Friday, October 31, 2008
Change Is in the Air, Baby!
Change is definitely in the air. But you need to stay consistent. This time of year you have to be especially aware of injuries. They are part of the game and you cannot change this. What you can do is be smart about anticipating injuries and having a plan in case your guys get hurt. Change is in the air, and you better be ready!
Michael Singletary is a Warrior
Yeah, everyone wants to talk about Mike Singletary and Vernon Davis this week. This is a little off-topic for fantasy football. But here's what I think about this whole deal.
I'm So Elated for LenDale White
I talk about the return of LT and Brian Westbrook to the top of the heap here, and also have some nice words about LenDale White. And for you young running backs out there, listen to my advice on the proper care and feeding of your offensive lineman!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Big Back Syndrome is Taking Over
One big trend we're seeing is the Big Back Syndrome. As the season wears on, the large boys are starting to punish those defenses, and are holding up better than the smaller backs.
Look at the top two runhing backs this week, Steven Jackson and LenDale White. Both go about 235, and they're leading a parade of big backs in the NFL this year.
And for the season, you can definitely see the trend for big backs. You've got Clinton Portis (5-11, 221), Marion Barber (6-0, 225), Matt Forte (6-2 and an honest 220), and Frank Gore as four of the top five. I know that Frank is only 5-9, but at 217 he might be the strongest back in the league. He hits the hole HARD, and blasts a hole of his own when he doesn't see one.
Reggie Bush is the only smaller back in the top five, and look, he's hurt. I'm hoping he gets back out there real soon, but this is how life in the NFL can be sometimes.
So as the season wears on, put your big boys in the game. They'll score consistent points for you.
Look at the top two runhing backs this week, Steven Jackson and LenDale White. Both go about 235, and they're leading a parade of big backs in the NFL this year.
And for the season, you can definitely see the trend for big backs. You've got Clinton Portis (5-11, 221), Marion Barber (6-0, 225), Matt Forte (6-2 and an honest 220), and Frank Gore as four of the top five. I know that Frank is only 5-9, but at 217 he might be the strongest back in the league. He hits the hole HARD, and blasts a hole of his own when he doesn't see one.
Reggie Bush is the only smaller back in the top five, and look, he's hurt. I'm hoping he gets back out there real soon, but this is how life in the NFL can be sometimes.
So as the season wears on, put your big boys in the game. They'll score consistent points for you.
Think Over the Long Haul
So many FFL players start overthinking the problem at this point in the season. We're almost halfway through and there have been a lot of surprising results in recent weeks. For fantasy players, this leads to outsmarting yourself a lot of time with your sit/start decisions, and how you use waiver wires and trades.
My advice is to stay consistent. Look at the top six or seven in each category and they're not changing much week to week. There will always be a couple of guys who come out of nowhere each week, and if you picked those guys you get to look smart and talk some stuff.
But real success is based on consistency, in fantasy football and the NFL. This is what Spotfire does for me. It shows who is most consistent, and then I can match consistent offensive performers up against the defenses they face each week, and make my decisions that way. I don't like just rolling the dice.
Hey, this worked for me as a player, too. I only missed two games to injury in 15 years in the NFL, because I wanted to be known as a guy who gave the same consistent effort every week. Didn't matter if I was banged up a little, or if it was going to be real cold, or even if I was facing real monsters like Lyle Alzado or Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. I wanted to be consistent--and you should be consistent in the way you run your team.
My advice is to stay consistent. Look at the top six or seven in each category and they're not changing much week to week. There will always be a couple of guys who come out of nowhere each week, and if you picked those guys you get to look smart and talk some stuff.
But real success is based on consistency, in fantasy football and the NFL. This is what Spotfire does for me. It shows who is most consistent, and then I can match consistent offensive performers up against the defenses they face each week, and make my decisions that way. I don't like just rolling the dice.
Hey, this worked for me as a player, too. I only missed two games to injury in 15 years in the NFL, because I wanted to be known as a guy who gave the same consistent effort every week. Didn't matter if I was banged up a little, or if it was going to be real cold, or even if I was facing real monsters like Lyle Alzado or Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. I wanted to be consistent--and you should be consistent in the way you run your team.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Leadership
I cover a lot of different things in this video. I talk about good clubhouse leaders, I give you my take on a famous Ronnie Lott story, and hey, Mike Martz, Give Frank Gore the Ball!
The NFC East Was Like the Stock Market Last Week
OK, so I admit the NFC East got hammered. Here are some of my thoughts on Reggie Bush too.
Injuries Taking a Toll
As I mentioned earlier, the injuries start to mount up around this time of the year. But my advice is to stick with your consistent players even if they are dinged up a little. True winners know how to play with a little pain, and it's more of a mental battle than a physical one.
Look at Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Peyton finally admitted that he had additional surgery on his knee, and Aaron's shoulder is hurting bad. But they are both still being very consistent.
Aaron is playing angry because he needs to prove that he deserves Brett Favre's old job. Remember, he was a very good QB in college at Cal, and his success should be no surprise.
Peyton is playing angry because the Colts still don't get the respect they deserve, and his little brother went and grabbed a bunch of the glory last year. As competitive as those two brothers are, you know that Peyton is just burning to win another Super Bowl.
Speaking of playing mad, look at Reggie Bush. He is on a mission to prove that he is the real deal. When a guy comes in with that much hype, it's almost impossible to blow people away at first. But Reggie is seeing the field better, he's playing with purpose, and he loves the end zone. The most important thing though is that the combination of Drew Brees, Jeremy Shockey, and now Deuce McAllister actually makes it easier for Reggie to rack up fantasy points and lead New Orleans to a great season.
Back to injuries, LT has been banged up, but he's getting better. And remember, I like to look at the whole offense when I'm looking for consistent performers. So Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates are doing great, because of that sophisticated offense that Norv Turner puts together.
You might be worred about Marion Barber the way he just loves to hit and take hits. Normally, I would worry about him too. But don't. When Jerry Jones got Roy Williams and added another great weapon to that offense, this will keep Marion from having too much pressure. He'l stay consistent.
Look at Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Peyton finally admitted that he had additional surgery on his knee, and Aaron's shoulder is hurting bad. But they are both still being very consistent.
Aaron is playing angry because he needs to prove that he deserves Brett Favre's old job. Remember, he was a very good QB in college at Cal, and his success should be no surprise.
Peyton is playing angry because the Colts still don't get the respect they deserve, and his little brother went and grabbed a bunch of the glory last year. As competitive as those two brothers are, you know that Peyton is just burning to win another Super Bowl.
Speaking of playing mad, look at Reggie Bush. He is on a mission to prove that he is the real deal. When a guy comes in with that much hype, it's almost impossible to blow people away at first. But Reggie is seeing the field better, he's playing with purpose, and he loves the end zone. The most important thing though is that the combination of Drew Brees, Jeremy Shockey, and now Deuce McAllister actually makes it easier for Reggie to rack up fantasy points and lead New Orleans to a great season.
Back to injuries, LT has been banged up, but he's getting better. And remember, I like to look at the whole offense when I'm looking for consistent performers. So Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates are doing great, because of that sophisticated offense that Norv Turner puts together.
You might be worred about Marion Barber the way he just loves to hit and take hits. Normally, I would worry about him too. But don't. When Jerry Jones got Roy Williams and added another great weapon to that offense, this will keep Marion from having too much pressure. He'l stay consistent.
"Hey Mike Martz, Give Frank Gore the Ball!"
The Eagles were the only NFC East team to do well last week. But a lot of this was because the Niners just collapsed in the fourth quarter. And they collapsed because Frank Gore didn't get the ball enough.
Mike Martz has brought an exciting offense to the 49ers. But he's putting too much pressure on JT O'Sullivan, and not enough on Frank.
Look at Frank's fantasy stats. He's the number three back in the league. He's a bull who gets every yard possible. He's the kind of guy that guys love to block for, and the kind of guy that makes everyone around him better.
I've been mentoring him a little this year, and he is keeping himself in great shape. This is important, because as the season grinds on, running backs start to get dinged up.
But Frank is fine. He needs the ball on a consistent basis in every quarter of the game. He can run and he can catch passes.
Hey Mike Martz, give Frank Gore the ball! Every quarter! All of my fantasy buddies who picked him will love you for this!
Mike Martz has brought an exciting offense to the 49ers. But he's putting too much pressure on JT O'Sullivan, and not enough on Frank.
Look at Frank's fantasy stats. He's the number three back in the league. He's a bull who gets every yard possible. He's the kind of guy that guys love to block for, and the kind of guy that makes everyone around him better.
I've been mentoring him a little this year, and he is keeping himself in great shape. This is important, because as the season grinds on, running backs start to get dinged up.
But Frank is fine. He needs the ball on a consistent basis in every quarter of the game. He can run and he can catch passes.
Hey Mike Martz, give Frank Gore the ball! Every quarter! All of my fantasy buddies who picked him will love you for this!
NFC East Lays an Egg
I should have known last week that something bad would happen to the NFC East after I said so many great things about these teams. Looks like the "On Any Given Sunday" theory kicked in, and made the NFC East look bad.
No one should give up on these teams, though, or their players. Take the Cowboys as a great example: Jerry Jones is the kind of owner who decides what the stories will be. Everyone was talking about Romo being hurt and Adam Jones being suspended, and there goes Jerry picking up Roy Williams.
So now Dallas has two huge threats at wide receiver. These guys are like basketball players, man. They can reach over you and "dunk" on most defensive backs anytime they want.
Dallas should also be OK at quarterback. I heard this morning that Romo might play. But even if he doesn't Brad Johnson is a very solid vet who knows how to win. He thew for more than 4,000 yards one year. He's won a Super Bowl. And he has more than 25,000 career yards passing.
I played with Brad near the end of my career in Minnesota, and he is a good man and a good QB. So stick with any picks you have from the 'Boys, get Roy Williams in there every week, and don't give up on any of your guys from the NFC East.
No one should give up on these teams, though, or their players. Take the Cowboys as a great example: Jerry Jones is the kind of owner who decides what the stories will be. Everyone was talking about Romo being hurt and Adam Jones being suspended, and there goes Jerry picking up Roy Williams.
So now Dallas has two huge threats at wide receiver. These guys are like basketball players, man. They can reach over you and "dunk" on most defensive backs anytime they want.
Dallas should also be OK at quarterback. I heard this morning that Romo might play. But even if he doesn't Brad Johnson is a very solid vet who knows how to win. He thew for more than 4,000 yards one year. He's won a Super Bowl. And he has more than 25,000 career yards passing.
I played with Brad near the end of my career in Minnesota, and he is a good man and a good QB. So stick with any picks you have from the 'Boys, get Roy Williams in there every week, and don't give up on any of your guys from the NFC East.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
"Maybe Reggie Will Do 1000/1000/1000"
Here are my thoughts on running back committees, Reggie Bush, and a few other things.
Week 5 - Spotfire Spots Consistency
What have we learned now that we're five weeks into the 2008 NFL season?
* The main thing I've learned is to trust Spotfire. You are starting to see the same names appear week in and week out in the season leader stats. Spotfire spots this consistency, not only for the top players but through the entire range. Look over to the left of this blog, and take the Test Drive!
* It's good to see Aaron Rodgers hanging tough. I picked him a little higher than Brett Favre this year, and he managed to get back ahead of Brett this week, even though the Packers lost their game.
* Hey, break up the Falcons! And definitely break up the Dolphins!
* To get serious, let's look at the NFC East. This division was tough as nails as far back as I remember. This year it might be as tough as it's ever been. Fantasy players really need to start to look at these matchups, too. The Cowboys and Eagles already had one great game against each other, and now the Giants have shown they can have a monster game. Add a hugely improved Washington to the mix, and there will be some great games--with some great fantasy numbers--each time all these hated rivals play each other.
* It's been great to see Frank Gore stay up on the list. It looks like the 49ers are going to be an up-and-down team this year, but Mike Martz and JT O'Sullivan have brought some real offense to San Francisco for the first time in awhile. I've been mentoring Frank, telling him how to keep his body together through a long NFL season, and he has been flat-out consistent--and real good.
* And here's my best wishes to Anquan Boldin and all his teammates and loved ones. Receivers have always taken some big, big hits, and the one he took was more like a car accident than a football injury. This may sound funny coming from a 15-year NFL veteran, but life is more important than football. Head injuries are nothing to mess around with, so Anquan, take care of yourself and don't come back until you're truly ready.
* The main thing I've learned is to trust Spotfire. You are starting to see the same names appear week in and week out in the season leader stats. Spotfire spots this consistency, not only for the top players but through the entire range. Look over to the left of this blog, and take the Test Drive!
* It's good to see Aaron Rodgers hanging tough. I picked him a little higher than Brett Favre this year, and he managed to get back ahead of Brett this week, even though the Packers lost their game.
* Hey, break up the Falcons! And definitely break up the Dolphins!
* To get serious, let's look at the NFC East. This division was tough as nails as far back as I remember. This year it might be as tough as it's ever been. Fantasy players really need to start to look at these matchups, too. The Cowboys and Eagles already had one great game against each other, and now the Giants have shown they can have a monster game. Add a hugely improved Washington to the mix, and there will be some great games--with some great fantasy numbers--each time all these hated rivals play each other.
* It's been great to see Frank Gore stay up on the list. It looks like the 49ers are going to be an up-and-down team this year, but Mike Martz and JT O'Sullivan have brought some real offense to San Francisco for the first time in awhile. I've been mentoring Frank, telling him how to keep his body together through a long NFL season, and he has been flat-out consistent--and real good.
* And here's my best wishes to Anquan Boldin and all his teammates and loved ones. Receivers have always taken some big, big hits, and the one he took was more like a car accident than a football injury. This may sound funny coming from a 15-year NFL veteran, but life is more important than football. Head injuries are nothing to mess around with, so Anquan, take care of yourself and don't come back until you're truly ready.
Running Back Committees
We've seen a lot of "running back committees" recently. Teams doing this include the Giants, Cowboys, Pats, Raiders, and Saints. I can tell you that the players don't like it. Any decent running back wants to be "the man."
But the coaches like it for a lot of reasons. It gives them different looks, it can reduce the risk of injury for each individual back, and a lot of coaches think this is a motivator. When you have a guy on the sidelines pushing you for your job, you might try harder.
The problem with this is that it can cause the backs to try to do too much. They can simply start running as fast as they can, rather than picking holes, getting a rhythm, and figuring out the defenses. So I'd warn the coaches to be careful here.
For us fantasy players, it's pretty simple. Go with the guys who are brought in to score the TDs! Or, if you got Reggie Bush, count on him to return a few punts for touchdowns, and you're all set!
Hey, maybe Reggie will be the first member of the 1000/1000/1000 club. (Devin Hester led the NFL last year with 650+ punt return yards). On second thought, I better not put this kind of pressure on the kid. He's doing great already.
But the coaches like it for a lot of reasons. It gives them different looks, it can reduce the risk of injury for each individual back, and a lot of coaches think this is a motivator. When you have a guy on the sidelines pushing you for your job, you might try harder.
The problem with this is that it can cause the backs to try to do too much. They can simply start running as fast as they can, rather than picking holes, getting a rhythm, and figuring out the defenses. So I'd warn the coaches to be careful here.
For us fantasy players, it's pretty simple. Go with the guys who are brought in to score the TDs! Or, if you got Reggie Bush, count on him to return a few punts for touchdowns, and you're all set!
Hey, maybe Reggie will be the first member of the 1000/1000/1000 club. (Devin Hester led the NFL last year with 650+ punt return yards). On second thought, I better not put this kind of pressure on the kid. He's doing great already.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Week 4 Highlights
The marquee matchup between Frank Gore and Reggie Bush didn't happen the way I thought it would. But as you've probably heard, I gave Deuce McCallister a call after New Orlean's great win over the 49ers. It was fantastic to see him back out there and looking great.
His performance backs up what I've been saying all year--the Saints are the real deal with a lot of weapons. The 49ers keyed on Reggie and slowed him down a little. But now, if Deuce can stay healthy, teams will have to key on him as well. This will help Reggie, and it will do great things for Drew Brees.
Six touchdown passes? You can't be serious, Brett! With that performance, Brett moves up to number 3 in the season's rankings. Aaron Rodgers has dropped out of the top five for the first time. If his shoulder is not hurt too badly, he'll remain consistent, though.
It was good to see Larry Johnson re-emerge this week, too. I had hm picked as number 13 in my list of picks. I think he'll be a solid contributor, but I still want to wait and see if he'll crack the top five consistently.
The Patriots are now a mystery. Their upcoming game against the 49ers should be a decent test, because the Niners have a decent defense. I am still counting on Randy Moss to put up some consistent numbers. But the Pats won't truly be tested until they back in there against their nasty division rivals.
His performance backs up what I've been saying all year--the Saints are the real deal with a lot of weapons. The 49ers keyed on Reggie and slowed him down a little. But now, if Deuce can stay healthy, teams will have to key on him as well. This will help Reggie, and it will do great things for Drew Brees.
Six touchdown passes? You can't be serious, Brett! With that performance, Brett moves up to number 3 in the season's rankings. Aaron Rodgers has dropped out of the top five for the first time. If his shoulder is not hurt too badly, he'll remain consistent, though.
It was good to see Larry Johnson re-emerge this week, too. I had hm picked as number 13 in my list of picks. I think he'll be a solid contributor, but I still want to wait and see if he'll crack the top five consistently.
The Patriots are now a mystery. Their upcoming game against the 49ers should be a decent test, because the Niners have a decent defense. I am still counting on Randy Moss to put up some consistent numbers. But the Pats won't truly be tested until they back in there against their nasty division rivals.
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