Essential Fantasy Football Tips 2013

May 4, 2013 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

1) Be smart in the first few rounds. Your first two picks should be QB and RB or some combination of the two. The only WR you even consider in the first two rounds is Calvin Johnson. QB and RB are the two most consistent positions and give you the best chance to score the most points. It's a passing league and QB's are the ones with the keys to the car. And an elite RB gets 350+ touches in a season with added duty in the redzone. Those numbers add up quickly. Be smart and take QB and RB early.

2) Stay away from TE's early. No TE is worth a pick before the 5^th round. Rob Gronkowski is the only exception as a possible early round pick and even he comes with a warning tag ever since breaking his forearm. Simply put, the majority of TE's are too inconsistent to warrant early consideration. The difference between the number 1 TE and number 20 TE in last season's scoring was just five points per game. That is not enough of a point differential to vault TE into your top picks. Jimmy Graham lead TE's in scoring last season but averaged less than 10 points per game. Three kickers averaged more points per game than Graham. You can find productive TE's in the later rounds, trust me.

3) Don't be afraid to stock up at one position. It's never a bad idea to draft more players at one position. Even if it means drafting your fourth RB over drafting your second or third WR. You can always find someone in your league who will overpay for a position they desperately need. Take for example my team last season. I had an overstock of QB's with Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco (we start 2 QB's in our league) but had an underwhelming stable of RB's with Adrian Peterson, Willis McGahee, Doug Martin and Lamar Miller (we start two RB's and one FLEX). I was able to turn Flacco and Antonio Brown into Maurice Jones-Drew and Steven Ridley. They guy I traded with desperately needed a starting QB. The point is, you can always trade from one well of wealth for water in a dried up well.

4) Take the best player available in the late rounds.In the later rounds it is better to stock up on depth and potential trade chips rather attempt to fill a starting void with a lackluster player. Again, you can always make a trade to improve on at position you are lacking on but you first have to have players that other owners want.

5) RB is the easiest position for rookies to pick up right away. Rookie RB's have the easiest transition into the NFL. Every rookie RB from last year's draft that got significant playing time was impressive because the skills of a RB transfer well into the league. Being a RB is all about instincts and vision, and those are two things that don't just disappear when getting to the league. So don't be afraid to draft them if you think they will get the majority of their team's touches.

6) Rookie WR's have the toughest transition into the league. Most rookie WR's have trouble making the jump to the league. Defensive coverages in the NFL are much more complicated than in the college game. Rookies tend to have more problems reading them and thus tend to struggle more. Use caution when grabbing rookie WR's.

7) Be aware of the sophomore slump. When a rookie has a great season, they tend to cool off a bit in their next season because defenses have more film to study on them. They tend to drop in production. I'm not saying that means you stay clear of Alfred Morris or Andrew Luck, but what I am saying is don't be surprised if they are not as productive. Fantasy draft is all about value with each pick.

8) Be conscience of players coming off career years. When a player has a career year they are doomed to take a step back the next season. Rob Gronkowski set NFL records for TE's in 2011 in both receiving yards and TD's. The next season he fell back to earth a bit, (yes, due in part to injuries but even when healthy he wasn't the same). The real point of this tip is more to keep your expectations in line. Don't expect Adrian Peterson to run for 2,000 yards again this season. His numbers will probably be closer to 1,350 yards and 10 TD's. Still great numbers and certainly make him a first round choice.

9) Pay attention to the offseason reports. The information that comes out of offseason workouts and preseason games are generally pretty important. These reports let you know which rookies are challenging for early playing time. They reveal which veterans are out of shape and unhappy. They give you a guide as to what to expect early in the season. They also show you what trends a certain coach is going with.

10) Avoid at all possible cost the player that holds out of the offseason and preseason activities. Players that hold out always show up out of shape, unhappy and seeking a trade. Their heart is not there and they are generally only focused on getting paid. They become cancers with their team and it shows. And when you hold out and miss workouts, the tendency to get injured goes up tenfold. I will always take a player coming off an injury over a player that is holding out. Think back to last season when everyone said Adrian Peterson would not be available until Week 6 or at least would not be a quality player until later in the season. He started the season in Week 1 with a 20 point game. By contrast, Maurice Jones-Drew held out for all of the preseason only to join the team before the season started and then missed 11 games. The difference between the two situations is this; players that are rehabbing from injuries are working out with professional trainers who know what they are doing, whereas the player holding out is working out by himself and on his own rules. That just spells trouble.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: Adrian Peterson, Joe Flacco, Maurice Jones-Drew, National Football League, NFL, Rob Gronkowski, Running back, Willis McGahee

Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning

March 23, 2013 By 1 Comment

Tom Brady is a better quarterback than Peyton Manning.

What has been a fait accompli in the Curtis household since Peyton completed a touchdown pass with the Saints’ Tracy Porter in Super Bowl XLVI is now a fact.

Peyton has been a regular-season MVP four times and will likely get his fifth in the coming weeks. Tom Brady has two such awards. In those seven seasons, neither won the ultimate prize of a Lombardi trophy. But in lieu of going back over their entire bodies of regular-season work, I will say this: Peyton Manning will go down in history as the greatest non-playoff quarterback of all time. However, that is not what this debate is about.

The purpose of having a good regular season, its only significance, is to position yourself best for postseason success. (Think Matt Cassell tanking the Pats’ final regular-season game by throwing a pass to the McDonalds stand at the end of the ’05 season at Gillette so the Pats would get the Jaguars in the wild card round).

We do not hand out Green Jackets for the lowest career net under par after three rounds at Augusta National. Nobody cares. It is what you do on the final Sunday that matters ingolf because that is the day when they hand out the trophy.

The same goes for the National Football League. Eli Manning has a career passer rating of 82.7, nearly 14 points beneath his big brother’s of 96. But we will always remember how he took less innate talent and a lesser supporting cast to two improbable Super Bowl runs. Eli lost to the RG3-less Redskins twice last year, but that is a mere footnote in what would become his second Super Bowl season.

In the (expected) five regular seasons in which Peyton Manning was the NFL’s most valuable player, he went 5-5 in the games that mattered, the playoffs. Consider that. He was the NFL’s best player at the most important position in major professional sports and went .500 in 10 postseason games.

Saturday night in Denver, Peyton Manning had his eighth one-and-done in 11 playoff appearances, double the amount of the next highest quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Eight times Peyton Manning entered the postseason for his playoff opener and left the stadium with golf clubs and a tee time (don’t forget he also took a picture with Ray Lewis). Tom Brady has been to the playoffs 11 times as well and has been one-and-done twice, or four times fewer than Saint Peyton.

With Sunday’s win against the Texans, Tom Brady surpassed Joe Montana to become the all-time winningest playoff QB in NFL history with 17 victories. In Brady’s 11 healthy seasons, all but four have included an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. Tom will now have played in two fewer AFC Championship games (7) than Peyton Manning has career playoff wins (9).

In Brady’s 23 playoff games he has a plus-21 touchdown-to-interception ratio, more than double Peyton’s plus-9 TD-to-INT count.

These two men will forever be linked in their Hall of Fame careers, but there should no longer be any doubt as to who is the greatest quarterback of this generation. It is the man who is at his best when the games meant the most. It is Tom Brady.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Player News Tagged With: Eli Manning, McDonalds, National Football League, NFL, Peyton Manning, super bowl, Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Brady

Charissa Thompson is Hot

March 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Charissa Thompson has made her mark across sports and entertainment covering an array of events from the NFL, to hockey, to basketball to the red carpet. Make sure to check out Charissa daily as she co-hosts on ESPN2 with Colin Cowherd.

Filed Under: HOT! Tagged With: Charissa Thompson, Colin Cowherd, ESPN, Michelle Beadle, National Football League, NFL, Sports, SportsNation

NFL Sandwich Game Theory

February 18, 2013 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

Over the program of a long and punishing season, also the most talented groups in the organization have off-games. In a best globe, every game would have every gamer having fun at a 100 %, yet that just isn't really practical.

Some games will certainly see a group sensation fresh, certain, energetic, and prepared to play at a high level. In other games, the physical and psychological toll of a lengthy time will certainly reveal on the industry or court, making a group look slower and undistinct.

Every week we see teams inexplicably play means above or here their prospective, much to our joy when we are on the appropriate side of those circumstances and much to our dismay when we are on the wrong side. In several situations, it is difficult to anticipate when a group is going to play among these out-of-character matches, but one position to think about is the Sandwich Match Concept.

A "sandwich game" is a relatively concealed game sandwiched between 2 critical or very challenging matches. As an example, let's state that the 2010 Indianapolis Colts had the observing three matches on their timetable straight; at New Orleans, then estate to Buffalo, and Tennessee.

A rematch against the team that trumped Indianapolis in the Super Bowl would certainly stimulate a load of emotion, as the Colts would love to obtain some form of revenge. The game versus Tennessee is versus a difficult department rival and would have playoff and division title ramifications, yet another big ready which they'll have to raise their psychological ante.

And then there is lowly Buffalo, in your home. It would be incredibly tough for Indianapolis to bring their finest initiative in that game. Going over an emotional win or reduction to New Orleans and looking ahead to next week's game versus Tennessee, it would certainly be simple to shed concentration versus an "effortless" team like Buffalo.

When you see a situation such as this, when a group has an "simple", non-division rival between two big games, offer them a durable look. You will likely catch the group in its sandwich game playing something much less compared to their finest.

Filed Under: Smart Sports Betting Tagged With: Colts, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, National Football League, new orleans, NFL, super bowl, Tennessee

Fantasy Football for Hot Chicks

February 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Depending on just what hour of the day you know this, there are 100 days, 3 hrs, FIFTY mins, and 45 secs left till the 2013 NFL draft. Ladies, now is the time for us to act! It's time for us to begin doing our research now if we're truly going to offer the men a run for their money this fantasy football period.

Draft day is a vital day to observe when you're beginning to make choices that will impact your dream football group, so be readied on April 27th and 26th to throw a "lady's night" facing the TELEVISION and see which soccer gamer is going to exactly what team. This info will be remarkably valuable to you when you start intending your women's dream soccer group. (Plus, you reach see the soccer gamers rollick in their tight pants and who doesn't enjoy that?).

Ladies fantasy soccer owners are coming to be more and a lot more prevalent in an otherwise male-dominated realm of dream sports. Chicks can easily play fantasy soccer simply as well or better than guys may and this season we're going to prove it.

If you're clueless about fantasy football; I'm going to educate you all you require to know, do not stress! The second step is preparing for your league's draft. There are a couple of ways the draft of your league can take place.

Electronic Draft– This is how almost every dream soccer league composes nowadays. Every little thing is done in the online world! You could choose merely exactly how sluggish you wish to receive with it, however, as there are websites that offer you information only, completely to internet sites that will entirely handle your team for you. Merely exactly how e-lazy do you wish to be?

Social Draft– Meet at a partner's property and make a day of it. Welcome all the women who'll be engaging in the ladies's dream soccer change and plan a party! "Experts" recommend you leave out the liquor so you'll be concentrated on the draft, yet us chicks understand that fantasy soccer need to likewise be enjoyable! Just make certain to have everybody's rip off sheet useful and you can compose from that. (More about cheat pieces and various other devices you'll require later.).

Location Draft– Quickly my favored kind of draft, this one usually includes acquiring on a jet and flying to someplace warm and breezy. Location drafts are more like a fantasy soccer draft choice and getaway combination. You and your posse of girls will really transform some heads at a recreations bar in Vegas, relaxing waiting to select your excellent dream football team. Does not that seem like fun?

Seeing the NFL draft is a fantastic next step because you'll start to familiarize on your own with the powerful users you'll prefer to place at each position in your dream soccer group. If you really wish to do this, join me in the females's fantasy soccer transformation!

Draft date is an essential day to pay focus to when you're beginning to make decisions that will certainly influence your fantasy football team, so be prepared on April 26th and 27th to hold a "lady's night" in front of the TELEVISION and see which football gamer is going to just what team. Females dream soccer owners are becoming more and a lot more prevalent in an or else male-dominated world of fantasy sports. Electronic Draft– This is how nearly every dream soccer league prepares nowadays. "Specialists" recommend you leave out the alcohol so you'll be concentrated on the draft, but us girls know that dream soccer need to also be enjoyable! Destination drafts are more like a fantasy football draft pick and holiday combination

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: 'fantasy, Association football, Draft (sports), fantasy football, Football, National Football League Draft, NFL, Sports, television, woman

Plan NOW To Win Your Fantasy Football League in 2013

February 9, 2013 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

A lot of fantasy football owners who did not reach their organization's Super Bowl this year are asking themselves the same concerns: Why did I not compose a novice quarterback or Adrian Peterson, and exactly what can I do to gain my fantasy league in 2013?

The great thing is you do not have to wait till next August to prepare your method for 2013. You could start dealing with winning next period RIGHT NOW.

While the also-rans in your league who do not take dream football overly seriously will concentrate their attention on life, family, work and dream basketball and baseball organizations, you can prepare for the 2013 project.

I am in 3 leagues– made 3 playoffs, lost twice in the semifinals however was fortunate enough to win one champion. After a day or two of commemorating my title and asking yourself if Josh Freeman is worthy of a ring or not after his back-to-back four-INT efficiencies nearly cost me hundreds of dollars, I will start concentrating on 2013.

Below is exactly what you can do now to win your fantasy football organization in 2013:.

Figure Out Your Keeper Situation.

If you are in a year-to-year league where you begin fresh every season and do not hold over any players, do not hesitate to skip over to the next area. If you are in a caretaker league where you safeguard a couple players or in a dynasty league where you can hold your entire lineup over to 2013, keep reading.

Your keeper/protected list might not be due for months, however that does not indicate you could not design a strategy for the offseason instantly. Narrow down the list of players you wish to have on your squad next year. See if you are doing not have at quarterback or running back and inspect over other teams' lineups in your organization to detect a feasible offseason trading partner.

On my title group, I can safeguard 3 guys for next year, and I presently have 4 men in mind fighting for those places– Robert Griffin III, A.J. Eco-friendly, Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew.

The first is do I keep two RBs or one RB and one WR. And if I lean toward the latter, then the second decision is which RB gets kept. I may have my mind made up by next weekend, and that will enable me to leap begin my transaction strategy after the New Year.

This last week could help make the future of your dream team appear clearer. Whatever the case, your dream team is built around your celebrity keepers, so they must be high on your concern list.

Deal with Your Weak points.

No dream owner is perfect. If they were they would win their leagues every year and go unbeaten like the 1972 Miami Dolphins. You have to look in the mirror, be truthful about your drawbacks and make resolutions to enhance in 2013.

You learn something brand-new every year in dream football, and you need to be truthful about your strengths and weak points as an owner. Perhaps you are not a terrific skill evaluator. If you composed Miles Austin when you might have had Calvin Johnson, shied away from Tom Brady because you thought he was old, or drafted 3 kickers but only two running backs, your general manager skills could possibly make use of some work.

Doing some offseason mock drafts for 2013 could possibly be helpful if that is the case. Numerous different sites offer them for individuals who wish to have their hands in some sort of fantasy football-related enjoyable throughout the year.

Possibly your trouble is that other owners will not trade with you because you have been tagged as somebody who is hard to handle either since your lopsided offers are insulting or due to the fact that you have a freezing behavior like Expense Belichick. Ask owners in your organization about your credibility over a hot coffee or a cold beer. You could figure out personality type you need to change that can indirectly help your fantasy group next period.

Begin Completing Your 2013 Cheat Sheet.

As soon as you figure out which 2012 players are staying on your 2013 lineup, you could begin completing a draft list/cheat slab for next season.

It is never ever prematurely to do this and you could constantly modify it throughout the offseason. Trades, free company and the NFL draft will continuously damage your rankings, so make certain to not compose them out in pen.

During a silent change at work or a monotonous family feature, rate the leading 20 players at each significant dream position. As soon as a week look at your list and make changes depending upon information you hear relating to players and groups. Completing a cheat slab now and transforming it over the offseason will have you better prepared for your draft than if you just work up a list the day prior to your draft or simply rip a list from a journal.

Hopefully these ideas can help you feel better about what could possibly occur to you and your fantasy team in 2013. In a nutshell, assess your group's skill, assess your individual talent as a GM and schedule maker and evaluate the skill at each position in the NFL fantasy-wise. It might all bring about you hoisting a dream prize in 2013.

If they were they would gain their leagues every year and go unbeaten like the 1972 Miami Dolphins. You have to look in the mirror, be truthful about your shortcomings and make resolutions to improve in 2013.

You might discover out character traits you have to alter that can indirectly help your dream group next season.

Ideally these tips could help you feel much better about exactly what could possibly occur to you and your fantasy group in 2013. It can all lead to you lifting a fantasy prize in 2013.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: Adrian Peterson, Josh Freeman, Maurice Jones-Drew, Miles Austin, NFL, Robert Griffin III, Running back, Tom Brady

51 Tricks You Can Use To Win Your Fantasy Football League

February 8, 2013 By Emmanuel Perez 1 Comment

Be prepared for the draft. The war is frequently won or lost at the draft.
Protect your l investments: if you draft a star starting running back (Adrian Peterson) in your draft then the last round of the draft comes, go on and take Toby Gerhart.
If AP goes down week 2 with a season ending injury you do not wish to be the guy left without his backup and somebody else in the league taking your power mower.
Throughout the draft, track the positions your challengers have actually chosen. Understanding this will provide you a leg up on strategic choices in later rounds.
Go with established players over prospective stars. Everybody likes to brag about getting that rookie, but typically the hype is bigger than the statistics.
Do choice early in positions that are light or where some players are head and shoulders above the pack. Tight end is the finest instance of this in fantasy football, where Antonio Gates is often an analytical premium to his equivalents.
Generally, it's not a great concept to select a kicker in an early round. Make this selection your last starter or, depending on the depth of your league– your last round choice.
Know your league scoring rules– things such as point for receptions, different sorts of deductions and the scoring system for your DST or IDP are all essential elements of winning your fantasy football organization.
In the early rounds, select the very best offered player, regardless of position.
If QBs in your league get 5 or 6 points for a TD pass, you need to consider taking them before various other positions.
Know rankings on significant websites (like ff-winners.com). Many individuals will simply print out sheet rankings from the significant sites and bring them to the draft.
Look to the bottom of cheat slabs for players you considered as worthy picks that might be picked greater than their preseason rating.
Capitalize on the fact your challengers may let a sleeper slip a couple of rounds due to the fact that they do not see the players name immediately on the list.
Enroll in text message alerts from ESPN, Yahoo!, or Google to stay up to date with football injury updates and matching transactions.
Do not be too rash prematurely – if early on in the period you obtain an injury or two and the long life of these injuries are not devastating, do not commit suicide and make an unreasonable trade simply to fill in areas on your roster.
There are always people on the waiver wire that can fill these needed position areas for a couple weeks.
There are no preferred teams in fantasy football.
Home town kids– you might be from New york city and you may be the greatest New york City Giants fan worldwide, but that does not indicate that you ought to have a team filled with G-men.
There are no favorite players in dream football. A player is just a package of statistics.
Do not stay clear of taking Tony Romo in the 3rd round if he is still readily available.
To organize effectively, you should put favoritism aside and look to take the very best available player.
Every player that is on an NFL roster should be placed, even the sorry men (we have actually offered you a good head start– rankings for about 300 players).
Remember that statistics are relative to position played. All-Pro scoring at tight end is typically middle of the pack among all wide receivers. The trick is to get the best stats per position.
Since you have actually filled in all of your starting areas on your group– do not walk away from your live draft, just.
Due to the fact that you have Tom Brady, don't assume that it will not matter who gets chosen as your backup quarterback.
Preseason football DOES NOT count.
Do not take into account amount of playing time in the preseason. Coaches will take this time to check out players throughout game rate.
Something to try to find in the preseason: success for players in struggles for positions.
For instance, the Arizona Cardinals 2nd wide receiver position is up for grabs between Early Doucet and Steve Breaston, so during the preseason it may be a good concept to look at their playing time [ downs in the industry ] in addition to productivity in that playing time.
Preseason week 1 does not mean as much as week 4. If you are going to view the preseason, pay closest attention to week 4.
Head coaches are most likely to tip their plan in preseason week 4.
Stay away from numerous players on the same team.
If you own too many players from the same team, Bye weeks could be difficult.
If a player has been traded because last year, re-adjust his stats based on the offensive scheme he'll be playing in this period. For instance, it is likely an excellent bet that Terrell Owens' 2010 numbers in Cincinnati could look like Chris Henry's 2009 per game numbers or T.J. Houshmandzadeh's from 2008, making him a quality draft selection in the mid rounds as a WR2, however in no way a WR1.
Lot of touches– meaning there aren't enough to go around on many teams — are another great reason this formula for dream football success simply does not work.
Sunday early morning requires you to make sure your lineups are set.
Simply because your schedule is setup and prepared Saturday night does not suggest someone won't be scraped right prior to the game starts and you have to make a fast relocate to your backup.
Spend a minimum of one day a week [ either Tuesday or Saturday ] having a look at the waiver wire to see exactly what types of players are still not taken, in addition to who could be on the waiver wire that you may need to replace a hurt star player or a future bye week.
If you no longer are interested in keeping a player on your roster, market him to various other teams prior to cutting him. Don't assume various other teams aren't interested. You might get some value for him that surpasses what you 'd enter the waiver pool.
You can't let the various other groups in the league know you are going shopping a player. Attempt to skillfully put his name in so that he preserves his value and your challengers will not understand they could pick him up for a box of old football cards and used chewing gum.
A trade has to work for both teams. Don't make a foolish offer and wish you could bamboozle the other supervisor. He'll be more open to making trades later in the season if you are bringing genuine offers to him, even if he doesn't take the first offer.
Watch NFL Live! When you watch it every night (possibly), Cut the wife in on your winnings and she will not nag you.
Be a contrarian during the draft. When everybody is making a runon defenses or tight ends, secure up your WR3 or prepare a running back with high upside. There's likely more value there.
When you're picking a DST, you don't always wish to be the first individual in the draft to make that jump due to the fact that you're probably not getting sufficient value. That stated, if you're the last man choosing a DST, you're probably paying EXCESSIVE. The most value for a DST normally comes to supervisors who take the 3rd, fourth, or 5th rated DST.
In IDP leagues, examine the period projections and points per game average of protective players when deciding on ways to compose them. Usually all offending starters (sans kicker) and many high point overall reserves should be drafted before messing around in protective players, but in some harsh cases (Patrick Willis) they can be taken earlier.
Play in a league where all supervisors have a history of staying involved. If you do not have active participating supervisors who have offered up, an organization is no fun.
If your league uses playoffs, keep in mind the adage: there's no tomorrow. If you do not keep players for next season, drop a big star running back or quarterback after he's made his last start (Peyton Manning in week 16 or 17, for instance). If you're not going to get a full game of producitivy out of him, he's no longer of value to you.
Look at three year trends on players (presuming they've played in the exact same scheme the entire time). Going any further back is pointless.
Play in a league with old friends. It's a great way to remain in touch.
Know which defenses offer up the most touchdowns. Understand which defenses offer up the least touchdowns. Understanding this will make your bye week options much simpler to make.
If you no longer are interested in keeping a player on your roster, market him to other teams before cutting him. Be a contrarian throughout the draft. When everyone is making a run on defenses or tight ends, lock up your WR3 or prepare a running back with high benefit. When you're choosing a DST, you do not always want to be the first person in the draft to make that jump due to the fact that you're probably not getting sufficient worth. If you do not keep players for next season, drop a huge name running back or quarterback after he's made his last start (Peyton Manning in week 16 or 17, for example).

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: 'fantasy, fantasy football, National Football League, NFL, Saturday, Terrell Owens, Toby Gerhart, Tony Romo

Ten Fantasy Football Errors that You Should Never Make

February 7, 2013 By Emmanuel Perez Leave a Comment

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10) Pursuing the most effective at Each Position
Everyone should be shooting for the very best player, right? Well, to a particular magnitude, yes.

We all wish the leading operating back, the major receiver, the major quarterback, but believing that you can have them all is unrealistic, and may get you into some problem on draft day.

When you reach the center rounds and have some beginners, some individuals leap at the chance to get a high rated twist or defense. Believing that having the Sebastian Jankowski in the 8th round is somewhat a better approach than taking a back-up RB and acquiring you kicker late. That the Pittsburgh defense is somehow more important than a solid WR3.

It's not.

So, when you have your ideal guys at capability placements, get your back-ups. David Akers will certainly not deliver you fantasy glory when your second operating back gets hurt and you are required to start a member you got off waivers.

9) Choosing Protection in the Overdue Rounds
The easiest method to obtain a head start in any kind of fantasy football league is by taking some excellent gambles in the draft. Those that play the late rounds secure are often those who end up paying the cost during the time.

When you have developed your beginners and have a couple of key backups, you have to open up your playbook a bit of a and start examining your sleeper checklist. Take a peak at those men that you just have a feeling about.

If you receive it wrong, so what? It is a person that you can easily go down and replace from the cost-free agency checklist. Yet … if you acquire it ideal … you will have taken a starter in round 12! There is no better feeling.

So rather than throwing away a late round pick on a dependable, secure name that will certainly acquire you 3-5 points weekly, take the risk. Bet on a boom-or-bust member that could wind up starting for you and obtaining you 10 a week.

8) NFL Combine Syndrome
It astonishes me that there are people that really do this one. This error is 100 % overthinking things. And if you make things too complexed, then you are visiting have a bad time.

Sometimes, we receive dream soccer crushes on guys. We just intently saw the NFL draft protection and saw some amazing 40-yard-dash times, and some terrific vertical leaps. We are making our method through the preseason, and seeing some recipients that are destroying 3rd strand defenses.

And often times, this doesn't also translate into the NFL. And much more commonly, it does not equate into dream football.

So, leave the looking for to the NFL pros. An overdue round bet never ever injured anyone, yet do not count on speed or strength when developing your dream team.

7) Composing Based upon Private Preference
So, I have to admit, I do this a lot. As a dream gamer, it normally means that we are likewise soccer followers. So, normally, there are gamers we enjoy and members that we absolutely hold a blind disfavor for.

If finished small amounts, this is an effortless error to obtain about, but also you may conveniently get into problem if you are as well harsh concerning it.

It is clear that I am a die-hard Cowboys supporter. And as long as I don't like them, I can not limit myself by ruling out players like Victor Cruz or LeSean McCoy if they fall ideal into my lap.

If you have a grudge versus a player, attempt your best to look past it. It's not completion of the world if you select them up. It's dream soccer, not a partnership. Obviously, don't sweat it if you have that one user you just don't wish. Take your man off your board. Let someone else have your man.

Keep in mind, the same concept holds true for the gamers that you like. God bless you if you are a Miami Dolphin fan, but also beyond perhaps Reggie Shrub, you aren't visiting wish to be piling your group with your beloved players.
I assure that if you don't prepare your favored users from your favorite time, they won't discover about it.

6) Not Recognizing the Rating System of Your Organization
It's straightforward really. Check out the regulations.

It's an essential, however usually ignored component of the match. If you are in a Details Each Reception (PPR) league, you are visiting need to draft in a different way compared to if you joined a typical rating organization. Simply one straightforward stat may significantly alter the make-up of your draft board.

There are many leagues that surpass simply a simplistic PPR adjustment. Some tweak quarterback duplicates like finalizations. Some remove factors for skipped basket. Some will award added points for significant plays or large regular performances.

So, before your draft, and before you even begin making your checklist of gamers, have a look at the organization racking up regulations. If will repay, and you can sit back an chuckle in your PPR draft when someone takes Michael Turner prior to Darren Sproles.

5) Not Preparing Past the First 4 Rounds.
Any kind of dummy can easily pick up a publication and draft an effective initial four rounds. I listen to that they are even training mice to do this. Receive your running spines, receive a receiver or 2. Obtain your quarterback. It's not a hard idea. Also those that do not see the NFL may call the most effective members.

The trick to having the most effective draft and eventually gaining your organization is the center and late rounds. So, have a plan and a long enough listing to get your though each round and past. If you do not have a tactical plan and you do not have a checklist, you are putting yourself at a huge downside.

4) Not Observing the NFL Preseason.
Previously I mentioned the preseason. That you should not base your tease some no-name 6th WR who is beating up on third strand defenses. This is true. Yet taking note of the Preseason is vital. You simply should do it right.

Last year especially we saw running back committees and vast receivers going five deep. Every group has competitors at the ability positions, and you have to enjoy these struggles.

By enjoying, or at least paying modest attention to the San Francisco 49ers preseason, you will have an immediate leg up on the competition, since you will have an understanding of which of their apparently 70 large receivers will likely be the preferred. Mario Manningham, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree. Seeing who receives the most operate and the most attention in preseason can put you in the placement to take the best player once the round comes along. The exact same could be claimed for at least one placement on virtually every team in the NFL.

Anyone who has actually ever before operated a fantasy group could inform you exactly how damaging injuries can be. So having that expertise of who the 3rd receiver is on a group indicates that you can easily be ready to swoop in and declare your man out of free agency if that moment ever comes.

Arian Foster and Victor Cruz were both preseason celebrities. And both of them went greatly undrafted before their breakout years. Except for by those that actually knew to try to find them.

3) Composing Your Defense or Kicker Before the Last 2 Rounds.
This is possibly the biggest novice dream football preparing blunder there is.

In no organization is it better to prepare Akers or Jankowski in Round 8 than drafting a solid data backup receiver or running back. No justifications. Wait until the last round for your kicker. No exemptions.

David Akers had a great year last year, however the different in stages each match between the second-rate kicker and the 15th finest twist was less than 2 stages. Thankless.

Now, an argument could be produced jumping up a couple of rounds for a defense, per his very own. I will sit back and take mine in the 2nd to last round. Because of a bit of a strategy that I have, and we will certainly be getting into later on. The Shuffling Defense Technique.

2) Grabbing Name Worth.
Every organization has a couple of users who will certainly do this one. Fantasy owners that will certainly reach on a player just due to his label.

Case in point, Michael Vick being taken first over all last year. All of us see just how that ended up. Yet taking a member based on label constantly happens. Big names will certainly go early. And you need to permit them. It'll be disappointing understanding that you have just about no shot at possessing Victor Cruz, but also understanding that he is not worth an early second round choice makes you the genuine winner.

Then, when you enter the later rounds, you are visiting stumble upon an additional wave of NFL labels that you recognize. Names of gamers that were once at the really major of their placement. They are now being up to middle rounds, but also individuals will certainly be taking them early, merely because they are protected selections.

Anquan Boldin was a wonderful vast recipient and dream star … 5 years ago. As I stated in a previous point, it is much better take a danger on a young guy that might possibly acquire you 10 points a game, than to select the more mature safer user who will seldom get your greater than 7.

1) Not Preranking Your Gamers.
I'm not saying this because I write a dream football blog and since I publish rankings. I'm saying this because its definitely unfathomable to me that somebody would certainly enter without a listing. Do it, and do it ideal.

There are publications, magazines and websites everywhere that give you accessibility to rankings gamers and mock drafts to check out. Do it.

Check out a number. Bring up numerous websites, receive your ESPN and Dream Football Journals, sit down and compile your own checklist. Make the effort a couple days prior to your draft to compose our your own. Enter a mock draft. Acquire a taste of the tempo of the draft and the timing of when gamers are going.

When you have actually investigated and played a few trial runs, sit down and write your listing. You have your own personal style, your very own sleeper selections, your very own bosom suggestions, your very own preferred group and player.

Opt for your digestive tract. It may simply settle.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: David Akers, LeSean McCoy, Mario Manningham, National Football League, NFL, Pittsburgh, Victor Cruz, wide receiver

Will Andy Reid Be Fired?

November 2, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: English: Mike Vick with Philadelphia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He is the NFL's longest-tenured head coach and easily the most successful in Eagles franchise history, and yet, as we have seen happen in other football-crazed towns, it's the weight of all that history that seems to be bearing down on Andy Reid in Philadelphia these days.

As we watch things go from bad to worse for Reid and his underachieving Eagles this season, it's not difficult to identify yet another case of a veteran coach who has stayed too long in the same place, with time conspiring to turn his strength of continuity and consistency into something closer to utter contempt for the familiar. After Reid's 14 mostly winning seasons, the Philadelphia fan base is suffering from full-blown Andy Fatigue, and for that there's really only one known cure.

It's not quite midseason, but it's easy to see where this story is headed regarding Reid and the team he has led since 1999. Be it the beaten-down Michael Vick or the fresh-faced Nick Foles at quarterback for the Eagles over the next nine games, the bigger picture is that the winds of change have started blowing in Philadelphia, and they're not likely to stop at the recent firing of a defensive coordinator.

The tea leaves might not be in full bloom as October comes to a close, but they're already plenty readable, and they say it's over for the coach who took the Eagles to nine playoff berths, six division titles, five conference title games and one Super Bowl.

But then, we knew how high the stakes were in Philadelphia when the season started, with team owner Jeffrey Lurie making it clear that Reid had finally arrived at the win-or-else stage. But alas, the 3-4 Eagles aren't winning much, so we all understand what likely happens next.

Even for the best NFL head coaches, the ones like Reid who have served long and well and defied the odds by surviving in the same market for year after year, the end of their era almost always comes in less than victory-parade formation. Eventually, every coach this side of Vince Lombardi and Bill Walsh seems to wear out his welcome, grow stale in the job, or realize his message no longer resonates with the people he's paid to motivate. Stay long enough and some of the magic inevitably disappears.

Just in the past several years alone, we've seen it happen to a few of Reid's contemporaries. It happened to Mike Shanahan in Denver, despite two Super Bowl rings, with the end of his lengthy Broncos tenure featuring just one playoff win his last 10 seasons on the job.

GALLERY: VICK AND OTHER PLAYERS WHO COULD BE JETTISONED

It happened much the same way for Jeff Fisher in Tennessee, who parted ways with the Titans after the 2010 season, exiting with no playoff victories and five non-winning seasons in his last seven years in Nashville.

To a degree, Mike Holmgren in Seattle fit the mold of a shelf life expired, too. Holmgren walked away after the 2008 season, his 10th with the Seahawks, with a 4-12 record being the final chapter in a story that included the franchise's only Super Bowl run. It was his call, but Holmgren sensed his time had come and his impact had waned.

And if it can happen to Hall of Fame legends like Tom Landry in Dallas, Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh and Don Shula in Miami — none of whom went out in anything resembling the glow of their championship years — who could possibly be immune from that coaching dynamic? Certainly not Reid, whose 139-94-1 career record in Philadelphia has set a new standard for Eagles coaches, but includes only a 10-9 mark in the playoffs and, to the great frustration of Philly fans everywhere, no Super Bowl titles.

"Sometimes teams just get to a certain point where they want a fresh look, a fresh face,'' one former NFL general manager told me last week. "The window for coaches in the NFL used to be about 10 years in the same job, before people got tired of you. Now it's less. Now it's six, seven, eight years, maybe. It's tougher all the time to fight your way past that point.''

By that measure, Reid has roughly doubled the norm in today's NFL, and managed to extend his successful Eagles run far longer than he probably had a right to expect. But it is tougher all the time for him to be heard and trusted in Philadelphia, and to be given the benefit of the doubt when his football judgments are questioned. There are too many recent examples of calls that went wrong and plans that never worked out.

Given the Eagles' galling recent bookend home losses to Detroit and Atlanta — sandwiched around the team's bye — Reid's time in Philadelphia now feels like a countdown. The dispiriting 30-17 loss to the Falcons on Sunday, played amid the backdrop of a must-win setting, served as a sober realization that Reid is nearly out of answers and motivational methods to inspire and jump-start his puzzling team.

He'll no doubt keep fighting this season, because that's what coaches do, desperate or otherwise. But the flow of the battle seems to have finally and definitively turned against him in Philly, and his players aren't responding to the sense of urgency he undoubtedly feels. It's new ground for him to have his back to the wall to this degree, but a second consecutive non-playoff season would be unprecedented in his Eagles tenure, and Lurie has unequivocally deemed that unacceptable.

Unlike Pat Bowlen in Shanahan's later years in Denver, or Bud Adams in Fisher's case in Tennessee, Lurie's patience and loyalty seemingly won't extend indefinitely. There never was a return to greatness for the Broncos in the post-John Elway quarterbacking era, and Fisher never got the Titans back to the Super Bowl after their narrow loss to St. Louis in January 2000. In retrospect, both owners likely would have been better off to follow the rest of the league's what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mantra and move on from Shanahan and Fisher sooner than they did. Ultimately, neither franchise was rewarded for its patience.

In Reid's case, as this painful season in Philadelphia continues to unfold, his cause is hurt rather than helped by all the history he and the Eagles share. It's a relationship in which both sides know each other too well, and it shows signs of strain. Sometimes enough is just enough, and time makes that plain.

Reid's league-leading seniority and near-perennial playoff status earned him plenty of well-deserved slack in Philadelphia over the years. But it looks like his long run is headed for the finish, and it will feature a familiar downward spiral in its closing stretch. On a three-game losing streak, the Eagles' situation is precarious. There's still time to mount a comeback, but time and tenure are no longer on Reid's side. His track record is working against him now, and his chances to remain in the only NFL head coaching job he has ever known are dwindling.

Even with those nine games left, including Monday night at New Orleans, the outcome in Philadelphia this season already seems clear. The more you see, the more you get the feeling this isn't going to end well for Reid. But in the NFL, even for long-tenured coaches who thrive and survive and create an era for themselves, it rarely does.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Player News Tagged With: Andy Reid, Eagle, Michael Vick, NFL, philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Reid, super bowl

The Sexy Truth about Fantasy Football

October 24, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

According to a new survey from Yahoo! Sports, the average fantasy football player spends more than 4 hours a week prepping for their fantasy matchup, an amount of time that would earn them more than $500 working a minimum-wage job over the course of a full season. Additionally, 8% of fans admit to spending more than 10 hours a week preparing for fantasy football – the same percentage of fans, coincidentally, who report that they have been dumped due to a fantasy football obsession.

Other key findings include:

Fantasy football over sex?While 16% of respondents would give up sex for the entire season to win their fantasy league, more (19%) are willing to give up their mobile phone. The most respondents, 39%, would give up beer to win their league.
Fantasy football and real money

75% of fantasy football players are willing to bet on fantasy football, with 12% open to wagering more than $250 in their league.
Favorite teams vs. fantasy teams

35% of fantasy football players have rooted against their favorite NFL team when they had a fantasy player on the opposing team.
The most powerful man in sports

Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, was considered by the most respondents (26%) to be the most powerful commissioner in professional athletics by a significant margin — more than the NBA’s David Stern (10%), MLB’s Bud Selig (9%) and the NHL’s Gary Bettman (3%) combined.
Gender bias?

43% of fans think we are more likely to see a woman become President of the United States than be in charge of a professional sports league as a commissioner, and 25% think neither is likely.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Addiction Tagged With: 'fantasy, Bud Selig, fantasy football, Gary Bettman, National Football League, NFL, Roger Goodell, Sports

Alfred Morris: Fantasy Football

September 22, 2012 By Winn Jones 1 Comment

I want to formally introduce you to the next Arian Foster on your fantasy team and his name is Alfred Morris, the rookie running back for the Washington Redskins. Head Coach Mike Shanahan is famous for producing running backs from out of nowhere in Denver where he won 2 Super Bowls and now he seems poised to follow that same winning formula in Washington. RG III may not be John Elway, but Alfred Morris could be Terrelle Davis, emerging from the pack of RB’s Washington has as the starter and I see no reason to think he might lose his starting job as Roy Helu Jr. is still recovering from injury and the speculation is his job won’t be waiting for him when he gets back. Morris had 21 fantasy points in week 1 and if the Redskins offense continues to put up anywhere close to the numbers they did the first week of the season,Alfred Morris is going to win offensive rookie of the year in the NFL and the Redskins will be playoff bound with a rookie QB and RB. Now that is a projection I wouldn’t put money on but I like the odds Alfred Morris is not only a quick fix to your RB problem, but a permanent solution and possibly a top 10 RB when the season ends.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Player News Tagged With: Alfred Morris, Arian Foster, John Elway, Mike Shanahan, National Football League, NFL, Roy Helu, Washington Redskins

Fantasy Football Rising Players

September 20, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo

Who would’ve thought that C.J. Spiller, second on the depth chart entering week one to Fred Jackson, would be leading the league in rushing yards two weeks in? Not me, that’s for sure. A week-one injury to Jackson spit Spiller back into the spotlight. The Bills’ RB was in the process of breaking out LAST season when Fred was injured and he appears to have really hit his stride in this, his 3rd NFL season. He’s averaging ten yards per attempt on 29 carries! He’s always had breakaway speed and now he’s learned the ways of the NFL and allowing his natural talent to carry him through. 29 carries, 292 yards. Ouch. He’s 51 yards ahead of Reggie Bush, the second-place rusher.

Carson Palmer, QB, Oakland

An unlikely riser, Palmer is 3rd in passing yards after week two. Part of that is the fact that RB Darren McFadden is not having a good start. He’s getting 2.1 yards per carry, forcing the Raiders to the air more than they want. Also, the Raiders are a very weak team overall and are playing from behind a lot, which points to more yards for Palmer. He’s a bit limited by his “help” at WR, but has so far ditched the “Interceptionitis” that he’s shown in recent years and has 2 TD tosses vs. a single pick in two games. Palmer is a guy who you might consider “selling high” in fantasy leagues – if you have any takers.

Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis

Amendola is in a somewhat similar situation as Kevin Ogletree of the Cowboys, but Amendola does more things…namely returning kicks and punts. Against the Redskins, he had a career day, with 15 grabs for 160 yards and a TD. Danny was set up to break out last season after a sophomore campaign where he had 85 catches and appeared to be the NFC’s version of Wes Welker – a small, shifty slot receiver – when he got injured in his first game of 2011 and missed the entire season. It looks like the breakout is on the way now, however. You don’t get 15 receptions in a game without being a favorite of your QB, so look for the chemistry between he and Sam Bradford to continue to get Amendola some looks. He could be a star player in PPR leagues this season.

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco

Smith showed last year that he can be a “caretaker”-type of QB…a guy who isn’t asked to carry his team, but IS asked to not screw things up and complete short passes with an occasional long ball to TE Vernon Davis. Smith isn’t high up in many statistical cateogries with 437 yards passing in his first two games. He’s got 4 TDs vs. 0 interceptions and only threw 6 INTs in all of 2011. This season, with a year of learning (and buying into) Jim Harbaugh’s system, the Niners look like the class of the NFL with victories over playoff teams in their first two outings. I think his success continues and while he may never have the 500-yard game like Eli Manning did this week, he’ll have a lot of 250-300 yard games and won’t be putting up single-digit fantasy numbers in any given week, either. His floor (fantasy-wise) is pretty high, and his ceiling may be a bit higher than most people think.

Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia

After two weeks, Celek leads all TEs by a large margin in receiving yards with 222. Next is Jimmy Graham with 156. While Celek doesn’t have a TD yet, he has SIX receptions of over 20 yards already. With numbers like that, it’s only a matter of time before he has a multi-TD game.

Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans

The Saints’ up-and-down offense this season has given Sproles a chance to shine. He’s got 18 catches in his first 2 games, making him a very nice starter in PPR leagues. With the Saints’ offensive line allowing Brees to be pressured more, Sproles should see more and more looks as a hot receiver in addition to any yardage he gets on the ground. He’s a true dual-threat guy with a unique skill set and offensive role, which should allow him to be on the scoring board in fantasy points every week. With his speed, he’s always a threat to score whenever he gets the ball and with defenders’ hands so full with Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston and Lance Moore, Sproles should see some room underneath…and break one every so often.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Player News Tagged With: Brent Celek, C.J. Spiller, Danny Amendola, Darren McFadden, Eli Manning, Fred Jackson, Kevin Ogletree, NFL

NFL Review: Week 1

September 10, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: CLEVELAND – NOVEMBER 07: Running back Peyton Hillis #40 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball by linebacker Jerod Mayo #51 of the New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns Stadium on November 7, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

The first week is a difficult for fans because it's hard to temper expectations based on just one game. Dallas Cowboys fans, for example, are jumping up and down, drinking the blue and silver Kool-Aid with lofty expectations of a playoff run and perhaps a Super Bowl appearance.

Meanwhile, New Orleans Saints fans are wondering how their team could lose to Washington and a rookie QB, thinking this could be a long season. It's hard to remember how long the NFL season is actually.

I always use the 2003 NFL season as an example. In Week 1 of 2003, the Buffalo Bills with Drew Bledsoe as their new QB routed the New England Patriots 31-0. Much of the national media jumped on the Bills' bandwagon following that dismantling of the Patriots and named them the best team in the AFC East and a potential Super Bowl contender.

The Patriots went on to lose just one other game that season on their way to their second Super Bowl win in three years. Buffalo, meanwhile, finished a disappointing 6-10. New England even beat the Bills 31-0 in the regular season finale.

A lot can change just week to week in the NFL, so there's no telling what will be different about the league come Week 17.

Obviously, you prefer to start the year with a win rather than a loss. Every win in the NFL should be considered precious. But, it's the wins at the end of the year that mean more.

– Fantasy football owners can fall into the same trap as die-hard fans, especially when that owner is also a die-hard fan.
A player lights up Week 1, while another disappoints. So Player B gets dropped for Player A even though he probably shouldn't be.

Here's a list of players who had big first weeks that could be found on the waiver wire, but should be left there.

Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins – Don't be fooled by a Mike Shanahan RB. Morris was impressive with 96 yards and two TDs on 28 carries, but now that's he's found success chances are Shanahan will bury him. It's like Shanahan has a vendetta against fantasy football owners. He waits until his RB gets owned in enough leagues and then benches him. It's a nasty trend that makes Shanahan the most disliked coach in the league among fantasy circles.

Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets – Are you really ready to trust Sanchez? You know at some point he's going to be removed from the game when the Jets get into the red zone. There were several national media guys already complaining Tim Tebow didn't get into the game more even though Sanchez threw for 266 yards and three TDs with just one INT. It's bound to happen eventually.

Stephen Hill, WR, Jets – Hill is tied in directly to Sanchez. Yes he's a great deep threat, but he's still an unpolished rookie who will have more games with minimal yards and targets as opposed to Sunday's efforts when have had 84 yards and two TDs.

Jeremy Kerley, WR, Jets – Am I putting too many Jets on this list? Perhaps, but I'm still not buying into this offense. Kerley had a receiving TD and a return TD. We all know how well scores in the return game can be, but Kerley is a deep threat who will not get a ton of red zone looks as the season progresses.

Heath Miller, TE, Steelers – Miller is a great security blanket for Ben Roethlisberger, but that's the problem. Miller is rarely relied upon to be more than just a security blanket. He has caught just two TD passes the last two seasons and will never pile up a lot of yardage. He had 51 yards Sunday night, which could be the norm. Touchdowns will be much more rare for him.

– On the other end, here's a list of guys who didn't perform well in Week 1 who should not be given up on yet. Note: I'm not listing guys who are owned in just about every league. No one is giving up on a guy like Greg Jennings after one week.

Peyton Hillis, RB, Chiefs – Hillis was figured out of the game plan in a hurry due to the Chiefs falling behind quickly. He ended up scoring just one point. But Hillis will be in line to be a TD vulture this season and looked great in the preseason. Some are alarmed by seeing Shaun Draughn getting a goal line carry ahead of Hillis. That carry came with 5 seconds left in the game when the outcome had already been decided. It won't be a trend.

Cedric Benson, RB, Packers – Benson had just 18 yards on nine carries, but don't drop him. The Packers are always going to throw more, but Benson was the only RB to get a carry for the Pack. And remember he was running against one of the league's best defenses in the 49ers. The Packers also got behind early and had to rely on the pass instead. Benson will get his down the road.

Titus Young, WR, Lions – It was a bad start to the regular season for Lions QB Matt Stafford, who threw three INTs. Young will be more productive than his 11 receiving yards and 14 rushing yards later in the year. Stafford will be more effective in more games than not and Young is a weapon the Lions want to utilize.

– One final list. Here's the guys who did shine in the opening week you should consider picking up if available:

C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills – Spiller is owned in just 69 percent of Yahoo leagues. He is owned in nearly every ESPN league, though. If you're in a Yahoo league and Spiller is on the waiver wire, hurry up and claim him. Fred Jackson's knee injury might sideline him for a few weeks, which gives Spiller a great chance to emerge as the No. 1 back in Buffalo after rushing for 169 yards and a TD in Week 1.

Kevin Ogletree, WR, Cowboys – Ogletree had his coming out party against the Giants on Wednesday, and don't expect his production to slip significantly. Remember, last season the Cowboys' top receiver ended up being Laurent Robinson who was their No. 3 guy. Miles Austin is injury prone and Dez Bryant is inconsistent. Tony Romo likes to work his slot receivers, making Ogletree a viable fantasy option.

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers – Cobb had a huge game in Week 1 of last season as well and then wasn't heard from again. I don't think he slips off this season. Cobb remains one of the league's best return men, but expect him to figure more into the Packers' passing game this season. If you're in a league getting points for return yards, Cobb is a must own.

Brandon LaFell, WR, Panthers – I won't be surprised if Brandon LaFell ends up being the Panthers' leading receiver this season ahead of Steve Smith. At the very least, LaFell should continue to be a nice second option across from Smith that Cam Newton can depend on. LaFell's 65 yards and a TD could be pretty normal for him this season.

– There were plenty of injuries right off the bat to open the season. Here's a list of guys to keep an eye on this week as you prepare your lineup.

Fred Jackson, RB, Bills – I mentioned Jackson above when referring to C.J. Spiller. Jackson sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee after getting popped hard by Jets safety LaRon Landry. Jackson will have an MRI on Monday. He's likely to be limited at the very least, and as mentioned above, Spiller is set to really benefit from this. Spiller averaged 105 total yards per game after Jackson broke his right leg in Week 12 last season. This could be an opportunity for Spiller to establish himself even further.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins – Garcon had a big 88-yard TD reception from Robert Griffin III on Sunday, giving him 109 yards on four receptions in the first quarter alone. However, he left the rest of the game with a foot injury. Garcon says the injury isn't significant and he will play, but why couldn't get back in the game Sunday? It's not like the Redskins had the win wrapped up in the first quarter. Monitor how much he practices this week.

John Skelton, QB, Cardinals – Let's face it, chances are you're not starting either Skelton or Kevin Kolb unless you into a 20-team league and even then it's unlikely. Skelton was carted off the field with what the Cardinals are hoping is a high ankle sprain. The major significance here is Skelton seems to enjoy throwing to Larry Fitzgerald more than Kolb, who can't seem to get the ball down the field to Fitz. Kolb did lead a late TD drive, so the starting job could be him once again. The QB situation remains unsettled in Arizona, which is rough for Fitzgerald owners.

Jake Locker, QB, Titans – Locker suffered an injury to his non-throwing shoulder after making a tackle after he threw an interception on Sunday. Early indications are he's going to play through the should seperation. Locker had one of his better showings from an accuracy standpoint, but I'm not convinced that will be the norm. Matt Hasselbeck could be a solid option in deeper leagues if Locker can't go.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jaguars – Jennings left midway through the game with a knee injury that didn't appear to be serious, however, Maurice Jones-Drew looked good once again handling full-time duties. Jennings role as a starter in Jacksonville is already over it would appear.

Devery Henderson, WR, Saints – Henderson suffered a concussion Sunday, which could mean more targets for fellow WR Lance Moore, who had a big game once Henderson left the game, ending up with 120 yards and a TD.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Dolphins – Thomas was quickly rule out of the game following a concussion he suffered against the Texans. If Thomas can't play Sunday, Reggie Bush should see an increase in touches

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: buffalo bills, Jeremy Kerley, Mike Shanahan, National Football League, NFL, Peyton Hillis, super bowl, Teachta Dála

NFL America’s Game

September 6, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: SALARIES NFL 1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The National Football League has done a remarkable job over the last fifteen years positioning themselves to take over baseball and become our national pastime. This pains me to say as I am a “baseball first” kind of person. I share the same passion for all things baseball in the same way my colleague Gary Armida describes it so very well in this column. The hidden beauty within the game of baseball is what makes us thrive for more, even after watching a fifteen inning game that has lasted nearly five hours. Granted, I can’t sit on my couch and watch an entire game from start to finish like I once did when I was carefree without responsibility. Well, I can, but with two daughters under the age of eight I find myself watching most of my games on a slight DVR delay. With a game occurring nearly every single night between April and October it becomes hard to catch all the action, especially if you are living the family life. This is one of the many reasons people are drawn to the NFL. With a sixteen game schedule that is played predominately on Sundays, each game becomes more of an event. For game days you’re likely to find me and the family over at a place like Buffalo Wild Wings to watch at least a half of football (that’s usually as long as the two-year-old will give us at a booth until she starts to unravel). The atmosphere of people coming together on NFL Sunday and the electricity it brings is something you don’t really see from baseball until they hit the playoffs. One of the biggest reasons for the success of the NFL has been fantasy football. It has gotten to the point where I’m now surprised if somebody doesn’t have a fantasy team in some shape or form. When you hear chattering around the office from people (men and women) who couldn’t tell you what city the Titans play in but want advice on who to draft in the third round, you know you’ve tapped into the mainstream market. Fantasy football keeps people interested not only in their favorite team, but also in the players around the NFL. Fans have a reason to follow the action from the first game all the way until the final game on Monday night. Sure, baseball has fantasy leagues too, but again we go back to the sixteen game schedule in the NFL. To maintain a fantasy baseball team in the right way one needs to check and set their lineup on a daily basis for over six months. As opposed to once a week for football. There are three reasons why I travel to San Diego to watch a game. For one, we don’t have a team in Los Angeles. Secondly, to support one of my two favorite teams (my other favorite team is the St. Louis Rams – still loyal after all these years). Finally, for the pregame experience of tailgating. Dodger Stadium hasn’t allowed tailgating for at least the last fifteen years. If you were to crack open a beer you would find yourself surrounded by the SWAT team within fifteen seconds. As a devoted Dodger fan I still find myself at Angels Stadium for at least one game a year just so we can fire up the barbecue and enjoy a little tailgating. Tailgating is more than drinking. It’s about spending time outside with friends and family. Something we are seeing less and less of as the years go on. Tailgating before an NFL game is an experience. It’s half the fun of actually attending a game and one of the main reasons why fans look forward to attending a game. With the quality of both the television and internet broadcasts improving on a year-to-year basis, the NFL needs to continue improving the in stadium experience. Baseball is a wonderful sport, but our society doesn’t have the attention span of being able to hang through three hour games, for 162 games a season. Kids aren’t out there collecting baseball cards and parents are not setting aside the time to play catch with little Jimmy or Jenny in the backyard like they once did. Fans are drawn to the NFL for various reasons, but all of those reasons are what makes the sport of football so great. Baseball is always going to have a sentimental spot in the heart of America, but football has supplanted it as our national pastime.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: Baseball, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, National Football League, NFL, St. Louis Rams, SWAT

Dwayne Bowe

August 22, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: English: Dwayne Bowe, a player on the Kansas City Chiefs American football team. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When should you be picking Kansas City wide receiver Dwayne Bowe? We have him ranked #115 overall. ESPN's Eric Karabell says that Bowe is typically being taken later than what might have been expected. "As for other news that didn't take place in a preseason game, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe ended his holdout, signing a one-year tender," writes Karabell. "This shouldn't affect Bowe's fantasy value, as he's going in the sixth round, and just outside the top 20 at his position." It doesn't help that Matt Cassel is his quarterback and that he plays in a run first offense. Then again, he led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 2010 and has always been an elite receiver, so Bowe will likely make for a great sleeper candidate in most leagues.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: Bowe, Dwayne Bowe, ESPN, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, National Football League, NFL, wide receiver

Carolina Panthers 2012: Can Cam Newton Get a Superbowl Ring?

July 27, 2012 By Winn Jones 1 Comment

: GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 11: Quarterback Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before the NFL season opening game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 11, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Carindals defeated the Panthers 28-21. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Carolina Panthers Predictions 2012: Can Cam Newton Deliver a Super Bowl? (via http://www.bookieblitz.com)

The Carolina Panthers are eager to start the season and like most teams in the NFL, they have high expectations. In fact, they are so high center Ryan Kalil placed a full-page ad in local paper, guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory. The football betting oddsmakers are not sold on the idea. In the Super…

Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football for Beginners

July 26, 2012 By Winn Jones 1 Comment

FANTASY FOOTBALL 101 — A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

It’s that time of the year again. You know what I’m talking about. July is halfway over, the MLB All-Star game is in our rear view mirror and the chatter of NFL training camp has begun.

Any good guide for beginners will help them learn and love the game early. With Online-Casinos.com, beginners and pros alike love the challenge, excitement and luck involved.

That can only mean one thing…it’s time to get our Fantasy Football leagues in order!

For those of you who have participated in this activity in the past, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For those of you that have not, you may be wondering “why all the fuss?”

I must admit, I’ve been doing this for so long, I can hardly remember what it is like to simply root for a team anymore. Let’s put it this way, when I played fantasy football for the first time, there were no websites to run your leagues through. Not even to crunch statistics. That was the league commissioner’s job!

I didn’t realize how much of a ‘job’ that was until my third year in the league, when I agreed to assume the role of “Commish”. It was then that I was handed a floppy disc that contained the Quatro Pro (Excel was unheard of back then) spreadsheet that was to be used to compile the data each week.

By compiling, I mean spending countless hours on Monday night, combing through the newspaper (remember those), pulling data from each and every box score for every game that had been played on Sunday (and Saturday, if applicable), and hand-writing the statistics of every single player that touched the ball.

Then there would be countless more hours spent entering this data into the spreadsheet. After Monday night’s game had been completed, the same process took place on Tuesday to gather the data from that game.

Then the spreadsheets (plural) would be sorted, by position, top scores to bottom scores, and printed out, along with the league standings. Upon arriving early to work by at least an hour on Wednesday, these pages would all be faxed out to each of the owners in the league so that they could peruse the information and be ready to submit their proposed free agent selections or trade offers of the week. (Another byproduct of this process – nobody knew officially if they won or lost until Wednesday morning!)

Any such free agent acquisitions or trades would need to be submitted by 10:00 PM on Wednesday, which was done by leaving a voice mail on my house landline, which was not to be answered under any circumstance by anyone in my household on these days. That way I could log each one down on paper and carry them out them in the proper order.

I would then make a list of these transactions and have them faxed to all owners on Thursday morning. Any further transactions were done on a first-come-first-served basis until game time, using the same voice mail system.

Now, thanks to the internet, all of this work is done for us. So now the Commish’ job is pretty much to pick out the website to use, set up the league and be available to settle any disputes that may arise throughout the season. There are usually two or three during the seventeen weeks!

This year I decided to start up a brand new “KEEPER” league. This is something that I have wanted to do for a while now, but just never got around to it. All of the leagues that I have been running over the past two decades (plus) have been ‘normal’ leagues, where everyone starts from scratch each year.

I have also decided to go after a fresh group of players, preferably where everyone knows most, if not all of the other owners. That way we can all talk smack with each other and not worry about offending anyone, since it will all be done in fun and with good taste (right)!

It was at this point that I realized that there are a lot of sports fans that have been interested in participating for years, but just didn’t know enough about fantasy football to feel safe taking the plunge. The rest of this story is for them!

First of all, the fact that you are a football fan has already qualified you to take part in this annual ritual. No matter how knowledgeable any of the seasoned fantasy owners appear to be, they will still be using the same data that you will be using. If you have been able to hold your own in football conversations in the past, you will be able to pick this ‘fantasy’ thing up just fine.

However, there are a few things you will need to know in order to set up your strategy.

The basic things you will need to know include 1) how many teams are in the league, 2) how many weeks are in the regular season, 3) how many teams will make the playoffs, and 4) is this a keeper league?

These are all basic but necessary questions. They formulate the structure of the league and really help identify the mission of the league (such as…is this a league that is for fun or serious, or…is this league going to be around for a while).

Then you need to know the specifics of the league.

1) How many starters at each position? – You will find that this will vary from league to league. Most common lineups include one quarterback (QB), 2 running backs (RBs), 2 wide receivers (WRs), one tight end (TE), one Kicker and one Defense/Special Teams unit. By adding another starter at any position, the value of that position changes dramatically, which will impact your draft strategy as far as which position to go after first.

2) Is your league a yardage scoring league or a points scoring league? – Some leagues reward you with more points for racking up the yardage, rather than scoring a lot of touchdowns. Other leagues run the opposite direction. Knowing which direction your league leans will help you when debating between a RB that can break open the long one for ten 100-yard games a season, but not punch it in from the 2-yard line, versus the RB that comes in at 3^rd and goal from the two yard line and ends up with three touchdowns on six yards.

3) How does your defense rack up the points? – Some leagues don’t make it easy for a defense to score a lot of points. Others allow them to score a point here and a point there for every conceivable thing that can occur (fumble, interception, sack, safety, blocked extra points, points allowed, yardage allowed, etc.) If your league is like this one, you need to know which defensive units will be creating a lot of turnovers while pitching near-shutouts, and then grab them quick.

4) Will your kicker be penalized for missing or only rewarded for connecting? – This will help determine if you should roll the dice on the guy with the strong leg but lousy aim.

Next, you need to understand that a star player in the NFL may not necessarily be a star player in Fantasy Football.

For example, Troy Aikman was one of the most talented quarterbacks to play the game, but he would always be drafted as a #2 quarterback in Fantasy leagues. Why? Because he threw short passes, an occasional long pass to Michael Irvin, then hand the ball off to Emmett Smith for the touchdown.

Meanwhile, an average QB on a very bad team would come out of the locker room at halftime down by double-digit points, and air it out for the remainder of the game. He’d end up with 350 passing yards and a couple of touchdowns, even though his team never won a game! Who cares…he just helped you win your matchup for the week!!

Also, if the league is deep with talented QBs, but only have a handful of RBs that are worth anything, you can pass on the Aaron Rogers pick and grab the stud RB in the first round, then pick up a second level QB later. Likewise, if there appears to be fifty good WRs, you can wait until the 3^rd or 4^th round to grab one, while stockpiling the stud RBs and/or QBs.

Finally, remember to participate fully, even if your team happens to suck (which happens to everyone, no matter what they say). The goal is to have fun. If you happen to win bragging rights for the off season, that’s icing on the cake.

The bottom line is this…do your homework! If you know the specifics about your league and you are up to speed on the actual players, you can have a lot of fun in this new venture of Fantasy Football!

Check out other great articles at A View From The Nose Bleed Seats.

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: 'fantasy, fantasy football, Michael Irvin, National Football League, NFL, quarterback, Running back, Troy Aikman

2012 Nfl Power Rankings for the Washington Redskins

July 21, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

Washington-Redskins-v-Baltimore-Ravens-hZ-XyEdx66jl

: Washington Redskins Cheerleader (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

In most years when a teams selects the second overall player in the NFL Draft, they are a team in need of a rebuild and they are a team that missed out on the opportunity to select the draft crop's best quarterback. Most would say that the Redskins missed out on the draft's best quarterback, but they certainly didn't miss on a chance to take a top QB prospect as they found themselves with Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.

After trading up to select RG3, there is plenty of optimism in Washington. But the 2012 Redskins will likely depend heavily on the performance of the rookie quarterback. In ProFootballTalk's latest update to their preseason power rankings, they ranked the Redskins as the league's No. 24 team, but spoke of the potential of an exciting season for the team.

Griffin could be the next rookie quarterback to hit the ground running and the restored confidence could cover enough flaws for the team to take advantage of an out-of-division schedule that looks like it is on the softer side. Even that might not be enough to put them in playoff contention, but it could make 8-8 a possibility and that would be a significant step forward for the team.

The Redskins are annually at a disadvantage in the NFC East which is notoriously tough. Like PFT says, a significant step forward for a team led by a rookie would be a good move for the Redskins.

SB Nation Rankings: Patriots' Tight Ends Best In NFL(patspulpit.com)
NFL Films Ranks Top 5 NFL Wide Receivers(chicago.cbslocal.com)
Ravens Defensive Line Ranked 2nd Best In NFL(baltimorebeatdown.com)
Aaron Rodgers' peers say he's the NFL's best player(profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
2012 NFL Power Rankings: Redskins Rank No. 24 In Poll(dc.sbnation.com)
Doug Baldwin Named No. 1 NFL Prospect By Football Outsiders(seattle.sbnation.com)
Ranking the SEC's cornerbacks(espn.go.com)
You: Chicago Bears: Why Matt Forte Is a Boom or Bust Running Back(bleacherreport.com)
Ron Jaworski Ranks Joe Flacco as 9th Best QB in NFL(baltimorebeatdown.com)
NFL Power Rankings: Why Denarius Moore Will Be a Top 10 Receiver in 2012(bleacherreport.com)

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Strategy Tagged With: American, Fan Pages, Football, heisman trophy, History, National Football League, National Football League Draft, NFC East, NFL, quarterback, Redskins, Robert Griffin III, rookie, Sports, Washington Redskins, wide receiver

Troy Polamalu Adds Further Headaches to the NFL Concussion Investigation

July 20, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: English: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu in action in the regular season game against the St. Louis Rams on December 20, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Troy Polamalu adds to NFL concussion headache (via GlobalPost)

Hard-hitting Pittsburgh Steeler says he's lied about head injuries. David Trifunov Troy Polamalu added another headache to the NFL’s ever-present concussion problem on Wednesday. The hard-hitting Pittsburgh Steelers safety said he’s lied about head injuries to remain in games. From what he told…

LOL! The San Francisco 49ers are Favored by Gamblers to Win the 2013 NFL Superbowl

July 19, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

Las Vegas possibilities for Super Bowl XLVII have been out as well as the existing probabilities are moving. According to Bill Barnwell, a staff blogger for Grantland, the San Francisco 49ers are being favored to win it all in 2013.

At the MGM family of sports books, the 49ers started with 10/1 chances, which was tied for the 5th best odds with the New Orleans Saints. Since then the 49ers have actually moved up 4 slots and are right now 4/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 47. In the past at the top with 5/1 opening odds, the New England Patriots are currently tied with the Green Bay Packers at 6/1.

The 49ers were not the only group to view a big rise from their opening probabilities. The Chicago Bears (25/1 to 8/1), New York Jets (30/1 to 12/1), as well as Denver Broncos (75/1 to 7/1) have even seen large motion in their existing probabilities. Vegas odds are not simply identified by the probability a group wins the Super Bowl however also by the quantity of betting action they get, which explains why big-name groups like the Bears, Jets, as well as Broncos all saw their odds alter dramatically.

For the 49ers, it is not too unexpected to view them increase in the charts and be a favored to earn Super Bowl XLVII. From maintaining their whole starting defense from last time to adding some crucial players, the 49ers are anticipated to be one of the more successful teams this year. Additionally, the 49ers' number one special teams play headlined by kicker David Akers as well as punter Andy Lee make for a group destined for success according to the betting public in the futures market.

From a great coach in Jim Harbaugh to brand-new broad receivers in Randy Moss and Mario Manningham, gamblers have plenty of reason to feel that the 49ers can go all the way thisseason. While some people may question the potentialof quarterback Alex Smith or whether the group will definitely face any kind of competition in the NFC West, San Francisco's breakout 2011-12 season makes them a fantastic Super Bowl XLVII contender according to lots of NFL admirers and Las Vegas.

You: San Francisco 49ers: Best & Worst Case Scenarios for 2012(bleacherreport.com)
Former 49ers Defensive Lineman Cleveland Elam Dies at 60(ninernoise.com)
ESPYS 2012: San Francisco 49ers Win Award for Game of the Year(ninernoise.com)
San Francisco 49ers: Will Dashon Goldson Actually Be More Motivated in 2012?(bleacherreport.com)
3 Things San Francisco 49ers Must Do to Protect NFC West Title(bleacherreport.com)
Super Bowl Odds 2012: Denver Broncos At 7/1 According To MGM Family Of Sportsbooks(denver.sbnation.com)
MGM Has 49ers As 4-To-1 Super Bowl Favorites(ninersnation.com)
San Francisco 49ers camp outlook: Super expectations warranted(aol.sportingnews.com)
ESPN's Ron Jaworski Names San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith 16th Best QB in the NFL(ninersnation.com)
Oakland Raiders 9th, San Francisco 49ers 15th In Under-25 NFL Talent(bayarea.sbnation.com)

Filed Under: Smart Sports Betting Tagged With: Jim Harbaugh, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFC West, NFL, san francisco, san francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XLVII

Oakland Raiders Woes To Continue In 2012-13 NFL Season

July 16, 2012 By Winn Jones 1 Comment

: Oakland Raiders logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2012 NFL Previews and Predictions: The Oakland Raiders “Won’t Win Baby” (via http://www.bookieblitz.com)

The Oakland Raiders have been one of the proudest and most popular teams in the NFL, but recently have fallen on hard times. As they head into 2012, it will take a miracle for this team to compete for the playoffs and there is a better chance at grabbing the No. 1 overall 2012 draft pick. Odds: As…

The 4 Most Important Backups on the Oakland Raiders Roster(bleacherreport.com)
Preseason Power Rankings No. 23: Oakland Raiders(profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
Oakland Raiders Who Could Make the Pro Bowl in 2012: Denarius Moore(bayarea.sbnation.com)
Could Long Term Deal for Tyvon Branch Bring Cedric Benson to Oakland Raiders?(bayarea.sbnation.com)
Oakland Raiders Who Could Make the Pro Bowl in 2012: Tyvon Branch(bayarea.sbnation.com)
Oakland Raiders: Why Terrell Owens Would Be a Good Fit in Oakland(bleacherreport.com)
Opponent Preview: Oakland Raiders face Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville … – bettor.com (blog)(blogs.bettor.com)
NFL Rumors – Kellen Winslow to Oakland Raiders? – Gather.com(sports.gather.com)
NFL News: Raiders, Branch agree to new four-year deal(brownsvilleherald.com)

Filed Under: Fantasy Football Player News Tagged With: American, Football, National Football League, NFL, Oakland California, Oakland Raiders, Sports, Tyvon Branch

Your Guide To Online Betting

July 14, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

Your guide to online betting

Previously it was those primarily interested in sports, people who invested money in various sporting results, but in recent years more and more, even those people who are not particularly interested in sports and who have not engaged in casino promotions online in the past, have gone in for betting.

This is of course because there are now so many good sites for betting online, and you can now bet in terms of just about anything. Do you have a hunch how things will go in the next general election, that's OK; you want to bet some money on your favorite in the Eurovision Song Contest with. And do you just lira little genting casino on the net so it works with, the options are now endless!

However, if you have not given yourself up to National Football League (NFL) betting online earlier, there are some things you should know. These things we thought we briefly review in this guide to betting, so you are a beginner learns the basics of regular betting and the betting line really looks like. And even you who have played before you can certainly find some new and exciting information, if you read our sections on, among other casino betting, sports betting tournament or why not our betting tips?

Filed Under: Smart Sports Betting Tagged With: Casino, Eurovision Song Contest, Gambling, game, National Football League, NFL, Online gambling, Sports betting

Madden 2013 OFFICIAL NFL Gameplay Trailer and Presentation Video Replay

July 13, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

: Madden NFL Football (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Madden 2013 OFFICIAL NFL Gameplay Trailer and Presentation Video Replay Madden 2013 OFFICIAL NFL Gameplay Trailer and Presentation Video Replay Madden 2013 OFFICIAL NFL Gameplay Trailer and Presentation Video Replay

Tebow Scared Straight By The Jets – ( Madden NFL 12 Parody )(ff-winners.com)
Ray Lewis: Madden NFL 13 Trailer(baltimorebeatdown.com)
E3 2012: Madden NFL Social tries the play again this fall on Facebook(games.com)
The NFL's Most Badass Facemask will be in Madden 13 [Madden](kotaku.com)
'Madden NFL 13′ (ALL) GameStop Pre-Order Bonuses Revealed – WorthPlaying.com(worthplaying.com)
Report: Madden NFL 13 will include 'Tebowing'(tracking.si.com)
Madden NFL 13 Ultimate Team trailered(vg247.com)
Madden NFL '13 To Feature "Tebowing"(tracking.si.com)
Fantasy Football t shirt funny t shirt cool t shirt(ff-winners.com)
Madden NFL 13 assets show off new presentation and gameplay(vg247.com)

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: american football, Madden, madden nfl, National Football League, NFL, Sports, twitter, Video Game

New England Patriots Predicted to Have Another Outstanding Season in 2012-13

July 9, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

New England Patriots Predictions and Preview: Pats Poised for Success With Offseason Moves (via http://www.bookieblitz.com)

The New England Patriots are one of the best teams in the NFL and last season they were minutes away from winning another Super Bowl ring. Is it possible that heading into the 2012 NFL football season the Patriots actually look better than they did a year ago? The quick answer is yes. Before the changes…

Filed Under: Smart Sports Betting Tagged With: Jabar Gaffney, National Football League, new england, New England Patriots, NFL, Rob Gronkowski, super bowl, Wes Welker

Justin Blackmon’s 2012 NFL Fantasy Football Value May Shock You

July 5, 2012 By Winn Jones Leave a Comment

There's really no doubting Justin Blackmon's athleticism and seemingly unlimited upside. Blackmon is a world-class wide receiver who has the potential to dominate in the NFL. In 2012, however, you might want to stay away from Blackmon in fantasy redraft leagues. Here's why. . .

Rookie wide receivers possess little value.

In my book Fantasy Football for Smart People, I talk about the risks of drafting rookie receivers. Take a look at the top rookie wide outs from the past five seasons. Even in today's pass-happy NFL, rookie receivers simply don't make much of an impact. Going into 2012, second-year receiver A.J. Green is getting selected as high as the third round in fantasy drafts. Still, Green-2011's top rookie receiver-was just 14th in points among all receivers.

And Green is actually an outlier. In 2010, the top rookie receiver was Dez Bryant. He checked in 41st among all receivers in fantasy points, meaning he wasn't even good enough to start in three-receiver leagues. In 2009,Percy Harvin led all rookie receivers, but still managed to total only the 25th-most fantasy points at the position.DeSean Jackson led rookie receivers in 2008 at 29th place, and Dwayne Bowe set the pace the previous season at 24th. Even the great Calvin Johnson was the 35th-ranked wide receiver in his rookie year.

Simply stated, you can't rely on rookie receivers in the short-term. At best, the draft's most elite rookie receivers can be counted on as low-end third options at the position.

Blackmon's ADP is far too high.

Fantasy football drafting is all about securing value. Blackmon's average draft position, as shown below, is too high for owners to obtain value with his selection.

You can see Blackmon's ADP took a tumble after he was arrested for an early-June DUI. Nonetheless, his current 10th-round draft spot is much too high in redraft leagues. Remember, rookie receivers have almost no chance of posting quality stats.

About 50 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns is realistic-and solid-for Blackmon in his rookie year. Still, he's getting selected near guys like Darrius Heyward-Bey and Mike Williams who, although admittedly less talented, possess more upside due to a longer tenure in the NFL.

Dynasty/Keeper Leagues

There are monumental differences between redraft and dynasty draft strategy, and Blackmon's value to dynasty owners is outstanding. Here's why. . .

Blackmon has a supporting cast.

The Jaguars have lacked the ability to attack defenses vertically over the past few years. Maurice Jones-Drewis an all-world running back, but defenses have been able to clamp down on him due to a lack of elite talent outside.

With the arrival of Blackmon and Laurent Robinson, the Jags finally have the home run threats they need. Blackmon will be the man in Jacksonville sooner rather than later, but he doesn't need to do it all on his own. With all of the parts in place, Blackmon should receive plenty of single coverage in the beginning of his career.

Wide receivers get selected too late in dynasty leagues.

Fantasy owners often don't deviate too much from their redraft strategy in dynasty leagues. This means they wait on rookie receivers because the first-year value isn't there. If you're willing to draft a young gun and wait it out, you can acquire great career value with rookie receivers. You'll lose a mid-to-late-round pick in 2012, but Blackmon could (and should) begin producing starting-caliber fantasy points as soon as 2013.

Blackmon will probably be the top-scoring receiver from this draft class after a few years.

My friend and fellow fantasy football analyst Frank DuPont has a pretty awesome formula for projecting rookie wide receivers' fantasy impact. It utilizes a player's market share of collegiate yards, 40 time, and a few other factors to project production over the first three years of his NFL career. Blackmon comes out on top in those rankings.

Ultimately, Blackmon's skill set is too elite to deny. Even so, don't expect his 2012 production to be in the top-tier of fantasy receivers; if he's in the top 20, that's outstanding. Beyond this season, however, Blackmon's potential is uncapped. In dynasty leagues, look to grab Blackmon in the middle rounds, sit on him for a year, then start cashing in as soon as 2013.

by Jonathan Bales, the author of Fantasy Football for Smart People: How to Dominate Your Draft. He's also the founder of The DC Times and writes for the New York Times.