Rotoprofessor

by Matt Soltysiak

Struggling to 6-10 to finish, the 2008 season is not what the Packers or their fans expected after a great 2007 campaign.  Of course all the “Brett Favre talk” last season didn’t help things much, and that same thing’s happening this year (except Favre might actually play against his old team if he comes back this time). 

This off-season has been relatively quiet for the Packers.  Their biggest move was re-signing wide receiver Greg Jennings to a four-year contract extension. 

In the NFL Draft they focused on defense with their two first round picks by grabbing Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and USC defensive end Clay Matthews.  The team offense was quite effective last year (5th in points), but the defense couldn’t stop the run (ranked 26th) and gave up too many points (ranked 22nd) to be competitive. Read the rest of this entry »

As we hit July 1, I wanted to give the first update on my Top 15 Running Backs list (click here for the original list).  There certainly was some big movement, so without further adieu, let’s take a look:

1. Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings - Do I really need to say anything to explain this pick?  I don’t think so.
2. Michael Turner - Atlanta Falcons - The addition of Tony Gonzalez may limit his TD chances, but does anyone actually expect him to duplicate his 17 TDs from ‘08?  The move will help keep teams from keying on the run, opening up a few more lanes for him to burst through.
3. LaDanian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers - I don’t care what anyone says, he is still one of the best backs in the game.  Look for him to rebound from a “down” year when he only rushed for 1,110 yards and 11 TD.  Oh yeah, did I mention that by down year I meant a season most would be thrilled with?
4. Matt Forte - Chicago Bears - I can admit when I make a mistake.  Originally ranked at #9 on this list, Forte burst onto the scene in 2008 rushing for 1,238 yards as a rookie.  That doesn’t factor in his 63 receptions for an additional 477 yards.  Jay Cutler’s presence is only going to help take the focus of the defense off of him and open up more holes for him to run through.
5. Maurice Jones-Drew - Jacksonville Jaguars - Fred Taylor is finally gone, so it is time to find out if Jones-Drew can carry the load.  He is a risk, but just a mild one.  Everyone has been waiting for him to burst onto the scene in a big way, and 2009 he will finally get a chance to prove people right. Read the rest of this entry »

by Ryan Lester of Lester’s Legends

One of the biggest question marks, as fantasy football players begin their rankings, is the health of LaDainian Tomlinson.  He is no longer considered the top pick, but he is still a first round pick.  I had the opportunity to take him in a mock draft with the fifth pick, but opted to take Larry Fitzgerald instead.  If the same scenario was presented to me today, I may have to reverse my thinking and take LT.  It’s close.

Some think I’m nuts for taking a WR with the fifth pick, but Chris Johnson is in a shared backfield with LenDale White, LT & S-Jax are coming off injuries, and there isn’t a proven track record for DeAngelo Williams and Steve Slaton.  Fitz has 1400 yards and 10 TDs in three of his past four years.  With roughly half of first round RBs typically falling short of expectations, Fitz just seems a safer play for a top pick.  This article isn’t about Fitz though, so let me get back to the matter at hand.

LT, by all accounts, had a down year in 2008.  The man had 1536 total yards (1110 rushing, 426 receiving) and 12 TDs (11 rushing, 1 receiving).  His ypc wasn’t great at 3.8, but he was dealing with a toe injury.  That injury has healed though, and according to an AP report he is  “kind of making sure my body’s in great shape, and making sure I’m as strong as possible.  I haven’t missed any time, worked out every single day. … I haven’t had a setback at all.”  Encouraging words for those who own LT in keeper leagues. Read the rest of this entry »

With Marvin Harrison no longer in Indianapolis, there’s a laundry list of players who will likely benefit.  Dallas Clark will get a chance to be a larger part of the offense.  Reggie Wayne has clearly taken over the reigns as the top receiver (though you could argue that he already had done that).

Third-year receiver Anthony Gonzalez, however, may be the biggest beneficiary of all.  He’s been a third receiver for the past two seasons, developing a rapport with Peyton Manning and growing into his role with the team.  He’s shown good progress:

• 2007: 37 catches, 576 yards, 3 TD
• 2008: 57 catches, 664 yards, 4 TD

Harrison’s 60 catches and 5 TD in 2008 have to go to someone, and while one receiver is not going to be the sole replacement, Gonzalez could see the lion’s share of those.  Wayne already had 82 catches last season.  Clark had 77. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve posted early rankings for Quarterbacks (click here to view) and Running Backs (click here to view), so now it is time to turn our attention to the Tight End position.  Things are likely to change as we get closer to the season, so we’ll continue to update and expand this list, but here’s my first crack at it:

1. Tony Gonzalez - Atlanta Falcons - Everyone can say what they want, but this guy is still the best in the game at his position.  The move should not affect his value in the slightest, considering he should morph into the safety valve for Matt Ryan.

2. Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys - With Terrell Owens now in Buffalo, Witten can finally become Tony Romo’s go to guy.  Roy Williams will get his fair share of catches as well, so don’t expect him to suddenly jump to the 100-catch plateau.  Still, look for him to see the ball often this season.

3. Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers - He is no longer the main focus of the offense, but a huge threat all the same.  He’s a great red zone target and should be among the Top 3 tight ends in TDs. Read the rest of this entry »