Gridiron Experts

5 Bold NFL Predictions for 2010 (Part 1)

Gridiron Experts team of writers is making some bold NFL predictions. Some are long shots that you may love, others are realistic guess’s that you’ll hate.

Chris Hall’s 5 Bold Predictions

5.The Texans make the playoffs.

I know, I know, the Texans have a studly fantasy offense with Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, and crew, but they have never, in their teams history, been to the playoffs. The team is way too good to keep losing close games, and I really think that the Kris Brown/Neil Rackers kicking rivalry will make for a few less blown game enders. There’s no reason that the Texans should’ve lost to the Colts and Titans in weeks 9 and 11.

4. Shonn Greene will go the way of Ronnie Brown.

I absolutely hate foretelling injuries to players, but I don’t think that Shonn Greene’s style of play translates into a full NFL season. He hurt his ribs last offseason and then in the playoffs, and is bound to hurt them again with his bruising style. Rex Ryan is already threatening to load him up with extra padding to prevent rib damage… sounds scary to me.

3. Steven Jackson will leave fantasy owners out of the playoffs.

Last time S-Jax topped 300 rushing attempts (’06-’07), he sputtered out the next season and ran for 1,002 yards and 5 TD’s. Last season he had 324 yards and had to have been demoralized by having 19 linebackers on him every play. I really don’t see the offense getting that much better this year with Sam Bradford, so once again he will be on everyones radar. Expect him to be tired… real tired. …Continue reading 5 Bold NFL Predictions for 2010 (Part 1)

Fantasy Factor

• Golden Tate – WR, Seattle Seahawks: Rookie Golden Tate didn’t play on offense until the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ third preseason game Saturday. Fantasy Factor Ever since the Donut incident, Tate really hasn’t been making news. The surprise addition of Mike Williams has stolen the spotlight. Tate could turn it on as the season goes, but right now he shouldn’t be ranked too high on your draft board.

• John Carlson - TE, Seattle Seahawks: Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times believes it’s “now OK to become officially concerned” that John Carlson won’t be a big part of the Seahawks’ passing game this season. Fantasy Factor Don’t believe everything you read, the pre-season for some coaches (especially new ones) can be for testing out the unknown. Carlson is an excellent target for Hasselbeck on a team that has an only average receiving core.

• Chris Johnson - RB, Tennessee Titans: Does is mean anything? Chris Johnson has just 39 yards on 19 preseason carries.
  

• Knowshon Moreno – RB, Denver Broncos: After watching them in pre-game warmups Sunday, Mike Klis of the Denver Post suggests that Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and Demaryius Thomas (foot) “don’t look anywhere near close” to playing.

• Matt Schaub – QB, Houston Texans: Matt Schaub wasn’t sacked a single time in Saturday night’s preseason win over the Cowboys. Fantasy Factor A strong stat for the Texans. History of a bad offensive line as plagued this team. A reliable line for Schaub will translate into great fantasy numbers. …Continue reading Gridiron Experts Fantasy Factor

Preseason posturing

One week into the 2010 NFL preseason is in the history books. So what have we learned? Well history has taught us that it’s too early to get overly excited about a good, or poor performance.  We are, however, far enough along into the season that it is appropriate to start looking at players who value may be up, or down. Keeping your fantasy football draft list updated and accurate is the best way to stay ahead of the competition.

Value Up:

• Pierre Thomas/Reggie Bush RB New Orleans- Lynell Hamilton’s unfortunate season ending injury stand to benefit Thomas and Bush. If no other third runner emerges, Thomas and Bush stand to split the  remaining carries from a 3^rd and 4^th tailback spot that managed over 700 yards and 7 touchdowns last year. Don’t expect those kind of numbers, but as of now, Pierre and Reggie should both see their ADP rise.

• Arian Foster RB Houston- What looked to be a potentially crowded backfield cleared up in a hurry. 2^nd round pick Ben Tate is out for the year with a broken right ankle, and Steve Slaton surprised no one by fumbling on the goal line on lone short yardage attempt. Foster is now the featured runner on one of the NFL’s most potent offenses.

• C.J. Spiller RB Buffalo- The rookie is another runner who will benefit from injuries. Both Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson are expected to miss several weeks with injuries, opening the door for Spiller to get all first team reps in practice and in the remainder of the preseason. Buffalo’s inability to provide any threat of a passing game will assure plenty of opportunities.

• Jamal Charles RB Kansas City- While Thomas Jones is listed as the starter, he did nothing in the Chiefs game before leaving with a minor …Continue reading NFL Pre-season Posturing

Gridiron Experts continues to showcase our top ten lists, this time with the wide receivers. While there were more opinions with the Top 10 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings we do see the same handful of names in everyone’s receiver lists, but the interesting part is where they were ranked.

Rank	Mike Rodriguez	DC	Diesel	Matty The Bulldog
1.	Andre Johnson	Andre Johnson	Andre Johnson	Andre Johnson
2.	Calvin Johnson	Reggie Wayne	Reggie Wayne	Larry Fitzgerald
3.	Larry Fitzgerald	Randy Moss	Randy Moss	Randy Moss
4.	Randy Moss	Larry Fitzgerald	Roddy White	Calvin Johnson
5.	Brandon Marshall	Calvin Johnson	Brandon Marshall	Miles Austin
6.	Miles Austin	Brandon Marshall	Larry Fitzgerald	Roddy White
7.	Reggie Wayne	Miles Austin	DeSean Jackson	Brandon Marshall
8.	Roddy White	DeSean Jackson	Anquan Boldin	Reggie Wayne
9.	DeSean Jackson	Anquan Boldin	Sidney Rice	DeSean Jackson
10.	Greg Jennings	Roddy White	Vincent Jackson	Greg Jennings

Mike Rodriguez: Calvin Johnson- Number two on my board will shock and awe a few readers, but it really shouldn’t. I looked at the most talented players, and then listed them based on their current age and surrounding talent. Sure Calvin Johnson’s on the Lions, but that’s a good thing in my opinion. Detroit has a very young, yet talented core on offense. The Lions will never be in a comfortable lead in 2010, so offense will be their best defense. I expect a return of his 2008 season’s worth in fantasy numbers.

DC: Anquan Boldin- I have a good feeling about Boldin in Baltimore. The Ravens have been desperate for a number one receiver, and Boldin has been wanting out of Arizona for some time now. Together the combination will be monstrous for the Ravens offense. With a powerful run game, opponents can no longer cheat up into the box to stuff the run. The play-action-pass or a straight up go-route will now be in heavy rotation in the play calling, so expect a different looking formula each week for the Ravens. Boldin is fearless across the middle and a magnet in the redzone. Flacco is very underrated and has a great arm, the transition should be wicked.

Diesel: Reggie Wayne- The Colts are always going to be putting up points. Wayne could be the safest pick on anybodies board, and Peyton …Continue reading Top 10 Fantasy Wide Receiver Rankings

Top 10 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings

In a perfect world, the Gridiron Experts team of writers would come together with a top ten list that they could all agree upon. Unfortunately, everyone has a different view of this years rankings.

So here are a few of the writers thoughts on this years top 10 fantasy quarterbacks:

Rank	Mike Rodriguez	DC	Diesel	Matty The Bulldog
1.	Aaron Rodgers	Drew Brees	Aaron Rodgers	Aaron Rodgers
2.	Drew Bress	Matt Schaub	Drew Bress	Drew Bress
3.	Matt Schaub	Aaron Rodgers	Peyton Manning	Peyton Manning
4.	Peyton Manning	Peyton Manning	Phillip Rivers	Jay Cutler
5.	Tom Brady	Tom Brady	Tony Romo	Tom Brady
6.	Jay Cutler	Jay Cutler	Tom Brady	Matt Schaub
7.	Tony Romo	Kevin Kolb	Jay Cutler	Phillip Rivers
8.	Phillip Rivers	Matt Ryan	Kevin Kolb	Eli Manning
9.	Matt Ryan	Phillip Rivers	Carson Palmer	Matt Ryan
10.	Eli Manning	Tony Romo	Matt Schaub	Tony Romo

Mike Rodriguez- Matt Schaub: Throwing for 4770 passing yards and 29 TD’s is apparently not good enough to be high on everyone’s board in 2010. The Texans went 1-5 in their division and just missed the playoffs in ’09, so divisional rivalry games will be the focus this season. Schaub has grown into a legitimate gun-slinger and has one of the best wide receivers in the game. Believe it or not, the passing game will benefit from a tough schedule, always having to make plays and keeping the “Battle Red” competitive.

DC- Drew Brees: The Saints are loaded with weapons and have a much more reliable offensive line than the Packers or Texans, making an easy decision for Brees at one.

The Saints 3-headed running rotation lost Mike Bell for 2010, a minor transaction for the Saints that doesn’t really affect the ground game. Although when the replacement (Reggie Bush) is a better receiver than RB, I start to wonder just how many times the Saints are really going to be calling running plays this season. PT Cruiser will keep defenses honest, but the threat will always lie in the hands of Brees. …Continue reading Top 10 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings

I wonder how many NFL players pick up the latest fantasy magazine or search for themselves online? Probably more than you think.

“Lets see, last year ESPN had me ranked in the mid-teens, now I’m in the 40′s?”, “This website just called me a Bust, and this other one used the word douchebag”. I imagine the NFL ego can handle the criticism of these comments, while lying around in their monster homes with an abundant pool of money, but I digress.

The sting of a bad fantasy season can torpedo a players’ value overnight. It’s rare someone goes out on a limb and says it was just an off-year, more likely the guy becomes the weird kid in high school that no one wants to sit next to at lunch. 

The phrase “what have you done for me lately” is something I can’t help but throw around whenever these names are used. So while you’re all ready to quickly throw these five players under the bus, I’m going to try to see the good in such terrible 2009 fantasy seasons.

5) QB Matt Hasselbeck

It seems Matt Hasselbeck peaked in 2008. The Seattle QB threw for 28 TD’s and a hair shy of 4000 yards that season, but hasn’t been the same since. Injuries have slowed this Chunky Soup spokesperson to a bowl of mush, and fantasy owners hate him for it.

The Seahawks new coaching staff have already found Hasselbeck’s eventual replacement, even if this year’s training camp proves that at 35 he can still lead the team. Gridiron Experts has Hasselbeck ranked 28th on the list of QB’s, one step up from Tebow, who’s not even starting. Regardless of age and surrounding talent, Hasselbeck is a confident quarterback who can sling the rock. He goes through his progressions like a pro, and can make big plays for big yardage.

When I put in my two cents for the rankings, I had him above the “Matt Moore’s” and “David Garrard’s” of the league, and can honestly say I’d draft him as my go-to bye week replacement. Late round QB’s tend to be dead weight on fantasy teams without injuries, but my prediction for Hasselbeck is a surprising bounce back year in the Pete Carrol offense.

4) RB Brandon Jacobs

Going from playing 13 games in 2008 (in which the 6’4″ RB ran for 100o+ yards and 15 TD’s) to playing more games and getting only a 3rd of the scores…what happened? Jacobs also had back to back seasons with 5.o yard per carry averages before 2009, when he dropped to only 3.7 yards per play.

Stats, stats, blah, blah; Brandon Jacobs (and the G-Men) played like crap last year. You know it, I know it, and the New York Giants know it. So why can’t he bounce back from an awful season?

His name is Ahmad Bradshaw.

Bradshaw will have every opportunity to steal carries this season, which is lowering Jacobs stock on everyone’s fantasy board. But at 5’9″  and under 200 lbs. Bradshaw will not hear his number called on first and goal. I see less carries for Jacobs in 2010, but actually view that as a good …Continue reading 5 NFL Players In Everyone’s Fantasy Doghouse

Gridiron Experts Power Rankings AUG. 2nd

32. Buffalo Bills
CJ Spiller has all the tools to be a playmaker in this league, well except for an offensive line in front of him, a quarterback to take the pressure off, and well you see where I’m going with this. The Bills are going to need a franchise quarterback before they move on this list.
31.St. Louis Rams
The Rams, in theory, should be a better team this year, but it’s still up in the air and truly depends on how NFL ready Sam Bradford is by the start of the season. Steven Jackson has always been the Rams workhorse, and that won’t change this year, expect another grand out of him in 2010.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are still rebuilding. This process can sometimes be long a frustrating, yet in the forseeable future they’ll find themselves on day on the outside looking in on any power rankings list. Every team must rebuild sooner or later but for this season ahead, the Buc’s will be leaning on too many young players and the inexperience will show.
29. Cleveland Browns
The Browns biggest flaw is their division, it’s just too hard to be competitive against perennial powerhouses like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. They did have a great draft and made some key off-season additions, with a revamped secondary expect them to move up this list in a year.
28. Detroit Lions
The Lions were the movers and shakers of the off-season, making some key additions. If only for the next few years, adding Jahvid Best to a backfield commandeered by Matt Stafford could be just what the Lions needed. Best will make plays and take some of the focus off of Calvin Johnson.
27. Oakland Raiders
For the first time in years, the Raiders impressed us all during the draft, adding a top-tier middle linebacker and shipping Kirk Morrison to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Not to mention ditching JaMarcus Russell in favor of Jason Campbell, an automatic upgrade. Although for now, they’re still on the outside looking in.
26.Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have revamped their coaching staff and drafted (and paid) a play making safety in Eric Berry. Dexter McCluster will give add that x-factor to the offense and give Jamaal Charles some relief at the running back spot. Matt Cassell will get one more chance to show that he’s worth the money they’re paying him.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are a team that can never seem to get it together when it truly counts, their first rounder is considered a huge reach by the entire NFL community and if he doesn’t pan out, Jags fans can happily say goodbye to Jack Del Rio. Maurice Jones-Drew will set the pace for the offense once more. …Continue reading NFL Power Rankings

Where Does Texans Rookie Ben Tate Fit In?

With Houston Texans rookie running back Ben Tate agreeing to terms on his rookie deal, fantasy owners everywhere are wondering what kind of value the former Auburn back has heading into the 2010 fantasy football season.

The answer? Unless Arian Foster and Steve Slaton fall asleep in training camp, it’s not much.

Tate has a fierce combination of size and strength, and is a shifty runner for his stature. However, Arian Foster’s solid closing performances to the 2009 season, and Slaton’s experience and explosiveness have them both penciled in as the number one and two backs for Houston to start training camp.

No one is knocking Tate’s ability to climb the depth chart over the coarse of the next month, but considering how high the coaching staff is on Foster as the lead back, and Slaton as the change of pace back, it’s not looking good for fantasy owners who are already drafting Tate in fantasy drafts. …Continue reading Where Does Texans Rookie Ben Tate Fit In?