly to the Denver Broncos in exchange for tackle George Foster and running back Tatum Bell.

Bly, the Lions' best defensive player, was entering his last season in Detroit but has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Broncos. With Bly on the opposite side of the field from Champ Bailey, Denver now has by far the best pair of cornerbacks in the NFL and one of the best pairs of cornerbacks in NFL history.

Foster has spent his four-year career with the Broncos and started 45 games, and he's one of the big reasons that everyone just assumes the starting running back in Denver is good for 1,000 yards a season, no matter who he is. The Broncos' line won't be as strong if they don't find a solid replacement for Foster.

Bell had 1,025 yards and two touchdowns last season, and the fact that the Lions traded him shows they have no faith in the ability of Kevin Jones to recover from his season-ending foot injury. Expect Bell to carry most of the load in Detroit next year.

EDITED Friday Morning:

Ok, who the hell really knows what's going on. I have heard so many different things about Harris' injury I am surprised he even still has a leg. First it's his knee and it's not too bad and now it's both his knee and his hammy but his hammy may be torn, blah blah blah. Basically, no one is saying anything concrete and Tommie will at minimum be out for the rest of the regular season.

Original Post: Despite what other headline's would have you believe, I am not going to try and trick you with a headline that say's Tommie Harris is out for the season. Tommie will more then likely be out for the rest of the regular season but should be ready to go by the playoffs.

This is fine by me because it could have been worse. The Bears already own the division. Plus the only need to win two games to secure the #1 seed as well as only win one game to secure at least a first round bye.

What does concern me is missing his presence on my fantasy team's Bear Defense that already is without Mike Brown and gives up a ton of rushing yards. Alfonso Boone will take Harris' place in the ever rotating interior line who I think will fill in just nicely, but he's no Tommie Harris.

Rookie DE Mark Anderson and Kicker Robbie Gould were given awards for the Month of October. Anderson recieved the NFL Defensive Player of the Month award while Robbie Gould grabbed the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.

During October Anderson registered six sacks and forced three fumbles in four games, helping the Bears remain undefeated with victories over the Seahawks, Bills, Cardinals and 49ers. The fifth-round draft pick from Alabama is tied for fourth in the NFL with a team-leading 7½ sacks. Which is the most by a rookie through seven games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

Robbie Gould has made all 20 field goals and 23 extra points he has attempted this season, converting 10 field goals and 16 extra points in four games in October.

This is completely awesome because I picked him up as a FA in two of my three fantasy leagues in which he is also the top kicker.

This week it is really hard to pick just one Monster of the Midway. I could give it to Tommie Harris for causing Chester Taylor to fumble late in the game giving the offense a chance to come back and win the game. I could give it to Rex Grossman for the guts he showed by shrugging off the dumbest decision he has made being a pro and leading the Bears offense to the game winning touchdown with just under two minutes remaining. Or I could give it to the man that really deserves it. Robbie Gould!

Robbie Gould is my weekly Monster of the Midway! Robbie's feats Sunday mostly went unnoticed because of the way the game ended with the offense chucking our emotions around like a 10 foot boat in 30ft. waves. But, if not for Robbie's perfect 4 for 4 day of field goals that included his personal longest 49 yarder with ten minutes left in the game, the Bears don't win this game. Period. On the year Robbie is a perfect 10 for 10 on FG's and 7-7 on extra points.Equally, I was highly impressed with his ability to put the ball into the Minnesota end zone on most of his kickoffs.

As if it could have been anyone else? Rex Grossman is our weekly "Monster of the Midway"! In fact I think he was the "Monster of the NFL", with his almost 300 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. I bet there are alot of people out that wish they had started him in there fantasy league!

So far Grossman is well on his way to making me look like an idiot with my quarterback controversy blog a few weeks ago. Some may say that it was against inferior Packer and Lions teams but hey, he looks damn good against them. An NFL team is an NFL team! Grossman looks poised and confident while making limited mistakes. In two games Rex Grossman has 5 touchdown passes to 1 interception with a 128 something QB rating. All I have to say is if he can come remotely close these types of games all year, with our defense, Lord help the NFL!

Sunday at 1PM EST our Chicago Bears play host to the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. After blanking the Green Bay Packers last week, Bears fans everywhere hope they can make history two weeks in a row. The Bears have never posted two shutouts in consecutive weeks to open the season. A fact that I would love to see changed by shutting down Roy Williams and the Lions. But this is the first home game of the season. What this means is this very proud city is going to have the stadium as loud and miserable as possible for it's team and I agree with John Mullin at chicagosports.com,.and then you have to deal with all of the in your face defensive players who will let's say...not go easy on you.

"If I scored six points and lost, I don't know if I'd be guaranteeing victories," said Brian Urlacher and then laughed.

I think the Lions are a much better team then some people think, while others are thinking they have a chance against Chicago in Soldier Field. Yes, they held the league's MVP to 51 yards rushing, Do I think they will score? Yes, it's possible that they get a few big plays and get a field goal or even a touchdown. I just don't think that they are "that good" to beat the defense enough to outweigh the mistakes they will be FORCED to make. But overall, the Bears are just a better team and will ram it's will on the Detroit offense with a very fast and aggressive defense, and surprise a lot more people with it's progressing offense. Dre' Bly is also no match for the Moose! Hunter Hillenmeyer will be the only one not suiting up and being subbed by Brendan Ayenbedajo on the injury list for the Bears, Detroit game. So here's how I see it playing out.

T.J . and Cedric combine for 135 yards rushing, 38 receiving, and a touch

Grossman - 21/37 250, 1TD

Mushing Muhammad - 8/115

Desmond Clark - 3/55 1TD

Robbie Gould - 3/3 FG, 3/3 XP

Bears Defense -5 Sacks, 1 Fumble Recovery, 2 Int's, 1TD

Final Score

Chicago 30

Detroit 17

Detroit this Bear team is a serious Super Bowl contender.

The waiting is over. No more training camp, no more fantasy drafts, The 2006 NFL Season is here and the Bears start their quest for dominance against rival Green Bay at Lambeu Field. I can think of no better way to start off a season then by dominating notorious Bear killer Brett Favre on his home turf. I am usually not one to actually say things like that to not jinx anything but I am being honest here. What you are going to see tomorrow is going to be Bear football at it's best.

Defense, a strong running game, and more defense is key to winning and to send a message. Last year was no fluke! Last year the Bears did not overachieve. The Bears are hungry, talented, and underrated, which is a dangerous combination. Led by All Universe Middle Linebacker Brian Urlacher you can expect to see some big hitting and lots of turnovers. You will see a ball controlling run game that was missing in the pre-season with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson handling the duties.

I expect big things tomorrow from Lovie Smith and The Chicago Bears. I really have this feeling that this is just the beginning of what can be a championship year. It's is officially time to put all that hard work in motion. Come out and execute what we do best, beating the opposing offense into big mistakes and lots of points!

Predication: Bears 27 - Packers 10

Player of the Game - Mike Brown

Tune in tomorrow for game blog!

DAMN I'M EXCITED!

They're two of the more interesting quarterbacks to watch this year. I don't think anyone other than Brad Johnson envisioned Brad Johnson still being an NFL starter at this point in his career, and Charlie Frye probably wasn't expecting to be starting this early in his career, either. But they're both expected to be difference-makers for their teams.

I'm going with Johnson, but it's not because I'm down on Frye at all. I thought he showed some really good things at the end of last year, and I expect him to build on that. But two factors tilt this firmly to the side of Johnson: experience, and opponents.

Charlie Frye plays in the AFC North, where the only bad defense in the division is the one he faces in practice. The Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals are all going to get after the quarterback ferociously, meaning the young Frye is going to have to make so many quick reads, and adjust to so many different things, all while Joey Porter is trying to literally murder him. He won't be terrible, but asking him to put up great numbers in that situation is probably a bit too much to ask for.

Johnson, meanwhile, would be fine in the same situation. Not that he needs to be, because his division, with the exception of the Bears, is populated with much less-frightening defenses. Johnson's about as mobile as Jack Palance, but he can certainly read a defense and make the right decision with the ball. If nothing else, he'll keep his interceptions down.

I think the Vikings will be better than people think, and they're relying Brad Johnson's going to be a big part of that. He may not be the big-play guy you want to see, but he's not going to kill you, either. It's not the highest of praise, but how many teams have quarterbacks that they can be absolutely sure won't lose a game for them? I like Charlie Frye, and I think he'll be a good quarterback, but this year, the Browns can't make the same claim.