My Joseph Addai Blog

The Indianapolis Colts 2009 season started off with a close win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a remarkable win on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins.

Having the football on offense for less the 15 minutes and still winning just shows you have talented on offense the Colts can be. Peyton Manning is completing nearly 70% of his pass attempts and will certainly make another run at the league MVP again this season.

The Colts are loaded on offense with WR Reggie Wayne, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Anthony Gonzalez, TE Dallas Clark, RB Joseph Addai, RB Donald Brown and of course QB Peyton Manning.

While Joseph Addai had a down year in 08', many expect him to regain his form from 07' and be a major contributor this season.

While Manning is one of the best QB's in the league, there still needs to be a balance between running and throwing the ball. Peyton Manning is averaging over 300 yards passing per game, if this continues expect the Colts to be playing deep in January.

While it goes without saying how good the Colts offense is, their defense will eventually decide the fate of their season. While the Colts defense has given up more yards then they would like, their opponents scoring is in the teens, which is very good.

Keeping NFL teams from scoring, on average, less then 20 points per game gives the Colts the opportunity to win every single game with Manning leading the way.

The Colts are a model of consistency and this 09' season has proven to be no different so far. The loss of Tony Dungy was a cause for a concern somewhat, but as of now it doesn't seem it matters who the head coach is as long as Peyton Manning is taking the snaps under center.

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Will the young players make an impact? That is always one of the most important questions heading into a fantasy draft, because there are often sleepers, average players, and complete busts. Last year, the top potential offensive players were J.J. Arrington, Braylon Edwards, and Mike Williams. None of them ended up having the type of seasons that warrant a high-draft pick, which definitely has to stick in your mind this year.

Ratings System

*****: The ultimate player. They have the potential to be within the top five at their position in the entire NFL this year, as well as making the Pro Bowl, or being named the offensive rookie of the year.

****: Will definitely be a starter for their team, and will perform like between an average NFL player and the ultimate player.

***: Will be an average performer, because they don't play on the greatest team in the world, or will need some time to develop.

**: They may take over as the starter halfway through the season. Overall, they really won't make that much of an impact.

*: They will see limited playing time, or will not perform well enough to put up anything worthy of a fantasy point.

Quarterbacks

First off, let it be known that it is too difficult to project if a quarterback will even have the chance to do well for your team. More times than not, a rookie quarterback either has an average-at-best first year in learning the system, or they sit behind the starting quarterback for most of the year. One note of advice: do not take a rookie quarterback within the first ten rounds of the draft: it won't be worth it.

Important Statistic for QB's: 27 non-rookie quarterbacks threw for more yards last year than Kyle Orton, who led rookie QB's with 1,869 yards thrown.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans ***

The Titans just released Steve McNair, narrowing the competition to Volek and Young. Young won't sit the entire season, but when he does get in, he'll have to learn that he can't run as freely as he did in college. He has the most potential this year of all the rookie quarterbacks.

Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals **

Kurt Warner will be the man for the Cardinals, and Leinart's playing time could end up like what Eli Manning saw two years ago under the Giants. He won't do you any good until late in the season.

Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos *

With Jake Plummer coming off a career year, Cutler won't even see the field. Do not even think about taking Cutler, because there is no sense in it whatsoever.

Running Backs

Important Statistic for RB's: 12 running backs finished ahead of Carnell Williams, the leading rusher among rookies last year.

Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints ***

Of all the players from the draft, Bush certainly has the potential to become a 5-star player. However, he's playing on a team that was not very good last year, and will be splitting time with another talented running back in Deuce McAllister.

Laurence Maroney, New England Patriots **

Corey Dillon will still be the go-to-guy for the Patriots, leaving Maroney as the backup. However, the Patriots always find a role for their players, and Maroney will see quite a bit of playing time still.

DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers *

Theoretically, it seems like Williams could have a lot of potential playing time sue to DeShaun Foster's past injuries. However, it's not easy to pick up yards in the Panthers' system, and Williams will not see a great deal of playing time per game.

Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts ***

Addai is not the Colts' starter yet, but once the season rolls around, he'll have the job won. Addai could be the biggest offensive sleeper in the draft because he's not well known, however will be playing in a system that is very well developed.

LenDale White, Tennessee Titans **

White could potentially be a red zone threat for the Titans, allowing him to accumulate some touchdowns much like Brandon Jacobs did last year for the Giants. He'll also see some action besides the red zone, though.

Wide Receivers

Important Statistic for WR's: This year's receiving class was considered "not very good". Last year, Braylon Edwards led rookie receivers with 512 yards, leaving tons of other receivers ahead of him.

Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers **

The Steelers leading receiver is typically Hines Ward, and next they look for the running threat. Holmes won't jump into the league with big numbers, but will be smooth as an average receiver in his first year.

Chad Jackson, New England Patriots **

Although the Patriots are starting to use Deion Branch a little more, they like to give their receivers equal playing time. The Patriots need another receiver to produce in the absence of David Givens.

Sinorice Moss, New York Giants *

The Giants already have several receiving threats, so Moss will not see a whole lot of snaps. He may find himself on the receiving end of the deep ball occasionally, though.

Tight Ends

Please note: A four-star rating for a tight end would be different than a four-star rating for a wide receiver. If a rookie tight end records 700 yards, that would be an outstanding season as a tight end, but mediocre for a receiver.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers ****

Davis will have an incredible rookie year as a tight end, coming close to some of the elite tight ends. Alex Smith needs a go-to-guy, and that will develop into Davis.

Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars *

Lewis will see some touches, but it won't nearly be enough to become a consistent threat for your team.

Conclusion

Overall, it should be known that rookies rarely make a worthy impact for your fantasy team. The players with the most potential this year are Reggie Bush, Vernon Davis, and possibly Vince Young if he's named the starter. The biggest sleeper without question will be Joseph Addai, but even he should not be taken higher than necessary.

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Chris Pokorny is the owner of Pro Football Critics, located at http://www.pfcritics.com/.

Entering the 2007 football season, Colts RB Joseph Addai's name has been a hot topic among fantasy drafters. As with any fantasy football draft, RB's dominate the first two rounds and Addai will be one of many chosen among that group. The question that concerns Addai is: How high do you draft him?? and is he a true number one back?

The answer to the latter question is easy so let's get that one out of the way. Yes Addai is a number 1 fantasy back who has the talent to put up good to great numbers in his second year in the league. The former question is where it gets tricky.

As far as yours truly is concerned, I believe that Joseph Addai is the fifth best back in fantasy football and should be drafted no lower than that spot. By now some of your think I have lost my lid since he has not proven himself over a full season and there are questions whether he can handle a full load of carries throughout the course of the year.

I say that he can handle them and I believe Addai will be a fantasy star. Coming out of LSU, Addai was known as a tough inside runner who also has the speed to get outside and gain extra yardage. Blessed with good hands, Addai is also a good receiver who will be even more beneficial to those in points/reception leagues. The Colts' offense is probably the most efficient unit in the league and Addai will do his fair share to keep it that way.

Look for around 1,300 yards on the ground with another 50 receptions. That sounds like numnber one back numbers to me and is the reason why you should draft him at number 5 over Shaun Alexander.

Stock: RISING

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The NFC and AFC Championship Games are nearing, and that means more fantasy football to devour at RotoPlay. And to help you assemble the most potent roster possible, here is this week's forecast.

(Note: The scoring for this contest covers just this week, as opposed to the other fantasy football playoff contests on RotoPlay, which run through the Super Bowl)

Player 1

1) Drew Brees: Brees blistered the Cardinals for nearly 250 passing yards and three touchdowns last week as New Orleans took a wrecking ball to Arizona's hopes of getting back to the Super Bowl. And despite how dominant the Vikings seemed last week against Dallas, their pass defense was not intimidating during the regular season. Minnesota was 19th in pass defense for the year, and 23rd in passing scores given up. If the Saints' offensive line can keep Brees upright, he could have a monster day.

2) Peyton Manning: In the regular season, the Jets gave up an average of 30 fewer passing yards per game than any other team in the league, and allowed six fewer touchdown passes than any other team. They've been good this postseason as well, picking off three passes and allowing only two touchdowns, but Manning is arguably the best quarterback ever, and he defies those statistics - well, at least to the point where we'll rank him second in this group.

3) Brett Favre: Favre enjoyed the first postseason four-touchdown game of his storied career last week, as the Vikings hammered the Cowboys in every which way. True, one of those was a semi-controversial toss in garbage time at the end of the fourth quarter, but it really only rankled some members of the Dallas Cowboys, and likely their fans (certainly, Favre's postseason fantasy football owners enjoyed it). Really, the only concern with Favre is that he reverts back to his old ways and starts slinging the ball around, especially because the Saints were third in the NFL in interceptions, and have a knack for creating key turnovers.

4) Mark Sanchez: For obvious reasons, Sanchez really shouldn't be considered as an option among the other stalwarts in this group.

Player 2

1) Adrian Peterson: Peterson ran for only 63 yards in Minnesota's blowout win over Dallas last week, continuing a trend that has seen him run for fewer than 100 yards in nine consecutive games. It should be noted, however, than he ran for at least 80 yards in four of those games, and has become an effective weapon as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, having caught at least three passes for at least 40 yards in four of his last five regular season games. The Saints are not particularly torrid in run defense, ranking 21st in the NFL in that statistic in the regular season, and allowed 6.7 yards per carry against the Cardinals last week. The optimist in you may just say he's due for a big game.

2) Pierre Thomas: Thomas overcame a rib injury and ran the ball 13 times for 52 yards against Arizona last week. He also caught four passes for 18 yards, and that's where his value comes into play, especially in this scoring format and against the formidable run defense of the Vikings, who were second in the NFL against the run this season and tied with the Packers for fewest rushing scores allowed.

3) Joseph Addai: Addai isn't a running back that will pile up huge numbers, but he does a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, he hasn't done enough for his postseason fantasy football owners, such as last week's 11-carry, 23-yard performance. Still, he found the end zone frequently this season (13 touchdowns), and he's also caught at least three passes in each of his last five games.

4) Thomas Jones: Though Jones remains the lead back for the Jets in theory, Shonn Greene has seemingly taken over that role in the postseason. Jones has run for only 75 yards on 29 carries with one score in the Jets' two playoff games, and he hasn't caught a single pass.

Player 3

1) Shonn Greene: As mentioned above, Greene has taken the lead for the Jets in the running game. He's had two fabulous outings, running for 135 yards and one touchdown against the Bengals, and 128 yards and one score against the Chargers. Indianapolis was just 24th in the league against the run during the regular season, and Greene had 95 yards against them in Week 16.

2) Reggie Bush: Bush had his best game of the season in terms of total yards last week against the Cardinals, running for 84 yards and one score on five carries, and catching four passes for 24 yards. Maybe it was because Kim Kardashian was in the building, but last week Bush also showed toughness while running the ball, something he hadn't shown much of previously. One of the things holding him back in this scoring format is that he doesn't get many carries, but he's still as explosive a player as a fantasy football owner could ask for.

3) Chester Taylor: Taylor had 23 yards rushing on four carries last week against the Cowboys, and 16 yards on two receptions. When he gets the opportunity, he can make plays, but he simply doesn't get the amount of overall opportunities that you're likely to see from the above options.

4) Donald Brown: Brown only ran the ball six times for 10 yards against the Ravens, though he did have two receptions for 15 yards. Still, the other options in this group are simply sounder than the rookie from UConn.

Player 4

1) Dallas Clark: Clark caught four passes for 57 yards against the Jets in Week 16 before being yanked from the game. In the Colts' win over the Ravens last week, he had seven receptions for 59 yards, marking the third time in four contests he caught exactly seven balls. With receptions so valuable in this scoring format, he's No. 1 in this group. And as good as the Jets are against the pass, Antonio Gates had eight catches for 93 yards in San Diego's loss to New York last week.

2) Sidney Rice: Rice was a monster in Minnesota's dismantling of the Cowboys, catching six passes, half of which went for touchdowns, and accumulating 142 receiving yards. It was his second straight game with six catches for over 100 yards with multiple touchdowns. He's clearly in sync with Brett Favre, and is an outstanding option for obvious reasons.

3) Marques Colston: Colston led his team with six receptions and 83 receiving yards last week against the Cardinals, and he also found the end zone. It was the third time in his last four games (with Week 17 being the exception) that Colston caught at least five passes for at least 75 yards. He's New Orleans' No. 1 target at wide receiver, and thus, an option worth seriously considering.

4) Reggie Wayne: Yes, Vincent Jackson had over 100 receiving yards last week even though Darrelle Revis was covering him, but in a fantasy football format where you have other very good options, we'd simply stay away from the best cornerback in the land.

Player 5

1) Percy Harvin: Harvin wasn't involved much in Minnesota's win over the Cowboys last week, catching only one pass for a single yard and running the ball three times for 23 yards, but you have to believe that will change. That outing was the first time Harvin was in single digits in receiving yards all season, and in what promises to be a high-scoring affair this week, you have to believe the rookie from Florida will be in the mix offensively for the Vikings.

2) Robert Meachem: Like Harvin, Meachem did not figure into his team's offense last week, failing to catch even one pass for the first time since Week 7. Yet also like Harvin, expect him to be a bigger part of his team's offense this week, though he ranks behind the rookie because he hasn't been as consistent throughout the course of the season as Harvin has.

3) Pierre Garcon: Garcon, who did not play against the Jets in Week 16 when New York visited Indy, had five receptions for just 34 yards last week against the Ravens. The Jets are No. 1 against the pass, and even with Darrelle Revis likely covering Reggie Wayne most of the day, Garcon will still have his work cut out for him.

4) Braylon Edwards: Sometimes Edwards has it, sometimes he does not, and last week's two-reception, 41-yard effort against the Chargers did little to inspire confidence that he'd show up this week against the Colts' solid pass defense.

Player 6

1) Jerricho Cotchery: Cotchery has put up solid numbers in the playoffs thus far, with nine receptions for 92 yards in two games, and over the course of the season he's shown himself to be the team's top pass-catching threat. And let's face it - the Jets will have to throw the ball at some point, especially if the Colts get out to an early lead, putting Cotchery, who had four catches for 45 yards against Indy in Week 16, in a position to contribute.

2) Austin Collie: Collie had big numbers against the Jets in their Week 16 match-up, with six catches for 94 yards. That comes with a caveat, however, in that the Colts had pulled most of their players, and Collie was left in, making him the No. 1 option. Still, the rookie has played well down the stretch, including last week when he caught four passes, including one for a touchdown, for 52 yards.

3) Devery Henderson: Henderson showed some of that big-play ability last week that was missing from his game so often during the regular season. He caught a 44-yard touchdown pass as part of a four-reception, 80-yard day, and as one of the Saints' top-three wideouts, has a chance to pick up plenty of fantasy points each week. However, he isn't as consistently on the other end of Drew Brees' passes as you might hope, and receptions are too important in this scoring system to ignore.

4) Bernard Berrian: Berrian is on the outside looking in during most of the Vikings' offensive possessions, and as such he caught only three passes for 32 yards last week. He hasn't caught more than three passes in any of his last four games, and hasn't scored in seven contests. Still, he does have a chance to show up if this game turns into a shootout, so don't completely discount him.

Player 7

1) Visanthe Shiancoe: Shiancoe has proven to be a touchdown machine all season, and figured into the scoring again last week, even though it was his only reception of the game and came at the end of the fourth quarter (upsetting the Cowboys, and linebacker Keith Brooking in particular). But the fact is, he's scored in three consecutive games, so even if he doesn't catch a lot of passes, counting on him to find the end zone is something you can do with confidence.

2) Jeremy Shockey: Shockey caught his first touchdown since Week 6 in New Orleans' playoff win over Arizona last week, and for the game hauled in three passes for 36 yards. However, during the game, he seemed to be favoring the toe injury that had sidelined him at the end of the regular season, which may have hampered his production. If you're confident he's healthy, by all means consider using him because he does give you the ability to pick up points with receptions that Shiancoe may not.

3) Dustin Keller: After scoring just twice in the regular season, Keller scored his second touchdown of the postseason last week against the Chargers. Though he picked up just 19 yards in the contest, he did so on three receptions, which is a solid total in this scoring system. But considering his struggles to find the end zone during the regular season, you have to wonder if he has it in him to score for the third straight game.

4) David Thomas: Thomas had a big role in the Saints' offense when the aforementioned Shockey went down, but with Shockey back in the saddle, Thomas' production waned. He didn't have a catch last week, and is probably not someone you want in your fantasy football lineup this week.

Kicker

1) Ryan Longwell: Longwell made both of his field goal tries last week, and in fact missed only two field goal attempts all season. Despite playing on the road, he'll still be inside a dome, which is a welcome location for all kickers.

2) Garrett Hartley: Hartley is one of those players that falls in the high risk/high reward category. He nailed his only field goal try last week and plays for a robust offense, but on the other hand, he missed most of the season with an injury and does not have much postseason experience, so there's no telling how he'll react.

3) Jay Feely: The Colts allowed more field goals from 40-49 yards than any other NFL team, and that means solid points in this scoring system. Also, the Jets do not carry a potent offense with them into this contest, so field goals could be the order of the day.

4) Matt Stover: During the regular season, the Jets allowed the fifth-fewest field goals in the league, and the fewest extra points. Furthermore, kickers have missed all five field goals attempted against them so far this postseason. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but Stover gets the bottom ranking anyway.

Defense

(Note: We won't rank the defenses, because which team you believe will win will have a lot to do with the defense you select).

- Indianapolis Colts: The Colts' defense isn't superb, but they are facing a Jets team that scored the fewest points among winning teams in each of the two playoff rounds, and have a decided advantage in that they play at home.

- New York Jets: The Jets are tempting, but the Colts have an outstanding offense, and will be difficult to beat at home. Still, if you think they'll upset the Colts, they belong in the top spot.

- New Orleans Saints: The Saints allowed just 14 points to the previously potent Arizona offense in New Orleans' 45-14 beat down last weekend. New Orleans wasn't an imposing defense throughout the season, but they got plenty of turnovers, a formula that worked last week and will likely need to take shape again this week.

- Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota devoured the Dallas offense in every way last week en route to destroying the Cowboys 34-3. The Vikings have a better defense than the Saints statistically, especially against the run, but the Saints are a legitimately great offense, and the home crowd will be thunderous, considering this will be the first time in their history that they'll host an NFC Championship game.

The year 2008 was kind of a down year for the Indianapolis Colts. For the 6th time in his career Peyton Manning was one and done in the playoffs losing 23-17 to the San Diego Chargers in the Wildcard round. Moreover, last year was somewhat of an off year for Manning statistically despite winning his 3rd league MVP award and I witnessed firsthand what it is like to have a QB that is trying to shake the rust off after having off season knee injury. Manning heated up later in the year but unfortunately many owners did not have the supporting cast that I had to hold the fort down and thus missed out on the post season party.

In fact my Manning experience of last year has soured me on Tom Brady this year. You just cannot afford to play without a QB for the first 4 or 5 games of the season and that is what I endured last year. Furthermore, Brady's injury is said to be far more serious than Manning's was a year ago. The Colts will once again be good but will they make the playoffs? I am not so sure as Tennessee is already solid and both Jacksonville and Houston are primed to be far better this upcoming season. But again this is fantasy so I will focus my energy on the Colts position players and what they offer up in terms of fantasy potential in 2009.

As mentioned Manning did not have one of his best statistical outings of his career but he did enough to secure his 3rd league MVP award. I lived and died with Manning for the first 6-7 weeks before he finally started to heat up down the stretch. The Colts are heading into a major transformation this year as Head Coach Tony Dungy has retired and has been replaced by Jim Caldwell and 2 other prominent members of their staff as offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd are expected to retire due to changes in the NFL's pension policies. Moore would be a huge loss for Manning as he represents the only offensive coordinator that he has worked with in the NFL. Nonetheless, despite all of the turmoil in the coaching staff and the departure of Marvin Harrison look for Manning to continue his assault on the NFL's passing records.

Why? For starters, Manning is just that good and he still has most of his weapons at his disposal including Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, and Dallas Clark. Furthermore, another major variable in Manning's favor this year is that center Jeff Saturday will be healthy. Ahhh I know what you are saying. "What could a center possibly have to with fantasy performance"? TONS!!!!! I watched most of the Colts games last year and it was painfully obvious that the whole offensive line was completely out of sink without Saturday's presence and this lead to a lack of continuity and rhythm from the whole offense. The Colts will not have it easy this year.

The AFC South is markedly improved than in previous years. You know Tennessee is solid but Jags and the Texans both look to be much improved this year and the Texans in particular are specifically addressing their defense year in and year out in an all out effort to stop Manning and the Colts. Expect Manning this year to post his usual numbers in 2009 of about 4000-4500 yards passing and about 30-35 TD's. Look for Manning to be either the 2nd or 3rd QB taken this summer behind Drew Brees somewhere in the middle of round 2.

Joseph Addai is a complete joke. I have thought Addai has been overrated since his inception into the NFL in 2006 and now I pretty much think he just plain sucks. The Colts were obviously hoping that Addai would be the next Edgerrin James but has not even come close to living up to that standard. For starters, he is injury prone and it seems like he truly doesn't want to play with pain. Furthermore, Addai also vanishes from far too many games for my liking leaving Dominic Rhodes (who has since departed to Buffalo) to do the dirty work. If you remember that is exactly what went down in the Super Bowl against the Bears a few years ago. Rhodes was clearly the main back n that game and I think it is funny because this year someone inevitably will draft Addai high simply because he is a RB. WHY?????? Again, read my article "Draft RB's Early? Buyer Beware" to gain some insight as to why that is NOT a good idea.

Apparently, I am not the only one not sold on Joseph as the Colts used their first round selection on the stud RB Donald Brown out of Connecticut. Brown will immediately step in and at least split carries with Addai if not more and to be quite frank I look for him to be the much more polished back by the end of the year. Personally, I think Addai is no more than a number 3 back or a Flex option for 2009 but you can mark my words he will be gone in most drafts no later than the early 3rd round. I could be wrong but I doubt it. As for Brown, keep an eye on him in the middle rounds and don't be scared to take a chance on him this year. Why??? Well, let me just say Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, and Steve Slaton. Nuff said.

Obviously, all the Colts receivers are solid fantasy options. Wayne, is a surefire number 1 WR and is a model of consistency much in the same manner Harrison was for so many years. Although, Wayne is solid I would caution not to select him ahead of the following receivers: Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, or Randy Moss. That is the crème of the crop in terms of NFL receivers these days but if you go a different route on draft day and get some RB's early you may be looking at the likes of Wayne, Steve Smith, Greg Jennings, or Marques Colston as your number 1 WR. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with that but don't expect Wayne to be a Fitz or Megatron in terms of his big play ability.

Watch out for Gonzalez this year. The former Ohio State product is heading into his 3rd NFL season which is historically when many receivers break out. Add to the equation that Harrison is gone and you realize that '09 could be Gonzo's year. I look for Gonzalez to break the 1000 yard plateau this year for the first time and to pop it in the end zone 8-10 times. Those numbers would make him a nice number 2 fantasy wide out though on draft day don't give him that much respect. Not yet. A year from now may be completely different as we may be talking about Gonzalez in the stud capacity. For now, treat Gonzo as a number 3 WR with plenty of upside and expect him to go around the mid-way point of most drafts this summer probably around the 7th-8th round. The Colts also drafted WR Austin Collie out of BYU in the 4th round of this year's draft. Keep an eye on Collie as he essentially fills the role Gonzalez did a couple years ago when he first broke into the league.

Dallas Clark presently remains one of the elite TE's in the NFL along with Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, and Tony Gonzalez. Not much to say here about Clark. A surefire number 1 fantasy option that will continue to catch all kinds of passes from Manning and well worth the 5th-6th round pick it will take to secure his services this fall.

Adam Vinatieri is a number 1 fantasy kicker based on his reputation, he plays in a dome, and the Colts score a lot of points. That is pretty much my equation for kickers and the ALWAYS represent my final pick in drafts. The Colts DST is intriguing because of Bob Sanders, and Dwight Freeney and can be used in a pinch depending upon the match up. However, in terms of nabbing a week in and week out DST there are far better options at this point than the Colts. Next up: The Houston Texans

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider and fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Sign up for my free newsletter at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

Fantasy Football Leagues require that you start 2 RBs, and in those leagues with a flex position, you may even find yourself needing a third RB starter. Since we are usually talking 12 man leagues, that means 24 to 36 RBs will be starting every week, and you will need backups, since the injury bug and underperformers always bite you. How do you avoid the pain of over-spending on RBs, and where are those el-cheapo value picks? We are off and running with RB sleepers for 2009.

There are basically 3 levels of RB Fantasy production for you to consider. The top tier is 250 to 300 Fantasy points in a standard scoring format, with about 4 or 5 RB candidates. The second tier is 200 to 250 points, with around 10 or 11 RBs. Then you have maybe 15 guys who will give you 150 to 200 points. This only accounts for 29 or 30 really productive runners. You can see how important it is to get a couple of sleepers, and get them at a discount.

Sleeper #1

Derrick Ward has so many things going right for him in Tampa Bay it is almost silly. Earnest Graham will be sharing carries with him, but after an ankle sprain for Graham last year, and a huge contract signed by Ward in the off-season, it is obvious where TB will be handing the ball most of the time. Ward averaged 5.3 yards a carry at New York the last two years, and is a threat to catch the ball as well. Look for 48 catches, 1500 total yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs. These kinds of numbers will put him at the bottom of the second tier of backs, and you can expect to pick him up in the 6th or 7th round, not bad for 3rd or 4th round numbers.

Sleeper #2

Donald Brown is a speedy UConn Rookie tailback that impressed Indy bigwigs with his hands as much as his feet. If you recall how Joseph Addai did three seasons ago in a running back by committee effort, and factor in Addai's less than impressive 2008, I think you can look for 150 fantasy points from Brown. Addai has not played a full season for 2 years now, and Brown will probably go around round 12 - 14. Getting 6th round production in round 12 is what the draft is all about, and I do not think you can go wrong here.

Anyone can pick Matt Forte with the 5th overall pick, but knowing who to pick in the mid to late rounds, without paying too much, is where Fantasy Titles are won. Look for things like backups, people splitting carries with injury-plagued guys, and team-jumpers going into favorable situations. If you keep these things in mind, you will be sure to get good value from the RB position, and nab a sleeper or two.

Patrick O'Neill is an 18 year Fantasy Football Veteran who has won countless local and internet Fantasy Football Championships.
"If you are serious about winning, instead of competing, I recommend the same software I use, catered to your League's rules and scoring system. Win In 2009. Get it now, and win in 2009."
Patrick ONeill

As the season winds down for the remaining NFL's regular season i have noticed that the rookie of the year award candidates are very much up for debate, I personally think the leading candidate is Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints. He continues to be productive week after week he's currently the leader in receiving yards for rookies at 869 yards, that's over 300 yards more than the runner up in this category. Marques Colston is also the leader in receiving touchdowns for all rookies with 7, and he's also second in receptions for all rookies trailing his teammate and preseason favorite for the rookie of the year honors Reggie Bush.

Let's talk about some of the other very talented rookies, such as Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans he is beginning to emerge as a playmaker now that his playing time has increased. Vince is currently second among all rookies with touchdown passes at 8, he's currently third in passer ratings among all rookies at 63.9%. Vince also remains in third in passing yards among all rookies with 1323 yards. Let's not forget about Matt Leinart the Left Handed gunslinger from the Arizona Cardinals, Matt became the fulltime starter a couple of weeks into the season. Matt seems to be catching on quick to the NFL's aggressive style of play; Matt currently is the leader among all rookies in passing yards with 1753, second in passer ratings at 69.6 and third in passing touchdowns with 7. Lets take a look at Reggie Bush and his impact he has had on his team, Reggie currently leads all rookies in receptions with 64. Reggie also has over 431 yards receiving which is fourth among all rookies, and he is currently second among all rookies in punt return average with 9.2 .

Take your pick and cast your vote I've made mine.

Other Players to Watch:

Bruce Gradkowski, Joseph Addai, Maurice Jones-Drew, Santonio Holmes, & Laurence Maroney

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Through Week #3 in the AFC it looks like the Colts and Bengals are the front runners with Baltimore, Denver and San Diego close behind.

In the AFC South

Indy has to start running the ball more effectively with Dominic Rhodes. 114 yards and Joseph Addai - 123 yards - as well, as better blocking between the two. Payton Manning has been sacked 5 times so far.

In the AFC - North

Baltimore's defense is solid, #1 vs. the rush led by MLB - Ray Lewis, D.E. Trevor Price, and CB Samari Rolle. Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan's team has registered 16 sacks. The offense has to open it up more with Steve Mc Nair to wide outs Mason, Clayton and T.E. Todd Heap.

The Cincinnati Bengals have to keep playing aggressive defense - 8 fumble recoveries and 6 interceptions. Carlson Palmer needs to stay healthy, and the Bengals need to stop getting arrested.

In the AFC West

The Denver Broncos have to get the offense going starting with Q.B. Jake Plummer - 51% completions, 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Jake needs to avoid mistakes.

The San Diego Chargers could be a Super Bowl contender if H.C. Marty Schottenheimer takes the leash off QB Phillip Rivers and lets him swim or sink. They need to open it up more to Pro Bowl T.E. Antonio Gates, wide outs - Keenan Mc Cardell and Eric Parker. They have to be more aggressive.

Christopher Harris is a featured writer for the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com

Through 10 weeks in this NFL season, few teams have performed with the efficiency of the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. In the marquee match up of the Sunday lineup, New England will find itself in position to make a significant step toward favorable playoff position as they take on the unbeaten Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium.

Despite a couple of hiccups in the loss column this season, New England is a team that appears to get better and better with each passing week. Unsure at the beginning of the season how quarterback Tom Brady would perform coming off an entire season off due to injury, the Patriots heard their answer loud and clear Sunday afternoon as Brady carried New England to a solid 27-17 win over the Miami Dolphins. Coming into week 9, the pieces were in place for a New England let down; a week 8 bye week, their trouncing of opponents by a combined score of 94-7 to the inferior Bucs and Titans, a lack in production by star receiver Randy Moss. However, throughout the contest, New England's resiliency rang true, and Moss came alive, connecting with Brady for 147 yards, and a key third quarter touchdown and two point conversion that gave them a seven point advantage that the Patriots would not relinquish.

Meanwhile, In Indianapolis, all is right with the world. At this point in the season it seems the Colts are the team of destiny, finding any way they can to win games, even if they need help from the opposition. Down by three with one second on the clock, Houston Texans kicker Kris Brown pushed a 42-yard field goal attempt wide left, handing the Colts their 8th win of the season. It was a historical day in Indy as quarterback Peyton Manning hung 318 passing yards on the Texans secondary, the 7th 300+ yard day for Manning this season, and the most 300+ yard games through the first eight games of any teams season in the history of the NFL. As if that weren't enough for the history books, the Colts also secured their 17th straight regular season win, tying the 1933-34 Chicago Bears for third most regular season victories in a row. The only team with more consecutive regular season wins? That would be the '03-'04 (18 wins) and '06-'08 (21 wins) New England Patriots.

This match up will showcase what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. New England has been firing on all cylinders thanks to Brady's ability to rally from last season's injury, and will need him to match up throw for throw with Manning for the Patriots to be able to steal one on the road. However, the true test will be the rushing attack for both teams. Laurence Maroney and Fred Taylor have been an effective combination for the Patriots, though they have only 5 touchdown runs between them, but the biggest spotlight will be on the Colts rushing threat Joseph Addai. With 5 rushing touchdowns of his own, Addai has been a jack-of-all-trades, working his way into the passing game with 2 receiving touchdowns, and even having a touchdown pass on his highlight reel this season. The Colts will live and die on Addai's production, and with that being the case, I like the Colts marching on to 9-0 for the season, and setting the table for an epic AFC title game against the Patriots come January.

Final Score: 24-20 Colts

Matt Sweet is an up and coming sports journalist who is directly collaborating with http://superpredictors.com/

2008 represented a tremendous year for rookies in terms of fantasy football. I know because I rode 2 of them (Chris Johnson and Matt Forte) to a league championship. What will the draft class of 2009 have in store for fantasy owners come this fall? Personally, I don't believe that this years class is talented as last years but time will tell. The following represent my preliminary takes regarding the 2009 draft class:

--Matthew Stafford QB (DET)

What kind of pro QB will Stafford be? Will he be like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco or will his fate be more similar to Tim Couch or Joey Harrington? Fantasy owners likely won't have a chance to find out next season. Although Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he will keep an open mind in the battle for the top spot on the depth chart, more than likely Daunte Culpepper will be the starting QB for Detroit when they open the season against the Saints in the Superdome September, 13th. That scenario doesn't allow Stafford much of a chance to make an impact in fantasy circles. Moreover, it's hard to envision a scenario where he comes out and has any value as a rookie. Ryan and Flacco were both fifth-year seniors coming out of college and possessed much more maturity heading into the NFL than the underclassman Stafford does. Stafford's value will be limited to keeper and dynasty leagues on fantasy Draft Day.

--Knowshon Moreno RB (DEN)

Searching for 2009's top fantasy rookie? Well, look no further than Moreno. Moreno is by far the most talented running back in the 2009 class and I expect him to come right in and become the starter for the Broncos. Although, the Broncos did add several veteran RB's this past off season none of them have nearly the same talent as Moreno. I see Moreno as a No. 3 fantasy runner in 2009 with potential for more. However, because of the depth the Broncos have at the position, the former Bulldog is more likely to be seen as a viable flex starter in most drafts. Obviously, he's also a tremendous option in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Chris "Beanie" Wells RB (AZ)

The Arizona Cardinals took the Ohio State power back with their first round selection, setting up an interesting depth chart battle this summer. Most pundits believe that Wells is the 2nd best RB prospect in the draft behind Moreno. Furthermore, Wells is a definite upgrade over Tim Hightower and I expect Wells to emerge atop the team's depth chart as a rookie leaving Hightower to serve as third-down back for the defending NFC champions. Whoever gets the goal line carries will obviously hold more fantasy value than the other but right now I see Wells as the better option in seasonal and keeper leagues. Both Wells and Moreno will have difficulty reaching the standards set by Johnson, Forte and Slaton from a year ago.

--Michael Crabtree WR (SF)

The Raiders loss is the 49ers gain. After the Raiders passed on Crabtree you know SF would eat him right up and they did. Crabtree was hailed as the top wideout in the draft, and he will undoubtedly have a chance to start as a rookie under coach Mike Singletary. The Niners are looking to be will a run-first team this year, however, so fantasy owners need to keep that in mind heading into 2009. Still, he'll still be worth a middle- to late-round pick in seasonal fantasy drafts and is quite capable of putting up some nice stats as a rookie.

--Percy Harvin WR/KR (MIN)

Percy Harvin still landed in the first round despite some "character" issues and will become a serious play maker for the Minnesota Vikings. Can you imagine the Vikings lining up Harvin and Peterson in the Wildcat? Harvin has immense speed and skills as a runner and receiver and I fully expect him to compete with Sidney Rice for the number 2 WR alongside Bernard Berrian. Due to his immense potential and explosiveness, Harvin will warrant a late-round flier in most fantasy drafts and surely will do some damage at some point for the Vikings. Moreover, Harvin instantly makes the Vikings DST even better than they were last year.

--Jeremy Maclin WR (PHI)

The Eagles finally gave Donovan McNabb some weapons. Maclin has immense speed and can stretch defenses in the vertical pass attack. Furthermore, he was an absolute steal where the Eagles got him. After watching an Eagle rookie WR make an impact last year there is nothing to say Maclin cannot do the same. Look for Maclin to be a late round pick this summer and I fully expect him to make some big plays for McNabb and the Eagles this fall.

--Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton OT (JAX)

Sure, offensive linemen aren't drafted in fantasy football, but that doesn't make them any less important to your team's success. Injuries absolutely decimated the Jaguars offensive line last season and was the predominant reason the team failed to make the playoffs after a very successful 2007 season. The Jags want to get back to Jag football so it was no surprise to see the team land both OT Eugene Monroe in Round 1 AND Eben Britton in round 2. The acquisition of both Monroe and Britton will only make Maurice Jones Drew more attractive in fantasy drafts. Look for MJD to be a top 5 pick this summer.

--Jason Smith OT (STL)

The addition Smith is a real positive for the value of RB Steven Jackson. Now it is up to Jackson to stay healthy and produce the numbers that fantasy owners have been yearning from him for years. With a new defensive minded head coach the Rams want to run the ball and feature Jackson in their backfield, and Smith's presence will be huge in making the ground attack effective. Furthermore, the Rams also added FB Mike Karney this off season. As I mentioned it is now all up to Jackson to achieve his potential. He will surely go in the first round again this year. Time will tell if he is worth it.

--Mark Sanchez QB (NYJ)

Mark Sanchez was the hottest name in the 2009 class in the days before the draft and after the Jets pursuit of Brett Favre last year it was no surprise that the Jets traded two draft picks and three players to move up and select him. Alth0ugh Sanchez has started a mere 16 games at the collegiate level, he could very well wind up starting for new coach Rex Ryan when the Jets open their season. In fact, Ryan has told the media that Sanchez will in fact compete for the top spot with Kellen Clemens. Personally, I don't see Sanchez making any noise this year as a rookie and would avoid him on draft day except in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Kenny Britt WR (TN)

The Titans have been desperate for WR's in recent years and hope they have found their number 1 with Kenny Britt out of Rutgers. Coach Jeff Fisher told the media that he wants to get Britt onto the field as soon as possible, so don't be shocked to see him starting on opening day. The Titans also signed former Steeler Nate Washington this off season so it could be difficult for Britt to make a significant fantasy impact in what will remain a run-based offense with Chris Johnson and Lendale White. He is definitely a player to watch in the preseason, but more than likely won't have more than late-round value in seasonal formats.

--Darius Heyward-Bey WR (OAK)

Being a huge Raider fan I was upset but not at all shocked at this move. It is clear at this point that Al Davis values pure speed more than any other attribute. Was Jerry Rice fast? Is Larry Fitzgerald a burner? The answer to both of these questions is no but one was the best there ever was and one is the best presently. However, with no clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver on the Raiders roster, Heyward-Bey will warrant late-round consideration in seasonal fantasy drafts and will have ample balls thrown to him this fall. Time will tell how this all works out and Heyward-Bey and Crabtree will be forever linked.

--Donald Brown RB (IND)

Donald Brown will immediately be thrown into the mix with the Colts and that spells good news for fantasy owners who draft him this summer. I have never really been sold on Joseph Addai and I don't think the Colts are either. Although, new Head Coach Jim Caldwell told the media that Addai will remain the team's No. 1 back, owners should definitely expect a committee situation to evolve in Indy. Addai should receive more carries, but any kind of platoon hurts his value in both seasonal and keeper leagues. Addai is no more than a No. 2 back in fantasy circles. As for Brown, he'll be worth a middle- to late-round selection and is a must for anyone drafting Addai.

In summary, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact these and the entire 2009 rookie class will have on the 2009 NFL season. They have large shoes to fill on account of last year.

Cheers and Beers

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

After months of analysis and projections leading up to the April 25-26 NFL draft followed by days of draft recap and team grades, we focus on what really matters to us; how the draft affects our fantasy football leagues.  While we may have thoughts on the absurdity of the contracts signed by high draft picks, it has no effect on our fantasy football team's payroll. Players may have been drafted higher or lower than projected, but that has no impact on where they will be drafted in our leagues. What matters most to us is if the player will play and if it will be this year or in upcoming years.   Let's take a quick spin through the AFC and look at each team's new additions that could factor into our fantasy football drafts.

Baltimore - Baltimore's best pick was on the offensive line with G Michael Oher. I cannot see this changing the draft position of any of the Ravens' three-headed backfield. DE Paul Kruger was a nice addition to an aging defense.

Buffalo - Buffalo added players across the board, except for the offensive skill positions (Terrell Owens was added via free agency). DE Aaron Maybin will be a stud on defense, bumping the defense up a few positions. They did add TE Shawn Nelson who could have a sneaky year catching passes underneath. Hopefully, Owens won't catch him conspiring with QB Trent Edwards on individual plays.

Cincinnati - The Bengals had a great overall draft, but their improvements on the offensive line OT Andre Smith and defense with LB Rey Maualuga and DE Michael Johnson does little to make their defense draftable or increase the draftability of any offensive players. I do love TE Chase Coffman and will take my chances on him with a late round pick.

Cleveland - Rookie wide receivers rarely do much in the NFL, but the Browns added two that I would recommend taking as a late round pick; Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi.

Denver - The Broncos addressed their biggest weakness; their defense. However, their defense should only be rostered when facing Kansas City and Oakland. RB Knowshon Moreno is worth drafting, but I would not draft him too high as Denver signed 4 free agent RB's so I don't see Moreno as their primary back.

Houston - The Texans added a few starters on defense to help out Mario Williams. The jury is out on whether or not it makes the position draftable or not because they were the 27th-ranked fantasy defense in 2008.

Indianapolis - DT Fili Moala helps the defense immediately, but the player to focus on is RB Donald Brown. Brown quietly lead the NCAA in rushing yards in 2008 and will step in right away for the Colts. Joseph Addai is still the number 1 running back, but has proven to be injury-prone, so Brown will get reps right away to minimize Addai's touches. He should be selected in middle rounds and a few rounds higher in Keeper Leagues.

Jacksonville - The Jags grabbed a pair of offensive tackles to help restore their running game. This should keep Maurice Jones-Drew as a second round pick. WR Mike Thomas is worth a late-round flier.

Kansas City - The Chiefs signed a few good players on defense in DT Alex Magee and LB Tyson Jackson, but they will not make their defense worth drafting.

Miami - You will read a lot about how well QB Patrick White will fit into the Fins' Wildcat offense, but how many touches can you realistically expect? They grabbed 6' 5" WR Patrick Thomas outta USC to help their passing game, but if their offense does not make Ted Ginn Jr an every week starter, Thomas has no chance.

New England - Much like Dallas, New England worked multiple trades to fill multiple holes, but none of them will help us in the fantasy world. No offensive players to note and their D will not change draft perception with the new additions.

New York Jets - The Jets were the most daring team during the draft and landed two draftable players out of their three picks in QB Mark Sanchez and RB Shonn Green. Many people questioned the Green pick, but I love this kid. He is as tough and powerful as they get. Thomas Jones is in his early 30s and threatening to hold out if he doesn't get more cash and Leon Washington may become too expensive, so Green is not a bench warmer. Sanchez had a short starting career at USC, but excelled in a pro style offense and seems polished and ready to tackle the New York media. I would recommend Sanchez as a mid-round pick and can see taking Green as a double digit round pick. Bump Sanchez up considerably in Keeper leagues and bump Green up a few rounds in Keeper leagues as well.

Oakland - Oakland would receive much more ridicule for its draft choices if Detroit wasn't in the league. However, in fantasy football, who cares if Oakland drafted a guy a round too early and bypassed a much better receiver to do it. WR Darius Heyward-Bey is a burner and can put up some serious numbers if JaMarcus Russell can get him the ball. A good mid-round pick.

Pittsburgh - The Steelers didn't really do much to change fantasy football except add another solid DT to its defense in Evander Hood. They should still be the first or second defense drafted.

San Diego - The Chargers added DE Larry English, but will probably move him to LB, especially if Merriman is slowed from his knee surgery and Shaun Phillips can't stay out of trouble. No impact on fantasy in the least.

Tennessee - WR Kenny Britt was their best pick, but he will be a third option in a run first, second and third offense. They replaced Albert Haynesworth with DT Sen'Derrick Marks (no misspelling on the name). He is a slight step back, but won't change the location in the draft for the Tennessee D.

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Round 1

#4: Tiki Barber (RB) NY Giants

Heading into the draft, after finding out I had the fourth pick overall, I knew that I would most likely end up with Tiki. Surprisingly, Larry Johnson wasn't picked until #3. With L.J. still on the board with #3, I thought that maybe the #3 man would've possibly taken Edge or Tiki. Oh well, that didn't happen; easy pick for Tiki right here.

Round 2

#7: Torry Holt (WR) St. Louis Rams

Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, and Chad Johnson were all taken in the 2nd round before my pick. There's a ton of hype with Steve Smith this year, but I'm very happy with Holt at this position, as he has consistently put up huge numbers year after year. Some people say he's the top WR in the NFL, and with his proven track record, I'm glad he's on my squad.

Round 3

#4: Marvin Harrison (WR) Indianapolis Colts

I didn't think I'd have a shot at a player of this caliber in the third round, but surprisingly, Harrison did. What surprised me was that the selection before me was Chris Chambers, a player who I don't even think is comparable to Marvin. I could've sworn someone in the third round was going to pick up a player of this magnitude, but he fell to me.

Round 4

#7: Julius Jones (RB) Dallas Cowboys

With this standard format, I had to take another RB at this position. I wanted to take another back in the third round, but when Marvin Harrison is still around, you just have to take him. Julius has been hyped up pretty well now for the first couple of years of his career. It's put up or shut up time this year for Jones.

Round 5

#4: Todd Heap (TE) Baltimore Ravens

Shockey was taken in the fourth round, and Tony Gonzalez was taken the pick before me, I had to take a tight-end at this slot. Heap will have a really good year now that he has a decent QB throwing the ball to him. I didn't take a QB in the fifth round because I had pretty much all of the QB's on my board still available, and I thought I'd be able to get one of them in the sixth. (Matt Hasselbeck, Eli Manning, Marc Bulger, Drew Bledsoe, and Kurt Warner)

Round 6

#7: Matt Hasselbeck (QB) Seattle Seahawks

This was another huge surprise to me in this draft. The following QB's went before Hasselbeck did in this draft, in this order: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, and Daunte Culpepper. Hasselbeck has been a lot more consistent than Eli, and isn't coming off the devastating injuries that Palmer and Culpepper are coming off of. Hey, I'm not complaining!

Round 7

#4: Eddie Kennison (WR) Kansas City Chiefs

Now was the time I had to start thinking about my bench, and selecting quality players with different bye weeks than my two stud wide-outs. Kennison was still available, which was good. Kennison is the Chiefs' #1 target and has put up consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. I'm pretty comfortable with Kennison as my 3rd WR.

Round 8

#7: Joseph Addai (RB) Indianapolis Colts

I was really hoping Frank Gore would still be around this late, but unfortunately, he was taken a round earlier. Addai has been a trendy pick for some, and some insiders are projecting a big season, but I'm not exactly sold that Dominic Rhodes won't be getting carries for the Colts. I just hope he lives up to the hype and can put up some decent stats, as I may turn to him later on in the season.

Round 9

#4: Kurt Warner (QB) Arizona Cardinals

I couldn't pass up on Warner this late, especially considering he's in an offense with Boldin, Fitzgerald, and now Edge running and catching balls out of the backfield. I think with the new stadium, and with all of the offensive weapons, that Warner will be the main man for the Cardinals. Hasselbeck has an early bye week, which was also a reason I took Warner because I'm not sure if Warner will still be the starter late in the year. Drew Bledsoe was still available, but I couldn't bring myself to draft another Cowboy, especially when I only need Warner for his performance early on in the year.

Round 10

#7: Cedric Houston (RB) New York Jets

Houston looked impressive against the Redskins, and I think he'll be getting some carries. He had a different bye week than my previous three RB's that I took, and I didn't think it could hurt to have a projected starter as my fourth string back.

Round 11

#4: Laveranues Coles (WR) New York Jets

Well, the Jets may not be in the best QB situation out of all of the NFL teams, but Coles is a solid player. Coles' stats may not be as good as what he's capable of putting up, but as a fourth WR, in a league which only requires two starting WR's, I'm comfortable with Coles here.

Round 12

#7: Donte Stallworth (WR) New Orleans Saints

Stallworth was the best player available at this point, and I couldn't pass up on him. He's a legitimate #2 receiver behind Joe Horn, and I believe he'll become a favorite of Drew Brees, perhaps establishing himself as the #1 thread. With Harrison and Holt as my starting WR's, and Kennison/Coles/Stallworth rounding out the bench, I think my WR core is solid.

Round 13

#4: New York Giants (Defense)

I let some time go by before taking a defense, because I had my eyes set on taking Big Blue. The Giants have an underrated defense that is capable of sacks, INT's, and big plays, because of that ferocious pass rush that will improve with the addition of Arrington. The Giants D may allow some points, but the fantasy points are earned with sacks, interceptions, fumbles, and touchdowns, things I think the Giants are going to do.

Round 14

#7: Josh Brown (K) Seattle Seahawks

I was set on taking a kicker in this round, but I wasn't sure if I wanted Feely, Brown, or Jeff Wilkins. Feely was taken the pick before me, so that made my decision a lot easier, so I had to decide between Wilkins and Brown. Brown is probably a better kicker than Wilkins, but Wilkins does kick in at least half of his games in a dome. Hopefully I won't be kicking myself later in the year for this pick!

Round 15

#4: Kevan Barlow (RB) New York Jets

I wanted five RB's, and upon hearing news that he was just traded to the Jets, I decided to take Barlow here. I don't know if he'll win the starting job, and I definitely won't be carrying him and Houston, but I figure at least one of them will have the starting job come opening day for the J-E-T-S, Jets Jets Jets.

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In a case of extremes, the 4-0 Colts step into Tennessee to face the disappointing 0-4 Titans. For Indianapolis, Peyton & co. are making winning look easy. The Titans, on the other hand, have already surpassed their loss total from last season as they try to keep their season alive against an explosive Colts squad.

Colts on Offense

As always, the Indy offensive attack starts with Peyton, who has completed 71% of his passes and is playing near-perfect football. Peyton is making everyone around him better, including rookie receiver Austin Collie and 2nd year man Pierre Garcon. Manning should look to feed them early and keep their confidence going. Then there's veterans Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, who have the potential to make big plays anytime they get the ball. Peyton should have a field day with this group against Tennessee's league-worst pass defense and a beaten-up secondary. On the ground, Joseph Addai can wear down the Titans and rookie Donald Brown is versatile enough to catch the ball and make plays out of the backfield. Indy's high-powered offense can overwhelm the Titans and demoralize them in the 1st half. Defensively, Tennessee has to use their pride and the crowd's energy to their advantage and just play like they have nothing to lose. That could take pressure off the daunting task of defending Peyton and the Colts.  

Titans on Offense

Unlike Indy, the Titans haven't had the same QB leadership from Kerry Collins, who has thrown 6 picks in 4 games this season. Still, it looks like Jeff Fisher is sticking with his veteran for now. Plenty of people within the Titans organization may be questioning Fisher's decision and wondering when Vince Young will get another chance. But as for this week, Collins or Young, it really doesn't matter because neither one will outscore Peyton. To be fair, the 36 year-old Collins is not all to blame. The rushing duo of Chris Johnson and LenDale White has underachieved so far, especially in the past 2 games. Johnson can give the Titans a spark if he breaks a few runs for big gains, and he is also a safe receiving option. Collins will look to rookie Kenny Britt, who has become a top receiver for the Titans. Nate Washington has shown that he can be a good redzone option by catching a touchdown in each of his last 3 games. The Titans need to capitalize on those situations as well as 3rd down conversions if they want to make this game interesting. The Tennessee O-line also has to deal with Indy's front 4 on defense, including Dwight Freeney's dizzying spin moves. This will make it that much tougher for the immobile Collins to get rid of the football.

The Titans have another chance to win their first game of the season, but unfortunately for them they'll be running into the wrong team this week. Peyton and the Colts will keep their streak going, as Tennessee keeps their's going too.
 
Prediction

Indianapolis    30

Tennessee     17

http://www.superpredictors.com

Super Bowl XLI
First of all I would like to congratulate Tony Dungy & Lovie Smith on becoming the first African-American coaches to take their respected teams to the Super Bowl in NFL history. Super Bowl XLI will feature the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts who would've imagined these 2 teams matched up for this year's super bowl. Let's take a look at how these 2 teams match up: I will be the first to admit that I didn't think Chicago would get by New Orleans in the NFC championship game but being at home has its advantages. On the other side of the coin, the Indianapolis Colts have been favored to reach the Super Bowl the last couple of years have finally gotten over the hump. I will dissect these 2 teams strengths & weaknesses and give my prediction for Super Bowl XLI.

RB's
Thomas Jones/ Cedric Benson - Thomas Jones played the game of his life against NO playing with passion and persistence; Cedric Benson runs with power and has good vision.
Joseph Addai/ Dominick Rhodes - Joseph Addai has impressed me the rookie runs with more power and speed than his scouting report predicted, Dominick Rhodes is the change of pace back he has very good hands coming out of the back field.
Advantage: Chicago

QB
Peyton Manning - what more can you say about this guy he has the whole world believing him now, this guy has a rocket for an arm and the work ethic of a future hall of famer. He's clearly in a class by himself after outplaying his counterpart Tom Brady in the AFC championship game I don't think Rex Grossman can keep pace.
Rex Grossman - rex has to play the best game of his life to keep pace with Peyton & the colts, maybe rex will be motivated since the game is in south Florida where he played his college ball. Rex has been carried by his defense all season long but the Cinderella story is over.
Advantage: Indianapolis

Keys to the Game : Can the Chicago Bears hard-hitting defense control the high-octane offense of the colts? If Rex Grossman don't get off to a good start it could be a blow out, trust me Chicago has got to contain this high scoring offense early and often. Another point of interest will be on special teams can the colts contain Devin Hester the dangerous return man for Chicago, he can score at any given time he touches the ball so Beware.

Prediction : I believe Indy will run away with this game by a 17-20 point advantage;
Indy 38- Chicago 20.

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The Indianapolis Colts came into the 2009 season with high expectations. Always a competitive team, anything short of a Super Bowl may be seen as a disappointment in their minds. The team ended up narrowly defeating the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars in week one, leading into a much more difficult week 2 match.

The week 2 game between the Colts and Dolphins is a Monday Night football game and the stakes are high. Miami lost its first game to the Falcons and will look to redeem itself. The defending AFC East champs would hate to open up their season with an 0-2 record.

While the odds makers have the Colts winning this game by three points, the Colts have a few things to worry about that may affect their chances of winning in Miami.

Peyton Manning looked great during the first week of the NFL season, there's no doubt about that. He connected with Reggie Wayne like they did in 2007, and made use of the rest of his receivers too. However, Anthony Gonzalez, the team's number two wide receiver, was forced out of the game with injury and will probably miss the remainder of the year as a result. Since the team no longer has Marvin Harrison, this is ample cause for concern.

The Indianapolis Colts must find a way to deep with the absence of Anthony Gonzalez. Normally a team with plenty of receiving options, this isn't the case this year.

At running back, the team must still address worries about Joseph Addai and his ability to excel at the position. Addai was a top running back during the 2007 NFL season, but his numbers fell off drastically in 2008.

The Monday night game at Miami is a must win for the Indianapolis Colts. Expect Manning to rise to the occasion.

To continue this conversation, come to the Indianapolis Colts forum at RootZoo, home to the best sports forum online.

The end of the football season has arrived, and with it, one final chance to bask in the glory of a fantasy football championship. To help you navigate your team to the title, here is a look at the players involved.

Player 1

- Drew Brees: Brees has thrown six touchdowns without an interception in the postseason, and has averaged 222 passing yards per game. He faces a Colts defense that was 14th in the league against the pass, and 10th in passing scores allowed.

- Peyton Manning: Manning has been his usual highly impressive self in the playoffs, throwing for an average of 311.5 yards per game, with five touchdowns and one interception, numbers that are even more remarkable when you consider the fact that he faced the Jets and Ravens, who were first and seventh, respectively, in the league in pass defense this season. During the regular season, New Orleans was just 26th in the NFL in pass defense, though it should be noted they were third in the league in interceptions.

Player 2

- Joseph Addai: Addai hasn't been a big part of the Colts' offense during the team's playoff run, but that's mostly because he hasn't needed to be. He's rushed for only 107 yards on 27 carries in two games, and caught just four passes for 27 yards and hasn't scored a touchdown. The Saints were just 19th in the league against the run in the regular season, and allowed more touchdowns on the ground than all but three other squads.

- Pierre Thomas: Thomas has run the ball 27 times in New Orleans' two postseason victories, and racked up 113 yards and one touchdown. He's also caught six passes for 56 yards and one score, and though the Colts were 24th in run defense in the regular season, they also allowed fewer rushing scores than all but six other teams.

Player 3

- Marques Colston: Colston was New Orleans' leading receiver in the regular season, and he is tied with Devery Henderson for the team lead in receptions in the playoffs with eight. His 105 receiving yards are just under Henderson's total for the postseason, however, and his one touchdown also trails Henderson's two.

- Reggie Wayne: Wayne was magnificent most of the regular season, but he tailed off in the latter part of the year, and that has carried over to the postseason. Wayne's 11 catches and one touchdown are tied for second on the team, but his 118 receiving yards are third.

Player 4

- Reggie Bush: Bush has scored twice in the playoffs, once on a dazzling run against the Vikings, and one on a reception. For the postseason, he's run the ball 12 times for 92 yards, and caught six passes for 57 yards.

- Dallas Clark: Clark has 11 receptions in the postseason after snaring 100 in the regular season, and though he was second on the team with over 1,100 receiving yards during the regular season, his 94 so far in the playoffs is fourth on the team. He does have one touchdown catch, however.

Player 5

- Austin Collie: Collie leads the Colts with two touchdown grabs in the playoffs, and is second on the team in both catches with 11, and receiving yards, with 175. And despite the great play of Pierre Garcon during the playoffs, don't forget that Collie was third on the Colts in both receptions and touchdown catches in the regular season.

- Pierre Garcon: Garcon is having a fabulous postseason, leading Indianapolis in receptions, with 16, and receiving yards, with 185, while also scoring a touchdown. He may be having the best postseason of any individual player on either squad.

- Robert Meachem: Meachem has done little to establish himself in either of New Orleans' two playoff games, and has only two catches for 19 yards in the postseason. However, his nine touchdown catches in the regular season were good enough to tie him for the team lead with Marques Colston, and he's clearly a boom-or-bust player for this particular fantasy football contest.

Player 6

- Devery Henderson: Henderson has been the most productive Saints receiver so far in the playoffs, and is tied with Marques Colston for the team lead in receptions with eight. However, he leads New Orleans in receiving yards with 119, and touchdown catches, with two.

- Jeremy Shockey: Shockey is battling an injury - as usual - though he has been productive in the playoffs, catching four passes for 45 yards, and one touchdown reception. He will suit up for this game, but his health will likely have a big impact on how productive he will be.

- David Thomas: Thomas had taken advantage of his opportunity to play when Jeremy Shockey was injured in the regular season, and he has a chance to do that again in the Super Bowl. Thomas has caught three passes for 32 yards in New Orleans' two postseason contests, but if Shockey is not able to go all-out, Thomas could be in line for a good day.

Player 7

- Dwight Freeney: Freeney has torn ligaments in his ankle, and he's officially listed as questionable for the game. However, most believe he will attempt to play, though not nearly as much as usual, and maybe only on obvious passing downs.

- Robert Mathis: Mathis has not registered a sack in the postseason, but he was second on the Colts in the regular season with 9.5, and he also led the team with five forced fumbles to go with 37 tackles. However, keep in mind that if Freeney is limited, as expected, New Orleans may concentrate more on stopping Mathis with chip blocks and occasional double teams.

- Will Smith: Smith's 13.0 sacks during the regular season led all Saints players, and he also forced three fumbles and intercepted a pass to go with 49 tackles. He hasn't registered a sack so far in the playoffs, but he does have a forced fumble and interception, along with seven tackles.

Player 8

- Gary Brackett: In the regular season, Brackett was second in tackles for the Colts with 99 stops. He also had one sack and one interception during the year. He leads all Colts defenders in the postseason with 13 tackles, and also has the team's only sack.

- Clint Session: Session was Indianapolis' leading tackler in the regular season, taking down ball carries 103 times. He was productive in other areas as well, picking off two passes, and scoring one of the Colts' two defensive touchdowns. In the playoffs, he is fourth on the team in tackles with 11, but has not done anything else noteworthy.

- Jonathan Vilma: Vilma's 110 tackles in the regular season was tops among Saints players, but he did more than just hit people. The Pro Bowler also intercepted three passes and amassed two sacks. He has amassed just six tackles in the postseason, but he also has a forced fumble and interception.

Player 9

- Antoine Bethea: Bethea was all over the field in the regular season. He was third on the Colts with 95 tackles, but led them with four interceptions and also forced two fumbles. In the Colts' two playoff games, he's made just eight tackles, but also has one of the three interceptions Indy has managed.

- Roman Harper: Harper was second on the Saints in tackles during the regular season with 102, but led them with 10 tackles for loss. He also forced two fumbles and managed 1.5 sacks, though he didn't intercept any passes. So far this postseason, Harper has nine tackles and one forced fumble.

- Darren Sharper: Sharper's 70 tackles in the regular season placed him third on New Orleans' squad, but his contributions to the team's defense went far beyond that. He picked off nine passes, and more remarkably, scored three defensive touchdowns, which was one more than the entire Colts team had. He has 13 tackles so far in the playoffs, which is tied for second on the Saints, but hasn't gathered an interception.

Player 10

- Jabari Greer: Greer made 44 tackles in the regular season, and amassed the second-highest total of passes defended with 13. He also picked off two passes, and scored one defensive touchdown. So far in the playoffs, Greer has made 10 tackles and leads the team with three passes defended.

- Jacob Lacey: Lacey was fourth on Indianapolis' team with 85 tackles during the regular season, which is impressive considering he's a cornerback. He also led the team with 13 passes defended, and was second with three interceptions and scored one of their two defensive touchdowns. Lacey's 11 postseason tackles are tied for fourth on the Colts, and 10 of them have been solo stops, which is tied for second-most.

- Tracy Porter: Porter made 57 tackles in the regular season, but was around the ball a lot, forcing two fumbles, and snatching four interceptions, which was second on the team. He also scored a defensive touchdown. Porter also made the interception of Brett Favre in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship game, and is tied for second on the team with 13 tackles, not to mention one forced fumble.

Kicker

- Garrett Hartley: Hartley has only hit two field goals in the postseason, but both were between 40-49 yards, including the game-winning 40-yarder in overtime of the NFC Championship game. He's also hit all 10 of his extra-point tries.

- Matt Stover: Stover has nailed each of the five field goals he's attempted this postseason, and they've come from varying distances. His boots have come from 19, 21, 25, 33 and 44 yards. Stover has also connected on each of his five extra-point attempts.

Teams

- Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints: Picking the winner will net you 20 points in the contest, so go with your instincts. If it's any help, the Colts are favored by a decent margin, between five and six points depending on where you look. But, if you're playing a Super Bowl fantasy football contest, you undoubtedly already knew that, didn't you?

It's one thing for fans to give up on their team. It's entirely another for the players to give up, too.

But after watching last night's 45-21 humiliation at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, it was apparent that the Birds themselves have joined Eagle Nation in giving up on the 2006 season.

What happened last night on the artificial turf of the RCA Dome was a travesty. From the very first snap, Eagle defenders were manhandled and pushed all over the field by the bigger, stronger Colts offensive line.

Philadelphia Eagles were being tossed to the ground like sacks of potatoes, opening up gaping holes for Indy's stud rookie running back Joseph Addai (24/171). After totaling only three touchdowns through the first 10 games of the regular season, the first-year man out of LSU ran for four against an Eagle defense that has clearly quit.

Of course, even if they hadn't quit, the Birds still probably would have lost this game. They are physically no match for the Colts and chances are the score would have been similar no matter how motivated the Eagles were.

But last night's loss was an embarrassment. From the first snap they were overmatched, falling behind 21-0 early in the second quarter, allowing the Colts to do whatever they wanted.

And like a good team should, the Colts took advantage, rushing for a staggering 237 yards, piling up 420 yards of total offense. And that includes a fourth quarter in which Indy mercifully pulled in the reigns.

It has been clear for weeks that the biggest problem in Philadelphia is the defense. In fact, it was evident last year as well. The Birds, with their philosophy of going with "small but quick" players, have been getting pushed around since the start of the 2005 season.

What is the problem here? Is it the personnel? Is it the philosophy? Has defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his touch? Has the rest of the NFL caught up to his schemes?

To all those questions, the answer is yes.

Perhaps the play that best crystalized what this Eagles defense is all about was Addai's third touchdown run, six minutes into the second quarter. As Addai stretched left, OLB Matt McCoy was completely plowed over by Indy TE Dallas Clark, opening up a huge hole that allowed Addai to score virtually untouched.

I repeat. A pass-catching tight end absolutely obliterated a starting outside linebacker on a supposedly competent defense.

Watching it made me want to vomit.

But McCoy's not the only culprit, not by a long shot. Watching Darwin Walker and Mike Patterson get eliminated at the point of attack, Trent Cole and Darren Howard disappear before our very eyes, Shawn Barber and McCoy get bullied, and Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine miss arm tackle after arm tackle, you wanted to throw a paper weight at your TV screen.

And it isn't as if the Eagles haven't addressed these defensive concerns in past offseasons. With their last two first-round picks, the Birds have drafted Mike Patterson (I'll give someone $200 if they can give me a rational explanation for the contract extension the Eagles gave Patterson a few weeks ago) and Broderick Bunkley, who was deactivated after missing the team flight to Indianapolis on Sunday and has been nearly invisible all year long. This past off-season, they spent big money on defensive end Darren Howard as a free agent and signed OLB Shawn Barber to a one-year deal.

But one thing they've neve done is invest seriously in the outside linebacker position. Even with gobs of salary cap space, the Birds have never valued the linebacker position, instead concentrating on investing in a small, quick, quarterback-pressuring defensive line.

Only, the defensive line hasn't been getting any pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Cole and Howard have disappeared. Jerome McDougle has been the franchise's worst draft pick since Mike Mamula. Patterson and Walker not only can't generate any pressure on the inside, they're too undersized to clog up any running lanes either. And because Andy Reid and Jim Johnson have inexplicably and completely ignored the linebacker position, the Eagles are simply no match for teams with any hint of size.

The team's defensive philosophy has to change. Perhaps it's time for Jim Johnson to find employment elsewhere and for a new defensive coordinator to take the reigns. A defensive coordinator who is capable of making in-game adjustments. A defensive coordinator who understands that size matters. A defensive coordinator who gets the concept that playing stiffs at linebacker will eventually catch up to you.

And while Johnson no longer has some of the players that once made his defenses great (Corey Simon, Hollis Thomas, Carlos Emmons), what has transpired over the last year and a half is his own fault. Together with Big Red, this is the defense he has constructed. These are the players he wanted for his system. It is he and Reid who have drafted these stiffs and signed these free agents.

And it isn't working. It's an embarrassment.

A new philosphy can only happen with the dismissal of Jim Johnson as defensive coordinator. The Eagles need a new direction on defense, and they need it now.

Of course, there were other storylines last night. Jeff Garcia, filling in for Donovan McNabb, played pretty darned well, moving the Eagles offense up and down the field when they had the ball.

Brian Westbrook and the offensive line continued to show that, given the opportunity, they can be a dominant running force.

Andy Reid showed once again that he has completely lost touch with reality in calling that bizarre Hank Baskett pass play to start the Eagles' second drive, a play-call that screamed panic.

While mathematically still very much alive (thanks to losses by the Giants and Panthers yesterday), the Eagles are through. Instead of rising to the challenge of playing without their starting quarterback and proving the Delaware Valley wrong, the Birds did nothing but reinforce our cynicism and skepticism by stinking up the joint last night.

They have quit on their season.

And for that, there is no defense.

John Stolnis is a staff writer for http://www.phillysportsline.com

From Unitas-Ameche-Berry in the late 1950's and early 1960's to Bradshaw-Harris-Swann in the 1970's to Montana-Craig-Rice in the 1980's to Aikman-Smith-Irvin in the 1990's to Manning-James-Harrison in the 2000's, there has been a history of feared QB-RB-WR combos fueling gridiron success in the NFL. In today's NFL, with more wide-open offenses and running backs by committee, having a formidable set of "triplets" has become less integral but no less effective. Here is my list of the top QB-RB-WR combos in the league:

5. Atlanta Falcons (Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White) - The fact that the Falcons made this list speaks volumes about my belief that Matt Ryan will bounce back from an up-and-down campaign in 2009. I believe this kid has elite QB written all over him and will begin proving it in 2010. I also expect to see Michael Turner more resemble the runner we saw in 2008 than the injury-plagued back we saw last season. While Ryan and Turner suffered through disappointing seasons in 2009, Roddy White continued to emerge as one of the league's top wide receivers with 85 catches and a career best 11 touchdowns. Look for the Falcons offense to light it up in 2010.

4. Minnesota Vikings (Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice) - Obviously, this ranking depends a lot on Brett Favre's decision on whether to play or not in 2010. Let's just say, I have sneaky suspicion he'll show up sometime in August after the rigors of training camp are but a memory for his teammates. After doubting Favre's ability to defy age the past couple of seasons, I can find no reason to expect a sharp decline in his play this season. Despite a rather pedestrian end to his season - for my money - Adrian Peterson is still the best running back in the NFL. Vikings fans had been waiting on Sidney Rice to finally live up to some of his vast potential since being taken in the 2nd round in 2007. Well, they finally got what they were looking for as he blossomed with Favre as his quarterback - resulting in Pro Bowl season in 2009.

3. Dallas Cowboys (Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Miles Austin) - Miles Austin came out of nowhere last season to team with Romo and Barber to bring back memories of the original Cowboy Triplets (Aikman, Smith and Irvin). The Boys ranked #2 in the NFL in total yards last season and should once again have no problem moving the ball in 2010.

2. Indianapolis Colts (Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Reggie Wayne) - The Colts have found themselves towards the top of this list each year since Edgerrin James teamed up with Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison back in 1999. Eleven years later, a couple of the names have changed but the results have been the same. Joseph Addai took over for James in 2006 and Reggie Wayne moved out from under Marvin Harrison's shadow completely in 2009 as they, along with Manning, helped lead the Colts to a Super Bowl appearance last season.

1. Baltimore Ravens (Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin) - I know this combo is unproven as a unit with Boldin yet to play a down for the Ravens, but I love the potential of these three in the 2010 NFL season. Flacco built on an impressive Rookie campaign in 2008 by passing for over 3600 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2009. Ray Rice, also in his 2nd season last year, had over 2000 yards from scrimmage. If Boldin can quickly develop chemistry with Flacco, look for this group to put up some very impressive totals this season.

A. K. Leonard writes a Fantasy Sports Blog at http://www.h2hfantasysports.com with the latest in Head to Head Fantasy Sports news, tips, advice and recommendations.