Fantasy Football - Pre-season is Over So Now What? Drop Tim Tebow!!

Ok, that's pretty obvious.  Tebow will make the Patriot's team in name only.  Apparently Coach B. loves his athleticism but not his QB skills.  Join the club.

Anyway, now is the time to get down to some business regarding preparing for drafts and the season. 

Here are some subtle pre-season finale notes:

NY Giants ("All Hail the New York Giants".....I love that line from the Madagascar movie....I've got two small kids, so cut me some slack here....)  RB Andre Brown suffered a fracture in his leg during last night's pre-season finale.  Although going in he was only going to be a 3rd down back, what this means is that David Wilson clearly wins here.  Wilson coming in was going to be the featured back but this further solidifies his role and increases his touches.  No longer will he coming off the field on goal line or third down situations.  So David Wilson moves up the charts.

Quinton Patten looks better and better.  Patton caught 2 passes for 52 yards last night and a TD.  He's the number 3 receiver on the 49er depth chart right now but has looked fantastic all camp.  There is a good bet he overtakes Marlon Moore sooner rather than later as the number two guy alongside Anquan Boldin.  The nice thing about Patten is he can play both on the perimeter and slot receiver positions well.  I like him a lot.

Montee Ball...didn't play, but that indicates to me that the Broncos are looking to save him for him for the opener.  They have seen enough and might be likely to put him in the mix more than some think.  Ronnie Hillman did play in the game last night, which tells me that they were still looking for some progress from him.  His chances also have been hurt by the fact that he has turned the ball over three times this pre-season.  Averaging almost one turnover per game is not going to get you much playing time.  Montee Ball might is a winner here too.

Good luck in your drafts!  Should be some interesting cuts come final roster time on Monday, as well.

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Fantasy Football - The Almighty Sleeper Pick - Floyd, Tompkins, Lacy

Sleepers.....under the radar....dark horses......

Every draft has them, whether real or fantasy.  We have talked about a few of them here, as well.  Let's throw a few more in the mix during this lead-up to the last pre-season weekend (thank goodness!! Enough with the exhibition games already....).

Let's start with some injury news.  Starting RB DuJuan Harris in Green Bay is gone for the season.  A patellar issue has him facing season ending surgery and a possible six month layoff.  No, he was not going to be seeing the ball 30 times a game, but the idea was to have him and Eddie Lacy be somewhat of a one-two punch in the Green Bay backfield.  Now that Harris is done for the year, that puts Lacy more in the limelight. 

I think because of Lacy's workload in Alabama and his many bumps and bruises there, his questions regarding conditioning (see early in camp photo bruhaha) and the pass-first offense of Mike McCarthy, Lacy was not at the top of a lot of draft lists.  Add in the fact that he wasn't the announced feature back and that watered down his appeal, as well.

Put the almost concluded pre-season under his belt, the fact that he has run hard, even if the numbers do not show it, and now Harris' injury and I think Lacy jumps up on those lists.  I think that offensive line still has to prove something, and Aaron Rodgers is still going to throw the football a lot, so don't get too giddy.

 Head coach Bruce Arians, now with the Arizona Cardinals, brings a more open offense with him.  In Indianapolis last year, he worked Andrew Luck to perfection, having him throw a lot.  In fact he was in the top five in attempts.  Switch to Arizona.  No, it's not Andrew Luck but Carson Palmer.  Certainly a better QB, however, than what the Cardinals ran out their last year. 

Given the offensive system that Arians runs, and better play at the QB position means the ball is going to be in the air more.  The beneficiary?  How about former 1st round pick Michael Floyd?  He's the number two guy there and also gets a great chance to get more one-on-one coverage with defenses focusing on Larry Fitzgerald. 

One other guy who has been rising up draft boards is Kenbrell Tompkins over in New England.  He's been targeted more times than any other receiver in camp.  He's putting up gaudy numbers for the pre-season.  He's a perimeter guy that just seems to be getting better and better.  I know pre-season can be a little misleading but this dude looks like he can be a real eye-popper for fantasy players.

 

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Fantasy Football - Where Does Russell Willson Fit?

With Sidney Rice out all pre-season and Percy Harvin out a while, as well, where does that put Russell Wilson on your draft list?  This Cat was the number Fantasy QB over the last five weeks of last season.  However, I think that is going to be the highlight of this guy's fantasy career until the 'Hawks develop more receiving talent.

In addition, this team is built to be a run first offense.  Marshawn Lynch is the go to back and is a top ten pick.  Backup RB Christine Michael turned in an outstanding performance against the Packers in the 3rd pre-season game on Friday night.  It's a deep backfield that some are calling the deepest in the league.  With all of that running might, including a talented Offensive Line, this team will continue to give the ball to Lynch and company limiting Wilson's numbers.

Counter that with the fact that I just don't see Wilson sneaking up on teams like he did last year.  Lots of defensive coordinators spent the entire off-season looking at tape on how to manage Wilson and the likes of Colin Kaepernick.  Even Green Bay's suspect defense (see my previous post on the Packers' 'D') got to Wilson a couple of times on Friday and limited his yards.  In addition he threw two picks.  He threw only ten interceptions last year.

I see Wilson coming down from the lofty status he was at the end of last season.  To Wilson's own admission, he is not going to run as much as he did last year.  He amassed 489 rushing yards last year and four TD's. 

Combine the facts that this is a run-first offense, their two top receivers are hurt, and Wilson probably will not run as much, limiting his rush numbers,  and you have the making of a guy who might be a little over-hyped come draft day.  The Seahawks are a team expected to be on the rise, with all that happened last year and with a renewed NFL coach given another chance in Pete Carroll.  Might be ripe for a little bit of a slip this year, and Wilson might be the one to take the biggest hit.

 

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Fantasy Football - Looking for Offense - How About Matt Schaub?

After you get past the primary set of offensive studs like Adrian Peterson, Doug Martin, C.J. Spiller, Calvin Johnson and the like, it kinds a little challenging when you are drafting lower or simply need some bench guys to bolster your offense.

One place I might turn to would be the Houston Texans.  I have always like Matt Schaub.  The Texans are not a glamour team.  No Petyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers - They are not in New York or Dallas.  They kind of fly under the radar and so does Matt Schaub's numbers.  I've seen a number of prognosticators talk about him being a late rounder and how he really isn't the prize he once was. 

However, even though he doesn't put up numbers like Rodgers or Brees he has some potential to do some damage this year.  Consider the fact that he has one of the better WR's in the league in Andre Johnson.  Arian Foster also does a nice job catching the ball out of the backfield, in addition to his rushing skills.

Toss in an under rated TE in  Owen Daniels.  62 catches last year, with 6 TD's.  He was targeted 128 times.  He will be more of a factor this year, coming off of of a productive 2012 and a renewed sense of his worth in the offense.

In addition, first round draft pick, who I REALLY like, DeAndre Hopkins is going to attract more attention from opposing team defenses.  What does that tell you?  It means that Johnson and and Daniels don't get double teamed as much.  It means the ball gets spread around a little more.  It means some of these guys, who are talented, will get some one-on-one coverages that they will take advantage of during the year.  It means Schaub's numbers get even better.

It may also mean that guys like Hopkins and Daniels might be worth a look as well.  Now, Hopkins has suffered a concussion in week 1 of the pre-season.  He should be ready to go for week one.  I would give him a few games to get into the flow of things, before he will start to show why he was their first round pick.  He'll be a nice complement to Andre Johnson. 

All signs point to Schaub being ready to raise his level of play, as well.  His GM, Rick Smith, has indicated as much.  His QB coach, Karl Dorrell, has talked about his preparation going into the season and that he feels he is in the best shape both physically and mentally going into the 2103 campaign. 

This Texan's team is a good football team.  Many QB's, on the cusp of taking a team to the next level, elevate their play.  Could Schaub throw for 4500 yards and thirty TD's?  I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility.  Might be a little bit of a stretch, but, I'm just saying....he might not be a bad pick after that top tier is gone.

 

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Fantasy Baseball - Can You Trust Rookies like Xander Bogaerts and Tony Cingrani Down the Stretch?

Oh, we like youngsters....rookies....phenoms......  Those are the guys that are going to be the next Mike Trout, Adrian Peterson or LeBron James.  When the $&%# hits the fan, though, and games are played for keeps, can these guys actually help your fantasy team?

Take for example two highly touted young players in the Red Sox recent call-up Xander Bogaerts and Reds rookie pitcher Tony Cingrani.  Bogaerts has been lighting it up all year in double A and Triple A.  He gets his call with the Red Sox and is being snapped up like a trailer park in a tornado. 

I know in our league, there are at least a couple of guys who drool over prospects.  Conversely, there are a couple of guys who know that and have really taken some owners to the cleaners when making trades.  Some guys just go 'ga-ga' over highly touted prospects and will stop at nothing to have them on their team.  Bad move.

These guys are extremely volatile.  For every Mike Trout, there are ten Felix Pie's.  Who is Felix Pie, you ask?  My point exactly.  Highly touted farmhand out of the Cubs system, that never became more than the 26th guy on a 25 man roster. 

With September call-ups looming, some of you vying for a pennant may be looking to swoon in on a player here.  Be careful.  Some of these guys come up to get a handful of at bats or innings pitched and that is about it.  If you are looking for guys to give you numbers that can help you, make sure they are going to play a lot.  Some teams will really hand over a starting spot to a September call-up to see what they can actually do.  Most do not.  So, don't fall into the hype if you are really looking for numbers.

I had Edinson Volquez a few years back.  When he got his September call, they plugged him right into the rotation.  I needed some help in the pitching category so I grabbed him.  He gave me a nice month of numbers and I ended up winning my league. 

Regarding Bogaerts, he is a guy who is going to play a lot down through the last 6 weeks of the season.  But, don't be surprised if he sits, especially if he gets off to a lousy start (he went 0 for 3 with a whiff in his first game).  He can be a nice addition for you in the pennant drive or be just another drain on you batting average and not give you the numbers you want.  Just beware of that.

For a guy like Cingrani, who has been pitching for most of the year, the issue you have to worry about here is overuse and fatigue setting in to his pitching lines.  The rookie pitchers have never thrown well into September.  Their season stops about Labor Day, so as the innings start to pile up, you could be in for some bad starts, or some injuries.  Cingrani left Tuesday's start with a lower back issue.  Could it be a sign that he might be hitting the wall physically?

Highly touted rookies are great fodder for columns and hoopla, but be a little cautious as you approach these guys down the stretch.

Defense in Fantasy Football - What Teams Rise and What Teams Fall?

When you are looking for Defenses to target come draft day their might be some intriguing teams from which to choose.  Sometimes we get caught up in the 'name' teams that have a reputation and some 'street cred' to the fantasy world but looking a little deeper can yield some gems not found before.

Let's take example number one - Cleveland.  Now, the Browns, on the surface, have not inspired the fear of the Steel Curtain or the Fearsome Foursome, so they may be bypassed by some in your draft league basically because they do not have that wow factor associated with them. 

However, take the fact that they have a new defensive coordinator in Ray Horton, who comes from Arizona.  With the Cardinals, he ran a 3-4 defense that 'got after it', to use a cliche.  He brings this mentality to a Browns defense that, quite frankly, is underrated.  It has more young talent here than folks give them credit for and will be great beneficiaries of the renewed, aggressive style play.

I think free agent signee and stand-up edge rusher Paul Kruger and inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson will put up some sack numbers that will start to get people's attention as the season progresses. 

I like this team creeping up on people, as a whole, but I really like their upside on defense.  Most have Cleveland in the second group of ten defenses, but I think they could easily crack the top ten.

The Buffalo Bills is another team on the opposite side of glitz street.  They were and up and down defensive team as it pertained to Fantasy football last year.  However, they too have added a new defensive coordinator who claims to play an attacking, aggressive style defense, as well.  Anything should be an upgrade over last year's squad. 

This was a volatile group last year, with them scoring in the negatives about as many times as they provided double digit points on defense.  With a new scheme giving players like linebacker Kiko Alonso,  an opportunity to shine, this could be an interesting defense.

I'm going to go the NFC North for two teams that I do not think will be as high as many folks think.  The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are two teams, that I have seen ranked fairly consistently in the top ten, or even top five. 

I just don't see it.  The Bears have a new defensive coordinator in Mel Tucker.  Known for his vanilla style defense, and the fact that I just do not see a lot of elite performers having the kind of years they had in the past is why I just am not as high on this defense.  Urlacher is gone, 'Peanut' Tillman and Julius Peppers are another year older and I'm not sold on their safeties Major Wright and Chris Conte. 

I think this is one where reputation goes a little farther in where they get picked.  I'm not saying they're heading to the bottom ten, but I just do not think they are a top five group.

With all of the defensive players that Ted Thompson has grabbed in the draft the last two years, you would think that, by default, this Packers defense should be an improved group.  I just don't see it.  Nick Perry, linebacker extraordinaire from USC, is coming off of surgery that had him miss most of last season.  Rookie first round pick Datone Jones has been hurt this pre-season, missing valuable development time and last year's rookie stalwart in the secondary, Casey Hayward, only made his 1st appearance in camp on Monday.

Throw in the fact that their defense is still feeling the hangover from their playoff debacle against the 49ers and I just don't think this defense is more than a middle of the pack group.  I've seen some draft prognosticators putting this group in the top ten.  I think that's a reach.  If it is, then all those cheese heads around the country will probably be in New York come Super Bowl, because that is where they will be if this team makes that big of a jump defensively.

Michael Vick and Josh Freeman - Under the Radar Stars or Over Hyped 'Stars'

The over hyped star label is probably more so in Michael Vick's case than in Josh Freeman's.  Vick has been a household name for a variety of reasons and for a number of years.  He has always had  'tremendous athlete' tag on him, even if he was not the most accurate passer.  Highly touted and praised his star status has had many ups and downs. 

Here is another crossroad for Vick as a professional football player.  I don't think there is much to the competition between he and Nick Foles.  If Vick is even decent as a passer this pre-season, he wins that job.  Barring an injury or simply some awful football, Vick is in as the Eagles top guy.  Now, that does not preclude him being benched at some point this year.  Vick's tendency over the years has been that his play has been very volatile.  He will look like a Hall of Famer for a game or two and then look like the starting QB for my nephew's sixth grade team.  As mentioned, he is not the most accurate passer either.

All that being said, he has had two nice pre-season games thus far, going 13 for 15 and showing some nice touch.  He is averaging a tremendous 13.3 yards per attempt vs. Foles'  7.1.  He's looked very calm, cool and comfortable in Chip Kelly's offense.  Yes, Vick has a lot of mileage on him and he's been in the league a very long time, so there is some merit to those who say that 2 pre-season games do not contradict ten years of games he has played in the NFL. 

However, he has not only a new coach, but a coach who brings something very different to an NFL offense.  Has Chip Kelly tapped into Vick's inner QB and allowed the all-powerful QB genie to finally reveal himself?  Well, I'm not sure about that, but signs are that Vick just feels very much at home in this offense and may just surprise some folks this season.

Josh Freeman never has been in this kind of a spotlight.  Known for flashes of brilliance, he just as easily has hit the skids.  He can be a maddening player for your fantasy team.  He almost brought the Bucs back to playoff land in 2010 with a brilliant season, throwing for 3451 yards and completing 61.4% of his passes.  Ladies and gentlemen, this was only three years ago.  So, the talent is there.  However, does this kid have the ability, or the team around him, to tap into what he brought to the NFL party just a few short years ago?

Right now, he is the Bucs only real option.  They will most likely not go to rookie Mike Glennon already, and Freeman is still young enough to turn things around and become more consistently good.  However, through two games this Bucs offense looks pathetic.  Granted, this last pre-season game they were playing without veteran guard Carl Nicks, but still the Patriots came calling on Freeman and the Tampa offense.  Freeman went a paltry 2 for 3 totaling 8 yards and 3 sacks.  Not exactly numbers that will get Freeman shooting up your draft list. 

In two pre-season games he is a very average 6 for 10 totaling 42 yards and four sacks.  I know the pre-season can be unbelievably misleading.  But, when this is what you have to go on, it sticks with you a little more.

I still like Freeman, but right now I like Vick a little more.  Stay tuned, there is one more meaningful pre-season game left to evaluate your guys as you get closer to draft day.

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy - Double Wide Receivers Early? Or Draft a Stud RB in Round 1?

Fantasy football has a bunch of different ways to play.  I think more so than fantasy baseball.  Maybe I'm off kilter with that, especially since the whole sabre metrics phenomena burst onto the scene.  More fantasy baseball leagues are expanding beyond the traditional 4x4 or 5x5 formats.  But still it seems that there are so many unique ways fantasy football leagues are setup regarding awarding of points, that it can get a little dizzying.

Obviously, for some leagues it's the Standard system you see on most of th big name sports sites or you may play in a PPR league.  Those seem to be the two most common.  There are a million variations of these, as well.  I have friends who put a different emphasis on various aspects of the game by giving more or less points than most standard leagues in different categories, etc.

Some of the earliest of Fantasy leagues actually used statistics from the defensive side of the football, meaning they used individual positions and not simply picked one defensive team.  That's an interesting spin, as well, and adds even more to the depth that you can have within your league.

Whether standard or PPR, chances are you are going to jump on a stud RB in round one.  Grabbing a monster, healthy back right off of the bat is usually what most folks will do.  Hello, Adrian Peterson!  However, if you have a lower pick, you might be tempted to go the WR/WR route, meaning grab a WR in round one and round two, hoping that you can grab a decent RB down the line.  For example, perhaps you grab Dez Bryant, AJ Green or Brandon Marshall with your first pick and still be able to make a play for one of those guys early in round two. 

Then if you get the opportunity, and this is where keeping your eyes open in camp pays off, you can grab a RB later.  It's a risk, for sure, but your sleeper RB could pay off along with having two very good receivers.  In a PPR league, this might be very tempting.

Most folks will go the RB-RB approach, seeing that trying to get a RB down the line in the draft is a bigger risk than trying to find a decent WR.  A good RB will give you consistent scoring from week to week and is someone you can be confident of in head-to-head match ups, especially.  The WR position can be up and down from week to week, depending on dropped balls, defense being played against and even the weather. 

Maybe you combine the two and go WR-RB or vice versa with your first two picks.  But, even in a PPR league, grabbing two WR's with your first two picks can be almost the equivalent of punting a category.  I've never liked doing that.  Again, unless you can really hit on a RB that comes out of the limelight to shine after training camp, or the first couple of games.

What strategies do you follow?  Love to hear about them!

Are Trent Richardson and Le 'Veon Bell the Real Deal?

Much has been written about former highly touted draft pick Trent Richardson and Pittsburgh rookie Le 'Veon Bell. 

Richarson came into his rookie year last year as the 3rd pick overall and the second coming of everyone from Earl Campbell to Emmit Smith.  Surgery to remove some cartilage issues in his knee robbed him of his entire pre-season.  He struggled to live up to his hype all year in 2012.  If it wasn't for his ability to catch the football out of the backfield and his 11 TD's his year would have been labeled a total washout, considering his status coming into the season.  Then, it was learned that he played much of the season with a couple of broken ribs. 

So, what be felled Richardson was a myriad of injuries and suspect Offensive line.  The question is, can he come back stronger this year? Well, he's already starting by missing time again.  A shin injury currently is keeping him out of camp.  Some will argue that Richardson is more of a 'contact' type runner.  Couple that with the notion that Cleveland still will wallow among the lower part of the league and that is where you get the pessimism of another down year, or at least another year dodging injury.

However, consider the upside for a moment.  You have a new coach, who looks to be utilizing more of an offense that will give young developing QB Brandon Weeden more of an opportunity to succeed.  Talk is that Chudzinski will be incorporating more of the pistol formation, which will (hopefully for Browns' fans) not let defenses zero in on either the RB or QB.  The Browns offensive line will only get better with a little shuffling of John Greco to the right side and an anchor of Joe Thomas on the left.

I don't see Richardson going crazy this year, especially if he keeps battling injuries.  However, the Browns are an improved club.  With a developing QB, their offense should be a little better and open up a little more, allowing more room for Richardson to run.  I have an upswing for him but maybe not to the extent that he would be a top pick.

Bell is thought to be the prototypical Steeler back, reminiscent of the Jerome Bettis days of a banging bruising back who can withstand punishment for 25 carries a game.  I don't think he's the slashing type guy that is going to bust out 75 yard runs.  However, Pittsburgh is another team that has an improved offensive line.

Don't look for Bell to be your featured back.  I think he might be a great guy to have for TD's, though.  They will put the big guy in a lot of goal line situations, so his chances of scoring will be good.  In addition, the guy is said to have good hands.  Look for Roethlisberger to look for him in safety valve situations or simply to help move the chains.  Again, this can be another piece of his arsenal that is overlooked.  Here, I think Bell can be good, not great, and a nice complimentary player on your squad.

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Pre-Season Football - Straddle the Bandwagon Carefully When Preparing for Your Fantasy Football Draft

Football is back!!  It's great to turn on the TV or roam through the Internet to see games and stats and replays and, well, anything related to real football games.

When it comes to Fantasy Football, we have our sites set so high to watch games and scout out our players that we tend to go crazy over everything we see.  Bad plays, turnovers, dropped passes, fumbles by starting running backs and the like tend to send us through the proverbial roof when it comes to looking for possible break out stars and how we should put together our rankings as we prepare for our draft.

Football is great, but therein lies the tough part of the game.  With so few games to go on, the sample size is small when trying to make a determination on how well a player is playing.  Add in the fact that pre-season is only 4 games, making the sample size even smaller, ups the challenge.  Throw in the fact that the starters only play a series or two in the first and probably the last pre-season game (some don't play at all in game 4) then you cut down that sample size even more.  Add in the issue of injuries, meaning that there were a lot of guys that didn't play game one over the weekend because of injuries, some of which would probably not be grave enough to keep them out if it were a regular season game, and you have some challenges when doing your 'research'.

My point is that you have to keep an even keel about players when looking at them over the pre-season.  Some guys had great first games, like EJ Manuel for the Bills, Arizona QB's Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton against the Packers, and Jacksonville's Denard Robinson (who was used all over the place.)

Others had down games.  It's all part of a chaotic process called NFL Pre-season.  You have a number of starters held out for minor injuries.  You have second tier guys going against other second tier guys, which isn't altogether realistic when the regular season rolls around.  It can make for some great games and terrible games.  The idea is to put that in context with the rest of pre-season, reports out of the respective team training camps to see how the player is doing each day in camp and also take into consideration the team that he is on as well.

Some guys will start jumping on or jumping off of the bandwagon depending on what kind of a game a certain player has in pre-season.  Take it easy.  Take a breath.  It's only pre-season. Yes, it's nice to see a player having a big game at QB, but know that a lot of the guys he's playing against will be selling insurance come the middle of September and not be on an NFL football team.  A great place to do some extra research is not simply the hot places online, but also look at the individual team's local newspaper.  Sometimes, these can be a great resource to find some related articles to either encourage you to put the player in question on your draft board or to put him down lower on your list.

Use multiple sources and different areas of context (games PLUS camp PLUS team) when making any definitive decisions on guys.  It will make you a better fantasy owner come draft day.

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Fantasy Football - Does a Player Like Greg Jennings Really Matter?

To piggyback a little bit on yesterday's discussion regarding Bryan Bulaga and how his injury can impact other players, let's talk a little more about that idea and how QB's can affect the numbers of their targets - wide receivers.

Greg Jennings is the most obvious example this year, I think.  He's played his entire career with either Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers as his QB.  Additionally, he's played on teams that were in the playoffs a number of years, so they were good, with good offenses.  His numbers, when he played, were a result of the offenses he played with and the fact that he played with one and possibly two future Hall of Fame quaterbacks.  Now, ask yourself this question - does Christian Ponder give you that same confidence?

I like Greg Jennings as a receiver.  I don't think he's a great receiver but definitely a good one.  However, with Ponder throwing the football, as opposed to Rodgers and Favre, there is going to be a definite drop-off.  In addition, with Adrian Peterson being the center of that offense, how much are they going to be throwing it anyway?  The Packers had a pass first type mentality.  Also, since their running game was not great, when they got close to the end zone, they were throwing it, meaning more TD opportunities for their receivers.  Do you think the Vikings will be throwing the ball a lot as they get closer to the goal line? 

Again, I am simply illustrating the fact that you need to pay close attention to other aspects of the game when making your fantasy football draft preparation.  From line play, to the connection between QB and receiver, to the style the team plays, to coaching tendencies - these are all factors to consider as you look at the draft board.

The NFC North has another interesting team with potential fantasy busts or breakouts, and this is the Chicago Bears.  With what should be, or was touted to be, an elite QB in Jay Cutler, you have the potential for breakout years for receivers like Brandon Marshall (he had a good year last year - don't know if you would consider another good year this year as a 'breakout'), a healthy Alshon Jeffery, newly acquired TE Martelius Bennett and Matt Forte (can catch the ball coming out of the backfield).  There has been an emphasis on improving the offensive line in the draft and their new coach, Marc Trestman, is thought to be the offensive antithesis of Lovie Smith. 

All that being said, this has the makings for some potentially potent offensive numbers for guys like Marshall, Jeffery and Forte.  Trestman will probably work in the TE more than in Lovie's regime, so you may see some decent numbers from Bennett, as well.  Some big 'IFs' though, right?  Is Cutler really that good?  Is the offensive line going to be improved?  Is Trestman an offensive guru or an imposter?  All valid questions to keep an eye on during the pre-season but again another example of keeping an eye on all aspects of the game to make more of an informed decision come draft day.

Fantasy Football - Should You Care That Bryan Bulaga Is Out For the Season?

With so much emphasis on QB's, running backs and receivers, offensive lineman do not really get any fantasy football love. After all, you don't draft guys like recent Hall of Fame inductee Jonathan Ogden.  You draft guys like Adrian Peterson.

True, but guys like Ogden do play a part in your offensive guys numbers, don't they?  If you're drafting the likes of Aaron Rodgers, you want him to not only stay healthy all year round but you also want him to be able to put up the numbers which he is capable.  That means that his offensive line needs to be good and he needs to have receivers who can catch the ball and a running game that can help out, as well.

So, no, you are not drafting offensive linemen but they sure as heck need to be part of your homework when putting together your draft lists.  That is why paying attention to the torn ACL suffered by Packers' offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, is important.

The Packers were switching their offensive line around this year, trying to get a little more protection for Aaron Rodgers.  Bulaga and right guard Josh Sittion were moving to the left side, with T.J. Lang moving from left to right guard and possibly Marshall Newhouse and a couple of first and second year guys, battling it out for right tackle.  Now, the entire line is in flux.  Does the flip-flop stay, with rookie David Bakhtiari protecting Rodgers' blind side and Sitton staying on the left side also?  Does Newhouse go back to his old position at left tackle?  Do they sign a street free agent still out there to help?  Lots of questions that will affect that entire offense.

Obviously, Aaron Rodgers will be drafted high, but the offensive line woes does make you think about WHERE you draft him.  If he is going to be running for his life fairly regularly, that might make you think a little harder as to where to place him on your board.  Do you draft a running back instead, with that first pick? 

One of Rodgers' best receivers, Jordy Nelson, is missing all of training camp with a knee injury, which is another chink in the offensive armor up in Green Bay.  They lost Greg Jennings (who suddenly needs to be on his own talk show...).  Again, lots of questions, but makes you think about the other factors that play into an offensive guys' numbers.  When your main points are coming from QB's, RB's and receivers, you have to take a look at the rest of that team to make more of an informed decision come draft time.

Do You Put Alex Rodriguez on Your Fantasy Team?

A mixed bag, for sure, to put ARod on your squad or not.  He is the only big name player appealing the suspension.  According to all of the reports I have heard he is not taking this lightly.  His camp is ready to hammer back at MLB.  We shall see how that unfolds, most likely over the late Fall and Winter months.  The last I heard is that the speculation is that they will not hear his appeal until November, at the earliest.

That aside, you as the quintessential fantasy owner, has to decide whether you play the guy or not.  I'm sure he was drafted in your league.  I would be shocked if he wasn't.  You may be his owner, waiting out whatever waiting period your league has to decide whether to activate him, or not.

Or, you are wondering whether to try and make a deal for him.  Perhaps there is something inside you that says that you just can't bring yourself to put him on your roster.  You feel he's as guilty as MLB says he is, and he won't play on your club.  Others who have that competitive fire might think that, "but hey, the dude might help me win my league."  So there are moral dilemmas that may sway one owner over another in their decision to play him, or not.

If you play him, or want to try and go after him in a trade, can he really help you?  You have about a month and a half left in the season.  Does he enough left in the tank to put your team over the top?  My knee jerk answer to that is "Yes."  I think he feels he has a lot to prove.  He wants to prove to the public and MLB that he's clean and that he can still put up big numbers, which will show that he didn't use PED's to put up the monster seasons he has.  I feel like he will be playing with a huge chip on his shoulder and that may drive him for the remainder of the season.

I know he's coming off of major injury and he's 38, but he still has put up some pretty good numbers over the last few years.  I know what you're thinking...he put those numbers up because he was juiced, but I still think he's got enough raw talent to be a good player.

If your competitive fire is such that you need another bat in your lineup to help grab you some points, then maybe you do take a shot at him.  A tough decision, but hey, that's why you're in this business of fantasy ownership, right?

Let me know what you're doing or would do with ARod on your fantasy squad.

Grab a Dodger

If you're looking to bolster your fantasy team, look no further than the resurgent Los Angeles Dodgers.  Left for dead in June, the Dodgers are the hottest team in baseball.  Don Mattingly was looking over his shoulder not too long ago, wondering if his days as the skipper of the club had come to an end.  However, with the call-up of Yasel Puig, the club has ignited and is playing its best baseball.

Of course, Puig is the star at the moment and I am sure he s gone in every league, or his owner is holding him for major ransom money in looking to deal.  However, there are gems all over this lineup, that might still be there for the taking in some leagues, either as a Free Agent pickup or in a deal.

Guys like Chris Capuano, who has turned in a couple of nice outings recently and recently acquired Ricky Nolasco.  Nolasco is more of a 'known' commodity but Capuano might still be sitting unclaimed in your league.  The reason I mention to grab a Dodger is they are doing it as a team, so there are a lot of different contributors.  Puig and Hanley Ramirez are two of the offensive stars that are going to cost you if you are looking to acquire them.  However, a number of their guys will still give you some decent numbers, since the ball club is playing so well, yet not cost you so much in a deal or might still be there in your Free Agent pool.

Mark Ellis, A.J. Ellis, Andre Eithier, Carl Crawford are all samples of guys who are putting up some decent numbers but not lights out.  If the Dodgers continue to win, you will see these guys contributing.  In a game like fantasy where totals mean so much, having these guys in your lineup vs. open or dead spots can make a huge impact in the long run.

How Can Set-Up Relievers Win Your Fantasy League?

Ok, we had a little off the topic time the last few days examining some of the ramifications of the MLB trade deadline.  A few days ago we had started a conversation regarding set-up relievers and how they can be instrumental in your push to win your fantasy league.  This is true whether your league uses 'Holds' or not.

Let us examine a few guys in that role who are having great years.

There are a few guys I would put into the 'Above Average' category.  Sam LeCure of the Reds, Jordan Walden of the Braves and Antonio Bastardo are three guys I will talk about here.  All of them are having a pretty good years as late-inning guys, but are not the save guy for their club.  These guys still provide some nice numbers for your pitching staff. 

Bastardo has a 2.454 ERA/1.289 WHIP.  Now the WHIP numbers aren't the greatest, especially for a relief pitcher, but his 44 K's in 40 plus innings helps and throw in the fact that he has 3 wins and a couple of saves and you have the making of a nice guy you can add to your staff.  Considering how close some the pitching categories can be in your league some of these numbers can certainly help.

How about LeCure's numbers - 2.195 ERA/1.146 WHIP with 43 K's in 41 IP?  Or Jordan Walden - 2.571 ERA/1.143 WHIP with 40 K's in 35 IP with 4 wins?  Again, not overwhelming when compared to starting pitchers but these numbers add up with your other pitching stats that can certainly help you grab a couple of points.

Two guys I would consider upper echelon set-up guys are Trevor Rosenthal - 2.29 ERA/1.13WHIP with 74 K's in 51 IP and Tylar Clippard - 1.73 ERA/0.83 WHIP with 50 K's in 46 plus IP and a staggering 6 wins.  Clippard has more wins than many of my starters. 

This is what I mean.  You take a shot at one of these guys and you can't go wrong.  They are not going to give you bad numbers.  Most times they will deliver positive numbers for you and not some of the roller coaster numbers that some starters will give.  In addition, they could be in line for some saves on those days where the closer is not available as well as pick up a few wins in late relief. 

In any kind of a close race you want to grab points where you can and set-up guys can be instrumental in your push for a fantasy league pennant.

Trade Deadline Recap - Like Watching Paint Dry

Seriously?  That is what MLB gave us this year?  Wow, not much in the way of deadline deals.  I guess the closest, only because he was a starter on a contending team, was Ian Kennedy going over to the Padres.

Other than that it was truly a letdown.  Some years bring a breathless pace of transactions with fantasy implications all over the place.  Some, well, are like watching paint dry.  Like 2013.

Maybe there might be a little movement in August with the Waiver trading going on, but waiver wire trades in the dog days rarely make a splash.  We will most likely have to wait for the off-season, once the Biogenesis stuff is over with and teams search to rebuild and restock.

I don't want to overlook the Ian Kennedy trade for fantasy purposes, however.  If you do have Kennedy (I do) you have been truly disappointed this year.  He's been a disaster overall, with some occasional decent starts that get your hopes up.  He should benefit from the confines of Petco Park.  The place has been known to make a positive impact on pitchers.  However, if he cannot find the strike zone or continues to make bad pitches, it won't matter if he pitches in the Grand Canyon.

However, he is only a couple of years removed from a brilliant 21-4 season and has a career ERA (going into this year) of 3.77 and a WHIP of 1.24.  Nice numbers overall.  Perhaps a change of scenery will help him.  It certainly cannot hurt being in pitcher friendly San Diego.  He might be a nice buy low guy if you are looking for help on your starting fantasy staff.  Even if you are looking for help for next year, you might be able to grab him from a disgruntled owner.  He is signed through next year so he should stay in San Diego over the off-season.

Oh well, should have probably gone for the nap while the kids were taking theirs instead of surfing the 'net looking for blockbuster deadline deals....maybe next year.