June 27, 2008
Today's scouting reports from MLive.com about Shaun McDonald and Mike Furrey confirm what shay bets they are in fantasy leagues. McDonald is the third receiver, Furrey the fourth. But if Calvin Johnson or Roy Williams get hurt, Furrey is likely to replace them in the starting lineup. With Mike Martz gone, the third receiver won't be worth drafting. So forget McDonald. And Furrey is only worth a look if an injury strikes.
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News from Adam Schefter that the Cowboys are eyeing Joe Horn. This makes no sense and smacks of Jerry Jones just looking for a big name. Horn isn't good enough to contribute in Atlanta. He's not close to the receiver Patrick Crayton is. This would be a mistake, and not just because the Cowboys are already fine at No. 2 receiver.
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Najeh Davenport is being shopped. I don't think the Steelers will find a taker, but it's just another guy who might get a job ahead of Shaun Alexander or Travis Henry.
Update: He's been dumped
June 23, 2008
Certain storylines or team needs tend to gain steam in media coverage throughout the summer, whether it's warranted or not. Dallas' supposedly desperate need for another wide receiver is one of these stories. What all the hand-wringing fails to mention is that Dallas was awesome last year with Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton as secondary receivers behind Terrell Owens. How much better can the Cowboys get than finishing second in receiving touchdowns and second in yards-per-attempt?
Is Crayton a classic number two? No, he plays better in the slot. Just like other Donald Driver, Bobby Engram, and plenty other "starters" around the league. The local rag says Dallas will use Jason Witten out wide more often, which is nice. But Witten was already was among the league leaders at tight end in snaps out wide, so I'm not sure how much more he can play out there. He's a better tight end than wideout, and the matchups will be better inside. He's proven to be more effective there, like most tight ends.
Continue reading "Enough about the Dallas No. 2 receiver" »
May 22, 2008
Let's start this Thursday morning with a check on our last reader decision: Kellen Winslow vs. Jason Witten.
Witten won in a landslide. While I agree, it's worth keeping in mind that Winslow topped 1,100 yards in a season that often would be the best among tight ends. Throw in Antonio Gates, and I think there is a big gap this year between the top-three tight ends and the rest of the pack. While I will be happy to take someone like Owen Daniels or Todd Heap at the right spot, I think the "big three" will be a better value in the middle rounds than players like Tony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark, who may only go a round later.
Winslow has missed OTA work this offseason, but Drew Rosenhaus says he'll be there for the mandatory work.
May 16, 2008
Okay, we've got the results from the last two player matchups. In a surprise (to me), Heath Miller edged out Jeremy Shockey, with Vernon Davis finishing a relatively close third. Wes Welker also trashed Roy Williams in their head-to-head matchup.
Today's battle will go back to tight ends one more time. I'm going to take Antonio Gates out of the discussion because of his foot surgery. If he's ready to play Week 1, he's number one in my rankings. We'll see how that plays out.
Continue reading "Winslow vs. Witten" »
Okay, we've got the results from the last two player matchups. In a surprise (to me), Heath Miller edged out Jeremy Shockey, with Vernon Davis finishing a relatively close third. Wes Welker also trashed Roy Williams in their head-to-head matchup.
Today's battle will go back to tight ends one more time. I'm going to take Antonio Gates out of the discussion because of his foot surgery. If he's ready to play Week 1, he's number one in my rankings. We'll see how that plays out.
Continue reading "Winslow vs. Witten" »
May 05, 2008
We had a great debate about Braylon Edwards vs. Andre Johnson last week, with AJ surprisingly coming out on top 16-12.
As I hit the frantic home stretch of our first magazine (I leave for Dallas next Tuesday), you can help me with another battle: Ryan Grant vs. Marion Barber.
Barber will be a flash point for fantasy owners this year. He produced like a top-three back last year, but his limited experience and the change to Aaron Rodgers will scare some owners away. He's going to go early, but would you take him ahead of elite wideouts. More importantly, would you take him ahead of Marion Barber, who now has Felix Jones around?
April 23, 2008
It looks like B. Roo wants to set the comments record for the Mock with this pick, No. 28 for the Cowboys. 49ers are on the clock.
Let’s get it out of the way up front and then give the explanation. Please hear me out before you flame me. With the 28th pick in the ’08 draft the Dallas Cowboys select:
Brian Brohm- QB (Louisville)
First of all, let me say that if the draft actually plays out this way Dallas WILL trade this pick. I can’t do that here though. The Cowboys still have needs at WR and in the secondary. None of the WRs are first round worthy and the DB board has also been picked clean of first round talent.
Continue reading "Pancake Blocks Mock Draft: Pick No. 28" »
April 17, 2008
I know this draft is a hit when I get two emails telling me to hurry up and post the Dallas pick. So here goes, courtesy of Marv M.
Dallas should use this pick to select a running back.
They arguably have bigger needs in the secondary, but all of the cornerbacks worth taking this high have already been selected, and a safety can be acquired later.
Continue reading "Pancake Blocks Mock Draft: Pick No. 22" »
Perhaps the most interesting part of the latest round of Ocho Cinco blather was Adam Schefter's note that Cincy has already received an offer of two first-day picks for Johnson. (Is that the old first day - three rounds - or the new first day of two rounds? I'm guesing the former).
If someone is offering that much before the draft, the price should go up on draft day. And that means the Bengals would have to consider the offer, even though I think he'll stay put. So is this mystery team? Here are my five best guesses based on ammunition (draft picks) and need.
Continue reading "Chad Johnson has bidders" »
March 05, 2008
Once upon a time, Julius Jones was getting taken near the first round of fantasy drafts. Sorry about that one. Now he's the most interesting running back left on the free agent market. Let's rank where he could end up by projected 2008 fantasy value.
4. Tampa Bay - The Bucs have "expressed interest" but haven't visited with Jones. He could caddy for Earnest Graham there, but they already have a speed threat with poor instincts - Michael Bennett. Julius could hope following his brother's career path leads to similar results.
3. Tennessee - Bad sign for Chris Henry that the Titans are hosting Jones on Wednesday. LenDale White will keep his starting job, but the Titans would like some speed off the bench. Jones would be an RB4 in fantasy leagues here.
Continue reading "Pick a home for Julius Jones" »
February 26, 2008
Some news and notes picked up from this morning's news ...
The always quotable Antonio Pierce is requesting a new segment in NFL Films highlight films.
"Show the highlights of all the players we beat, crying, with that stupid look on their faces, saying, 'How did we lose?"
Darren McFadden ran a 4.33 in tennis shoes.
Continue reading "Skinny Posts: Giant Schadenfreude" »
February 25, 2008
Very busy weekend on the news page, worth checking out if you can. Some nuggets that may get lost in the shuffle...
Marion Barber keeper owners are hoping for 300 carries, but the Cowboys are probably going right back to a committee. I still expect Barber's touches to pick up.
Continue reading "Skinny Posts: Barbarian Not Free Yet?" »
January 21, 2008
A little late on these, but they are too funny to pass up.
The Onion has an unbelieable caption following T.O.'s press conference last week. (Not to mention Jessica Simpson's elaborate plan.)
And SSSN details our record traffic day last week.
January 15, 2008
Does Maroney's strong finish make him a better '08 fantasy pick?
Philip Rivers has played well enough in the playoffs to adjust my expectations for his 2008 season slightly. So who else has affected their value? I'll list some names and decide if their postseason effort mattered.
Vincent Jackson, Chargers - Here was the guy we expected to see all season. I think San Diego's maturation in the passing game has a lot to do with understanding Norv Turner's system. Jackson will be ignored after a lost year, but he still has potential to score a lot of touchdowns.
Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, Giants - Give credit to the GIants offensive line. Everyone looks like a superstar playing behind them. (Except for Reuben Droughns). Now that Bradshaw looks like a legitimate threat, Jacobs is going to wind up sharing carries with him and possibly Derrick Ward next year. Good for the Giants, bad for Jacobs. Although maybe lesser work can keep him healthy. 15 touches-per-game and a lot of scores would keep him a RB2.
Continue reading "Playoff adjustments" »
January 14, 2008
Dallas' loss to the Giants will leave a mark for years, but I don't buy that it's the beginning of the end for the franchise.
They were the fourth-youngest team in the league and there are many pieces in place for a long run of success, starting with Tony Romo. They honestly don't have many holes to fill, but here is what should concern the team heading into the offseason.
1. Flozell Adams - He didn't have a great playoff effort, but Adams is still a Pro Bowl left tackle. He would make an enormous contract on the open market, one that may not be worth it for a 33-year-old. The franchise tag seems made for him.
Continue reading "What's next for Cowboys?" »
Hashmarks has some excellent post-mortem reaction from the Cowboys-Giants game, including a phrase that nicely sums up the end of the season: Who has my keys?
January 13, 2008
The entire organization deserves praise for making it this far; The coaching staff for fostering a team attitude; GM Floyd Reese for his draft class; Eli Manning for his poise; The offensive line for great run blocking. But more than any team in recent memory, the Giants have made it all the way to a Conference Championship on the strength of one exceptional unit - their defensive line.
By the fourth quarter Sunday, Osi Umenyiora was throwing All Pro tackle Flozell Adams around. Justin Tuck was giving Pro Bowler Andre Gurode fits. Michael Strahan was putting the finishing touches on yet another resurgent season.
Sure, the Giants were helped enormously by some Patrick Crayton gaffes. But the Giants defensive line took over against one of the best offensive lines in football when they absolutely had to. New York's patchwork secondary was ready to fall apart, but Tony Romo didn't have enough time to exploit the matchups.
They may have to be even better next week, because Green Bay's receiver depth will be difficult to contain. I'm done counting the Giants out, though. It all starts up front.
December 19, 2007
Bill Parcells just doesn't know how to quit. After another brief run at ESPN, Parcells is on the verge of taking a front office job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Some may wonder why Parcells would join a mess like the Falcons, but the better question is why not? They have an owner with deep pockets and the franchise can only go up. Parcells loves a fixer-upper.
The Patriots were 2-11 in the year before Parcells turned the franchise around. The Jets were 1-15 in 1996 when he started shopping for groceries again in New York. The Cowboys were stuck in a perpetual 5-11 Quincy Carter rut before Parcells joined forces with Jerry Jones.
Continue reading "Big Tuna = Big Drama" »
November 29, 2007
Against my better judgment, I'm going to liveblog tonight's game, especially for those unfortunately souls without the NFL Network. It's the season for giving and all. See you around kickoff ...
October 15, 2007
As you could probably tell from Morning After, I watched the strange Packers-Redskins game Sunday. Here's the only recap you need to know from that game. If nothing else, we know the Redskins defense is for real. Again.
I also enjoyed the epic Hashmarks breakdown of the Patriots-Cowboys bonanza. One final note just heard from NFLN's Rich Eisen before I move on. The Patriots have outscored their opponents by 138 points this season. Only four other teams have even scored 138 points this season. I'll shut up now.
October 08, 2007
Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think the Bills have a good chance to win this game tonight. Dick Jauron is easy to make fun of, but his Bills teams have done one thing consistently: play their guts out. Personnel issues prevent them from being a playoff contender, but this is their Super Bowl. It's just another game for the Cowboys.
Dallas sleptwalked through their first half against the Rams at home last week, and was very lucky to have a lead at halftime. The Cowboys are a good team, but they aren't so good that they can't get beat on the road by a team with everything to play for.
I'm really excited to watch Trent Edwards after hearing so much about his poised start last week. Buffalo has needed a good quarterback for as long as I can remember. It's early, but I say Edwards makes a name for himself tonight.
Bills 24, Cowboys 23
Continue reading "Monday Night Prediction" »
September 23, 2007
The Cowboys rushing game continues to frustrate owners. Twice tonight, the Cowboys got inside the five-yard line. Julius Jones stayed in the game both times.
He didn't get the score, but Marion Barber owners have to be frustrated. Neither Dallas runner is doing anything tonight, and they will continue to make difficult weekly decisions in fantasy leagues.
Patrick Crayton did not have a drop all of last year. Since he's emerged as a pro, Crayton is known for having the best hands on the Cowboys. Crayton, playing with a broken finger Sunday night, just had a drop that led to an interception for Tony Romo.
John Madden just said Crayton was struggling to make catches in pregame warm-ups. Fantasy leaguers should try to keep Crayton on the bench if possible until he proves he can make the tough grab again.
After the guy from Heroes pushes the opening kickoff out of bounds, Cedric Benson rips off a couple runs before a Bernard Berrian and some pressure on Rex Grossman stops a drive.
Look for Dallas to send tons of extra guys at Grossman. His repuation around the league is that he doesn't step into his throws when the pressure is in his face. Dallas is undermanned, but will probably gamble anyhow.
Here are the Cowboys I'm keeping a close eye on tonight.
Tony Romo - He's faced two weak secondaries thus far. Let's see what he does against a real defense.
Julius Jones - Basically benched late last week, Jones needs a big effort against his brother's old team are risk losing touches to Marion Barber. He has to look competent.
Patrick Crayton - Been quiet this season in starting role. Will have to beat some speedy, but smallish corners.
Jason Witten - Tight ends usually struggle against the Bears, although Antonio Gates did well in Week 1. I rolled with Witten this week because he's the number two receiver on a high scoring team.
September 14, 2007
This is a rare game where an NFC team is a road favorite (and by more than a field goal). The matchup features each team’s strengths and weakness facing one another. The consistent Miami defense under Dom Capers defense takes on the Tony Romo show. Dallas’ rag-tag secondary tries to survive against Trent Green’s still-forming pass attack.
QB: Tony Romo: Must Play - The Cowboys are a big-play team. With Yeremiah Bell out for the year, the Dolphins should be vulnerable to some.
RB: Julius Jones: Strong Flex Play - Miami knew Washington was going to pound the ball, and they didn’t exactly stop Clinton Portis. Still, Miami’s strength should be their rush defense. The Cowboys say they will use Jones around the goal line more often, so we’ll have to see if it happens.
RB: Marion Barber: Strong Flex Play - I don’t love either Dallas running back as a RB2 in this matchup, but they are worth playing as flex options.
WR: Terrell Owens: Must Play - T.O. is a strong choice for our “perfect picks” on the 100K most weeks because he’s the favorite to lead all wideouts in touchdowns. Miami doesn’t have anyone who can physically match up with him.
Continue reading "Cowboys vs. Dolphins matchups" »
September 07, 2007
Big update on my morning Crayton Nation post. Ryan Wilson on Fanhouse just pointed out a Hashmarks post that Terry Glenn is probably done for the season.
Mosley is usually right on with Cowboys news, so this should be proved accurate. Everything positive I've said about Crayton all offseason will now be tested. I can't wait to find out if I'm right; expect Crayton to be a solid WR3 year. I don't see Crayton as a gamebreaker, but a solid possession receiver who will help PPR teams consistently.
Continue reading "Glenn expected to miss season" »
Moving on from last night's festivities, let's look at the next biggest news to break Thursday afternoon: Terry Glenn's knee setback.
Patrick Crayton Nation (of which I am a proud member on multiple teams) should be salivating over Sunday night's start against the weak Giants secondary. Crayton is a consummate underneath receiver who will allow Terrell Owens to go deep more. He should pile up targets without much depth behind him at wideout. I'm moving his ranking into the top-30 for this week, making him a solid WR3 option or better in points-per-reception leagues.
Continue reading "Crayton Nation" »
September 06, 2007
Reggie Wayne's owner didn't care that his touchdown was ultimately meaningless.
Eric Johnson enthusiasts in PPR leagues enjoyed the hell out of that last drive (Hoiles now has 7-for-48, a great PPR night for a tight end).
Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Reggie Bush, and Deuce McAllister owners are all cursing Brees' latest fumble like it's a tie game.
And these stat-drive moments don't hurt my love of the game. I'd kill to have a competitive back-and-forth contest; there is nothing better than a great football. It makes me forget the stats. But the reality is this hasn't been a great football game. And I'm still enjoying watching it to the end.
September 05, 2007
I'm busy working on Goal Line Stand rankings and comments, but I just got my hands on the first NFL injury report.
Here were the headlines.
* Drew Bennett (thigh) didn't practice again, but Torry Holt did. He's not even on the injury report. You can all breathe a big sigh of relief.
* Greg Olsen sat out practice. I'm guessing he's less than 50-50 to play this week.
* Terry Glenn is back fully practicing. It looks like he'll play, although perhaps not with a full complement of snaps.
* Clinton Portis is fully practicing again, although he is listed on the report. Keep reading reports on him, but all signs are good thus far.
* Kevin Jones finally returned to practice, although not as a full participant. Still, it's a big step. We'll keep reading for the details.
That's about it. Week 1 is always quiet. I'll be back in the morning with rankings, some 100K picks, and the vindication of DeDe Dorsey.
September 04, 2007
Plaxico Burress was back at Giants practice Tuesday. Expect him to play in Week 1 against the Cowboys, and loook for a lot of scoring in that game. With Sam Madison and probably Terence Newman sitting out, these are two of the worst defensive backfields in the NFL.
I look for a lot of blitzes to make up for it, and enough big plays to make Eli Manning, Burress, Tony Romo, Patrick Crayton solid plays this week.
As I'm typing this, the first injury report crossed my path. We're getting close!
Remember that injury reports now only come out on Friday. Until then, we'll just know if a player practice, didn't practice, or was limited in practice.
Continue reading "Giants/Cowboys & First Injury Report" »
August 29, 2007
First let's see how the truest committee in the league is being drafted.
Marion Barber: RB24, fourth/fifth-round
Julius Jones: RB30, sixth-round
We don't know that much more about this situation now than we did when Wade Phillips was hired. The owners hoping Barber would take the starting job have been disappointed, and his ADP has steadily dropped because of it. I'd take Jones over Barber straight up even though the roles look to be the same this year. For a sixth-round RB3, you aren't going to do much better.
Continue reading "Focus on Cowboys" »
July 17, 2007
#40. Giants, Cowboys, and Falcons Kickers
Kickers are so irrelevent in fantasy football, we’ll combine three battles into one.
Giants K: Lawrence Tynes vs. Josh Huston
Huston was highly touted coming out of college, but understandably couldn’t beat out Robbie Gould last year. Tynes has experience, not all of it bad, as a kicker in Kansas City. The veteran is the favorite.
Cowboys K: Martin Gramatica vs. Nick Folk
Gramatica is the favorite, and rookie Nick Folk hasn’t looked impressive in minicamp season.
Falcons K: Aaron Elling vs. Billy Cundiff
Elling reminds us of the Mike Tice era, so we like that. Cundiff, on the other hand, has kicked in the NFL within the last two years. He’s the slight favorite.
June 12, 2007
Welcome if you are reading the fantasy mill for the first time on profootballtalk.com. If you are reading on Rotoworld, you can take a peek at our new Fantasy Mill at PFT.
A few morning links that didn't make the morning news ...
Why do I get the feeling that Lane Kiffin is preparing us for JaMarcus Russell to start in September?
"JaMarcus looked really good (Monday)," coach Kiffin said. "Without going back to watch the film, it was JaMarcus' best practice since he's been here."
I'm not touching any Raiders quarterback in fantasy leagues this year, but Russell will be projected to make about 12 starts.
Jean-Jacque Taylor is on fire since getting a columnist gig at the Dallas Morning News. He's right on with this Greg Ellis analysis. It's no time to be asking for a pay raise. Ellis should be happy he's so well paid coming off a torn Achilles.
Continue reading "Linked: Russell getting ready?" »
June 04, 2007
Some NFL links this morning as I get over the fact that Eric Mangini is infinitely cooler than I am. And cooler than his old boss.
The most ridiculous talk radio fueled debate of the last few weeks? Is Tony Romo becoming too Hollywood?
The Dallas Morning News gets it right, while the usually excellent AOL Fanhouse blog and Fort Worth Star-Telegram try to tell Tony Romo how to do his job and lead his private life based on what they know from reading tabloids.
Romo has climbed from a small school quarterback to an undrafted free agent to near the top of a highly competitive profession. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he knows how to do his job and live his life. Joe Namath, Joe Theisman, and Tom Brady didn't exactly struggle after dating starlets.
Johnnie Morton's MMA career? Gone in 38 seconds. Nice to get knocked out and suspended.
A solid scouting report on Kevin Jones by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski. The reports surrounding Jones' foot continue to be positive, but really it's too early to know anything.
Tarvaris Jackson bounces back from a rough Saturday at Minnesota minicamp. Rarely do you hear such uniformly negative reviews at a summer session.
Not a good sign for Robert Meachem that he was "overshadowed" by Rheema McKnight and Dante Ridgeway.
Here's a look at the Bengals backfield. It was a surprise that running back was such a priority for Cincy, but Kenny Watson is just a guy and the team probably isn't counting on Chris Perry this season.
January 31, 2007
Highlights of T.O.'s popcorn worthy one-on-one interview with Deion Sanders on the NFL Network.
Asked if its pronounced "Tear-el" or "Terr-el," he said, "It started out as Terrell, then we brought it to T.O. And I got something cooking for next year."
By we, who did Owens mean? T.O. and Terrell? Terrell and Kim Etheridge?
Dumbest question yet by Sanders: "Has Jerry Jones called you for advice about the coaching search?"
Other gems from Owens...
"I get no respect for what I do. I play with half a leg in the Super Bowl and get no respect for that. I play with a bum hand that no one knew about... I guess I won't get any respect until I have a limb dangling off me and you can physically see it."
"I didn't just lead the NFC. I didn't just lead the AFC. I led the NFL in touchdowns."
"There were guys that only had two or three less drops than I did, and they had two good hands."
One thing I liked. Owens calling out his detractors by name, including Mark Schlereth and Sean Salisbury.
Some actual news: Owens' second surgery on his finger will take place March 1.
And my first ever quasi-live blog of an interview is now complete.
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