2012 Fantasy Football

When it comes to self-anointed "Dream Teams" few have failed worse than the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles. This team was a nightmare as they finished with an 8-8 record that included a 3-5 mark at home. They weren't much better in fantasy football circles either. Apart from RB LeSean McCoy, and to a lesser degree QB Michael Vick, if you soared with the Eagles on Draft Day, you crashed and burned in December. Hopefully the huge dose of humility will get Philadelphia flying straight during the NFL 2

It has been just like a daily police blotter lately when looking for NFL news. I don't know if the players are getting their last partying done before training camps, if it is just out of boredom, or just plain stupidity that the arrest rate has been so high this off-season. Whenever I turn on the news or the computer to get updates I can't help but hear the theme song from the TV show "Cops". When will these guys ever learn?? They should all know by now that they can't use the "But officer,

Airing It Out In Tennessee? Putting Chris Johnson's Prediction to the Test

Tennessee Titan RB Chris Johnson is recently on record indicating the Titans' offense will be less smash and more pass in 2012. However, when looking at the numbers, I think it is fair to say the Titans began that transition in 2011. For the first time since 1992 (when they were the Houston Oilers), Tennessee surpassed the 3900 passing yard mark. Even the late Steve McNai

A journey to the Black Hole that is the Oakland Raiders football club, is rarely a pleasant or profitable fantasy trip. A quick look at the Raiders' statistics over the past decade shows just how deep and dark the fantasy futility is in Oakland. Since the 2002 NFL season, just seven Raiders have cracked the top ten at any of the fantasy offensive scoring positions. Let's take a trip to the LA Memorial Coliseum to see if we can uncover anyone in Silver and Black who might live up to the commit

The 2011 season for the Indianapolis Colts was forgettable to say the least. No Peyton Manning meant no hope and the losses mounted while the quarterback position floundered. The poor play of the quarterback position cannot take all the blame for the miserable season, as there were a number of players who under performed and chief among those players was one Dallas Clark. One thing that Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky could have used last season was a reliable pair of hands at

I had the opportunity to watch the San Francisco/Miami Super Bowl in San Francisco with several friends when I was stationed at Travis Air Force Base. We got to see the team ride back up through town on horseback. Man was that fun. Ever since the hay days of Montana, Young, and Rice there have not been many times to celebrate for the beloved 49ers. That all changed last year as new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh led the rejuvenated team very close to the Super Bowl. Through the off-season, San Franc

As the 2012 NFL season draws near, fantasy football gurus are going into a frenzy researching and trying to finalize their targets for the complete team. What makes the complete team? For years the running back position was a must draft in the first round. In 2012, however (outside of Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy, or Ray Rice), the running back position is a bit of a crap shoot. There are players being touted as breakout players like Ryan Mathews, and players looking to bounce back from a down

James Starks and Isaac Redman enter the 2012 season in a very similar situation, but for very different reasons. Starks has ascended to the top spot on the Green Bay running back depth chart gradually over the past two seasons, so much so that they have chosen to let former number one Ryan Grant leave via free agency. Redman was thrust into the role as the main man in the Steelers' rushing attack after incumbent Rashard Mendenhall suffered a torn ACL last January. Regardless of how it happene

With training camps less than a month away, let us take a look at another player from the tight end position that may or may not represent viable fantasy value heading into the 2012 season. Lance Kendricks is an interesting player to evaluate, he will be entering his second NFL season after being a preseason darling in 2011 who fell way short of expectations. A favorite of then St Louis offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Kendricks was selected in the second round (47^th overall

When it comes to soaring high in Fantasy Football, the Jets have been somewhat grounded over the past couple of seasons. Whether due to inconsistent play at the quarterback position, using the dreaded RBBC format, employing prima donnas at the wide receiver position, or not having a top talent at tight end, Gang Green fantasy fans have not had a lot to hang their hats on lately. Let's head to the Meadowlands, in East Rutherford, NJ, to examine the fantasy flight path for the 2012 J-E-T-S Jets

Dennis asks:
How would you adjust for a 10 team, 13 roster spots with 8 starters (no defense) using a $200 auction amount? Would it mean the values would decrease? In our league it seems the top 2-3 RBs go for around $80, top 3-4 QBs around $45-50 and top 2-3 WRs for around $40-45.

My answer:
Thanks for writing, I really enjoy all the feedback.

As for your question; yes, the values would decrease (assuming you are looking

Ever since Lovie Smith took over as coach of the Chicago Bears it has seemed like the Bears were always on every experts sleeper list. A couple of times the Bears have fielded very good football teams and won playoff games. Last year was no exception, until the injury bug caught up with stars Jay Cutler and Matt Forte. Once that happened, it became a lost season in the windy city. Once again hope is in the air in Chicago and expectations are high, even though the Bears reside in the very toug

In It For the Long Haul 2.0: Top 3 Keeper Values at Each Position

One of great things about keeper and dynasty leagues is the tremendous versatility owners and commissioners have when putting the leagues together. The spectrum of possibilities is almost unending and stretches much further than I could cover in one commentary. Keepers with no restrictions, keepers with restrictions/penalties, salary-cap leagues, dynasty leagues, college farm leag

San Diego Chargers

Bleacher report has recently asked if Norv Turner can survive another mediocre year as head coach of the San Diego Chargers (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1243920-san-diego-chargers-can-norv-turner-survive-another-down-year). Their answer was a resounding NO, and I have to agree. The Fact that Turner has lasted through the past couple of seasons

This past season shed light on the revolution that is occurring at the tight end position in the NFL. Under most point-per reception fantasy leagues, Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham were both ranked in the top four receivers; only taking back seat to Calvin Johnson and Wes Welker. Needless to say, a tight end slot on your fantasy team is no longer a week to week waiver wire pick up. If you are not fortunate enough to nab either of these two options, which are going to cost at a minimum second

The 2011 NFL season would end for Kevin Smith with 41 total yards on six touches in the Detroit Lions' 45-28 Wildcard round playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. It would be a quiet ending to what was a career saving season for the fourth year running back out of Central Florida University. That Smith is even a name worth evaluating for fantasy purposes heading into the 2012 season is surprising in and of itself after it appeared that his time in fantasy circles (as well as the NFL) had com

Coming off their second Super Bowl Championship in five seasons, the New York Giants will have a slightly different look during the NFL 2012 season. Anything but a fan of the G-Men (who have been my Super Bowl kryptonite recently), today I'll discuss whether the Giants can help Fantasy owners win their Draft Championship. Always loaded with decent "team" players, but rarely a ton of Fantasy studs, the New York football Giants appear to be on a similar path heading into the 2012 National Footb

Every year there are many coaching changes in the NFL. It does not have to be a Head Coach for it to make a difference; it can also be a coordinator or position coach that can have an influence on how the game is played. Many times a change can also happen out of necessity, as is the case in Atlanta this year. Atlanta has been the host of a playoff game the past two years and has lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions both years. This year Atlanta has a new offen

Murky Waters in San Diego: Ranking the Charger Pass Catchers in 2012

If you happened to read my last commentary, you would know my feelings about Vincent Jackson and what he brings to the table for fantasy footballers (TL:DR? I despise him). However, that being said, despite all the frustration and 2-point performances, Vincent Jackson was the WR to own in San Diego the past 2 seasons. His big play ability was undeniable and Phillip River

As I sat down to write what will be the 12^th article in this Fantasy Worthiness series, it occurred to me that there has yet to be a player from the tight end position evaluated. So, in examining the list of intriguing tight end fantasy options for 2012, my eye was immediately drawn to the enigmatic Martellus Bennett. The Dallas Cowboys selected Bennett, who played his college football at Texas A&M, in the 2^nd round of the 2008 NFL Draft with the 61^st over

Despite the New Orleans Saints' bounty saga (and the subsequent one-year suspension of head coach Sean Payton), there are still plenty of fantasy prospects down in Cajun Country. Personally, I wish the Saints would just take their lumps if they deserve them, and get on with concentrating on NFL 2012. That way, maybe everyone else would move past the entire Bountygate scandal. The issue is a Pandora's box that needs to be nailed shut, sooner rather than later. Enough on that, let's get to the

An NFL season is always full of surprises, and 2011 was no different. 2011 saw an age old record (Dan Marino's passing yards in a season) broken by two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) and it saw a rookie, Cam Newton, begin what looks like a Hall of Fame career. At any time NFL players can surprise and disappoint fans. So, what does 2012 have in store? Which players that are entering new roles as starter or learning new schemes are on an "upswing"? Which 2011 rookies will have more suc

I, along with tens of thousands of other Fantasy Football players, choose to play in a customized league. My league is comprised of 15 other high school buddies; and this year, for the first time, our league is doing an auction draft. I choose to play in a customized league because I like the additional feeling of control that voting on league-specific rules can give you. We control our waivers, trade regulations, roster size and composition--everything a manager could want. We also have a tr

After finding more fantasy feathers than chicken while reviewing several NFL teams, it's nice to finally find a team with some meat on their bones. Like the Yankees in MLB, or the Red Wings in the NHL, or the Lakers in the NBA, the Patriots don't rebuild - they just keep reloading. That will be the case again in 2012 as many pundits have New England as the co-favorite, with the Houston Texans, to win the AFC Championship. While I am not in that camp, (watch the Ravens) I do see several Patrio

I see it happen every year. People come into the fantasy draft for your league unprepared. All they have is a cheat sheet and expect to do well at the draft. They don't look at articles during the off season and pay no attention to what happens at training camp or OTAs because they think it is to0 early. Then they have the nerve to ask you about updates and say they heard nothing about it. I am here to give you a plan to have when you do your draft and give you a leg up on your competition.

NFL Quick Snaps: General Questions- Michael Vick, Kenny Britt, Graham/Gronk, Darren Sproles

Since the inception of NFL Quick Snaps, Thayse and I have been answering very targeted and pin-pointed questions on fantasy strategy and which players are hot/not. During a recent mock draft, we got into a heated debate on some topics and decided we should branch out and discuss those with you. We encourage you to comment and share your opinion with us. Remember, there is no right answer until 2013.

He Hate Me: Fantasy Football's Most Frustrating Performers

He Hate Me: Fantasy Football's Most Frustrating Performers

Th

Fantasy Worthiness: Mike Tolbert

The San Diego Chargers would sign Mike Tolbert as an undrafted free agent in April of 2008 out of Coastal Carolina, where he had averaged over 6 yards per carry, scored a total of 22 touchdowns and put up an impressive 291 yards receiving during his college career. He would toil behind LaDainian Tomlinson in his first two seasons in the league, making his name as a special teams player. Even as a part time contributor in his first two years, Tolbert managed to amass 185 yards rushing on 38 ca

2012 PPR Preview
We highlight players who you think will get more receptions this year. Profiled players include Brandon Marshall, Michael Crabtree, Reggie Wayne, Titus Young, and Greg Little.

Mark Sanchez vs. Tim Tebow - Who Should Pilot The Jets?

Competition can be a good thing. It can make all parties try harder, do more, and make them try to learn new things. It can also cause a lot of confusion and questions. What will happen in the biggest media circus on the planet?? The New York Jets brought in Tim Tebow as a backup to Mark Sanchez at quarterback, but will it stay that way?? I will look at the situation more closely and try and help solve the question.

It has been stated by all New York Jets personnel that Mark Sanchez i

Experts Mock Draft Results
2012 Experts Mock Draft (June) First round: 1. Arian Foster, 2. LeSean McCoy, 3. Ray Rice, 4. Ryan Mathews, 5. Calvin Johnson, 6. Maurice Jones-Drew, 7. Aaron Rodgers, 8. Larry Fitzgerald, 9. Darren McFadden, 10.Chris Johnson, 11. Matt Forte, 12. Cam Newton, ...

Minnesota Vikings: Are There Fantasy Options Worth Pillaging?

Once a major player on the Fantasy Football scene, the Minnesota Vikings have fallen on tough times over the past two seasons. After scoring 53 offensive touchdowns during NFL 2009, the Vikings have managed just 30 and 38 scores during the past two seasons. A lack of consistency at the QB position has been the main reason for the drop off as Minnesota had 34 TD passes back in '09 and just 34 total combined scores through the air over the past two years. Let's head to the Land of Lakes to chec

Top 10 Punters
Which punters will perform well in fantasy football this year. Profiled players include Jon Ryan, Donnie Jones, Britton Colquitt, Dustin Colquitt, and T.J. Conley.

NFL Quick Snaps: The Guys Nobody are Talking About

NFL Quick Snaps: The guys nobody are talking about

Zeus and I believe, like most fantasy gurus, you win the draft in the mid to late rounds. Of course these are not the sexy picks everyone is talking about. You will find 80% of the material out there on the first few rounds and top tier players that accompany them. Every year, however, there are guys that go later in the draft and end up making you look like a genius, not to mention sometimes winning you the league. No I'm not talking

Fantasy Worthiness: Eddie Royal

The Denver Broncos drafted Eddie Royal in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft with the 42^nd overall pick out of Virginia Tech University. While playing for the Hokies, he amassed over 2,000 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as a wide receiver. He was also an accomplished punt and kickoff return specialist, accumulating 2,682 total return yards and 3 touchdowns during his college career. As a rookie Royal was immediately utilized as the primary punt return ma

Who Not to Keep
Players who are not worth keeping due to injury-proneness, age, situation, etc. Profiled players include Peyton Manning, Michael Vick, Reggie Bush, Fred Jackson, and Michael Turner.

In For the Long Haul: Top 3 Keepers At Each Position

The NFL's meteoric rise in popularity has without a doubt been buoyed by the rise in

The Next Home For Chad Ochocinco

The life of a professional athlete can be like a roller coaster. A few ups and downs, some wild turns, and then a quick end. Such is the case for the just released Chad Ochocinco. He started off his career in Cincinnati with a great start and was recognized for hi

Why You Should Draft Players For Yards, Not Touchdowns

The numbers players put up each year vary, that much is obvious. Some numbers change a little more than others. Let's look at last year's top ten players in receiving yards. Their numbers of receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns are:

1) Calvin Johnson

96 Backfields in Peril: 3 Teams with 2012 Backfield Issues The 2012 NFL season is approaching rapidly and some teams still have a lot of questions to answer. The culture of the NFL is shifting. In recent years some changes to certain rules have altered the way teams approach their game plan. Stricter rules protecting wide receivers have allowed teams to take more chances throwing the ball downfield and bolstering their passing offense. Todays NFL referees are so flag happy, that teams have all but forgotten about their running game. In 2011 fans witn Miami Dolphins: Digging For Fantasy Treasures In South Beach To suggest that the Miami Dolphins have been relatively void of viable Fantasy scoring studs in recent years would be a bit of an understatement. This crew of South Beach castaways has averaged just 29 offensive touchdowns per year over the past five seasons. To put that into perspective, the New England Patriots have averaged 56 TD's on offense over the same time period, while 16 NFL teams have averaged at least 35 OTD per year. Only the St. Louis Rams (23) and the Cleveland Browns ( Fantasy Worthiness: Brandon Jacobs When analyzing the fantasy worthiness of Brandon Jacobs, I first had to put aside any and all personal feelings because I have always enjoyed watching the man play. From the moment I first saw this behemoth of a running back in the 2005 season I was smitten, yes Sophomore Outlook Will last year's rookies improve on their 2011 performances or fade away?. Profiled players include Andy Dalton, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, Cam Newton, and Christian Ponder. The Pittsburgh Steelers - The Next Great Passing Offense When a fan looks at a team, they usually identify a trait with that team. When you look at Green Bay, you see frigid and cold weather. When you look at Baltimore, you see a mean and nasty defense. When you look at New England, you see the ragged looking hoodie worn by their coach. For many years when you thought of the Pittsburgh Steelers you saw a very hard-nosed, ram it down your throat running game. Oh the times, they are a changing. I will tell you that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the Kansas City Chiefs: Searching For Fantasy Arrowheads In The AFC West After showing signs of Fantasy life during the 2010 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs reverted back to their old non-relevant form last season. Back in 2010 the Chiefs received over 200 fantasy points from QB Matt Cassel, RB Jamaal Charles, and WR Dwayne Bowe, plus they won the AFC West with a 10-6 record. A Week Two injury to Charles derailed the Chiefs' 2011 season, as Bowe was the top scoring option with 147.1 fantasy points and the Chiefs slumped to a 7-9 last place record in the AFC Wes NFL Quick Snaps: Stretch it Out: Ryan Matthews, T-Richardson, Victor Cruz, Jordy Nelson, Eli Manning Most often in fantasy, as in the real nfl draft, it's always about value. Taking guys after they slip a few spots based on projections and suddenly they become a value pick. Then there are the exceptions to the rule. Some guys are worth reaching for. Your fantasy colleagues will mumble, "That was a stretch" but pay no attention to what Thayse and I call, The Ranking Slaves. Sure, we always have our FFToolBox top 200 handy on draft day to guide us, bu What You Gonna Do: The NFL's Top Handcuffs in 2012 What You Gonna Do: The NFL's Top Handcuffs in 2012 Starting Q Fantasy Worthiness: Cedric Benson When examining the fantasy worthiness of Cedric Benson for the 2012 season I find myself in a very unique position. Benson is an unrestricted free agent and as of this writing, has been contacted by the exact same number of NFL teams interested in his services Player Potential - Fantasy Take on Jay Cutler Drafting Jay Cutler has never been something that fantasy managers have openly found appealing. Maybe some drafters see him present in round 14 and say, "what the heck, sure, I'll draft him now." Maybe six weeks into your season you are sitting on an injured QB1 and see Cutler on the waiver wire and so you put out a minimal claim and snag him. More often than not, you haven't approached a draft with Cutler in mind. That needs to change and here's why. For starters, taking a si Starting Front: Are Jake Locker, Blain Gabbert, and Matt Flynn Ready to Take Over? As the 2012 season draws near, there are a few teams that have some important questions to answer at the quarterback position. Those teams happen to be the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars. All three teams have very unique situations in the fact that one of them signed a relatively unknown free agent (Seattle), one has a seasoned veteran with a rookie chomping-at-the-bit to prove himself (Tennessee), and another team that, in 2011, caught just a glimpse of what mig The 2 Tight End Offense - The New Normal?? Sorry about my absence, May is a crazy month with Birthdays, Graduations, Confirmations, Mother's Day, getting the yard/garden ready plus Memorial Day. I also had the flu for a few days. I should be back to a normal schedule now. Thanks for your understanding and patience. Everybody knows that the NFL is a copycat league. You can go back through the years and notice it. The 46 defense, the Tampa Two defense, the Wildcat formation, etc… I can go on and on, but you get the idea. Jacksonville Jaguars: Are There Any Claws On These Fantasy Cats? In all honestly, I was not looking forward to previewing the Jacksonville Jaguars 2012 Fantasy Football prospects. In fact, my thoughts were focused solidly on the premise that this article could start and end with just three letters – MJD. That said, let's dig a little deeper and take a closer look at the spots on these Jaguars. Is it possible that we may reveal some Fantasy fight in the Cats from Jacksonville? Let's take a riverboat cruise up the St. Johns River to check in on the Jag Fantasy Worthiness: Emmanuel Sanders Emmanuel Sanders will be entering his third season with the Pittsburgh Steelers when the 2012 season kicks off and it is a critical point in both his NFL and fantasy career. Hampered by multiple lower leg injuries over the course of his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, Sanders has yet to reach the potential he displayed while amassing 285 receptions, 34 touchdowns and over 3,800 yards from scrimmage in his four years at Southern Methodist University. The Steelers selected Sanders in the third Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Passed on Indy – Should Fantasy Owners? For the first time since the 1998 NFL season, when Fantasy Football was still considered a "Geek" entity, the Indianapolis Colts will open their season without Peyton Manning under contract. Like Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman were to the Red Wings in the NHL, Johnny Unitis and Peyton Manning were to the Colts in the NFL. It's a new era as the Colts, who fittingly hail from the "Crossroads of America," now must proceed without Peyton. Let's head to the Hoosier State to see if fantasy owners ca Assembling the Best 'Fantasy' Fantasy Football Team Huge comic book dork growing up! Huge! 15 years ago I had to keep this "hobby" on the down low because (let's be real) knowing that Jason Todd was killed by the original Red Hood wasn't the pinnacle of coolness. Flash forward to 2012 and The Avengers is on pace to make a zillion dollars and we still have Batman 7 on deck. These days I fly my nerd flag hard. Anyway, while critically watching Avengers for accuracy I had a revelation. How I never made this connection is absurd but I finally disc Doing it Differently: The Upside Down Draft Doing It Differently: The Upside Down Draft It is the most an NFL Quick Snaps: Fantasy Draft Questions Time IS a factor. Fantasy drafts will start happening in less than 90 days. Yes it is only May, but FFToolbox has released their initial official rankings (take a quick peak). The best of the best are preparing now which means you should be too. In this week's Quick Snaps, Zeus and Thayse will enlighten you and your league mates on those tough questions you want to know. Fire away! 1. The Bears have really done a stellar job helping Jay Cutler out this off-season. Will acquiri 2012 Team Outlook: Tampa Bay A fantasy football preview of the Bucs this year. Profiled players include Josh Freeman, Dan Orlovsky, LeGarrette Blount, Doug Martin, and Earnest Graham. 2012 Team Outlook: Green Bay A fantasy football preview of the Packers this year. Profiled players include Aaron Rodgers, Graham Harrell, James Starks, John Kuhn, and Brandon Saine. 2012 Team Outlook: Detroit A fantasy football preview of the Lions this year. Profiled players include Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill, Jahvid Best, Kevin Smith, and Mikel Leshoure. Fantasy Worthiness: Chris Ivory You see the name Chris Ivory in the topic line of a fantasy worthiness article and I'm betting the answer comes to mind pretty quickly, not a chance. He is number four on the Saints depth chart; the Saints love to pass the ball; he'll be lucky to even make the team; so thanks, but no thanks. However, with the news that Mark Ingram underwent a second surgery on his worrisome knee last week and is expected to be on the mend anywhere from four to six weeks, I am beginning to worry about his long 2012 Team Outlook: Buffalo A fantasy football preview of the Bills this year. Profiled players include Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyler Thigpen, C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson, and Tashard Choice. 2012 Team Outlook: Cleveland A fantasy football preview of the Browns this year. Profiled players include Colt McCoy, Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson, Montario Hardesty, and Chris Ogbonnaya. Missing Out: 3 2011 Playoff teams who will not return to the 2012 postseason Perhaps no team knows how hard it is to win a Super Bowl more-so than the Buffalo Bills of the 1990s. More recently, however (given the ever-changing landscape of the league), teams are finding just a spot in the heavily coveted post-season more difficult than years prior. Despite lofty expectations and assumed invites to the playoff party, undoubtedly there will be 2011 playoff teams unable to make it back in 2012. Cincinnati Beng Surviving the RB dilemma on draft day Draft strategy evolves from year to year, month to month, and even week to week. An injury can befall your squad and instantly you can go from contender to pretender. How do you circumvent the unpredictability of fantasy football? You must evolve your rationale. You must try to predict the trends before the trends break. You must prepare your squad for the worst possible scenario. Taking a page from Frank Dupont's (from Fantasydouche.com and author of Game Plan) philosophy, you must Houston Texans: Playoff and Fantasy Relevant in Back-to-Back Seasons? After a couple of seasons when they hovered around the playoff zone, 2011 was finally the year that the Houston Texans landed in the NFL postseason – for the first time in franchise history. While their 2011 Fantasy success wasn't quite as impressive, they still had an impact on the FF Playoffs with the likes of RB Arian Foster roaming the field. Let's take a trip to Houston to rustle up some dirt on the Texans. Quarterback Fantasy Options What started as a year o On the Cusp Teams Revisited A couple of moths ago I predicted which free agent pick ups the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans would have to make to push them over the hump either to getting to the playoffs, get to the Super Bowl, or win the Super Bowl. I predicted that the 49ers would go after WR Vincent Jackson to help make it to the Super Bowl in 2012, Oakland should sign CB Brandon Carr to get them into the playoffs, the Cowboys should sign SS LaRon Landr Fantasy Worthiness: Joseph Addai For the sake of full disclosure, I have to admit that as of one week ago, Joseph Addai was not even on the list of NFL players I had been considering for the fantasy worthiness articles. He was an unsigned free agent with very limited options for the 2012 season. Suddenly, a lazy Saturday afternoon of waiting for the Kentucky Derby becomes a Cinco de Mayo miracle! The New England Patriots sign Addai to a one-year contract and he immediately vaults into fantasy relevance again. Just how releva Early Look At Average Draft Position (ADP) It never fails. When the NFL draft is completed all fantasy football players analyze every move every team did in the off-season and try to figure out how the upcoming season will play out. Countless fantasy football sites gather together and hold Mock fantasy football drafts and compile their findings for their own website about rankings, adp, and so on. I will look at some findings by looking at the early Average Draft Position (adp) as of May 3rd with 88 mock drafts on record. Experts Mock Draft Results The first fantasy football mock draft of the year. Green Bay Packers: Still Safe To Take The Lambeau Fantasy Leap? Few teams are able to have a Fantasy Football impact, year in and year out, like the Green Bay Packers. From the glory days of Brett Favre, Antonio Freeman and Dorsey Levens, to the modern day heroics of Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, and Ryan Grant, the Packers have been Fantasy relevant for two decades now. Let's take the Lambeau Leap and check out the 2012 Fantasy prospects in TitleTown USA. Green Bay Packers Quarterback Fantasy Options Amassing 18,161 total yards and Fantasy Worthiness: Kevin Walter Since being drafted in the 7th round back in 2003 by the New York Giants, Kevin Walter has hauled in 315 receptions, 23 touchdowns and over 3,850 receiving yards in his career. Impressive numbers for a player who was cut by the Giants during his first training Fantasy Fact or Fiction: Running Backs Over 30 Are RBs effective as they cross over into their 30s? Once again "Fantasy Fact or Fiction" gets the opportunity to explore a well speculated fantasy myth and whether this is something to take into consideration during your draft. There are 3 players that will start 2012 as fresh faced 30 year olds and 5 others that are working hard to prove they still have juice in the tank. Brandon Jacobs, SF (30) Cedric Benson, CIN (30) Michael Turner, ATL (30) Making the Grade: Buffalo Bills 2012 Draft Making the Grade: Buffalo Bills 2012 Draft After an already exciting and successful off-season, the Buffalo Bills and their fans began the draft with anticipation and eagerness not felt around the team in years. GM Buddy Nix did a fantastic job of waiting for value in nearly every round and hitting almost every team need with potential starters. For the first time in years Buffalo appears to have a unified direction, headed toward relevancy and Fantasy Impact of the NFL Draft - First Round Wow!! What a way to start off the NFL Draft. 8 trades were made and it was very interesting all night to see what would happen next. Because of all the trading, many teams have to feel good about the player they selected. I only saw a couple of questionable picks, but that is why we all have opinions. Every year scouts think that they have a diamond only to find that they actually have a lemon. Look at the past drafts and you can see a bad pick to go with every good pick. For every Jerry Rice NFL Quick Snaps: Hit The Road, Pack! Pack being short for Packers of course, our beloved home team. Ironically, this article is not about the Packers. It is about us following them around the country to watch them play football. It is about helping fans everywhere take a memorable trip of a lifetime. Late April often finds people peeling through the newly released NFL schedule to count up their team's wins and loss potential; while keeping their other eye on the NFL draft. What are Zeus and I doing? Well yes, the same, but also Playoff Bound - 3 Teams who will make the 2012 Playoffs that missed out in 2011 The 2011 NFL season was nothing less than spectacular. Seeing the New York Football Giants go from the brink of playoff elimination to Super Bowl Champions is what just what the NFL is all about. With that said, who is going to be the 2012 season's hero? Which team is going to come out of nowhere to wow fans, and and which teams are going to disappoint fans? Here is a list of three teams that I feel will take the next step in 2012 to make the playoffs that missed out in 2011. 1. Carol Detroit Lions: The Lowdown On Motown From A Long Suffering Lions Fan It's only fair that I qualify this article by stating that yours truly is a life long Lions fan that has bled Honolulu Blue since birth. Needless to say, the 2011 NFL season brought back memories of Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, and Brett Perriman. After many seasons of dealing with Fantasy stars that were few and far between, the Lions have turned the corner and I see more exciting times, along with Fantasy studs, continuing to emerge in Motown. Detroit Lions Quarterback Fantasy Op Fantasy Worthiness: Randy Moss Welcome back to the NFL Randy Moss. The San Francisco 49ers have signed the enigmatic wide receiver out of Marshall to a one-year contract for the 2012 season. Moss retired (in the Brett Favre sense, it turns out) in August of 2011, and missed the entire season. Of course, a An Early Look At The Schedule If you are a Fantasy Football player (and I am guessing you are if you are reading this), this is an exciting time. The NFL Draft is less then a week away, and the NFL just put out the schedule for the year. It is always fun to look at the schedule and seeing what games are where and when, and who looks to have a good or bad schedule. I am going to look at the schedule and let you know who looks to benefit and who looks like they might struggle this year with fantasy in mind. Why drafting Julio Jones is a smarter decision than drafting Roddy White and Sleeper Wide Receivers Why drafting Julio Jones is a smarter decision than drafting Roddy White Believe it or not Julio Jones was a top fantasy wide receiver in the last quarter of this past season. Averaging 18.25 fantasy points over the final four regular season games he helped fantasy teams make the playoffs, he then gave those teams great performances of 18 and 19 points in weeks 15 and 16 (for those of you who play through a 16 week season). We all know that Roddy White is the top dog in NFL Draft 2012: Mocking Round 1 NFL Draft 2012: Mocking the First Round 1: Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB Stanford Stop it Irsay. No brainer, Colts take Luck. 2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor After suffering through a season of Rex Grossman and John Beck, head coach Mike Shanahan finally gets his starting quarterback. Griffin's athleticism is a perfect fit for Shanahan's booting offense. 3. Minnesota The Impact of Newly Acquired Back-Up Running Backs The 2012 NFL off-season hasn't been short of major headlines. Generally during the off-season other sports tend to dominate, but not this year. With Peyton Manning and Tim Tebow getting most of the attention, there have been four significant back-up running back acquisitions that quietly have slipped through the media cracks. Michael Bush, Mike Tolbert, Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Brandon Jacobs will all be making an impact nex 2012 NFL Schedule Grid All 32 teams' schedule in an easy to read and print format. Denver Broncos: Should You Rustle Up Some Mile High Manning Magic? Though not as proficient as they were back in the days of John Elway and Terrell Davis, there seems to a fantasy gem or two in Mile High Country every season. That said, the Broncos dipped from 40 total touchdowns in 2010, down to just 36 TD last season. Part of the reason for the drop was due to a lack of talent. A crazy situation at quarterback didn't help much either. Now that Denver is Peyton's Place, let's see if any Broncos are worth corralling on Draft Day 2012. Denver Bronc Fantasy Fact or Fiction: Is the Madden Curse Real? I'm such a fantasy football junkie I'm always trying to convince new people to sign up and play. I have a standard sales pitch that explains the finer points and some high-level benefits like healthy competition, camaraderie, winning money and that every game means life or death to someone somewhere. So recently while sharing draft strategies with a potential recruit I found myself explaining the Madden video game curse to a blank stare. During this one-way conversation a light bulb went off Fantasy Worthiness: Lance Ball Lance Ball finished the 2011 season as the third down running back for the Denver Broncos, as well as the primary back up to Willis McGahee. Stepping in for an injured Knowshon Moreno, Ball put up a career high 96 yards on 30 carries in a week ten victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Th Top 5 List of Sells for 2012 All fantasy owners will be thinking about how they can manage their own squads as the real NFL draft approaches. Akin to real general managers and NFL head coaches, fantasy managers are always trying to find value by selling high and buying low. I've assembled a list of 5 SELLS (some of which might appear as quite a shock) that should help your squad make the fantasy playoffs in 2012. Word of caution, when a player is a recommended SELL that does not mean you sell him for peanuts; it means se NFL Quick Snaps: Holding Out on the Hold outs You hear that? That is the sound of all your buddies laughing at you because you just took the stud fantasy player you wanted, but he's not reporting to the team and contract negotiations are still far apart. Probably not a more frustrating dilemma in fantasy drafting than how to place value on a guy that is in a hold out situation. Last year we saw the likes of this debacle with Chris Johnson, star running back for the Tennessee Titans. In Johnson's case you couldn't have had a worse outcome Why The Vikings Should Trade The #3 Pick It is a foregone conclusion that Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will be the first 2 players taken in the NFL Draft in two weeks. The debate starts at the #3 pick. The Minnesota Vikings currently hold that pick. Do they stay with the pick or trade out of that spot? Ryan Tannehill has been rising up every team's draft boards and is threatening to crack the top 5, maybe even the top 3 picks for the NFL Draft. The Vikings used a first round pick last year on Christian Ponder and seem willing Fantasy Worthiness: Donald Driver 37 year-old Donald Driver is currently starring in ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," but what fantasy football players really want to know is if he is worth a drafting. In 2011, Driver had his lowest reception (37) and yardage (445) totals since the 2001 season, but he did Fantasy Bounceback: List of Players Looking to Rebound in 2012 Fantasy Bounce-back: List of Players Looking to Rebound in 2012 We've all been there. It is week 5 of the regular season and our 1st round pick has yet to put up numbers anywhere close to what he should be scoring. However, being that it is only week 5, we wait patiently and find numerous reasons for his slumber. Week 10 and the excuses for our "star" are starting to dwindle along with out playoff chances, but we remain steadfast in b Diagnosing the Top Picks in Your Draft Every year we hear the same thing, "don't lose your league in the first round of your draft". The first few rounds aren't for finding sleepers that you can get amazing value for that will win you your league, they are for picking players that will not bust and can lead your team consistently week in and week out. So I'm going to go through the top twenty players (in my opinion) of next year's draft and analyze the positives and negatives of each player and why you should or shouldn't draft th A look at some 2012 offseason deals that make no sense, fantasy or reality wise. The 2012 free agency period has slowed to a crawl, college pro days are at an end, and NFL teams are turning their focus to putting the final touches on their collective draft boards. What are we to do as fantasy football fanatics? By now, we have undoubtedly had numerous discussions with leaguemates as to the value of Peyton Manning with the Broncos and what it will do to the wide receiving corps, whether the signing of Michael Bush by Chicago is a harbinger of a Matt Forte hold out, and how Dallas Cowboys: Should Fantasy Owners Do Dallas On Draft Day? After recently reviewing the football follies surrounding the likes of the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, it's refreshing to hit on a team that actually does produce Fantasy stars. Love 'em or hate 'em, the Dallas Cowboys supply a bumper crop of fantasy studs year in and year out. Scoring 405 total team touchdowns over the past decade, the 'Boys have been a threat through the air - with 252 pay dirt strikes, and have added another 121 rushing TDs. The Boys have also had ten TDs by their Cap Room Available For Fantasy Free Agents The NFL Draft starts 3 weeks from today and we can all see the teams positioning themselves for it. Many mock drafts are done and the opinions vary from team to team and from player to player. For fantasy purposes, it is always interesting to try and figure out what teams still need players and who could help them the most. If a team has needs in many areas, sometimes it can be really tough knowing which way to draft. The amount of talent still available in free agency can make that decision Top 5 Free Agents Left on the Board Since the NFL's free agency period opened on March 13, 2012, football enthusiasts have barely had a chance to breath. On day one we saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go on a spending spree landing two big name free agents in wide receiver Vincent Jacksons and offensive guard Carl Nicks. A short time later the Buffalo Bills joined the big spender party and landed Mario Williams for a record contract for a defensive lineman, worth about $100 million. The NFL world held their collective breaths for t Update on WRs Recovering from IR The optimism that springs eternal in the hearts of fantasy managers might just be trumped by the optimism that a new season brings for players that finished the previous season on the injured reserve. We saw an inordinate amount of injuries this past season that encompassed most every position. Fantasy champions were probably crowned more based on a combination of their ability to trade players away at the perfect time and search the waiver wire for gems than on their ability to draft non-inj Update on RBs Recovering from IR The 2011 NFL season ended with more than a few highly productive fantasy running backs on the injured reserve list. How do these injured players fit into the 2012 fantasy football landscape? Will they be healthy enough to contribute to their NFL, and more to the point, your fantasy teams in the upcoming season? Let us take a look at some of the more prominent names that finished 2011 nursing season ending injuries, and their potential heading into 2012. Matt Forte, CHI Update on QBs and TEs Recovering from IR We are less than 25 days away from the draft and it seems like every conversation on the radio/TV is whether Indy will take Luck or RGIII? Does Justin Blackmon have straight line speed to be the first WR taken or is Michael Floyd a better candidate to go first? Could Tampa's selection of Morris Claiborne or Trent Richardson be a revelation of what concerns them more; Blount's fumbling problem or Aqib's legal troubles? All great questions deserving of national attention, but as I and other fan AFC Team Pages East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC Team Pages East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI STL SF SEA Sports Coverage Home NFL Football NFL Draft Baseball NASCAR College Football CFL NCAA Basketball Connect Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest Newsletter Podcast on iTunes RSS Forums Information About Us Advertising Privacy Policy Jobs Internships Contact Us Sports News NFL NCAAF NASCAR MLB NBA PGA NHL Premier © Copyright 2013 FullTime Fantasy Sports LLC Partner of USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties