The Roger Craig FFL Rush

Season Wrap-Up

2010-01-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

I wanted to congratulate all the Fantasy Players on a great year and I hope your fantasies were fulfilled! There was a lot of exciting and disappointing times for teams and players!

I was excited about the records that were set and broken by players, starting with Titans RB Chris Johnson being the 6 NFL RB to crack 2000 yards rushing in a single season and later breaking Marshall Faulk's 2,429 total yards from scrimmage record.

Cleveland Browns Jerome Harrison broke a 52 year old record set by Hall of Famer Jim Brown of 237 rushing yards in one game with 286 yards. (Buffalo Bills) Terrell Owens moves into the 3rd place of all time in receiving yards passing Tim Brown of the Raiders...

Newcomer (KC Chiefs) RB Jamal Charles finished the year with a bang breaking Larry Johnson Single Season Rushing yard with 259 yards, watch for him to be a top 5 pick next year in the 2010 Fantasy Draft. Last but not least (Browns) Special Team Josh Cribbs broke the NFL career record for kickoff returns for TD's!

This week wild card play-offs could bring some surprises to the experts!

Jets vs. Bengals: I like the Jets, it's all about momentum in the playoffs and most of all they have a very physical defense and can run the ball with Jones and Green...These two are running with a lot of urgency!

Philly and Dallas: I like Dallas at home- their defense is playing hungry and with attitude plus their running game is better than Philly’s!

Ravens vs. New England: I like the Patriots, Tom Brady always find a way to win...He'll find a weak link in the Ravens secondary and expose them, especially with Ed Reed not being healthy.

Green Bay vs. (Arizona) I like Green Bay, the Packers have created some serious momentum over the last few weeks, Arizona WR Boldin got injured last week and could hurt the Cardinals chances.

I'll see you in a few weeks and give you an update a week before the Super Bowl on who's going to win!

Enjoy the Playoffs!

The Play-offs are getting close - time to set some records!

2009-12-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

Week 16 wasn't too promising for the Colts; the Jets gave them their first lost and Tampa Bay gave the Saints their 2nd lost of the year....but the San Diego Chargers are making a serious case that they’re for real!

Here are my picks for week 17:

QB- (Philly) Donovan McNabb is going against conference rivals Dallas Cowboys, and McNabb loves to compete against the Cowboys- it should be a shoot-out!

RB- (Green Bay) Ryan Grant is running with a lot of passion look for him to have strong game.

RB- (Jets) Thomas Jones is having an awesome year; he's becoming the Jets secret weapon!

WR- (Houston) Andre Johnson could put up some huge fantasy #’s this week; he loves to perform on a big stage like Randy Moss and the New England Patriots.

WR- (Vikings) Sydney Rice put on a great show on Monday Night in a losing battle against the Bears; look for another spectacular performance against the NY Giants.

TE- (Philly) Celek had a big game last week against Denver- he caught 4-passes for 121 yards for 1-TD, he could have another big week against the Cowboys.

Kicker- (Philly) David Akers could have a busy day against the Cowboys!

Defense/ST- (Jets) they’re playing with a lot of intensity and fire look for a great showing against the Bengals.

Team to watch: (Eagles vs. Dallas) this will be one exciting game to watch, the Cowboys will be home and it could go to the wire...I have to go with the Eagles, DeSean Jackson is the man!

Must Start- RB (KC Chiefs) Jamal Charles has made believers out of the Chiefs Organization with his play. Ever since he replaced Larry Johnson he rushed over 600 yards and scored 6 time in the last six games.

Must Start- QB (Packers) Aaron Rodgers is playing some good football and will be playing on a fast track in Arizona, look for a shoot-out!

Must sit- (Colts) Peyton Manning won't see any action this week, he'll be resting for the Play-offs.

Must sit- (Redskins) Jason Campbell is not playing well, looks like he kind of gave up for the season.

Sleeper- RB (Browns) Harrison is having fun! 2 weeks ago he broke Jim Brown's most yards in one game and last week he rushed for 148 yards and scored a TD, look for Harrison to finish has last game with a bang!

Sleeper- RB (Titans) Chris Johnson and his team don't have anything to lose, it's over, but they can create a little history by letting Johnson break Eric Dickerson single season record.

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I'll see you next week!

Picks for Week 16

2009-12-22T15:56:00.000-08:00

Week 15 was full of upsets with the Cowboys beating the Saints and giving them their first loss of the year....And the Game of the Year goes to the Pittsburg Steelers! This team plays with a lot of heart; with only 3 seconds left on the clock they beat the Packers 37-36.

Here are my picks for week 16:

QB- (Redskins) Jason Campbell doesn't have anything to lose and would love to spoil the Cowboys’ chances to go to the playoffs!

RB- (Vikings) Adrian Peterson is ready for a break out week; this could be the week that everyone is waiting for!

RB- (Ravens) Ray Rice will be ready for the challenge against the Steelers this week. There is no love lost between these two teams!

WR- (Patriots) Wes Welker will catch a lot passes this week, he could possibly catch 10-12 passes.

WR- (Houston) Andre Johnson had an awesome game last week catching 9 passes for 196 yards; he loves big stages, look for him to put up some large fantasy numbers against the Dolphins!

TE- (Titans) Bo Scaife could catch a lot of balls from Vince Young and be the go to guy when being pressured by a good San Diego pass rush with Merriman leading the way!

Kicker- (Cardinals) Neil Rackers should be pretty active for the high-powered Arizona offense when they face the Rams.

Defense/ST- (49ers) The Niners Defense should dominate this week when they return home to Candlestick Park to face the Detroit Lions.

Team to watch: (San Diego vs. Tennessee) should be a lot of fire works...Rivers and Young are playing some great football these days, and Vince has RB Chris Johnson, the best running back in the league to hand off too!

Must Start- (Cardinals) Beanie Wells is playing like a beast, this rookie last week ran for 110 yards and scored a touchdown, he's becoming the go to guy in Arizona’s offense.

Must Start- (49ers) RB Frank Gore will be going for his 4th consecutive 1000 yard season, look for him to finish the season with a bang!

Must sit- (Bears) RB Matt Forte will have a tough time running against the Vikings Defense that just came off a loss against Carolina!

Must sit- (Tampa Bay) QB Freeman might have played well against the Seahawks last week, but the Saints are at home and will want to get back on track after there first loss last week against the Cowboys!

Sleeper- (Browns) RB Jerome Harris is running on fire he had some explosive fantasy numbers last week with 286 yards and 3-TD’s, breaking the 52 year old record set by Jim Brown with 237 yards.

Sleeper- (Steelers) TE Heath Miller is catching a lot of balls in the red zone, look for his role to increase!

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I'll see you next week!

Week 14 was a Nail-biter - Looking Forward to Week 15!

2009-12-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

Week 14 was nerve racking for teams, I thought the game of the week would have been the Cowboys and the Chargers, but it turned out to be the Giants and Philly! DeSean Jackson put on a show!

Here are my picks for week 15:

QB- (Cardinals) Kurt Warner will have a field day against the Lions! He bounce back from his bad game against the Niners.

RB- (Ravens) Ray Rice is having a spectacular year, last week he rushed for 166 yards and scored a TD and he's catching a lot of passes!

RB- (KC Chiefs) Jamal Charles played well last week, he rushed for 143 yards and scored a TD. Look for him have a field day at home against the Browns.

WR- (Eagles) DeSean Jackson is playing with no fear, last week he lit-up the Giants’ secondary and playing against the west coast 49ers, he'll be pumped up!

WR- (Denver) Brandon Marshall is playing like a Super Star that he is, last week he set a NFL record catching 21 passes for 200 yards and 2-TD’s. Look for him to have a big game against arch rivals Raiders.

TE- (Chargers) Antonio Gates should have a huge game against the Bengals. The redzone will be open for him all day!

Kicker- (Redskins) Gano could have a busy day kicking this week with the new direction the team is going now...It could be a shoot out in Washington this week!

Defense/ST- (Houston) The Texans D should have a big day against the Rams!

Team to watch:(Cincinnati vs. San Diego) The Bengals had a tough loss against the Viking but look for them to bounce back and give the Chargers a run for their money...the Chargers are playing some good football too! It should be a fun game to watch!

Must Start- (Titans) Chris Johnson is in a class of his own, he's running great. He'll play big at home against the Dolphins!

Must Start- (Patriots) Randy Moss - I have faith in Randy that he's going to come with it this week and shut everyone up, who's questioning his play!

Must sit- (Bears) Matt Forte will have a tough day against Ray Lewis and a hungry Ravens defense.

Must sit- (Falcons) Roddy White is good, but he’ll be in for a long day against Darrelle Revis of the Jets. He’s one of the best corners in the NFL!

Sleeper- (Bills) Fred Jackson ran well last week with close to 100 yards. He had 99 against the Chiefs, look for him to step his game up against New England.

Sleeper- (Jets) Thomas Jones is surprising a lot of teams with his play. Look for him to run hard against the Falcons this week!

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I'll see you next week!

Week 13 Wrap Up and Week 14 Predictions

2009-12-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Week 13 was full of surprises starting with New England losing back to back and the Vikings losing to the Cardinals, who look like they’re on track to win the west. But the biggest surprise was the Raiders upsetting the Steelers at home. The Colts and Saints remain unbeaten!

Here are my picks for week 14:

QB-(Redskins) Jason Campbell and the Washington Redskins are playing some good football lately, last week they gave the Saints a big scare in a defeat. Jason put up some big fantasy numbers; he was 30-42 and threw for 367 yards and 3 TD’s against a tough Saints Defense. He's ready for the Raiders Black Hole.

RB- (Titans) Chris Johnson is the most explosive back in the league, he’s on pace to rush for 2000 yards...I'm expecting 200 yards and 3 TD’s this week against the Rams.

RB- (Ravens) Ray Rice will be ready to do his all-purpose thing against the Lions, running and receiving and scoring TD's...Look for some big fantasy numbers!

WR-(Colts) Pierre Garcon will have a big game against the Broncos. The secondary will be focused on shutting down Reggie Wayne and Collie, so look for Garcon to catch a lot of passes!

WR- (Bengals) Chad Ochocinco will be ready to compete against the Vikings, look for a solid performance from him this week.

TE- (Dallas) Jason Witten is ready for the show-down with the Chargers’ Antonio Gates. Jason is at home and will be fired up! Look for some more big fantasy numbers this week.

Kicker- (Eagles) David Akers has been one of the top kickers all season and he should get plenty of action this week.

Defense/ST- (Eagles) After shutting down a good Falcons offense, they'll be ready to battle against the Giants.

Team to watch:(Chargers vs. Cowboys) This is the game of the week, Norv Turner is going back to where he helped the Cowboys win some 3 Super Bowls when he was their Offensive coordinator, so this is a game he wants to win!

Must Start- (Chargers) Phillip Rivers is playing with a lot of confidence and is on fire; look for the Chargers to put up some big numbers!

Must Start- (Chad Henne) He put up some good numbers last week; he was 29-52 for 335 yards and 2-TD’s. He’s facing a tough Jaguars defense but the Dolphins have too many weapons.

Must sit- (49ers) Frank Gore is going up against a very physical Cardinal defense that allowed only 60 yards rushing against the Vikings last week, and for some reason the 49ers have abandoned the run for 3 weeks!

Must sit- (Browns) Brady Quinn will be going against the Steelers defense that's desperate for a win this week!

Sleeper- (Carolina) Stewart could shock the New England Patriots defense. He has nothing to lose, and last week he ran for 120 yards and scored a TD.

Sleeper- (Raiders) Murphy played big last week and made some big catches, he caught 4 passes for 128 yards. Look for him to have some fun again against the Washington Redskins.

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I'll see you next week!

This Season is Flying By - Week 13 Picks!

2009-12-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Week 12 was full of excitement, I was very impressed with Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans. This team is playing unbelievable. With 5 straight wins watch out for the Titans. Peyton Manning and the Colts are continuing their quest to remain unbeaten!

Here are my picks for week 13:

QB- (Titans) Vince Young is playing like a true NFL QB; last week he threw for 387 yards and 1 TD. He's playing with a lot of confidence. The Titans have created some serious momentum over the last six weeks!

RB- (Titans) Chris Johnson will be on a fast track playing inside the Colts Dome this week. This could be trouble for the Indianapolis Colts!

RB- (Bengals) Larry Johnson is running with a new attitude to prove to everyone he's still got it. Last week he ran for 107 yards on 22 carries.

WR- (Bills) Terrell Owens is happy and having fun again. Look for him to play big on Thursday night against the Jets; he loves facing the nation on prime time baby!

WR- (Saints) Robert Meachem will have a big game against the Redskins; Marques Colston gets double covered most of the game so Robert will catch a lot of balls!

TE- (Chargers) Antonio Gates is healthy and playing like he did a couple of years ago. Last week he caught 7 passes for 118 yards and 2 TDs. Look for him to have a big day against the Browns.

Kicker- (Saints) John Carney should have a busy day against the Redskins.

Defense/ST- (Steelers) The Raiders will have a tough time against the Pittsburgh D this week.

Team to watch: (Baltimore Ravens vs. Green Bay) The Ravens are playing some good football with Ray Rice leading the way on offense, but the Packers are tough to beat at home!

Must Start- (Denver) Brandon Marshall will be ready to crush the Chiefs this week after playing like a beast against the Giants on Thursday!

Must Start- (Vikings) Brett Favre is playing on another planet. Hopefully Kurt Warner will be back in action to have a shoot out in Arizona, but I'm going with the Vikings to win!

Must sit- (Giants) Brandon Jacobs is running like he's hurt and he just doesn't have that get up and go-power.

Must sit- (Lions) Calvin Johnson is playing against a nasty Bengals defense that's on fire!

Sleeper- (Seahawks) Justin Forsett is coming into his own, last week he rushed for 130 yards and 2 TDs. Look for him to explode against the 49ers!

Sleeper- (Redskins) Jason Campbell will be facing a tough Saints Defense!

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I'll see you next week!

Week 12 - Will the Saints Reign Supreme?

2009-11-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

Week 11 was one of those weeks that I talked about when any given Sunday you can be beat! The Kansas City Chiefs showed that against the Steelers and the Raiders proved it against the Bengals with big victories! The Colts and the Saints are continuing their quest to remain unbeaten!

Here are my picks for week 12:

QB- (Saints) Drew Brees is ready for the showdown against Tom Brady and the Patriots! He’s at home and it will be a Monday night game; there will be a lot of fireworks!

RB- (Vikings) Adrian Peterson is ready for a big day; Brett is throwing the ball well so watch out for the running game to explode. I feel Peterson will run for 200 yards this week.

RB- (Chiefs) Jamaal Charles is running like the Chiefs is his team after the departure of Larry Johnson…This kid has a lot speed, last week he ran back a 97 yard Kickoff return for a score and caught a pass for a TD! Look for him to do his thing against the Chargers!

WR- (Houston) Andre Johnson - Look for him to play like a beast against the Colts this Sunday, I know he’ll be coming off a short week because he played on Monday night against the Titians but he thrives against big time competition like the Colts. He wants to show why he’s worthy as a NFL receiver!

WR-(Green Bay) Greg Jennings played well against the 49ers catching 5 passes for 126 yards and scoring 1 TD. I think he’ll put up even better numbers against the Lions this week.

TE- (Saints) Jeremy Shockey, could catch 6-8 receptions and a couple of touchdowns this week! The Saints will be in the red zone a lot and this is Shockey’s space!

Kicker- (Texans) Kris Brown missed a big kick against the Titans. I’m expecting that he’ll practice hard this week and be ready for the Colts on Sunday.

Defense/ST (Tennessee) the Titans defense has tightened up their attack over the last 4 weeks. Look for them to give the Cardinals fits!

Team to Watch: (New Orleans vs. New England) two of the NFL best QB’s will be going at it, and trust me I can’t wait! This is Drew Brees’ calling card; I expect big fantasy numbers from both QB’s with the Saints winning, 40-28.

Must Start- (Packers) Ryan Grant is a smooth operator; last week he ran hard against a tough 49ers defense. I’ll look for him to run through the Lions’ defense with some big fantasy numbers.

Must Start- (Bengals) Bernard Scott filled in for Cedric Benson last week against the Raiders and looked like he was suppose to be there; he ran for 119 yards on 21 carries. I expect him to play a big role this week against the Browns.

Must sit- (Raiders) QB Gradkowski; he’ll be facing a tough Cowboy’s defense that will be thirsty for a big win at home.

Must sit- (Bears) QB Cutler will be going against the Vikings, one of the NFL best defenses with guys like Allen and the Williams brothers.

Sleeper- Thomas Jones had good numbers last week, he ran for 103 yards in 21 carries. Look for him to play even better against the Panthers.

Sleeper- (Chiefs) WR Chris Chambers will be out to prove that the Chargers made a huge mistake when the released him earlier this season.

Good luck Fantasy players with your picks, and I’ll see you next week!

Week 11

2009-11-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

In Week 10 there were a lot of underdog teams that played like their records were better then the team that was suppose to win their match-ups; teams like Washington vs. Denver, Panthers vs. Falcons and San Diego vs. Philly. Like the old saying goes, on any given Sunday anybody can be beat! Of course the game of the week was the Patriots vs. Colts. As always with these two teams, their game lived up to the hype and there was an exciting finish.

Here are my picks for week 11:

QB- (Cardinals) Kurt Warner loves playing against his old team the Rams. Look for some huge fantasy #'s this week!

RB- (Titans) Chris Johnson is in rhythm and running like he's possessed...If the young man stays healthy watch out he might crack that 2000 yards season!

RB- (Saints) Mike Bell didn't get too many carries last week but look for him to be featured this week against Tampa.

WR- (Vikings) Sydney Rice is becoming a star in the Vikings Offense. Last week he had 7 receptions for 201 yards. Look for him to put up more big fantasy numbers against a weak Seattle secondary.

WR- (Bengals) Chad Johnson will love playing in a hostile Raiders environment; he'll be ready to put on a show!

TE- (49ers) Vernon Davis didn’t put up great numbers last week but he should get back on track this week against the Packers.

Kicker- (Eagles) David Akers got plenty of chances when the Eagles offense stalled in the redzone. He should be pretty active this week against the Bears.

Defense/ST (San Diego) The Chargers are playing some good defense these days.... Merriman is anchoring the way. Look for some hard hitting against the Broncos!

Team to Watch: (Tennessee vs. Houston) Vince Young is the talk of the NFL coming off his 3rd win and of course he has the NFL best running back to hand off too. Look for some exciting football played on Monday night!

Must Start- (Cowboys) Tony Romo has to get Dallas back on track, look for him to play better this week.
Must Start- (Steelers) Santonio Holmes look for him to have a big game against the Chiefs this week!

Must sit- (49ers) Frank Gore is going against a good Packers defense that plays well at home.

Must sit- (Seattle) Matt Hasselbeck will have a tough day going against a very physical defensive front line with the Vikings. Leading the way are Jared Allen and the Williams brothers.
Sleeper- (Cardinals) Beanie Wells came off a season high with 16-85 yards and 2 TDs. I think his confidence is coming together now.
Sleeper- (Jaguars) David Garrard played well last week and he put up some solid numbers...He has a lot of talent around him.

Week 10 - This Season is Flying By!

2009-11-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog:

Week 9 brought a lot of excitement throughout the league…I want to personally congratulate Peyton Manning on tying Vikings Hall Of Famer Fran Tarkenton for 4th in career victories (125) and becoming the first player in league history to throw for 40,000 yards in one decade…WOW that’s so amazing! And I also want to give a shout out to Drew Brees for his valiant effort for not giving up when being behind for the third time this season, and showing the NFL that the Saints are for real and are strong contenders.

Here are my picks for week 10:

QB- (Patriots) Tom Brady; He’ll be facing a Colts defense that’s not playing the pass well and the Colts lost All-Pro Safety Bob Sanders for the year. That’s good news for Brady and Moss who like they’re in rhythm!

RB- (Vikings) Adrian Peterson should be well rested from his bye week. Look for some explosive numbers against the Detroit Lions!

RB- (Panthers) DeAngelo Williams had some great numbers against the Saints (21 carries for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns). He enjoys competing against the running backs on the opposing field…Look for him to put up some good numbers against Michael Turner.

WR- (Saints) Marques Colston will roast the Rams secondary for some huge fantasy number this week.

WR- (Cardinals) Larry Fitzgerald loves playing against the Seahawks. Look for some big fantasy numbers.

TE- (Colts) Dallas Clark will have a big day again catching in the red zone against the Patriots. He had a career-high 14 catches last week.

Kicker-(Steelers) Jeff Reed could have a busy day against the Bengals with field goals. It’s tough to score on Cincinnati’s defense at home.

Defense/ST Vikings will crush the Lions offense; I’m looking for 5-6 sacks and 3 interceptions. It should be a blow out!

Team to watch: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

I can’t wait to watch this showdown. We have the NFL’s two best quarterbacks going against each other and trust me, there’s no love lost between these two teams. I’m going with the Patriots to upset the undefeated Colts 30-21 to give the Colts their first loss.
Must Start- (Falcons) RB Michael Turner is running on fire. He had a big game last week against the Redskins for 166 yards and 2-TDs
Must Start-(Steelers) QB Ben Roethlisberger will step up his game to show the league who’s the best team in the AFC North!

Must sit- (Bengals) RB Cedric Benson; I know he had a good games against the Ravens with over 100 yards in both games, but he’ll have a tough time to get those numbers against a tough Steelers defense.

Must sit- (Seahawks) RB Julius Jones will have a tough time running against a tough Cardinals defensive front.

Sleeper- (Chiefs) RB Jamaal Charles will set out to prove that he’s the next star running back in Kansas City. He doesn’t have to share carries with Larry Johnson anymore so he should have a good game against the Raiders.

Sleeper- (Cardinals) WR Steve Breaston should be the beneficiary of the Seahawks’ double coverage on Larry Fitzgerald. Look for him to put up surprising numbers this week.

Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see you next week!

Week Eight Recap and Moving on to Week Nine

2009-11-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Brett Favre made me look bad in Week 8; I picked Aaron Rodgers to beat the Vikings but Brett’s playing like a young 25 year old QB. He’s making me a true believer after watching that performance.

The Ravens Defense finally woke up and pounded the Denver Broncos 30-7. Hopefully this doesn’t stop Denver from having a strong year, but it was a serious reality check!

Here are my picks for week 9:

QB- (Eagles) Donovan McNabb is coming off a big win against the Giants and his timing looks good.

RB- (Jaguars) Maurice Jones-Drew had an awesome game against Titans. Look for the same performance against a weak Kansas City Chiefs defense.

RB- (Bears) Matt Forte looks like he’s running like his old self again; he had 90 yards against the Browns and 2 Touchdowns.

WR- (Colts) Reggie Wayne is a beast regardless of who throws him the ball: Peyton Manning or Joseph Addai!

WR- (New England) Randy Moss had a good rest over the bye week. Look for this receiver to explode with some huge fantasy numbers.

TE- (49ers) Vernon Davis has been on fire lately and I don’t expect the Titans secondary to slow him down.

Kicker- (Jaguars) Josh Scobee should be pretty active this week vs. the Chiefs

Defense/ST (Pittsburgh) – You can bet that Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator is watching the Ravens-Broncos game film from last week to figure out how to stop the Broncos offense. Pittsburgh definitely has the talent to replicate the Ravens success.

Team to watch: Dallas vs. Philly – NFC East games are always fun to watch, especially when both teams are playing at a high level like the Cowboys and Eagles are. Expect a lot of big plays from these explosive offenses. I’ll give the advantage to the Eagles at home.

Must Start- (Colts) QB Peyton Manning wants to have a better showing this week; he was a little frustrated against the 49ers defense. Look for some big fantasy numbers this week!

Must Start- (Falcons) QB Matt Ryan will be facing a weak Redskins team that’s not playing good football these days, look for Ryan to light it up!

Must sit- (Panthers) RB DeAngelo Williams is facing a tough Saints Defense at home. Delhomme will not be able to keep Darren Sharper and company from crowding the line of scrimmage to focus in on Williams.

Must sit- (Houston) RB Ryan Moats had a great game last week against the Bills with 126 yards and 3 touchdowns. This week will be a little tough to get those kinds of numbers against the Colts defense at home.

Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see you next week!

Here we go Week 8 and Week 7 recap- Drew Brees is on a Roll!

2009-10-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

Week 7 was full of surprises as the Arizona Cardinals shocked the NY Giants with 24-17 win and took the NFC West lead over the 49ers. The Pittsburg Steelers defense stopped Favre and Peterson to give the Vikings their first loss! New Orleans rallied against the Dolphins to remain unbeaten! The two others team that are undefeated are the Broncos and Colts.

My starting lineups for week 8:

QB- (Green Bay) Aaron Rodgers is facing Brett Favre and the Vikings. Trust me, there’s no love between these two teams. Brett won the first meeting but Aaron is eyeing a win in the second meeting! Lambeau Field will be rocking on Sunday!

RB- (NY Jets) Thomas Jones has been putting up some good numbers all season. I like the way the Jets are having a 2 back system; it keeps both backs fresh!

RB- (Saints) Mike Bell is running with a swagger and a lot of attitude. He only had 80 yards last week against a tough Miami defense…but it’s Monday night and he loves the spot light!

WR-(Cowboys) Miles Austin is emerging to be a serious deep threat for the Cowboys. He’s putting up superstar numbers every week; he burned the Falcons secondary for 6 catches for 171 yards and 2 touch down. He’s becoming a fantasy dream for the fantasy players out there.

WR-(Chargers) Vincent Jackson put up some good numbers last week against the Chiefs he had 5 catches for 142 yards and 1 TD…He’s facing a “I don’t want to play” Raiders team, so look for some big numbers from him.

TE- (Colts) Dallas Clark will be out to prove that he’s the best TE on the field when the Colts take on the 49ers this weekend.

Kicker- (Eagles) It will be a defensive battle in Philadelphia this Sunday. The Eagles offense will probably stall in the redzone a few times, giving David Akers plenty of opportunities.

Defense/ST-( Philadelphia Eagles) The Eagles will be coming off a short week because of their Monday night game. Hopefully it won’t be a physical game because the Redskins are not playing to good these days, and I know there’s some bad blood between the Giants and Eagles…The good thing for Philly is they’re playing the Giants at home.

Team to watch: (Denver Broncos). …The Broncos will be facing a tough and nasty Ravens defense in Baltimore…We’ll see how Kyle Orton holds up against one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Must Start- RB (NY Jet) Shonn Green ran for a season high 19 carries for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Raiders last week, he’s running on fire. Leon Washington is out for the season and even though he’ll have to share touches with Thomas Jones, I’m still expecting a big game from Shonn.

Must Start- (Saints) Drew Brees is The NFL MVP in my book. He elevates his play week after week against power house teams like the Giants, and then coming back against the Dolphins. The Saints are a team to be reckoned with.

Must sit- (Raiders) Justin Fargas will face the Chargers this weekend. It may be tempting to start him, but the Chargers defense will be keying in on him.

Must sit- (Panthers) DeAngelo Williams will be going up against one of the surprisingly best run defenses in the NFL in the Arizona Cardinals. They shut down the lethal Giants rushing attack. Expect the same this week.

Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see next Week!

My Starting Line Up for Week 7

2009-10-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

After 6 week teams are gelling and coming together. Tom Brady got his Mo-Jo back throwing 6 TD's for the 2nd time in his career and Brett Favre keeps amazing the league by keeping the Vikings undefeated and with his stellar play and leadership!

And the one team that I've been forecasting to make it to the Super Bowl this year is the New Orleans Saints...Drew Brees is in his third season with the Saints and he's lighting it up! The Saints Defense and Special Teams are solid as a rock and I love proving my case when the Saints play!

QB- (Packers) Aaron Rodgers. He was 29-37 for 358 yards and 2 TD passes. I'm looking for Aaron to torch the Cleveland Browns defense with some great fantasy numbers!

RB- (Falcons) Michael Turners. The Falcons are playing some good football! Look for Michael to explode against the Cowboys!

RB- (Patriots) Laurence Maroney. New England's offense is back on track with Tom Brady leading the way with the passing attack, so look for the running game to be a huge factor down the stretch with Maroney playing a big role!

WR- (Texans) Andre Johnson is playing like a beast and no one in the league can stop him. He'll find away to get his numbers! Look for some ridiculous numbers against the 49ers defense.

WR- (Saints) Marques Colston. He had a big day last week against the Giants, 8 catches for 166 yards. He's playing in a red-hot offense with one of the best QBs in the League throwing to him; look for some great fantasy numbers this week!

TE- (Giants) Kevin Boss. I must say the Cardinals are pretty solid with their defensive backfield, but still look for Eli to throw to Boss in the redzone against Arizona!

Kicker- (Colts) Matt Stover. Expect the Colts offense to click on all cylinders this weekend meaning plenty of opportunities for Stover.

Defense/ST (New England) - The Bucs will have a tough time moving the ball against the Patriots defense that shut out the Titans last week.

Game to Watch: Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh. These two teams are evenly matched with two of the leagues best QB's leading the way with Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger.The last couple of weeks Brett has been on a tear winning last minute games against the 49ers and Ravens. Look for a very entertaining match up!

Must Start- (Colts) Peyton Manning- Look for some crazy fantasy numbers this week. Peyton is well rested from the bye-week and other QB's have put up some big numbers against the Rams. Trust me, Peyton wants to top their numbers!

Must Start- (New England) Tom Brady. Look for a repeat of great numbers against a weak Buccaneers Defense!

Must sit- (Cardinals) Kurt Warner. It's the wrong time to be facing the NY Giants; they're coming off a big loss against the Saints!

Must sit- (Browns) Derek Anderson. I like Derek but he's facing a tough Green Bay Defense that's playing with a lot of confidence!

Those are my picks for the week...Good luck to all of you Fantasy players I'll see you next week!

Interview with Football Diner

2009-10-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

The other day I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian Davis, a 49ers fan over in England (can you believe it!) and he wrote up this great piece.

http://www.footballdiner.com/rogercraig1.html

The Football Diner Big Interview: Roger Craig
Interviewed by Brian Davis
20/10/2009

Four-time Pro Bowler Roger Craig was the offensive focal point of a dominant 49ers team that won three Super Bowls between 1984 and 1989. Playing for legendary coach Bill Walsh alongside Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, Craig was a do-it-all threat whose versatility continues to set the standard for dual-threat backs to this day. The 1988 Offensive Player of the Year retired in 1993 having amassed an incredible 13,143 total yards and 73 touchdowns.

As the Diner staff were wrapping up their working day here in the UK, Craig was getting his own morning started on the West Coast of America. But before he nipped out for a spot of heavy duty a.m. exercise, there was just time for our own Brian Davis to ask him all about his extraordinary career, legendary teammates and awesome Super Bowl performances in our exclusive interview.
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Football Diner:
Roger, what was it like to win your first Super Bowl, scoring three touchdowns in the process (being the first person ever to do so)? It must have been like all your Christmases and birthdays had come at once?

Roger Craig:
It was a great game, I was young – in my second year – and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in the build up, so I spoke to some vets on the team and Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds gave me some great advice, he just said: "Play every down as if it's your last, don't blow your chances, remain intense and focused," and I had the game of my life. It was real cool to score three touchdowns in a game and be the first person to do so in a Super Bowl.

Football Diner:
What was it like getting your hands on the Lombardi trophy?

Roger Craig:
When I got my hands on it, it was amazing, and the ring as well. That's what you play for and it was awesome to achieve a goal that lots of other teams and players don't get to.

Football Diner:
It must have been even more special to win it in the Bay Area at Stanford?

Roger Craig:
It was like playing in our own back yard and it felt like we had home-field advantage. It was our environment and especially when the fog rolled in, we were like: "Oh Man, we are at home!"

Football Diner:
The following season, you became the first player to both run for and receive 1000 yards. That must have been pretty special as well?

Roger Craig:
I knew that, after the three touchdowns in the Super Bowl, teams would be gunning for me, people knew who I was now and the Super Bowl really propelled me into the national spotlight of a superstar. So during the following off-season, I trained so hard for it. Bill Walsh talked to me after the Ring Ceremony and he said: "Roger, I expect 1000 yards from you next season," and I'm like: "Wow, I'm a full back." But my attitude was: "Alright, I'll do it," so I covered my ass and I did it on the ground and receiving!

Football Diner:
Who do you think can be next to join the 1000/1000 club?

Roger Craig:
Well, Marshall Faulk's already there, but there are 2-3 guys who right now I think can get there and they would be Reggie Bush, Leon Washington and Brian Westbrook, but Westbrook really needs to stay healthy to manage it.

Football Diner:
Just how cold was the 1988 NFC Championship game in Chicago and what is it like to play in conditions that cold?

Roger Craig:
That was so cold. It was 30 below, big wind chill factor, the field was frozen. We couldn't even wear spikes. We were all in tennis or turf shoes.

Football Diner:
A lot of people had written the 49ers off and said this was 'Bears' football weather'...

Roger Craig:
Yeah, they were calling us West Coast soft boys and sissies, but we played harder, we were more prepared and we won 23-0. I asked Coach Ditka after the game, I said: "Damn, Mike, how do you prepare your team for games in this weather?" He looked at me and he said: "Roger, nobody gets used to this weather. I was counting down the seconds just like you were!"

Football Diner:
In Super Bowl XXIII, the 49ers are 16-13 down, faced with a 92-yard drive to win the game. You played an integral part in that drive. Was there any doubt in your mind that you would win the game at this point?

Roger Craig:
No way, none at all. Bill Walsh prepared us well for the two-minute offense. We'd strategized way before the game and we knew exactly what to do. As a result we didn't panic, whereas their defense did; we were calm and Joe worked his magic. We were down their throats, big play after big play – we made it happen – and I had a few crucial plays in that drive. It was perfect. That's how all Super Bowls should end, that's what you pay your money for!

Football Diner:
Bill Walsh was rightly deemed 'The Genius'. His attention to detail was second to none – what was it like to have him has a coach?

Roger Craig:
Bill knew talent and how to orchestrate a team and spot players that fitted his system. I was the prototype running back for his West Coast offense and the player to take the 49ers to the next level. He was a great strategist – at half time, if things weren't going our way, Bill would always have new ideas, plans for the situation, and he made us all feel special, like we were all an extension of each other. Everybody had a role on every play and that's how we won games, each as an extension of each other.

Football Diner:
Are you still in contact with any of the 49ers from your time there? And do you still get to 'The Stick' to see games?

Roger Craig:
I speak with Ronnie Lott, he's a great guy in and out of football. I also speak with Frank Gore regularly and yeah, I still go to games to cheer them on.

Football Diner:
Shortly before this interview I got in touch with Randy Cross and asked him what it was like to be a teammate of Roger Craig's. He said: "Roger was an incredible RB whose legacy is not only as one of the great all around runenrs but as the man who taught Jerry Rice how to work his butt off." Is he on the money?

Roger Craig:
Haha! Yeah! It wasn't just Jerry though, I got together with Barry Sanders as well and we innovated new types of training that we were doing at that time; we were in it for the long haul and we took great pride in that. These days I also run marathons and just like the training then, I take great pride in that.

Football Diner:
As a Hall of Fame semi-finalist last year, do you think you'll ever make it to Canton?

Roger Craig:
I think I'll get in one day. I can't make the calls and it's not my place to talk about the media guys who do the voting, so I'm numb about it really, I can't feel anything. It would be great to get in and if and when I do it'd certainly be the icing on the cake. If I don't then, hey, I still made it on to the All Decade 80s team, won three Super Bowls and went to four Pro Bowls. It hasn't changed my life and I won't let it, nor will it change my life if and when I get in. It would make my friends and family very happy, but if I don't, I'll just move on – you can't let it rule your life.

Football Diner:
You were known for your 'Catfish eyes' and high stepping. Do you still get teased about Catfish?
Roger Craig:
Haha! Freddie Solomon gave me that nickname, because my eyes really expanded when I was running into the holes, I just wanted to make sure I used all of my eyes to see where I was going. He used to say I swam through holes!

Bill Walsh once drew a picture of it and presented it to me in front of the team the night before a game. The team were screaming with laughter, but that was Bill. Bill would do things like that to lighten the mood before a game. He also drew a picture of Joe Montana as a stick man, holding a football wearing the Number 16, teasing him about his skinny legs!

Football Diner:
I'm a big fan of middle linebacker 'Hacksaw' Reynolds (another player with great attention to detail - he once taught then-rookie Ronnie Lott a lesson by refusing to let him borrow one of his one hundred pencils in a team meeting) – do you have any stories about your time in the team with him?

Roger Craig:
He helped a lot. He helped me study and was my mentor. He respected me as a player. Keith Fahnhorst once said to me when I was a rookie: "Roger, you're a lucky guy, because Hacksaw likes you and your attitude and normally he hates rookies." Hacksaw's attitude was: you don't go onto the football field without your helmet, so you don't come to team meetings without a pen or a pencil. Of course Lott went on to become a great leader in and out of football and is a real good guy.

Football Diner:
Tom Rathman was a key reason for your success after his arrival, but is his position and your old position of fullback slowly becoming a dying art within the NFL?

Roger Craig:
I actually helped get Tom to San Francisco, Bill Walsh asked me about him and I told him he was a great blocker. I helped to develop his hands and we worked out together too. He gave us a great 1-2 punch and it meant opposition defenses couldn't tee off on either of us. These days you have running back committees back there that rotate – and of course the Wild Cat – so you see less of the FB out there.

Football Diner:
You currently work for a company called TIBCO Software, what are you doing with yourself there?

Roger Craig:
We're a big infrastructure software company, help companies communicate in real time. We're in 40 different countries with over 3500 customers and we're in every major city in the US, not to mention an office in Maidenhead in the UK. I do business development, figuring out exactly what businesses need. I do a spot of HR, hiring, work with the marketing team, sales, I'll open and close doors, just do whatever it takes to win. In corporate business, you can't take a quarter off and still win games like you can in football, you've got to win in every phase. Sport prepared me for work and I take the same attitude to work as I did to the football field. We're taking on a lot of the giants of the computer world so it's a little bit like the David and Goliath story. We're winning deals by determining: "We are not going to lose, we're going to win."

Football Diner:
You must turn heads when you arrive at new businesses and walk through the offices?
Roger Craig:
Yeah, people turn their heads. It's kind of funny, but you get used to it.

Football Diner:
What else are you doing with your spare time these days?

Roger Craig:
I play a bit of golf, I run marathons, I love spending time with my family, travelling, seeing a little of the world. I've also started doing my own blogs, including one on fantasy. The fantasy game over here is huge now, so I try to break down each matchup using the TIBCO Spotfire Fantasy Football tool (See link at bottom of this page)

Football Diner:
Do you have a message for all the NFL and 49ers fans here in the UK?

Roger Craig:
We really appreciate the fans in the UK and Europe that follow American Football. Your own football is so big and we're also big fans of that here in the US; it's still growing here, but it's cool to see how football brings the world together at the World Cup. We really respect you guys following us and I say: keep on following, keep on learning, get on the blogs and get involved.

Football Diner:
Well, thanks ever so much for your time Roger and enjoy the rest of your day...

Roger Craig:
I'm going to hit the gym now, do a 10 mile run so I start the day off right! You take care Brian – it was great chatting to you.

Your Questions from Week Six

2009-10-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

My starting line up for week 6!!!

2009-10-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog,

We got through week 5 and we still have 5 teams that are undefeated….but there were some upsets and reality checks as well. The one game that sticks in my mind the most was the Broncos and the Patriots. I picked Denver to win by 3 points last week and they did just that! Hopefully experts are seeing Denver as being the real deal! And the biggest upset of the week was Bengals vs. Ravens; Baltimore just had too many defensive penalties and gave the game away. And as far as the reality check, the 49ers got railroad by the Falcons!

My starting line up for week 6!!!

At QB- (Saints) Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are playing some good football offensively and defensively and their special teams are pretty good too!

RB- (Bears) Matt Forte should be well rested coming off the bye week. Look for him to be the work horse against the Falcons.

RB- (Bengals) Cedric Benson had a great game against the tough and nasty Ravens defense with over 100 yards. Look for him to put up some great fantasy numbers at home this week!

WR- (Denver) Brandon Marshall…Like I said last week he’s focus and scored 2 TD’s against the Patriots. Fantasy players, he loves the spotlight on Monday Night Football. Expect even better numbers this week!

WR- (Falcons) Roddy White is on fire!!!! He’s putting up superstar numbers, playing with a lot of confidence, and he’s becoming Matt Ryan’s go to guy!

TE- (Saints) Jeremy Shockey is facing his old team so it’s going be an emotional game for him. I’m expecting him to play his heart out…And look for Brees to throw to Shockey in the Red Zone; I’m going out on the limb and saying he’s going to score 2 TD’s!

Kicker- (Patriots) Stephen Gostkowski missed a big kick last week against the Broncos. I’m expecting him to bounce back this weekend and he should get plenty of opportunities against the Titans.

Defense/ST- Denver is playing red-hot under Mike Nolan’s system and have great leaders like Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins leading the way!

Team to watch: Baltimore Ravens. They let a victory slip away from them last week against the Bengals. They will be fired up this week and will play with a chip on their shoulder against the Vikings. Don’t be surprised to see an upset in this one!

Must Start- (Cardinals) WR Larry Fitzgerald caught 2 TD passes last week. Look for him to explode against the Seahawks with some great numbers.

Must Start- (Patriots) QB Tom Brady will be ready to redeem himself against the disarrayed Titans defense.

Must sit- (Vikings) RB Adrian Peterson is facing the Ravens. They have one of the best run stop Defenses in the NFL.

Must sit- Seahawks QB (Hasselbeck) The Cardinals defense plays well against the Seattle, look for Arizona to win.

Good Luck Fantasy Players see you next week!

Week 5 Review

2009-10-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

My Answers to Your Questions

2009-10-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

I've received alot of questions via email from you guys and I'll continue to answer as many as I can- thanks for reaching out!

Which NFL team do you think has the best defense and why should fantasy players avoid putting their players up against them?
Do any of today's defensive players remind you of players you played against?
We've seen alot of top running backs get injured in the first few weeks such as, Frank Gore, Ladamian Thomason, Brian Westbrook, Marion Barber, and Felix Jones. Why are so many RBs getting injured so early in the season?
Once a player gets injured will they ever be 100% again or will they always be dealing with lingering pain and injuries?
What's your take on players being so involved in social media technology such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace?

Week 4- Players are stepping up to the plate!

2009-10-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

There are 5 teams that are 4-0…the big surprise is the Denver Broncos. QB Kyle Orton, who struggled in pre-season and looked a little scary, seems to be comfortable in the Josh McDaniels system!

Denver is undefeated and offensively is playing some good football and their defense is the real-deal, being coached by the smart and highly energized former 49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan!

The two teams I like the most are clearly steps ahead of every one: the Colts and the Giants. They are led by the Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli! These two QB’s are putting up great fantasy numbers every week

And congratulations to Peyton on leading the Colts in scoring touchdowns four of their first five drives last week, tying a milestone established by Fran Tarkenton and Dan Marino.

My Starting line up for week 5:
At QB – (Steelers) Ben Roethlisberger. Expect big fantasy numbers against a tired Detroit Lions defense that will be on the field a lot on Sunday. Rookie Lions QB Stafford twisted his knee last week and if he plays he won’t be mobile enough to get the job done!

RB - (Steelers) Rashard Mendenhall. He put up some good Fantasy numbers last week against the Chargers with 165 yards and 2 TDs. Look for him to wear down the Lions defense and expect 3 touchdowns from him.

RB - (Miami) Ronnie Brown. Ronnie and the Dolphins shocked the Bills last week 38-10 as he ran for 115 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. There’s a lot of bad blood between the Jets and Miami ….Expect Ronnie to step it up his game because he loves to perform on Monday night!

WR - (NY Giants) Steve Smith. Smith is emerging to be a threat this season….the first 3 weeks Manningham had a lot of success but now he’s being double covered. Look for Smith to be Eli’s go-to receiver.

WR - (Denver) Brandon Marshall. He looks focus and ready to go, look for him to put up some huge fantasy numbers against the Pats!

TE - (Colts) Dallas Clark. Look for a lot of passes thrown his way especially in the Red-Zone; it could be a big day for Clark against the Titians!

Kicker - (49ers) Nedney. It could be a long day for the 49ers on offense against the Falcons; the Falcons are tough team to beat at home.

Defense/ST – Minnesota. The Vikings played outstanding Monday night against the Packers their facing a weak Rams Offense that failed to score and gave up 3 defensive/special team touchdowns to the 49ers in Week 4. I’m expecting the Vikings to be spectacular this weekend.

Team to watch: I like the Denver Broncos… A lot of people are saying that the Broncos are the weakest undefeated team out there. I disagree. They’re facing Tom Brady who’s coming off a big win against the Ravens, and there are always a lot of fireworks between the Broncos and Pats. It should be a good game. I’m going out on a limb and picking the Broncos to upset the Pats 24-21!

Must start-

(Colts) QB Peyton Manning – He’s having a MVP year…. need I say more!

Must sit-

1. (Rams) RB Steven Jackson will be facing a tough Vikings front line that’s hard to run against with the William brothers anchoring the way!

2. (Detroit Lions) WR Calvin Johnson is going against a well balanced Steelers Defense.

Sleeper-

(Ravens) RB Ray Rice he had 11 carries for 103 yards last week, if he get’s off to a fast start the Ravens will continue to feature him, as the go to guy!

(Houston) WR Andre Johnson numbers were down last week, but look for him to explode with some great Fantasy numbers against the Cardinals!

Good Luck Fantasy Players and See You Next Week!

Week 4 Picks

2009-10-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Week 3 brought a lot of excitement throughout the NFL!!!

The game that stands out in my mind the most was Vikings vs.49ers. Mike Singletary coached a cagey stingy 49ers defense to almost win. It would have been the first time the 49eres started the season 3-0 in years. But there’s only one thing, you can’t leave that much time on the clock with an old veteran QB like Brett Favre…this man has a lot of passion for the game and will not give up! The NFL needs more guys like Favre. Crabtree take a lesson from him, it’s not about the $$$ my man.

My Starting line-up for Week 4

QB - Peyton Manning- ever since Tiger Woods was on the Colts sideline, Peyton and the Colts have been on fire! Expect big fantasy numbers from Peyton this week!

RB – Adrian Peterson- Big time back, expect big time numbers….This will be a huge game on Monday Night against the divisional rival Green Bay Packers. This type of game is where you want to bring your best, expect an explosive game from the best NFL running back!

RB – Brandon Jacobs- Looks like he is back to form, last week he had 92 yards. Expect big numbers against a not so strong KC defense. The Chiefs will be expecting Eli to throw because of Eli’s success the first 3 weeks in that department.

WR – Mario Manningham- He’s developing to be Eli’s go-to receiver; expect him to be featured this week. If the running game gets going, which I expect it will, Manningham will have big numbers against KC.

WR – Reggie Wayne- What can you say about this gifted receiver? He has one of the best QB’s in the league feeding him with passes and Reggie is catching everything that’s thrown to him and making it happen! Fantasy players look for big numbers from him!

TE – Vernon Davis- He is the most complete tight-end in the game today. He can block, run and catch with the best of the receivers in the league, I’m happy Shaun Hill is coming to him as the go-to guy in their system…when Shaun Hill gets in trouble Vernon can bail him out. Also look for Vernon in the Red zone to get more passes thrown his way!

Kicker – Rian Lindell could be a busy kicker against a tough Miami Defense. Except a lot Field Goals…it’s will be a special team kind of win for either team.

Defense/ST – I have to give it to the Ravens again. They really shut down the Browns last week. The reason they’ve been so successful is they have great players at all levels of the defense. Haloti Ngata is a monster anchoring the defensive line. Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs are great linebackers and Ed Reed is a playmaker in the secondary.

My Must Starts!

Aaron Rodgers – He’s playing like a leader with tons of confidence and control, and this is the game of the week. Expect fire works!

Willis McGahee – Looks healthy and ready to Rock-n-Roll. He has 5 rushing TDs and is leading the league! Fantasy players look for more touchdowns this week!

My Must Sits!

Philip Rivers – He’s facing a tough, mean, physical Steelers defense that’s coming off a loss to the Bengals…they’ll be pumped for the Chargers!

Randy Moss – He’s facing a tough nasty Ravens defense that’s playing on fire the way they did on their Super Bowl run with Ray Lewis leading the way!! Moss will be double covered the whole game.Sleepers!

Pierre Thomas – He is running great and wants to stay in front of Reggie Bush. Expect 100 yards and a couple of TDs.

Maurice Jones Drew – Expect a mixture of runs and catches and 3 touchdowns. Jacksonville’s offense matches up well against the Titans.

Good Luck Fantasy Players!

Pick Me!

2009-10-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

The NFL has launched a great marketing campaign this year called the Fantasy Files. I wish they had done this when I was still playing! It's nice to see the league embracing Fantasy Football and even having some fun with it. You can check out all the videos here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy-files but this is one of my favorites.

The Players I'm Watching in Week 3

2009-09-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Here's my starting lineup for week three:

QUARTERBACK:

Drew Brees- Facing Buffalo defense that has given up the 2nd most passing yards. Expect Drew to keep up the spectacular fantasy numbers.

RUNNING BACK:

Maurice Jones-Drew- Don't expect him to put up the same numbers that Chris Johnson did against the Texans last week, but expect a big game from him.

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Larrry Fitzgerald- He wants the ball and Kurt Warner is going to get it to the playmaker.
Andrew Johnson- The Texans passing offense was clicking all the cylinders last week. Don't expect the Jacksonville defense to slowe them down.
Marques Colston- Last week Colston and Brees were connecting like they did back in 2007. Colston is healthy again so expect him to put up the big numbers against the Bills.

TIGHT END:

Tony Gonzalez- Playmaker regardless of who he's playing

KICKER:

John Carney- The explosive Saints desense will keep Carney busy with field goals and PATs this weekend

DEFENSE:

Baltimore Ravens- Ray Lewis, enough said :)

MUST START:

Willis McGahee - Has found the endzone 3 times this season and the Browns are giving up a lot of rushing touchdowns. McGahee has been the Ravens' go-to-guy in the redzone.

MUST BENCH:

Jay Cutler- Going against a Seahawks defense that hasn't given up a passing touchdown this season. Expect a performance similar to Week 1 from Cutler.
Thomas Jones- Facing a tough Tennessee run defense that has only given up 99 rushing yards this season and no rushing TDs.

SLEEPERS:

Jason Campbell - He hasn't had a great season so far, but expect him to put up the big numbers against the Detroit Lions this week.
Beanie Wells- He's shown flashes this season. Expect a breakout game against the Colts this week, especially if the Colts defense can't get off the field, like they couldn't in the Monday Night game against the Dolphins.

Whose Next in the 1000/1000 Club?

2009-09-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this Sports illustrated article by the Monday Morning QB? Towards the end of the article they compare Matt Forte to me saying that he has the potential to catch 90+ passes this season. I have to agree. Matt is a good player and he's pretty versatile in the Bears offense. Last year as a rookie he led all running backs in receptions with 63. With a year of experience under his belt and a gunslinger for a quarterback in Jay Cutler, I expect his numbers to rise.

This takes me back to my 1985 season when I became the first player to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. Forte and any other back looking to join the 1000/1000 club will need two things: endurance and maintenance. You have to be excellent shape to be an every down back, willing to run, block, and catch. You're also going to take a lot of hits so it's important that you take care of your body by eating right, getting sports massages, and making regular visits to the chiropractor. Besides Matt Forte, I think Reggie Bush, Maurice Jones-Drew, Leon Washington, and Brian Westbrook all have the potential to reach the 1000/1000 club. By no means will it be easy but I'm rooting for these guys to join Marshall Faulk and me in the club.

It’s my favorite time of year again…Football Season!

2009-08-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my fantasy football blog. There have been some awesome preseason games so I'm looking forward to the regular season starting soon. Like me, you’re probably gearing up for your fantasy football drafts. I'm feeling confident going into my drafts because I have a secret weapon – the TIBCO Spotfire Fantasy Football Tool. This data analysis application gives me an edge in my leagues by adding extra insight into each player’s average per-game production and game-to-game consistency, two key stats to consider when drafting for a fantasy team. Check it out for yourself: http://spotfire.tibco.com/fantasy_football

Based on the Spotfire analytics tool and what I'm seeing and hearing across the NFL, I think that a few guys are going to have breakout seasons. Make sure you draft these guys on your team! Check out the Roger’s picks tab to see my main guys.

Be sure to check out my blog often. I'm going to update it regularly with commentary and videos on what’s going on around the league and projections on which players will have big games.

Good luck with your drafts and fantasy seasons!

What Difference Does Experience Make?

2009-01-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

So everyone's getting pumped about the NFC and AFC Championship games on Sunday. Everyone's talking about the players, about the defenses, about the offenses, what have you.

But think about the head coaches for a minute. These guys have a huge effect on fantasy stats during the season--if the coach has designed a great offense with multiple threats, then fantasy stats will be good from players on that team.

But of course the coaches also have a huge effect on the real games. Especially when we reach the conference championships and Super Bowl.

Andy Reid is the only guy of the four who has been here before. Yeah, I know he gets knocked for losing at this level, but don't forget that to lose at this level you gotta get there first!

Tomlin, Whisenhunt, and Harbaugh are all second-year guys. You might have to go all the way back to Bill Walsh to find a head coach who made it to the Super Bowl--and won--so early in his career. And remember, Bill wasn't really young then, because he didn't get his break as a head coach until he was 44 years old.

Just thinking...how important is Andy Reid's experience in determining who's going to win this week-end and at the Super Bowl?

Crunch Time

2009-01-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh did some HITTING over the week-end. It was good to see Big Ben in good form. I had him as my number 5 QB at the beginning of the season. Injuries made him a weak fantasy player this year, but it looks like he's healthy again.

Just like I thought, San Diego just didn't have enough without LT. The Chargers ended up having a good year and Phillip Rivers will be a top QB for many years. But we'll see if LT can get healthy again next season. Those toe injuries are nasty, and I think his toe injury caused his groin injury. It's a tough place to be and I got nothing but best wishes for him.

Philly-New York was a grudge match like we all thought it would be. You know, Eli Manning was a great Super Bowl champion last year and his teammates bust their tails for him. But look at the numbers, he was the Number 13 fantasy QB this year. He just didn't have enough to overcome Donovan, Westbrook, and that Philly defense.

It will be interesting to see if the Cards' firepower can overcome that defense. But whatever, I think Donovan is ready to lead Philly to another Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore both have strong, scary defenses. Pittsburgh has the edge on offense, even though Flacco has done a great job staying within himself as the Raven's QB. But the thing is, I like the Steelers' special teams, and I think this will be the difference in this game.

Now Let's Watch the Real Games

2009-01-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

So the fantasy season has ended for most everyone, and I hope you had a good season. I know I did. Consistency, baby, consistency!

So now we can watch the playoffs and just enjoy the games. We don't have to worry about how our fantasy guys are doing.

This made me think about predicting some things. How will the great fantasy players do in the playoffs? Here are a few things:

* Baltimore-Tennesee. See here's an example of why I like to watch the real games in addition to watching my fantasy players. Neither of these teams had a single Top 10 fantasy player this year. But both teams made it this far, and the winner of this game has to be a favorite for the Super Bowl.

* Arizona-Carolina. And here's an example where fantasy football does matter haha! Kurt Warner was the top fantasy QB a lot of weeks. He ended up in the Top Five for the season. This was a real team offense. Larry Fitzgerald finished as the Number One receiver for the year, and both Breaston and Anquan made it into the Top 10.

For Carolina, DeAngelo Williams was the number one fantasy back. So expect all these guys to put up good numbers this week-end, because they are big-time players who base their whole year on playoff performance.

* Philadelphia-New York. Now for this game "throw out the record books" as they say. This is just Round 3 of the annual grudge match between these two hated rivals. Let's see who wants it more...New York as Defending Heavyweight Champ or Philly as the Comeback Kids?

* San Diego-Pittsburgh. This might be the most interesting game. Big Ben did not do well in fantasy, but that means nothing when it comes to a game like this. For San Diego, Phillip Rivers was the Number Two fantasy QB this year. But the big story will be whether Darren Sproles can continue to be the "biggest" back in the league.

Season in Review - QBs

2009-01-07T17:11:00.001-08:00

Hey, I'll be taking a look at how the players finished vs. how I thought they'd do this year. I'll focus on the ones I got right! But you can see how the guys finished in all the information on the left side of the blog.

Let's start with quarterbacks. Injuries played a big role in determining the final rankings here.

When Tom Brady got hurt early, Drew Brees was my number one guy. And that's how he finished. He ran an offense with a lot of weapons, he's very accurate (like Joe Montana and Steve Young), and he was determined this year to show the league that he is The Man.

But I didn't see Phillip Rivers finishing number two, because of the injury concerns we all had about him. Matt Cassel was also a big surprise, of course, the way he filled in for Brady.

And who knew that Kurt Warner would step in for a struggling Matt Leinart and become an MVP candidate? I was worried all season about him getting hurt, but Kurt is a great pro, two-time MVP and Super Bowl Winner.

I did see Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers having very strong years, and they did. I thought Aaron would finish higher than Brett Favre, and he did. On the field, it was not Aaron's fault that the Packers forget how to play defense for much of the year.

It's fantastic to see all this young talent at the QB position in the NFL today. And the rivalry between Rivers and Cutler will be fun to watch for years.

Big Ben and Romo were both disappointments, for different reasons. I hope Ben can get completely healthy again some day, and it's going to be a long off-season for Romo and the Cowboys, with the way they just collapsed. I will think hard about where to place them next year, that's for sure.

Hey, I'm Back

2008-12-24T09:44:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone, with Christmas coming up fast, I took a little break from the blog to take care of everyone on my shopping list. :-)

We're near the end of what I call Season Two ... the second half of the regular season. Fantasy players will have challenges now because a lot of players will be resting for the playoffs, which I call Season Three. Other players will be busting their tails to keep their jobs for next year, or to "audition" for maybe a job on a better team next year.

So the normal sit vs. start decisions get complicated. My advice is alwasy the same...look at who has been consistent and stick with them. You try too hard to pick that longshot guy and you will be disappointed most of the time.

If you have been a good general manager this year, then your fantasy results will take care of themselves. But if you have had a bad year, well you're not going to save your season with some miracle. Stay consistent, baby, that's what it's all about!

Merry Christmas

--RC 33

It Would Be Nice to Join the Elite HOF Team

2008-12-05T09:44:00.001-08:00

I couldn't scream and jump up and down when I heard I had made HOF semi-finalist, because I was on a plane. I didn't want to get arrested or have to talk with a federal marshall!

But seriously, I was talking a little bit this week about all the things I did during my career with all those great players on the 49ers. I remember one of the highlights for me was making All-Pro as a fullback and blocking for my idol Walter Payton in the Pro Bowl. Later I made All-Pro as a running back. But you know, Coach Bill Walsh changed the game with his West Coast Offense. I was asked to do so many things in that offense, and I have nothing but great memories looking back on all that now.

Think About Pride and How It Affects Players

2008-12-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Fantasy players are fanatics about numbers. Me, too, and Spotfire helps me see whose numbers are the most consistent. But don't forget about pride. I don't care how much money you make, you don't want to be humiliated. You always want to perform your best for your fans, for your job security, and for the other players!

So I got into a long discussion about pride this week. Donovan McNabb is the best example. You saw what he did a week after being humiliated on national TV. Michael Turner is another one. He was second-string behind LT at San Diego. This year with Atlnata he wants to prove every week that he really is one of the best backs in the NFL.

This video has a little bit of that discussion. I also talk about Brett Favre and Frank Gore and how these guys work at the elite NFL level.

I'm Honored to Be Nominated for the HOF

2008-12-01T14:19:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone, I took a little vacation time last week, and I hope you did, too. The Thanksgiving Holiday was great, but now I'm back to talk some more football!

You may have noticed right before the holiday that I was named one of 25 semi-finalists for induction into the Football Hall of Fame.

Here's a link to the story

It's a huge honor to be included among all these great players. And I wanted to say a big "thank-you" to all of you out there who have supported me in the past for induction into Canton. I won't lie, I would be incredibly honored to be included on the list of the NFL's all-time great players!

Keep Backing Trent Edwards

2008-11-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

Trent Edwards has been bad lately. Eight interceptions, two fumbles, and a safety over his lsat four games. But don't give up on him. He got off to a great start, and look at the four defenses he's facing over the next weeks: KC, SF, Miami, Jets, and Denver. No disrespect to any of these guys, but I think Trent will still be a consistent performer the rest of the year.

No One Knows Anything About Drafting Quarterbacks

2008-11-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny to see three guys at the top of the QB list this week who weren't even starting at the beginning of the year? I'm talking about Matt Cassel, Kerry Collins, and Shaun Hill.

I'm sure none of you drafted any of these guys haha. It juts proves that in the NFL and in all the FFL leagues none of us really knows anything about quarterbacks! Maybe we know something...but success at this position requires an amazing combination of skills, the right team, the right coaches and offense, and luck.

The thing is to look at who these guys replaced. OK, Cassel was a complete fluke because no one would have predicted that Tom Brady was going out for the season. But the other two guys replaced guys who weren't that strong to begin with.

So if you didn't pick quarterbacks who have been consistently good, solid players, then you can't complain about missing out on Kerry and Shaun. I see Shaun remaining consistent, because he's a gamer with a cool head. Kerry is having the season of his career, so good for him. He's fitting in perfectly at this stage of his career with that system.

Will Reggie Play? And Will He Be Any Good?

2008-11-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

We'll find out tomorrow if Reggie Bush is going to play Monday night against Green Bay. This reminds of last week, when there was hope every day...but then he wasn't available. As I mentioned in my video about injuries, some are tougher than you think.

The meniscus is one of the tough ones, because you have to be able to push off your legs to have any hope as a running back in the NFL. So a bad meniscus isn't a killer if you're just walking around the office, but man, it's going to be tough for Reggie to be effective even if he plays.

Dallas Has Lost Its Chemistry

2008-11-15T16:52:00.001-08:00

Jets and Pats, 'Boys and 'Skins, and More

2008-11-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Here's what I think about the Jets and Pats this Thursday, as well as what I think about a few other key games. All I can say is I wouldn't want to be a Cowboys fan this week!

My Video Take on Injuries

2008-11-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

Here's what I think about turf toe and high ankle sprains. Ouch!!

Watch Those Injury Reports

2008-11-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

All good fantasy players watch injury reports like a hawk. But be sure you know that some injuries are more trouble than they appear.

Take turf toe. Doesn't sound that bad. But when you get turf toe is means you have jammed your toe badly, and makes it impossible to push off. Turf toe ruins a running back's chances to be successful. Even if he plays with turf toe, he won't be effective.

The high ankle sprain is another one. Doesn't sound bad, but it is. I had one in college and it took me almost two months to recover! Again, you have to be able to push off to be effective. With a high ankle sprain, you can't.

I tell you, sometimes it's better to have a broken leg from the player's point of view. At least then, you know you can't play, and you are less likely to push things too hard as you recover.

On the other hand, quarterbacks can play even with serious dings like bad shoulders and bruised ribs. Game management is so important to QBs, they can get by if they're not in the best shape. But give a QB a thumb injury, and he's going to be terrible.

So when you look at injury reports, don't look at just how "serious" they are. Look to see how they will directly affect a player's performance.

Kurt Warner is the Joe Montana of AZ's Offense

2008-11-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hey, I talk about what is wrong with the Cowboys here, as well as the Minneosota-Green Bay game (which will be real big), and how Kurt Warner is just The Man this year. Enjoy!

Change Is in the Air, Baby!

2008-10-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

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!

Big Back Syndrome is Taking Over

2008-10-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

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.

Think Over the Long Haul

2008-10-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Leadership

2008-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

OK, so I admit the NFC East got hammered. Here are some of my thoughts on Reggie Bush too.

Injuries Taking a Toll

2008-10-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

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.

"Hey Mike Martz, Give Frank Gore the Ball!"

2008-10-16T11:46:00.001-07:00

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!

NFC East Lays an Egg

2008-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

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.

The Giants Are Playing Like They Want Another Super Bowl

2008-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

"Maybe Reggie Will Do 1000/1000/1000"

2008-10-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here are my thoughts on running back committees, Reggie Bush, and a few other things.

Week 5 - Spotfire Spots Consistency

2008-10-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

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.

Running Back Committees

2008-10-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Week 4 Highlights

2008-10-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

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.

The Legacy of Bill Walsh Lives On

2008-09-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

I talk about Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards here, and how ready they are for the NFL. And I have to tip my hat one more time to Bill Walsh, who helped Trent when he was at Stanford. I also talk about Parcells, Randy Moss, and a few other guys.

"Brandon Marshall is on a Mission"

2008-09-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my thoughts on video about some guys on a mission: Anquan, Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler. I also talk about Spotfire here. Hey, it's fun sitting around talking about football!

Waiver Wire

2008-09-26T08:10:00.001-07:00

Well, we've had three full weeks of the season. And the byes are starting to kick in. Most of us fantasy players are thinking about trades and the waiver wire as a result. I'm using Spotfire analytics to help me. Of course, everyone else in my league is doing the same thing, so I just have to be a little smarter than they are!

But what Spotfire does is present a beautiful picture, a visualization, of what's going on. The top NFL teams and FFL teams get over the top because of their mid-level picks, and this is where Spotfire is helping me compare a guy who may be number 12 versus a guy who may be number 16, for example.

And I can also visualize how these players will do against whatever defense they are facing. This is helping me decide not only who to play but who I'm trying to steal, whoops, I mean procure, from some of my FFL competitors!

Roger Goodell is Good for the NFL

2008-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

I said it last week, and I'll say it again: Roger Goodell is doing great things for the NFL. He's bringing a renewed sense of discipline, which is great when you consider all the great, great young players in the game today. Look at the season's Top Five to the left of my blog. So many very young players, with the occasional old guy like Brett :-)

What young players need to realize is that everybody is fast and everybody is a great player in the NFL. You can just show up and get by on raw talent at this level. Even a guy like Reggie Bush. He was just running around there like he was still in college last year. Now, he's learned how the game flows in this league, and he's on pace to join Marshall Faulk and me in the 1000/1000 club.

But this new sense of discipline applies to the vets as well. I think you can look at Terrell Owens and see that he knows what he has to do to be a winner. Did you see some of the blocks he threw last week against Green Bay? I'm telling you, he first learned that with the 49ers, as part of a tradition that John Taylor established.

Ask Jerry Rice, he'll tell you that a lot of his success was because John Taylor was downfield just crushing people. No matter what you may think of Terrell, he has always been a team player when he's on the field. And now you can see this renewed discipline with him.

This is why I also think Randy Moss will be OK this year. Randy has found great success in New England with its team concept. The Pats have a bye week, and this will give Randy a chance to work out his timings with Matt Cassel.

But I'll say it again. This commitment to discipline and top performance starts at the top with Roger Goodell.

"Frank Gore Will be Watching Reggie Bush"

2008-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

You can bet that Frank and Reggie will be watching either other when the Niners and Saints play this week-end. It reminds me of when Eric Dickerson and I used to compete to see who was the better back. You really turn into a fan during games like this, and I'm looking forward to watching this one.

Don't Give Up on Randy Moss

2008-09-18T09:14:00.003-07:00

Randy will be fine once he gets used to his new quarterback. And hey, I like what Roger Goodell is doing for this league. His focus on discipline and playing the game the right way has already resulted in some fantastic games so far.

DeSean Can Play, Man!

2008-09-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Having some fun in the studio here. I mentioned that I still like DeSean Jackson, 'cause the kid can really play. And I know a bunch of the vets got in his face about his stupid mistake. Time to move on from that. I have some other thoughts in this video as well.

More Playoff Intensity in Week 2

2008-09-17T14:29:00.001-07:00

OK, so let's talk about some of the individual performances in Week 2.

* I'm gonna keep talking about Brian Westbrook and how Spotfire identified him to me as the most consistent back in the league. He's part of a great offense, and he's going to keep these numbers up all season long.

* Eddie Royal looks like the real deal. So I know someone has already picked him up in your league, but trade for him if you can. He's gonna continue to benefit from Shanahan's ability to create a balanced attack, and Jay Cutler looks to be finally making Denver fans forget about Elway, at least a little bit.

* Tony Scheffler's the number 1 tight end right now. He'll continue strong as part of that Denver offensive scheme.

• You know I love Anquan Boldin. But I worry a little about Kurt Warner being able to stay healthy the entire season. Without him, Anquan will have trouble keeping those numbers. Kurt's a Super Bowl winner, a former MVP, and is no surprise. I just hope he can keep it going.

* Yes, you know a bunch of the Eagles really let DeSean Jackson have it after his stupid showboating. But don't you go and do something stupid about it. DeSean is the real deal, he's bulked up a little, and he's going to kill the league all year.

• Reggie Bush is number 5 right now at running back. I think he’s going to keep going higher, because I still love Drew Brees and New Orleans.

• And don't give up on Randy Moss just yet. It will take him a couple of weeks to get used to the new QB. But Cassel had a nice first game, and I think the Pats machine will continue to roll this season.

Playoff Intensity in Week 2

2008-09-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

There was definitely a playoff atmosphere Monday night in Dallas. Great game by two great teams. I look for Philly to take the rematch though -- this will be the last game of the regular season for both. So mark your celandars, high noon eastern time on December 28th!

Lots of other real good games and great performances in Week 2. I credit Roger Goodell for bringing a new sense of purpose and discipline to the league. The players are responding, too. The NFL looks as strong today as it's ever looked.

This reminds me of 1983, when QBs John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly were all drafted, along with a couple of running backs named Eric Dickerson and Roger Craig! The excitement in the NFL this year is very similar to that, I think.

Big Games Coming Up in Week 2

2008-09-11T11:00:00.001-07:00

I love playing Fantasy Football as much as anyone. But I think we should always remember that there are real football games being played here. I still love watching the NFL for the big games, not just because of my Fantasy guys.

So in Week 2 we already have some great games on tap. Here are some that I'll be sure not to miss...

* Dallas-Philadelphia (Monday night). One of the great NFC East rivalries. And they're both real good this year. We know the 'Boys would be real tough, but now it looks like Philly can challenge them. This is a great early-season test for both teams.

* Denver-San Diego. This is one of the most interesting games in Week 2. Are the Broncos that good? I think they are. Can San Diego recover from a shaky start? I gotta say that I have some concerns.

* Indianapolis-Minnesota. Two teams off to a shaky start. Peyton was really limping around out there against the Bears, and I have some concerns about the QB situation in Minnesota, too. This game will tell us a lot about both teams, and should also indicate what kind of numbers Adrian Peterson is really going to put up this year.

* New England-New York Jets. Wow. This game looks a lot different now than it did a month ago. How will the Pats do without Brady? And how much magic does Brett Favre still have?

"I'll Welcome Reggie into the 1000/1000 Club"

2008-09-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

I was talking a little bit about running backs here. The big thing is, I wanted to shout out to Reggie Bush. I can see him joining Marshall Faulk and me as the only guys in the 1000/1000 club...and I hope he does some day.

"He Was Holding the Ball Too Long"

2008-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's not rocket science to figure out that the Raiders looked real bad the other night. But I still want to watch DeMarcus Russell this year, and see how he develops. Right now, he's still got a steep learning curve.

"You Don't Make People Miss Like That in the NFL"

2008-09-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

I was stunned by watching Eddie Royal the other night, as I say here. I also have some comments on my guy DeSean Jackson. I'm telling you, this kid can play, and he's lucky to have Donovan McNabb as his QB.

"Big Backs Make Big Targets"

2008-09-10T14:52:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my thoughts about running backs after Week 1. You can see I'm a big believer in consistency, and Spotfire helps me track those real consistent backs like Westbrook.

Playing With Purpose (Video Version)

2008-09-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of comments I made about some of the quarterbacks in Week 1. Check out what I have to say about Jay Cutler, Donovan McNabb, and the quality of Aaron Rodgers' Lambeau Leap!

Playing with Purpose

2008-09-09T16:43:00.001-07:00

Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb were a couple of great surprises in Week 1. I thought Jay was going to have a good year, and I had hopes for Donovan. But I didn't pick either one in my top five QBs in pre-season.

But I'll tell you why they are looking so good--they're playing with purpose.

Once Jay found out he had diabetes, he realized that his career could end at any time, and he really started taking care of himself. He is playing with commitment, inner drive, and fire. With Shanahan's ability to deliver a great offense for Denver, look for Jay to be strong the entire season.

Donovan, like I said below, got himself into tremendous shape over the summer. He knows that he can't play forever, and he's got some great weapons in his offense. Donovan is playing with purpose. It will be great to see him on the Monday night stage this week against the 'Boys.

Another guy with inner drive, and I think some anger, is Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. He was out there Sunday telling the Packer fans and the world that he can replace Brett Favre, that he's a pretty good quarterback too!

Don't Forget the NFL With Your FFL!

2008-09-09T16:33:00.001-07:00

Hey, I'll have some new video posted here soon. So look for that.

Meanwhile, let's talk about some of the teams that emerged. I know this is a Fantasy Football League blog, but let's not forget the real games from the NFL.

I'm saying this because there were some teams that looked intense, and the key players from these teams are going to be FFL stars this season.

I'm talking about the Eagles for one thing. Donovan McNabb worked out hard in Arizona all summer, and look at him, he's playing like he's 25 years old again.

If Donovan keeps this up, this means that Westbrook (my number one RB) and DeSean Jackson (one of my rookie sleepers) are going to be racking up big FFL numbers all season long. Philly could seriously challenge Dallas this year.

The Cowboys looked almost too good. So Romo, TO, and Witten didn't have the great FFL numbers this week...but they will. The 'Boys are the team to beat in the NFC.

So mark Monday night on your calendar. Dallas and Philly are already playing each other. This will be a great test for both teams.

Denver looked just great. Arizona looked real strong, with a nice offense with a lot of options and a QB (Warner) who knows how to stay within himself and manage the game. Pittsburgh looked great.

All these teams are already looking to have real good season...and this will drive the FFL numbers for their key players.

Week 1 is Done!

2008-09-09T16:32:00.001-07:00

Well, it’s obvious that Tom Brady is the big story of the week, for the NFL and for Fantasy players. What a tough break for him, for the Pats, and for anyone who picked him in their FFL league!

The story today is that Tim Rattay (remember him, Niners fans?) might get a shot. Whatever the case, the old saying is that injuries are part of the game. No reason to obsess about the Brady injury, and there are a ton of other interesting stories from Week 1.

So let’s move on. Belichick will.

Beyond the Top 20 - My Sleeper Picks

2008-08-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Let's take a look beyond the Top 20 (or Top 10 in the case of the tight ends). There are a lot of interesting players who are rookies. And there are some guys who you might forget about because they're lost on a really good or really bad team, or maybe are getting their first real chance in the NFL this year.

Here's a little video with some of my sleeper picks for this year's FFL draft. We had some fun with this. Especially at the end, when I talk about kickers. :-)

Here are some thoughts on this subject that I've written down...

QBs
Trent Edwards, BUF - Watch out for Trent and the Bills this year. Not many saw him play at Stanford, but he’s good.

JT O’Sullivan, SF - He's got a swagger, and he's in a good system with Mike Martz. If he ends up as the starter, he’s a good sleeper pick.

RB
Darren McFadden, OAK – Not all college starts show up in the great shape they need to be in for the NFL. Darren did. He came in very well-conditioned, and he’s intense. He’s also being pushed by other backs in Oakland. And hey, he could be a double-threat. Let’s see if he throws a TD or two during the year.

WR
Dante Stallworth, CLE – Derek Anderson will be throwing it all over the place—to Braylon Edwards, to Kellen Winslow, and to Dante. A good sleeper pick.

DeSean Jackson, PHI - This kid can play football. Don't worry about his size, he's the real deal, and I expect a big year out of him.

TE
Kevin Boss, NYG - He was great in the Super Bowl. He was definitely making Shockey sweat a little. Now he can prove his worth over a full season.

Here's How Spotfire Works with Receivers

2008-08-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Check this out. I have a couple of Spotfire screens here about receivers. First the wide receivers (click on the image to enlarge it):

Randy's at the top for both points and consistency. But TO looks good, too. And I went with TO as my number one because I think he is going to have a HUGE year because of the QB, the system, and the team commitment to hard work in Dallas this year.

And here's a view of tight ends. That big green circle to the right is Kellen Winslow. You can see how consistent he is from this graphic.

So go check out Spotfire yourself. It's interactive and fun. You can take a test drive anytime you want!

The Big Boys - Let's Talk Tight Ends

2008-08-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

A great tight end is the final piece to a great offense. I remember how fantastic it was to have Brent Jones on those great Niners teams. Today's game also has a bunch of very, very strong TEs. I've limited my picks to who I think are the Top 10.

1. Jason Witten DAL
2. Kellen Winslow CLE
3. Dallas Clark IND
4. Jeremy Shockey NO
5. Vernon Davis SF
*6. Antonio Gates SD
7. Tony Gonzalez KC
*8. Todd Heap BAL
9. Alge Crumpler TEN
10. Chris Cooley WAS

* These guys were injured when I made my picks. You can decide how important that is to you!

Here are a few more thoughts about three of these guys:
Tight Ends

1. Jason Witten, DAL – Not a tough choice. As solid a number 1 pick as Brady at quarterback.

4. Jeremy Shockey, NO - The man has something to prove, and he’s bringing a new, rededicated attitude to his new team. He'll have a great system down there, and Drew Brees will find him. His blocking for Reggie Bush will help the passing offense, too.

5. Vernon Davis, SF - I'm higher on Vernon than a lot of people. Mike Martz will help him a lot.

And here are a few words I had to say about Jason Witten and Jeremy Shockey:

Go Long - My Wide Receiver Picks

2008-08-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's not tough to pick the absolute best receivers in today's game. But who is your number one? And what do you do after TO and Randy Moss?

Another BIG question here has to do with injuries. I had a little trouble here because so many of the receivers are injured as pre-season nears an end.

So I put an asterisk by the guys who are injured. I also put an asterisk by Steve Smith, who we all know has been suspended for two games.

OK, here are my picks ...

1. Terrell Owens DAL
2. Randy Moss NE
*3. Braylon Edwards CLE
4. Wes Welker NE
5. Larry Fitzgerald ARI
6. Reggie Wayne IND
*7. Chad Johnson
*8. Steve Smith CAR
*9. Marques Colston NO
*10. Andre Johnson HOU
*11. T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN
*12. Plaxico Burress NYG
13. Torry Holt STL
*14. Greg Jennings GB
15. Roy Williams DET
16. Santonio Holmes PIT
17. Hines Ward PIT
18. Anquan Boldin ARI
19. Calvin Johnson DET
*20. Marvin Harrison IND

I have some comments about a few of the receivers here --

1. Terrell Owens, DAL - A lot of guys have Randy Moss in this spot, but I’m going with TO. As with Romo, he’s in a great system with a great tradition, and the ‘Boys are working hard. Terell is in great shape and I’m looking for him to be a huge part of Romo’s breakout year.

2. Randy Moss, NE – Randy’s only one of a huge number of options for New England’s offense. So the overall success of this offense makes me move him below TO.

3. Braylon Edwards, CLE – He defines “go-to guy.”

4. Wes Welker, NE – See my comments about Randy. Wes is just great, but in New England he’s only one of many great options. He’s fast and he runs great routes. I love him.

9. Marques Colston, NO – He works very well with Brees. Look for a great year from him.

18. Anquan Boldin – He is so talented. Would be higher with a different quarterback.

And hey, we must have video! So here are a few more comments...

Running Backs and Spotfire

2008-08-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

You know, it's easy to get emotional about running backs. So I've added a Spotfire screenshot here. It brings an analytical view to this process, which I think can be a big help. Average points per game is shown vertically. And the more consistent they are, the further right they are on the chart.

Spotfire is interactive and it's also fun. You should try it. Go ahead and take the Spotfire test drive.

http://spotfire.tibco.com/community/testdrive/

I've also provided some commentary in the video below about some of the RBs and why I placed them the way I did.

1. Brian Westbrook, PHI – The Spotfire analytics show that he is more consistent than Adrian Peterson. The truth is that my top three running backs are so close, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

2. Adrian Peterson, MIN – He is getting pushed hard on his own team by Chester Taylor. This gives a player a different mindset than when he’s totally secure as “the man.”

3. LaDanian Tomlinson, SD – He’s still the most talented all-around back in the NFL. But San Diego has big injury questions surrounding Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates. LaDanian is going to see eight in the box a lot this year.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew, BAL – Love this kid. He’s quick, fast, and explosive. He didn’t get as much love in high school (at De La Salle in the Bay Area) or at UCLA as he should have. He should get plenty after this year in the NFL.

5. Frank Gore, SF – You have to love Frank. He’ll have a good year with Mike Martz. Frank reminds me of Marshall Faulk, but more explosive. I’m going to be mentoring him a little this year. The league has discovered how good he is, so now he’s got a bull’s eye on both sides of his jersey. He will be carrying a big load once again for San Francisco.

6. Marshawn Lynch, BUF – The Cal kid can be a beast. He’s really consistent, and Spotfire shows this. He’ll be great again this year.

10. Laurence Maroney, NE – This man scores touchdowns. He’s got a knack for it.

11. Julius Jones, SEA – Another good mid-round pick at number 11. He’s ready to have a great year in a good system under Holmgren. With Sean Alexander traded, Julius is now “the man.”

16. Steven Jackson, STL – A little low because he’s a big back who runs into people and he gets nicked up. It doesn’t matter how big you are in the NFL, the other guys are big, too.

Rush Rush Rush Baby!

2008-08-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

Getting the right running backs is a huge deal, as you know.

So here we go...(* means injured right now. I leave it to you to decide how it affects your actual picks.)

1. Brian Westbrook PHI
2. Adrian Peterson MIN
*3. LaDainian Tomlinson
4. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX
5. Frank Gore SF
6. Marshawn Lynch BUF
7. Joseph Addai IND
*8. Reggie Bush NO
*9. Ryan Grant GB
10. Laurence Maroney NE
11. Julius Jones SEA
12. Marion Barber DAL
13. Larry Johnson KC
14. Clinton Portis WAS
15. Willie Parker PIT
16. Steven Jackson STL
17. Jamal Lewis CLE
*18. Willis McGahee BAL
19. Brandon Jacobs NYG
20. Edgerrin James ARI

Some Words About My QB Picks

2008-08-26T18:17:00.001-07:00

I won't comment on all 20 of my picks. But below are a few insights about some of the guys on the list. You can hear me talk about some of the guys at this YouTube video as well:

1. Tom Brady, NE - This is a no-brainer.

2. Drew Brees, NO – I think this is going to be New Orleans’ year. They’ve got the momentum and the system to make it all the way to the Super Bowl. Drew’s going to be a big part of this.

3. Tony Romo, DAL - Jerry Jones has put him in a great position. He’s ready, he’s focused, and he’s got Deion Sanders mentoring him now. The Cowboys have good chemistry, they work hard, and hey, their tradition is real. It makes a difference.

7. Aaron Rodgers, GB - Yes, I have Aaron higher than Brett Favre. He badly wants to prove himself, and he’s working with a great offense. Remember, this kid beat USC when he was in college. I think his skills will translate well to the pros.

8. Jay Cutler, DEN - Shanahan’s system always delivers a 1,000-yard running back, and this is a big help to Jay. He’s mobile, and with the running game taking some heat off of him, he’ll be able to do what he does best.

9. Brett Favre, NYJ - On the other hand, I think things are not going to be easy for Brett. He’s in a tough, tough division and I’m not sure he’s ready to handle the microscope he’ll be under in New York.

11. John Kitna, DET - The middle of the draft is crucial in the real NFL and in Fantasy Football. So keep John in mind. He’s very consistent when he’s healthy. And he has some big (and big-time) receivers in Detroit.

18. Matt Leinart, ARI - There have been a lot of guys whose greatness in college just didn’t translate to the pro level. The game's a lot faster, and Matt’s got guys wanting to take his head off on a weekly basis in the NFL. He hasn’t proven himself to me yet.

My Fantasy League Quarterback Picks

2008-08-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

OK, let's start with quarterbacks. Here are my Top 20.

I have an asterisk next to the guys who were injured when I made these ratings. You know the drill. Stay strong with Peyton if his injury doesn't bother you that much. If it bothers you, move on to someone else.

1. Tom Brady NE
2. Drew Brees NO
3. Tony Romo DAL
*4. Peyton Manning IND
5. Ben Roethlisberger PIT
6. Carson Palmer CIN
7. Aaron Rodgers GB
8. Jay Cutler DEN
9. Brett Favre NYJ
10. Eli Manning NYG
11. Jon Kitna DET
12. Derek Anderson CLE
*13. Donovan McNabb PHI
14. Vince Young TEN
*15. Jake Delhomme CAR
16. David Garrard JAX
17. Marc Bulger STL
18. Matt Leinart ARI
19. Jason Campbell WAS
20. Matt Schaub HOU

How I Use Spotfire Fantasy Football Test Drive

2008-08-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

TIBCO Spotfire is, well, cool. That's it. Really cool. When this powerful analysis tool is applied to football data, it can let you explore endless statistical combinations by using a number of different filters. Like what RB scored the most fantasy points when getting under 15 carries again (how many teams now have multi-back sets?). Just to give you a taste of the tool, you can see in this picture the top performing RBs last year and some people might be surprised to see that Brian Westbrook was the best performer having just a few points less than LT, but with more consistency. You get some unexpected answers as you adjust things, and this is the point! Spotfire doesn't think for you, but it can really help your thinking.

The team pulled three years of football data into a demo that anyone can use. I've been using it to help me with my FFL predictions. One of the primary dashboards shows total fantasy points and consistency (IE, your best asset is someone who scores a lot the most often). So it can open your eyes to some guys who you might not think of at first.

Try it out - unless league champion isn't your objective this year.. Go to: The Spotfire Fantasy Footbal TestDrive site and get started!

Highlights from My Career

2008-08-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice little video of me in high school, college, and the NFL. We created it for my recent induction into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Enjoy!

It's Getting Exciting

2008-08-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

There are more great players than ever in today’s NFL, and I’m starting to get excited about the coming season.

I’ve been watching a lot of players up close now that training camps have opened. Players today are faster than ever, and this speed is obvious even in practice conditions.

I still miss playing the game some days, but I don’t miss training camp for one second. No way!

Keep watching here as I combine my own thoughts with the help of Spotfire. I’ll be revealing some of my choice picks soon!

Spotfire Screen

2008-08-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

An example of Spotfire in action. It’s a chart of dozens of current NFL running backs.
Hey, I know it’s hard to read here.

So go to http://spotfire.tibco.com/community/testdrive/

Click on the Fantasy Football tab and then the “get started” link. You’ll see the real deal there, and it’s interactive!

Fantasy Football Fundamentals

2008-08-15T16:15:00.001-07:00

Hey, you probably wouldn’t be here if you weren’t already into Fantasy Football. But I have to tell you, I wasn’t always into it myself. So if you’re an FFL newbie, welcome!

Once I got hooked a few years ago, I found that managing an FFL team was almost as much fun as playing the game. The big difference is I haven’t hurt my hip or tweaked a knee or even jammed a finger the whole time!

So if you’re already a FFL pro, you can skip the rest of this post. But if you’re new, read on!

In Fantasy Football, you will be a team “owner” and will participate in a league. Someone will create your league, and guess what, this person is known as the commissioner. The commissioner invites other owners into the league, then each team participates in a draft.

The draft is a critical part! So be smart! In my FFL (Fantasy Football League), we draft a quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, a tight end, a kicker and a defense. We also get a few bench positions. I won't be offering my opinions on the kickers and defenses (except when you’re on a real football field, stay away from them!)

Each week, my team will play head-to-head against another team in the league, with points awarded for players’ performance. You get more than one player per position, to account for injuries and to let you manage who you think will play best on any given week.

The teams with the best records advance to the playoffs, just like in the NFL. The details of all this vary from league to league. So feel free to argue with your commissioner and fellow owners about how things should play out in your league! That’s half the fun.

OK, let’s play some Fantasy Football!

My Playing Days

2008-08-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

Having some fun during my playing days.

Post-Football

2008-08-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here I am today. I love to hang out with my wife and kids. And I am into running, including the occasional marathon.

Welcome to The Roger Craig FFL Rush!

2008-08-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

I will be adding my observations and making my predictions every week, as we enter what promises to be another Fan-Tastic NFL season.
Let’s have fun. And remember, it’s only a game! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su5_oR7PiUY

Roger's Picks

2007-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here are my picks for the 2009- 2010 NFL Season!

Top 10 QB’s

1. Drew Brees
2. Tom Brady
3. Eli Manning
4. Trent Edwards
5. Ben Roethlisberger
6. Tony Romo
7. Kurt Warner
8. Peyton Manning
9. Jay Cutler
10. Chad Pennington
*Sleeper Marc Sanchez

Top 10 RB’s
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Michael turner
3. Frank Gore
4. Darren Sproles
5. Matt Forte
6. Marion Barber
7. Tim Hightower
8. Maurice Jones -Drew
9. Chris Johnson
10. Thomas Jones
*Sleeper Beanie Wells

Top 10 WR’s
1. Larry Fritzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Randy Moss
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Santonio Holmes
6. Steve Smith (NY Giants)
7. Wes Walker
8. Terrel Owens
9. Steve Smith (Carolina)
10. Sims Walker
*Sleeper Manningham (NY Giants)

Top 10 TE’s

1. Tony Gonzalez
2. Jason Witten
3. Dallas Clark
4. Jeremy Shocky
5. Kellen Winslow
6. Kevin Moss
7. Vernon Davis
8. Tony Scheffler
9. Chris Cooley
10. Todd Heap
*Sleeper Dustin Keller

Top 5 Defense

1. Ravens
2. Steelers
3. NY Giants
4. 49ers
5. Titans