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The Philadelphia Eagles have signed quarterback Kevin Kolb to a one-year extension, which means that Kolb is under contract through the 2011 season.

He will receive a total of $12.26 million (all guaranteed) over the next two seasons versus the $550,000 he was due to receive before the extension.

"We're happy to have Kevin under contract for the next two seasons," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "When given the chance, Kevin has proven to have good command of this offense and we're looking forward to having him operate as the No. 1 quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles."

Kolb, who was the Eagles' second-round pick in 2007, is the first quarterback to throw for 300+ yards in his first two NFL starts.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, Kolb's comment that he and the Eagles "can put all this behind us now" implies that he was a little unhappy with his compensation before getting the deal done.

In either case, Kolb will now be paid a little more like a "No. 1 quarterback."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the past couple of years, we have seen several situations where rookie quarterbacks were declared their team's starting quarterback for the season opener. And, for the most part, their level of success has changed the view of what is expected from a rookie quarterback.

Now that the 2010 NFL Draft is in the books, I am about to begin my series on fantasy rankings for rookies, starting with quarterbacks.

Even in the case of Sam Bradford, this year's overall first pick, it seems unlikely that any of the rookie quarterbacks will be under center in week one. Then again, the Ravens anticipated bringing Joe Flacco along more slowly two years ago and training camp injuries/illnesses made him the starter, ready or not.

Unless you're in a very deep league or a keeper/dynasty league, you will likely (hopefully) look past this year's group of rookie QBs on draft day. (Note: I will release keeper rankings for all positions in the summer.)

That said, here are my top five for 2010:

1. Sam Bradford, Rams: Coach Steve Spagnuolo recently said that he liked how Donovan McNabb was brought along as a rookie. So, if Bradford sees a similar plan of action, expect him to be under center around mid-season. Bradford is incredibly accurate, but he played primarily in a spread offense in college. He is clearly the quarterback of the future and once he gets the starting job, it'll be his to keep. The receiving corps is weak (Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and fellow rookie Marty Gillyard), but Steven Jackson is a good receiver out of the backfield as is Brian Westbrook, who is mulling an offer from the Rams.

2. Jimmy Clausen, Panthers: In the final five games (four of which were wins), Matt Moore threw eight touchdowns and only one interception. That said, Clausen very well could have been drafted in the top ten overall and the Panthers are likely his team at some point in the future (perhaps sooner than later). One of the biggest plusses for Clausen is his NFL readiness as he played in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. If Clausen gets on the field, he has a better (overall) running game, offensive line and group of receivers than Bradford has in St. Louis.

3. Tim Tebow, Broncos: It was surprising that Tebow was the second quarterback drafted. And he clearly isn't NFL-ready as a quarterback. Yet he's likely to see the field in wildcat formations and could score 5-10 touchdowns running and passing this season. That likelihood to see the field, even if it's not as a traditional passer, makes him more valuable in 2010 compared to any of the other QBs not named Sam or Jimmy.

4. Josh Skelton, Cardinals: Do you have faith in Matt Leinart? How about in Derek Anderson? Me neither. That's one of the reasons why I rank Skelton ahead of McCoy. Another is his size (6-foot-6, 243 pounds) and arm strength. And if he does see the field, you could argue that he would have the league's top receiving corps at his disposal.

5. Colt McCoy, Browns: Partly due to his height and lack of a big arm, he often gets compared (unfairly...for both) to Saints quarterback Drew Brees. In either case, he just won at Texas as a four-year starter. He's accurate and mobile and could turn into a good pro quarterback. In fact, he was a relative draft value for the Browns. With Mike Holmgren bringing in Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, however, it's unlikely McCoy does anything other than hold a clipboard on Sundays in 2010.

Check back tomorrow for my fantasy rankings for rookie running backs. Also, next week I will make an update to my top 25 quarterbacks for 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier in the week, Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall called it an "educated guess" when he said that the Redskins will "dominate" the NFC East.

On Wednesday, the Redskins added a free-agent wide receiver to their roster that will turn 39 years old during the 2010 season. So, domination must be in the future, right?

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Washington has signed wide receiver Joey Galloway to a one-year contract.

Galloway, who was the first-round pick of the Seahawks in 1995, has caught a total of 20 passes in 12 games over the past two seasons. All seven of his 2009 receptions came in weeks two and three and he hasn't caught a touchdown pass since 2007.

From a fantasy football perspective, Galloway cannot be relied to provide any fantasy value.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If Adam "Pacman" Jones gets his wish, he will be reunited with Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who was his defensive coordinator in Tennessee.

“I can’t even put it in words how much I want to get back,” Jones said, per Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press. “I would just love to play football, period, but I think Detroit would be a great fit.”

In the past three seasons, Jones has played only nine NFL games (with the Cowboys). And he was nowhere near the impact player he was in 2006 for Schwartz in Tennessee.

As Cotsonika points out, it's unlikely that the Lions will make a decision on Jones until after rookie orientation this weekend or even some OTAs in May.

If given the chance, Jones told Cotsonika that he would tell general manager Martin Mayhew: “... I’m not really here to talk about my past. I’ve made some dumb decisions in the past, but I’ve grown from that. I’m focused as a person. You ain’t got to worry about no phone calls at 3, 4 in the morning. I’m here to play football. That’s what I really would stress to him.”

Jones, who has a fiancee that is expecting his second child, also said: “I don’t do the things that I used to do. I don’t hang out with the crowd that I used to. I’m a grown man now. I have a little girl. I have a fiancée with another baby on the way. So them days are over with, the kid days. It’s about my family now.”

Mayhew played college football with Deion Sanders, who is mentoring Jones, at Florida State. In other words, regardless of whether they bring in Jones, Schwartz and Mayhew will be making a well-informed decision.

In 2009, the Lions allowed a league-high 35 passing touchdowns and 265.6 passing yards per game.

Jones says he's willing to play for the league minimum.

So, the worst-case scenario (on-the-field, anyways) is that he doesn't produce and they cut him. With the potential financial lost being relatively low, it makes sense to give him a second (or whatever number this is) chance.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At the University of Notre Dame, quarterback Jimmy Clausen wore jersey #7.

According to Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer, Clausen will switch to #2 since #7 was taken by Panthers punter Jason Baker.

Clausen says that the number will remind (and motivate) him since he dropped to the second round (pick 48 overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.

In his three-year collegiate career in a pro-style offense, Clausen threw for 8,148 yards and 60 touchdowns. Last season, he set highs in completion percentage (68.0%), yards (3,722) and touchdowns (28) while setting a low in interceptions (four).

It looks as though Matt Moore will enter the off-season as the top quarterback on the depth chart, but will Clausen win the starting job by the end of the season? (Weigh in on the debate in our forums.)

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Let's face it. Nobody likes to (fully or partially) tear their patellar tendon.

But if you had a choice, you would choose a partial tear over a full tear. And you would prefer to sustain the injury in April instead of August, provided you're an NFL player.

That is the glass-half-full view for Denver Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady, who was the team's first-round pick in 2008.

Clady partially tore his patellar tendon over the weekend playing basketball, per Mike Klis of The Denver Post. And he had surgery yesterday.

Due to the partial tear, Clady is expected to miss three months and be able to play after four months, which would likely make him available for the season opener on September 12th (see full schedule).

According to NFL.com, the Broncos had the 16th-ranked offensive line in football in 2009 and Clady was named to his first All-Pro team in only his second season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The first step in the road to recovery is recognizing that there is indeed a problem. And it looks like the Raiders might be on the road to recovery.

According to Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network, the Raiders could release quarterback JaMarcus Russell before the start of the team's mini-camp on Friday.

Russell, the top overall pick in 2007, has been a huge (literally) disappointment.

He is due roughly $9.5 million in 2010 while Jason Campbell, who was acquired by the Raiders for a future fourth-round draft pick, will earn around one-third of Russell's salary.

Campbell will almost certainly be the starter for 2010 despite coach Tom Cable's talk of there being a "great competition" at the quarterback position. The other quarterbacks on the roster are Bruce Gradkowski, Kyle Boller and Charlie Frye.

In 2009 (his third season), Russell completed only 48.8 percent of his passes for 1,287 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. He also threw 11 interceptions.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up if (or, I should say, when) he's released.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Chargers released LaDainian Tomlinson this off-season, it was expected that they would draft a running back to be "featured" in the offense.

So, it was little surprise when the Chargers traded up into the 12th-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to make Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews the second running back selected. (Buffalo selected Clemson's C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick.)

And even though they brought back Darren Sproles for a hefty sum, he's a dynamic (yet smaller) back that is better suited to continue in his role as the team's third-down back.

"... there are games that come up like the Tennessee game and the Denver game (last season) where you run the ball 40 times. I’d like every game to be that way. Unfortunately, it’s not. But I would expect Ryan to have 250 carries and 40 catches, something like that. That’s obviously saying Darren is going to have the same role he’s had," coach Norv Turner said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

In 2009, 250 carries would have ranked a rusher tenth in the league in between Baltimore's Ray Rice (254) and Denver's Knowshon Moreno (247).

Mathews, who finished second in rushing in college football, will be the top-rated rookie running back in my fantasy football (rookie) rankings later this week.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is a reason the Rams had the top overall pick in this year's draft. They were (and are) awful.

So, aside from the notable exception of the fortune that the Rams will pay (the currently unsigned) quarterback Sam Bradford, this year's top overall pick, there is no reason to rush him onto the field.

It looks as though the Rams are leaning towards using a plan similar to what was used with Redskins (and then Eagles) quarterback Donovan McNabb, who started roughly half of his rookie season with Philadelphia.

"This will be a step-by-step process," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said, per Steve Korte of the Bellesville News-Democrat. "There are a lot of different ways that it's been done. It's been well documented. Myself and (offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur have been around a certain way. I thought what Andy (Reid) did in Philadelphia was terrific with Donovan and that worked out pretty good."

While some quarterbacks have started from day one and gone on to tremendous success after a rocky rookie campaign, there seems to be as many examples of the opposite. For example, Peyton Manning, who threw 28 interceptions in rookie season, has achieved a completely different level of success as David Carr, that was sacked 76 times in his rookie year.

If Bradford starts roughly half of the Rams' games, he will get plenty of reps in his rookie season to build upon for the future. But he also won't suffer the level of punishment that Carr faced that limited his ability to reach his potential.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers drafted two quarterbacks (three if you count Armanti Edwards, who will convert to wide receiver with the Panthers) including one with the team's first pick (48th overall).

As a replacement for Jake Delhomme last year, Matt Moore took over in week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played well down the stretch.

To close out the season, Moore led the team to a 4-1 record in those games, completed 62.7 percent of passes (79 of 126) and threw eight touchdowns to only one interception.

But his grip on the starting quarterback job isn't rock solid.

The Rock Herald writes, "I still think Moore will end up as Carolina’s starter in 2010, as he’s the closest thing to a known quantity as the Panthers have. Coach John Fox loves a known quantity."

It's possible that Jimmy Clausen could emerge as the team's starter, but it looks like the undrafted quarterback from Oregon State will hold on to the job (for now).

Meanwhile, Tom Sorenson answers his own question about whether the Panthers are Clausen's team by writing, "They already are. Matt Moore, who played well last season after emerging as the starter, might retain the job. But he'll be a temp. He'll try to prove he's a starting quarterback to a team that needs one. The Panthers will not be among them."

In my fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2010, I ranked Moore in the top 25 quarterbacks at number 23. When I make the next update, he will remain in the top 25.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While it may not be the ideal situation, quarterback Jason Campbell is going to get a new start with the Oakland Raiders, who only four NFL Drafts ago selected JaMarcus Russell with the top overall pick.

To acquire Campbell, the Raiders gave their fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Redskins.

According to the Associated Press, Campbell will earn $3.14 million in 2010 and has agreed to a $4.5 million extension for 2011. Those two seasons ($7.64 million) are almost $2 million less than what Russell ($9.5 million) will earn (and I use that term loosely) this upcoming season.

In his tenure with the Redskins, Campbell worked with various offensive coordinators and head coaches. Although he didn't exactly set the league on fire, he performed reasonably well.

In 2009, Campbell ranked in the top half of the league in QB rating (86.4, 15th), completion percentage (64.5, tenth) and passing yards (3,618, 14th). He also set a career high in passing touchdowns (20) and he ranked fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (236) due to his mobility.

One of Campbell's former teammates, who also played for the Raiders, has confidence in Campbell being able to succeed in Oakland.

"You know, if anybody can go to Oakland and excel there it'd be Jason," [cornerback DeAngelo] Hall said, per Rick Maese of the Washington Post. "Like I said when I left there, it's the kind of place that, given a lot of freedom, you can let yourself go. You can go out, hang, party, try to run with the wrong crowds, and it'll hurt you. Jason's not that kind of guy that's gonna be out partying, running with the wrong group of guys, so I definitely feel like if anybody can go out there and succeed, it would be him."

Last season, Russell, who was benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski, threw only three touchdowns and eleven interceptions in 12 games. As a team, the Raiders had only ten passing touchdowns.

Based on talent, it would seem obvious that Campbell will be the starting quarterback in 2010. That said, what seems obvious to the rest of the world doesn't always seem obvious to owner Al Davis.

Fortunately for Campbell, the Raiders offensive coordinator is Hue Jackson, who helped to groom young quarterback Joe Flacco as his quarterbacks coach in Baltimore.

As Hall points out, however, the Raiders "don't have the best offensive line, they don't have the best weapons."

In this year's draft, they added Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell (pick 106) and Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford (pick 108).

Last year, they reached with the first pick by selecting Maryland's Darrious Heyward-Bey, an explosively fast receiver with hands of stones. They made a better pick in last year's draft finding value by selecting Louis Murphy in the fourth round. Murphy led Oakland receivers with 521 receiving yards and four touchdowns while tight end Zach Miller was their most productive pass-catcher (66 receptions for 805 yards).

The addition of Campbell should help Miller, who ranked as my 13th fantasy tight end for 2010, and also the other receivers as he's an obvious upgrade over Russell or Gradkowski. Murphy could be a sleeper pick in fantasy football, especially in deeper leagues.

When I make an update of my 2010 Fantasy Football Quarterback rankings, I will move up Campbell, who was in the 24th spot due to his back-up role in Washington, into the top 20. However, I think it will difficult for him to duplicate last year's numbers (3,618 yards and 20 touchdowns) as a Raider.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier in the day, the Seattle Seahawks acquired running back LenDale White (and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson) from the Tennessee Titans while swapping their fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.

With those picks, the Titans drafted UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner in the fourth round (104th overall) and Florida Atlantic quarterback Rusty Smith in the sixth round (176th overall). Meanwhile, the Seahawks drafted Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond in the fourth round (111th overall pick) and USC tight end Anthony McCoy (185th overall).

White, who played his college football at USC under Pete Carroll, carried the ball only 64 times in 2009 for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Chris Johnson became the sixth NFL running back to top the 2,000-yard milestone. Over the previous two seasons, White had 503 carries for 1,883 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Who would have expected that kind of decline after White, who lost 20 pounds in the 2009 off-season, gave up the tequila?

But the Seahawks also added another running back.

After drafting USC running back Joe McKnight in the fourth round, the Jets decided to trade Leon Washington (and a seventh-round pick) to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick that they used to draft Kentucky fullback John Conner.

Washington missed more than half of the season after suffering a compound fracture in his leg, however, when healthy, he's one of the league's most versatile backs. Based on the one-year tender he received as a restricted free agent, Washington will earn $1.759 million in 2010.

"Right now, my focus is on just getting healthy, back healthy, 100 percent," Washington said, per Danny O'Neill of the Seattle Times. "Getting on the football field and contributing and trying to win football games. That's my main focus, and then when I do that, everything else off the field will take care of itself. I'm just excited about the opportunity that I have."

The other running backs on the Seahawks roster include Julius Jones, Justin Forsett, Louis Ranking and Quinton Ganther.

In my top 40 fantasy running back rankings for 2010, I put Forsett at number 32 on the list.

At the time, I wrote, "It looks as though the new regime led by coach Pete Carroll will give Forsett a fair shot to win the role as the featured back over Julius Jones although there is the possibility they will draft an elite running back prospect this week. Either way, Forsett (5.4 YPC) was much more productive than Jones (3.8 YPC) when given the chance."

With the familiarity and comfort that White presumably has with his former collegiate coach, I expect White to be the starting running back in this offense in 2010 and to get the largest workload. If Washington comes back healthy for week one, he does well what Forsett does well as a versatile, third-down back.

So, in other words, Forsett will not be in the top 40 fantasy running backs when I update the rankings to include the rookie draft class as well as to adjust for trades and off-season news.

As of today, if I had to rank the fantasy value of the Seahawks' running backs, they would be as follows: (1) LenDale White, (2) Justin Forsett, (3) Leon Washington and (4) Julius Jones.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The New York Jets are set to release guard Alan Faneca on Monday, according to Manish Mehta of the Newark Star-Ledger.

While he has reportedly been on the trading block for a while, his $7.5 million salary ($5.25 million guaranteed) for 2010 has made it difficult for the Jets to move him.

The Jets drafted UMass tackle Vladimir Ducasse, who started playing football in 2003 at Stamford (CT) High School, with their second-round pick. It's believed that Ducasse will be a better fit at right tackle than left tackle and that he'll likely transition to guard in Faneca's spot between LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold.

As Rich Cimini writes at ESPNNewYork.com: "The Jets are taking a chance, breaking up a good thing, but it's better to start too early than too late. ..."

Faneca, who was the Steelers' first-round pick in 1998, has earned a trip to the Pro Bowl every season since 2001. With what many believed to be the best offensive line in football, the Jets led the NFL in rushing (172.3 yards per game) in 2009.

So, what's next for Faneca?

One possible destination could be New England, as GangGreenNation.com fears.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's wise to adopt the philosophy of not believing everything (or anything) you hear when it comes to NFL Draft and/or trade rumors.

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, a former Washington Post 'Skins beat writer, and new Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan have a difference of opinions (at least, publicly) on the topic of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

La Canfora writes that his sources "remain convinced" that a deal shipping Haynesworth out of the nation's capital is sure to happen with the most likely scenario being in a trade today with the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 77th overall pick (third round).

Contrary to what La Canfora wrote, Shanahan said on NFL Network (via USA Today) Friday, "No, it's not going to happen. There's a lot of rumors... but Albert Haynesworth will not be traded."

Haynesworth turned back-to-back All-Pro seasons in 2007 and 2008 into a lucrative, $100 million contract as the most coveted free agent of the 2009 off-season. But not only did Haynesworth disappoint in his first season in Washington, he's also uninterested in transitioning to nose tackle in a 3-4 defense.

In 2009, he finished with 37 tackles and four sacks in only 12 games. Haynesworth hasn't played a full season since his rookie season in 2002 with the Titans.

That said, I will believe Shanahan -- once the Panthers are on the clock with the 78th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 32nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson.

Robinson is the fifth cornerback drafted after Joe Haden, Kareem Jackson, Devin McCourty and Kyle Wilson.

According to Fanhouse's Jim Henry, Robinson ran a 4.25 forty at FSU back in 2008.

He becomes the first Seminole drafted in the first round since 2007 when the Steelers drafted Lawrence Timmons in the first round.

The draft resumes tomorrow with round two at 6 p.m.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 31st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes.

Hughes, who is six-foot-two and 255 pounds, runs a 4.69 forty, has had 26 sacks over the past two seasons.

Now the New Orleans Saints are the on the clock with the 32nd overall pick, which is the last pick of the night.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions, who traded up with the Minnesota Vikings, select California running back Jahvid Best.

Best is the third running back off the board after Clemson's C.J. Spiller (to Buffalo) and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews (to San Diego).

In 2009, Best finished with 867 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns after missing the final three games of the season. Two years ago, he rushed for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Lions drafted Kevin Smith two seasons ago, but he is coming off knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season.

Now the Indianapolis Colts are the on the clock with the 31st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 29th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson.

Wilson is the fourth cornerback off the board after Florida's Joe Haden, Alabama's Kareem Jackson and Rutgers' Devin McCourty. But

This is a case of the rich getting richer.

The Jets, who had the league's top-rated defense, already have Darrelle Revis, who is the league's best cornerback in my opinion, and Antonio Cromartie.

Now the Minnesota Vikings are the on the clock with the 30th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 28th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick.

Odrick, who has a good motor and good size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds), has the flexibility to play inside in a 4-3 defense and outside in a 3-4 defense.

Now the New York Jets are the on the clock with the 29th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 27th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty.

McCourty was a great special teams player at Rutgers and was a physical cornerback, especially given his size (5-foot-11, 193 pounds).

In the Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft, I selected him for the Baltimore Ravens (who traded down tonight in the real draft from pick 25) at FootBaltimore.com.

Now the Miami Dolphins are the on the clock with the 28th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 26th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams.

Williams, who is a 6-foot-3, 327-pound nose tackle, is a good value pick by the Cardinals. NFLDraftScout.com had Williams ranked as the 14th overall prospect.

One of the teams that was looking to draft Williams was the Miami Dolphins, who traded down with the San Diego Chargers to 28th overall.

Now the New England Patriots are the on the clock with the 27th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who was arguably the most decorated quarterback in college football history.

But wow.

With the group of quarterbacks in Denver (Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, etc.), it's surprising that the Broncos select a quarterback that is viewed as a project in the NFL at the quarterback position over someone like Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.

Now the Arizona Cardinals are the on the clock with the 26th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 24th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant, who was suspended for ten games last year due to lying to an NCAA investigator, has had some questions about his character. That is why he slipped to this point in the draft.

That said, Bryant has size (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) and speed and it's likely to not take long before he becomes the team's No. 2 receiver behind Miles Austin.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the Baltimore Ravens, are the on the clock with the 25th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga.

Many mock drafts projected Bulaga going as high as the fifth pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.

With issues protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers last year, this is a great pick by the Packers.

Now the Dallas Cowboys, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 24th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 22nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Although Oklahoma State Dez Bryant may be regarded as the top receiver in the draft, Thomas becomes the first selected.

Thomas, who is coming off a broken bone in his foot, has great size (6-3, 224 pounds) and speed (4.38 forty) to be a big-time NFL receiver.

With the other receivers on the Broncos' depth chart, Thomas has an opportunity to make a big impact in fantasy football in his rookie season.

Now the Green Bay Packers are the on the clock with the 23rd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, who is regarded as the top-rated tight end in the draft.

Gresham, who missed all of 2009 due to injury, caught 66 passes for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2008.

Last year, the Bengals tight end (J.P. Foschi) finished the season with 27 receptions for 260 yards so Gresham provides the Bengals with a big upgrade at the position.

Gresham becomes the fourth Sooner drafted in the first round behind QB Sam Bradford, DT Gerald McCoy and OT Trent Williams.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 22nd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 20th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson.

Jackson, who started for three years, skipped his senior season at Alabama against the advice of coach Nick Saban.

Over those three seasons, Jackson finished with 156 tackles and five interceptions.

Now the Cincinnati Bengals are the on the clock with the 21st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 19th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon, who was a three-time first-team All Big 12 selection, has 376 tackles, 12 sacks, four interceptions and three forced fumbles in the past three seasons.

Now the Houston Texans are the on the clock with the 20th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 18th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Florida center Maurkice Pouncey.

Here are his NFL.com draft profile strengths: "Pouncey has the size and quickness we look for in an interior offensive lineman. Has the versatility to play both center and guard. Exhibits great awareness and can handle complex defensive line play. Really active. Displays impressive body control and balance when getting out in front in the running game. Plays with good leverage."

And his weaknesses: "Not too many holes in his game. Durability is a concern after Pouncey underwent torn labrum surgery. Could benefit from playing with a higher degree of tenacity. We’d like to see him more consistently finish off his blocks and fight until the whistle."

Now the Atlanta Falcons are the on the clock with the 19th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 17th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Idaho guard Mike Iupati.

Iupati, 6-foot-5 and 331 pounds, has a lot of power, toughness and intensity and he becomes the Niners second offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round.

Earlier in the first round (pick 11), the 49ers traded up to draft Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Now the Pittsburgh Steelers are the on the clock with the 18th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 16th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

Now the San Francisco 49ers are the on the clock with the 17th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 15th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Pierre-Paul, who claims he can do 23 back flips in a row, played only one year of major college football.

In that one season, he finished with 45 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.

Now the Tennessee Titans are the on the clock with the 16th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 14th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Texas safety Earl Thomas.

Thomas had eight interceptions in 2009. Only UCLA's Rahim Moore had more (10).

With the sixth overall pick, the Seahawks selected Oklahoma State's Russell Okung as their left tackle of the future.

Now the New York Giants are the on the clock with the 15th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Michigan DE/LB Brandon Graham.

Graham, who is six-foot-one and 268 pounds, has recorded 28 sacks in the past three seasons at Michigan. He has been compared to another small(ish) pass-rusher: Denver's Elvis Dumervil.

According to Pro Football Talk, it looks like the Eagles traded their first-round pick and two third-round picks to move up.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 12th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews.

In 2009, Mathews rushed for 1,808 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mathews ranked second in the country in rushing yards behind Stanford's Toby Gerhart, who rushed for 1,871 yards.

While Mathews was the second running back drafted so far in 2010, his situation is more favorable than that of C.J. Spiller, who was drafted by Buffalo.

The Chargers have an explosive passing offense, which means defenses won't be able to load the box. Meanwhile, Darren Sproles is better suited for a third-down back role, which should mean that Mathews gets the bulk of carries.

Now the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the 13th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 11th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Davis, who was a second-team All-American in 2009, becomes the third offensive lineman drafted.

Many project Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, who's still available, ahead of Davis.

Now the San Diego Chargers, who traded with the Miami Dolphins, are the on the clock with the 12th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the tenth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select California defensive end Tyson Alualu.

Here's the scouting report from thefootballexpert.com on Alualu: "Tyson Alualu has one of the best motors in this draft. He never gives up on a play. He gives 110% on every play; that is easily his biggest strength. This kid is quick, physical and deceptively strong. He is effective against the pass and the run and can play DT in the 4-3 or DE in the 3-4. My main area of concern is his habit of relying on the bull rush. He was able to use this move a lot in college but he won't in the NFL. ... He will need to improve himself by learning how to effectively use the rip, swim and other moves in order to beat NFL linemen. In addition to that concern, he will also need to improve his basic techniques (not over-pursuing, using his hands better ect..) Tyson Alualu is one of my favorite players in this year's draft. He is a playmaker (strong, physical, instinctive) who has great intangibles. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go off the board early in the 2nd round."

So, in other words, they would likely be very surprised to see Alualu go early in the 1st round.

Now the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the eleventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the ninth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

Spiller, who ran the fastest forty time (4.37) for running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, rushed for 1,212 yards in 2009. He has finished with 36 receptions for 503 yards.

He finished with a combined 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns.

It looked as though Fred Jackson would get his opportunity to be a viable starting running back in fantasy football in 2010. Jackson, who rushed for 212 yards in week 17, finished the season with 1,062 rushing yards on 237 carries.

Now the Jacksonville Jaguars are the on the clock with the tenth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the eighth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain.

Not only was McClain the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season, he won the Dick Butkus award.

Now the Buffalo Bills are the on the clock with the ninth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the seventh pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Florida cornerback Joe Haden.

Heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, Haden was widely-regarded as the top cornerback in the NFL Draft. However, he disappointed many scouts with his slower-than-expected forty-yard dash time at the Combine.

Last year, Haden finished with four interceptions and he had eight in his three-year career with the Gators.

In 2009, the Browns ranked fourth-to-last in passing defense (244.7 yards allowed per game).

Now the Oakland Raiders are the on the clock with the eighth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the sixth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung.

The Seahawks are lucky to have Okung fall to them with this pick. Okung was projected by most to be drafted in the top four overall picks and as the first offensive lineman.

Five of the first six selections have now come from the Big 12 Conference.

In addition to this pick, the Seahawks have the 13th pick in the first round.

Now the Cleveland Browns are the on the clock with the seventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fifth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

Many draft analysts projected the Chiefs to take an offensive lineman if they didn't select Berry.

A guy that Berry has been compared to is Baltimore's Ed Reed in his ability to cover as a safety. Berry ran a 4.47 forty at the NFL Combine and had a 43-inch vertical jump.

In 2009, Berry had 83 tackles and two interceptions for Tennessee as a junior.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the sixth overall pick. They also have the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select Oklahoma offensive tackle Trent Williams.

Although Williams is noted for his athleticism, the knock on him is his inconsistency.

Williams is the third pick (out of the NFL Draft's first four selections) from the University of Oklahoma. All four of the first picks are from the Big 12 Conference.

Many ranked Russell Okung of Oklahoma State as the top-rated offensive lineman in this year's draft.

Now the Kansas City Chiefs are the on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the third pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

In addition to Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh, McCoy makes all of the top three picks in the 2010 NFL Draft from the Big 12 Conference.

McCoy had 15 1/2 tackles for a loss and six sacks in 2009.

Now the Washington Redskins are the on the clock with the fourth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the second pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Suh, who won the Outland Trophy, had 12 of his career 24 sacks in 2009. He was also the only defensive player to be a finalist in the Heisman voting last year.

He also became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Player of the Year Award.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the on the clock with the third overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma.

Bradford, who won the 2008 Heisman Trophy award, played only three games in 2009. In 2008, Bradford threw for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

After his Pro Day, it became more apparent that Bradford would the top overall pick.

Last year, the Detroit Lions selected Matthew Stafford (Georgia) as the first overall pick. Before he decided to return for his junior season, some projected Bradford to be the first overall pick in 2009. From 1991 to 1997, only one quarterback (Drew Bledsoe in 1993) was selected first overall. From Peyton Manning (1998) to Bradford (2010), ten quarterbacks have been selected first overall.

While Bradford is clearly the franchise's quarterback of the future, the question will be who's the quarterback of now. Will Bradford start in 2010 or be given the opportunity to develop?

Now the Detroit Lions are the on the clock with the second overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's never too early to begin preparing for the upcoming fantasy football season -- even if it's nearly five months away.

Here are our 2010 Fantasy Football wide receiver rankings (excluding rookies) based on standard scoring and no point(s) per reception:

1. Dallas Clark, Colts: What's not to like? With a line of 100-1106-10, Clark ranked first in receptions, second in yards and third in touchdowns among tight ends.

2. Antonio Gates, Chargers: Not really the #2 fantasy TE; more like the 1(a). Gates led tight ends -- and set a career-high -- in receiving yards (1,157) in 2009.

3. Vernon Davis, 49ers: The wait is over. Davis finally broke out. Last year's numbers (78-965-13) were essentially better than his two previous seasons combined (83-867-6).

4. Brent Celek, Eagles: Two of Celek's three 100-yard games came in the only two in which Kevin Kolb started. It's hard to not picture an even better season than what he produced in his breakout campaign (76-971-8).

5. Jason Witten, Cowboys: Imagine complaining of a down season for a tight end that catches 94 passes for 1,030 yards. That's what fantasy owners did about Witten, who had only two scores in 2009, but he should be more productive in the redzone in 2010.

6. Owen Daniels, Texans: In an injury-shortened half-season, Daniels caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. His pace (80-1038-10) would have ranked him fourth in receptions, third in yards and tied for third in TDs among tight ends.

7. Jermichael Finley, Packers: In his final eight games (including the Packers' post-season game), Finley finished with 44 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing three games, Finley still finished in the top ten in receiving yards among TEs in his second (and breakout) season.

8. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers: He's a bozo, but he has talent. And considering the weakness of the Buccaneers' receiving corps, he's the only legitimate weapon in the Bucs' passing attack.

9. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons: Arguably the greatest tight end ever. While Gonzalez is no longer the clear-cut top tight end in fantasy, he provides excellent value near the bottom of the top ten.

10. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings: Shiancoe has never surpassed 596 yards in one season, but he has been a touchdown machine over the past two seasons (18 TDs).

11. Chris Cooley, Redskins: Cooley missed nine games last year due to a broken ankle, but he had 83 receptions for 849 yards in his last full season (2008).

12. Heath Miller, Steelers: Miller set career highs in receptions (76) and receiving yards (789) in 2009. How much will Ben Roethlisberger's six-game suspension affect his production in 2010?

13. Zach Miller, Raiders: Only seven TEs had more receiving yards than Miller (805) had in 2009. In his three seasons, his receptions (44 to 56 to 66) and yards (444 to 778 to 805) have increased every season.

14. Greg Olsen, Bears: Typically, tight ends don't flourish in a Mike Martz offense. Olsen posted solid season totals (60-612-8) but he had less than 10 yards in four games.

15. John Carlson, Seahawks: Carlson has been respectable but not spectacular in his first two NFL seasons(55-627-5 and 51-574-7, respectively), but he enters 2010 with a four game touchdown streak.

16. Dustin Keller, Jets: I expected Keller to have a breakout season in 2009, but 2010 could be his year as he had a highly productive 2009 post-season (12-181-3 in three games).

17. Jeremy Shockey, Saints: In 26 games over two seasons as a Saint, Shockey has only 98 combined receptions for 1,052 yards and three touchdowns. In the Saints' get-the-ball-to-the-open guy offense, his average of 40.3 and 40.6 yards per game over the past two seasons are the two lowest of his eight-year career.

18. Kevin Boss, Giants: In the final three weeks of his season, Boss finished with 15 receptions for 176 yards and one touchdown. That was an average of 58.7 yards per game during that span. He had 391 yards in his first 12 games for an average of 32.6 ypg.

19. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions: Before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in week 12, Pettigrew had 15 receptions for 165 yards and two touchowns in his previous three games. That said, the addition of Tony Scheffler somewhat dims Pettigrew's outlook for the 2010 season.

20. Todd Heap, Ravens: If the Ravens draft Jermaine Gresham, which some mock drafts project, Heap would fall outside the top 20 tight ends in my rankings.

Within the next couple of weeks, we will update our rankings to include this year's rookie class. Then we will continue to update the rankings throughout the off-season as conditions warrant.

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 25 QBs | Top 40 RBs | Top 50 WRs

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

It's never too early to begin preparing for the upcoming fantasy football season -- even if it's nearly five months away.

Earlier this month, we released the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for quarterbacks and the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for running backs. Now we have ranked the receivers based on standard scoring and no point(s) per reception.

Here is our 2010 Fantasy Football wide receiver rankings (excluding rookies):

1. Andre Johnson, Texans: For me, this is a no-brainer. Johnson, who was the third overall pick in 2003, has posted back-to-back 100-reception, 1,500-yard seasons.

2.Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Over the past three seasons, Fitzgerald has caught a combined 293 passes for 3,932 yards and 35 touchdowns. But it's an understatement to say Matt Leinart (or Derek Anderson) is a downgrade from Kurt Warner, who retired this off-season.

3. Randy Moss, Patriots: All five of his 100-yard games came in the first nine weeks and his attitude and motivation were questioned by some down the stretch. But he has scored 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons. It's hard to question that production.

4. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins: Marshall, who is now the highest-paid receiver in league history, has had 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards for three consecutive seasons.

5. Calvin Johnson, Lions: After a stellar sophomore campaign (78-1331-12), MegaTron battled nagging injuries in 2009 and even missed two games. Provided he stays healthy, the sky is the limit for this athletic freak so I rank much higher than most will.

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts: Only three players (two receivers) finished the season with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. If you own Wayne, hope for a few Colts' early-season losses so Wayne plays more than a half in your fantasy championship game.

7. Roddy White, Falcons: Only Andre Johnson (171) had more targets than did White (165) in 2009. In the past three seasons, White has been consistent: 83, 88 and 85 receptions as well as 1,202, 1,382 and 1,153 yards, respectively. Even better, he set a career-high in TDs (11) in 2009.

8. Miles Austin, Cowboys: The list? Andre Johnson and Wes Welker. The topic? Receivers who had more yards than Austin in 2009.

9. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: Despite his size, Jackson is one of most explosive big-play receivers in the league. He ranked second in yards (18.5) per reception and first in the league in receptions of 40 yards or more (10).

10. Sidney Rice, Vikings: A waiver-wire pick-up, Rice had more receiving yards than all but three receivers in 2009. Assuming a Favre return, Rice should have another monster season in 2010.

11. Marques Colston, Saints: Colston is the best receiver in the league's most explosive offense (31.9 points and 403.8 yards per game). Quarterback Drew Brees spreads the ball around, however, as Colston had less than five receptions in half of his games.

12. Greg Jennings, Packers: From weeks 4-14, Jennings had only one 100-yard game. In his final four games (counting playoffs), Jennings had three 100-yard games.

13. Vincent Jackson, Chargers: Jackson spent four days in jail this off-season after a second DUI arrest is likely facing a suspension by the league. That said, Jackson had his best season (68-1167-9) in 2009.

14. Anquan Boldin, Ravens: The physical receiver should be a perfect fit into his new offense as he settles in as the Ravens' No. 1 receiver.

15. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals: Ochocinco bounced back in 2009 with 72 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns. However, quarterback Carson Palmer threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010. Ochocinco's splits: 1st half (44-639-5) vs 2nd half (28-408-4). Coincidence?

16. Steve Smith, Panthers: With the exception of 2004 (played only one game), 2009 was the first season where Smith fell short of 1,000 yards since 2002. That said, he did play better with Matt Moore (not Jake Delhomme) under center.

17. Hines Ward, Steelers: Ward, who said he will retire if he wins a third Super Bowl this year, had 95 receptions (tied for second-most in his career) and 1,167 (second-most) last season.

18. Steve Smith, Giants: Smith finished fourth in the NFL in targets (157) in 2009 and set career highs in receptions (107), yards (1,220) and TDs (seven). Smith had four (or more) receptions 15 times and at least 40 yards receiving every week.

19. Santonio Holmes, Jets: After a breakout campaign (79-1248-5) in 2009, Holmes will serve a four-game suspension in 2010 and moves to a run-first offense with a second-year (but developing) quarterback.

20. Derrick Mason, Ravens: With Boldin in the mix, it's hard to envision Mason finishing 13th in the league in targets (like he did in 2009).

21. Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars: MSW's strong start (minus a missed game due to a missed curfew for a bootie call) was followed up with an equally weak ending to his second season. In his final six games, Sims-Walker had only 16 receptions for 175 yards and one touchdown (or 3.8 fantasy points per game during that stretch).

22. Steve Breaston, Cardinals: One of the main reasons the Cards were willing to trade Boldin to Baltimore, Breaston has performed well as part of the high-flying Cardinals offense. That said, how high will it fly with Leinart at the helm.

23. Michael Crabtree, 49ers: Despite being the second receiver drafted, Crabtree led all rookies in receiving yards (56.8) per game. Plus, he had four (or more) receptions in nine of his 11 games played. Imagine if he had attended training camp and learned the whole offense.

24. Wes Welker, Patriots: Despite missing two games, Welker led the NFL in receptions (123) and finished second in receiving yards (1,348). Welker's 2010 fantasy value (and future position on this list) will largely be determined by how quickly and fully he returns from off-season ACL surgery.

25. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs: The Chiefs' passing attack should improve with the addition of Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator. Despite a down (suspension-shortened) season, Bowe had 995 and 1,022 in his previous (first) two NFL seasons.

26. Hakeem Nicks, Giants: Of rookies, only Michael Crabtree (56.8 yards per game) averaged more receiving yards per game than Nicks (56.4 ypg). Only Austin Collie caught more TDs (seven). And only Mike Wallace had more 40-yard catches (six) than Nicks.

27. Donald Driver, Packers: Although he just turned 35 in February, Driver had his sixth consecutive season with at least 70 receptions and 1,000 yards in 2009.

28. Pierre Garcon, Colts: Garcon led NFL receivers with 21 post-season receptions for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Granted only the Colts, Jets and Saints played three playoff games, Garcon is poised for a strong 2010.

29. Mike Wallace, Steelers: Wallace, a big-play receiver who led the NFL in yards (19.4) per reception, will see an expanded role within the offense now that Santonio Holmes is now playing football in Jersey.

30. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles: After a solid rookie campaign (55-762-4), Maclin should continue to develop in 2010.

31. Percy Harvin, Vikings: Assuming a return by Brett Favre, my only concern about Harvin is the migraine issues he has. Although he's a tough player, he was often a game-time decision. He led rookie receivers in receiving yards (790) and was tied for second in touchdowns (six).

32. Kenny Britt, Titans: Britt is a big (6-foot-3, 218 pounds), athletic receiver and should continue to improve in his second season.

33. Devin Aromashodu, Bears: In the final five games of the season, Aromashodu ranked 15th in the NFL in targets (41). And he caught 22 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns in the final four games of the season. With Mike Martz calling the plays, I expect big things from Aromashodu in 2010.

34. Nate Burleson, Lions: As the Lions' No. 2 receiver across from MegaTron, Burleson will only see single coverage. In 13 games last year, he finished with 812 yards and 62.5 yards per game average would have projected to 1,000 yards flat over a 16-game season.

35. Santana Moss, Redskins: Although Jason Campbell played reasonably well last year, Moss should benefit from the upgrade at QB with Donovan McNabb under center. Even so, Moss finished with 70 receptions for 902 yards in 2009.

36. Robert Meachem, Saints: Meachem needs to be more consistent, but the former first-round pick had a second-half split of 32-426-6. That said, he disappeared in the post-season (4-25-0).

37. Chris Chambers, Chiefs: In the final eight games of the season, Chambers finished with 33 receptions for 538 yards and two touchdowns.

38. Davone Bess, Dolphins: As the anti-Lee Evans, Bess caught three (or more) passes in every game. Although he only scored two touchdowns, Bess finished with 76 receptions and 758 yards in his second season. The addition of Brandon Marshall should aid the development of Bess, who will get less attention from defenses.

39. Mario Manningham, Giants: In two seasons, he's only played 21 total games. But Manningham had a nice second season (57-822-5).

40. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks: Although he finished with 79 receptions (tied for 13th in the NFL), Houshmandzadeh is a possession receiver that doesn't have much upside above his 2009 numbers (911 yards, three touchdowns).

41. Braylon Edwards, Jets: With Santonio Holmes in New Jersey (for up to 12 games), the 2007 version (80-1289-16) of Edwards seems as likely as the 2007 version of Derek Anderson (3,787 yards and 29 TDs).

42. Austin Collie, Colts: Collie tied Minnesota rookie Percy Harvin for the lead among rookies in receptions (60) and no rookie receiver had more touchdowns (seven) than Collie.

43. Early Doucet, Cardinals: His two-game post-season (14-145-2) was close to his nine-game regular-season numbers (17-214-1). As the team's No. 3 WR in 2010, he should continue to build upon his post-season success.

44. Lee Evans, Bills: In half of his games, Evans had two or less receptions. In half of his games, Evans had 35 yards or less. No thanks.

45. Antonio Bryant, Bengals: Injuries set back Bryant in 2009 (39-600-4 in 13 games) after a career-year (83-1,248-7) in 2008.

46. Jerricho Cotchery, Jets: Cotchery was the favorite target of Mark Sanchez in 2009. That's likely to change when Santonio Holmes comes off suspension. In either case, Cotchery posted four-year lows in receptions (57) and yards (821) in 2009.

47. Roy Williams, Cowboys: Despite his seven touchdowns, 68 receivers had more receptions and 55 receivers had more yards than Williams. Then again, he's shown us a 1,310-yard season (2006), too.

48. Donnie Avery, Rams: Being the No. 1 receiver on the Rams' depth chart is similar to being the top-of-the-line model in a Yugo showroom. Put another way, Andre Johnson would have a down year in 2010 if he put up Donnie Avery career numbers (100-1,263-8 in 31 games).

49. Earl Bennett, Bears: Jay Cutler's former college teammate at Vanderbilt had a solid sophomore campaign (54-717-2). It seems very reasonable to expect an improvement to 65-70 receptions, 800-900 yards and 3-4 touchdowns.

50. Malcom Floyd, Chargers: Floyd had his best game of the season in his last one (nine catches for 140 yards). His second half (32 catches for 496 yards) was considerably better than his first half (13 catches for 280 yards).

Tomorrow, we will release our Top 20 Tight Ends. After the NFL Draft, we will update our receiver rankings to include rookies and throughout the pre-season, we will adjust the rankings based on off-season developments, injuries, news, etc.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier this month, we released the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for quarterbacks. Over the next few days, we release our rankings for wide receivers and tight ends.

Here is our 2010 Fantasy Football running back rankings (excluding rookies):

1. Chris Johnson, Titans: 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. That's virtually impossible to repeat, but with 4.24 speed, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play.

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: I would love to get AD as the second running back. Too many other weapons in Vikes' offense (assuming a Favre return) and only one football to take over "Every Coach's Dream" for the top spot.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars: Is MJD dynamic? Absolutely. Could he be the most productive RB in fantasy? Possibly. But, for inexplicable reasons, MJD will have games with 6 or 8 carries. What if that's week 16?

4. Ray Rice, Ravens: Rice led RBs in receptions (78) and receiving yards (702) in 2009. He was one of only two backs to have over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons: The good news? Turner didn't take the punishment of another 394-carry (counting playoffs) season in 2009. The bad news? It was because of his ankle injury. With good health (knock on wood), The Burner should be a top-five fantasy back in 2010.

6. Steven Jackson, Rams: With the Rams lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses knew what was coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing.

7. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Starting in week four, Mendenhall rushed for 1,068 yards and seven TDs in the final 13 games of the season. (That's a 1300-yard pace.) With Fast Willie in D.C. now, a repeat (or even an improvement) of that pace seems likely.

8. Frank Gore, 49ers: Several mock drafts project the Niners selecting Clemson RB C.J. Spiller and if they do, that would knock Gore down a few spots.

9. Cedric Benson, Bengals: As a back I recommended to target in 2009 fantasy drafts, Benson led the NFL in rushing for a good part of the season. Benson will be the featured workhorse again in 2010.

10. Ryan Grant, Packers: As the runner for one of the league's best aerial assaults, Grant should continue to see a lot of seven-men fronts with lanes to run. He's a steady producer that's often overlooked on draft day.

11. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: One of the league's top backs although the Panthers have the league's best back-up RB, he has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns (25 rushing and two receiving) in the past two seasons.

12. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: Charles tore it up in the second half (968 rushing yards, 158 receiving yards and eight total TDs) including a record-setting performance in the finale, but the Chiefs have added Thomas Jones, who rushed for a career-high 1,402 yards in 2009.

13. Beanie Wells, Cardinals: With the retirement of Kurt Warner and departure of Anquan Boldin (to Baltimore), the Cardinals will likely rely more on their running game in 2010. And Wells, who had 338 rushing/receiving yards in his last four games, should be ready to capitalize.

14. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers: We saw what The Daily Show could do without DeAngelo Williams in the lineup: (440 rushing yards in final three games). Barring an injury to Williams, however, Stewart will get less than 50 percent of the available touches, which keeps him from reaching his full potential.

15. Shonn Greene, Jets: The Jets replaced one thirty-something back with another, but it's Greene's team now. And with arguably the league's best line in front of him, he should have a monster season.

16. Pierre Thomas, Saints: With the off-season departure of Mike Bell, Thomas should get more carries in 2010 than given in 2009 (147). In 14 games, he finished with 1,095 (793 rushing and 302 receiving) yards in 2009 and averaged 5.4 yards per rushing attempt.

17. Knowshon Moreno, Broncos: Moreno led all rookies in rushing (947 yards) and finished 16th overall even though he failed to go over the 50-yard mark in seven of his 16 games. He should be more consistent in 2010.

18. Jerome Harrison, Browns: In the final three weeks of the season, Harrison had 561 yards and five touchdowns on 106 carries. In his other 11 games played, however, he had only 88 carries for 301 yards and no scores.

19. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins: When healthy, he's elite. However, he's missed 20 games in his five-year career. Therefore, his best season was 2006 when he finished with 1,008 rushing yards. Feeling lucky?

20. Fred Jackson, Bills: When he received the bulk of work (over Marshawn Lynch), Jackson flourished as one of only 15 running backs to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark helped by a 212-yard performance in the season finale. He also finished tenth among RBs in receptions (46).

21. LeSean McCoy, Eagles: The days of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook are over in Philly. In the eight games that Westbrook missed in 2009, McCoy rushed for 473 yards and four TDs and caught 22 passes for 163 yards. A combined rushing/receiving total of 1,300+ seems reasonable for 2010.

22. Joseph Addai, Colts: In 2009, Addai never rushed for more than 79 yards in a game and averaged only 3.8 yards per carry. That said, he finished with 13 total touchdowns in 15 games and had scores in ten of those games. Plus, his 51 receptions tied for sixth among running backs.

23. Brandon Jacobs, Giants: After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Jacobs rushed for only 835 yards despite getting a career-high 224 carries. Even worse, his TD production dropped from 15 in 2008 to five in 2009. While there's a chance that Ahmad Bradshaw could get more of an even split of carries in 2010, some mock drafts have the Giants drafting a running back with the 15th overall pick. Neither are good things for the 264-pound running back, who had off-season knee surgery.

24. Ricky Williams, Dolphins: He proved he can post big numbers if (or when) Ronnie Brown misses action. But these numbers -- 751 combined yards and seven TDs in nine games -- came with Brown in the lineup.

25. Marion Barber, Cowboys: Double-digit touchdowns are no longer a lock, Felix Jones may be the featured guy in 2010 and MBIII struggled to stay healthy last year.

26. Felix Jones, Cowboys: Jones, who is a big-play threat, could become the starter in 2010. Although he'll likely be the second Cowboys' RB drafted, I believe he'll score more fantasy points than either Barber or Tashard Choice in 2010.

27. Thomas Jones, Chiefs: Thirty-something running backs tend to see precipitous declines in production. Despite setting career-highs in rushing yards and touchdowns, Jones will back up Jamaal Charles in 2010.

28. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets: L.T. called his game film from last year "misleading." But he's gone from 1,474 yards (315 carries) to 1,110 yards (292 carries) to 730 yards (223 carries). Despite moving to a team with arguably the best offensive line, the trend is fairly obvious.

29. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants: Bradshaw averaged 1.1 yards per carry more than Jacobs and scored two more touchdowns despite getting 61 fewer carries. Bradshaw had off-season surgery on his feet and ankle, but he says that he feels "10 times better."

30. Matt Forte, Bears: This consensus top-five pick in 2009 was arguably fantasy football's biggest disappointment. With newcomers Mike Martz and Chester Taylor in town, 2010 is likely to be more like 2009 (929 rushing yards) than 2008 (1,238 rushing yards) for Forte.

31. Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers: Cadillac had a solid (and, more importantly, healthy) season. His best month of the season was his last as he rushed for 301 yards in four December games with an average of 4.7 yards per carry.

32. Justin Forsett, Seahawks: It looks as though the new regime led by coach Pete Carroll will give Forsett a fair shot to win the role as the featured back over Julius Jones although there is the possibility they will draft an elite running back prospect this week. Either way, Forsett (5.4 YPC) was much more productive than Jones (3.8 YPC) when given the chance.

33. Kevin Smith, Lions: After off-season knee surgery, Smith might not be ready (or 100 percent) for the start of the season. Smith had 747 rushing yards and 415 receiving yards in 13 games in 2009.

34. Michael Bush, Raiders: Bush led the Raiders in rushing in 2009 with 589 yards. With Justin Fargas no longer in the mix, there will be more carries for Bush and Darren McFadden. Despite McFadden's potential, Bush has produced (career 4.6 yards per carry) when given a chance.

35. Darren McFadden, Raiders: Granted, he oozes potential and talent. But in 25 career games, he has only 856 rushing yards on 217 carries (3.9 yards per carry).

36. Steve Slaton, Texans: There are plenty of concerns: fumbles lost, off-season neck surgery and the possibility of Houston drafting a top RB prospect. But in 11 games last year, Slaton still racked up 854 combined yards and scored seven touchdowns. That's a pace of 1,242 yards and ten touchdowns. Plus, he had 1,659 combined yards and 10 TDs in his 2008 rookie campaign.

37. Reggie Bush, Saints: With the departure of Mike Bell, who led the team in rushing attempts (172), there should be more carries for Bush, who only had 70 carries last year, and Pierre Thomas. In 14 games, Bush finished with 735 combined yards and seven combined touchdowns in 14 games.

38. Donald Brown, Colts: Although Brown struggled to stay healthy in his rookie campaign, I expected a 60-40 platoon between Addai and Brown, who was the NCAA rushing leader in 2008. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 60-40 split this year.

39. Darren Sproles, Chargers: It's a foregone conclusion that the Chargers will add a running back through the draft to replace Tomlinson. Sproles is a versatile, third-down back that had 840 total yards and seven total touchdowns in 2009.

40. Chester Taylor, Bears: Taylor has the skills to make him a good fit as a back in Martz' offense. With Forte's disappointing season last year, Taylor could be poised to take advantage in 2010.

After the NFL Draft, we will update our rankings to account for rookies, trades and off-season news.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ex-Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman ran a half-marathon in 1:49:47, per the Dallas Morning News.

The Packers are showing interest in ex-Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill was arrested on Saturday and accused of domestic violence.

The Titans are hoping to have success again with pick #16 in the NFL Draft. Their other two 16th overall picks were wide receiver Kevin Dyson and defensive end Jevon Kearse.

The Titans have agreed to terms with quarterback Chris Simms.

The Minnesota Vikings have re-signed three restricted free agents: offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive tackle Fred Evans and safety Eric Frampton.

One of the teams interested in running back prospect Jonathan Dwyer from Georgia Tech is the Cleveland Browns.

Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press writes about the Lions needing more secondary depth.

The Panthers have signed free agent safety Aaron Francisco today.

Charges of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness against Steelers kicker Jeff Reed have been dropped.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won't face criminal charges of sexual assualt, but he may face league punishment.

"After consultation with the Commissioner, our organization will determine the next steps in the process," [Steelers president Art] Rooney said [of Roethlisberger].

Santonio Holmes said of being traded: "I was very shocked. But it opened a lot of doors and gives me a new chance to start over."

Shameless plug(s) of the day: Follow us at Facebook.com/EDSFootball and Twitter.com/EDSFootball.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded wide receiver Santonio Holmes for, get this, a fifth-round draft pick, per ESPN's John Clayton.

Although Holmes is the subject of an investigation of an incident in an Orlando nightclub and could be facing a four-game suspension due to violating the league's substance-abuse policy, it seems like the Jets are getting away with highway robbery.

Holmes, the Steelers' first-round pick in 2006, had 79 receptions for 1,248 yards (both career-highs) and five touchdowns last year. He ranked seventh in the NFL in receiving yards.

The transition to a run-first offense with a young quarterback means that Holmes is unlikely to duplicate the per-game pace he posted in 2009. However, he gives the Jets a legitimate No. 1 receiver at a low cost.

From a fantasy football perspective, this move obviously helps Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and hurts Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

In 2009, the Steelers ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards (281.0) per game while the Jets ranked second to last (162.3 ypg).

Meanwhile, Holmes' departure should help the fantasy value of Mike Wallace, who was the team's No. 3 receiver in 2009. On the other hand, the fantasy value of Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery takes a hit as both should see less targets with the presence of Holmes.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It looks like the Jets will hold training camp, which will be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks," at SUNY Cortland again this year.

"We're real good friends," [Gerald] McCoy said [of Ndamukong Suh]. "Everybody is expecting us to be bumping heads. The day we met, we met on the field and he said, 'Go out there and ball out, go get that money.' I said the same thing to him, and it's been like that ever since."

California RB Jahvid Best and Stanford RB Toby Gerhart will participate in the 49ers' local pro day on Wednesday, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said of Flozell Adams' release, "I learned about it the same as everyone else. No one asked me about it, nor should they, in my opinion."

The Colts released running back Chad Simpson.

"I think it's the fact there's been 21 years reflected in our experiences," [Cowboys owner Jerry] Jones said [of demolishing Texas Stadium]. "The individual games are in themselves memorable, but the collective time of your life that that era represents was one of the first things I thought of when we drove by this morning. It's not 20 years of experience. It's 20 years of your life gone by..."

Bills linebacker Aaron Maybin is looking to add about ten pounds, per Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.

Rich Cimini of the NY Daily News doesn't expect free-agent Jason Taylor to announce his decision until mid-week, but Cimini believes "that Taylor will accept the Jets' offer."

Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers said, “Just from being a college football fan, I know it’s a healthy running back class. It is fun to see a bunch of good (backs) out there and think about that one of them could be on your team next year.”

Defensive end Jared DeVries is expected to sign a one-year contract with the Lions tomorrow, per John Niyo of The Detroit News.

Shameless plug(s) of the day: More links at my basketball blog and my baseball blog.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As "T-Bone" is to George Costanza, "Every Coach's Dream" is to Titans running back Chris Johnson. However, Johnson could soon become a potential nightmare for the Titans.

Johnson, who became the sixth NFL player to rush for 2,000+ yards, is due to earn a base salary of only $550,000 in 2010. Yet he believes that he should be the league's highest-paid offensive player.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that Johnson's "desire to get paid in a manner reflecting his abilities could quickly become one of the dominant story lines of the 2010 offseason." He also writes that Johnson "very possibly could" hold out of training camp.

Last year's turnaround in Tennessee coincided with Vince Young (8-2) replacing Kerry Collins (0-6) at quarterback. And although Young has matured quite a bit, it was Johnson's play down the stretch that was the primary reason for the improvement.

Johnson, the Titans' first-round draft pick in 2008, finished the season with 11 straight 100-yard games. In fact, the 1,538 rushing yards he accumulated during that 11-game span would have led the NFL in rushing by 122 yards over Steven Jackson of the Rams.

Despite having three years left on his contract, Johnson deserves to have his deal re-worked. That said, there is no way that a running back deserves to be highest-paid offensive player in the NFL.

Stay tuned...

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Houston Texans rookie linebacker Brian Cushing is lightening up on the weights and doing mixed martial arts (MMA) training in California this off-season, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Cushing is working out with MMAathletics, which is run by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports. And Glazer is singing his praises.

“Brian's a beast, an absolute animal,” said Glazer. “Usually, NFL players come to us in March, but Brian started the week after the Super Bowl. That shows the kind of player and person he is, the kind of determination he has. He's a cyborg.”

Not only will the training help with Cushing's conditioning, but it should help with his technique on the field.

“The thing I'm learning the most is how to use my hands,” Cushing said. "I'm learning the kind of technique that will help me get guys off me.”

Cushing, who won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, led the team in tackles (134) in 2009. In addition, Cushing tied for the team lead in interceptions (four) and was second on the team in sacks (five).

The guy who finished second on the team in tackles (123), Demeco Ryans (2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year), will be joining Cushing soon.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To be honest, it'd be difficult to expect less.

Tampa Bay running back Derrick Ward, who was signed as a free-agent in the 2009 off-season, saw his production decline from 1,025 yards in 2008 to 409 yards in 2009. One of the reasons the Bucs ranked in the bottom ten teams in offensive rushing (101.6 yards per game) was Ward's disappointing season.

Meanwhile, the team was led in rushing by Cadillac Williams, who rushed for 821 yards and four touchdowns in addition to catching 29 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns in 2009.

"We've got to find ways to make [Derrick] a more productive player this year,'' [coach Raheem] Morris said, per Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. "We have to do a better job all around of getting him more opportunities.''

With a young quarterback (Josh Freeman) and no real receiving threats other than tight end Kellen Winslow, offensive success will depend largely on the team's ability to get the ground game going. And, specifically, for Ward to step up.

That said, I still expect Williams to have a more productive season than Ward in fantasy (and "real") football in 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats signed his one-year tender, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Moats, who will earn $1.226 million, rushed for 390 yards on 101 carries in 2009 and even had a 126-yard, three-touchdown performance in week eight.

While Moats only had more carries than I did (i.e., more than zero) in eight of the Texans' 16 games, he had double-digit carries in six of those eight.

It will be interesting to see how the Texans backfield situation works itself out in 2010 as they have former 1,000-yard rusher Steve Slaton, Arian Foster and Jeremiah Johnson. In addition, it's expected that they will draft a running back as well.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If a marquis quarterback can be traded to a hated archrival, why can't an aging free-agent defensive end sign with the enemy?

Per ESPN's John Clayton, he hasn't signed yet, but free-agent defensive end Jason Taylor met with the Jets today.

And his agent, Gary Wichard, said, "This is a guy that I can honestly say the contract is not a motivating factor. The only things that matter are winning, enjoying football and getting a Super Bowl ring."

But Wichard can't say the same thing.

"I pushed him up there,'' Wichard said, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. "I twisted his arm. He loves the fans in Miami and he gave up $8 million last year to play in front of fans. I am the one to push him to go up there because I don't know what will be available to him on April 23 or 25 or whatever."

Taylor, who ranks 11th all-time in sacks (127.5), had seven with the Dolphins in 2009.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Having a bad week? Well, it could be worse.

You could be former Lions receiver Charles Rogers, who was the second-overall draft pick in 2003.

Rogers was ordered by a judge to repay $6.1 million, which was roughly two-thirds of his $9.1 million signing bonus, to the team, per David Ashenfelter of the Detroit Free Press.

As Detroit4Lyfe points out, Rogers, who was sentenced to 93 days in jail in January for a probation violation, is no stranger to the legal system.

About a year ago, Rogers was talking about making an NFL comeback.

"I'm just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback," Rogers said at the time.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll be talking in a year about me playing football again. It's not like I'm 35. I'm only 27 with fresh legs and a lot of life and football ahead of me."

Sad.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Houston Texans have signed kicker Neil Rackers to a two-year contract worth $4.1 million, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

By signing Rackers, the Texans incumbent kicker Kris Brown will have competition throughout the entire off-season, which was a stated goal of coach Gary Kubiak.

In 2009, Rackers missed only one field goal in the regular season and led the league in field goal percentage (94.1 percent). In the post-season, however, Rackers missed two of his three attempts.

Meanwhile, Brown ranked in the bottom four of the league by connecting on only 65.6 percent of his kicks.

Brown had two huge misses with time running out or nearly running out in back-to-back three-point losses to Indianapolis and Tennessee in November.

Had Brown converted on either of those two kicks, the Texans, who finished 9-7, would have made the playoffs over the Jets or Ravens, who both finished 9-7 and earned the two AFC wildcard playoff berths.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Less than three years ago, the St. Louis Rams showed quarterback Marc Bulger the money.

To be exact, they gave him a six-year, $65 million contract with $27 million guaranteed and his agent, Tom Condon, said at the time, "He'll be in the very upper echelon of quarterbacks."

Today the Rams showed Bulger something else. The door.

Instead of shipping him out of town yesterday, on Easter, the Rams waited ... for his birthday today.

Rams coach Steve Spanuolo said, “It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate. . . . I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

Bulger ranks second all-time on the franchise's career passing yards list with 22,814 yards.

In those three seasons since signing the extension, however, Bulger has thrown 27 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 36 games while missing 12 games.

It makes sense to speculate about Bulger reuniting with Mike Martz and backing up Jay Cutler in Chicago. That said, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times said tweeted that he doesn't see that happening.

It appears as though it's becoming (more of) a lock that the Rams will have Oklahoma prospect Sam Bradford under center in 2010. Interestingly enough, Bradford's agent is Tom Condon.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than five months away from the start of the 2010 NFL season, it's never too early to start thinking about the upcoming fantasy football season.

This week, we will release our first edition of position rankings for 2010. These lists will exclude rookies, however, our post-draft update (late-April or early-May) will include the 2010 rookie class.

In addition to these rankings, we are towards the end of our 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft. Visit our page on Blog Talk Radio to listen to the remaining rounds or archived editions of the first nine rounds.

Here are my Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2010:

1. Drew Brees, Saints: No QB has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. In fact, his 4,388 passing yards was his worst performance over the past four seasons due to missing week 17 to rest for the playoffs. That said, most fantasy owners don't care about week 17 anyways.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: After back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, it wouldn't surprise me if Rodgers finished 2010 as the top-ranked fantasy passer and made Packer fans (or, at least, fantasy owners) ask, "Brett who?"

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: A student of the game? More like a coach on the field. 4,000+ yards and 25+ TDs should be a lock. Given the Colts' disregard for making history, the potential of locking up the division early and playing for one half in week 16 again is perhaps Peyton's biggest flaw as a fantasy quarterback.

4. Philip Rivers, Chargers: He's one of four QBs that have passed for 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and only Brees has thrown more TDs during that stretch. Expect even more passing in the post-LT era.

5. Tom Brady, Patriots: It remains to be seen whether he'll have Wes Welker to start the season. But at least he'll have Giselle.

6. Matt Schaub, Texans: Schaub led the NFL in passing yards despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

7. Tony Romo, Cowboys: His impressive play down the stretch along with the emergence of Miles Austin provides plenty of momentum for 2010. Only if Romo could throw the ball "correctly" to Roy Williams like he does to the other receivers...

8. Brett Favre, Vikings: If Favre retires (again), expect an un-retirement to follow (again). The Vikes are stacked with weapons and fell just shy of the Super Bowl. While 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions shouldn't be expected for the 40-year-old, 3,800+ yards and 25+ touchdowns seems reasonable in that offense.

9. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Only Brees and Schaub had more passing yards per game than Big Ben (288.5) in 2009. Of course, his legal mess, which could lead to disciplinary action from the league, increases his riskiness. If he plays 16 games, however, he's a fantasy football bargain.

10. Donovan McNabb, Redskins: McNabb's 16-game pace (he missed two) in 2009 was 4,060 yards and 25 TDs. Replicating that production over a full season in Washington will be difficult considering the downgrade in weapons in the passing game.

11. Eli Manning, Giants: With a core group of young receivers (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, etc.), Eli set career highs in yards (4,021) and TDs (27).

12. Jay Cutler, Bears: Without Martz, Cutler passed for 3,666 yards and 27 TDs despite a career-high in interceptions (26). It's only logical to assume a boost with Martz.

13. Joe Flacco, Ravens: After the trade for Anquan Boldin, re-signing Derrick Mason and the addition of Donte' Stallworth via free agency, the big-armed QB could make a nice jump in 2010. At a minimum, he should exceed his 2009 numbers of 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns.

14. Matt Ryan, Falcons: Despite his sophomore slump, partly due to injury (most of three games), Ryan has weapons such as Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez at his disposal and should be poised for a bounce-back year. And in 14 games, he still threw 22 touchdowns.

15. Kevin Kolb, Eagles: With weapons like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek, it wouldn't surprise me to see Kolb finish in the 10-12 range of fantasy quarterbacks in 2010 with the Eagles' pass-first offense with McNabb being traded to Washington Sunday.

16. Carson Palmer, Bengals: Is the former #1 pick the third-best fantasy QB in the AFC North? While Ochocinco may say "Child, please," the answer is an obvious yes for the QB who threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010.

17. David Garrard, Jaguars: Garrard has quietly been a steady fantasy producer over the past two seasons. As a back-up QB on your fantasy team, hope that your starter has his bye when Garrard is at home (over 2,000 yards and 12 TDs at home last year).

18. Vince Young, Titans: It's been an interesting ride for Young, who once again appears to be the franchise's QB of the future. This is still a run-first team, but VY can make plays with his legs. During the Titans 7-1 run from weeks 8 to 15, Young threw 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

19. Matt Leinart, Cardinals: Fortunately for Leinart, he has weapons around him such as Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breason and Early Doucet. Unfortunately for Leinart, he's no Kurt Warner. And now with Derek Anderson in the mix, he doesn't even have a lock on the starting job. D.A. might be a one-year wonder, but it's one more year of Pro Bowl production than Leinart has.

20. Alex Smith, 49ers: Vernon Davis broke out. Michael Crabtree showed up. Smith got a second chance (after agreeing to a paycut will on his honeymoon, mind you.). Will he take another step forward in 2010?

21. Kyle Orton, Broncos: Will Brandon Marshall be catching his passes in 2010? The Broncos only placed a first-round tender on Marshall, who could land in Seattle (or somewhere else). Plus, they traded for Brady Quinn, who is the back-up (at least, for now).

22. Matthew Stafford, Lions: The Lions added Nate Burleson, a huge upgrade at the WR2 position, in free agency to help last year's top pick. Plus, he'll have a healthy (knock on wood) MegaTron and tight end Brandon Pettigrew for the entire season.

23. Matt Moore, Panthers: With Jake Delhomme out of the picture, Moore will get an opportunity to build on his 2009 success (61.6% completion, 8 TDs, 2 INTs).

24. Jason Campbell, Redskins: It's another new coach and offense for Campbell in 2010. Last year, he posted career highs in passing yards (3,618) and TDs (20). For the time being, Campbell will serve as McNabb's back-up, but there's a good chance that Campbell will get traded to a team in need of an upgrade at quarterback.

25. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks: Losing Nate Burleson hurts. Adding Brandon Marshall would help (more). Can Hasslebeck stay healthy enough to take advantage of that if it happens?

Check back tomorrow for 2010 Fantasy Football Running Back rankings.

Follow us on Twitter (Twitter.com/EDSFootball) or on Facebook (Facebook.com/EDSFootball).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If this trade happened Thursday (April Fools' Day) instead of today, nobody would have believed it.

Typically teams avoid trading their franchise quarterback to a (hated) division rival. (See Favre, Brett.)

But that's exactly what the Philadelphia Eagles have done by trading quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins.

Without question, the most-anticipated game of the 2010 season will be the return of McNabb to Philadelphia in a Redskins' jersey. As Shutdown Corner assumes, it will certainly be a prime-time game and a "hellacious scene."

In return for McNabb, the Eagles will receive the Redskins' second-round pick (37th overall) in 2010 in addition to a conditional third- or fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Of course, the Redskins will make McNabb their starting quarterback over Jason Campbell, who threw for 3,618 yards and 20 touchdowns (both career-highs) last season.

Campbell, who has started 52 of the past 56 games, has started more games than any other Redskin quarterback since Mark Rypien (1989-1993), per Rick Maese of The Washington Post.

And during a press conference tonight, Eagles coach Andy Reid stated the obvious (via Pro Football Talk): "Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in Kevin Kolb to make this decision, and he will be the starting quarterback."

In 2009, McNabb, who missed two games, finished with a 16-game pace of 4,060 yards and 25 touchdowns. It seems unlikely that he will replicate that pace, as the Redskins quarterback, with a downgrade in offensive weapons.

In addition, I wouldn't expect Kolb, who will replace No. 5 under center, to put up the same pace that McNabb did last year. A season with 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns seems reasonable with targets like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek.

Meanwhile, Campbell's 2010 fantasy value could range from none (backs up McNabb) to below-average depending on destination. Most teams in the market for a quarterback (Rams, Raiders and Bills to name a few) lack playmakers in the passing game to provide Campbell an improvement in fantasy value from last year.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

St. Louis Rams receiver Laurent Robinson suffered a season-ending injury in week three of the 2009 season, which naturally makes him eager to return and put last year behind him.

"I can't wait," Robinson said, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Going down last year and missing the remainder of the season, I'm anxious to get back out there and play."

In the first two games of the 2009 season, Robinson caught 11 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was the team's only points in the first two weeks of the season.

Robinson, who the Falcons' third-round pick in 2007, was acquired in a trade last off-season.

In 2009, only four teams ranked lower than the Rams, who averaged 185.6 yards per game, in passing offense. Moreover, only the Browns and Raiders threw fewer touchdowns than St. Louis did.

With the top overall pick in this year's NFL draft, it's likely that the Rams will select Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford after selecting Baylor tackle Jason Smith with the second overall pick in 2009.

Robinson, who expects to be ready for the team's OTAs in May, said of his rehab and preparation for the upcoming season, "It's a year-round thing. You can't really take any time off. You've got to keep after it."

Provided he stays healthy for the entire 2010 season and considering the Rams will trail in most games, the 24-year-old receiver could be a decent sleeper pick in 2010 fantasy football drafts, especially in deeper leagues.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who was arrested at the Cleveland airport yesterday, was formally charged with a fourth-degree felony for carrying a concealed weapon, per the Associated Press.

Not surprisingly, the excuse for why he had a gun in his carry-on luggage was that he forgot.

"Shaun is from a tremendous family that knows right from wrong," [Rogers' agent Kennard] McGuire said. "He is completely remorseful and sorry. While he does have a permit to carry a weapon, carrying it into the airport was an unintentional mistake. He will fully cooperate with all the authorities."

How can someone be careless enough with their gun(s) that they are unaware of when they have one (them) with them?

In 2006, Rogers was suspended by the league for four games for violating its substance-abuse policy.

So even if he is not convicted of the current weapon charges, it would seem likely that Rogers will at least receive a suspension from the commissioner's office under the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Leading up to the beginning of the NFL free-agency period, it looked as though Chargers running back Darren Sproles would have the opportunity to test the open market.

Instead, the Chargers, who franchised Sproles in 2009, placed a first- and third-round tender on him before the deadline.

Today Sproles signed the tender, which will guarantee him a 2010 salary of $7.2813 million, according to ESPN's John Clayton.

Sproles is a versatile back that can help the Chargers in a variety of ways, including on special teams.

In 2009, Sproles carried the ball 93 times for 343 yards and three touchdowns while catching 45 passes for 497 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 24.1 yards per kickoff return and 7.0 yards per punt return.

Being small in stature means that Sproles can't be counted upon to be an every-down back.

Although they released LaDainian Tomlinson, who was signed by the Jets, it's expected that the Chargers will add a running back via the NFL draft. Several mock drafts project the Chargers to draft Fresno State's Ryan Mathews in the first round.

So, at best, Sproles shouldn't be more than a flex option in fantasy football for 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Left tackle Flozell Adams, who was drafted by the Cowboys in 1998, has been part of one post-season victory as a Dallas Cowboy.

That will be his only one.

Both safety Ken Hamlin and Adams were released by the team today, according to the Dallas Morning News.

"I would like to say to all of my fans that I appreciate all the love that you have showed me in Dallas. It was a good run..... Thanks," Hamlin tweeted.

"He has enjoyed his time in Dallas with his teammates and the Cowboys' organization," [Adams' agent Jordan] Woy said. "Now it is time to move on to a new team. Flo feels he has several good years in front of him."

Adams, who was penalized 39 times and allowed eight sacks in 2009, was due a $2.5 million roster bonus in addition to his $5 million base salary. Hamlin, who was due $5.596 million this season, will still receive $1.09 million that is guaranteed money from his contract.

The Cowboys will either move Doug Free or Alan Ball to the left tackle and free safety starting spots, respectively, add someone in free agency or look to fill those spots via the NFL Draft. The Cowboys currently have the 27th pick in the first round.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for two draft picks and linebacker Alex Hall, per CBSSports.com (via the Philadelphia Daily News).

The Eagles will receive the fourth- and fifth-round picks of the Browns and will now have a total of ten draft picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, which begins on April 22nd. The Browns had 12 picks before the trade.

“Sheldon and Chris have been nothing but professionals on and off the field during their tenure in Philadelphia and we wish them all the best as they continue their careers in Cleveland," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "Alex Hall is a big, athletic linebacker who we’ve had our eyes on over the last couple of years and he’ll have a chance to compete at the SAM linebacker spot.”

Brown, who had a career-high five interceptions in 2009, will start opposite Eric Wright at cornerback and Gocong, who lost his starting job in Philly to rookie Moise Fokou, will play inside, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In today's day and age, how many folks keep their word? One guy that does is Titans running back Chris Johnson.

However, is it always a good thing?

Per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, Johnson is not attending the team's off-season workout program as he had previously said he wouldn't.

As Wyatt points out, he was a no-show for last year's workouts and went on to become the sixth player in NFL history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in a season.

Apparently, Johnson doesn't want to fix what's not broken.

However, can he repeat (or even come close) to his monster season again?

Despite the improved play and maturity of Vince Young, the third overall pick in 2006, opposing defenses knew the offense ran through (literally and figuratively) Johnson. Yet, he ended the season with 11 consecutive 100-yard games.

While my gut tells me that he falls off a bunch in 2010, it's hard to bet against a guy with 4.24 speed that has the potential to take it to the house on any given play.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Even though second-year running back Shonn Greene should be the featured back in the Jets' offense, LaDainian Tomlinson will get a fresh start in 2010.

If you judge Tomlinson based on his past two seasons in San Diego, however, L.T. says it's "kind of misleading," per RIch Cimini of the NY Daily News.

"The things that happened in San Diego, everything was taken away from me," Tomlinson said. "There wasn't an emphasis on running the football anymore, my best fullback was gone, the linemen were pass-blocking and it was a passing quarterback and a passing coach. So, the situation's kind of misleading when you look on film."

Unlike the guy the Jets released (Thomas Jones), who set career highs in rushing yards and touchdowns as a thirty-something last year, it's typical for the running backs in their thirties to decline.

In 2006, Tomlinson rushed for a career-high 1,815 yards and 28 touchdowns, which is an NFL single-season record.

Since 2006, he's rushed for 1,474 yards (2007), 1,110 yards (2008) and 730 yards (2009). Granted his carries declined in each of those seasons, but so did his per-carry averages: 5.2 to 4.7 to 3.8 to 3.3, respectively.

The Jets arguably have the best offensive line in football, which should help Tomlinson's performance on a per-carry basis. In a run-first offense led by quarterback Mark Sanchez, however, LT should expect to face more eight-man fronts than he saw in San Diego with Phillip Rivers under center.

Even though Jets coach Rex Ryan suggested Tomlinson will get 15 carries per game, it's hard to not envision L.T. being second fiddle to Greene. Plus, versatile back Leon Washington will take touches away from the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

In other words, there is no way that Tomlinson goes over 1,000 yards in 2010. And it wouldn't surprise me if he finishes with less than 730 (his total in 2009) as well.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier this afternoon, Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers suffered a memory lapse.

Rogers, who forgot that he had packed (literally and figuratively) a loaded gun, was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport when said handgun was found in his carry-on luggage, per Donna Miller of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"We are aware of what transpired with Shaun Rogers," said Browns president Mike Holmgren. " We will continue to gather additional information, and until the legal process has taken its course, we will reserve any further comment."

With high-profile cases involving professional athletes and guns that have ended poorly (Plaxico Burress, Gilbert Arenas, etc.), it amazes me that anyone can "forget" to have a gun in their luggage.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)