By Chris Hansen

Duds

Jason Campbell

(+6/-7)

Overall -1

Old habits may die hard for Campbell. The Titans found and used a tell in Campbell’s game. He tips pass plays by sinking and sliding away from center just before he snaps the ball. This was the case in Tennessee and at various points last year. This puts the offensive line at an disadvantage, as they begin their rush as soon as Campbell sinks. The offensive line is put as a disadvantage and this group of offensive lineman aren’t very good to begin with. Correctable, but a very poor habit.

Cooper Carlisle

(+0/-8)

Overall -8

Carlisle was the worst of the offensive lineman. Even Mario Henderson held his ground in pass protection better. He was blown into the backfield by the bull rush, blitzers just went around him and on more than one occasion Carlisle just blocked the wrong player. In some cases Carlisle would disengage his blocker to help out Langston Walker, leaving his man to pressure Campbell. It would be hard to imagine Daniel Loper or rookie Bruce Campbell doing worse.

Tyvon Branch

(+3/-5)

Overall -2

Tyvon was directly responsible for 21 of the 38 points the Raiders surrendered Sunday. He bit on the play action pass leaving Nate Washington open for the long touchdown. He also missed a tackle in the hole on Chris Johnson on the 76-yard touchdown run and was fooled on play action again and lost track of the tight end for an easy flip pass touchdown from Vince Young. He happened to make a few plays as well, but it was a horrible game for Branch. One he wishes to soon forget.

Mario Henderson

(+0/-3)

Overall -3

Most fans were irate when Mario Henderson allowed a strip sack of Jason Campbell in the first quarter. Jacob Ford blew by Henderson who was slow to get off the line of scrimmage. Henderson was lucky to touch the defender down while he complained to officials that Ford was offsides. Reality was Henderson got off the ball slow and the defender got an excellent jump thanks to Campbell’s subtle tell.

In the end, Mario struggled with the speed rush most of the game and didn’t make any good plays to redeem himself. It wasn’t nearly as bad as previously suspected and he improved significantly later in the game.

Langston Walker

(+1, -4)

Overall -3

He had trouble with speed, was pushed around by the bull rush and consistently allowed the Titans into the backfield. He had one excellent run block that sprung McFadden for a few extra yards, but one decent play is not enough to forgive his transgressions.

Jared Veldheer

(+1/-4)

Overall -3

When four of the duds are on the offensive line things aren’t going well. A bad snap, two penalties are enough to doom any center. Since Veldheer was playing his first game at center in a long time and it was his first NFL game, he gets a pass. He did do some solid run blocking which was a significant improvement over Samson Satele.

Studs

Richard Seymour

(+8/-1)

Overall +7

At least the Raiders are getting great play out of their 2011 first-round pick. Seymour was absolutely mashing the excellent Titans offensive line. Seymour was a big reason why the Raiders contained Chris Johnson well early. It come as no surprise that Seymour was  held on Chris Johnson’s 76-yard touchdown run. His lone poor play coming when he was blocked out of the hole on Javon Ringer’s 15-yard touchdown.

Darren McFadden

(+10/-1)

Overall +9

What a great day for Darren McFadden. He use his speed, he stiff armed defenders and made them miss. McFadden even ran over smaller defenders in route to 150 total yards. He dropped an easy dump off pass for Campbell, but had a great day. This is the player the Raiders thought they drafted three years ago.

John Henderson

(+4/-1)

Overall +3

It gets harder to find studs after the first two, but Henderson was clogging up running lanes on just about every snap he played. A great addition to the Raiders defense should pay dividends as the season progresses.

Stanford Routt

(+4/-1)

Overall +3

Routt had tight coverage and came up in run support the entire game. He played to expectations for once. The Raiders will be looking for Routt to continue his solid play.

Complete Grades

Cartwright (+1/-0)

Houston (+1/-0)

Scott (+2/-2)

Gallery (+1/-2)

Murphy (+1/-1)

Eugene (+1/-3)

Z. Miller (+1/-1)

Kelly (+1/-1)

C. Johnson (+0/-1)

Shaughnessy (+2/-1)

Alford (+1/-1)

Asomugha (+1/-0)

Loper (+1/-0)

Heyward-Bey (+1/-0)

Huff (+2/-4)

Wimbley (+1/-1)

Barnes (+0/-1)

Groves (+2/-3)

McClain (+5/-5)

 

Overall Team (+61/-59)

 

*Each grade is based not upon offense or defensive failure, but upon above or below average plays. Good examples would be a running back breaking a tackle, a lineman getting a big block to spring a player free, a tackle for a loss, missed tackles, poor coverage, bad reads, etc. 

http://www.raiders-blog.com 

 

 

 

By Chris Hansen

The Raiders must do three things to turn its fortunes around. What may be very complicated to execute is quite simple to analyze.

The Raiders need to score more points, stop the run and force turnovers.

The Raiders scored just 12.3 points per game. That is not even two touchdowns. The Raiders need to add an extra touchdown and field goal per game to their average.

The weapons are in place and the Raiders have a quarterback that can accomplish the task, but Jason Campbell only mustered 16.6 points per game in Washington last season. He will need the cast around him to make plays.

Playoff teams score more than 23 points per game.

The Raiders finally made a big change in the front seven to address the issue with stopping the run. Scoring more and playing with a lead will help, but the addition of five new players to the front seven may be the golden ticket.

The Raiders draw Chris Johnson and Steven Jackson the first two weeks. In 2009, the Raiders allowed 155.5 yards per game. The goal will be holding these elite rushers around 100 yards.

Playoff teams hold rushers under 100 yards.

The Raiders had just eight interceptions in 2009 and 13 forced fumbles. This isn’t good enough. To become a top defense the Raiders will need to double their turnover output.

Playoffs teams rack up around 40 total turnovers.

Do the Raiders have the players to achieve these goals? Check out the position-by-position breakdowns to read more.

Quarterbacks

When the Raiders turned to Bruce Gradkowski in 2009, the reaction was that the Raiders could have been an eight-win team if not for the poor play of JaMarcus Russell. While that certainly would have been possible with Gradkowski starting, that doesn’t make it probable.

Gradkowski is a great leader, but his injuries and lack of raw talent will forever limit him.

The Raiders added Kyle Boller at the third quarterback this season.

The big-armed guy looked the part and may be the best third string quarterback in the league. If it wasn’t for his tendency to throw interceptions he still has the talent to start in the NFL.

The big splash was obviously the addition of Jason Campbell. Named starting quarterback before training camp, Campbell has done everything right so far and looked good this preseason. The Raiders hope his addition will rejuvenate the once proud franchise.

Campbell is the perfect fit for the Raiders offensive plans under Hue Jackson. The Raiders will try to be explosive and use the offensive weapons and speed at the skill positions. You can read more analysis on Campbell’s fit in the Hue Jackson offense here.

Running backs

Gone is Justin Fargas. The Raiders will finally turn to the young duo of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to carry the load. The move, thought to be long overdue by many, must pay off for the Raiders.

A pedestrian run game would put added pressure on the new passing attack. Bush and McFadden are already fighting a case of the injury bug. The Raiders will need the backs to stay healthy to have any chance to turn around a poorly ranked run game.

Darren McFadden must avoid fumbles and learn to use his “chicken” legs to fight through arm tackles. McFadden has never avoided contact, but in his case, this is a bad thing. McFadden must learn how to use his speed to his advantage.

Bush need with more physicality. Considering his size, Bush shouldn’t try to run away from defenders. He is big enough and strong enough to be a bruising back, he must prepare mentally to punish the defense.

Bush must also fight the urge to take a blow when he is tired and the Raiders should get the wheels turning with Bush early and knock the defense out with McFadden’s fresh legs late.

Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright will contribute in the event of injury. Cartwright will also be valuable on special teams.

Fullbacks

Luke Lawton is suspended and not likely to be retained when his suspension ends. A position of weakness last season will now be filled by Marcel Reece. Manase Tonga is on the practice squad in case the Raiders need another fullback.

Reece is a superior receiver and has significantly improved his blocking. The Raiders will need him to protect Jason Campbell and clear the way for the talented running backs.

Receivers

The improvement of Darrius Heyward-Bey has been much publicized, but all for nothing if he can’t produce in a meaningful game. He will be relied because of another injury to Chaz Schilens. Schilens has an injury history dating back to his college years and hasn’t been able to stay injury free long enough to fulfill his potential.

Louis Murphy will start opposite Heyward-Bey. Murphy had a superior rookie season to his counterpart, but it has been a quiet offseason for the fourth-round draft pick in 2009.

Behind this top group is rookie Jacoby Ford and veteran Johnnie Lee Higgins along with Yamon Figurs and Nick Miller.

There is no way of knowing how much production the Raiders will get from the fourth receiver this season.

The Raiders balked at several opportunities to add a veteran presence. Either the Raiders are content with the youthful group or failed to convince a veteran to join the team in an uncertain role.

There is big play ability here, but without Schilens the Raiders will have to prove they can move the chains consistently.

Tight ends

Zach Miller is destined to be one of the top tight ends in the league.

He will likely be Campbell’s favorite target and he can be the receiver to move the chains on a consistent basis. His blocking has improved each season, but it will be up to the offensive line to free from those duties.

Brandon Myers is another receiving option, but he has had trouble holding onto the ball during preseason. He isn’t great blocking and will be used primarily to give Zach Miller rest when needed.

The Raiders lack a blocking specialist at tight end and will use offensive tackle Erik Pears to fill that role on short yardage and goal line situations.

Offensive Line

Tom Cable isn’t concerned about his offensive line, but it easily the group with the most question marks. Perhaps one of the most vital groups to the success of an offense and this offensive line has a lot to prove.

Mario Henderson was well below average left tackle last season. He will retain his job after being pushed by rookie Jared Veldheer in training camp. Henderson’s biggest problem is playing consistently. Jason Campbell will not be able to improve this offense on his back or in the training room. Henderson must be better.

Cable insists Henderson’s ills are easily corrected, but the Raiders wanted Russell Okung or Trent Williams in April’s draft. The Raiders know Henderson needs to take a leap or take a hike.

Robert Gallery returns from injury and is one winning season away from a Pro Bowl. He physically dominated Richard Seymour in one-on-one drills in training camp and pushes the pile in the running game. Henderson should benefit from a healthy Gallery to his right. The entire offensive line was better when Gallery played in 2009.

Rookie Jared Veldheer gets the start at center over Samson Satele. The coaching staff has been waiting for things to click for Satele, but his time may have run out. Satele will now only be an option if Veldheer falters.

Veldheer was impressive this preseason at center and tackle. Besides a few blown line calls and rookie mistakes against Julius Peppers, Veldheer was a significant improvement over Satele in the run game and better at holding his ground against the pass.

Will Veldheer’s height be a blessing or a curse? He will become the tallest starting center in NFL history standing 6’7″ tall. He can physically match nose tackles, but may also have trouble with their lower center of gravity. Can he make the proper line calls? He may receive help from the veterans around him. One concern could be the hurry-up, with only enough time for Veldheer to make the call.

Veldheer’s work ethic and attitude will be conducive to success. He is a gym rat and if the Raiders can get the same dedication in the film room you have a potential star in the making.

Cooper Carlisle will start at right guard. His play dropped off in

2009 after a solid 2008 campaign. The Raiders hope Carlisle isn’t starting a trend since Bruce Campbell may not be ready to start until 2011.

Langston Walker returned to the Raiders and started towards the end of 2009. He played remarkably well down the stretch and wasn’t challenged during the offseason. While unspectacular pass blocking, Walker is an above average run blocker.

Backups Khalif Barnes, Erik Pears, Daniel Loper and Samson Satele will fill in as needed.

Loper was the lone surprise to make the roster. He played extremely well at left guard during the preseason, physically dominating just about every player he was matched up against. The competition was inferior, but he did enough to become the primary backup guard.

Defensive line

Matt Shaughnessy may be the next young defensive star. He recorded four sacks during his rookie year and enters 2010 as a starter after only starting two games in 2009.

Joining Shaughnessy is Richard Seymour, the Pro Bowl defensive lineman, who shifted from defensive end to defensive tackle. Seymour may still occasionally play end in certain situations. Seymour needs to be more physically dominant to justify the 2011 first-round draft pick surrendered to acquire him. He may slide over to defensive end in certain situations.

Tommy Kelly enters the season 35 pounds lighter. He has retained his starting position despite strong opposition from Desmond Bryant and John Henderson. Kelly takes a lot of heat for the contract he signed, but hasn’t been horrible. Losing weight should help him change some minds this season.

The Raiders signed Jay Alford, formerly of the New York Giants. He will be reunited with his defensive line coach Mike Waufle.

Bryant and Henderson will be on the field at times to spell the others. Keeping the big guys up front fresh is an underrated asset.

The Raiders will almost certainly use all the defensive lineman at their disposal.

Doing so should keep the line fresh, which could play a factor in the Raiders ability to stop the run.

The Raiders haven’t ranked higher than 22nd since 2002, when the team ranked third against the run. An improved offense will help, but the Raiders need to stop the run in order ascend and become a top five defense.

Rookie Lamarr Houston figures to start at left defensive end with Trevor Scott coming in on passing downs to apply added pressure to the quarterback. Houston figures to be a stout defensive end capable of plugging the run without sacrificing too much against the pass. The Raiders have a luxury in Scott who excels against the pass and can fill any voids in the pass rush.

Scott’s role remains cloudy, perhaps intentionally. Wimbley and Groves could also see time as rush ends.

If the Raiders execute along the defensive line, this unit could develop into one of the top groups in the NFL.

Linebackers

The Raiders started the rebuild with consensus can’t miss middle linebacker Roland McClain. While this label will make many fans nervous, it’s McClain’s work ethic that can make the difference between a bust and star.

McClain may have already learned a valuable lesson from preseason from playing too tentative. Perhaps catching up to the NFL speed will not be as easy as he thought? When he does put his pads on a player he packs quite the punch. Don’t expect him to make the same mistake twice.

His first test is one of the toughest in the league, Chris Johnson. The second is nearly as tough, Steven Jackson.

The Raiders will be counting on McClain to justify his draft status as soon as they take the field on Sunday in Nashville.

Kamerion Wimbley will play the strong-side linebacker position. This is something new for him, but he will also be able to rush the passer. The AFC North was glad they didn’t have to game plan around him. That is the type of player you want on your team. The question is if Wimbley can cover a tight end. He did a solid job in preseason, but time will tell.

Quentin Groves appears to have secured the starting weak-side linebacker position. The only explanation is he excelled in pass coverage and Thomas Howard and Scott didn’t. He played well this preseason and appears to have done more than just make the team.

Thomas Howard is a high priced backup, but quality depth. The Raiders know exactly what Howard can do and can’t do. Ricky Brown will be a backup. Makes a few plays, but also gets beat in the pass and run game far too often to be trust worthy.

Rookie Travis Goethel will have the greatest impact on special teams initially.

Cornerbacks

Any analysis of the Raiders secondary starts with Nnamdi Asomugha. He is one of, if not the, best cornerback in the NFL. The Raiders may finally let Asomugha shadow the top receiver and they will likely let him come down and play in the slot. The Raiders want to use Asomugha to be a disruptive force in the secondary. Opposing quarterbacks may be pulling their hair out if Asomugha’s supporting cast can hold their own.

Stanford Routt won the job opposite Asomugha. Routt has always been more effective playing outside as opposed to the slot nickel cornerback. He must be better than Chris Johnson was a year ago. In many ways, Routt won the job by default. Chris Johnson was burned repeatedly during the preseason by guys that probably didn’t even make the team.

Don’t be surprised when Jeremy Ware is the nickel back and Chris Johnson is riding the pine. Johnson will be another overpriced free agent signee not giving the Raiders their monies worth, but you must put the best players on the field.

If it wasn’t for Ware, we might be talking more about Walter McFadden. An injury derailed his final preseason game, but he performed well as a cover cornerback. He isn’t the most physical guy and he had made multiple mistakes on special teams during the preseason, but he is a solid cover corner for a rookie and he should only grow from here.

Safeties

Tyvon Branch is a budding star. He lead the league in tackles at the position. The Raiders hope he will have to spend less time making tackles and will have more time to make plays. He will also whiff the occasional tackle, but he makes the vast majority. Further development could land Branch in the Pro Bowl.

Michael Huff isn’t a very good tackler. Everyone knows Huff is a tackling liability. He is however, a pretty good deep safety. He can cover and has range. Unspectacular, but a solid player surrounded by good ones.

Hiram Eugene and Mike Mitchell are the backups. These guys have situational roles and will play special teams, an underrated skill in the NFL.

Mitchell may be used as an extra box safety when the situation calls for it.

Special Teams Players

Shane Lechler is the best punter in the league. Maybe in NFL history. Sebastian Janikowski is becoming a very accurate kicker, with the strongest leg in the NFL. Condo hasn’t had a bad snap in two years.

The problem with the Raiders special teams is the coverage units. Now that the Raiders have a finalized roster, the coaching staff can finalize the special teams units. Let’s hope it helps, the coverage units were terrible during the preseason.

http://www.raiders-blog.com/

 

What is this? Well, in addition to our own Power Rankings, we are going to post this top 15 called the Ultimate Football Rankings (UFB Rankings). It’s compiled of a bunch of rankings of a bunch of good sites, including ours (see bottom) and adds a contrast to our regular Power Rankings. More sites will be added as the weeks go on.

(1)   1. Green Bay Packers (4) 1-0 – next at Carolina Panthers

The defending champs came out on Thursday night and gave us one of the best games for week one.  Even though they won, the defense gave up 34 points and 419 yards.  Offense looked great with some balance between the passing and rushing game.  The Packers remained our top spot, but by the closest margin.

(2)   2. New England Patriots (3) 1-0 – next vs San Diego Chargers

Somewhere Deion Branch is still burning Nolan Carroll in coverage.  The Patriots had the most explosive offense in week 1.  With Tom Brady, a future Hall of Famer, the Patriots look unbeatable.

(9)   3. Baltimore Ravens (1) 1-0 – next at Tennessee Titans

Moving up 6 spots this week in the rankings after putting a beat down on the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It has been a long time since we have seen the Steelers look so helpless.  While up by 20 points they elected for a two point conversion.  Showing us they mean business this year.  The offense looked dynamic and the defense looked great.  If they keep this up, they will take the AFC North.

(3)   4. Philadelphia Eagles 1-0 – next at Atlanta Falcons

The Eagles slipped down a spot in their not so impressive win.  The “Dream Team’s” $100 million quarterback went 14 for 32 against a banged up St. Louis secondary.  The defense was really suffering until Steven Jackson got injured.  There is a lot of work to be done if they want to stay in the top 5 and if they expect to win the Super Bowl.

(7)   5. New Orleans Saints 0-1 – next vs Chicago Bears

Even with a loss, this team managed to move up a couple spots in the rankings this week.  They showed us that their offense is as explosive as ever.  They took a tough loss, one more yard and we could of been talking about how they won and the Packers just missed out in victory.

(12)  6. Houston Texans 1-0 – next at Miami Dolphins

The biggest mover this week in the ranking, but has a lot of people wondering if they are really this good.  They are favored to win the AFC South, but did the horrible performance by the Colts make the Texans look better then they really are.  We will see this week as they take on the Dolphins.

(10)  7. Chicago Bears 1-0 – next at New Orleans Saints

We got to see Jay Cutler bounce back from a horrible NFC Championship game and have an impressive week 1.  Maybe it was all the criticism, but he went 22-32 for 312 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  The defense shut down what was supposed to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.  Let’s see if they can do the same this week against the Saints to get a better idea of how serious the defense really is.

 

(6)   8. New York Jets 1-0 – next vs Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jets had that game gift wrapped and handed to them.  Sanchez failed on 2 game winning driveattempts, but Romo’s crucial pick at the end sealed the victory for the J-E-T-S.  Maybe it was good karma on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  Maybe the Cowboys are just terrible in the clutch.  Either way, the Jets should still be cocerned they were outplayed for 50 minutes.

(4)  9. Pittsburgh Steelers 0-1 – next vs Seattle Seahawks

The Steelers looked horrible. As many sit and watch to see how far the Steelers fall, this weeks match up against the Seahawks is just what they need to bounce back and to flex on some one to make themselves feel better.

(8)  10. San Diego Chargers 1-0 – next vs New England Patriots

Even though the Chargers won, nobody seems to be impressed.  The Chargers struggled to beat a Minnesota Vikings team that had a quarterback that threw for only 39 yards.  This weeks game should show us more about the Chargers.  They have to pack up and got to Foxborough and play a guy named Tom Brady.  Far from a 39 yard passing kind of weekend!

(NR) 11. Detroit Lions 1-0 – next vs Kansas City Chiefs

Detroit showed us all they are far from that 0-16 team we remember.  Every one agrees, a healthy Stafford equals playoffs.  The defense shut down a very good Tampa Bay team.  Let’s see how they fair against a possibly explosive offense of Kansas City.

(11) 12. Dallas Cowboys 0-1 – next at S.F. 49ers

Who is to blame in the Cowboys late fourth quarter melt down?  Everyone’s blaming Romo for the week one loss.  Yes he had a late interception, but that was more of a rushed desperation throw.  Romo threw for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He picked that Jets secondary apart, can you say over rated secondary.  Let’s point fingers more to the special team that allowed a block punt for a score and helped changed the momentum of the game.

(15) 13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-1 – next at Minnesota Vikings

It was a tough loss in week one for the Buccaneers.  They are a good team, the Lions are just better.  It was a match up of two potential wild card teams and they put on a great game for the fans.  Next week they will bounce back against the Vikings.  Remember, last year they were 6-2 on the road!

(5)  14. Atlanta Falcons 0-1 – next vs Philadelphia Eagles

White was a non factor, Ryan looked rushed and panicky, and the offense just looked normal. The Falcons have never been a good outdoors team in the Matt Ryan era, but if they can’t continue their home dominance in week 2 against the “Dream Team”, they will find themselves 0-2.

(NR) 15. Arizona Cardinals 1-0 – next at Washington Redskins

With many concerns that this defense allowed 422 yards by a rookie quarterback (Cam Newton), they round up our top 15 be making their introduction to the list.  Patrick Peterson dazzled us with his return and Kolb put on a impressive performance for his new team.  Let’s see if he can back that up this week against the Redskins.

( ) left of rankings indicates previous weeks rankings

( ) next to teams indicates first place votes

UFB Power Rankers are:

Frank Hyun of Patriots Review

Ronnie Kohrt of Ronnie K’s Blog

David Calagis of The Football Genius

Mr. Kangaroo of The Beast of the East

J. Lew of Wild Wild West

Brandon Clark of Titan Sized

Steven Lourie of Football Fan Spot

Mr. C.J. Sports of CJ Sports NFL Talk

The Wizard of The Wizard’s Corner

Mrs. NFL of Football Talk with Mrs. NFL

By Anthony Brown

The best storyline going into the Washington Redskins – Tennessee Titans game on Sunday is Gil Brandt’s NFL.com headline Reeling Redskins visit Tennessee to take on slumping Titans.

This game will tell us a lot about Redskins players and coaches. Will they be numb in Nashville? Or will they take out their frustrations against their next opponent?

No one gives Washington a shot against Tennessee. The eight members of ESPN’s Pigskin Pick ’em crew all pick the Titans. Who can blame them? That just goes to show how a nationally televised, 59-point butt whuppin’ influences people.

What happened Monday night?

Those experts could be wrong. Two things conspired against the Redskins in the Eagles game. They lost to the bye and they ran a poorly conceived defense, perhaps because of distractions during the bye.

Pulling Donovan McNabb at the worst possible moment in the Detroit Lions game was a Vinny Cerrato-like move. Cerrato could have written Mike Shanahan‘s explanations for it. The uncomfortable resemblance of the Shannyskins to the Snyderskins left the coach and the staff under fire for the two-week bye period, losing the benefits of the two-week layoff.

On defense, the Redskins sacrificed yards to gain turnovers. The trade-off worked against most opponents, especially the Eagles in October. In the Monday night game, Washington laid off defensively out of concern for Michael Vick’s newly found passing skills. Washington lost because the poorly conceived defense gave up yards and points without disrupting Philly’s offense.

Losses that bad only come from huge disparities in talent, or poor preparation by the coaches. Washington won the first game, evidence of competitive talent at least. Coaching has to be better.

The loss overwhelmed several good points about the Redskins offense. Keiland Williams gained 139 yards of total offense and scored three touchdowns. Washington’s 28 points was its highest scoring output of the season. Anthony Armstrong and Fred Davis made big plays leading to scores, or setting up scores.

The Haynesworth factor

Albert wants to leave. Shanahan wants to trade him. At some point, these two have to conspire to pull that off. Haynesworth has to have big games. Shanahan has to play him and talk him up more. Isn’t that just what has been happening?

Haynesworth has been playing more and getting sacks. Shanahan has been talking him up. If they continue to work like that through the rest of the season, Washington may be offered something reasonable in trade for Big Al, say a third-round pick and a ham sandwich.

Big Al said he would always be a Titan. There is no better venue for Haynesworth to shine than in Nashville.

And, the winner is…

The Redskins fell seven places on the Bloguin NFL Week 10 Power Poll to 26th place. The Titans rank 12th.

The Titans are seven point favorites, an over-reaction to the Redskins’ meltdown against the Eagles. Washington’s offense has performed better on average than Tennessee. I look for Chris Johnson to have his way for a couple of touchdowns. Randy Moss may escape for a score.

Donovan McNabb will deliver a big play, or two. Clinton Portis return will make a difference in blocking if not running. I don’t think the Titans know how fast Brandon Banks really is. This game will come down to field goals and could go either way…if the ‘Skins are over their Monday night hangover.

http://redskinshogheaven.com/

Go back to Redskins Fan Spot 

 

 

What is this? Well, in addition to our own Power Rankings, we are going to post this top 15 called the Ultimate Football Rankings (UFB Rankings). It’s compiled of a bunch of rankings of a bunch of good sites, including ours (see bottom) and adds a contrast to our regular Power Rankings. More sites will be added as the weeks go on.

(2)  1. New England Patriots (6) –   2 – 0   next at Buffalo Bills

After two weeks at the second spot, the Patriots take number one.  With Tom Brady have already thrown for 940 yards and a completion percentage of 71.6%, this offense looks invincible.  The defense is looking rather fragile, but comes up big when needed.

(1)  2. Green Bay Packers (4) –  2 – 0   next at Chicago Bears

With a lot of experts, critics, and bloggers still having Green Bay number one, the UFB found themselves dropping them in at number two.  They are the defending champs, still undefeated, and have an explosive offense.  It is the defense though that has them slipping.  In two games the defense has already allowed 975 total offensive yards.  The defense has’[t stopped anything.  How long will the offense bail them out???

(5)  3. New Orleans Saints –   1 – 1    next vs Houston Texans

With the Saints being a highly favored team to win it all, they have climbed back into the top of the rankings.  The Saints really intrigue us.  We already know about their explosive offense, but their defense has shown us two very opposite sides.  If the same defense can show up all year like the one that showed up at the Bears game, they will be on top looking down on the whole league.

(8)  4. New York Jets –   2 – 0   next at Oakland Raiders

Will Rex Ryan’s guarantee of a Super Bowl come true?  The Jets defense looks as good as any in the league, but it’s not like that is a big surprise.  Just like it is no big shocker that Mark Sanchez inconsistent.  Sanchez has to become an elite quarterback if Rex Ryan and the New York Jets want to become the champs!!!

(4)  5. Philadelphia Eagles –  1 – 1   next vs New York Giants

Vick is the Eagles as Manning is the Colts and its hard to run the offense because of his special skill set that they build it around…All though Kafka didn’t do too bad in relief, how will the Eagles perform if Vick is unable to play next week?  The Eagles have a very productive offense, can’t wait to see them match wits with the New York Giants defense.

(11) 6. Detroit Lions  –  2 – 0  next at Minnesota Vikings

Detroit is tops in the NFL in positive point differential, they are an impressive +52.  Better then the Vick led Eagles, Brady led Patriots, and Rodgers led Packers…Stafford to Megatron might be the best QB/WR combo in the league right now, and Ndamukong Suh has completely changed the feel of the defense…Things are good and on the way up in the motor city.

(6)  7. Houston Texans  –  2 – 0   next at New Orleans Saints

Now ripping up on the lifeless Colts, and beating the Dolphins isn’t the biggest of wins but with the Saints, Steelers, Raiders and Ravens looming, this will be a tested team, and needs to come out of that 5 game trip 3-2. If not better to make a statement, other then that? They continue to be the pushover team who beats the teams worse then them, but lose to the better.

(7)  8. Chicago Bears  –  1 – 1     next vs Green Bay Packers

Wow, we have never seen an offensive line look so horrifically bad. This team is gonna do nothing unless they fix this. Cutler has no shot to even look down field for receivers and the Bears don’t got a shot either if they can’t protect him.  They should have a productive week against a defense that has already allowed 975 offensive yards.

 

(3)  9. Baltimore Ravens  –  1 – 1    next at St. Louis Rams

The Ravens have shown us two very different teams.  The first week they showed us one of the toughest and nastiest teams we had ever seen.  Then walked all over the Steelers in every way possible.  Then the second week, they could not get anything going.  They better get it together or Sam Bradford and the Rams will make it a very long day for them.

(9) 10. Pittsburgh Steelers  1 – 1     next at Indianapolis Colts

Even if it was a garbage win over the “Suck For Luck” sweepstakes contestant the Seattle Seahawks, Steelers needed a big bounce back game……And they got it.  Now that they had a chance to flex and feel better about themselves, lets see if they can continue the same intensity every week.

(10) 11. San Diego Chargers  1 – 1   next vs Kansas City Cheifs

Took a shot at the Patriots but could not take down Tom Brady.  It was a competitive game until the very end.  Even after Gates was taken out of the game by Patriots’ defense, they were a few stupid plays away from winning.  Its ok though, The Kansas City Chiefs are in town…Look for a big day from Philip Rivers this week as he exploits that weak banged up defense of the Chiefs

(14) 12. Atlanta Falcons  1 – 1     next at Tampa Bay Bucs

Matt Ryan and the Falcons had a much better week against the Eagles then they did against the Bears.  Still not sure how good this team really is, if Michael Vick had not gone out of the game, would they be 0 – 2?  They play a real solid Tampa Bay team this week, we should get a better feel after this week.

(13) 13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  1 – 1    next vs Atlanta Falcons

They just find ways to win, snatching a win away from the Vikings with 14 in the final quarter last week. Josh Freeman who was poised for a breakout year is very up and down so far, his 67.6 Completion Percentage is nice, but his 2 TD’s to 3 Turnovers isn’t, and it doesn’t get easier either. Matty Ice and the Falcons are in town this week, and he will have to out score Ryan and that offense to avoid a loss, against a defense that isn’t fantastic, but isn’t horrible either.

(NR) 14. Washington Redskins  2 – 0   next at Dallas Cowboys

They beat a horrible New York Giants team in week one and an Arizona Cardinals team who is unable to stop anybody.  Next weeks match-up will be a reality check.  At least they made the list for one week.

(NR) 15. Buffalo Bills  2 – 0   next vs New England Patriots

Are the Bills for real? Time to figure out. The Date? 1:00pm EST, Ralph Wilson Stadium. Your dance partner???   Gulp…….The New England Patriots and some cat named Tom Brady.The Bills are scoring big and are exciting to watch, lets see if they bring that excitement against the Patriots.

( ) left of rankings indicates previous weeks rankings

( ) next to teams indicates first place votes

UFB Power Rankers are:

Frank Hyun of Patriots Review

Ronnie Kohrt of Ronnie K’s Blog

David Calagis of The Football Genius

Mr. Kangaroo of The Beast of the East

J. Lew of Wild Wild West

Brandon Clark of Titan Sized

Steven Lourie of Football Fan Spot

Mr. C.J. Sports of CJ Sports NFL Talk

The Wizard of The Wizard’s Corner

Mrs. NFL of Football Talk with Mrs. NFL

Adam Hughes of Naptown’s Finest

By Sean Geddes 

Another great defensive performance has some fans already comparing this team to 2008’s squad. 

Right from the opening kickoff, the Steelers delivered haymakers right to the chin of the Titans, in Nashville on a sweltering Sunday afternoon. Mewelde Moore fielded the kick, only to hand it off on a reverse to rookie Antonio Brown, making his first career start. On his first touch in the NFL, the former Central Michigan Chippewa took it the distance, showing the speed that had him playing the role of Chris Johnson in practices leading up to the game.

The ensuing kickoff was another big play, as another rookie, Stevenson Sylvester, also dressing for his first game, forced a fumble that was recovered by special teams captain Keyaron Fox, giving the Steelers the ball back, already up 7-0, just 25 seconds into the game.

The Titans would punch back, both metaphorically and literally, in the next three plays. After two of the “dirtiest players in the NFL” Hines Ward and Cortland Finnegan got into it a bit and after one run by Rashard Mendenhall, the Titans D sacked Dixon on his blindside, forcing and recovering a fumble of their own.

The Titans drove the short field, mostly on the arm of Vince Young, but settled for a field goal as the Steelers relentless defense tightened the clamp in the redzone, making the game 7-3.

After a three and out from Dixon and Company, the Titans again took the ball, looking to close the gap. After a nice drive, the Titans again found themselves in the redzone. Trying score over the middle to Nate Washington, Vince Young stared him down, allowing Troy Polamalu to step in for a touchdown saving interception.

Dixon took the team downfield, but after a fumbled snap and a sack, the Steelers were looking at a third and long from the 25. Seeing no one open enough to pass to, Dixon ran for a short gain, and the Steelers settled for a Jeff Reed field goal from 36 yards out, making the game 10-3 in favor of the Black and Gold. The run on third down would however prove to be costly, as Dixon was injured on the play, and would not return.

After a three and out for Tennessee, and a three and out from the Charlie Batch led Steelers, the Titans again may have had something going. Chris Johnson caught a tough pass, and the Titans crossed the 50 yard line. But on a great call from Coach LeBeau, Woodley faked the blitz, disengaged from the blocker, dropped back, and caught Vince Young off guard, stepping right in front of a short pass intended for Justin Gage and intercepting it. As good as Woodley is at getting after the QB, pass coverage has been somewhat of a weakness for him, so it is good to see him making these kind of plays.

Unfortunately, the Steelers were unable to capitalize, after one first down, Daniel Sepulveda was again called on to punt the ball away. With just over 5 minutes to go in the first half, the Titans would again have a chance to make this a one score game. After a false start penalty, Young handed the ball right to Chris Johnson, who, in a flash, took it 85 yards for a touchdown. This is what Chris Johnson does, he is the single greatest big play threat in the NFL, and it helped him get to 2000 yards rushing and a record for yards from scrimmage the year before. But, there was laundry on the field… yellow laundry. A holding call on center Eugene Amano against Chris Hoke would negate the big play. With Johnson gassed and looking at a long second down, the Titans would turn twice to Javon Ringer, who would gain just one yard on the two touches, giving the Steelers the ball back after a punt.

Another three and out, a reoccurring theme up to that point, would only be split by the two minute warning, and Tennessee would again get the ball. On their first play, Chris Johnson was being brought down, when Lawrence Timmons came in with a jarring hit to force the fumble.

After another three and out, this one containing a penalty negated TD pass to Mike Wallace, the Steelers settled for 3 again, making the score 13-3 at half, on Reed’s 34 yard kick.

The second half started with the Titans and Vince Young in possession. A first down gaining run by Johnson was followed by three more runs; one by Johnson and two by Young, but a similar fate was met, as the Titans punted again.

Along the same lines, another three and out from Pittsburgh, and another by Tennessee. The offenses both looked anemic, and the defenses both looked good.  This trend would continue right into the final drive of the quarter, when the Steelers finally got something going.

After a fumble by Young gave the Steelers a short field, a combination of Mendenhall and defensive fouls on the Titans gave the Steelers another field goal, this one from 25 yards out , making the score Pittsburgh 16, Tennessee 3 .

In the most controversial move of the day, at least to the Titans crowd, Young was benched in favor of Kerry Collins. Perhaps seeing that the running game was not getting it done, and with Collins being the better passer, Jeff Fischer thought Collins would give his team the best chance to win. Collins would not fair much better though, as the Titans would go three and out… again.

And the Steelers too, would go three and out… again.

The Titans would fumble on their first play on the next drive, forced by LaMarr Woodley and recovered by Chris Hoke, the Steelers would (surprise surprise) go three and out, and Jeff Reed would kick his fourth and final field goal, making this a 19 to 3 game.

Collins got the short passing game going, and after a good drive, almost solely out of the shotgun, he passed for the only offensive touchdown of the game, a 2 yard TD to Nate Washington. The Titans would not only make the two point conversion try, but recover the onside kick. But it was all for naught, as they couldn’t quite make the plays necessary to win the game in the end.

What a game. Ugly, hard fought and defensive, the Steelers would still somehow find a way to make it a little too close for comfort. Regardless, the final product was still the same… 2 and 0, heading into week three.

Of Special Note: Troy Polamalu and his wife Theodora welcomed their second son, Ephraim, into the world on Thursday September 16. Ephraim’s older brother Paisios will soon turn two in October. Congrats to Troy and Family on their second child, I hope mother and child are both well. I’m sure Steeler Nation is already dreaming about a potential Polamalu and Polamalu secondary in about 22 years.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/

 

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10

 

Round 1 Pick 1

Ryan Lester- Lester’s Legends

Pick: RB Adrian Peterson MIN

I believe Peterson, Chris Johnson, and Maurice Jones-Drew are pretty much on the same level. I expect Chris Johnson to see a decrease in his workload after such a heavy one last year. MJD proved he could be the feature back, but doesn’t get enough help. Meanwhile, Peterson had a monster year despite Favre & Co. taking the lead role in the offense. I think the Vikes run more and pass less this year, which should be huge for All Day.

Round 1 Pick 2

Vin Sadicario- FF Toolbox

Pick: RB Chris Johnson TEN

Coming off a huge 2009 season, Chris Johnson is the number one player on my draft board this season. While Johnson may not carry the ball 358 times again this season, he is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. Johnson will once again be the focus of the Titans offense in 2010, and should put up great fantasy numbers all season long.

Round 1 Pick 3

Jeff Malloy- Beast or Bust

Pick: RB Maurice Jones Drew JAC

The third spot in a re-draft league is a great position this year. You get the last of the top 3 RB’s, you don’t have to agonize over the decision, and any way you slice it you are a getting a Beast. MJD, ADP and CJ2K are all so close it is really tough to pick a frontrunner. Not that we had the choice here, but we’ll take the guy who is second only to LT2 in touchdowns since entering the league in 2006.

Round 1 Pick 4

Steven Lourie- Football Fan Spot

Pick: RB Ray Rice BAL

No surprises in the top 3, no surprises here either. Rice is one of 4 (5 if you count Frank Gore, but I don’t like his inconsistency) running backs in the NFL with great talent, solid health, and a good shot at 300+ carries. He had 2000+ total yards last year and has a good shot at doing that again this year.

Round 1 Pick 5

Hunter Ansley- Draft Zoo

Pick: RB Frank Gore SF

I’m not a huge fan of the fifth pick, but I think Gore is the best option here. He had 1120 yards and 10 TDs on the ground in only 14 games last season, and he really seemed to turn it on over his last four games, scoring four touchdowns and averaging 113 rushing yards in that span. With the upgrades on the O-line, he could be in for a big year. Plus, I’ve never taken Gore before, so there’s that.

Round 1 Pick 6

Sam Arker- Rothstein Sports

Pick: RB Michael Turner ATL

This pick is weighted heavily on not being a PPR league, where Turner’s value drops significantly. He is the best player available at this point.

 

Round 1 Pick 7

Eric Stashin- Rotoprofessor

Pick: WR Andre Johnson HOU

He’s the elite WR in the game and is just too valuable to pass up at this spot in the draft. If healthy, he’s a virtual lock for 100 receptions. Of the RB still on the board, there are just too many question marks to consider taking them over Johnson.

Round 1 Pick 8

Scott Carasik- Scardraft

Pick: WR Calvin Johnson DET

Taking a WR here wasn’t my first plan of action, but since I have sleepers at other spots, I feel it’s smart to at least get one good WR for the team.

Round 1 Pick 9

Steve Adler- Fantasy Daddy

Pick: RB Steven Jackson STL

With seven games with 100 or more yards rushing in 2009, Jackson was able to carry the offensive load for the Rams and many fantasy teams. With an improving offensive line, SJAX may be able to break the 2000 all purpose yards in 2010. A great value pick at #9.

Round 1 Pick 10

Paul Greco- Fantasy Pros 911

Pick: WR Randy Moss NE

Was leaning towards Larry Fitzgerald, but with an early mock draft its hard to tell whether or not the quarterback situation is going to stable. That being said, I did not want a risky/shaky pick here so I’ll go with a guy I feel can get 1,000+ yards through the air and double digit touchdowns.

Round 1 Pick 11

Walter Cherepinsky- Walter Football

Pick: RB Shonn Greene NYJ

Shonn Greene had an incredible playoff run. He was the better back at the end of the season, and New York’s offensive line is still as powerful as ever (Alan Faneca secretly was the worst player on that unit). I’ll be really surprised if Shonn Greene doesn’t hit at least 12 touchdowns this year – and the sky’s the limit if Mark Sanchez improves.

Round 1 Pick 12

Justin Mertes-Mistretta- The Sports Bank

Pick: QB Drew Brees NO

In a league that awards 6 points for every passing touchdown, I couldn’t pass up on Brees this late. The RBs left on the board all have upside, but none of them are safe #1 RB’s in my mind. In the first round, it’s all about minimizing risk. Brees is a lock to finish as a top-5 QB.

 

 

 

Updated 4/20/11

QB RB FB WR TE OT G C DE RLB DT 3-4 DE NT MLB OLB CB S K P

Scoring System 

100 Once in a decade prospect 
95-99 Elite talent 
90-95 Solid top 10 pick 
85-90 Solid first round pick 
80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 
75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 
70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 
65-70 3rd-4th round pick 
60-65 4th-5th round pick 
55-60 5th round pick 
50-55 6th round pick 
45-50 7th round pick 
40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 
30-40 Career practice squader 
20-30 No NFL future 
0-20 No football future 

 

1. Charles Clay 57 (Tulsa)

2. Owen Marecic 54 (Stanford)

3. Henry Hynoski 52 (Pittsburgh)

4. Anthony Sherman 51 (Connecticut)

5. Stanley Havili 46 (USC)

6. Shaun Chapas 44 (Georgia)

 

 

 

By Chris Hansen

People line up to declare the next Al Davis draft selection a bust because the Raiders are well known for draft blunders. These people point to a lack of football instincts in the players Al Davis drafts. They say things like, “He’s just a track star, he’s not a football player.”

Let me know if you can figure out what a saying like that means. It sounds good but means nothing. Can a track star not be good at football also? You don’t hear people say, “He’s a wrestler, he’s not a football player.”

Those same people turn around and say, “Speed kills.” What? So now speed is good in the NFL player? Yes, there is much more to being a good player than speed, but much of it depends on how smart the player is, how much they can learn and if they are dedicated. Are these traits not also desirable in a track star? Why does running track have to be a negative stereotype?

Some guys have more smarts, have learned more or have been more dedicated to football when they enter the NFL. This is the reason why some players will have instant success, but can be limited by their physical gifts Others take time to grow, but end up being better players. Good examples include Nnamdi Asomugha and Vernon Davis.

The buzzards were circling around Darren McFadden coming into 2010 and seven weeks later he is averaging more yards per game from scrimmage than any player in the NFL. Any person who watched a little bit of Darren McFadden tape saw a football player more than they saw a track star. Even though I don’t think McFadden ran track. So the focus shifts to someone else now that McFadden has fought off the buzzards with a sharp stick.

Once upon a time Nnamdi Asomugha was a bust. I even suggested the Raiders move him to safety right before his breakout season. It remains one of my worst calls. Everyone was quick to jump on Mike Mitchell, the super reach of the 2009 draft is making the Raiders look pretty good right now. If he keeps improving, Mitchell could make the Raiders look very good and restore some of the respect Al Davis has lost the last seven seasons.

Next up, Darrius Heyward-Bey. Track star? Check. Production? Not much. Years in the league? Two. Al Davis? Drafted him. Bust? People have been saying it since he was a rookie.

Heyward-Bey has a chance this Sunday to have a breakout game against a soft Seahawks secondary ranked 29th in the league while giving up an average of 261.3 yards per game.

With Chaz Schilens and Louis Murphy out, Heyward-Bey is now the best option at receiver. That’s scary. He badly needs a breakout to fend off the vultures and the Raiders badly need a receiver to come through for them in a big game. The biggest game of the season to this point is Sunday. The Raiders are 3-4, looking for credibility, a .500 record and back-to-back victories before squaring off against the rival Chiefs, who happen to be in first place.

For the Smurfs, Jacoby Ford and Nick Miller, this is their first crack at receiver in the NFL. Basically, they are both rookies, even though Miller was on the roster last season.

Ford played second-fiddle to CJ Spiller at Clemson, but was the alternate offensive weapon. Ford may be making a bigger impact on the Raiders than Spiller is on the Bills, drafted three full rounds apart. Ford will start this week for the injured Murphy. He’s shown his speed can be deadly and that he can score if given space and few people will be talking bust for this ex-track star, since he was drafted in the fourth round.

Jared Veldheer, drafted in the third round has seized the starting left tackle position. If he plays anything like he did last week, Veldheer will lock the position down for good. How often can a team say they are starting a rookie third-round draft pick at left tackle and feel good about it? Not often.

Has anyone even suggested Rolando McClain will not be a good player? Smart, dedicated, learned a lot from Nick Saban before coming into the league. He’s a physical specimen. Now that he is getting comfortable he’s starting to make more plays. The Raiders and Raider Nation are very excited about the centerpiece of the defense.

Texas has really churned out some nice defensive players in the past few years and Lamarr Houston is next in line. He’s been disruptive at times and learning from Richard Seymour should help the 305-pound defensive end. He’s never going to be a sack extraordinaire, but like Seymour he can still have a significant impact on the game. He’s already a fine player.

Jeremy Ware and Bruce Campbell are seeing limited snaps and the Raiders are hopeful about their futures. Walter McFadden and Stevie Brown have varied rolls, but Brown is making an impact on special teams.

It’s far too early to make definitive statements, but it doesn’t seem like the Raiders have anything approaching a draft bust with their 2010 draft selections seven games into the season. With a little luck they will be able to say the same about the 2009 draft class.

Go back to Raiders Fan Spot 

http://www.raiders-blog.com/ 

 

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10

 

Round 10 Pick 1

Justin Mertes-Mistretta- The Sports Bank

Pick: WR Derrick Mason BAL

He’s as solid as they come. He’s had at least 1,000 yards in eight of his nine past seasons. I understand he will be the number two, maybe even number three option with Ray Rice and now Boldin, but he’s too consistent to pass up as my #4 WR.

Round 10 Pick 2

Walter Cherepinsky- Walter Football

Pick: RB Montario Hardesty CLE

Jerome Harrison fumbled twice on his first two carries in the last preseason game. Eric Mangini loves Montario Hardesty and could opt to play the rookie over Harrison.

Round 10 Pick 3

Paul Greco- Fantasy Pros 911

Pick: WR Eddie Royal DEN

This was a tough decision. My hope is the Eddie Royal bounce back. He’s in an offense I think he can succeed in and it gives me a little depth at the position.

Round 10 Pick 4

Steve Adler- Fantasy Daddy

Pick: WR Julian Edelman NE

 

Edelman will have plenty of opportunities this season to improve on his strong finish. I expect Welker to be healthy, but Brady is a guy that knows how to spread the ball around and Edelman established himself last season as a solid target.

Round 10 Pick 5

Scott Carasik- Scardraft

Pick: WR Malcolm Kelly WAS

No analysis given

Round 10 Pick 6

Eric Stashin- Rotoprofessor

Pick: RB Darren McFadden OAK

He’s the top RB on my board, and has the chance to emerge this year as a viable RB2. Given the status of their WR corps, someone needs to emerge, right? Certainly worth the flier at this spot.

 

Round 10 Pick 7

Sam Arker- Rothstein Sports

Pick: RB LaDainian Tomlinson NYJ

LT has exploded this pre season and looks like he could get more carries than we thought, not to mention his value on 3rd down.

Round 10 Pick 8

Hunter Ansley- Draft Zoo

Pick: WR Jabar Gaffney DEN

Kyle Orton’s looked pretty solid this preseason, and Denver could be in a position to throw the ball a good bit if their running game doesn’t come around. Gaffney’s got the potential to catch a lot of balls in this offense.

Round 10 Pick 9

Steven Lourie- Football Fan Spot

Pick: RB Tim Hightower ARI

Hightower has been the starter at running back for three straight preseason games. Ken Whisenhunt loves his pass catching and pass blocking skills so even if he doesn’t start during the season in favor of Chris Wells, he’ll still see his fair share of touches.

Round 10 Pick 10

Jeff Malloy- Beast or Bust

Pick: WR Louis Murphy OAK

We are happy to land Murphy as our 5th receiver. The addition of a legit QB in Jason Campbell, the inability of Chaz Schilens to stay healthy, and the slow development of DHB, solidifies Murphy as the #1 WR option in Oakland to start the season, maybe longer. A solid rookie campaign and a nice 2010 situation makes Murphy a low risk-high upside selection at the end of the 10th Round.

Round 10 Pick 11

Vin Sadicario- FF Toolbox

Pick: QB Kevin Kolb PHI

With most of my starting lineup filled out, I will go with the best player available, and at this point, I believe that to be Kevin Kolb. Kolb has the weapons to be a top ten fantasy quarterback this season, and pairing him with Jay Cutler gives me two good options to work as a committee based on matchups.

Round 10 Pick 12

Ryan Lester- Lester’s Legends

Pick: WR Bernard Berrian MIN

With Sidney Rice out, Berrian becomes a starter. Favre looked for him in the NFC Championship game and will do so during the season.