Fantasygods.com Blog

New Fantasy Football Game

2006-08-13T15:09:00.000-04:00

It is Like Two Great Tastes in One Candy Bar

Doyou like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? What if you could combine your fantasy addiction with say, a players value or worth at a particular time? Like playing the fantasy football stock market. Well now you can, and you can register for free. If you can not get enough of fantasy football then join up and compete for cash prizes.
New Fantasy Football Game. Win cash and prizes for playing a sports stock market game. Free to join. Sign up now.

Sign up now for football while the values are
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New Fantasy Football Game. Win cash and prizes for playing a sports stock market game. Free to join. Sign up now.

Top 6 Running Back Steals

2006-08-08T22:27:00.000-04:00

Make no mistake, these are not the six best running backs on the board, but they are the six best picks by position that you can make on draft day. Based on where they are currently being selected (ADP) in fantasy drafts, these players provide maximum value for their forecasted fantasy returns in 2006.

For those of you who have already drafted, it’s not too late as we recommend trading for these Top Six Running Back Steals! If you plan on winning your league make sure to get a few of these gems on your team this season!

Read more here.

Most Likely to Get Injured List 2006

2006-08-06T22:04:00.000-04:00

Injuries:

“It happens.”, at least that is what Forest Gump quipped in the edited for TV version of the movie. And he’s right; it does happen; at least to me.

You draft a great team and start the season strong, rolling up points and victories, knowing that the Championship will soon be yours. Then, unexpectedly, at least to you, “it” happens….INJURIES.

You’re on the couch on a Sunday afternoon, checking the stats and you see one of your players is stuck at the same yardage. Hmmm; maybe the computer hasn’t refreshed itself, you think. After refreshing the computer, your player’s stats still haven’t changed and the panic sets in. Is he hurt? Is it a concussion? Is it an ACL? Is he done? Is my team finished? Scrambling, you surf the net for any player updates. Then you switch to FOX or CBS to find info and then you see it; a horrific replay of your WR’s ankle being broken in four places…so much for the championship! You then tell yourself, “I should have never drafted him, I knew he was going to get hurt!”

Read the entire article here.

Evaluating the Average Draft - July

2006-08-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

The average draft information for a league like the one you will be involved in can provide great insight into where particular players are going to be taken. There are of course exceptions like when an owner drafts from his favorite team early or an owner jumps on a ‘sleeper’ too early. Below we will go through the average draft information for the month of July and see what it is telling us. It is, after all, the collective thinking of the die hard fantasy football players at this point.We will assume a 12 team league that scores on high performance and requires a tight end and receptions are valued at 1 point per. We will do another evaluation in mid August, right before the majority of drafts are done.

***For different scoring scenarios check out other average draft information here.

Round 1
Continue article here.

Steve Smith Injures Hamstring

2006-07-30T07:11:00.000-04:00

Midway through the afternoon session, Smith pulled up while running a long route down the left sideline. He immediately clutched his left hamstring, took a couple of steps and fell to the ground.

Two trainers came to his side, and Smith slowly got to his feet after about a minute. He threw his gloves in anger, got onto the back of the cart and was brought inside.

"It seems like he probably strained it," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "He's done this before in training camp."

Bottom Line: This situation bears watching and we will let you know if this ends up being significant. If Smith is out or is nursing a hamstring injury for any period of time it automatically adjusts the top of the WR rankings.

Other notable news and information...

Chief Concern in Kansas City

2006-07-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Offensive Lineman, Willie Roaf Retires

Wille Roaf, offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs has announced his retirement from the NFL. One of the league's top offensive linemen, Roaf is calling it a careerl after 13 seasons. While he was adamant about his desire to play early in the offseason, lingering injuries to his hamstring and knee led to Roaf's decision to retire.

Bottom line: Fantasy football owners be aware that this will affect Larry Johnson's value and impact and adds confusion to the overall number 1 pick at this point. We will modify the statistics accordingly with our next update.

First Big Name Camp Casualty

2006-07-27T15:31:00.000-04:00

New Cleveland Browns Free Agent Center, LeCharles Bentley, was carted off the field during the team's first training camp practice Thursday. According to the Associated Press, Bentley got tangled up in a pile of players while blocking on a running play. He screamed "No" and remained on the ground for several minutes before his left leg was immobilized and he was carted to the locker room. The injury appears to be serious.

Bottom line:
If he is out for any length of time or the season this really puts a damper on the hope of the franchise as they needed a strong line to support Ruben Droughns and Charlie Frye.

Law Signs With Chiefs

2006-07-25T05:52:00.000-04:00

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed Ty Law to play opposite of Patrick Surtain and help shore up the Kansas City secondary.

Ashley Lelie has front office approval from the Broncos to seek a trade - suitors are said to be Tennessee, Chicago, Baltimore, New England, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The Broncos are said to be looking for running back help - if that is the case then Chicago and Tennessee would appear to be the front runners as they have depth at the position.

Rookies are signing like crazy now that the camps are opening around the league - there is a provision in the latest labor agreement that allows clubs to up the fines (almost triple) for rookies who hold out. This should help everyone get into camp quickly.

NFL Cheerleader Links

2006-07-21T06:49:00.000-04:00

As a fantasy football player it is important to not forget one of the main benefits of watching football. Sure we love the stats, the hits, the big plays, but as the television timeouts are about to take place or the coverage returns there is that one element that keeps us glued to the television. You know the one, when the sposors ad gets lost and you actually try to look around them to see what is going on. Ok, I will just tell you then, the Cheerleaders. What would a Sunday be without them? Below we provide you links to the cheerleading sites so you never have to be without.

Get the links here.

Fantasygods.Com Cheat Sheet Generator

2006-07-18T13:55:00.000-04:00

We have added a new tool for registered users in the downloads section of the site. This tool is to help with your draft by creating positional cheat sheets. Register and download this tool now. We will update the files in the tool as we update our rankings.
If you would like some pre-canned cheatsheets then you can download print off one of the following based on the rankings we publish:

To get FREE fantasy football cheatsheets click here.

NFL Training Camp Begins This Week

2006-07-15T11:55:00.000-04:00

Finally, after months of waiting, the NFL gets ready to kick off the 2006 season. Some camps start this week while most start next week for a complete list of training camp schedules click here. Each year the teams go to camp and try to improve upon last season's performance. It also provides a nice opportunity for the fans to get up close and personal with the players. Green Bay is famous for having to ride bicycles through the fans to get to the practice grounds, but most camps do offer alot for everyone. There are autograph sessions, merchandise and activities for children as well. The majority of camps are located in areas that offer the opportunity to get out and explore, whether it is in the area of culinary delights or historic landmarks, there is plenty to see and do.
Read more here.

Fantasy Football 101

2006-07-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

For those people who have never played or were curious about fantasy football we have created a 'Fantasy Football 101" to help you along the way.

Create or join a League

Ok, you’ve decided to play fantasy football. Now what? First you need to join a league. You most likely took care of that when you became involved. If not there are several options to find competition. You can create or join free leagues such as Yahoo! or ESPN. If you are in it for glory or are a serious player and put money on the line you can find many pay and reward leagues out there that can return over 90% of your investment such as an AntSports League .

Create a Team Identity

Once you are in a league you have to create an identity. This is accomplished by naming your franchise and creating a logo, on top of that you can create posts and trash talk your opponents or be known as the quiet one. Either way this will help to identify your team as the one that people look forward to playing and beating or this could be your thoughts going in depending on how you set yourself up.

Rules

Read and re-read the league rules and understand them. This is very important as this can diffuse conflicts and avoid issues in the first place. Rules are there to provide order and control for your league. If you created the league – this is step number 1 – creating the rules. As a participant, be sure to follow the rules as it will make life easier for your commissioner and you.

Preparation

Now comes the fun part. You have probably set a draft date and you will either have an online or offline draft. We always think the atmosphere is better when everyone can be jammed into a space and draft as a party, but in a lot of cases that can’t happen. The alternative is an online draft or email variant where the selections are made from a computer versus putting stickers on a draft board.

How does one prepare for a draft? This is the most work you will do in preparing, scouring the websites for data on players, looking for rankings (QB, RB, WR, TE, DT, K), cheatsheets, bye week information, NFL team schedules and essentially anything you can get your hands on to give you that edge. We have tried to provide you all that and more here at Fantasygods.com.

Mock drafting is also a useful tool as outlined in the article “The Importance of the Mock Draft”. This will provide you with an edge on where players are going based upon a scoring system and public perception. You may also want to review our article on “Tips for a Successful Draft”, to help you succeed on draft day.

Setting Your Team

Now you have a team and you need to put in the best lineup possible. Checking out our gameday section will offer advice on starting and sitting players. You should evaluate past performances versus defenses as an indicator of how well a position will do. If one of your QB’s is playing a pass friendly defense then it is a good move to start him over another one. The same goes for wide receivers, but in this type of match up the RB may not perform as well. Always assume that there are some players who are “Unbenchable”, if you don’t know check to be sure.

Weekly Play

Each week of the season you will need to monitor your team and make adjustments as needed. Sometimes that may mean cutting loose a guy you were waiting on in return for a hot free agent. Free agency is a natural extension of the draft that you must go through each week of the season to ensure your team has the best opportunity to succeed. Injuries also happen and the only way to adjust is to be out on the free agency wire. Trades are also not out of the question. There may be a need you have and a need you can fill that is mutually beneficial or you can steal from an opponent who is uninformed or oblivious. It is also good to talk up the game in the online forum or trash talk board to get someone’s goat.

End of the Season / Playoffs

If all goes well you will be in the playoffs and going for the ultimate prize, the championship, and all that comes with it; fame, glory, riches and status and maybe even a name on your trophy. You have to pay even more attention to the news on your players and who to sit or bench each week as every point becomes critical.

If you did not make the playoffs, just remember there is always next year. You must learn from what happened and why you missed the playoffs, did someone get injured? Did you draft a bunch of busts? Sleepers never panned out? For some reason or another your campaign failed to reach its goal, but did you have fun trying?

For the Love of the Game

In the end with the season over, it is good if you can get your league together for a presentation to the Champ and reminisce about the glory you won or missed, at least you can give someone heck for sweeping the series with them this year. The main reason we play this game is because of the love of the real game of football. In the end we would watch it each weekend anyhow, but luckily someone found a way to make even more fun out of it and make an enjoyable pastime even more enjoyable. Drink up, enjoy the moment because planning starts again for the next year with the NFL free agency period in March and the NFL Draft in April. Until then get some rest and dream of victory.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 8

2006-07-11T06:46:00.000-04:00

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks

Over the last 10 years the Super Bowl loser has not returned to the playoffs. Will Seattle continue that trend or break it? They have in their mind that the ref’s gave the Steelers the game and, true or not, that should provide plenty of incentive to return to the playoffs. Seattle could easily win the division again, knowing the recent trends we are apprehensive, however, with the off season moves they made we could see them making another run. It will be a race in the West for sure, first time in a long time.

The off season saw the strange loss of G, Steve Hutchinson to Minnesota. The use of the loopholes to make it impossible for Seattle to match was what was strange about it. This was a huge loss for the Seahawks. Filling in for him will be crucial as the side of the line that was Jones and Hutchinson was RB, Alexander’s bread and butter. Other notable departures were DE, Rodney Bailey (Pit), CB, Andre Dyson (NYJ), WR, Joe Jurevicius (Cle), and S, Marquand Manuel (GB). To offset these losses and sure up the gaps already existing the Seahawks signed T, Tom Ashworth (NE), LB, Julian Peterson (SF), WR, Nate Burleson (Min), DT, Russell Davis (Ari) and DE, Kemp Rasmussen (Car).

In drafting, the Seahawks took defensive players on day one selecting CB, Kelly Jennings and DE, Darryl Tapp with their 1^st and 2^nd round picks. Day two was offensive as they selected a G, FB, P and WR with their remaining choices.

The Seahawks could have the post Super Bowl losers bad season as has been trended by the last 10 years of Super Bowl losers, but we think they have done enough to offset their losses and have a fire in their belly from the way they lost the Super Bowl to still win this division, but it will not be as easy as it was in the past as Arizona and St. Louis are closing the gap – any misstep by the Hawks and they could easily be 3^rd.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 7

2006-07-09T08:27:00.000-04:00

AFC West

1. Denver Broncos

DEN Jake Plummer is being questioned once again about his ability to win in big games following last years Pittsburgh loss in the playoffs. Denver dominated many of the games they played in last year only to come up short once again. This year they have made some additional adjustments that they hope will get them over the hump and provide no excuses in gettingto the promised land.

In free agency, the Broncos lost RB, Mike Anderson (Bal) and DT, Trevor Pryce (Bal). They were able to keep everyone else and in addition the acquired LB’s, Nate Webster (Cin) and T.J. Hollowell (Chi) as well as DE, Kenard Lang (Cle) and CB, Willie Middlebrook (SF) to sure up the defense.

In the draft, the Broncos hit paydirt with the trade acquisition of WR, Javon Walker from Green Bay and then started selecting their picks for Day 1 selecting QB, Jay Cutler in the first round as the heir apparent to Jake Plummer, but who knows when that will take place. In the 2nd round they took TE, Tony Scheffler to provide some impact at that position, a position that has not been filled properly since the departure of Shannon Sharpe. On day two of the draft the Broncos were stockpiling offensive personnel taking 2 WR’s and a DE with their three 4th round picks and then rounding out the draft by taking a G and a C with their 5th and 6th round selections.

The Broncos added better LB’s in free agency and replaced their loss at DE, but will they have the horsepower to keep up with the rushing attack of Kansas City? If they can they will retain the division crown, but there is not a lot of wiggle room at the top of this division for them to get away with a lot of mistakes.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 6

2006-07-07T09:01:00.000-04:00

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers just could not get the offense going in the conference championship game against Seattle last year. Their defense did a poor job as well, but they were playing from the position of a wildcard team and should have been in a position to earn a bye week. This year they will look to get that week of rest and improve upon last season even though their division is getting a little stronger.

The Panthers lost some defensive personnel to free agency in the form of DE, Kemp Rasmussen (Sea), S’s, Marlon McCree (SD) and Indrees Bashir (Det), and LB’s, Brandon Short (NYG) and Will Witherspoon (Stl). For their losses the Panthers filled in with LB’s, Na’il Diggs (GB) and Keith Adams (Phi), DT’s, Damione Lewis (Stl) and Maake Kemoeatu (Bal) and DB’s, Shaun Williams (NYG), Reggie Howard (Mia), and Kevin McCadam (Atl). Their offense was mainly kept intact with the additions of C, Justin Hartwig (Ten), and WR, Keyshawn Johnson (Dal). It appears that Carolina ended up better for free agency this year.

In the draft, the Panthers took RB, DeAngelo Williams with their 1st pick sending a clear signal to DeShaun Foster that he needs to stay healthy and will be splitting carries this season again. For the next pick they took CB, Richard Marshall followed up by two 3rd round picks in LB, James Anderson and OT, Rashad Butler. The second day saw a S, TE, G, and a DE taken with the remainder of their picks.

Carolina seems improved on paper over last year. They will need to rely on a more balanced attack with an improved running game to earn their bye for the playoffs in this increasingly tough division. They may be fighting it out with Tampa for the top spot, but the Panthers are to the point where they are seasoned and should be able to take it barring injury.

Read More Here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 5

2006-07-06T09:14:00.000-04:00

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts

How many years has it been said that this is the Colts year? Well we are saying it again. This is the most complete offensive machine in football. The loss of RB, Edgerrin James in the off season was off set by knowing Dominic Rhodes is capable and the drafting of Joseph Addai.
The Colts off season was fairly quiet outside of the loss of RB, Edgerrin James. They were able to keep LB’s, Cato June and Rob Morris and then signed a kicker in Adam Vinatieri (NE). They did lose DT, Larry Tripplett (Buf), and backup WR, Troy Walters (Ari) as well as LB, David Thornton (Ten) and K, Mike Vanderjagt (Dal).

The draft saw the Colt’s replace James with RB, Joseph Addai in the 1st round and then right back to defense for the 2nd and 3rd rounds grabbing CB, Tin Jennings and LB, Freddie Keiaho. The remainder of their draft went OL in the 5th and 6th and DB in the 6th and 7th. Addai should provide an immediate impact this year, even splitting time with Rhodes.

The Colts were better on defense last year and should improve a little this year. The offense is still carrying this team and with the addition of ‘Mr. Clutch’ in Vinatieri, they should be able to get over the playoff hump, no more excuses Peyton. Jacksonville could challenge, but they had some key losses that they need to prove they were able to get past.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 4

2006-07-02T22:02:00.000-04:00

NFC North

1. Chicago

Chicago made it throught the season and into the playoffs by the sheer will of their defense. The 2005 offense was led by rookie QB, Kyle Orton. A baptism by fire but he survived it. Rex Grossman was out for a prolonged period of time for the second year straight so the Chicago offense is still waiting to get moving in the right direction.

In free agency, Chicago was mostly quiet with the important acquisition of QB, Brian Griese as perhaps a sign of things to come in 2006. The teams major concerns are getting their draft picks to not hold out.

The Bears draft was defensive oriented. They had two 2^nd round picks spent on S, Danieal Manning, and CB, Devin Hester. That was followed up by a DT in the 3^rd, a LB in the 4^th and in the 5^th a DE. Then with two 6^th round picks a FB and OL were taken.

Chicago is the best of the NFC North and with the defense intact a little improvement on offense will make them more dangerous. Bringing in Griese says that they are tired of Grossman getting injured and were in need of a competent ‘back up’. We believe even though Grossman is the starting QB that an open competition in training camp could leave Griese holdingthe keys to the Bear offense. With a competent QB and the nice running game they have in Benson and Jones, the Bears will win the division. The level of competition is not strong enough in this weak division to catch them at this point.

Read more here.

2006 Divisional Predictions Part 3

2006-06-30T08:41:00.000-04:00

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals

The injury to Carson Palmer destroyed the Bengals dreams last year, but he has been intent on returning for opening day 2006. That is a major feat in itself, but will he be the same Carson Palmer that has led the Bengals out of the perennial NFL basement? Time will tell.

The off season saw some decent depth at QB (Jon Kitna) move on to other opportunities. It also saw LB, Nate Webster (Den) and TE Matt Schobel (Phi) move on, but that was it. The remainder of the team from last year was left intact. The defensive additions include DT, Sam Adams (Buf) and S, Dexter Jackson (TB), on the offense they added some depth with WR, Antonio Chatman (GB) and QB, Anthony Wright (Bal), not a huge off season by any means out side of keeping their own players.

Cincinnati drafted CB, Johnathan Joseph, OT, Andrew Witworth with their first two pics followed up by a couple of DL, a LB and then some potential offensive depth with a QB and 2 WR. The only foreseeable impact player in 2006 seems to be Joseph, who has received high praise from the mini camps thus far.

The Bengals season hinges directly on the knee of Carson Palmer. If he is at worst the same as last year then they win the division, but if he is not himself from last season then it will be a struggle. WR’s, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh represent one of the best receiving tandem’s in the league and RB, Rudi Johnson continues to tote the load. They have decent depth at the skill positions outside of QB so as Palmer goes the Bengals will follow. Being optimistic and thinking that based on his work ethic to return from knee injury we are opting for Cincinnati to win the AFC North.

Read more...

2006 NFL Divisional Predictions Part 2

2006-06-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys

Bill and Drew ride off into the sunset as the Cowboys drive through the playoffs to the Super Bowl. Or is it just a fantasy? The Cowboys added the explosive WR, Terrell Owens to give them a leg up in the division, but will it be enough? Drew Bledsoe is one of the most immobile quarterbacks in the league and at some point that spells injury. The Cowboys had better protect him if they want their return to glory to be complete.

The off season for the Cowboys can be summed up in the acquisition of WR, Terrell Owens, but there were defensive improvements as well as they signed LB’s, Rocky Boiman (Ten) and Akin Avodele (Jac) and S, Marcus Coleman (Houston). They also invested in OL protection for Bledsoe in offensive linemen, Jason Fabini (NYJ) and Kyle Kosier (Det). They also picked up K, Mike Vanderjagt (Ind). The main departures were underperforming OL, Larry Allen (SF), DT, La’Roi Glover (STL) and WR, Keyshawn Johnson (Car).

The Cowboys draft took LB, Bobby Carpenter in the first round who could be an impact starter for them this year, followed by a TE and then DE, Jason Hatcher in the 3^rd round. The remainder of the draft was a mix of offensive and defensive personnel.

Dallas has already laid claim to the NFC East division title and it could be well within reach if the improved defenses of NY, Washington and Philly don’t hit Bledsoe too much. There may also be tension on the field for sharing the ball with Owens, Glenn and Witten while also running the ball. The Cowboys will need to be on offense 80% of the time to keep everyone happy. Can Bill hold it together? Can T.O. prove whiners prosper? Can Bledsoe stay upright? If all of these things can happen the Cowboys win the East, if not any one of the teams below could leapfrog them and drop the ‘boys in the basement, which is how close this division really is.

2006 NFL Divisional Predictions Part 1

2006-06-26T11:11:00.000-04:00

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots

The Patriots have been in the top spot for several years despite losses in free agency. Again this year they should win the AFC East simply because the level of competition has not risen up to them nor have they lost enough to go down a spot. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL and should prove that again in 2006.

In free agency there were some key losses with Tom Ashworth (T) to Seattle, David Givens (WR) to Tennessee, Willie McGinest (LB) to Cleveland and Adam Vinatieri (K) to Indianapolis. ON the flip side there was little in the way of acquiring replacements or upgrades in getting what would be designated at best as a 3rd WR in Reche Caldwell from San Diego and S, Tebucky Jones from Miami the rest was really spent on retaining some core members of the team. The most difficult replacement will be finding a reliable kicker.

In the draft, the Patriots took RB, Laurence Maroney with the first pick and WR, Chad Jackson with the second pick, then a couple of TE’s, K, a couple of OL and acouple of DL and a DB. Maroney will contribute this year and there is a good chance that Jackson will as well though not as much.

One thing that can be said though is that New England, really Bill Belichick, seems to always find a way and this year should be no different as New England will find a way to hold on to the division.

To read more click here.

Fantasy Football Pre-Camp Training

2006-06-21T09:33:00.000-04:00

Now that the NHL and NBA seasons are over and MLB is at about the mid-year point it is time to start getting back in shape for the NFL and in particular Fantasy Football. Training camps will open for most in late July, but there is much that can be done now to prepare for you upcoming drafts and season.

The first thing you can do is to get re-aquainted with the teams and the off-season movement by looking at the results of free agency. Then you can start to review the many features of Fantasygods.com. You can start by reviewing the player rankings and going over the Tips for a Successful Draft as well as the Importance of the Mock Draft articles.

There is also some interesting insight on the Third Year Wide Receiver that you can read through. It is also good to look through the NFL Schedule grid and get a copy of the bye weeks prior to drafting.

The site is always being updated so check back for updates and new information daily.

Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup

2006-06-20T08:05:00.000-04:00

The Carolina Hurricanes win their first ever Stanley Cup with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in game 7 of the series. After allowing the Oilers some hope watching them even up the series after leading 3 games to 1, the Hurricanes played with resolve on Monday night and left no doubt that they were going to emerge victorious.

Rookie goalie Cam Ward stopped just about evey shot the Oilers had to offer giving up just one goal early in the 3rd period facing 23 shots. He also was the reciepient of the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff MVP. The real story for game 7 for Carolina outside of the rookies play was the fantastic defensive play by Carolina in shutting down the Oilers attack and in turring offensive themselves gettign the first two goals of the game. Aaron Ward and Frantisek Kaberle lit the lamp in the first and second period respectively.

Read more at Fantasygods.com

Edmonton Equalizes Series

2006-06-18T06:01:00.000-04:00

The Edmonton Oilers went home for game 6 and made it happen. They won in very convincing fashion and are now headed back to Carolina for the final and deciding game for the Stanley Cup. Carolina just looked sluggish and played uninspired, especially considering they should have wanted to avoid a game 7 after being up 3 games to 1 in the series. With a win in Game 7 Monday, Edmonton would be the first team in 64 years to come back from 3-1 down to win the Cup. The Hurricanes whiffed again, getting outshot 34-16 and totally worked over by the younger Oilers, who barely made it into the playoffs and then became the first No. 8 seed under the current format to reach the championship round. The Edmonton Oilers mobbed their third-string-turned-starting goalie as the crowd chanted, "We want the cup!"

Read More of this story here.

Edmonton Stays Alive

2006-06-15T06:52:00.000-04:00

Fernando Pisani scored a shorthanded goal early in overtime and the Oilers prevented Carolina from celebrating its first championship on home ice, stunning the Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to send the series back to Alberta.

Pack it back up. Game 6 is Saturday night in Edmonton.

The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2, but the Oilers refused to buckle when facing elimination for the first time in these playoffs -- even after Steve Staios was sent to the penalty box for dragging down Mark Recchi at 3:03 of overtime.

Just 28 seconds later, Pisani struck for his second goal of the game and the first shorthanded overtime goal in Stanley Cup finals history.

Read more of this story at Fantasygods.com

Roethlisberger Injured In Motorcycle Accident

2006-06-12T13:07:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (head) has been injured in a motorcycle accident around 11:30 am Monday, June 12. The team has confirmed Roethlisberger was injured. He was not wearing a helmet when he flew over the handlebars and hit his head on the windshield of a car, according to an eyewitness. The witness added Roethlisberger seemed groggy and was bleeding from his head, but was able to say his first name. He has been taken to Mercy Hospital, but officials are not commenting on his condition.

It is still too early to tell how severe his injury is, but the team is seriously concerned about his condition. Early indications are his injuries are not life-threatening.

Read more about it here.

McNair Moves On

2006-06-10T21:00:00.000-04:00

As predicted before in this article, Titans QB Steve McNair has been traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a 4th round pick. There was no way the Titans would just cut him and getting a 4th rounder is better than nothing. The deal is for five years with a maximum value of $32 million, but in reality this is more likely a three-year contract that will pay him $20 million. McNair has also been inserted at the Ravens new starting quarterback.

McNair still has value and it may be an increased value as far as the Ravens and fantasy football players are concerned. The Ravens immediatly fill the need of a competent quarterback and in doing so made the weapons surrounding him on the field more valuable as well.

Read more here.

Pennington Throws Again

2006-06-01T06:40:00.000-04:00

Although the club offered few details, New York Jets officials confirmed that quarterback Chad Pennington, rehabilitating from a second surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, threw in seven-on-seven and "team" drills during a Tuesday practice. Pennington also repeated the activities on Wednesday.

The voluntary organized team activity (OTA) session, closed to the media, is the first time this spring that Pennington has thrown in a team-type environment since October surgery on his shoulder.

Pennington is expected to continue testing the shoulder in the ongoing OTAs through this week and the Jets will convene for a veteran minicamp June 15-17.

Bottom Line: More will be known after the June 15-17 minicamp, but the reality of Pennington's status will be up in the air until camp opens. If he is recovered from the shoulder surgery he will increase in value. Until more is known treat this a good news, but with a grain of salt that perhaps it is a smokescreen by the Jets to get some trade interest.

Read more at Fantasygods.com

Other News:

McNair allowed to train at Titans Facillity - The Tennessee Titans must allow Steve McNair to work out on their property as long as he has a contract with the team, an arbitrator ruled Wednesday. Read the entire story here.

Ricky and the Argonauts - Ricky Williams is the highest paid CFL running back. For better or worse he was able to sign a deal with the Toronto Argonauts - read more on that here.

Third Year Wide Receivers

2006-05-25T22:22:00.000-04:00

Every year there are WR’s that seem to come out of no where to shock, surprise and propel a fantasy team to victory week after week. There are statistics to prove out that WR’s in their 3rd year seem to breakout. Some have done articles on the topic and based upon their statistics it seems like a reasonable reach to go after a quality WR in their 3rd to 5th year and hope to catch a rising star. At this point, since the data has been generally accepted for many years it is just a matter of knowing who is in their third year and what their situation is. Then based on that the predictions on who will be the next breakout WR(s) can be made. We have looked at all of the 3rd year WR’s for 2006 and some are easily dismissed, others have already arrived and then we have some that appear to be on the cusp of having a breakout season in 2006. Below we will go through the list in team order:

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: He is now entering his 3rd year, but has been exceptional in each of his years since becoming a pro. He would fall into the already there group of WR’s. It is actually scary to think that he can still get better. Some of his numbers from 2005 were due to the team consistantly playing catch up. For 2006, the Cardinals revamped the OL and brought in James to get a running game going. This won’t turn Fitzgerald into a has been, but we would find it difficult for his numbers to get better based upon the situation. His TD’s could improve, but the yardage may not. He is not a surprise on any one’s draft board and will be gone quite early.

Read the entire article at Fantasygods.com

News You Can Use

2006-05-19T09:40:00.000-04:00

McNair Arbitration Hearing

The Titans and Steve McNair played "I said, They Said" on Tuesday. McNair is looking for a release but the Titans say they did not breach his contract by not letting him work out in their facility. The ruling in this case is expected on June 1st.

Bottom Line: It is unlikely that McNair will play for the Titans this season. His cap number is way too high and with the bad blood that this hearing is causing it seems more and more likely that he will win the case or be released. The Titans may be wise to make a trade for something with the Baltimore Ravens for McNair lest they get nothing for his departure. If McNair goes to Baltimore he will be reunited with his favorite target in Derrick Mason. The Ravens will most likely have to sign a free agent QB before camp if they don't get McNair and that candidate could be Kerry Collins due to his relationship with Jim Fassel.

Shopping of Ashley Lelie

Now that the Broncos have Javon Walker they are trying to find a way to move Ashley Lelie. Teams rumored to be interested are...

Continue reading at Fantasygods.com

I Shall Call It Mini-Camp

2006-05-17T07:01:00.000-04:00

Mini-camps are opportunities for the NFL teams to get together and start to gel. These are short camps over a time frame less than a week. Most teams have gone through the rookie mini-camp to get the rookies on the practice field and start getting them acclimated to the playbook. It is important to monitor these camps just to get a sniff about injuries, potential hold outs, free agent indoctrinations or upcoming traing camp battles for position.

From the latest round of mini-camps we saw Joey Harrington get traded, Reggie Bush have a hamstring issue that is going to the MRI phase now, Ashlie Lelie lay the groundwork for a holdout, and Donovan McNabb trying to make a statement about T.O. without saying T.O. Speaking of which, it was also the first opportunity to have Bill Parcells lay the groundwork for T.O. telling him what to expect. We also saw the NFL change it's policy on the positional numbering system, but who really knows what that means?

All in all these camps provide the insiders a little bit of additional information and some of it can be used by fantasy players to begin to create the 2006 player projections. For most of us now it is the slow march to June and then the wait until training camps open in July, but it is right around the corner, until then mini-camp is what we have.

Check out this and more at Fantasygods.com.

Last Chance for Super Bowl Lottery for This Year

2006-05-12T06:14:00.000-04:00

Your last chance to get into the lottery to get Superbowl tickets at face value for this year is about to expire.

Want to win the right to buy Superbowl Tickets at face value? There is a way. It is the annual lottery that the NFL runs - it is very simple to enter. This may be the only affordable way to get to the game if your team makes it. If not then I am sure you would have no trouble selling them.

From the NFL:

Tickets

Tickets for the general public to Super Bowl XL are NO longer available. The only method the NFL has to distribute tickets to the public is through a random drawing. The primary means of distribution is through each NFL team. There is no other means for the general public to purchase tickets. The NFL does not sell tickets to travel or ticket agents. Entries for the random drawing are accepted between Feb. 1 and June 1 of the year preceding the game in question. All entries must include name, address, phone number and email address. You will be notified by mail if you are eligible to purchase Super Bowl tickets in October or November.

Here is what you need to do:

All ticket requests must be sent via certified or registered mail. Requests for tickets to Super Bowl XLI, to be played Feb. 4, 2007 in Miami, Fla., will be accepted beginning Feb. 1, 2006. Requests should be sent to:

Super Bowl Random Drawing
P.O. Box 49140
Strongsville, OH 44149-0140

Please note that only one request per address is accepted. All duplicate requests will be disregarded.

Good Luck!

Jimmy Smith to Retire

2006-05-11T09:13:00.000-04:00

Jacksonvile Jaguars dependable wide receiver Jimmy Smith is retiring. Byron Leftwitch will have to get used to not having number 82 on the field. He talked about retiring at the end of last season, but Coach Del Rio asked him to take some time to be sure this was the right thing. After thinking about all off-season Smith has decided to hang up the spikes.

Bottom line: Fantasy owners used to get good production from Smith from lower draft positions. Time to look in a new direction for WR production in Jacksonville.

Superbowl Sunday

2006-02-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

Who to pick in this matchup? This is not an easy one. The line is currently at Pittsburgh giving 4 points - it opened at 3.5 so the money is about even on both sides.

Seattle has a better rushing attack - assuming that Shaun Alexander shows up (he does have a history of slacking off in playoff games - except the Carolina blowout this year). Defense - I have to give the nod to the Steelers - they have been playing quite well - but Seattle put on a good show in the last couple playoff games. Matt Hasselbeck seems to have matured this year and has made fewer mistakes down the stretch - Big Ben - has impressed at times as well.

What to do:
Steelers - Run the ball and set up the pass - one of the best O lines in the business - the Steelers need the ground game to keep the high scoring Seahawks off the field and to balance their attack.
On defense they need to get to Hasselbeck and give him happy feet without giving up the big play. Look for Le Beau to have some nice packages aimed at confusing Hasselbeck.

Seahawks - On offense - give to Alexander and run left and run right - Pass to Jackson and Engram as needed to keep drives alive.
On defense I think the Seahawks will not blitz unless they have to - I think they will try to stuff the run and put the game in the young Quarterbacks hands hoping Big Ben will make mistakes.

Both coaches have been there before - so it is a wash.

In the end I am hoping for a close game and I think it could come down to a field goal - just to kill the Steeler money...I still need to go with my gut though and take the Steelers to cover.

Enjoy the game and look for more content in 2006!

Week 6

2005-10-14T23:56:00.000-04:00

Week 6 of the Six Pack 'O Picks
6 picks for the games this week from our resident prognosticator some interesting choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Week 5 Recap: New week, different beer, same result: 4-2. Here’s what I learned in week 5:

I am on pace to go 89-7 since my unofficial warm up in week 1.
I went 2-0 in games I officially do not remember picking (Bills and Panthers). Maybe I should stick with them.
Apparently, “Parcells” is not Australian for “bad coach,” but rather for “big fat Tuna.” The Cowboys still stink, though!

YTD record (against the spread): 18-12 *

* undefeated in college games

Week 6 : Miller-Lite (uggh)

A wise man once told me, “If you want a light beer, drop some ice cubes in your mug!” I thought this old crazy fool was drunk when he spewed this from his three legged bar stool, and maybe he was, but have you ever tried a beer with ice cubes in it? It’s terrible; almost like a dirty wash rag that was used to wipe down the local high school cafeteria tables. The point (and this is how I knew the old man was wise), there shouldn’t be any such thing as light beer. It’s not even beer. But in light of not being able to make it to work after my Foster’s “incident” last week, my body (and my wife, for that matter) ordred me to take it down a notch. So I logged onto the net in search of the first ever light beer and hence my encounter with none other than Miller-Lite (first successful light beer: released in 1972) this week. Now this puts me in a predicament. Through six weeks what have we learned? More drunk = better picks. It’s almost like E= MC2. With that in mind, can I succeed this week? Yes; but only if: More sick from terrible light beer = better picks. Even if my picks fail this week, I may be able to answer one age old question: Miller-Lite... Less Filling or Tatses Great. Here goes:

1st beer : Cincinnati (+3 pts) @ Tennessee..... Continue Reading in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Also see his review of last weeks picks and email him to tell him what 6 pack to drink while picking next week.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Week 6 is upon us and you need to see who is going to perform or not.
Check the player news and information, weather conditions and Prophecies for the game you are interested in and be sure to check out the Fantasygods recommendations for each game here.

For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

Week 5

2005-10-07T06:30:00.000-04:00

Week 5 of the Six Pack 'O Picks
6 picks for the games this week from our resident prognosticator some interesting choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Week 4 Recap
Another stellar week at 4-2. It should have been 5-1, but apparently something got lost in the English to Mexican translation of 49ers to Cardinals.

I am on pace to go 91-5 since my unofficial warm up in week 1.
I am still undefeated in college game picks!
Apparently, the Cardinals are better at playing soccer than football. Maybe they should play
all their home games in Mexico.

YTD record (against the spread): 14-10 *

* undefeated in college games

Week 5: Fosters

If Fosters is “Australian for beer” then Six Pack O’Picks must be Australian for “Great Picks!” By the way, if Fosters is Australian for beer, then what is the Australian translation of beer? Hmmm?

After the great Mexican cerveza experiment that saw me go 4-2, I decided to switch continents and go “down under” this week in search of perfection at 6-0. Can it be done? Yes. Will it be done? Well since I learned in week 3 that more drunk = better picks and this restaurant only serves Fosters in 24 ounce mugs, then yes, I’d say this week is a stone cold mortal lock to see me go 6-0. Cheers.

1st beer: Seattle (+3 pts) @ St. Louis.... Continue Reading in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Also see his review of last weeks picks and email him to tell him what 6 pack to drink while picking next week.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Week 4 is upon us and you need to see who is going to perform or not.
Check the player news and information, weather conditionsfor the game you are interested in and be sure to check out the Fantasygods recommendations for each game here.

For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

Week 4

2005-09-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

Week 4 of the Six Pack 'O Picks
6 picks for the games this week from our resident prognosticator some interesting choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Week 3 Recap
Thanks for all the emails and keep them coming. I especially enjoyed the emails from several drunk readers such as "Mike." Though he indicated he was drinking Sierra Nevada, he actually suggested "Corona" as the week 3 beer. I'm not sure if he remembers, but thanks anyway. Speaking of not remembering, it seems I do better with my picks, the more drunk I am; as I was nailed on my first two beer picks…the Eagles and Chiefs! Still, at 4-2, I was in the money for the second straight week. Expect that trend to continue…and no that's not the beer talking.

I am on pace to go 95-3 since my unofficial warm up in week 1.
I am still undefeated in college game picks!
More Drunk = Better Picks. I need to get drunk quicker. Perhaps I can try drinking my first two beers through a straw this week

YTD record (against the spread): 10-8*
* undefeated in college games

This week brings us Corona and the claim that Corona is miles away from ordinary. If that is the case then this is the beer for me as my picks are, miles away from ordinary.... Continue Reading in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Also see his review of last weeks picks and email him to tell him what 6 pack to drink while picking next week.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Week 4 is upon us and you need to see who is going to perform or not.
Check the player news and information, weather conditionsfor the game you are interested in and be sure to check out the Fantasygods recommendations for each game here.

For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

Week 3 Re-Cap

2005-09-28T20:21:00.000-04:00

What we learned - Week 3
We learned that San Diego has the best player in football.

We learned that this is the week Detroit did not look so bad.

We learned that Dante can still throw the rock and the Saints may already be out of gas.

We learned that Dallas has a big leak in their Defense.

We learned that the Jets are in real trouble.

We found out that no matter the year or the place, giving the Patriots time to win at the end of the game is not a good idea.

We learned Cincinnati is for real. Indianapolis is struggling, but winning, Buffalo is not as good as we originally thought.

We saw that a kicker matters whether he plays for Green Bay, Arizona, Oakland, Philadelphia or New England - they matter.

We learned that the Chiefs have running problems without Willie Roaf...

We learned that Brian Westbrook should have a contract.

We learned that Cadillac Williams is pretty darn good.

Observations:

Indianapolis is winning games with minimal offense, when they get it going - and they will it will be tough for everyone. Cincinnati has to be the biggest surprise this season so far. Give LT the rock. Keyshawn and Terry still have it at their age. Vinniy is a Jet again. Oakland is a decent 0-3 team and with a little luck they could be 2-1. St. Louis is going to be 8-8 unless they get more consistant on defense. Tampa is a quite 3-0.

Revelations:

Donovan McNabb : Philadelphia

McNabb is currently the top QB in virtually all fantasy football scoring formats but is currently suffering from a plethora of ailments. In light of his most recent injury, a sports hernia, we suggest you unload McNabb immediately. While the hernia should not slow him down, we are concerned that the ignorance of coach Reid will lead to McNabb suffering a more severe injury (much like the David Akers situation). Though McNabb is banged up, Coach Reid did not hesitate to have Donovan drop back 52 times in Sunday’s victory…52! While 52 attempts is great for fantasy points, exposing an already inured McNabb to that kind of punishment will see the Eagles QB on IR sooner rather than later. Due to Reid’s history of being stubborn we recommend selling McNabb high before it’s too late! (Hence, you may want to unload Westbrook and Owens as well)

Arizona RB’s : Arizona

JJ Arrington received early pre-draft hype but has fizzled in the first three weeks. Will it change? No! Do not expect Arrington to rebound with any monster games in the near future. Marcell Shipp is cutting into his time and now with QB Warner out for a month, Arrington will be even less productive. As far as Shipp, expect a bump in his carries, but TD’s to be few and far between. We do not recommend having either of these RB’s on your team. Cut them today!

Arnaz Battle : San Francisco

We know he strained his hamstrung this week, but if you are in need of a WR, we recommend picking up Battle this week. He has been the most consistent fantasy producer on the 49ers and we hear his hamstring will be fine. Additionally, Battle (the former Notre Dame QB) is being utilized much like the original slash, Kordell Stewart, and should receive at least 3 rush attempts per game and perhaps even a pass attempt. Latch onto him now as a WR bye week fill in.

Courtney Anderson : Oakland

If you need a TE, do not hesitate to pick up this 6’ 07” behemoth. With all the attention Moss, Porter and Lamont Jordan are seeing, Anderson is running free down the field. He responded with 5 catches for 100 yards in week 3 to compliment the 2 TD’s he scored in week 1. Look for the Raiders to utilize him even more in the coming weeks as he could have some monster games.

Did you notice that Kerry Collins (Oak) has fumbled in all three games this season? This guy is not a winner!

Week 3 Re-Posted

2005-09-24T07:52:00.000-04:00

Week 3 of the Six Pack 'O Picks
6 picks for the games this week from our resident prognosticator some interesting choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks. Also see his review of last weeks picks and email him to tell him what 6 pack to drink while picking next week.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Week 3 is upon us and you need to see who is going to perform or not.
Check the player news and information, weather conditionsfor the game you are interested in and be sure to check out the Fantasygods recommendations for each game here.

Week 3 Prophecies!

Here at Fantasygods, we do not like to toot our own horn, but we have special powers…we can see the future. Rather than use that power for such things as winning the lottery or saving lives, we feel this power is best used in the realm of Fantasy Football.
If however, you are interested in making money, check out Fantasygods “Six Pack O’ Picks” and start counting your winnings!

D. Culpepper wil finally throw a TD! In fact, he will throw at least 3 TD’s
Trent Green will finally throw a TD! In fact, he will throw 3 TD’s!
Cadillac Williams will rush for only 88 yards this week.
D. Foster will score a TD in week 3.
Chris Perry will be Cincinnati’s leading receiver this week.
Reggie Wayne will have 100+ yards receiving.
Drew Bennett will score 2 TD’s.
Koren Robinson (Minnesota) will catch at least 1 TD pass.
Marcell Shipp will have over 100 combined yards.
Jermaine Wiggins will have 75 yards receiving.

For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

PickemU Week 4

2005-09-23T15:24:00.000-04:00

Pick’em-U: Week 4

Welcome to the fourth week of the college season, college gridiron fans.

Last week wasn’t such a great week as I went 2-3 with my predictions and 0-1 with my upset pick of the week.

Pick’em-U is looking to improve this week with the following no-brainers and go from there.

Friday, September 23, 2005

NEW MEXICO STATE +30.5 over California
I like the Golden Bears, but giving more than 30 points on the road may be a bit too much at this time.  The Aggies are all about offense and Cal has the Pac-10’s best scoring defense (#2 total defense).  Stay tuned to ESPN to see which wins out and by how much.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Take these to your local bank branch and just deposit them now.

Michigan -3 over WISCONSIN
The Wolverines are back in sync after running up the score on lowly Eastern Michigan.  Now, it’s time to prove it to the Big Ten against the Badgers.

Arizona State -5.5 over OREGON STATE
Catch this one on Pac-10 Saturday Night Football on TBS.  The Sun Devils are for real on their own field.  However, now it’s time to prove it on the road in the Pac-10.  A false rumor going around is that the Sun Devils’ offense wore bibs while watching film of the Oregon State defense to catch the drool.  But, I can sure believe it.  Tune into TBS and give the 5.5 to the Beavers.

Solid Bet of the Week

ILLINOIS +10.5 over Michigan State
Always tough to go against Michigan State, however this one’s in Champaign, IL this weekend and the Illini are getting 10.5.  I’ll take it.

Underdog Pick of the Week

OREGON +21.5 over Southern California
USC has never managed to blow out the Ducks in Oregon since 9/28/1991, and even then, the score was only 30-14.  Even though these teams have not met since 2002, I still like how the Ducks overcame Fresno State last week and look for them to put up at least a wall of resistance against the Trojans and cover getting 21.5pts.  Hang on tight.  This one may be close with the spread, but that’s why it qualifies as the “Underdog” pick for this week.

Pro Pick of the Week

New England -3 over PITTSBURGH
Yep, the Willie Parker show is over for now.  Take the ‘Pats to win somewhere in the neighborhood of 23-17.

Week 2 Re-cap

2005-09-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

What we learned - Week 2
We learned this week that the first Monday night game for the Eagles was a fluke and the first game for San Fran may have been too, but we are not discounting that the Rams may stink. We are almost 100% sure Dante Culpepper would be considered a bust after 2 games. Randy was needed afterall. Start the Tice watch. We learned that Oakland can play close to good teams, just not beat them. We learned that the Jaguars are pretty good on defense and so are the Colts. We learned that there may be trouble in San Diego - restart the Marty watch? We learned that the NFL totally hosed the Saints by giving them a home game against the Giants in New York...WTF! Try a neutral site! We realized that the Patriots are mortal and Carolina may be the contender everyone once thought. We learned that Michael Vick still is learning the West Coast Offense. We sadly learned that Green Bay is in for a long season. We learned that Donavin Darius is out forthe season - and the Jags D looked so good. I learned that it is not so good to have the second highest points in Fantasy when you play the guy with the highest points.

Observations:

Pittsburgh is looking pretty good, the Titans were able to snub Jamal Lewis this week - how? Denver is still having issues on both sides of the ball. Seattle plays better at home. Joey Harrington is not the answer in Detroit. He is also killing Kevin Jones. Dallas looked so good versus San Diego and then lost to the Redskins in the last 4 minutes of the game - Parcells will have a conditioning coach out today. Houston seeems to have taken a step back. The Bills have no passing game.

Revelations:

Ron Dayne : Denver

We know, Mike Shanhan has reiterated that Mike Andersen is the starter. Forget that! All you need to know about Ron Dayne is that with 3 minutes left in a tie game the Broncos gave the ball to Dayne for 7 of their last 9 plays. Dayne responded and put the Broncos in position to win the game. Oh, and by the way did we mention that Mike Andersen fumbled. Do I need to say any more? PICK DAYNE UP IMMEADIATELY!

Tony Gonzalez : Kansas City

Chiefs OT Willie Roaf missed Sunday’s matchup with the Oakland Raiders and the fantasy implicatons were widespread. Not only did the running game struggle (against a weak Oakland run defense) but T. Gonzalez was used almost exclusively as a blocker. Until Roaf recovers from his hamstring strain, expect low production from Gonzalez and a sluggish running game from the Chiefs. As the Roaf injury is not expected to be long term, if you can trade Gonzalez in a blockbuster; do so…you never know when Roaf will go down again.

Trent Green : Kansas City

Stop worrying about Trent Green. Yes, we know he has yet top throw a TD pass, but he did the same thing last year when he struggled early and then rebounded to be the second best QB the final half of the 2004 season. If you do not have T. Green see if you can steal him from your fellow owner as his value will never be lower.

Kevin Jones : Detroit

Considered a rising star, Jones has been a bust the first two weeks and there is no relief in sight. With upcoming games against Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Carolina, three stingy defenses, Jones fantasy drought will likely continue. If you have him, look for a replacement over the next month and then expect him to rebound with a nice second half of the season. For other owners, keep your eye on Jones and try trading for him after the Ravens game as his value should be at an all time low.

Carson Palmer : Cincinnati

Palmer has exceeded expectations so far this season and while he is a decent fantasy QB, we recommend trading him now. His value will never be greater. With two great games against Cleveland and Minnessota, Palmer faces a rigorous upcoming schedule and should see a decline in his numbers. You’ll thank us later.

Extra point: For those of you that still have Joey Harrington (Det)on your team, you should never play Fantasy Football again!

Week 2

2005-09-16T11:04:00.000-04:00

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Week 2 is upon us and you need to see who is going to perform or not.
Check the player news and information, weather conditionsfor the game you are interested in and be sure to check out the Fantasygods recommendations for each game here.

Week 2 of the Six Pack 'O Picks
6 picks for the games this week from our resident prognosticator some interesting choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks. Also see his review of last weeks picks and email him to tell him what 6 pack to drink while picking next week.

Week 2 Prophecies!

Here at Fantasygods, we do not like to toot our own horn, but we have special powers…we can see the future. Rather than use that power for such things as winning the lottery or saving lives, we feel this power is best used in the realm of Fantasy Football.
If however, you are interested in making money, check out Fantasygods “Six Pack O’ Picks” and start counting your winnings!

Jamal Lewis will look better and score a TD this week, but he will still not rush for over 100 yards!
Michael Bennett will have more rushing yards than Rudi Johnson in this matchup.
Cadillac Williams will have more yards receiving than rushing this week.
Matt Hasslebeck will throw three TD’s.
TE Alex Smith will not score a TD for the next four weeks.
Frisman Jackson (who? Cle – WR) will have another 8 receptions this week.
Antonio Gates will score two TD’s in his return.
Rueben Droughns will rush for 87 yards and a TD.
Curtis Martin will combine for 100+ yards and a score against Miami.
Anquan Boldin will have more receptions than Larry Fitzgerald this week.

For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

What did We Learn Week 1?

2005-09-13T06:10:00.000-04:00

Week 1 is in the books. Here is a run down of the things we've learned.

We've learned that somehow the Chiefs and Colts were able to magically create defense. Both teams basically pitched a shutout until a garbage time score in the 4th quarter.
We've learned that another year that had hope for the Seahawks started off horrible - is it time to start the Mike Holmgren watch?
We've learned that there are many concerns about Chad Pennington - and the shoulder is only the beginning.
We've learned that Jake Plummer is once again a far cry from John Elway.
We've been reinforced about Priest Holmes and the KC offense, Peyton Manning and the Colt offense.
We felt good about New Orleans winning on the road.
We found out once again that the pre-season is totally meaningless...ask the Jets and Bronco's.
We've learned that Eli Manning may shine eventually.
We saw that Carson Palmer can get it done.
We found out that it really doesn't matter who runs the ball in Pittsburgh - they will succeed - Willie Parker.
We found out Steve Smith is back.
We saw that nothing is a given in the NFL this year - except maybe the Pats and Colts.
We learned that pre-game fighting and ejections can cost a team a game by losing players and draining emotion so there is no juice in the second half.

In a topsy turvey week 1, where many people probably lost money gambling, we saw poor teams from last year essentially get half of their winning total from the previous season.

Observations:

Mike Martz - the clock management king probably cost his team a real shot at winning the game. Brett Favre can not play in domes, the Minnesota Vikings said they didn't miss Randy, but looked otherwise. Larry Johnson should see the field more - if you handcuffed him to Holmes - now the question is who to start. Patriots looks solid yet again. Buffalo can and will win games by field goal. The new coaches were prepared. Dallas impressed and Cincinnati did as well. New Orleans may have some magic in that old hat. Denver is confusing many people and so is Tennessee. Willie Parker - you are the most aquired man in fantasy this week. Each week brings a new drama.

Free Agents:

Running Backs:

Willie Parker - What needs to be said here - he did an amazing job. He will be a factor as Bettis is old and injury prone and Staley is collecting checks from the infirmary.

Stephen Davis - He sure looked like the main man for Carolina.

Brandon Jacobs - Kind of like Larry Johnson, but not as many touches yet - if Tiki goes down his numbers go way up.

Wide Receivers:

Robert Ferguson - With Walker out Ferguson is the #2 guy in GB.

Patrick Crayton - Looke impressive.

Arnez Battle - some one else to catch in SF.

Joe Jurevicius - Red Zone target

Shaun McDonald - Was looked at and thrown to many times.

Watch - Frisman Jackson - Big day from unknown.

Quarterbacks:

Gus Ferotte - He led the Dolphins to what appeared to be an easy win.

Drew Bledsoe - He is a statue, but was effective for Dallas yesterday.

Mark Brunell - Sure the offense did not move, but he seemed more comfortable in there than Ramsey - in a deeper league he could serve as backup.

Tight Ends :

Alex Smith - 2 TD's in first game can't be bad.

Courtney Anderson

Chris Baker - sure it was garbage time, but alot of looks.

Watch - Daniel Wilcox - who needs Todd Heap - OK it was in garbage time, but still some one to watch?

PROPHECIES: Week 1

2005-09-08T18:41:00.000-04:00

Here at Fantasygods, we do not like to toot our own horn, but we have special powers…we can see the future. Rather than use that power for such things as winning the lottery or saving lives, we feel this power is best used in the realm of Fantasy Football.
If however, you are interested in making money, check out Fantasygods “Six Pack O’ Picks” and start counting your winnings!

1.New England will win this week, but will not win the Superbowl. In fact, they will not even win their division!

2. The Tennessee Titans will put up over 20 points against the “feared” Steel Curtain!

3. Cadillac Williams will have 110 combined yards against the Vikings.

4. Kurt Warner will look like a MVP as he throws for 3 TD’s against the Giants.

5. Broncos RB Mike Anderson will run for 150 yards and 2 scores. (FYI: Check week 7 Prophecies to see how he will get injured for the year).

6. Ladanian Tomlinson will not score a TD in Week 1.

7. Tim Rattay will throw for 301 yards against the Rams.

8. Rueben Droughns will look better than Rudi Johnson in the Cincinnati / Cleveland matchup.

9. Pittsburgh RB Willie Parker will be the hottest FA pickup on the waiver wire next week.

10. Brett Favre will throw more INT’s than TD’s this week.

Week 1 is Here!

2005-09-08T11:33:00.000-04:00

Week one is here, your drafts are complete and the games are starting, but you have so much talent on your roster, you have no idea who to start or bench.

Example:
Tampa Bay at Minnesota
This will be the bay of pigs. Minnesota will prove they do not need Moss and the name value of the Tampa D is proven to be a fraud, especially in the passing game. Minnesota rolls.
Start: D. Culpepper, N. Burleson, T. Taylor, J. Kliensasser, Viking D.
Tentative: M. Robinson, M. Moore, M. Bennett, B. Griese, M. Clayton, I. Hilliard
Bench: J. Galloway, C. Williams, M. Pittman, Tampa D

***To read more of this click here.

Or maybe you just want ot drop some coin on the games - here are some great choices in the 6 Pack O'Picks.

Stay tuned for more insight and information like - Who will you pick up starting next week?, injuries, promotions and demotions. All this and more at Fantasygods.com.

Diary of a Madman: Draft #3

2005-09-07T15:27:00.000-04:00

Finally, on Saturday, I completed my third and final draft for the 2005 season. League 3 is about the same in rules as league 1 with the exception of a mandatory TE. This league, also, requires 2 RBs in the starting lineup, 1 pt per reception, 6 points per passing TD, 1 pt per 10yds rushing, 1 pt per 20yrds receiving, and 1 pt per 75yds passing. Interestingly, because of the 1 pt per 20yrds receiving, WRs are not quite up to the level of the top 10 RBs. Therefore it is critical I get 2 RBs in the first 2 rounds. Like league 1, I am drafting at #7 – you all know by now how I despise being in this position.

Round 1, Pick 7: If you remember at the end of diary #2, I make the pronouncement of Davis and Barber due to the pass catching dimension. However, something unexpected happened. Edgerrin James fell into my lap.

Round 2, Pick 18: Westbrook is falling but gets picked a few spots ahead, rightfully so, again I expect to pick Tiki Barber as my #2. Again, unexpectedly, Kevin Jones has fallen to my pick. Although, I have Kevin in my previous 2 drafts, I got to pick him here, even though his stock is falling faster than Global Crossing.

Round 3, Pick 31: WR are on a major run, so it looks like a tier 2 WR is on its way. Nate Burleson is my pick. A few weeks ago, I would have been disappointed, but his stock has been on the rise due to a good pre-season for the offense.

Round 4, Pick 42: Sticking to my overall plan for all my drafts, I choose a WR, Darrel Jackson. I’m not necessarily high on Jackson, but he should be productive as my #2 WR. Still in shock, I’m starring at my top 2 picks on the board, at this point

Round 5, Pick 55: Ok, so I’ve picked a RB in both of my drafts so far to protect the position from injury. However, I am so pleased with James and Jones, I am veering from the plan. To get the most impact in my starting lineup as possible, I select another WR, thereby, completing my starting lineup for both RB and WR. No backups, I’m going for it. Anquan Boldin is my pick. Most of the other WRs were off the board, but in round 5, Boldin is a value.

Round 6, Pick 66: As in every draft, the QBs are on a run, at this point. I am not going to be left behind this time and take no chance by selecting Carson Palmer. Not the best pick, but 9 QBs were already off the board.

Round 7, Pick 79: To protect Palmer’s potential to suck, I select a backup QB immediately. Jake Delhomme is available, but I select Matt Hasselbeck. This may end up being a mistake, however.

Round 8, Pick 90: Here is where I decide to really go for it. I pick the Baltimore defense. I’m leaving my self a little vulnerable by not selecting a backup RB yet, but I’m going for the championship in this draft.

Starting Lineup

QB Carson Palmer/Matt Hasselbeck

RB Edgerrin James

RB Kevin Jones

WR Nate Burleson

WR Darrel Jackson

WR Anquan Boldin

DT Baltimore

PK Matt Stover

This is a championship roster. I felt that as soon as I got James and Jones. And I didn’t mess it up by waiting too long to select a QB and I got 3 nice WRs to complement J&J. Perhaps the only thing that can stop me is the potential for James to go down to injury. I’m not all that well protected with Marshall Faulk, Marcel Shipp and Chester Taylor as backups. I also missed out of Dominic Rhoads, but someone picked him too soon.

As you can see from these drafts, I got progressively better with each. I didn’t totally blow any of the three drafts, but I do wish I did better with #1. I found that working off a customized cheat sheet works best so that I can just cross them off. I used a laptop in the first draft and got distracted due to problems. Keep it simple, stupid, as they say.

So, what do you think?

I hope that, at least, you got some entertainment from my fantasy travels.

See you around.

Diary of a Madman: Draft #2

2005-08-31T10:34:00.000-04:00

Before reading this, please look at draft #1 just below.

After reviewing draft #1, and acknowledging the mistakes I looked to correct them last night in draft #2. This league has about the same rules as the last one, with the exception of no 1 pt per reception and there are 6 pts per passing td instead of 4. The big difference is the starting lineup: 1 QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 1 Flex, 1 DT, 1 PK. This league adds a flex position which can be a RB or WR. This means that I can start 3 RBs. This is the first time I'm in a 3 RB league, so I'm a little excited to see what I can do since I am a big RB drafter every year.

In this draft, I am picking at #6. Again, as I said before, this is the worst position to draft. For example, in draft #1, the #1 pick ended up with Tomlinson, Owens, and Holt (1 pt catch). In this draft, the number 3 pick ended up with Alexander, Curtis Martin, and Westbrook (flex). The top three picks are the place to be this year, no doubt about it.

Round 1, Pick 6: I select Kevin Jones against my better judgment and after seeing Detroit get declawed on Monday night. Edgerrin James was selected right before me unfortunately. McGahee was available so I may end up to regret the Jones pick.

Round 2, Pick 19: Unbelievably, both Rudi Johnson and Dominik Davis seem to be falling. I do some celebrating prematurely, as they are both picked just ahead of me. Westbrook, Barber, Green, etc. are available, but I pick Lamont Jordan. I can’t tell you why - it’s just a gut feeling. I should have selected him in draft #1 instead of Ahman Green, so consider this a correction.

Round 3, Pick 30: The RBs are all gone. Like I said, the guy at #3 got Alexander, Curtis Martin, and Westbrook. However, I move on and pick Javon Walker. This is something that got me in draft 1, where all the top tier receivers were gone. Not in this draft, as you will see.

Round 4, Pick 43: Some more RBs and WRs go, but I am lucky to have picked Steve Smith. Yet another break I did not get in draft #1. The next best RB has been Carnell Williams for 2 rounds now – I hope to get him in the next round.

Round 5, Pick 54: I stay to plan and select Carnell Williams, as in draft #1. However, in this league, remember, I can start 3 RBs, so he may be my flex starter. I am the second guy in the league to get 3 RBs at this stage, so I’m pretty happy about the draft so far.

Round 6, Pick 67: QBs are flying off the board, and even Carson Palmer has been selected already. I do not panic because mostly everyone has selected a QB and Brady Brees, and Delome are available and some nice WRs. I select Ashle Leilie as my #3 WR. So far, excellent draft.

Round 7, Pick 78: Brady, Brees, and Delome are gone, Houston, I think we have a problem. I’m going to get stuck with an Aaron Brooks – yikes. I select Alge Crumpler because picking Aaron Brooks can come later. It may come down to me thinking about the QB position all year vs. selecting Crumpler. I think I still would pick Crumpler 99 out of 100 times, so I’ll be sleeping fine.

Round 8, Pick 91: Aaron Brooks, of course

The Rest: McNair, Carolina D, Charles Rogers, Travis Henry, D’ Stallworth, Matt Stover, and Mr. Irrelevant, Stephen Davis.

Starting Lineup

QB Aaron Brooks

RB Kevin Jones

RB Lamont Jordan

WR Javon Walker

WR Steve Smith

Flex Alshle Leilie/Carnell Williams

TE Alge Crumpler

DT Carolina

PK Matt Stover

All in all, I am pleased with the draft. I am in a bit of trouble at RB in case of injury because I have Travis Henry and Stephen Davis as backups. Also, my backup QB is McNair, so the position is a weakness on my team. It’s kind of funny, I guess, because I seem to have drafted RBs in league #1 when I needed WRs and WR’s in league 2 when I needed RBs. I am not real pleased about that. If I need to take a position earlier than I want, I’m going to have to do it. And I’m going to have to do it in my final draft, come Saturday night. Draft #3 is almost identical to #1 with the exception of a mandatory TE. 1 pt per catch is going to be a big influence. Again, I am picking at 7. I’m thinking Dominik Davis and Tiki Barber damnit…

In conclusion, although I do not think I have a championship team because of the QB situation, it is a better draft than my previous one. I'll be looking to the waiver wire for RBs and a QB via trade, down the line.

Good luck to me and, of course, you.

Diary of a Madman: Draft #1

2005-08-27T10:24:00.000-04:00

I’ve been playing fantasy football since 1991 in a total of 5 different leagues throughout with 6 championships (a repeat in one league). Fortunately, during that time, I’ve played in no more that 3 leagues at a time. Even more fortunate is that I’ve only played in 2 for the past 5 years. I say fortunate because it is a lot of work to run a fantasy football team, let alone multiple ones.

As you would expect, the most important part of running a team is draft day. Hopefully, my experience over the last 14 years will be helpful to yours in some way. In this article, I am going to layout my draft strategy beforehand and then follow up with the results– hopefully no one in my league will read it prior. This year, I am back in three leagues again, so the next two weeks are going to be crazy.

Draft #1 is on Saturday, August 27^th. The following offensive rules apply:

4 pts per passing TD

6 pts per rushing/receiving TD

1 point per 10yds rushing/receiving

1 point per 20 yds passing

1 pt per reception (new rule this year)

Starting positions: 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE

Before you get into whom and where you are going to draft, you need an overall round-by-round strategy. In this draft, I am at the 7 position in a 12 team league. Let me say, right off the bat, I have had the most success in drafting in high positions. For example, my last two championships have come from the top of the draft (position #1 to be precise). Also, it should be said that drafting in the middle is the worst spot to be in. Let me explain. If you draft in the top 3, you have a legitimate shot at a stud RB, solid #2 RB, and a stud WR. For example, you draft someone like Shaun Alexander, then a Brian Westbrook (or comparable) at the 20-24 position, and a Chad Johnson at the 25-28 spot. Therefore, drafting at the top sets up your first 3 picks. Think about it, you get Tomlinson/Alexander/Holmes, then a solid #2 RB (the next 4-20 RBs are all about the same), then a tier 1 WR like Chad Johnson.

Again, for me, I’m at picks 7, 18, and 31, etc. So the plan for me is to draft 2 RBs with picks 7 and 18, then a WR with 31. The plan may change in round 3 due to a lack of stud WRs, but solid is good. Above anything else, I want to be in control of my draft and not reactive. Let’s break it down:

Round 1, pick 7: I am going to get a few sighs on this one, but I will pick Kevin Jones (DET). Why? My requirements are that the RB must be 27 years old or younger and be without injury risk. That should eliminate most of the “names” available at this position. My first inclination is to go with Domanick Davis because of the 1pt per reception rule, but Jones is who I want on my team and he’ll be gone by 18. It’s a little early to pick him in this spot, however, my goal, as you remember, is to not let other owners dictate my draft.

What Happened: Obviously, I got him. All the usual suspects were drafted ahead of me, including Peyton Manning just before me

Round 2, Pick 18: Here I am going to select Brian Westbrook (PHI). If he is not there, then, a Tiki Barber or someone. Basically, I’ll be looking to add a pass catching back to make up for Kevin Jones.
What Happened: Here, some turmoil begins with Westbrook taken at #14. I do not follow my plan to take Barber, because I just have a bad feeling – So, I choose Ahman Green (GB). I didn’t get a pass catching RB, so I do not feel to well about the pick.

Round 3, Pick 31: I want Chad Johnson here, but he won’t fall to me. If he does, shame on my fellow owners. If a stud WR is not available and Manning/Culpepper/McNabb is there, I will pick a QB. If no stud WR/QB available, I will pick TE Antonio Gates (SD). If none of the above is available, then I’ll bite the bullet and pick a solid WR like Andre Johnson or Steve Smith. However, if I select Smith, the draft is not going well for me, to this point.
What Happened: The way the draft was going, it looked like a tier 1 WR was going to fall to my pick. However, Javon Walker and Chad Johnson go at #28 and #29, respectively and the top 3 QBs are gone. This leaves me with my option to take Antonio Gates, however, I feel that a WR run may occur leaving me with a less than capable starter in round 4, so I bite the bullet and pick Andre Johnson (HOU).

Round 4, pick 42: I will again go for a WR so that I have 2 RBs and 2 WRs after 4 rounds. Again, if I picked a TE or QB, this is a must pick for a WR or the wheels have fallen off. Steve Smith is the guy to pick here. Again, if I picked him in the 3^rd round, I’m in real trouble.
What Happened: Steve Smith and Roy Williams are taken at #40, but I still want the 2^nd WR in this round. Combine that with both tier 1 TEs off the board, I take Anqon Boldon (ARI). I’m a little unhappy at this point of the draft because I didn’t get who I wanted at WR, but I, at least stayed the course.

Round 5, pick 55: Interestingly enough, this is a wildcard round. If I don’t have a QB and a run is about to occur, now would be the time. However, I’m going to look at RB here to protect my 1^st and 2^nd pick. If Carnell Williams (TB), Cedric Benson (CHI), or Ronnie Brown (MIA) has fallen to my pick here, I will be selecting him. If there is nothing available at RB, I will select a QB like Michael Vick, although I want to wait for the 6^th round.
What Happened: I was thinking about taking Vick in this draft, maybe even with this pick. However, he went early in the 3rd round in my opinion. Again, I stay to plan and choose Carnell Williams.

Round 6, pick 66: At this point, I hope to have 3 RBs and 2 WRs. This is where I want a QB. I will select Carson Palmer (CIN) here, unless Vick is still there. Although he’s had a dismal pre-season, I’m real high on this guy. If I picked Michael Vick in the 5^th round, I will select the top TE on the board.
What Happened: Even though I considered myself weak at WR, there just wasn’t anything of value at WR. In addition, I think Carson Palmer’s pre-season poor performance will allow me to select him later than anticipated. So I follow the plan and take the best TE on the board – Jeremy Shockey. I’m ok with this but will need to protect him later due to injury risk.

Round 7, pick 79: If at this point, I have 1QB, 3 RBs, 2 WRs, then my draft is working to plan. Here I would select the best TE on the board, but I expect them all to be there in round 8. If the Baltimore defense is available, I will select them without a second thought. This is a defense that should be even better than years previous. If they are already off the board, then I’ll pick a backup QB if I selected Vick in the 5^th round.
What Happened: I was right on Palmer falling, so I choose him as my starting QB. My flaw will be backing him up with value.

Round 8, pick 90: Finally, I’ll select TE Dallas Clark (IND) as my TE or backup at one of the other positions.
What Happened: Got the TE in round 6. I should select a WR because I feel very weak, at this point of the draft; however, some upside RBs are still available. I choose Ronnie Brown with this pick.

If my draft has gone to plan at this point, barring injury, I’ve got a top team for 2005. Here is what I expect to have as my starting lineup:

QB Michael Vick/Carson Palmer

RB Kevin Jones

RB Brian Westbrook

WR Chad Johnson/Javon Walker

WR Steve Smith

TE Dallas Clark

DT Baltimore

Take this for what it’s worth. You may be selecting in different positions, but you still want to basically target RBs in the first 2 rounds, then WRs, and a QB. Good luck to me and, of course, you.

Actual Starting Lineup:

QB Carson Palmer

RB Kevin Jones

RB Ahman Green

WR Andre Johnson

WR Anquan Boldin

TE Jeremy Shockey

DT Atlanta

PK Jeff Wilkens

What Happened: As you can see, I did stick with the plan, but wasn’t high on the Boldin pick. Also, I didn’t want to take Green as my #2 RB. In retrospect, I should have stuck to the plan fully and selected Tiki Barber because of the 1pt per catch rule. Additionally, I would have liked to get additional WR help because I’m real unsure on Boldin. As it turned out, I didn’t select my 3^rd WR until the 13^th round (Travis Taylor). On the bright side, I did get plenty of upside RBs in Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, and even Cedric Benson. I also got Dallas Clark in the 10^th round. Overall, nice draft but I do not think it is a championship roster.

Flaw #1: If Carson Palmer is a dud, I have Chad Pennington

Flaw #2: No WR Depth.

I will try to correct this in draft 2 and 3 this week. I will post follow-ups on those drafts, as well.

Crunch Time

2005-08-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

Drafting either has already happened or is happening within the next 2 weeks. Are you ready?
This is the main part of your season - this is where all the preparation matters - in making the right pick.
Fantasygods.com can help. Check out the following features:

On the Clock - outlines the picks in order with analysis of each pick
Pre-Season Premonitions - Team by team breakdown of who to target and where
By the Numbers - A mathematical look at what the average Joe will do on draft day

Don't forget to check out the updated rankings (as of 25-August 2005).

***Pay close attention to this weeks pre-season games - it is your best shot at seeing the teams in action (starters play the longest in pre-season game 3) as next week is garbage time.

Be prepared and have fun.

Deep Thoughts

2005-08-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

Most likely, you are about a week away from your fantasy draft, so it’s time to make those final preparations. Of course, you make observations from the many pre-season games you’ve taken in so far. Besides, what are you going to do, watch baseball? Here are some things I’ve noticed from the exhibition season:

Donovan McNabb has looked very impressive without TO, so far. Especially, I liked the 27 yard scamper against the Raven defense on Saturday night. He looks thinner and even a little bit faster, if that’s possible. Also, on the plus side, he didn’t lose his breath (low blow). On the flip side, everyone’s been talking about Kyle Boller this year on it being a make or break. Looks like break to anyone with half a brain. Ok, maybe it was only people in Baltimore doing the talking. Another guy looking mighty awful is Ben Rothlisberger.

Many folks are worried that Dante Culpepper is going to have a down year due to the departure of Randy Moss. However, he has had a rather effective pre-season, with the offense seemingly becoming less predictable. As a matter of fact, Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson give Culpepper two nice options in what will be a spreading of the ball offense. Because of this, I think Travis Taylor is a good sleeper to target.

I do not understand why Michael Vick is always highly sought after in Fantasy drafts. He is more hype and entertaining to watch more than anything else. What I’ve seen so far this year doesn’t change my mind – especially with such a poor receiving corps. Certainly, his advantage is in running the ball with the potential for 6 point rushing TDs in addition to 4 point passing for leagues that score that way. To me, the running puts him at a greater risk for injury.

Carson Palmer has looked rusty over the first two exhibition games going 16-35, however, I still like him as my starting Fantasy QB. He finished strong last season and everything seems to be in place (aka, the Johnson’s) for him to have a big year.

Willis McGahee is going to make owners cringe this season with knee worries. However, it’s good to note, so far, so good. Speaking of worry, Clinton Portis has been battling an elbow injury in camp. It’s not the injury, per say, that worries me. I’ll put it to you this way, if you draft Portis as your #1 RB, thank you. On the other hand, Lamont Jordan rolled off 9-62yds this weekend and is positioned to put up some monster numbers this year. Did you see Brian Westbrook cut past Ray Lewis for a TD on Saturday night? Looking good as your #2 back, isn’t he... Can someone tell me why Deuce McAllister got 20 carries against New England, Thursday night?. Hey, Jim, it’s an exhibition game!

Steve Smith is looking like he is picking up where he left off. 8-69yds in a half of work convinces me that he should be a #1 WR on someone’s Fantasy team – hopefully mine. From the “3 year WR breakout theory” department, Charles Rogers seems to be poised to put up some numbers this year – if he can manage to keep his collar bone in one piece.

Closing Thoughts

Mushin Muhammad, it was nice knowing you.

What’s up with the trade for Andre Davis in New England? Perhaps you should remove David Terrell from your sleeper list.

Randy Moss likes to toke it every blue moon – and Tiki Barber fumbles…

If you have the #1 pick and do not take LaDainian Tomlinson, you deserve to lose.

Training Camp Position Battles

2005-08-19T08:45:00.000-04:00

Fantasygods.com has posted an article on the current training camp battles. It goes over Running Back, Wide Receiver and Quarterback battles taking place right now. Here is an excerpt:
"Carnell "Cadillac" Williams vs. Michael Pittman one pick down from Benson is where we find out next battle Carnell ÂCadillacÂ Williams against incumbent Michael Pittman. Here again we have a highly drafted, highly paid rookie versus an aging (30), average veteran. Even though Pittman had one of his best years in a suspension shortened season, Williams should easily win this battle if he can pick up the blocking schemes and catch the ball consistently. Pittman may be used if beaten as the Â3 rd downÂ back, but it would only be a matter of time before Williams totes the bulk of the load."

To read the entire article click here.

On the Clock - Keep up with who to draft and why with this daily updated feature.

Rankings, analysis, insight, opinion and a whole lot more at Fantasygods.com

Take it or Leave it!

2005-08-18T22:37:00.000-04:00

Hot News!

Cedric Benson, the lone 1st round hold out picked by the Bears has been given their final offer. We will see...didn't this happen with Willis McGahee a few years back?
Antonio Gates has been told to show up to camp by Saturday or face a 3 game suspension.

Interesting dealings in the league this year. We could be in for a wild ride...

Inching Toward the Season

2005-08-16T22:00:00.000-04:00

Now that all the teams have had a chance to play at least one game what have we learned?
We learned that pre-season games are meaningless unless someone who is supposed to start gets injured. We see games that do not matter at all in the least bit - we see an archaic method of trying to get players in shape, when in fact these players are in great shape for the most part year round. The NFL wants these meaningless games for additional ticket sales and revenue - that is it. One or two games in the pre-season would be fine.
Enough of that - Rex Grossman has bad luck - the Bears seem cursed. Hines Ward speaks to Bill Cowher and has ended his holdout with the promise of a renegotiation. The Terrell Owens circus starts up tomorrow. Why do I mention all of this? News shapes fantasy decisions.
Examples:

Rex Grossman out = knock down all offensive players on Chicago - Chad Hutchinson has never done anything in this league to instill confidence.
Hines Ward ending his hold out upgrades the Pittsburgh offensive players - it is good to have your top guy in camp.
T.O. - a circus that needs to be monitored. Even if after his meeting on Wed. he comes in, the Eagles will keep him on a short leash - if he plays then the offensive players projections are improved, if he doesn't it is a wildcard. The fact that there will not be a clear direction really hurts you when drafting McNabb or Westbrook.
Ronnie Brown finally signs - what does this mean for Ricky and the Miami Running game? Will Williams be out, split time, who knows - the rest of camp may point to an answer.

The news is just one way to constantly monitor what is going on prior to your draft and during your season. Keep reading and analyze the possibilities for change and it will help you to win in your league.

Fantasygods.com

2005-08-15T06:53:00.000-04:00

Below are links to some great articles on Fantasygods.com to help you with your draft.

Updated Player Rankings
You are on the clock, it is your turn to draft who do you pick? Daily updates a pick a day with analysis.
View from Seat 202 - insight into why one should be wary of Priest Holmes.
By the Numbers - looking at the average draft positions and analyzing why you should draft positions in certain rounds.
The Undraftables - Weekly update on who to avoid while drafting.

Don't forget to check out the toolkit to help you with draft day and game day preparations as well.

Also for the Hockey fans out there - articles and insight on Hockey.

Keep checking back as we are constantly updating the site with articles and information.

Test Your Fantasy Drafting Skills

2005-08-12T11:32:00.000-04:00

Think you are a fantasy expert? Think you can draft better than everyone else? Prove it!

AntSports has kicked off it's 2005 Draft Challenge. They are giving away a HDTV as 1st prize.
The draft contest is FREE for all to enter.

Practice up for your league by mock drafting and enter the free contest to win a HDTV. What could be better

TO - Going going...gone?

2005-08-11T23:56:00.000-04:00

Fantasygods.com

Eagles fans were chanting a new song at Lehigh this afternoon, "TO, TO, TO Must GO, TO...Must Go," and by the look of things, they may be on to something. Though many thought it impossible, TO has raised this training camp "circus" to a whole new level and word on the steet is that the Eagles brass will be importing 4 Elephants, 2 tigers along with a few clowns for practice tomorrow morning. Actually, they can cancel the clowns because they already have one by the name of Terrell Owens.

What is this guy thinking? Tonight he went on ESPN and though he has been refusing to speak with his teammates, he had no problem talking about them on National TV. On the air tonight Owens proclaimed that Coach Reid told him to "shut up" yesterday after Reid confronted him about blowing off a second consecutive fan autograph session. He then told the coach that he should "Shut the (bleep) up" and that,"my last name isn't Reid." Owens continued "I'm not one of your kids. The last time I checked my last name was Owens." Really, TO, I thought your last name was me, myself and I. Ownes then indicated that he has not spoken with McNabb since he arrived at camp and does not plan to speak with the QB this season (where is Jeff Garcia when you need him?). TO later confirmed that he told his offensive coordinator, Brad Childress, not to speak to him unless spoken to by TO. To top it off, Owens then declared that, "I feel like I'm being ultimately disrespected."

Excuse me. Did I hear that right? TO is the one being disrespected? What world does this guy live in? What is going on in his head; because from where I sit, TO has thrown away the rest of his career and the money he is so desperately fighting for along with it. According to several league sources, after seeing TO perform "workouts" on his front lawn yesterday with helicopters hovering above, there is no GM in the league that has any interest in him. Do you hear that TO...zero interest. And as far as the Philly fans are concerned, the same ones that would have voted you Mayor after your SB performance, well they could be overheard yelling, "YO Adrian, tell TO to shut up!"

As far as the fantasy impact of all this, I hope your draft is several weeks away because right now, I would advise anyone drafting to stay clear of this entire team. Why? Well lets just say that this is TO's opening act...he always gets what he wants - no matter what the price! I just hope for TO's sake he likes the cold weather; because there are no warm weather teams in the CFL!

HOT RUMOR..."Pass the HINES Ketchup!

2005-08-10T22:40:00.000-04:00

Fantasygods.com

Fantasygods has learned that with the one week "suspension" of Terrell Owens, the Eagles are looking into the availability of another WR holdout...Hines Ward. Rumor has it that the Birds are considering trading for the disgruntled Pittsburgh WR and may be offering a 2006 2nd round pick. The problem is, Pittsburgh may only do it for a 2006 middle first round pick. As far as fantasy impact, bump Hines up to the #4 WR as the Eagles could book their plane to Detroit if this deal goes through. Again it's just a rumor at this point and the Eagles are currently feeling out TO to see what his course of action will be....but if there is a team interested in TO, then this rumor will grow legs - quickly.

Coach Andy puts TO in Time Out!

2005-08-10T22:24:00.000-04:00

What a soap opera in Eagleville! After 4 straight NFC Championship appearances, the Eagles are having their most interesting obsession under Coach Reid's tenure. Yes, there was the Donovan McNabb holdout, the Jeremiah Trotter release and the Duce Staley stalemate, but this TO situation may be uncomparable to anything that has ever happened in any NFL training camp...ever. Seriously, everyday I rush home to tune into "As TO Turns" to see the latest updates and cliffhangers (I'm starting to feel like a housewife). TO may take this latest development to heart and decide to stay out all year. The Eagles, for their part will not yield and have been overheard saying they would rather go 0-16 than ever give in to TO! WOW! Drama aside, what does this latest turn mean fantasy wise for the Eagles? Well, do not draft TO before round 5...there is too much volatility. That being said, with TO out of the picture, the Eagles may be better off...not fantasy wise, but NFL wise. As far as McNabb, I would bump him down 1 or 2 spots in your QB rankings, but jump Westbrook 4-5 spots as he will now see the bulk of the offensive load. In regards to Philly's NFL success, well the Birds have done more with less, so expect them to make the playoffs with or without TO, but a SB appearnce...well you'll have to tune in next time to "As TO Turns," to find out. Stay tuned!

Owen's Gets Suspended!

2005-08-10T15:34:00.000-04:00

Terrell Owens was asked to leave a meeting in the morning and then after having words with Coach Andy Reid was told to pack his things and leave Training camp...all is not happy in Eagleville...He has been suspended for a week and I supose a fine to follow. T.O. Can be found at home shooting hoops for the news helicopters and media...what a circus - was Randy Moss ever this bad?

He's Baaaaak!

2005-08-09T09:23:00.000-04:00

OK, not really. More like hardly. Ricky came back in the Hall of Fame game and posted a mouth-watering fantasy total of 5 carries for 8 yards no TD's. It does make one wonder if he really wants to be there or if he really doesn't want to pay back the 8 mil. Ricky may not have shown fantasy owners his prospective value, but Thomas Jones did carrying 10 times for 47 yards and a TD. We also liked the play of Bryan Gilmore - the way he had to contort his body to catch that awful Gus Ferrotte pass, but as you know it is pre-season. The Dolphins have Boston, Chambers, Gilmore for receiving and Williams and Brown and the other RB's, the only thing they need, still is a QB. The Bears seem to be a little improved, but need Gage or someone to really step up into a #2 WR role to help Grossman and Muhammed. Jones looked good, but needs the QB and WR's to keep the D honest to have a good year. For more insight and information go to Fantasygods.com.

Draft Day is Here - What are you going to do?

2005-08-08T10:29:00.000-04:00

'The' day is finally upon you. You have waited since the season ended last year to find a way repeat or redeem yourself. That day is now here. It is the day for your fantasy draft. The drafts come in all shapes and sizes, online, email, auction, live and in-person. I really prefer the live in-person draft. Everyone gathers in a confined space carrying their portable war rooms. Here are a few things to go over so you can get a leg up on the competition on draft day - the most important day in you fantasy year. Here a a few essentials:

Be there on time - a little early is better. Pick out your spot and claim it. Get relaxed.
Keep your mind on what is going on - you are in this for the win baby!
Be ready for your pick and then get ready for your next pick - be prepared.
Drinking is for one of 2 things - to get your competition sloshed or to celebrate a great draft.

Once the draft starts you have your cheatsheet, magazine, program, whathaveyou ready and pen and hi-liter in hand. You know in most cases what your pick is going to be. You should have a pretty good idea at this point who your first 2-3 picks will be based upon researching it with your cheatsheet and looking at the average draft info. Check the news and for injuries prior to getting there.

Once you get through the early rounds - you should have a base for your squad. These are the bread and butter guys - you did not reach and you did not take a sleeper early here. This is the core of who you will be counting on each week. Now the middle rounds - here is where you will round out your team. Finish the positions you require based on league, start to draft some fantasy backups - it really is too early to draft the NFL backups, but some will. You will also see people fall into the inevitable position run. Don't get caught up in this one - keep drafting for value. A position run is when 3 or more of the same position are taken in a round - this is a must with RB in the first couple rounds, but in the middle rounds people are quite susceptible to the power of suggestion.

Later rounds - this is where you find those gems, sleepers, etc. This is where you would handcuff people as well. Handcuff is where you draft the backup of a star feeling that they could produce points in that system - examples - Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson, Faulk and Jackson - you get the picture. Some defenses go early, so keep that in mind - better be sure on taking a kicker earlier than the last couple rounds as well.

Now you have your team - is that it? No way - you have to keep up with them and know what is going on and always have an eye out to pick up the free agent that is hot - it may be all you need to get to the championship.

Final note - be sure that when you banter or heckle other owners that you stay in your game - you can get them off theirs, but don't let it distract you. It is always fun to make them feel that they made a bad pick.

Injuries, Suspensions and Fantasy

2005-08-06T06:32:00.000-04:00

Injuries have already started to hit teams in camp, but what does it all mean? Here is the rundown so far and what we think it means:

Brandon Stokley - Dislocated Shoulder (3-4 Weeks), we don't see this as a huge impact. He may miss the opener, but should not really affect his fantasy value this season.
Todd Pinkston - Ruptured Achilles (season), Pinkston is gone for the season and while he would have been drafted, this injury affects the players around him, namely McNabb, Owens and positively Greg Lewis, who takes over for him.
Jerry Porter - Pulled Hamstring (?), these are the types of injuries that linger - We'll keep an eye on this throughout camp - this does make us take a stronger look at Ronald Curry in that all too famous who plays opposite of Randy Moss game.
Anquan Boldon - Broken Nose (3 Weeks), missing 3 weeks will affect him since he has a new QB to adjust to. It may also hurt in his conditioning, we will see when he gets back on the practice field.
Terrell Owens - Strained Groin (?), another type of lingering injury - caused by what? Contract issues? Very reminicent of his last year in SF. Too soon to tell if there is a fantasy impact.
Plaxico Burress - Strained Hip Flexor (?), is it me or does it seem like the injury bug has hit him? Plaxico and Manning - waiting to see what it all means - injuries will stall this evaluation.
Deuce Staley - Knee (?), he is in that 30 and broken down range so it would be iffy at best to have him as he will likely split carries with Bettis anyway.
Chad Pennington - Shoulder(?), He has been hot and cold ever since camp opened regarding his repaired shoulder - we will keep an eye on this.

Holdouts:

Hines Ward - nothing happening here - will greatly impact Steelers and especially Roethlisberger.
Brian Westbrook - Nothing new on this front - he may sign the deal that was in front of him, or try for a little more - impacts Eagles greatly.

Suspension:

Ricky Williams, even if determined to be a fantasy factor, faces a 4 game suspension at the start of the season.

Insight, information, rankings, draft tool kits and more at Fantasygods.com

Analyzing Average Draft Information

2005-08-03T10:30:00.000-04:00

Many people participate in mock drafts. In doing this they create data that can be used by others called Average Draft Position. Based upon a scoring system similar to your own, you can get insight into who when at or around what pick and use that to assess whether or not a player will be available to you when it is you pick.
Using the information compiled over at AntSports, we researched this based on a high performance scoring system, with a flexible lineup that includes a tight end. We also just included serious mock drafts and the last week of data.

The results of what would be the first 2 rounds of a 12 team draft follow:
1. LaDainian Tomlinson RB - not quite a consensus number 1, but a safe pick
2. Shaun Alexander RB - A high pick and the data states he was Number 1 in a few drafts
3. Priest Holmes RB - Alexander probably leap-frogged him based on injury concerns
4. Edgerrin James RB - No problem here, the Colt offense is not centered around him

So far...no real issues - all would be good picks at the top of the draft...

5. Peyton Manning QB - Highest I have seen a QB in a long time - can't argue with 49 TD's

It is a tough decision to make in the middle of the first round, but he will not be there on the return trip.

6. Deuce McAllister RB - Up and down
7. Willis McGahee RB - Great year last year - can he repeat?
8. Domanick Davis RB - Still the man in Houston
9. Clinton Portis RB - Sub par year last year
10. Jamal Lewis RB - Can he stay out of trouble?
11. Randy Moss WR - Raider nation has the vertical threat now
12. Kevin Jones RB - Not enough balls to go around?

So there is the average first round. We see mostly all running backs, 1 quarterback and 1 wide receiver. We believe that the valuation of some of these players is a bit off - Kevin Jones as the 12th pick is pretty high based on last year, and Randy Moss we belive is overvalued based on the team change. Let's look at the second round to see who would move up or down.

13. Tiki Barber RB - Did great on a crappy team last year
14. Corey Dillon RB - No respect...should be taken before K. Jones
15. Julius Jones RB - Bledsoe opens some lanes for Tuna's guy?
16. Ahman Green RB - how the mighty have fallen
17. Terrell Owens WR - In Camp - same T.O.?
18. Rudi Johnson RB - More pressure from Chris Perry this year
19. Torry Holt WR - Believe he is undervalued and may be the #1 WR
20. Dante Culpepper QB - may drop to Earth without Moss
21. Brian Westbrook RB - holding out - 1500 yds, 9 TD's 73 catches last year
22. Chad Johnson WR - more comfortable with Palmer now
23. Marvin Harrison WR - TD's and Yds by comittee now
24. Lamont Jordon RB - How the RB's have disappeared - did you get one?

So 2 rounds done - did you get your RB yet? This is why everyone puts a premium on trying to get 2 solid backs in the first couple rounds - 24 picks - 18 running backs - now you have to play guess the breakout back or let's hope he can be a stud this year game.

Best team - I like the Priest Holmes, Chad Johnson or Edgerrin James, Brian Westbrook, if I ended up with P. Manning and T. Holt that would be interesting as well.

So get prepared - keep up with the news, mock draft and check the average picks so you can get a leg up in your league.

T.O. Shows, but no Westbrook

2005-08-02T10:50:00.000-04:00

Terrell Owens arrived at Eagles camp yesterday and that was the big story. Overshadowed by this news was the missing 1500+ combined yards, 9 touchdowns and 70+ receptions of the franchise's scat back - Brian Westbrook.
Westbrook has decided to hold out even though he signed the one year tender. He is not happy with the Eagles attempts to provide him with a long term contract. In our opinion, Westbrook means more to the Eagles offense than T.O. does, but does not get the press because he is a much more reserved individual. On one hand we understand the rationale - long term security. Especially with the Eagles signing another young back this year in Ryan Moats. On the other hand, the hold out thrusts the rookie into a position to play more as well as the returning oft-injured back Buckhalter.
Westbrook is a large weapon in the Eagles arsenal - this will be interesting to watch as camp moves on.

Hines Catch Up?

2005-08-01T06:25:00.000-04:00

Hines Ward has begun his holdout from the Steelers. He said he would not report without an extension and he kept his word. This has a tremendous impact on the Steelers team in the real world and fantasy. Without Ward, Roethlisberger will have a serious slump, the running game will suffer and the defense will be worse due to being on the field longer. Bottom line - The Steelers need Ward to move the football. Fantasygods.com is already seeing a difficult year ahead for Big Ben with Ward playing, without it will be horrible. The opponents will key on the run and force Roethlisberger to make mistakes.
Ward is the first major Steeler holdout in 12 years. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Many of his teamates are already being vocal as the holdout begins. Will the Steelers deal? All is not good at Hines, I mean Heinz field.

Pay for Play

2005-07-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

I like the stance Maurice Clarett took in making his contract. He waived the guaranteed money in favor of an incentive based contract. If this work to his advantage, he can be paid like a first round pick. If not, then the Bronco's risk is next to nothing. He is essentially putting his money where his mouth is and it is a stretch because no one knows right now how much time he will spend on the field. The Bronco's are notorious when it comes to letting everyone and anyone run, but to make the bonus or incentive clauses in the contract, Clarett needs to see turf time.

I like this approach, because it make the player play harder to reach those clauses. Even if the team is out of the playoff picture, then the player still needs to put up numbers to get his money. I guess T.O. should have done something like that, then there is no talk about "out performing" a contract. Maybe this type of contract, if it works, will start a new wave for the future.

Camping

2005-07-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh, a fresh season begins with training camps underway in the NFL. Most camps start next week, but some started this week. Time for the two a days and talent evaluations. Time for rookies to show their stuff and perhaps a walk-on surprise. We can learn a lot for our potential drafts by following the training camp information and checking out pre-season matchups. The 3rd game is where you get the best idea of the squad for each team - so pay attention to that one. It will show, in most cases, who will make the team and who is performing well. Also note from the games and camp key injuries to the skill positions and the lines. If a linemen goes down and he is a good one you could end up with poor performance from a RB - see Portis last year. On defense it may spell trouble for the offense if the D can not stop the ball.
Breathe in the fresh air and visit a camp near you - most are accessible to the public and it is a great chance to get up close and personal.

Initial TE Rankings - July 27, 2005

2005-07-27T11:02:00.000-04:00

Here are the Fantasygods.com Initial Tight End Rankings for 2005. We will update them periodically based on news and training camp data.

1. Tony Gonzalez
2. Antonio Gates
3. Jason Witten
3. Jeremy Shockey
5. Randy McMichael
6. Alge Crumpler
7. Dallas Clark
8. Todd Heap
9. Ben Troupe
10. Eric Johnson
11. Erron Kinney
12. Jeb Putzier
13. L.J. Smith
14. Marcus Pollard
15. Jerramy Stevens
16. Freddie Jones
17. Bubba Franks
18. Chris Cooley
19. Doug Jolley
20. Daniel Graham
21. Jermaine Wiggins
22. Kris Wilson
23. Courtney Anderson
24. Mark Campbell
25. Heath Miller
26. Matt Schobel
27. Steve Heiden
28. Ben Hartsock
29. Aaron Shea
30. Eric Edwards

Initial WR Rankings - July 26, 2005

2005-07-26T09:08:00.000-04:00

Here are the Fantasygods.com Initial Wide Receiver Rankings for 2005. We will update them periodically based on news and training camp data.

1. Randy Moss
2. Torry Holt
3. Terrell Owens
4. Joe Horn
5. Marvin Harrison
6. Chad Johnson
7. Javon Walker
8. Reggie Wayne
9. Darrell Jackson
10. Andre Johnson
11. Michael Clayton
12. Drew Bennett
13. Hines Ward
14. Roy Williams
15. Nate Burleson
16. Donald Driver
17. Anquan Boldin
18. Isaac Bruce
19. Jimmy Smith
20. Chris Chambers
21. Steve Smith
22. Eric Moulds
23. Laveranues Coles
24. Rod Smith
25. Lee Evans
26. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
27. Ashley Lelie
28. Muhsin Muhammad
29. Jerry Porter
30. Larry Fitzgerald
31. Derrick Mason
32. Deion Branch
33. Eddie Kennison
34. Plaxico Burress
35. Donte Stallworth
36. Charles Rogers
37. Keary Colbert
38. Brandon Lloyd
39. Amani Toomer
40. David Givens
41. Keyshawn Johnson
42. Brandon Stokley
43. Justin McCareins
44. Santana Moss
45. Joey Galloway
46. Antwaan Randle El
47. Kevin Curtis
48. Andre Davis
49. Keenan McCardell
50. Terry Glenn
51. Troy Williamson
52. Reche Caldwell
53. Bobby Engram
54. Peerless Price
55. Todd Pinkston
56. Marty Booker
57. Mike Williams
58. Darius Watts
59. David Patten
60. Samie Parker

Initial RB Rankings July-25-2005

2005-07-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

Here are the Fantasygods.com Initial Running Back Rankings for 2005. We will update them periodically based on news and training camp data.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2. Priest Holmes
3. Edgerrin James
4. Shaun Alexander
5. Tiki Barber
6. Brian Westbrook
7. Deuce McAllister
8. Clinton Portis
9. Domanick Davis
10. Kevin Jones
11. Willis McGahee
12. Corey Dillon
13. Julius Jones
14. Rudi Johnson
15. Ahman Green
16. Curtis Martin
17. Jamal Lewis
18. Tatum Bell
19. Chris Brown
20. Warrick Dunn
21. Fred Taylor
22. J.J. Arrington
23. Steven Jackson
24. Lamont Jordan
25. Kevan Barlow
26. Lee Suggs
27. Duce Staley
28. Carnell Williams
29. Thomas Jones
30. Larry Johnson
31. Ronnie Brown
32. DeShaun Foster
33. Cedric Benson
34. Michael Bennett
35. Michael Pittman
36. Derrick Blaylock
37. Jerome Bettis
38. Kevin Faulk
39. Mewelde Moore
40. Marshall Faulk

WR, TE and overall 200 still to come.

Average Draft Position

2005-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

What if you had the knowledge of how thousands of other people drafted players in a Fantasy draft utilizing the same type of rosters and similar scoring systems? Would it be worth something? Of course it would. The average position tool is a wonderful and helpful feature of AntSports they have so many helpful tools over there including the average draft tool, mock drafting tool and for the hardcore folks a serious mock draft. They are FREE and I recommend checking them out - they even offer leagues.
Using the average position tool will assist you in evaluating value of players at positions within a draft. They will help you gauge when a player is likely to go. Something to check in on for sure during your preparation. You can check all positions or just by individual position. Educate yourself - be prepared.
AntSports Fantasy Football Leagues Recommended!

Terrell Says - "I Don't Really Have to Play for the Eagles"

2005-07-22T06:50:00.000-04:00

That is interesting Terrell, why do you think that you don't have to play for them? Sure you can not play at all or play for them - you are under contract. When will you learn to keep your mouth shut - one day it is 50-50 you will be in camp the next is you don't have to play for the Eagles. All the crap you pulled to get out of your situation in SF and it was your situation not having the papers filed and forcing a trade, and someone took a chance based on your word - and now you are just being you. Sure you are talented and any team would want you, but why weren't they beating your door down last year? If I recall only 2 or 3 suitors called on you. Do you really think that opening your trap everyday in the media gains you support? I don't think any team wants to deal with the headache of T.O. - it is just not worth it. Sure you may help them win a few games, but in the end as San Fran knows and now Philly...T.O. is just not worth it. I hope the Eagles keep holding you to the contract - hold out if you want - you are right, you don't have to play for the Eagles - you don't have to play at all - and I am sure that is what is best for your family. I am sure all of the people that read your saga feel sorry for you and your family that you only stand to make 3+ million this year. Could have made a ton more in endorsement deals had you and your agent kept your collective mouths shut. Oh, well it is your life and career - enjoy your legacy. Why not do everyone a favor and pull a Ricky Williams - retire now - let this be all you are about - just please shut up.

Initial QB Rankings - July 21, 2005

2005-07-21T16:08:00.000-04:00

Here are the Fantasygods.com Initial Quarterback Rankings for 2005. We will update them periodically based on news and training camp data.

1. Peyton Manning
2. Donovan McNabb
3. Marc Bulger
4. Daunte Culpepper
5. Kerry Collins
6. Jake Plummer
7. Brett Favre
8. Trent Green
9. Aaron Brooks
10. Matt Hasselbeck
11. Michael Vick
12. Tom Brady
13. Drew Brees
14. Carson Palmer
15. Chad Pennington
16. David Carr
17. Byron Leftwich
18. Jake Delhomme
19. Brian Griese
20. Steve McNair
21. Drew Bledsoe
22. Ben Roethlisberger
23. Eli Manning
24. Kurt Warner
25. Patrick Ramsey
26. Kyle Boller
27. Trent Dilfer
28. J.P. Losman
29. Gus Frerotte
30. Rex Grossman
31. Joey Harrington
32. Alex Smith

Comments are welcome. Initial Running Backs, Wide receiver and Tight End to come...

Ricky Williams - Cleared To Play

2005-07-20T10:47:00.000-04:00

Ricky is back - still faces a 4 game suspension, but he is back. Well almost - maybe this is a cruel trick the Dolphins are playing on him to get him back. Just think - he is cleared to play and is going to camp. He suffers through camp and then they cut him - revenge is sweet. Who knows - apparently new coach Saban and Williams are buddy - buddy. One has to wonder what role this means for him in the offense as the fins drafted a young back in Ronnie Brown and would expect him to play - Say that the Dolphins don't sign Brown and Williams is out for 4 games that is a big hole to fill - if they sign Brown, do they also need Ricky? Interesting stuff going on in Florida. Once again just like in Tennessee it muddies the fantasy running back situation - we will keep an eye on developments through camp and keep you posted.

Tops at Their Spots?

2005-07-18T10:44:00.000-04:00

Are the players below really tops at their spots? Are they still the kings of their proverbial hills? We will begin exploring the reasons why they are still the ones to beat or if they have seen better days.

Quarterback – The Colts, Peyton Manning.
Peyton had a tremendous year last year breaking the TD record held for so long by Dan Marino. Should he still be the top QB? Absolutely, unless this is a playoff fantasy league, that is. The only one that was in a position to knock him off this perch was Dante Culpepper – he may still have all the tools to do so, but has lost his main man in Randy. The Colts still have the core of the offense from last year. They should be in position once again to score early and often – On the 2 yard line…run or pass? With Peyton and the Colts – I think we found that answer out last year.

Running Back – The Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson.
LaDainian is the top ranked RB, but this is clearly a battle now, Especially if Shaun Alexander gets a long term deal and if Priest Holmes can stay healthy. Tomlinson, once the entire Charger offense has seen his play count and points erode as the team gets better. The emergence of Antonio Gates has removed some touchdowns from his arsenal, and he did not break as many long runs as he used to last year. If Alexander gets the deal he is looking for he should probably go first – sorry LaDainian, but second or third isn’t so bad – it is that underdog role you love to play so much.

Wide Reciever – The Raiders, Randy Moss.
New Team, New Moss? No way – Moss will want his touches and Al Davis loves the vertical game…that is a marriage made in heaven. Collins can throw the deep ball – not nearly as good as Culpepper, but Randy just needs it in the vicinity. Moss is still the top guy. Terrell Owens will most likely hold out and even if he did play the relationship between him and McNabb may lead to some classic TO stunts detracting from the game, but if he shows up he could challenge Moss for the title. Harrison is a team man and does not get the numbers he used to. I think Chad Johnson could contend – especially if he and Palmer are more comfortable with each other.

Tight End – The Chiefs, Tony Gonzales.
Gonzo has been the top ranked tight end in fantasy for many years – and usually it is justified. He has a tough year last year and some new contenders are in the mix – Antonio Gates and Jason Witten. Gates put up amazing numbers for a rookie and earned the trust of Drew Brees in the process. Jason Witten put up some real good games at the end of the season – this year new QB. If Bledsoe can connect with him the way he used to connect to Ben Coates last time under Parcell…Hmmm. I still think that you have to give the nod to Gonzo – he is the man until proven otherwise, but Gates is hot on his heels now.

Travis Henry to the Titans?

2005-07-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

I guess the Titans are not all that happy with Chris Brown. This further muddies the RB drafting waters. True, Chris Brown had the makings of a stud, but with all of the flash and dash he was injured quite a bit. I think that adding Henry as an insurance policy is wise from the ownership point of view, but moving a disgruntled backup from one location to another accomplishes what? Having him as a disgruntled backup on the Titans? Maybe there is some underlying condition with Brown that is not public yet. Once the trade is finalized and camp starts more information on this situation will become clear. Henry is good enough to start and will not be happy playing second fiddle anywhere. Chris Brown can not be happy with this vote of 'no confidence' in him either. Looks like an interesting camp for the Titans...

Tips for a Successful Draft Day

2005-07-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

Just thought we would pass on some draft day tips since we will soon be entering the Fantasy drafting season...

1. Know your League.
This is probably the most important tip. If you know your league rules, scoring system, prizes and how it all works that is your first step.

2. Pre-Work.
Research everything, everything. Participate in mock drafts follow player / team news, check the rankings and cheatsheets, evaluate sleepers and busts create your own cheatsheet and crib notes on strategy - look at the average draft positions in leagues that score similar to yours.

3. BE PREPARED on draft day.
Bring your league fees, cheatsheets, magazines, pen / pencil (more than one), clipboard or hard book to write on, hi-lighter(s), folder to keep things private, drafting grids to keep track of your players. For the more technologically advanced leagues - bring a laptop, assuming your drafting site has a hot spot.

4. Fade into the background.
Actually there are two schools of thought on this, one is to fade into the background and the other is to annoy the hell out of the other owners by commenting on their picks, suggesting picks, throwing out false information on injuries, arrests, etc. Doing that may work for some, but typically you will do better to stick to business and keep a watchful eye on the other owners and know more than them. Know what they have drafted, what they need, etc. it may prove beneficial when your pick comes up and you know they need something.

5.Check your Bye Weeks.
There is nothing worse than finishing the draft and then noticing that you have bye week issues. I am not suggesting drafting by this alone - if there is a valuable player on the board, you have to take him. I am suggesting that if there are players on the board and you could go with one or the other then check the bye week.

6. Evaluate your draft position.
Yes, evaluate it based upon who you want to take in the next round - like chess, plan your moves ahead of time. Perhaps you know the next player you want will be gone by the time you pick again - think trade - moving up to get value while sacrificing other picks is a notable method to build the best team, just be careful not to give too much.

7. Draft the best players you can.
Don't team build. You've probably seen this before - a guy takes QB,RB,WR,TE then starts to get the second player at the positions needed. Draft the best guy on the board. Don't reach too early for your sleeper picks either.

8. Beer is your friend.
You can have one or two, but don't drink until the work is done. Get your buddies refills quickly. The more they drink the more bad picks they will make. Make sure to keep the fluids flowing and you will get them wasted, force them to use the facilities and end up with a better team.

9. Checking it Twice.
Make sure you double check your drafted team back to the draft board and the commish. Ensure you have all the contact information necessary for the season - you never know who you will be wheeling and dealing with.

10. It's supposed to be Fun!
Too many of us treat this as if it is a business. Many are uber-competitive. Winning is great, but it is about fun first. Getting too serious over anything fantasy leads to bad results. Remember to 'Keep it Real'.

Rankings, Sleepers and Busts all arriving next week...

The Benefit of Mock Drafting

2005-07-14T23:30:00.000-04:00

The most important part of your fantasy season is the draft. You only get one shot to draft the best team of players you can for free before you have to perform transactions to backfill injuries and hopefully get the surprise star of the season. Practice makes perfect and the best way to practice your draft is to join and complete a mock draft. What is a mock draft? A mock draft is essentially a draft mulligan - you can do it as many times as you like and see how the results differ. Join one that coincides with the majority of your league settings and scoring parameters. Once in you can follow the picks, pre-pick, or wait until you are notified in email that you are up. Then practice your selections. You can also use the sites that offer mock drafts to evaluate a players value and potential drafting position. That is an invaluable tool right there. The best part about this type of practice is that it is 100% FREE. Do yourself a favor and join up for a few mock drafts before you have to actually do it for real. The practice and information you get from it may give you the edge you need to win your league.
You can check out FREE Mock drafts at antsports from the link in this post or the link in the links section.
AntSports Fantasy Football Leagues

NFL Players and Papers

2005-07-13T12:06:00.000-04:00

Does anyone in the NFL who plays watch or read the news? I have to wonder at times. There is always someone getting themselves in trouble with the law, drugs, abuse, felony, etc. I thought the NFL had programs in recent years to combat these behaviors. Don't the players themselves get tired of all of the negativism the new creates on their league and themselves? It seems to occur more and more lately, McMichael, Taylor, Winslow Jr., etc. The list goes on like a role call for an entire team.
Do they do it because they can not control their actions or do they do it thinking they are above the law, or maybe they think they can get away with it. I am sorry, but the "everybody's doing it defense" just won't cut it. Rarely does, if at all anyway. It is bad enough that the problems with the law get in the new, the other negative stuff rules headlines as well - the holdouts, contract negotiations, etc. It would be nice to see some highlights in the news of the good some players do - the good guys - you remember - Barry Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson, Warrick Dunn, etc. The role call there could build a team too.
I am tired as a fan hearing others point things out that is wrong with the sport - it would be good to be able to hear about and come back with things that are good and great about the sport. Focusing on the positives of what the good guys do for once. You could get lucky and see a spot on a pre-game show, but some of the things these guys do is great - it is a shame to see it all overshadowed by the bad apples.

Hockey in 2005?

2005-07-13T11:46:00.000-04:00

Sure looks like Hockey will make it's way back in 2005. A deal may be imminent including many rule changes? How will the fans react? Will Hockey get a similar backlash that Baseball did a decade ago? Can the tiny sport handle such a snubbing? Will they make it enough of a product that it can become a major sport again? Does anyone care?
Hockey is one of those things that you have to see live to enjoy - it does not translate well on to television - at least not yet. The rules keep changing and it makes it hard for people to "get it". All I know is that Nascar ratings beat the crap out of most all sports at this point. I don't "get that", let's watch cars race around in a circle, oops, oval and hope for a crash. I thought sport was something that required 100% person power. If that is it, then Hockey qualifies. These guys are in shape - much like basketball players. Football Players at the skill positions are as well, but the non-skill football and baseball players leave a lot to be desired - ever see a fat hockey player?
I for one would like to see Hockey again and like to see it thrive. It is a greuling sport that requires power and skill and all of that on a ice skates. Here is hoping it comes back new and improved.

Holdout Dreams

2005-07-12T09:44:00.000-04:00

Some big name players are poised to hold out when training camp begins at the end of this month. I can see the want to hold out if you can versus doing two a day drills in the hot sun of summer. Today's players are in great physical condition so training camp is more about getting in tune with the team and playbook versus getting back in shape. The players who hold out will forego a weekly check and probably not miss that money. The real cash comes when the season starts. What are the other costs of holding out? Well you have the paycheck, reputation, possible endorsements, and the fan loyalty. The last one is something that the players don't care about at all, but will pander to the fans if it makes good press sense to do so.
The fans are the real losers in the hold out - the team suffers and thus the fan does. The team makes plans to go on without the names and potentially opens the door for a new, younger, hungrier player - that would be great - a guy holds out and the backup shines with the chance and the holdout player is forced to change their mind. Imagine Shaun Alexander holding out and Maurice Morris putting up better numbers than Alexander did - the team won't care, the fans will love it and Alexander will end his holdout just to get playing time. Can it happen? I am sure as fans we wish it was always the case. We would do anything to get the chance to play.
In Philadelphia, there could be two hold out scenario's - Corey Simon - who the Eagles traded and apparently Corey did not like the deal so it fell through with the Ravens and everyone's favorite holdout Terrell Owens - he will get all of the press for sure. No one cares about Corey Simon - what has he really done for the team to make him a stand out player - always a rookie or free agent to take his place. Owens - the Eagles really don't have anyone - drafted a WR and have Greg Lewis, but can they do the job? Can McNabb do the job without Owens? He did before, so why not now? If the WR's improve 10% and McNabb can utilize them - Owens will not be missed. Javon Walker in Green Bay - Please - where did he come from? He was hot and cold last year and had a more consistent year the year before - if Driver stays healthy then Farve will be fine - and he will force the ball to anyone who lines up.
Holding out benefits the pockets of the one who holds out. Maybe rightly so. In the case of Alexander - is the price of over $6 million not enough to play for? Owens? Sure you are in the 2nd year only making around $4 million with next year significantly higher - can't honor your signature on a contract and play? Perhaps you became too quick to sigh using the 'sharpie', but you did sign. It is a ton of cash, the kind no one who watches you play can ever hope to make - just play, play the game you love and win for your teams - not yourselves.

Supplemental

2005-07-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

The supplemental draft. An additional chance for NFL teams to find that diamond in the ruff.

Does anyone ever? In our life the supplement is designed to enhance our well being. In the NFL the crop of individuals here will most likely not add the enhancement that the teams are looking for. The great example this year Manuel Wright - everyone is clamoring over him, yet he played only two seasons primarily as a backup. His bench press did not impress and the only thing going for him is the NFL number 1 ingredient - Speed - and lots of it - doing a sub 5.0 40 at that weight is astounding.

The draft may not offer much in the way of an enhancement for the NFL team, but it does give another chance (in most cases) to athletes that may have messed up or lost eligibility for some other reason or maybe a last shot for someone pursuing the dream. Getting picked up here is the first step for them - it requires a lot of work on their part to make this second chance work -, because they know this could be it for the NFL dream.

Perhaps your team can find that diamond in the ruff - and you can target a real sleeper for your fantasy league.

Surreal NFL House - Who would be best for TV?

2005-07-08T14:19:00.000-04:00

Imagine you are to cast the surreal life house and it had to be NFL players - who would you put in da house? I think a great start would be Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Shannon Sharpe would be great to have on too. Chad Johnson is a must and so would be Michael Irvin. Seems like receivers are the best 'head cases' that would make for reality TV. Jim McMahon is the only QB that comes to mind as being 'TV worthy'. Then we have running backs - most seem to be pretty much a non-factor, except for the grandaddy - Ricky Williams - he is a must and we can drop on Maurice Clarett too, maybe Jamal Lewis as well. What about defense? Hmmm...Deion Sanders, Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp for sure and Bill Romanowski. I am sure there are more, but this is the fun house I created. Who would you put in this asylum? I am sure it would be a great ratings winner.

Alexander the Great?

2005-07-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

Is Shaun Alexander right? Does he just want a 'fair' deal or a 'mega' deal? He wants to stay, play and retire in Seattle. He will not sign the tender for the franchise tag that is on him for the 6 plus million for 2005. I can see where he would want a longer term deal, especially for being a running back and how the majority of them wear out and disappear as they approach the big 3-0. Alexander has the numbers to make a case for big money - he is a TD machine - the only thing that comes to mind with all of this Seattle lovefest talk is the playoffs last year and the QB sneak versus handing Alexander the ball thus winning the game and ensuring him the rushing title - I remember how he reacted. If he is a team player he does not care - I don't think if the roles were reversed that Curtis Martin would have acted that way. So after that incident he was pissed at Mike Holmgren...The same person that he will have to deal with as coach and for making the fair deal. He just wants Seattle to do what is right.

So what is right? For Seattle, that is. Is it wise for Seattle to give Alexander a long term deal and strap their cap for years to come at the RB position? Probably not. Would Seattle like to continue using the services of Mr. Alexander? I think they would. But I remember having Mr. Alexander a few years ago during a Walter Jones hold out and it dawned on me that without a pro-bowl lineman Mr. Alexander fell to the depths of average at best...Once Mr. Jones returned Alexander became the TD machine he is normally. I guess what is fair is that Mr. Alexander should be providing some of the contract $$$ to the prple who open the holes that allow him to run wild. But it is about me and greed and not about what is fair for Seattle - if he wanted to win, he would educate himself on the new salary cap mentality of the NFL and look at teams like the Patriots and Eagles and know that the only way to get to the big prize in your sport is to do it as a team - and the best way to do that is to spread the $$$ around and remain competitive - that is what would be best for Seattle - that is what Seattle wants to do - will they or will they be fair to their one player and let him gobble up a good % of the cap for years to come? Only time will tell. What would happen if Seattle came out and told Shaun - we only want you to accept what is fair, what is right? - wouldn't that be a press nightmare?

Putin's a Patriot?

2005-06-30T12:21:00.000-04:00

With the end of the cold war many years ago, I guess that the title could be somewhat correct in some way now that he has a Patriots Super Bowl ring. The NFL franchise that has won 3 of the last 4 Super Bowls is now handing out 'Patriot' rings to the Russians. Does that seem strange? I mean the symbol of the patriot can be seen as those who turned back the British in the Revolutionary War, and has morphed into a symbol of what Americans refer to themselves in wars since. Giving Putin a Patriot ring seems strange as he is not a 'Patriot' in symbol or as part of the NFL team, yet he now has a ring - it was a gift, but as a gesture of what? Next thing you know some Russian company will move in and buy up all the Mobile gas stations and call it Lukoil or something.
I suppose you can gift anything - Shannon Sharpe gifted one of his SB rings to his brother Sterling - is that the same kind of thing? No way. Some players have pawned the ring in the past to pay for things, but that seems different too. I just don't know what Putin did to deserve this 'gift' - does he even know what football is? In anycase the deed is done and now Putin has what many a player seeks - a Super Bowl ring.

T.O. = Totally Offended!

2005-06-29T10:19:00.000-04:00

How does one turn quite possibly the best story in sports last year into a movie you want to forget? Recipe:

Play a great season of football.
Break your leg a couple weeks prior to the playoffs.
Make a statement that you will be back for the Super Bowl
Make it back to the SuperBowl and play out of your mind.
Become a hero to a city that loves that kind of story.

How does one ruin that?

Bad mouth your QB after Super Bowl loss.
Get a new agent.
Begin a public campaign to smear yourself.
Hold out of mini camps.
threaten to hold out the season unless a new contract is done.

Maybe it is just me, but after one year of a contract where, with signing bonus, you made over $9 million would you want to re-up? Did you win the Super Bowl? No. Even though you played amazingly after returning from a broken leg - you did not win. You are in the second year of your contract and it is a lot less cash than last year and the next year - welcome to the NFL salary cap and the magic of capology.

The town you play in would have followed you off a cliff, but you changed all that and what is the real cost? Hold out and the season is lost - you are not as young as you used to be so this would be a lost year of earnings and the contract still holds. You could have made endorsements out the wazzoo, but now showing your true colors, no one wants to follow you off the cliff anymore and you have lost your endorsement appeal, plus why have someone endorse a product if they are not playing. Do what you say and say what you do!

The team that signed you will not flinch, they are businessmen and have proven over the years they can handle salary cap football and will not sacrifice the future of the franchise for one person. They brought you in to win a Super Bowl - that did not happen so what leg do you have to stand on? (no pun intended). So will he really hold out? I can't believe that he will - the money, the spotlight, the thrill of being on ESPN with a TD catch - can he hold out from that? We will find out in September - maybe sooner, but I guess he does not want to sweat in training camp this summer. We are watching T.O., what is your next move?

Run Ricky, Run!

2005-06-28T14:52:00.000-04:00

Ricky Williams will apply for reinstatement at the end of July. Is that good news? Maybe for the Dolphins - and only if he does well so they can try to dump him. Where will he be drafted on the day of your fantasy draft? I don't know, but I do know he will be drafted. I will do my best to avoid him - but as everyone knows in the right round at the right price - anyone can go.
I just can not understand this guy. One minute in New Orleans he is shy introvert, hiding behind the helmet - then traded to the Dolphins and does real well for them - and then decides to retire to smoke some weed and travel, all while owing somewhere in the neighborhood of $8.6 million. Did he only come back to get the price off of his head? Who knows?
If I was on the Dolphins, I would not trust him as far as I could throw him. Why would I want this guy on my team? He could change his mind again in the middle of a blocking assignment. Ricky will have a hard time getting the Dolphins or any team to buy into the 'I want to play football again' thing. It is one thing to have to worry about injury to your RB, but if he will flake out and disappear.

Welcome to the Fantasygods Blog!

2005-06-16T10:44:00.000-04:00

We will be posting articles on fantasy football - with our own unique spin. Postings will vary from informational, review, humor and more. Frequency of updates will greatly depend on what is going on in football. We are mostly football centric, but will comment on other topics and sports as well.