SportsRoids Top 10 Fantasy Running Backs

I am not going to bore you with stats or insult our readers intelligence with mindless opinion. Keeping in mind it is “FANTASY” I humbly bestow upon you SPORTSROIDS Top 10 Fantasy Running Backs

10. Knowshon Moreno – I love this kid! And the history of Georgia Bulldog running backs in the NFL speaks for itself. He will carry a big load with Jay Cutler gone but I promise you he will handle it.

9. Clinton Portis – Every year people sleep on this guy and every year the guy that picks him between 8 and 12 usually wins the fantasty championship or overall points if not both. At 27 nothing changes for Portis.

8. Steve Slaton – Monster sleeper last yaer and bravo to anyone who drafted this kid before the 10th round and before they took a defense. Are you still not a believer?

7. DeAngelo Williams  – Okay SLOW DOWN …. becaue he will too … I am not ready to anoint him the second coming of Emmitt Smith…yet

6. Ladainian Tomlinson  – I would still take him number 1 overall because I love him and he is the man. Something happens to a man when he turns 30 and you’ll find out what I mean this year. Renaissance!

5. Adrian Peterson – Anyone can pick this guy number 1 but you ask the people who took him number 1 last year how that worked out for them come playoff time – BOINGER LAYIN IT DOWN!

4. Ronnie Brown – Contract Year ‘nough said

3. Maurice Jones-Drew – “Mr Mo-Jo Risin” He’s 24 with 3 years experience under his belt and poised to carry the full load for big numbers with an offensive line that has something to prove.

2. Michael Turner – Some may say I’m crazy but with just 15 million guaranteed for this 27 year he will look to give the Falcons a reason to secure him some more of that dough. Plus they’re loaded.

1. Matt Forte – The man that rushed us to victory! He’s my guy and I’m sticking with him. Plus anytime you hear a guy mentioned in the same sentence with Gayle Sayers, you tend to get a little wide eyed. Go ahead don’t be afraid. It’s just fantasy!

Where Will Jay Cutler Go from Here?

Yesterday it was reported that the Pro Bowl Quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Jay Cutler, had officially requested a trade. Today, we the people, began contemplating where he might end up if his request is honored. I’m sure there are many fans out there whose team could use a guy in Jay Cutler who played like the potential franchise-type quarterback that many analysts foresaw. The scoop is that new head coach Josh McDaniels, who was offensive coordinator for the Patriots, wanted to trade Cutler for Matt Cassel since he was familiar with his system already. This has since angered the young Cutler and he now wants to go… but where?!

To start off an easy process of elimination, every team in the AFC is out since teams don’t usually like to send star players away to in-conference franchises. And although Cassel was finally traded to another AFC team, like his former Patriots, in the Chiefs, that was more of an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” deal.

This was the widespread thought when that deal went down, because Scott Pioli, the former general manager of the Patriots moved onto Kansas City to try and resurrect that ball club.

So the AFC is out!

In the NFC East, Dallas has Tony Romo, NY has Eli Manning, and Philadelphia has Donovan McNabb. So far, Jason Campbell of the Washington Redskins still has a lot to prove, while Cutler seems way more promising than him thus far when both their careers are compared.

In the NFC North, the Packers have Aaron Rodgers, and the Vikings made moves to throw their young QB Tarvaris Jackson into a competition with newly acquired Sage Rosenfels from Houston. I don’t think that the Lions could attract an odor, so the Bears are definitely a hot spot. They’ve had no success with Rex Grossman, and minimal with Kyle Orton.

In the NFC South, the Saints boast Drew Brees, and the Falcons have a young star in rookie of the year Matt Ryan. The Panthers would have looked to have some great trade bait with the disgruntled Julius Peppers, but now it looks like he may be a Patriot soon. However, with Jake Delhomme being their current signal caller you still can’t count them out. Then there’s the Buccaneers who got rid of veteran Jeff Garcia.

After that, in the NFC West, the Seahawks have Matt Hasselbeck who is not past his better days yet, and Kurt Warner is obviously safe as the Cardinals QB. Cross those two teams out and you have the 49ers with the disappointing results of Alex Smith’s progress, and the St. Louis Rams, who should have started thinking about dropping Marc Bulger quite some time ago.

So there you have it. The top candidates to have Jay Cutler for President!

Julius Peppers traded to Patriots!

The Patriots are making more than a splash this year in the off season. Our Sportsroids sources have confirmed that this deal is very close to being completed. Peppers will probably play OLB in the Patriots system, so it will be a interesting change for Peppers. If the Patriots pull off this move they will be a very different team in 2010. They will receive an off season grade of A+ from me, since they signed Leigh Bodden, Julius Peppers,Joey Galloway, Shawn Springs and Fred Taylor. I expect them to win the division.

NFL Playoff Outlook

With just two weeks of play left in the regular season of the 2008-2009 year, a few teams have locked up a spot in the playoffs while others are still fighting to make it. What is about to unfold in this article is, what are in my mind, the teams that will make it.

We already know the Steelers and Titans have locked up spots and first round byes in the AFC. In the NFC the Giants have clinched their division while the Cardinals have as well. First I will go over the locks to get in.

In the AFC the only sure-fire lock I have is the Indianapolis Colts. If they beat Jacksonville this Thursday in Florida, they’re in. With the way the Jags have disappointed, I do not even see them using the rivalry bug as added motivation to beat Indianapolis.

In the NFC, surprisingly, the Carolina Panthers have not clinched even with an 11-3 record, which is a testament to the competitiveness of the NFC. However, one more win or one more loss from another team or two would put them in. The Cowboys have been hot lately. I don’t care about Romo’s performance in Pittsburgh. The game was still close, and it has been their only slip up since his return from injury. They face the Ravens at home, and Eagles in Philadelphia. The Eagle game should be tough and they easily can lose, but to me, I think all of the air got sucked out of the Raven team with their last minute loss to Pittsburgh last weekend.

The Vikings should clinch their division as the Bears face the Packers on Monday Night at home, but then travel to Houston the last week. Houston is on pace to finish up 9-7 and Andre Johnson should be able to shred their weak pass defense.

After that I don’t think Tampa will get in as they have slipped up and their weaknesses are beginning to be exposed. The Falcons and Eagles to me will be the ones to fighting for the 6th seed in the NFL as they have both been consistent as of late.

Back in the AFC, I’ll take the Patriots to win their division. They are at home against the Cardinals who have clinched, and then at a bum Buffalo team. That would put them at 11-5. The reason I see this happening is because the as-of-late inconsistent Jets should lose in Seattle this weekend, and the Dolphins will beat the Kansas City Chiefs. But when they play each other in New York, I’ll take a last-ditch effort by Favre to even their records at 10-6, giving one of them the 6th seed.

The only seed I am unsure of is the 4th seed in the AFC as the Broncos are 8-6 and Chargers 6-8. If the Chargers beat Tampa Bay in Tampa this weekend, which is not an oversight, and the Broncos lose at home to the Bills, which is still a bit of a stretch even if the Broncos aren’t so consistent, then they will be playing in San Diego for the division in week 17. If that happens, I’ll take the Chargers.

So that’s how I believe the “tournament” brackets will be set up come January.

Mad’Nuff Mad Skills player of the week

This weeks award goes to another offensive player or should I say players.  This week the award will be shared between DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart after pilling up a combined total of 301 yards on the ground and 4 TDS.  Now a lot of players had great games this week but these two guys take the cake (and eat it) .  Both had over a hundred yards as the Panthers rolled over the Bucs and into first place in the division, and that is why they have mad skills.

Third Quarter NFL Contenders

The NFL has hit its third quarter mark, and after twelve of the most up-and-down weeks of football in recent history, it is still a bit of a stretch to call anybody a true lock for the Super Bowl save for the New York Giants. However, there are still a few teams that are definitely pulling away from most others as viable Super Bowl contenders.

 

The first team, resoundingly, is the Giants. This is the best team in the league as far as everyone being on the same page. They have shown great depth to overcome almost all injuries, and even self-imposed gunshot wounds. Their one loss to the Browns in Cleveland where they went down by a score of 14 to 35 was a true head-scratcher. However, that game can definitely hold an asterisk for being an aberration since the Brownies have been terrible for the most part. The Giants have gone from a team with potential who plays on emotion, to a team that just flat out knows how to win. They are a well-oiled machine and are unphased by whatever distractions, whatever home field advantages their opponents have, and whichever fallen soldier opponents might be playing for.

 

The second team that comes to mind in my view is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their loss to the Eagles was just one of those days where nothing goes good offensively. They had a slump against the two Manning led teams but seem to have their act together as they have won convincingly for the most part ever since.

 

A team like the Jets had their slumps early on against teams like Oakland where they lost 16-13, and only scored ten points at home against the Patriots, then rip off a five game winning streak, blow out the previously undefeated Titans in Tennessee, and suffer another inexcusable slump to the no-defense Broncos at home losing 34-17. That is not the stuff of a contender, but rather a team with potential but a little too inconsistent to have faith in.

 

My next team is the Baltimore Ravens. Say what you want about their rookie quarterback. They are playing lights out and beating opponents they are supposed to beat the way the good teams are supposed to… big. They have had their share of slumps, namely a 30-10 loss to the Giants, and a 31-3 loss to the Colts. However, they already took Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania to OT and lost 20-23, but that was in just the fourth week of young Joe Flacco’s already budding career. If the Ravens get into the playoffs and meet up with the Colts or Giants again, it should be a lot closer as typically, second meetings between two teams in the same season are rarely ever a duplicate of the first meeting. Oh, and don’t count them out to win the AFC North as they still get Pittsburgh one last time for sure at home in two weeks and trail the Steelers by just one game.

 

After the Ravens, the Colts should not be overlooked. They keep finding ways to win, and a handful of those wins were handed to them. However, that kind of luck coupled with their post season experience can be a bad omen for their opponents come playoff time if they get in. And yes, I am counting luck as a factor. They have shown the kind of luck that is too good to be true, i.e. Titans, Steelers, and Browns games.

 

After that, I would say the Cowboys are the sleeper. They slumped big time early on. They did not have their act together as they seemed to display the heir of a team who already saw themselves in the Super Bowl. Now with their backs against the wall, they are looking like that kind of team again.

 

As for other squads like the Panthers and Bucs, their efforts are certainly admirable, but their quarterbacks, Jake Delhomme and Jeff Garcia respectively, are just too inconsistent. The Arizona Cardinals are like the Saints… great passing attack and not much more. The only difference is their division stinks. The one team that could be close to a contender is the Atlanta Falcons. They are moving milestones ahead in their rebuilding process at 8-4, and are perhaps one or two more productive seasons, and a good losing post season experience away from becoming a perennial contender.

 

Other than that, all of the other teams are just a little too consistent for my blood.

Week 10 NFL Picks

DEN 4-4 at CLE 3-5

 

This one is a true toss-up. The Bronco defense is atrocious, and the Browns have Brady Quinn starting. Inexperience surrounded by some talent and a home crowd versus a lost, but not found defense, wins the game.

 

NO 4-4 at ATL 5-3

 

It seems as though now the Falcons have become a team that is consistent at what they do. Not to say what they do makes them an elite team. However, the things they are doing are playing solid and potentially explosive offense and better defense than the Saints. Falcons win.

 

TEN 8-0 at CHI 5-3

 

Rex Grossman is in, and that doesn’t look good for Chicago. Plus their defense has had a tendency to let opponents back in the game and put up some solid numbers. But I feel Kerry Collins has been getting lucky as the Packers and Colts, the Titans two previous opponents respectively, have eached let three interceptions slip away. The Bears don’t let those kinds of opportunities pass by, Grossman has something to prove, the Bears are at home… Bears hand Titans their first loss.

 

JAC 3-5 at DET 0-8

 

The Jags continue to play to the level of their opponent. The Lions have been getting closer to their first win of the season. Can they do it against the Jags? Not so optimistic. But with Jack Del Rio questioning his team’s chemistry, and upset is in the making. However, I believe the Jags will get their act together in this one and win.

 

BAL 5-3 at HOU 3-5

 

The Ravens defense gave up a lot of yardage and points last week to the Browns, but they are familiar with the Ravens as they play in the same division. On the other side, the Texans look good in some games, and don’t continue their production even in their losses. Ravens win with Joe Flacco seeming to get more comfortable as the weeks go by.

 

SEA 2-6 at MIA 4-4

 

Miami looks a like a squad that is truly building an identity, while the ‘Hawks are failing to give Mike Holmgren a going-away party to be proud of. Dolphins win easily at home.

 

BUF 5-3 at N.E. 5-3

 

New England looked solid against the Colts last Sunday night, as did Matt Cassel. The Bills show their true colors as a team that started 4-0 due to a soft schedule and a visiting west coast team in the Chargers. Pats win.

 

STL 2-6 at NYJ 5-3

 

Brett Favre is still mistake prone, but with the way the Rams played last weekend, I think the Jets can afford some mistakes in this one. Jets win.

 

CAR 6-2 at OAK 2-6

 

Boy do the Raiders ever look like trash. They have two wins, and yet the Lions and Bengals are much more competitive than they are as of late. The “under the radar” Panthers win easy.

 

IND 4-4 at PIT 6-2

 

Both teams had big wins last week that boosted confidence after big losses the week prior. However, Pittsburgh’s “Blitzburgh” defense is hitting it’s stride and coming into its own. Steelers win at home, with either Roethlisberger or Leftwich at the helm.

 

K.C. 1-7 at S.D. 3-5

 

What better way for the Chargers to get healthy this weekend than a date at home against the Chiefs. Even though the Chiefs showed spirit last week, they’ll still lose to the Chargers.

 

NYG 7-1 at PHI 5-3

 

The Eagles may be returning to form, but the fact remains that the Giants are a better team all around. Giants win despite the Eagles being at home.

 

S.F. 2-6 at ARI 5-3

 

What a shame this game had to be on Monday Night Football. Too bad they can’t move the schedule around on Mondays. Cardinals win, and San Fran will not be mustering any “Monday Night Magic.”

Chargers get ousted by Panther’s Jake Delhomme and big time TE, Dante Rosario.

In the biggest upset of week 1 on Sunday, Jake Delhomme lead his team back to score a final game winning TD as the clock expired. The final 25-24 was a huge upset for the San Deigo fans. The Panthers ousted the chargers without the aid of their superstar WR, Steve Smith, who was suspended 3 weeks for punching teamate Ken Lucas in minicamp.

Standout performances:
1. Phillip Rivers, played very well went 12/17 with 217 yards and 3 TD and no Ints
2. L.T.- Had 22 touches for 97 yards (0 TD’s)
3. Jake Delhomme, was very posed on the final game winning drive. Over the course of the game he amassed 247 yards through the air with 1 TD and no Ints.
4. PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dante Rosario #88 TE Caught 7 balls for 96 yards and the game winning touchdown. Not bad for a little known TE.

-Mark M

Chargers get ousted by Panther’s Jake Delhomme and big time TE, Dante Rosario.

In the biggest upset of week 1 on Sunday, Jake Delhomme lead his team back to score a final game winning TD as the clock expired. The final 25-24 was a huge upset for the San Deigo fans. The Panthers ousted the chargers without the aid of their superstar WR, Steve Smith, who was suspended 3 weeks for punching teamate Ken Lucas in minicamp.

Standout performances:
1. Phillip Rivers, played very well went 12/17 with 217 yards and 3 TD and no Ints
2. L.T.- Had 22 touches for 97 yards (0 TD’s)
3. Jake Delhomme, was very posed on the final game winning drive. Over the course of the game he amassed 247 yards through the air with 1 TD and no Ints.
4. PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dante Rosario #88 TE Caught 7 balls for 96 yards and the game winning touchdown. Not bad for a little known TE.

-Mark M