Gridiron Experts

10 Fantasy Football Sleepers In 2010 (in no particular order)

Jabar Gaffney (WR Broncos)
Gaffney has been bounced around the league through most of his career; his patience has landed him in Denver, which is starting to look like home.

Gaffney has a great understanding of the offense and the experience to be the player that can pick up the in-game wrinkle on the spot. He will be overlooked by nearly everyone at your fantasy draft for a shiny new rookie. Their loss is your sleeper steal.

Anthony Gonzalez (WR Colts)
Before Gonzalez’s injury early last season, fantasy experts had him very high on their boards. Now recovering and fighting for a starting job, Gonzalez is underrated and available at a late round bargain price.

Chester Taylor (RB Bears)
This RB might take a few weeks to catch on in Chicago, yet his ability is unquestionable. Taylor is the type of player Mike Martz loves and will be used in all phases of the game. Late round gem with tons of upside.

Clinton Portis (RB Redskins)
Mike Shanahan, do I need to say anymore? The system has produce greatness out of garbage. Portis has secured the starting job and will be the focal point despite all the McNabb media. …Continue reading 10 Fantasy Football Sleepers In 2010

Time share conundrum

Felix Jones, Jonathan Stewart, and Matt Forte are arguably 3 of the most talented young runners in the NFL, yet they are all in a dreaded RBBC (running back by committee) situation. Stewart and Forte have shown superstar capabilities throughout a whole season. Jones has flashed an intriguing skill set that has made him look like an elite talent, albeit in short bursts. The question on fantasy football owners minds is, when is the right time to take a chance on one of these potential studs?

Matt Forte was nothing short of brilliant in 2008. The rookie out of Tulane took the NFL by storm with 1715 yards from scrimmage including 63 receptions and 12 total touchdowns. Everyone took notice last year, as he was a top 5 pick in nearly every fantasy football draft. His ’09 season was labeled a huge bust, as his touchdown numbers dipped to 4, and his fumbles increased from 1 to 6. He also really struggled in short yardage situations, converting only 12 of 23 opportunities. Many seem to think that Forte’s real problems were from the Bears offensive line, which was often over-matched.

The Bears were concerned enough to sign veteran runner Chester Taylor to a free agent deal. Taylor, like Forte, is an excellent receiver, a huge asset in the new Mike Martz offense. His only season as a featured back was in 2006 for the Vikings. Since that time he has played a 3rd down, change of pace role for Minnesota.

The key question, is how will these carries and catches be split among the two backs? Look for Forte to be more of a 1st and 2nd down back, and Taylor to spell him on 3rd downs, or even have both in the backfield at once. Taylor is probably better suited for a more limited role, allowing Forte to be an excellent fantasy football bargain this year in the 4th round or later.

Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams form the best running back duo in the NFL. They became the first tandem in league history to each eclipse 1,100 yards rushing last year. When Williams got hurt and missed three games in 2009, …Continue reading Fantasy Football: Time Share Conundrum

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

NFL Fantasy RB Strength Of Schedule

Stats are always made to be broken. A sneaky run that goes for 60 yards after a long day of nothing but frustration happens all the time. Yet, a fantasy football strength of schedule list is a helpful tool to evaluate a players chances against a season’s worth of opponents. Many fantasy sites go about making such a spreadsheet by simply taking the top 10 toughest defenses, the 10 worst defenses, compare the results and hit the print button.

Gridiron Experts has gone beyond the cookie-cutter stats to analyze each game, giving what we think is a better prediction based on extended criteria.

If you think a new NFL week doesn’t come without lingering aches and pains from the week before, not to mention jet-lag, you’re dead wrong. Long road trips, teams off BYE weeks, and divisional match-ups are just a few of the factors we took into account when compiling this list. Other increments include: fantasy playoff match-ups, “overlook” games, and recent additions to a team’s defensive roster.

Here are our top 3 best and worst Running Back Strength of Schedule Teams in 2010

3 BEST RB Schedules

San Fransisco: A+

The 49er’s get three road games out of the way quickly to start the season. Early on, the tougher opponents like the Saints, Eagles and Broncos are all at home, which is a plus. Their bye week is comfortably placed in the middle of the season, and even the late 2-game road trip to Arizona and Green Bay isn’t as bad as it seems. The Packers themselves are off a tough 2 game road trip and shouldn’t be that fresh after just facing Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner. The icing on the cake is the fantasy playoff match-up. Depending on whether your league holds it’s Super Bowl in wk 16 or 17, the 49er’s face 3 out of 4 divisional opponents, which looks like gravy.

Even the road trip to San Diego in December is a gift with no snow or cold temperature. Throw in a few possible jackpot games against St. Louis (2), Carolina, Kansas City, and the cross-country trip the Bucs have to make, and Frank Gore has moved up our fantasy board.

Dallas Cowboys: A

The Coyboys don’t have a ton of easy rushing match-ups, but they don’t have any hard ones either. The second half of their NFL schedule is where we give all our high marks. Starting week 12 Dallas sees opponents that in essence are all the same type of build and chemistry. The Saints, Colts and Eagles style are all about getting that early lead, then blitzing you with their speedy pass rushers. The Cowboys have a great …Continue reading Fantasy RB Strength Of Schedule

The 2010 NFL Coaching Hot Seat

Jerry Glanville once told an NFL official that if he kept making calls against his Atlanta Falcons squad, that he’d be out of coaching and “selling groceries”. He never did have to apply at his local supermarket, but Glanville did lose his job. Every year numerous NFL coaches do.

The coaching “hot seat” is the term used for the Head Coaches that are perceived to be in a perilous situation entering the upcoming NFL season. Some will rally the troops and save their jobs, for the time being. Others will suffer the fate of another disappointing season, and the inevitable pink slip. Let’s take a look at some coaches on the hot seat in 2010…

Eric Mangini- Cleveland- Mangini made some terrible decisions in his first year in Cleveland: refusing to name a starting quarterback before the season, sticking with Derek Anderson for 7 starts despite a 44% completion percentage and a TD to INT ratio of 3 to 10, and under-using Jerome Harrison until the last month of the season. The only 2 reasons that Mangini is back is because of the season ending 4 game winning streak (powered by Harrison), and the hiring of former NFL coach Mike Holmgren, who seemingly sympathized with Mangini and kept him on board. The Browns actually seem to be worse heading into 2010…and when you analyze the current 4 game winning streak you see the final 3 wins were against Kansas City, Oakland, and Jacksonville…all bad teams. It will take one surprising turnaround this year to keep the “Man genius” in the Dawg Pound in 2011. …Continue reading The 2010 NFL Coaching Hot Seat

Every year we head into training camp with our eye on key positions and rookies who could add that extra push. Nobody cares who steps up, as long as the job gets done and the weak links are filled. Focusing on fantasy football, we are going to overlook some of the less important roster spots, and instead fire off questions and predictions for each team in the eyes of the fantasy football fan.

Arizona Cardinals
Spotlight Is On: Matt Leinart- A former first round pick who lost his job and found a comfortable spot on the bench is all of a sudden getting his second chance. The NFL usually chews you up and spits you out, so for Leinart a do-over is a real gift. Frankly, we see more attention spent on the running game this season to relieve some of the pressure. Regardless, this second chance could be the last chance for number 7. Can the shoes be filled? Or is Matt about to trip?
Camp Sleeper: Steve Breaston
Star-Brewing: Chris Wells

Atlanta Falcons
What’s the Deal with Michael Turner? A power running back who was a yard shy of 1700 yards two seasons ago just fell off the map in 2009. A high ankle sprain left fantasy owners angry and kicking furniture over, with his vanilla type numbers. Is he back? Can we move him up the fantasy boards? What’s the deal?
Camp Sleeper: Harry Douglas

Baltimore Ravens
Is there Bonding Going on Here? The Anquan Boldin and Joe Flacco combo is one we’re all not sure of. Flacco has needed a player who can stretch the field for some time, as Mason is more of tough possession wide receiver. The running game is counting on some sort of passing attack, and so are keeper league owners of the recently traded Cardinal.
Camp Sleeper:  TE Ed Dickson
Take a Seat: Todd Heap

Buffalo Bills
So You Have 3 Running Backs…Really? Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and C.J. Spiller are apparently going to be used in a very creative offense that we can already predict to be a failure. There are a million questions with this team, but for now let’s just try to figure out who’s going to be the guy at RB. All the other fantasy options shouldn’t be a concern to you right now, or at all this season.
Camp Sleeper: Brain Brohm- our vote to win the $10 beauty contest.

Carolina Panthers
Moore or Clausen to lead? After booting Delhomme to the curb, Matt Moore stepped in and looked very much the part…or at least that’s what he thought. The Panthers found a fallen gem in the draft and couldn’t help themselves with one of this years highest ranked QB rookies. Jimmy Clausen should do his best to overthrow Moore’s spot.
Gimme the Ball- DeAngelo Williams is in a contract year and will be pressing.
WR Numero dos- Our early guess is Brandon LaFell from LSU.

Chicago Bears
Who’s Cutler Going to Ask to the Big Dance? With a slew of average at best wide receivers, and a master-mind commander calling the plays from the sidelines, Jay Cutler is going to pick and choose his targets carefully. Who will best suit this new offense in Chicago? We will have eyes in training camp all summer.
So Who Does What? -After a breakout rookie season, Matt Forte now has an on the field roommate to share his carries. Chester Taylor wasn’t brought in to get coffee, so the percentage of carries will be watched carefully as well.
Sleeper Brewing In Martz’s System- Johnny Knox …Continue reading NFL Training Camp Fantasy Questions (All 32 Teams)