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Through three pre-season games, here are my (updated) Top 40 Fantasy RBs for 2010:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans: 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. While those numbers would be nearly impossible to repeat, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play with his 4.24 speed. Plus, Johnson is now greedy (not hungry): "I graduated from hungry to greedy, and all I want is more.”

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: In three NFL seasons, Peterson has rushed for 1,300+ yards and 10+ touchdowns every year. His fumbling issues are well-documented, but he also had his best season as a receiver (43 receptions for 436) in 2009. And with Sidney Rice out for roughly half of this season, those receiving numbers should increase.

3. 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.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars: In his first season as the featured back, Pocket Hercules delivered with 1,391 rushing yards, 374 receiving yards on 53 receptions and 16 combined touchdowns. Although he denies he's had knee surgery, he has been shut down for the rest of the pre-season.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons: An ankle injury in week 10 essentially wiped out the rest of his season, but he was getting into a groove before the injury (428 rushing yards on 47 carries (9.1 YPC) and three touchdowns in 2 1/2 games). In his 27 games as a Falcon, Turner has rushed for more touchdowns (27) than he has receptions (11).

6. Frank Gore, 49ers: With two first-round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen (Trent Williams and Mike Iupati), which is obviously a benefit to Gore. In addition to rushing for over 1,000 yards in the past four years, he has also averaged 52 receptions per season during that span.

7. Steven Jackson, Rams: With the Rams' lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses know what is coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing in 2009 despite being hampered by back issues for the second half of the season.

8. 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.) Fortunately, the rumors of a broken arm were false.

9. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: Despite missing three games last year, Williams has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns (25 rushing and two receiving) in the past two seasons. His only drawback? Backfield mate Jonathan Stewart has rushed for close to 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns during that same span. Williams is in a contract year.

10. Shonn Greene, Jets: The Jets replaced one thirty-something back with another, but it's Greene's team now (even if LaDainian Tomlinson isn't aware of that). And with arguably the league's best line in front of him, Greene could have a monster season.

Speaking of Shonn Greene, he's one of the five players listed for our Week 1 Fantasy Football Contest.

11. Cedric Benson, Bengals: Only Tennessee's Chris Johnson finished with a higher yards-per-game average than Benson (96.2 ypg).

12. 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 and open lanes to run. Only four RBs rushed for more yards (1,253) and TDs (11) than Grant in 2009 yet many overlook Grant on draft day.

13. Ryan Mathews, Chargers: Not only does he have the skills (NCAA's second-leading rusher), Mathews steps into a nearly ideal situation to flourish. Chargers coach Norv Turner expects Mathews to get around 250 carries, which would have put him in the top ten in 2009. Despite a little vomiting before his first pre-season game, so far, so good for the rookie.

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). Provided both backs are healthy for all of 2010, I would expect to see a split of 55-45 in favor of Williams. That said, another 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown season is within reason for Stewart.

15. 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 than they have in years past. And Wells, who had 338 rushing/receiving yards and three touchdowns in his last four games, should be ready to capitalize.

16. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: Charles had a Chris Johnson-esque second half (968 rushing yards, 158 receiving yards and eight total TDs) including a record-setting performance in the finale. If it weren't for the addition of Thomas Jones, who rushed for a career-high 1,402 yards in 2009, Charles would be in my top ten.

17. Pierre Thomas, Saints: In 14 games, Thomas finished with 1,095 (793 rushing and 302 receiving) yards from scrimmage in 2009 and averaged 5.4 yards per rushing attempt. Thomas was listed as one of the ten most underrated players in the NFL by Yahoo! Sports Doug Farrar.

18. Jahvid Best, Lions: The Lions moved back up into the first round to select Best. Teammate Nate Burleson said: "You hear about how explosive Best is and then you see him catch a ball in the flat, stick his foot in the ground and get up field like a Mustang."

19 LeSean McCoy, Eagles: The Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook era is 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.

20. 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. Although Moreno has missed the past month with a hamstring injury, he should return to practice this week, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

21. 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 could be more like 2009 (929 rushing yards) than 2008 (1,238 rushing yards) for Forte. Or Forte, who has looked quicker and more explosive, could bounce back. After the top 20 backs are drafted, Forte could provide plenty of upside.

22. Felix Jones, Cowboys: Jones, who is a big-play threat, could become the starter in 2010. In two playoff games, Jones rushed for 217 yards on 30 carries (average of 7.2 YPC). More likely than not, however, he and Marion Barber will be fairly close in fantasy production.

23. Joseph Addai, Colts: Addai, who finished sixth among RBs in receptions (51), also scored 13 times in 15 games. That's the good news. However, only the Cardinals (365) had fewer rushing attempts as a team than the Colts (366) and it's likely that back-up Donald Brown, who missed five games as a rookie, will get a larger workload than 78 carries (his 2009 total) -- at the expense of Addai -- in 2010.

24 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 only 1,008 rushing yards. Feeling lucky?

25. 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. And Ahmad Bradshaw could get a bigger chunk of the workload in 2010. Considering all those, I'm not exactly sure why I expect a bounce-back season for Jacobs. But I kind-of do.

26. Marion Barber, Cowboys: Perhaps a reduced role for MBIII in favor of Felix Jones may hurt his fantasy value. That said, Barber has flourished before in the role of "closer." Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News projected, based on a 30-carry total, a split of "Jones 15, Barber 10, Choice 5."

27. Jerome Harrison, Browns: In the final three weeks of the season, Harrison had 561 yards and five touchdowns on 106 carries. Then again, he had only 88 carries for 301 yards and no scores in his other 11 games played. With rookie Montario Hardesty making his pre-season debut on Thursday, perhaps we will get a better idea of how carries will be split between Harrison and Hardesty then.

28. 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). But he will have to share the workload with rookie C.J. Spiller, the speedster from Clemson.

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." I expect big things from Bradshaw in 2010. In fact, I expect him to outrush his backfield mate. And the better news is you can use a later-round pick to select Bradshaw than you'll need to draft Jacobs.

30. C.J. Spiller, Bills: Like the guy that tops this list, Spiller is a big-play threat with world-class speed that can take it to the house on any given play. And with the injuries to Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Spiller has taken his opportunity to flourish and has run with it in the pre-season.

31. Arian Foster, Texans: Foster had a strong finish to the 2009 season (216 yards and three touchdowns in final two games). Before Ben Tate suffered a season-ending injury, however, I declared Foster an "undervalued" fantasy running back on our fantasy podcast as we was being drafted after the top 50 backs. Since then, Tate was lost for the season and Foster's posted the first-ever 100-yard performance for a Texans running back in the pre-season.

32. Ricky Williams, Dolphins: He proved he can post big numbers if (or when) Ronnie Brown misses action. But with Brown in the lineup, Williams had 751 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs in nine games. (That's a 16-game pace of 1,335 yards and 12 TDs backing up Brown.)

33. Thomas Jones, Chiefs: Thirty-something running backs tend to see precipitous declines in production, but Jones posted career-highs in rushing last year. ESPN blogger Bill Williamson expects a 60-40 split in carries favoring Charles over Jones and think that is a reasonable expectation despite Jones topping the team's depth chart.

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. He was scheduled to have thumb surgery Monday, but it looks likely that he'll be ready for the season opener.

35. 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.

36. Clinton Portis, Redskins: Despite suffering a sprained ankle, Portis will be the Redskins running back that gets the majority of work and he provides some value as a guy many others in your league will try to avoid.

37. Montario Hardesty, Browns: The Browns traded up to draft the physical runner and he impressed the coaching staff during the off-season workouts. However, he will finally make his pre-season debut on Thursday. For now, Harrison looks like the Browns back to own in fantasy leagues.

38. Justin Forsett, Seahawks: Despite getting only 114 carries, Forsett had 969 yards from scrimmage (619 rushing and 350 receiving) in 2009. With Julius Jones out for a three-game stretch last year, Forsett had 368 yards from scrimmage in weeks 10-12. That said, Leon Washington started the team's third pre-season game and could be the team's feature back. And I wouldn't rule out the team ultimately pursuing a back like Marshawn Lynch at some point this season.

39. Steve Slaton, Texans: Arian Foster looks like he's the guy in Houston. But Gary Kubiak is the coach and it's hard to believe that one back has a lock on the job with Kubiak calling the shots (provided Slaton doesn't fumble much). In 11 games last year, Slaton racked up 854 combined yards and scored seven touchdowns. That's a 16-game pace of 1,242 yards and ten touchdowns. Plus, he had 1,659 combined yards and 10 TDs in his 2008 rookie campaign.

40. Darren McFadden, Raiders: I like Bush more than McFadden for 2010, but it's hard for me to write off the potential of the former fourth-overall draft pick. Then again, the Raiders drafted JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick in 2007 and Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick in 2009.

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 25 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs | Top 150 Cheat Sheet

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

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Head & Shoulders has gone above and beyond this year by insuring my Samoan locks for a cool $1 million," [Steelers safety Troy] Polamalu said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Jets coach Rex Ryan wants free safety Brodney Pool, who missed today's practice due to a sprained ankle, to be more of a "ballhawk," according to Kevin Armstrong of the NY Daily News.

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who got a second opinion on his groin injury, won't require surgery, per Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz says "it's a possibility" that DeAndre Levy's groin injury might keep him out of the team's season opener, per Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Bills receiver Roscoe Parrish has found his niche as the slot receiver in Chan Gailey's offense.

The Broncos have released Broncos running back Justin Fargas and cornerback Tony Carter, per Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post.

FYI: Our fantasy football contest is open; here is the link for our Week 1 thread.

Bears receiver Earl Bennett returned to practice for the first time since August 8th.

The Dolphins have placed tight end Joey Haynos on the waived/injured list Monday.

Carolina is 0-for-42 in scoring touchdowns on their offensive drives this pre-season.

Colts rookie cornerback Kevin Thomas was placed on injured reserve (IR) today, as expected.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre described a lubricant injection into his ankle as being "like a grease fitting,'' per SI's Peter King.

The Lions signed linebacker Rocky Boiman in addition to releasing linebacker Lee Campbell, wide receiver Eric Fowler and defensive end Chima Ihekwoaba and waived-injured fullback Jake Nordin.

Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington missed practice with bruised ribs, but he's expected to be ready for the season opener.

In addition, cornerback Lardarius Webb won't play in the Ravens' fourth pre-season game.

BIlls running back Marshawn Lynch will test his ankle tomorrow to determine whether he plays in the team's pre-season finale against the Lions.

Speaking about the Browns' Ring of Honor ceremony on September 19th, Hall-of-Fame running back Jim Brown said: "I don't have any trophies in my home on display. I don't claim to be the best at anything, and I emphatically do not need validation from any man, so I will not participate in your Ring of Honor."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

His campaigning worked.

When the Cowboys face the Dolphins in their pre-season finale, rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant will be on the field.

Tonight Bryant tweeted (via Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News), "Back in action Thursday night!!!!!"

Bryant, who is recovering from a high-ankle sprain, said Saturday night of his route-running before the game that "everybody liked what they've seen and we're just moving forward."

According to Mock Draft Central, Bryant is currently the 33rd wide receiver drafted in fantasy drafts based on average draft position (ADP).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush will have surgery on his broken thumb Monday, but there is a "good chance" that he'll be ready to play in the team's season opener on September 12th, according to coach Tom Cable (via the Associated Press).

Bush, who broke his thumb in Saturday's pre-season game against the 49ers, likely won't need to play with a cast on his hand.

However, Dennis Georgatos of NFL FanHouse thinks playing Bush would be a mistake if he requires a cast.

Bush and Darren McFadden, the fourth overall pick in 2008, are set to share the workload in 2010.

McFadden, who has been a disappointment in his two NFL seasons, would get an opportunity to establish himself as the team's primary back if Bush is unable to return for Week 1.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today the Houston Texans released three players: cornerback Fred Bennett, defensive end Pannel Egboh and wide receiver London Crawford.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Steelers suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday.

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas "don’t look anywhere near close to returning," per Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

Steelers linebacker James Farrior suffered a head laceration making a tackle in tonight's pre-season game against the Broncos.

Of the NFL's eight divisions, which is the toughest from top to bottom? Discuss in our forums.

Redskins receiver Malcolm Kelly will play in the team's pre-season finale as his status on the team's 53-man roster is in peril.

As we already know, T.O. loves him some him. Apparently, so does Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who said, "I love what Terrell is doing."

Speaking of his opportunity with the Vikings, receiver Javon Walker said (via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "It's been a long time waiting. But I always knew it was there. To come here with a team like this one, it feels great to contribute and try and add on to what they're doing. This is a great team, and I just want to be a part of their success."

Which new Vikings receiver will make a greater impact: Walker or Greg Camarillo?

The Patriots re-signed DB Terrence Johnson and released OL Brian Simmons today.

Raiders receiver Chaz Schilens will miss three to six weeks, but the team is not interested in Antonio Bryant, who was released by the Bengals today.

Is Cleveland rookie quarterback Colt McCoy on the roster bubble?

Per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, intangibles will factor into the decision to select the Cardinals' starting quarterback.

Jets linebacker Calvin Pace will miss 4-6 weeks due to a broken foot and the team could fill the void with linebacker Adalius Thomas.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington joked that the key to winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award is to “get hurt and then come back.”

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

When the Donovan McNabb era begins in Washington on September 12th, coach Mike Shanahan isn't sure whether the team's signal-caller will be under center or holding a clipboard.

"I really don't know for sure," Shanahan said Sunday, per the Associated Press. "That's why it's day by day. We'll see how it goes."

McNabb, who sprained his ankle in the team's second pre-season game, hasn't practiced or played since then and he won't play in the team's final pre-season game on Thursday.

As a precaution, neither will Rex Grossman, the team's back-up quarterback.

The Redskins face five tough opponents in their first six weeks: Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Green Bay and Indianapolis. Those five teams combined for a 56-24 record in 2009. (They also play St. Louis in Week 3.)

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In back-to-back off-seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals have given a pair of free-agent wide receivers four-year contracts worth $28 million.

First, it was Laveranues Coles in 2009. Then, it was Antonio Bryant in 2010.

After the Bengals released Coles earlier this off-season, the veteran receiver signed with the New York Jets for his third stint with the team.

Today both Coles and Bryant were released (by the Jets and Bengals, respectively.)

"I think I'm done,'' Coles said, per Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger. "I don't want to become one of those journeyman football players. I don't need the money..."

"Unless someone gives me an offer I can't refuse, I think I'm done,'' said Coles. "I have my health and I'm thankful for that. I'll talk to the Jets if they call but right now I think I'm done."

The Bryant signing was a huge financial mistake by the Bengals, who paid Bryant nearly $8 million without him ever playing in a single game. In fact, he practiced only once due to the problems with his left knee.

In other words, Bryant received $46,511.63 per day during his 172 days as a Cincinnati Bengal.

Although Bryant is now an unrestricted free agent, who can sign with anybody, it would make sense for teams to wait for the health of Bryant's knee to improve.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, agents for Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson deny that the disgruntled receiver is seeking a five-year contract worth $50 million that includes $30 million of guaranteed money.

Naturally, those numbers would make clubs hesitant to pursue the receiver.

"There's no truth to the report that we asked for $50 million over five years and $30 million guaranteed," [agent Neil] Schwartz told Florio. "We only talked concepts with the Seahawks... No numbers were mentioned."

As it stands, Jackson will miss the first three games of the 2010 regular season due to a suspension. If he does not sign his tender as a restricted free agent by 6 p.m. ET on September 4th, he would be required to sit an additional three weeks.

Of course, if he's not traded, there's a good chance that he misses at least ten games since a player only needs to be on an NFL roster for six weeks to accrue a year of service toward free agency.

And appearing on NFL Network yesterday, Jackson said, "We're prepared for that," referring to the possibility of sitting out the entire 2010 season. "The union comes and talks to us about the lockout possibly next year and I've been financially smart."

Currently, Jackson is the 34th receiver (90th player) drafted in fantasy football drafts based on average draft positions (ADPs) from Mock Draft Central.

Jackson, who was the Chargers' second-round pick in 2005, posted career-highs in receptions (68), receiving yards (1,167) and touchdowns (nine) in 2009.

Based on talent, he's a top ten receiver. Therefore, he provides fantasy owners with the ultimate high-risk, high-reward proposition.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles left last night's pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles holding his right arm in the first half and did not return.

The team hasn't commented on the status of Charles' injury.

Before the off-season acquisition of Thomas Jones, many (including yours truly) expected a huge season for Charles, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards in the second half of last season.

On the team's depth chart, however, Jones -- not Charles -- is listed as the first-team running back.

In a chat on Thursday, ESPN blogger Bill Williamson estimated that Charles will get "60 percent of the carries."

Charles rushed six times for 40 yards despite fumbling the ball on the team's first play from scrimmage.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Detroit Lions have placed defensive end Jared DeVries on injured reserve (IR), per Tim Twentyman of The Detroit News.

Reports that Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew had knee surgery were denied by his agent.

After running routes yesterday at practice, Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant said (via the Dallas Morning News), "I know for a fact that I'm going to be ready for Washington. I know for a fact. I feel great, I feel fine."

According to Forbes magazine (via the Detroit Free Press), three of the top four most valuable NFL franchises play in the NFC East.

As pointed out by Pro Football Talk, Cardinals demoted quarterback Matt Leinart is in the process of burning bridges in Arizona.

The X-rays taken of Indianapolis MLB Gary Brackett's right hand came back negative.

Meanwhile, Colts running back Joseph Addai suffered a minor concussion in last night's pre-season game against the Packers yet he said that he "just got a little dizzy" but he "was cool.”

Vikings rookie cornerback Chris Cook will start against the Seahawks in their pre-season game on Saturday.

The NFL has fined Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks and Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor $10,000 each for their fight in their pre-season game last weekend.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees was given the "Good Guy" Award, per the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

It's confirmed that Rams receiver Donnie Avery will miss the season with a torn ACL.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In last night's pre-season game against the St. Louis Rams, Patriots running back Laurence Maroney, actress Betty White and I all finished with the same amount of rushing yards (zero).

We also tied for the same amount of rushing attempts (zero).

Per Jeff Howe of NESN.com, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about Maroney not getting any touches.

"Yeah, we never had the ball," Belichick said.

In addition to Maroney, Fred Taylor, who rushed the ball well against the Falcons (11 carries for 54 yards), did not have any carries either.

The team's other three running backs -- BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk -- split their 11 carries.

As Howe points out, the Patriots may only keep four running backs on their 53-man roster. If so, Maroney could be on the outside looking in.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There are rumors circulating that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall broke his arm.

Meanwhile, NFL Network's Jason La Canfora has tweeted that those rumors "are not true."

In my updated fantasy football cheat sheet, Mendenhall is ranked ninth overall.

So, I may need to update my update. Or I may not.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FYI: Today we have updated our fantasy football cheat sheet.

Want to see who is #1? Click here.

Want to see who is #48? Click here.

How about #119? Click here.

Ok, we'll stop with the cheap attempts to get you to click the link. If you click the link, we will be grateful. If you don't click the link, however, we will understand. But we want you to have the link. So here's the link.

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

The St. Louis Rams could possibly be without their No. 1 receiver for the entire 2010 season.

After diving for a pass in last night's pre-season game against the Patriots, Avery was carted off the field.

"Donnie probably has a significant knee injury," coach Steve Spagnuolo said, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We'll know a little bit more after we get the tests (on Sunday). He was a little bit down, and rightfully so. Hopefully, it's not as bad as we think."

Prior to the Avery injury, the Rams' receiving corps was one of the league's weakest. And, naturally, without their best receiver, the unit will be even weaker.

Depending on the MRI results, however, it will provide an opportunity for guys like Laurent Robinson, who was off to a good start in 2009 before suffering his own season-ending injury, and rookie Mardy Gilyard as well as the rest of the Rams receivers to step up.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While Patriots quarterback Tom Brady may hate the Jets, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez says, "I love the Patriots. I love Tom."

Bucs wide receiver Sammie Stroughter is in the lead to be the team's second receiver opposite rookie Mike Williams, per Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.

Raiders running back Darren McFadden has returned to practice and expects to play in the team's third (his first) pre-season game this weekend.

Packers cornerback Al Harris failed his physical Monday, which reduces the likelihood that he'll be on the field for the season opener against the Eagles.

In addition, Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers could miss the season opener and end up on the PUP list, which would cause him to miss the team's first six games.

The Miami Dolphins have traded receiver Greg Camarillo to the Vikings for cornerback Benny Sapp.

Meanwhile Vikings receiver Percy Harvin returned to practice today.

Ravens rookie nose tackle Terrence Cody could miss Saturday's pre-season game due to swelling in the knee. Coach John Harbaugh says it's "nothing that needs surgery at this time."

Texans tight end Owen Daniels has been cleared to return to the Texans and should be ready for Week 1 against the Colts.

Former NFL running back Tatum Bell was cut by the Florida Tuskers of the UFL today.

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher has missed another practice due to a left calf strain.

Here is the link to our fantasy football contest for Week 1.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Minnesota Vikings will be without star receiver Sidney Rice, who had hip surgery yesterday, for at least the first half of the season, according to Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Rice texted Scoggins that the procedure went "well." In fact, he's already begun his rehabilitation as he rode an exercise bike for 20 minutes Monday night.

"I would think [it will take] probably at least eight weeks before we're talking about doing anything," [coach Brad] Childress said.

So, Childress hasn't ruled out the possibility of Rice landing on season-ending injured reserve (IR).

It was believed that Rice wouldn't need off-season surgery. There is the possibility that the timing of the surgery is related to his unhappiness about earning only $550,000 this season, which is the final year of his contract, and not getting a long-term deal.

In other words, it was Rice -- not the team -- who decided that he have the surgery.

"None of us have X-ray vision," Childress said, per ESPN blogger Kevin Seifert. "You just go by what somebody tells you."

Meanwhile, the team is still without Percy Harvin as he continues to be tested and evaluated for migraines. Last week, Harvin collapsed and was hospitalized after a migraine attack during practice.

A healthy Harvin stands to be the biggest benefactor of Rice's absence. However, that requires Harvin to be healthy. The problem with migraines is they can strike at any time.

Meanwhile, Bernard Berrian is moving up draft boards and the Vikings signed veteran receiver Javon Walker, who had experimental knee surgery in Israel in 2009.

"It was something that eventually I'll talk about and fill you guys in," Walker said. "That way I can get the specifics and the terminology down right before just saying something. I'll definitely let you guys know because it's really, really something unique. It's going to be something that helps a lot of athletes in the near future."

From a fantasy perspective, the winners (as a result of Rice's surgery) are Harvin, Berrian, Visanthe Shiancoe and Walker although it would take being in a really deep league for Walker to find his way on to my roster. In addition, running back Adrian Peterson should benefit as he caught more passes last year (43) than he caught in his first two seasons combined (40).

Aside from the obvious (Rice himself), the biggest loser is Brett Favre, who loses his favorite target for half (or more) of the season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who was placed on the team's roster-exempt list, was suspended by the NFL for the first three regular-season games for the violating the league's personal-conduct policy.

So, in other words, the earliest that Jackson could be in uniform is Week 4.

Depending on what happens between now and September 4th at 6 p.m. ET, Jackson may be forced to sit out an additional three games even if he's traded or (much less likely) wants to play for the Chargers.

Per NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, the league's collective bargaining agreement states that "once a club has notified a player of its intention to place him on the roster exempt list, the player must remain on that list for three games following the date on which he actually reports to his club."

If he doesn't sign his tender by September 4th, Jackson won't be able to report until after their Week 3 matchup against the Seahawks. Then he would be required to sit out the games versus the Cardinals, Raiders and Rams if he's still a Charger.

There is the possiblity (or likelihood) that if Jackson isn't traded that he sits out for at least the first ten games.

In order to qualify for a year of accrued service toward free agency, a player needs to be on an active roster for a minimum of six games.

So, if he isn't traded, the three-game or six-game suspension is a moot point since I expect him to miss ten games and play the bare minimum to accrue a year of service.

If the Chargers trade Jackson, however, he will be able to play in Week 4 if he signs his tender before September 4th. Otherwise, he'll have to wait an additional three weeks.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To prevent rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh from being double-teamed too often, Lions defensive coordinator says teams have "to find him first. We're going to move him around. He's smart enough to play all the positions."

The Jets are on the verge of a long-term extension with center Nick Mangold.

In his return to Denver (as a Detroit Lion), tight end Tony Scheffler said, "It felt good, man. It was good to be back here, good to win the game. But I didn't expect the boos."

According to Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, it's not how start but how you finish.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said that Brandon Jacobs' injury (that made him a scratch for last night's game) "came out of nowhere." And the injury is "nothing serious," according to GM Jerry Reese.

Meanwhile quarterback Eli Manning will return (with a baseball cap on instead of a helmet) to the practice field on Monday.

Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will miss the next two-to-four weeks due to an ankle sprain, per NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has addressed his teammates twice this week and said, "I did feel -- more so than last year, believe it or not -- I needed them to know I'm all in."

In addition, Favre is getting more money to be "all in."

It's unlikely that Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh (shoulder) will return before the team's regular-season opener.

Teammate Keith Brooking says of his shoulder injury, "We did X rays and it was a Grade 1 so there's no separation in there. It's a very minor deal."

Vernon Gholstson said of the fight Rob Turner was asked (by Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine) to start with him: “Fighting? We can do that if necessary. But my job is always to try to become a better football player and try to help this team win…They saw how I responded. I ain’t scared of no fight.”

"Man, that one was pretty special," was how Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford described the 20-yard touchdown that he connected on with Calvin Johnson.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan says of Albert Haynesworth: "The days of him playing without practicing are over." (Discuss in our forums)

Jaguars receiver Mike Sims-Walker said he had "a little chip on my shoulder" going into last night's pre-season game.

The Rams signed wide receiver Danario Alexander.

The Colts have lost cornerback Jordan Hemby for the season due to a torn ACL.

A healthy Leon Washington scored on an 11-yard touchdown yesterday.

Seattle has reached a deal with wide receiver Brandon Jones.

Bears coach Lovie Smith said of Brian Urlacher's calf injury: ''It shouldn't be anything major."

Jay Cutler was sacked five times.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said of his touchdown-saving tackle last night: “Preseason, whatever it is, how do you just let a guy go? I don’t think it was anything special, it was just reaction.”

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After collapsing at Thursday's practice due to a migraine attack, Vikings receiver Percy Harvin was released from the hospital and returned to the team's practice facility today.

While I'm not sure when Harvin will be ready to practice again, I certainly hope that he never suffers another migraine.

But it's nearly certain that he will.

During our fantasy football podcast on Wednesday night, I pointed out that Harvin is a player with a lot of talent that wouldn't find his way on to my fantasy roster.

And that is because a migraine can strike at any time.

If a player suffers a different type of injury (shoulder, knee, etc.), you expect that player to go through the rehabilitation process and eventually fully -- or almost fully -- recover. For all intents and purposes, the injury is behind a player in that situation after their rehab is complete.

With migraines, you never really "heal" from them.

So, let's say you set your lineup for Week 5, as an example, and it's one hour before game time (Jets vs Vikings on Monday night). What do you do if Harvin suffers a migraine before kickoff?

It's unlikely that you can replace him unless you drafted Bernard Berrian or another Viking as a potential "handcuff."

The Vikings have five games that start at 4 p.m. (or later) where a Harvin scratch could come back to haunt your fantasy team.

With Harvin being the 21st wide receiver drafted on average (according to MockDraftCentral.com), you're expecting strong production from him for 1 p.m. starts as well.

In other words, it makes more sense to let someone else assume the risk.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Speaking of Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson, quarterbacks coach Chris Miller said: "When you're from a town named Scappoose, Oregon, that pretty much explains itself. You can't help but be semi-goofy."

The Broncos have signed quarterback Kyle Orton to a one-year extension worth $8.8 million ($5.5 guaranteed), per the Denver Post.

Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson says of facing Andre Johnson in practice everyday: "... If I'm able to go against him and hold my own, then I think I'll be good on Sundays."

In the Cowboys' pre-season game on Saturday, Robert Brewster is likely to start at right tackle.

Despite injuries to the offensive line, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips says quarterback Tony "Romo needs to get ready to play. He doesn't need to sit out the whole pre-season."

In addition, the Cowboys signed tight end Martin Rucker and waived quaterback Matt Nichols today, per Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News.

Packers safety Atari Bigby may miss up to eight weeks and Bigby would find it "very disappointing" to land on the PUP list.

Rams rookie receiver Mardy Gilyard has the right attitude: "To the outside eye, it might've looked like it was real good. In my opinion, I had two OK practices. Because I've got to be consistent. I can't be up and down. Of course (the coaches) expect me to make mistakes. But on my end, I don't want to make any."

The Ravens set a training camp attendance record (112,051).

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes that there will more attempts, a la Houston's Brian Cushing, from a suspended player's owner to make a last-ditch effort to appeal the suspended player's suspension.

LaRon Landry will move back to strong safety (from free safety) for the Redskins.

Supposedly, rookie Selvish Capers does a mean impersonation of controversial teammate Albert Haynesworth.

Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian thinks he "meshed pretty well" with quarterback Brett Favre last year.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted about Percy Harvin: "Encouraging reports on health of Vikings WR Percy Harvin so far ..."

According to a Yahoo! Sports report (via the Pioneer Press), a Vikings player says that "Brett just doesn't trust" coach Brad Childress.

Turning the Big 5-0 means for Hall-of-Fame quarterback John Elway, "The only thing that hit me about it was that I was now eligible to play in Senior events."

Competition brewing between Browns cornerback Eric Wright and rookie Joe Haden?

Cardinals cornerback Marshay Green says, "I ain't trying to go home."

Neither is Miami's Nate Ness: "I'm just trying to have fun. Who wouldn't have fun out there?''

“Me and Cro had conflicts,” [Chargers safety Eric] Weddle said [of ex-teammate Antonio Cromartie, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. “That’s just the way it is.”

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Taking another step in his rehabilitation process, Patriots receiver Wes Welker is playing in a real (sort of) NFL game tonight.

Of course, it was a pre-season game and it doesn't count. Sort of.

On the first offensive drive of the game, quarterback Tom Brady threw Welker three consecutive passes, two of which were caught.

Falcons defensive back Christopher Owens leveled him on the third attempt.

As pointed out by Ian Rappaport of the Boston Herald, whether Welker should be playing right now is subject to debate.

But Rappaport also notes that it's "a great indication" that Welker will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.

Welker is being hugely undervalued (as noted in last night's podcast) in fantasy football drafts, where he is, on average, the 29th wide receiver selected, according to MockDraftCentral.com.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Titans undrafted rookie running back LeGarrette Blount apologized for punching a teammate at the end of Wednesday night's practice, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

Blount, who was suspended by Oregon for a similar incident in the Boise State game, said that the "defense pushed [him] too far.''

"Two plays in a row they pulled my helmet off intentionally, and then they did it again,'' Blount said. "They almost do it every day. They grab you by the back of the head and pull your helmet off. They know that automatically calls the play dead. They kept egging on and provoking 'til it got to a certain point. They did it to everybody.''

Blount quickly sought out coach Jeff Fisher to apologize.

"I am not disappointed whatsoever,'' Fisher said. "His past is his past. Is that the first punch you've seen at camp this year? No. OK. I am not disappointed whatsoever. I have great confidence in the young man that he has learned from his mistake and is very competitive.''

As Fisher points out, fights happen all the time during training camp.

And it wouldn't be news if it weren't Blount, as FB Ahmard Hall says: "... because it's LeGarrette Blount, everybody wants to bring up his past."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow left today's practice with bruised ribs, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

The 49ers cut wide receiver Brandon Jones, who was paid $6 million and had one reception in eight games with the club.

Bills coach Chan Gailey says of all jobs (including the quarterback competition), ”There’s no job that’s locked in right now."

The Cowboys are expected to be without left guard Kyle Kosier for four to six weeks, according to Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News.

The Dolphins have signed guard Randy Thomas and released wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen, per the Miami Herald.

After rushing for 55 yards last week, Bucs running back Kareem Huggins should see more action earlier in the game against the Chiefs on Saturday, per Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times.

Bills free safety Jairus Byrd will be out indefinitely after he surgery to repair a groin injury, according to Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News.

The Seahawks traded defensive end Lawrence Jackson to the Detroit Lions for an undisclosed 2011 NFL draft pick.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre says 2010 will be his last season. (Discuss in our forums)

Saints quarterback Drew Brees knew what we knew, i.e., that Favre was coming back.

Injury news for Bills receiver David Nelson is not as bad as initially feared, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.

The Lions have claimed kicker Steven Haushka (and waived cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels), per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.

Jets center Nick Mangold returned to practice today.

The Cardinals will debut a new uniform against the Redskins on September 2nd.

The team also released safety Aaron Rouse and signed wide receiver Mike Jones, per Brad Biggs of the National Football Post.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning said of his collision with (and forehead gash from) running back Brandon Jacobs: “Anytime you lose a helmet, a lot of bad things can happen so I think I came out okay, considering.”

The Chargers and left tackle Marcus McNeil met at the team's facility today, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Per ESPN blogger Tim Graham (via Pro Football Talk), Dolphins running back Ricky Williams is looking (hoping) for a one-year contract extension through 2011.

"Ideally, right now, I would like to get a year extension with the Miami Dolphins, play this year and next year and then really focus on my schooling," Williams said.

Last year, Williams finished with 1,385 yards from scrimmage (1,121 rushing and 264 receiving) and scored 13 touchdowns (11 rushing and two receiving).

When backfield mate Ronnie Brown suffered a season-ending injury in Week 10, Williams went on a (figurative) tear rushing for 100+ yards in four of the next five weeks (counting that Week 10 match-up against the Buccaneers).

Not only did Williams play well when Brown was out, he played well in the weeks that Brown played too.

During those nine games, Williams had 751 yards from scrimmage and seven combined touchdowns.

In fantasy football, Brown (47th overall) is being drafted a couple of rounds higher than Williams (66th) based on average draft position (ADP) from MockDraftCentral.com.

Williams will earn a base salary this year of $4.35 million, according to Graham.

While he may not be a financial bargain as a 33-year-old running back, I think he's a much better fantasy bargain than Brown is.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During his days as a Viking, Patriots receiver Randy Moss once said about a fine that it "ain't nothing but 10 grand. What's 10 grand to me?"

While Moss still isn't worried about fines, he is still motivated by "straight cash, homie."

Moss, who's having a great training camp (according to ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss), is in the final year of his four-year contract with New England.

As Reiss notes, Moss made some remarkable catches look easy during passing drills with the Falcons today. In addition, he's not skipping the "veteran" off days that he had skipped in the past and he's letting his actions speak louder than words (i.e., no interviews).

Last year, some questioned his motivation down the stretch. He had five 100-yard games in the first nine games; he had none in the last seven weeks.

This year, it will be difficult to question his motivation with a new contract on his mind.

That said, it will be nearly impossible for him to have a career year in his contract year considering he set an NFL single-season record with 23 receiving touchdowns in his first season with the club.

But if he comes anywhere close to his 2007 numbers (98-1493-23), he'll provide fantasy owners with a bargain as the third receiver drafted (based on average draft position from MockDraftCentral.com).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As you've likely heard by now, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has flown from Mississippi to Minnesota with teammates Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson and Ryan Longwell.

Coach Brad Childress will address the media tomorrow following the team's morning practice.

Not that back-up (again) quarterback Tarvaris Jackson cares.

"I really don't care," said Jackson (about his teammates lobbying for a Favre return), per Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press. I felt like if my number's called, I'll be ready and I'll continue to work hard and get better. My teammates, that's their prerogative. I can't really control that so I'm just going to do my part."

Before the drama surrounding the (alleged) text messages that Favre sent to teammates in early-August, I had Favre ranked as my seventh-best fantasy quarterback for 2010.

This morning (before news of his trio of teammates flying to Mississippi), I released my updated rankings in which Favre was the 14th-ranked quarterback. A main reason for the drop was the uncertainty surrounding his return (to some extent, anyways, since I expected him to return for another season).

But the more I think about, I'm not going to bump Favre back up at this point.

With receivers Sidney Rice (hip) and Percy Harvin (migraines) not 100 percent in addition to Favre (ankle) himself, there are the injury concerns. In his 19 seasons, Favre has thrown for 4,000+ yards in back-to-back seasons only once (1998 and 1999).

It almost seems like Tennessee's Chris Johnson has a greater chance of repeating his 2,000-yard season as Favre does of putting up 4,000 yards again, especially as a 40-turning-41-year-old quarterback.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With a full week of NFL pre-season games under out belt, here are my (updated) Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2010:

1. Drew Brees, Saints: No quarterback has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. The only reason he had a four-year low of 4,388 passing yards last year was the Saints rested him in week 17 to get ready for their Super Bowl run.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: Like Brees, Rodgers has thrown for 4,000+ yards in each of the past two seasons. Unlike Brees, Rodgers put up solid rushing stats (523 yards and nine touchdowns in the past two years).

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: In 12 NFL seasons, Manning has reached the 4,000-yard milestone ten times including the past four seasons. The two he missed: 3,739 (rookie season) and 3,747 (2005). Considering he's only been sacked 24 times in his past two seasons, he's about as safe of a pick as possible.

4. Tony Romo, Cowboys: Only Matt Schaub and Peyton Manning threw for more yards and only Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers threw fewer interceptions (among full-season starters) than Romo in 2009. And, for a change, Romo finished the season strong: 1,859 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions in final six regular-season games.
5. Matt Schaub, Texans: Schaub led the NFL in passing yards (4,770) despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

6. Tom Brady, Patriots: In his first full season back from the knee injury, Brady threw for nearly 4,400 yards and 28 touchdowns. The big question for 2010 is the status of Wes Welker's knee although his rehab has been going remarkably well.

7. 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. Without Vincent Jackson for three games (suspension) and possibly ten or more games (holdout), there's a good chance his fantasy production will fall short of his abilities.

8. Joe Flacco, Ravens: With new weapons in the passing game (free agents Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth as well as rookies Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta and David Reed) and improved health, Flacco should easily exceed his 2009 numbers of 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Enter our free 2010 Fantasy Football Contest by making your Week 1 entry here.

9. Jay Cutler, Bears: Without Martz, Cutler passed for 3,666 yards and 27 TDs despite a career-high in interceptions (26). If Martz can help Cutler reign in the turnovers, he could be in for a huge season. Either way, Cutler said of Martz: "He makes you want to come to work every day."

10. 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) in 2009.

11. Donovan McNabb, Redskins: With a downgrade in weapons in the passing game, it will be difficult for McNabb to duplicate his 16-game pace (he missed two games) in 2009 of 4,060 yards and 25 TDs.

12. 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 (and even ahead of McNabb) in 2010 with the Eagles' pass-first offense.

13. Matt Ryan, Falcons: Despite his sophomore slump, partly due to injury (missed two games and most of another), 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.

14. Brett Favre, Vikings: Regardless of whether Favre texted teammates or not, most expect him to return for another season. But it depends largely on the health of his ankle. And duplicating last year's phenominal success (4,202 yards, 33 TDs, 7 INTs) seems nearly impossible, especially with Percy Harvin battling migraines and Sidney Rice recovering from his hip injury.

15. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Only Brees and Schaub had more passing yards per game than Big Ben (288.5) in 2009. Although an announcement hasn't yet been made, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that Roethlisberger has exceeded what was expected of him so expect his suspension to be reduced to four (from six) games.

16. Matthew Stafford, Lions: The Lions added Nate Burleson, a big upgrade as their No. 2 receiver, via free agency and MegaTron is healthy again. Last year, Stafford led the NFL in pass attempts per game (37.7).

17. Chad Henne, Dolphins: The off-season addition of Brandon Marshall should help Henne continue to develop in his second season as a starter. In the second half of 2009, Henne threw for 1,888 yards but he also threw 11 interceptions and only eight touchdowns.

18. Carson Palmer, Bengals: Palmer threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010. Regardless of all the "Batman" & "Robin" nonsense, the Bengals are a run-first (and defensive-minded) team with a quarterback that has some question marks.

19. Jason Campbell, Raiders: Last year, Campbell posted career highs in passing yards (3,618) and TDs (20). It will be difficult to surpass those numbers in Oakland considering the lack of weapons in their passing game.

20. Alex Smith, 49ers: Although Smith played in only 11 games, his per-game stats equate to a pace of 3,418 yards and 26 touchdowns over a full 16-game season. Plus, the Niners have decent weapons in the passing game: Vernon Davis (one of the league's top three tight ends), Michael Crabtree (the top-rated receiver heading into last year's rookie class) and Frank Gore (who has averaged 52 receptions over the past four years).

21. 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).

22. Vince Young, Titans: 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.

23. Matt Cassel, Chiefs: Only three quarterbacks were sacked more times than Cassel (42), who will look to improve upon his 2009 numbers (2,924 yards and 16 touchdowns).

24. Mark Sanchez, Jets: Typical of rookie quarterbacks, Sanchez had an up-and-down season. In four games with 3+ interceptions, he threw two touchdowns and 15 interceptions. In his other 11 games, he threw 10 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The addition of Santonio Holmes, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the season, should help Sanchez make progress in his second season.

25. Matt Moore, Panthers: With Jake Delhomme out of the picture (and the threat of Jimmy Clausen taking over), Moore will get an opportunity to build on his 2009 success (61.6% completion, 8 TDs, 2 INTs). That said, how long is his leash? (Vote on our poll: Who will the Panthers' starting QB in week 17?)

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings (which will be updated this week): Top 40 RBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs

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

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Apparently two media members asked for Tim Tebow's autograph during post-game interviews, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. (Discuss in our forums)

The 49ers have traded defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer, their first-round pick in 2008, for the Seahawks' sixth-round pick, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. (Discuss in our forums)

The Niners also signed free-agent running back Brian Westbrook to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million.

Lions cornerback Jonathan Wade, who broke his left index finger, took a line out of Bill Belichick's book: “I don’t think that it’s (life)-threatening. I’ll be all right. I won’t miss anything that will be detrimental to us. ..."

Shameless plug: You can follow us on Facebook. We currently have 1,000,071 fans (give or take one million).

Gregg Rosenthal of Pro Football Talk doesn't expect Redskins receiver Malcolm Kelly to make the 53-man roster. (Discuss in our forums.)

The Colts have lost safety Jamie Silva for the season to a torn ACL, per Phillip Wilson of the Indianapolis Star.

Vikings receiver Percy Harvin returned to practice today.

The Panthers activated receiver Steve Smith from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list today.

Instead of joining the Texans, defensive end Aaron Schobel is calling it quits.

Steelers suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will play in the team's second pre-season game, according to Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Our 2010 Fantasy Football Contest is officially open. Here's the link.

Panthers receiver Dwayne Jarrett on what it takes to be a pro: "Once I got it, I took it and I ran with it."

Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz said of receiver Devin Hester: ''I just got to tell you this and get this off my chest: I've heard so much about Devin not being a receiver and he doesn't learn well, and none of that is true. ..."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In two consecutive off-seasons, the Bengals have given free-agent wide receivers four-year contracts worth $28 million.

Last year, it was Laveranues Coles. This year, it was Antonio Bryant.

The Bengals and Coles parted ways earlier this off-season. The same may happen with Bryant.

Bryant, who hasn't practiced since the first day of training camp, is dealing with a knee injury and may reach an injury settlement with the Bengals, according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

So far, however, Bryant has already received $7.85 million from the Bengals in bonuses, per Pro Football Talk.

“I’m feeling better, but I really don’t have much to say,” Bryant said last week, per the team's website. “I’m just trying to be forgotten. It’s hard to forget $7 million. It will be worth it. As soon as I put my feet on the ground, it will be more than worth it.”

Not quite, Antonio.

So, which free-agent receiver will the Bengals sign to a four-year, $28 million contract next year? Will Javon Walker still be available?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While this isn't a noteworthy "news" item, Ian Rappaport of the Boston Herald notes that Mrs. Tom Brady, Brazilian supermodel Giselle Bundchen, paid her husband a visit at today's practice.

Yes, I know it's not really football news. But ...

As a rule of thumb, it's never a bad idea to post a picture of Brazilian supermodel when the opportunity presents itself. Or when it doesn't present itself, too.

So, here's said picture:

That makes me wonder whether Kim Kardashian paid a visit to Cowboys practice to watch boyfriend and Cowboys receiver Miles Austin today.

While I have no idea, here's a photo of Kardashian:

Ah, I love talking football.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

At a Sunday morning press conference, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said of quarterback Tom Brady's injured finger: “I don’t think it’s life-threatening.”

The Falcons have named Matt Bryant their kicker and have released Steven Hauschka, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

49ers rookie running back Anthony Dixon had 100 rushing yards against the Colts and said of the stiff arm he game to cornerback Mike Newton, "...once I saw him, I knew it was pretty much cake."

Speaking of his new attitude to regain his Pro Bowl form, Giants defensive end Osi Umyeniora said, “It’s an eff-it mentality. I don’t really feel like I have too much to lose right now. And I like it.”

Patriots linebacker Derrick Burgess was removed from the team's reserve-did not report list, passed his physical and practiced today.

Cardinals rookie quarterback John Skelton was five of six for 84 yards in his debut last night against the Texans, who counts Skelton's uncle (Javier Loya) as a minority owner.

Bears wide receiver Devin Aromashodu said of his 47-yard reception: “I want to show the coaches I can run a little bit after the catch and make plays, so I’m happy.”

It looks like the Lions lost linebacker Jordan Dizon for the season due to a knee injury that occurred in their pre-season game against the Steelers.

"I could care less what he thinks or who he knows," [Giants safety Terrell] Thomas said [of Jets' LB Bart Scott]. "I know who I am and that's all that matters. That's the easy way to go out. 'Who's Terrell Thomas?' I guess I've got some more work to do. That's just motivation for me."

If it weren't for bad luck... Titans RB Stefon Johnson had surgery on his dislocated ankle today and coach Jeff Fisher says Johnson could be healthy within 8-12 weeks, per John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Marc Columbo was sent to the hospital for an MRI on his right knee and he will miss two to four weeks after having surgery.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was younger, I was driving a small Honda CRX when a full-size pickup truck "landed" on my hood, pushing my car back about 20 feet as my hood broke its rear axle.

One of the onlookers commented that I had "good karma" for being able to get out of the car (essentially) unscathed.

In a way, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald got "good" news in a similar context.

In other words, it could have been worse.

Although Fitzgerald left last night's game with a knee injury, he expects to be ready for the season opener on September 12th against the St. Louis Rams. (See Cardinals 2010 schedule)

According to Darren Urban from the team's website, the MRI on Fitzgerald's knee revealed only an MCL sprain.

So, I wouldn't expect to see him on the field for any of the team's remaining pre-season games.

Unless, of course, that's what you consider a game against the Rams.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When it comes to ranking fantasy football tight ends, the top two spots could be named 1(a) and 1(b).

Depending on your preferences, views, mood, team affiliation, etc., those two spots are occupied by Dallas Clark and Antonio Gates (in no particular order).

The third spot -- arguably 1(c) -- is occupied by San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis, who finally had his breakout season in 2009.

In today's pre-season game against the Colts, Davis left the game with a knee injury. (Meanwhile, Dallas Clark didn't play in the game after not being able to finish Friday's practice.)

According to Matt Maiocco on Twitter, the injury for Davis appears to be a knee "strain."

Maiocco tweeted, "Vernon Davis says his knee should be fine. 49ers say it's a strain. Exact details not known."

Davis, who was the Niners' first-round pick in 2006, led all tight ends in touchdowns (13) and finished fifth in receiving yards (965) last season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In addition to signing two players (including receiver Buddy Farnham) and releasing another, the Patriots placed wide receiver Torry Holt on season-ending Injured Reserve (IR).

"It's a great disappointment for Torry," [Kennard] McGuire (Holt's agent) said. "He saw this as a terrific chance to play with another great quarterback and being coached by one of the all-time greats."

Before suffering the knee injury, however, his status on the roster wasn't a lock. If he were to be cut by the Patriots, they would have been the third team to cut him in three seasons. The Rams and Jaguars were the other two.

As Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston points out, the following are locks at receiver: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate and rookie Taylor Price.

Holt spent the majority of his career as part of The Greatest Show on Turf in St. Louis with Isaac Bruce. Bruce, who retired this off-season, ranks second all-time in receiving yards (15,208) and Holt ranks tenth all-time (13,382).

So, is this it for Holt?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Buffalo Bills drafted running back C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick, many questioned the move in a different way than they questioned the team (the Jaguars) that made the next pick.

It's not that Spiller was a huge reach like Tyson Alualu was with the tenth overall pick.

Instead the Bills had/have a myriad of needs at many positions and running back wasn't one of them with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers on the roster.

Fred Jackson rushed for 1,062 yards last year and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,000+ yards in each of the two seasons prior to that.

How quickly things change.

Mark Gaughn of The Buffalo News reports that Jackson (broken hand) will miss four to six weeks and Lynch (sprained ankle) will miss three to four weeks.

In addition, Joique Bell and Chad Simpson have an improved shot of making the 53-man roster due to the timing of the injuries.

And Spiller, who was already getting reps with the first team, will have an opportunity to solidify his hold on the spot. In the pre-season opener, Spiller had four carries for 16 yards.

Spiller should move up a couple of spots in fantasy drafts, but the short-term nature of the injuries shouldn't dramatically change his draft position.

When Jackson is healthy again, he should figure into the backfield mix with a heavy dose of touches regardless of whether Spiller or Jackson starts.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you want Chargers rookie running back Ryan Mathews on your fantasy football team, it's going to cost you a high draft pick.

On average (via Mock Draft Central), Mathews is going in the middle of the second round ahead of experienced backs like Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, Jamaal Charles and Pierre Thomas.

In his NFL debut last night, Mathews finished with 50 yards on nine carries after vomiting in the locker room before the game due to "nerves."

“It was crazy at first,” Mathews said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “My adrenaline was going.”

Earlier in the off-season, Chargers coach Norv Turner said he expected Mathews to get in the ballpark of 250 carries. Only nine backs had more than that in 2009.

If last night's performance is a sign of things to come and he gets the touches Turner expects, Mathews is well worth the high pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In our fantasy football podcast primarily dedicated to the discussion of running backs, we talked about backs who were undervalued and overvalued.

One of the guys on my undervalued list was Houston RB Arian Foster; Ben Tate, his rookie teammate, made my overvalued list. According to MockDraftCentral.com, Tate and Foster are the 26th and 54th running backs selected in fantasy football drafts, respectively, based on average draft position.

In tonight's pre-season game between the Texans and Cardinals, Foster had a solid game (31 rushing yards on four carries).

Tate, who had been "up and down" during training camp, left tonight's game with a "lower leg injury," per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Pro Football Talk).

And a healthy Steve Slaton picked up where he left off in 2009, i.e., with a fumble at the goalline.

Update: Per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, it appears Tate's injury is a broken ankle and that he's out for the season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today wasn't Ryan Grant's day.

In Green Bay's pre-season match-up against the Browns, Grant had three carries for six yards.

He fumbled the ball away on his first carry and needed help off the field after his third carry, per the Associated Press.

Provided the injury is nothing serious, Grant is a guy worth targeting in fantasy drafts. He often gets overlooked, but he has posted back-to-back seasons with 1,200+ yards.

According to MockDraftCentral.com, Grant is the 13th running back and 21st player overall selected in fantasy drafts based on average draft position.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With a potential lockout looming for the 2011 NFL season, Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall has a fallback plan.

During an interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter, Marshall said that he would try out for an NBA team: Nuggets first, Heat second.

And he's confident in his abilities.

"Not pursuing -- I'm going to be on an NBA team. Seriously."

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano disagrees: "I've seen him jump -- he's not playing basketball."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We know, for certain, that Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson won't be on the field for the team's first three games as he serves his suspension for violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

In addition, it has seemed more likely than not that Jackson would skip an additional seven games due to his contract dispute with the team.

When he didn't sign his restricted free agent (RFA) tender by the June 15th deadline, the Chargers reduced their offer at their first eligible opportunity from over $3 million to under $600,000. It's safe to assume that move increased his level of frustration about not getting a long-term deal.

Yet in order to accrue an additional year of service toward free agency, Jackson needs to be on the roster for at least six games.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Pro Football Talk) wrote in a mailbag column that "Vincent Jackson is not a part of the plan. I don't see them using the franchise [tag] on Jackson either. Not now. This has gotten ugly."

So, unless he's traded, which is unlikely based on general manager A.J. Smith's hardline stance, the most likely outcome is for Jackson to hold out for exactly ten games and then show up and go through the motions for six games.

Yet Acee wrote that "there is verrrrry little chance" that either Jackson or left tackle Marcus McNeil, who hasn't signed his RFA tender either, are "back this season."

When I updated my fantasy rankings, Jackson's spot on the list was based on him missing ten games with a smaller possibility of missing fewer games.

With the next update (coming soon), his ranking will be based on him missing ten games with the smaller possibility of missing the entire season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Will you be watching the premiere of HBO's Hard Knocks tonight?

One person likely to watch is Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, who hopes to see former teammate Jason Taylor "embarrass himself."

"He's a real pretty boy. He had makeup with Dancing with the Stars and all that, so he might put on makeup," Crowder said Monday, per Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post. "He's gonna perform. Trust me. You can mark that. JT is not going to be himself. He's gonna perform for the cameras, 'cause he's a showman. That's what I give him a hard time about -- he's going to be as clean as he can, he's gonna have a freshly-shaved head, 'cause the camera is around and he's very womanly."

On the other hand, it's unlikely that Giants V.P. of communications Pat Hanlon will watch (or admit to watching).

In response to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello's countdown tweet today, Hanlon tweeted in response (via Pro Football Talk), "Whopee ... what team is being featured this year?"

Obviously, the biggest storyline of the show will be the Darrelle Revis holdout, but I wouldn't expect the full-team meeting suggested by Ryan today.

"This is what I would like to have happen," Ryan said, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. "Everybody put their cards on the table. Have Darrelle come here with anybody he wants. We'll have Mr. Johnson here. ... We'll call off practice. We'll have our whole team there to meet. That way, there's no he-said, she-said. Let's work it that way. Maybe that's how we'll get a solution. Everybody wants a solution. Let's figure out a way to do it. Maybe this is the way."

Set your DVRs, ladies and gentlemen.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to Gary Myers of the NY Daily News, the Jets and shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis, who continues to hold out, aren't even close in the total level of compensation in their contract negotiations.

While the Jets have offered Revis a 10-year, $120 million contract, Myers says that the two sides are off by about $40 million.

Yes, $40 million.

Meanwhile, the Jets also made a four-year, $40 million contract proposal as a more short-term solution, per Myers.

In both cases, guaranteed money wasn't discussed.

Neil Schwartz, the agent for Revis, says, "If the Jets had offered a two-year, $1 billion contract with $1 million this year and $999 million next year, that is not guaranteed. The contract is only worth $1 million. But it would be reported that Revis was offered a two-year, $1 billion deal."

I guess it's going to be some time before coach Rex Ryan kisses Revis "on the lips."

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

Typically Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has lined up at right cornerback. But the Raiders are looking to move him around more in 2010, per Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune.

“I’ve been outside, both sides,’’ Asomugha said (via McDonald). “It looks like it won’t be a thing that’s selective based off who we’re playing It’s just going to be a thing that we can do whenever we want. It’s a part of the package. And that’s great. It gets me more involved.”

“Some of it is just being able to get him comfortable on both sides because of all the slot formations and . . . all those things you have to do, and some of it has to do with him maybe lining up on the best receiver type thing,’’ said coach Tom Cable.

Asomugha, who is the highest-paid cornerback in the league, is regarded as one of the top two or three corners in the league.

Lining up Asomugha on the opposition's top receiver is what the Jets have done with Darrelle Revis, who most consider the league's top cornerback. And Revis has essentially taken guys like Houston's Andre Johnson, New England's Randy Moss and Carolina's Steve Smith out of the game.

But so far in 2010, Asomugha has already (indirectly) shut down one elite player -- Revis.

His holdout from Jets' training camp stems from his desire to be the highest-paid cornerback even if it's only by "50 cents."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Patriots receiver Wes Welker, a.k.a. The Slot Machine, has impressed everyone throughout his rehabilitation from knee surgery in February.

As pointed out in a column by Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports, however, one of the motivating factors behind Wes Welker's diligent rehabilitation may have been the almighty dollar.

Welker has two years left on his five-year, $18.1 million contract and is due to earn $2 million in 2010.

“I think he’s crazy,” one friend who plays for another NFL team says of Welker (via Silver). “He wants a new deal, and the Patriots have [second-year wideout] Julian Edelman lined up as his replacement. If I were Wes, I wouldn’t even consider coming back until October.”

As expected, Welker deflected the topic of his contract.

“I’ve got two years left on my deal,” he says. “I’m just here to play ball. I just worry about doing my job and let everything else take care of itself. I want to be out here to help my team win. I want to be out here with the fellas. There’re only so many days you can sit inside and rehab. It gets kind of boring in there.”

Whether he wants a contract or not, who could blame him if he does? But it seems that Welker is the kind-of guy that would be more motivated by all of the doubters than anything else.

The Patriots and Saints had a joint practice today and Saints defensive back Randall Gay said (via the Boston Herald),“It doesn’t look like he ever hurt his knee, I’ll tell you that.”

According to MockDraftCentral.com, Welker is the 30th receiver being drafted based on average draft position (ADP) in between Robert Meachem (ADP: 29th WR) and Braylon Edwards (ADP: 31st WR). There is no reason he should slip that far.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Browns inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson suffered a pectoral injury during today's practice, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Although the severity of this injury is unknown, Jackson will have an MRI Tuesday night.

Jackson, who has been starting with Chris Gocong at inside linebacker during camp, suffered a season-ending tear to his other pectoral muscle in October.

In 2008, Jackson led the NFL in tackles.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In 2009, Titans running back Chris Johnson was only 100 yards shy of breaking the single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards held by Eric Dickerson.

Not only does he want to break the record this year, he wants to annihilate it.

"Basically just come out here this year, another year, and try to get those 2,500 yards -- make all my fantasy owners proud," Johnson said, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Last year, he finished with 2,509 yards from scrimmage, which broke the single-season record held by Marshall Faulk.

But to rush for 2,500 yards in a season, Johnson would need 156.25 yards per game (as pointed out by Pro Football Talk).

Johnson went over 100 yards in 12 of his 16 games including his last 11 games; however, he had only two games with more than 156 rushing yards.

Although I think it's unlikely that he reaches 2,000 rushing yards (again), he's still worthy of the top overall pick in fantasy drafts.

So, in other words, as a Chris Johnson fantasy owner, you already make us proud, Chris.

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

There are two important things to know about our new fantasy football contest for 2010: it's free and you can win some cold, hard cash.

The contest is relatively simple.

And it will take place in our forums. Here. So, bookmark this page. I mean, now.

Each week, we will pre-select five players (one QB, one RB, two WRs and one TE) from the Monday Night Football (MNF) matchup. (Note: Week 1 has two MNF matchups, which has become a Week 1 tradition in the NFL.)

Your goal?

To guess the number of total yards (passing, rushing and receiving) produced by those five pre-selected players.

Example: Let's say you guess 600 yards for the five players in Week 1 and they actually produce 655 yards. Your score is 55, which is the difference (655 - 600). Until you have a week where you score better (i.e., lower) than 55, your score will remain 55.

After the first 13 weeks of the regular season, the 12 participants with the best (i.e., lowest) one-week score will advance to the post-season.

The winner will be the individual that combines for the lowest three-week score during the playoffs (Weeks 14-16).

Top prize is $50, which can be doubled to $100. The 11 runner-ups win an Eat, Drink and Sleep Football t-shirt, which, quite frankly, is not much of a consolation prize. (See for yourself here.)

Did you bookmark this page yet? What are you waiting for? Ok, seriously, good luck to all entrants.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney had a decent season in 2009 finishing with 757 rushing yards (27th in the NFL) and nine rushing touchdowns (13th) despite his career-high four fumbles.

During a nine-game span (October 18th to December 20th), Maroney scored all nine of his touchdowns and rushed for 637 yards. In the other six games he played, Maroney rushed for only 120 yards and no touchdowns on 37 carries.

Heading into 2010, Maroney wants to be a more physical runner.

"I'm not trying to be on, what's that dance show they've got on TV? 'Dancing with the Stars?'" Maroney said, per Howard Ulman of the Associated Press. "I'm physical. Downhill."

In addition, his primary goal is to be more consistent.

"You can come out here and play one or two good games but you've got to be consistent throughout the whole year. So that's my main goal, just stay consistent."

With a running back by committee in place in New England, Maroney will compete with Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis for touches.

Since it's a contract year for Maroney, he could be a late-round bargain for fantasy owners if he gets a consistent number of touches and runs with a physical style.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs had a disappointing season in 2009.

In fact, his frustrations led to this bold statement one month into the season: “If I finish the season averaging (3.4 yards) a carry, I won’t play next year. I'll be done. That’s how much I believe in my ability.”

While he did average more than 3.4 yards per carry, he only finished with a 3.7 YPC average and 835 rushing yards on the season.

The culprit: his injured knee, the blocking, the play-calling?

According to Jacobs, it was his "fat."

“I had fat last year, over 9 percent,” Jacobs told Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger yesterday. “This year, I’m under six.”

Meanwhile, coach Tom Coughlin says that Jacobs is "running well" and "looks fast" during camp.

But the same can be said for Ahmad Bradshaw, who has been getting more reps with the first team.

"Me and Brandon are roommates," Bradshaw said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York. "And we talk everyday about how hungry we are and how excited we are."

According to MockDraftCentral.com, Jacobs is the 25th running back and 51st player selected based on his average draft position (ADP). Meanwhile, Bradshaw's current ADPs are 34th and 83rd, respectively.

While I expect Jacobs to have a bounce-back season, I wouldn't be surprised if Bradshaw gets close to an equal number of carries in 2010. From a value perspective, I like Bradshaw at an ADP of 83 over Jacobs at 51.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More than likely, you've had a moment in your life where you felt like you had too much to drink. But have you ever been found in a ditch so drunk that you were unable to stand up?

If your name is John Gill, the answer is yes.

Arrested by Indianapolis police for public intoxication, Colts defensive tackle John Gill was found passed out in a ditch at 4 a.m. this morning wearing "disheveled and soiled" clothes, according to the Associated Press.

When the Colts decided to rest their starters in the final two games of 2009, Gill recorded a total of nine tackles.

But Gill will likely be searching for a new employer in the very near future.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When it comes to the Detroit Lions backfield, many have written off third-year running back Kevin Smith, who had major knee surgery in December.

Although first-round rookie Jahvid Best has been "as good as advertised" in camp and getting the first-team reps in practice, it may be premature to write off Smith, according to Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Kowalski describes Smith's hunger as "blood-thirsty hunger" and writes that his intensity has reached "an entirely different level." In addition, it's looking more likely that he will enter the season at 100 percent (or very close to it).

So, even if Best is the Lions running back to own in fantasy leagues, Smith may provide owners with much more value.

According to MockDraftCentral.com, Best is the 20th running back and 37th player drafted based on his average draft position (ADP). Meanwhile, 57 running backs and 200 players are being drafted before Smith.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This year's first-round rookie class has done something that hasn't been done in ten years.

Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller and Seattle offensive tackle Russell Okung, the last two unsigned first-round picks entering today, have come to terms with their respective teams on rookie deals.

Okung, who was the sixth-overall pick, agreed to a six-year deal worth $48.5 million ($29 million guaranteed), according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The maximum value of the contract is $58 million.

Spiller, who was the ninth-overall pick, agreed to a five-year contract worth $25 million ($20.8 million guaranteed), according to ESPN's John Clayton. The maximum value of the contract is $37.5 million.

San Francisco's Michael Crabtree, who slipped to tenth overall in last year's draft, missed five games due to an extended holdout. It's good to see that we won't have any holdouts this year (at least when it comes to rookies).

And according to ESPN, this is the earliest that all first-round picks have signed since 2000.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Jets coach Rex Ryan said of his public praise for cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is currently holding out: "People are going to throw it in our face that you shouldn’t say it. Hey, look, the tape doesn’t lie; this guy is a heck of a football player."

Before being released by Buffalo Wednesday, Aaron Schobel said, “If I were a free agent, and I could choose a team, it would be the Texans, without a doubt.” The feelings are mutual. (Discuss in our forums)

Cowboys back-up tight end Martellus Bennett said (via the Dallas Morning News) of a pair of former teammates: "I like T.O., he's one of my favorite players and Pacman, he's a good kid..."

On a day Broncos' fans received the devastating news of the injury to Elvis Dumervil, they can take (a minor) solace in the play of wide receiver Eddie Royal on Thursday.

The Cowboys will be without Marcus Spears for the next 4-6 weeks as he recovers from a sprained knee ligament.

Bills coach Chan Gailey said of when Ed Wang could return from thumb surgery: ”I would say the best we’re talking about is four (weeks) and the worst we’re talking about is eight (weeks), but don’t hold me to either one of those.”

Receiver Michael Irvin, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, admits that he made love to his wife while wearing his Hall-of-Fame jacket. Irvin said, "I refused and kept the blazer on because I wanted to perform like a Hall of Famer on the field and off."

Cardinals TE Ben Patrick, who suffered a displaced knee cap Wednesday, is expected to return by the start of the season.

Texans WR Andre Johnson signed a two-year extension that will make his per-season average $10.5 million through 2016.

The Chargers claimed linebacker Ali Highsmith off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals, per the team's website.

Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks returned to practice today although teammate Sean O'Hara said, “The only thing more miserable than two-a-day practices is watching two-a-day practices.”

Lions safety Louis Delmas says of surgery rumors: “Yeah, surgery has been discussed, but it’s not a possibility right now. The best thing for me right now is take some time off, a lot of icing and hopefully I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said, "My mind is focused on getting back to the NFC North and winning that, and getting to the Super Bowl. Any negativity blown my way, I just jump over it.''

Packers safety Atari Bigby will have surgery on his ankle Friday and he doesn't expect to miss more than a month.

Finnegan's Island? The Titans plan to move cornerback Cortland Finnegan around to defend the opposing team's best receiver.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During a one-on-one passing drill today, Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil suffered a torn pectoral muscle that will sideline him for four-to-five months, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Although Dumervil could miss the entire season, coach Josh McDaniels doesn't "want to comment on a timetable.”

Last year, Dumervil led the NFL in sacks with 17 and only DeMarcus Ware and Jared Allen have had more sacks than Dumervil over the past four seasons.

Now the Broncos will need Robert Ayers and Jarvis Moss, two disappointing former first-round picks, to step up. Earlier this week, Ayers said he wants to be "dominant." For the Broncos' sake, he needs to be.

Or someone needs to be.

But the duo of Moss and Ayers had no sacks in 2009 and a total of 3.5 over four combined seasons (three seasons for Moss and one for Ayers). In fact, the team's returning sack leader (excluding a sidelined Dumervil) is Darrell Reid, who had four sacks in 2009.

The loss of Dumervil hurts leads Yahoo's Doug Farrar to speculate that the Broncos may pursue free-agent linebacker Adalius Thomas, who was released by the Patriots this off-season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With top-flight rookies looking to get as much money as possible before beginning their (usually short-lived, non-guaranteed) careers, fans, players, agents, teams, etc. can get a little frustrated when a player holds out of training camp.

And with the immediacy of sites like Twitter, we can easily see that frustration manifest itself.

As one of the final 2 first-round holdouts (Seattle's Russell Okung is the other), Buffalo's C.J. Spiller is getting a little frustrated with people bugging him about his holdout.

Here's what Spiller tweeted: "Watching my favorite rocky 3 so if ppl keep talkin trash ab wats going on I’m get my rocky on wit sumbody. Go bills #21"

Social networking at its finest.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks hyperextended his knee at practice today and had an MRI this evening.

According to a source of Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger, Nicks doesn't believe that he suffered a serious injury although the results of the MRI won't be known until Wednesday.

Garafolo points out that the same was true of Domenik Hixon, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury at the team's mini-camp in June.

In 14 games as a rookie, Nicks had 47 receptions for 790 yards and six touchdowns. In my fantasy football rankings, I ranked Nicks (20th) only three spots lower than teammate Steve Smith (17th).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Philadelphia Eagles second-year receiver Jeremy Maclin left today's practice on a cart after suffering a hyperextended knee.

"Hyperextended my knee a little bit," Maclin said, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. "Should be all right, though."

Maclin, the team's first-round pick in 2009, was right.

According to CSNPhilly.com's Derrick Gunn (via Pro Football Talk), Maclin only has a bone bruise and he didn't suffer any ligament damage to his meniscus.

While no timetable was set for Maclin's return, he could be out for several weeks.

Last year, Maclin finished with 55 receptions for 762 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games.

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

Although Ravens receiver Derrick Mason sprained his ankle at today's practice, he doesn't think it's a high-ankle sprain, per Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun.

"Luckily, it’s not anything serious that’s going to keep me out a long period of time," said Mason (via Hensley). "It’s just stiff and sore. Not a lot of pain."

Mason also said he "just twisted it, that's all."

Despite his advanced age (teammate Donte' Stallworth called him "56 years old") for a receiver, Mason is a guy that is getting very little fantasy football love.

The upside of young receivers like San Francisco's Michael Crabtree and New York's Hakeem Nicks obviously isn't there with Mason. And with Anquan Boldin in town, he's unlikely to finish 13th in the NFL in targets like last year.

But he has posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in addition to eight in the past nine years and I think folks are overcorrecting for Mason's age and Boldin's presence.

According to Mock Draft Central, Mason is the 40th receiver off the boards based on average draft position. In our rankings (which will be updated soon), Mason was the 26th-ranked receiver.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Unless, of course, he was already a rich man. If so, he's now a much richer man.

The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, according to Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Kowalski reports that the five-year deal includes $40 million of guaranteed money and has a maximum value of $68 million.

Although the guaranteed amount is less than the $41.7 million guaranteed money given to Matthew Stafford, who was selected by the Lions last year with the top overall pick, it is more on a per annum basis since Stafford signed a six-year deal.

With Suh reaching a deal with the Lions, there are now only two unsigned first-rounders remaining: Seattle's Russell Okung and Buffalo's C.J. Spiller.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As you already know, today's sports talk and headlines were dominated by the news of a player that won't be on the football field in week one.

That's right, folks.

The Falcons will be without defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, who was suspended for one game for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

Instead of Babineaux, of course, it was another player. But if bad news for Babineaux could surface on any day, today was the perfect day for him.

The announcement of Babineaux's suspension comes on the same day that multiple reports claim that Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre has told teammates that he won't be back for the 2010 NFL season due to his ankle healing slower than expected.

Another guy that's happy to hear the Favre news is Washington's Albert Haynesworth, but ESPN's Jeff MacGregor was able to work in a Favre-related dig on (less) Fat Albert via Twitter: "Pacing back and forth as he decides retirement, Brett Favre accidentally completes Redskins conditioning test."

First of all, the news isn't coming directly from Favre. Secondly, if it did, I wouldn't believe him until I saw it with my own eyes. And I'm not talking week one. If he's not in the mix in November, then I'll believe it. And I'm certainly not the only one to take that stance.

For argument's sake, however, let's assume it's true and take a quick look at the impact of a Minnesota offense with Tarvaris Jackson (or Sage Rosenfels and not Brett Favre) under center.

Although Favre was the seventh-ranked quarterback in my fantasy rankings, Jackson is a low QB2, at best. In fact, the last time Jackson was a starting quarterback (December 2008), he played well. He had a QB rating of 115.4, threw for 185 yards per game, eight touchdowns and only one interception during a four-game span. But there are easily 15 quarterbacks that I'd trust more than Jackson, who has been largely inconsistent throughout the opportunities he's had.

The value of Adrian Peterson shouldn't change too much.

Without Favre, Peterson had 1,885 yards from scrimmage in 2008. Last year, Peterson had 1,819 yards from scrimmage with Favre. Even though Peterson's carries dropped from 363 to 314 with Favre, he was more involved in the passing game (21 to 43 receptions). Peterson was second on our fantasy running back rankings and that is exactly where he will remain with or without Favre.

The biggest (negative) impact is to Sidney Rice, who is battling a hip injury that led to plenty of concern before the Favre news. But Rice burst onto the scene last year in part due to the chemistry that he and Favre had. With health and quarterback concerns, Rice is someone that I will move down in the next fantasy rankings update.

In addition, I will knock Percy Harvin down a notch, but not as much as Rice. Harvin is a versatile player that had 135 rushing yards in addition to his 60 receptions. It wouldn't surprise me to see Harvin get a few more rushing attempts with Jackson as quarterback to help offset a few less targets.

Either way, I have the feeling we will be hearing more about a quarterback that wears No. 4? Or doesn't ... any more.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One day after the Jaguars stated (and Tyson Alualu's agent denied reports) that their first-round pick had signed on the dotted line, he, well, signed on the dotted line.

According to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, Alualu yesterday agreed to a five-year deal worth $28 million, $17.5 million of which is guaranteed.

In addition to Alualu, two other first-rounders signed become multi-millionaires yesterday.

The Indianapolis Colts signed Jerry Hughes, the 31st-overall draft pick, to a five-year deal worth $12 million. Meanwhile the Cincinnati Bengals signed Jermaine Gresham, the 21st-overall draft pick, to a five-year contract worth $15.85 million (up to $18.5 million) with $9.6 million guaranteed, per Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

With these signings, there are three first-rounders that remain unsigned, as of August 3rd: Detroit's Ndamukong Suh (second-overall pick), Seattle's Russell Okung (sixth-overall pick) and Buffalo's C.J. Spiller (ninth-overall pick).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since the Broncos have started training camp, Robert Ayers has rejoined the defense's first unit at strongside linebacker.

If you remember, Ayers was demoted during the team's mandatory mini-camp in June, but Ayers doesn't want to talk about the "mistake" he made, according to Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post.

Ayers, the team's second of two first-round picks in 2009, was a disappointment in rookie season (no sacks and only 19 tackles).

His disappointing rookie campaign and stint in the "doghouse" in June "didn't bruise his confidence."

"I want to improve on everything," Ayers said. "I want to be dominant, I want to be quick, I want to play fast, I want to execute, I want to do everything. But my big emphasis out here is to dominate.

"I want to dominate every player that lines up in front of me. That's what I've been focusing on, getting myself ready in the offseason to do that. That's what I expect of myself, to come out and dominate. I know I have to do that to keep the job."

Between Ayers and fellow former first-rounder Jarvis Moss, the duo has combined for four disappointing seasons.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Arizona Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Dan Williams to a five-year deal, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Williams, who was the 26th overall pick, is strong against the run, not much of a pass-rusher and has been inconsistent and some have questioned his motivation.

Here is part of what DraftCountdown.com wrote in their scouting report for Williams: "... Talented prospect who can be as good as he wants to be but shaky intangibles are a big concern --- Showed what an impact player he is capable of being at times as a senior but the key will be keeping him in shape and motivated --- Boom or Bust."

There are now six unsigned first-rounders considering that Jacksonville's Tyson Alualu hasn't officially accepted/signed his offer from the Jaguars, according to his agent.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Tyson Alualu, the tenth-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. (Here's a video of coach Jack Del Rio calling it "good news" that Alualu's signed.)

Meanwhile, that's not what Kenny Zuckerman, Alualu's agent, says.

According to Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union, Zuckerman said that "he did not agree to terms."

Instead, he said he recommended his client accept the offer, but that Alualu and his family "will pray on it" before making their final decision.

Per Stellino, the estimated value of the contract is $28 million over five years and includes between $17-$18 million of guaranteed money.

As a top ten pick (see all picks), Alualu was a bit of a reach. But he has a high motor and over his 51-game collegiate career at Cal, Alualu finished with 16 sacks and 190 tackles.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The San Diego Chargers have signed running back Ryan Mathews, their first-round pick, to a five-year deal worth $25.65 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The guaranteed portion of the contract is $15.08 million.

"We are excited to have Ryan here and ready to go," Chargers president Dean Spanos said, per the USA Today. "Aside from his outstanding talents on the field, he's a class young man and the kind of player we're proud to add to our team."

That said, it's unknown whether Mathews will participate in this afternoon's practice, which will be the team's first in full pads, since Mathews still has to take a physical, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Earlier this off-season, head coach Norv Turner had said that he expects Mathews to get around 250 carries. In a league that has transitioned away from workhorse running backs, 250 carries would have ranked tenth in the NFL in 2009.

In our fantasy football rankings, Mathews is the 12th-ranked running back on our list.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In one of my dynasty leagues (16 of 22 players kept each season), my roster from last year included: Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner, San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson and Denver running back Knowshon Moreno.

Warner has since retired and Jackson will serve a three-game suspension to start the season, which could be followed up with a holdout over contract issues.

Today Moreno was carted off the practice field after he fell making a cut. Initially, his injury was feared to be an ACL injury.

According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, however, the injury is to Moreno's right hamstring.

While Klis writes that Moreno "popped his pretty good," he also points out that "muscles typically heal quicker than ripped up knee ligaments."

On average, Moreno has been the 18th running back and 32nd player drafted, according to Mock Draft Central.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The initial rumors were that Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick by the Detroit Lions, wanted more than the record-setting guaranteed money ($50 million) given to Sam Bradford, the first-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Eugene Parker, the agent for Suh, has told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that "Suh's deal will come in less" than Bradford's.

Even so, there is a reasonable chance that Suh will receive more guaranteed money than what Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford received from the team last year ($41.7 million) as the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, as pointed out by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski.

Last year, Suh had 12 sacks at Nebraska including four in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas.

In addition, he won numerous college football awards, such as the Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Vince Lombardi Award.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The NFL's best cornerback has made it known that he wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the league, even if it's only by "50 cents."

With the New York Jets opening training camp today, cornerback Darrelle Revis was a no-show for the team's conditioning test this morning, per Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger.

Meanwhile, the Jets say that Revis isn't technically a holdout until (or unless) he misses the team's 5:30 p.m. meeting, according to Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News.

A couple of weeks ago, Cincinnati's Chad Ochocinco made the following plea to Revis (via Twitter): "@revis24 dude, im stupid excited for the season, don't hold out, you can have some of my fine fund money i set aside, let's have fun!"

Maybe Ochocinco needs to get Terrell Owens, his new partner-in-crime, to make the same offer at the 11th hour.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Two months ago, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker surprised many by participating in an OTA practice.

Today Welker has been removed from the active/PUP list, passed a physical and will participate fully in the team's training camp practice this morning.

Per Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, the Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio said of Welker: "He works hard, he's committed to football. ... Wes is a unique guy, there is no question about it. It's a tribute to him and his work ethic and competitiveness and toughness to get back on the field."

It continues to appear likely that Welker will be ready to go for the season opener.

When it comes to fantasy football, Welker is a player that others may shy away from drafting due to their concerns about his knee. And, of course, with his fearless and reckless style, a less-than-fully-healed knee poses a risk.

That said, he missed more than two full games plus the majority of another last year. Despite missing that time, he still led the NFL in receptions (123) and finished second in receiving yards (1,348). He may get off to a slow start in the first few games, but a slow start is better than no start.

And if he's in full stride by the end of the season (which I expect), he's a veritable bargain as the 35th receiver selected based on average draft position (ADP) from Mock Draft Central.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As of 9 p.m. ET last night, there were 11 unsigned first-round draft picks. Twelve hours later, the number stands at eight.

Seattle has reached a deal with safety Earl Thomas, who was the 14th-overall pick and the second of the Seahawks' two first-rounders. Per the AP, the deal is worth $21.1 million over five years.

Tennessee has reached a deal with Derrick Morgan, the 16th-overall draft pick, on a five-year contract although the financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed, according to The Tennessean.

The Jets have reached a deal with cornerback Kyle Wilson, the 29th-overall pick, on a five-year deal, according to Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $7 million and can reach a maximum of $13 million.

As Vrentas pointed out, Wilson tweeted, "I'm a millionaire!!!!!!!!!! And headed to camp."

The eight remaining unsigned first-rounders are: (2) Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, (6) Russell Okung, Seattle, (9) C.J. Spiller, Buffalo, (10) Tyson Alualu, Jacksonville, (12) Ryan Mathews, San Diego, (21) Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati, (26) Dan Williams, Arizona and (31) Jerry Hughes, Indianapolis.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)