Part 4… AFC West

(by Steven Kolb, Contributor)

     Denver Broncos

  In his second NFL season QB Jay Cutler reached the 20 TD mark passing, and with another season of maturing under his belt and a legitimate big play WR in Brandon Marshall he should repeat that.  You should view Cutler as a low number 1 QB who has the potential to reach 25 TD passes this season. As we enter a new season it means the Denver RB situation is somewhat unclear, as we are assuming Selvin Young will enter the season as the starter with Travis Henry being cut.  Don’t expect Young to to be the clear cut starter though, his smallish size will limit the amount of touches he gets and so will the depth behind him. Young has the potential to close in on 1,000 yards but his TD’s will be minimal. Because of Mike Shanahan’s preference of rotating RB’s in and out look for Michael Pittman to steal goal-line carries and keep tabs on Andre Hall and rookie Ryan Torain. WR Brandon Marshall had the breakout year that the Broncos expected he would have as he became Jay Cutler’s favorite target. At press time Marshall was being investigated for an arrest during the offseason and he was rehabbing an arm injury he sustained. Marshall should be able to put these incidents behind him when the season begins and I expect him to emerge as a legitimate number 1 WR this season. The Broncos added three WR’s in the offseason Darrell Jackson, Samie Parker, and  Keary Colbert who will help take some of the attention off Marshall. All three are low end number three WR’s at best but look for Jackson to potentially emerge this season alongside Marshall. TE Tony Scheffler who was hampered by a foot injury last season, should continue to rise amongst the ranks of TE’s this season. Draft Scheffler as a number 1 TE this season. With Jason Elam gone, the kicker job now belongs to Matt Prater at press time, but the Broncos could bring in a free agent to compete with him. I reccomend to watch and see who the kicker is and draft elsewhere at this point.

     Kansas City Chiefs

   One of the big questions fantasy owners will be asking is whether or not Larry Johnson will return to form.  According to Herm Edwards he is viewing Johnson as his workhorse back and he is going to give him 22-25 touches a game. View Johnson as a number 1 back but don’t expect him to repeat his numbers of 2006 and 2007, because of the lack of a true passing game his rushing TD’s will be limited by defenses stacking the line against the Chiefs. I strongly reccomend if you draft Johnson that you handcuff yourself with Kolby Smith who filled in solidly last year. The Chiefs have officially handed the reigns over to Brodie Croyle who will start at QB this season. Croyle showed some flashes during last season but head into this season with him as a number three QB. Rookie Dwayne Bowe exceeded expectations last year as he became the Chiefs number 1 WR. While Bowe should continue to build on last seasons stats he will be limited by the lack of a true QB, view him as a high number 3 WR who has the potential to become a two. Opposite Bowe will be a battle between Jeff Webb and Devard Darling, both are players who could be waiver wire pickups at best. Tony Gonzalez had a rebirth season last year as he recorded his first 1,000 yard recieving year in two years. His receptions also went up, continue to expect Gonzalez to put up his normal 80 catches while he hovers around 1,000 yards and record 6-7 TD’s. The Chiefs will be  holding a training camp battle  to determine who will win the kicker job. With the potential for the offense to struggle this year, i don’t reccomend drafting the Cheifs kicker.

    Oakland Raiders

  The Raiders enter this season with a lot of talent but with this talent comes a lot of questions. Darren McFadden the Raiders first round pick will take over the starting job which was held by Justin Fargas. I expect the Raiders to use McFadden and Fargas the same way the Vikings handled Peterson and Chester Taylor last season. McFadden has the more upside of the two and he should be considered a number two back. Fargas did rush for 1,000 yards last season but the Raiders didn’t draft McFadden to have him held back. Jamarcus Russell will start the season as the Raiders starter and with a good offseason under his belt could have a respectable season. Look for Russell to throw for 16-17 TD’s as he begins his learning curve into the NFL.  The Raiders added veteran WR Javon Walker in the offseason to help sure up the WR spot. At press time Walker suffered a broken jaw in an apparent robbery attempt. The Raiders expect Walker to be ready for the start of training camp, but with his injury history and his conditioning issues i would wait on drafting Walker until you see how he performs once the season starts. The potential sleeper for the Raiders this season is WR Ronald Curry who has continued to take steps thus far in his NFL career. If Curry can finally get over the injuries that have hampered him thus far he could potentially become a 1,000 yard reciever if Walker struggles. Another WR to monitor is Drew Carter who could become a legitimate deep threat and could be a nice bye week filler because of his height around the red zone to grab TD’s. In his rookie season last year TE Zach Miller played a solid role in the Raiders offense. He had 444 recieving yards and three TD’s, and he should build upon that this season, view him as a number two TE. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski proved to be a good kicker for fantasy owners last season as he connected on six FG’s over 50 yards last season. He should be viewed this year as a number two kicker.

    San Diego Chargers

  LaDainian Tomlinson’s TD’s took a bit of a hit last season but how could we complain about the overall number one fantasy player out there. Tomlinson will continue to be an overall threat for your team whether its rushing,recieving or passing, he should be the number one player drafted in all leagues. Phillip Rivers appears to be ahead of schedule after he tore his ACL last season, he should be ready to start the year for the Chargers. If healthy Rivers is a strong number two QB who has the ability to put up some big weeks for your fantasy team. Chris Chambers who came over from the Dolphins at the trading deadline last season will begin his first full year as a Charger. Expect Chambers to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark this season as he experiences a rebirth of the 2005 season he had with the Dolphins. Chambes value could slip in some leagues so draft him as a number 2 WR. Vincent Jackson who was a popular choice as a sleeper heading into last season peformed well until Chambers arrived and took catches away from him. In the postseason Jackson had 18 catches for 300 yards and 2 TD’s and with the offense continuing to roll look for Jackson to become comfortable in his role as he will record 7-8 TD’s this year. TE Antonio Gates suffered a toe injury which is still bothering him as the Chargers close in on training camp. Gates apparentley might not be ready for camp, so its worth monitoring to see how he responds once he gets back into camp. You should still view Gates as a number 1 TE but with the improvement by Jason Witten and Kellen Winslow Gates might not be the number 1 overall TE by seasons end. Kicker Nate Kaeding should continue to see plenty of opportunities playing in this Chargers offense, view him as a low end number 1 kicker.

Part 3.. AFC South

(by Steven Kolb, Contributor)

           Houston Texans

Houston is one of those teams this season that offers interesting fantasy potential. QB Matt Schaub in his first season as a starter got off to a hot start throwing 5 TD’s in the first month of the season. He struggled though after that and a shoulder injury ended his season. Of his nine touchdown passes last season seven went to WR Andre Johnson, if both guys can stay healthy and stay in the lineup this season look for Schaub to eclipse 20 TD passes. In just eight games last season Johnson had 851 receiving yards and 8 Td’s, if you project that for 16 games Johnson would have had over 1,400 receiving yards and 14-15 Td’s. Johnson should be considered a number 1 WR this season and should be one of the top 4 WR off the board. Kevin Walter who should open the season as the number 2 WR in Houston had his best season of his career last season. Granted most of his numbers came after Johnson went down, Walter is still an intriguing name to keep tabs on if this Houston offense does take off this year. Watch for WR Jacoby Jones this season, the athletic WR is entering his second NFL season and offers some sleeper potential. RB Ahman Green will open the season in the backfield for the Texans, but the question is how long before he goes down with an injury? The 31 year old Green only played in six games last year, and with the depth at RB in Houston don’t except much from Green. Green should be viewed as a low end number 3 RB this year. Chris Brown who Houston signed in the off-season will begin the season taking carries from Green and if Green does go down Brown’s value could increase. Keep tabs on second year man Darius Walker and rookie Steve Slaton who could see some time as well this season. TE Owen Daniels had a real breakout year last season with 768 receiving yards and 3 TD’s, if Andre Johnson plays the whole year watch for Daniels to close in on 1,000 yards. Kris Brown continues to be a solid fantasy kicker, he was 5-5 on 50 plus field goals last season.

        Indianapolis Colts

In 2008 expect a lot of the same from the Colts offensively as they will continue to post big points for your fantasy team. For the first time in years Peyton Manning is no longer a lock as a first round pick and he has fallen to the umber two ranked QB. But regardless of Manning being the second QB he will remain a stud for your fantasy team. From a pride standpoint I see Manning throwing over 4,000 yards again and I see his TD totals above 31 this year, look for Manning to throw for 35 TD’s. In his first full season as a starter Joseph Addai had his ups and downs. He failed to run for 100 yards in his teams last eight games as he showed some wear. Addai scored 15 TD’s though and playing in this high octane offense makes Addai a top 5 RB and a potential top 3 pick in drafts. The Colts brought back Dominic Rhodes in the off-season to help spell Addai at times which should only help Addai. Look for Addai to rush for 1,100 yards and score around 15 total TD’s again. Reggie Wayne has now officially emerged as Peyton Manning’s go to guy as he recorded 1,510 yards and 10 TD’s last season. With the decline of Marvin Harrison, look for Wayne to keep his numbers around the same level again this season. Harrison’s value right now is as low as it’s ever been and that could be a good thing if you want to draft him as a potential sleeper. See how his knee holds up in camp before you want to take a flyer on him. If Harrison does struggle look for second year man Anthony Gonzalez to step in. Gonzalez began to show signs towards the end of last season and i expect a big surge in his numbers this season. Dallas Clark helped pick up the TD totals that were left available by Harrison as he recorded 11 last season. Clark is a number 1 TE this season but 11 TD’s again this season is a little to high this year look in the range of 7-9. Adam Vinatieri had a down year last season but because of the opportunities he has with the Colts, he is a low end number 1 Kicker.

       Jacksonville Jaguars

One of the questions most fantasy owners are wondering heading into this season for the Jags is whether Maurice Jones-Drew will become the starter? The answer is that Fred Taylor is still going strong at 32 so expect a RBBC approach once again. Taylor rushed for 1202 yards last season and he finished the year on fire rushing for 494 yards in his last four games. You can view Taylor as a mid-level number 2 RB this year. Jones-Drew has become a touchdown machine the first two years of his career, and his all purpose yardage has been great for fantasy owners. Jones-Drew is a strong number 2 RB who could rush for his first 1,000 yard season this year. In his first season as a starter David Garrard had what can be described best as a “solid” season, as he threw for 18 TD’s and only 3 INT’s. The Jaguars upgraded their WR position in the offseason and i look for Garrard to throw over 20 TD’s and be a strong number 2 QB this year. The addition of Jerry Porter seems to give the Jaguars there first legitimate number 1 WR since Jimmy Smith. Porter has the potential this season to be a legitimate low end number 2 WR if he can build a rapport with Garrard. Behind Porter the Jags have a lot of mid-level players who offer mediocre fantasy value. Former first round pick Troy Williamson appears to be the number 2 WR for the Jags and maybe a change of scenery can change his career. For now Williamson should be a guy you keep tabs on while he sits on the waiver wire. Reggie Williams had 10 TD’s last year but only 38 receptions. With Porter and Williamson now in Jacksonville, Williams won’t repeat his touchdown performance. A sleeper this year at TE is Mercedes Lewis who began to show signs of his potential in the playoffs. He will enter the season low on some people’s radar but watch for him to surprise, I expect him to grab 6-7 TD’s. Kicker Josh Scobee has been a little inconsistent thus far in his career but he has a big leg, look at him as a number 2 kicker.

Tennessee Titans

The real key for the Titans Fantasy wise is to get production from QB Vince Young. Young’s TD’s went down in his second season while his INT’s went up. His rushing totals also went down, part of the blame for his low numbers can be put on the fact the Titans don’t have a true number 1 WR. With really no true improvements on offense outside of TE Alge Crumpler, I still see Young struggling this season and really view him as a low number 2 QB. In his second NFL season RB LenDale White ran for 1110 yards but that didn’t stop the Titans from drafting RB Chris Johnson. White has been rehabbing his knee during the offseason so keep an eye on that situation, if White is fine for the season he will get the bulk of the carries but Johnson will see some time as well. WR Justin Gage was able to separate himself as Young’s go to guy last season and the big target should be in line to catch more TD’s this season. Draft Gage as a number 3 WR heading into this season. Roydell Williams is slated to start opposite Gage, but he suffered a broken ankle in May they could hamper him, watch him in training camp. If Williams can continue to improve like he had last year he has a chance to be a low number 3 WR. If their is a sleeper of the bunch keep an eye on WR Brandon Jones. TE Alge Crumpler has a chance to be to Vince Young what he was to Mike Vick. Crumpler will give Young a comfortable target to dump the ball off to in the passing game. View Crumpler as a number 2 TE this season. After his breakout season last year Rob Bironas elevated himself to a number 1 kicker worthy as an every week starter.

Part 2.. AFC North

  (by Steven Kolb)

    Baltimore Ravens

  One of the bigger questions affecting the Ravens this upcoming season is the quarterbacking situation. Kyle Boller will once again take the reigns at QB for Baltimore and because of his lack of success thus far in NFL draft him as a low number two QB. Expect Joe Flacco to begin the season behind Boller but because of Boller’s struggles he will at some point be called on to start, monitor how Flacco performs in training camp. With the unsettled issue at QB and the retirement of Jonathan Ogden, look for Willis Mcgahee’s numbers to take a little hit this season as teams will stack the line against the Ravens. Still consider Mcgahee as a low end number 1 back and hope his TD numbers can rise, watch Ray Rice early this year to see if he takes carries from Mcgahee. Derrick Mason experienced a rebirth last season after a down year the season before. While Mason will continue to rack up catches for the Ravens this season, don’t expect 103 catches again. After a breakout second season in the NFL big things were expected from Mark Clayton in his third season. Clayton was limited to 531 yards with no Td’s last season as he was hampered by a nagging ankle injury which hurt him all year. Clayton is worth a late pick though as a potential sleeper on the fact that he has shown he can produce in the NFL.  Keep an eye on Demetrius Williams this season, he offers the Ravens a solid deep threat at WR and if Clayton struggles he could slide right in opposite Mason. Todd Heaps 2007 season was basically a washout as he was hampered by a hamstring injury that forced him to be put on injured reserve. If healthy Heap is a number 1 TE, but monitor his training camp to see how he responds. At this point in his career Matt Stover is a bye week filler at kicker for your team, he did not hit a FG pver 50 yards last season.

     Cincinnati Bengals

   The Bengals offer fantasy owners a pool of talent from which to choose from on offense this season. The big question though is the status of Chad Johnson, which appears more and more likely he will stay a Bengal and play this season. If Johnson does indeed play, Carson Palmer has the potential to get back to the 30 TD plateau. Expect Palmer to throw for over 4,000 yards this season while he cuts down on high INT total of 20 last season. With Johnson the Bengals have potentially two of the most dangerous Wr’s in the game lined up opposite one another. Both Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh had over 1000 yards recieving last year with 8 and 12 td’s apiece. With Johnson back both WR will duplicate those numbers with Johnson catching double digit touchdowns. With Chris Henry being cut watch for rookies Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell, one of them could emerge to pick up the slack left by Henry. One of the other big questions for the Bengals this year is if Rudi Johnson’s 2007 season was just a fluke. Johnson battled injuries but when he came back he wasn’t the runner he was in the past. Like with Palmer i really see the Bengals all coming together this season and rallying, so look for Rudi to get to 1000 yards this year. If Rudi struggles look for Kenny Watson who filled in solidly last season. The TE position has been a spot that has rarely produced much fantasy value for the Bengals. Reggie Kelly will open the season as the starter but really only value him as a bye week filler. Because of the explosiveness of the Bengals offense Shayne Graham makes a great kicker for your team as he can rack up points.

    Cleveland Browns

   The 2007 season was a breakout out season for the Cleveland Browns offense. Derek Anderson took his opportunity at QB and ran with it as he threw for 29 TD’s and 3787 yards. Expect Anderson to pick up right were he left off this season because of the surplus of talent around hm. On the topic of breakout seasons Braylon Edwards in his third season showed the potential many people had tagged him with as he had 1289 yards and 16 Td’s. Edwards began to build a rapport with Anderson as the season wore on as they connected for 5 td’s in the seasons final month. While 16 tds again is a stretch expect Edwards to eclipse double digit touchdowns as he remains a number 1 WR. The addition of Donte Stallworth makes him an immediate sleeper at WR. Stallworth will have a ton of opportunities in this offense alongside Edwards, draft Stallworth as a low second WR. Joe Juevicius also offers some minimal fantasy value this year, as he has the potential to grab 5-6 tds. After exceeding expectations in his first year with the Browns, the question is can Jamal Lewis do it again? Lewis proved with all the wear he has he was able to do it last year so why doubt him this year. Lewis will crack the 1000 yards mark and he will be in on all goal line situations for the Browns, View him as a top tier number 2 RB. Kellen Winslow will remain a number 1 TE this year and he offers enough value where you can draft him basically as a second WR. Veteran Phil Dawson will continue to be a number 1 kicker as long as the Browns offense continues to produce as it did last season.

     Pittsburgh Steelers

    First and foremost did anyone expect Ben Roethlisberger to throw for 32 Td’s last season because i didn’t. While duplicating that will be tough, look for Big Ben to hedge around 25 Td passes this season. Probably one of the bigger issues for the Steelers and fanasy owners is Willie Parkers status as the starter with the drafting of Rashard Mendenhall. After being a first round pick last season in fantasy leagues Parker could fall to as low as the third round. But even that can be a steal, I honestley expect Parker to get plenty of carries to warrant him being a high number 2 RB.  Parker has fully healed from a broken leg so don’t hesitate to draft him on that fact. Mendenhall has enough talent to warrant him being selected later in the draft as you may want to hold onto him to see what type of role he will play early in the year. Injuries have taken their toll on Hines Ward the last three years as his number of total games played has gone down each season. Ward did have 7 TD’s last season and should be viewed as a number 2 WR. If Ward can stay healthy this year he could potentially be a low number 1 WR. In his first full season as a starter Santonio Holmes showed glimpses of promise recording 942 recieing yards and 8 TD’s in 13 games played. He is entering that magical third season and I expect an even better year for him this season as he will surpass the 1000 yard mark and could potentially reach double digit Td’s. While Nate Washington will start the season as the Steelers number 3 WR look for Limas Sweed to take over at some point. The tall athletic Sweed will give the Steelers a big red zone threat and a legitimate down-field threat. Look for TE Heath Miller to build on his career high numbers last season. Expect his catches and recieving yards to go up while he should repeat his 7 TD catches of last year. Kicker Jeff Reed offers a reliable option at kicker and is a great play given the right matchup.

 

 

Team by Team Breakdown.. Part 1 AFC East

 

(by Steven Kolb, Contributor)
Buffalo Bills
Rookie Marshawn Lynch burst onto the scene in his rookie season rushing for 1,115 yards and 7 Td’s. He led all NFL RB’s with 21.5 carries per game last year, expect him to duplicate that and be more involved in the passing game. Continue to monitor his off-field incident to see what kind of impact it presents. After a breakout 2006 season Lee Evans was sub-par last season but began to show forms of his old self towards the end of the season. Look for Evans to return to form this season with the drafting of big WR James Hardy. Hardy should slip into the second WR spot in Buffalo and with his size will see plenty of red zone opportunities. QB Trent Edwards should begin the season as the starter, and with ten games under his belt should show some signs of productivity. Don’t expect huge numbers though from Edwards this season as he continues his learning curve in the NFL. Monitor JP Losman, if Edwards struggles Losman could fill in at some point, but like Edwards his fantasy value is minimal. TE Robert Royal has minimal value this season and should only be used as a bye week filler. Kicker Rian Lindell had a sub-par 07 season hitting two 50 yard field goals, he doesn’t get many opportunities though and is a bye week filler at best.
Miami Dolphins
Basically from a fantasy standpoint when you look at this 2008 Dolphins team you have to be concerned all across the board. The quarterback situation is a bit of a mystery as Josh McCown, John Beck and Chad Henne all can make there case to be the starting QB. For now my money is on McCown to become the starter but Henne is most likely the future in Miami and he will find himself starting as the season wears along. Were Beck fits into this situation is a mystery he could very well start the season or he could be pushed aside for Henne who the Dolphins view as the better long term option. On pace for his best season in the NFL Ronnie Brown tore his ACL which ended his 07 season. Brown is on pace to begin the season as the Dolphins starter but if you are looking into drafting him monitor his training camp to see if he comes back at full strength. Brown’s injury has opened the door once again for Ricky Williams to make an impact. At 31 he won’t carry a full workload but he will take carries away from Brown this season if he can prove he still has it. The Dolphins group of WR don’t feature a true number 1 WR but keep tabs on Ted Ginn. He showed some glimpses during his rookie season, but with the uncertainty at QB don’t set your expectations to high just yet. Former Jaguars WR Ernest Wilford has shown he could be a threat in the red zone and he should haul in 5 TD’s this season. At TE the Dolphins have two talented players in David Martin and Anthony Fasano. See which one gets the edge in training camp, whoever it is could become a solid number two TE. Because of the inability of the Dolphins offense it limits Kicker Jay Feely’s stats so leave Feely on the waiver wire unless need be.
New York Jets
The Jets spent this past off-season upgrading an offensive line which should pay huge dividends for running back Thomas Jones this season. Jones was expected to produce a big season in his first season in New York but he ended up rushing for only 2 Td’s and his receiving numbers were low at 217 yards. Expect Jones to have a semi-breakout year this season but don’t expect more then 7 rushing Td’s with Jesse Chatman and Musa Smith possibly taking goal line carries away from Jones. The quarterback battle should end up being a close battle as Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens look to be even on the depth chart. Pennington has shown in the past he can lead the Jets but Clemens has the bigger arm and better potential, both should be looked at as low number two Qb’s. What became evident last season was the solid duo at WR the Jets have developed in Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery. Coles has shown when healthy he can produce number two WR numbers, but it is a big “if” regarding his health. Cotchery on the other hand has emerged into a legitimate threat as he recorded 82 receptions for 1,130 yards last season. His TD’s were down last year but with the expected re-emergence of the Jets offensive expect those totals to increase. At TE the Jets drafted Dustin Keller who should immediately pay dividends. Keller is an athletic receiving TE who could end up recording between 400-500 receiving yards and potentially grab 3-4 TD’s. Chris Baker, last seasons starting TE will see his role diminish or be traded before training camp is over. Kicker Mike Nugent has a powerful leg and should get plenty of opportunities with the Jets this season.
New England Patriots
Well what can we say about the most explosive offense in the NFL last season, how about can we have an encore? The Patriots should once again post astounding fantasy points for you this season but the don’t expect Brady to repeat his 50 td performance or Moss to repeat his 23 td’s. Brady with all the weapons that continue to surround him is a sure bet to reach 40 td’s while his partner in crime Moss will catch 15 this year. I expect an emphasis on Laurence Maroney this season. The Patriots rarely relied on Maroney during the regular season last year but when the playoffs hit Maroney looked fresh and ran powerful. Look for Maroney to eclipse 1,000 yards this season with double digit Td’s and also watch for him in the receiving game were he excels as well. As long as Moss is looming in opposing teams secondaries Wes Welker will continue to feed off those short intermediate routes. While 112 catches again is a reach he certainly will pass the 1000 yard mark receiving. Don’t question whether you think Welker will repeat last season, he certainly will post big numbers once again. With Donte Stallworth gone, draft Jabar Gaffney in the later rounds as he will be a productive WR from time to time in this offense. If he can ever get over injuries that have hampered him throughout his career Benjamin Watson could emerge as a top five TE. With all the weapons surrounding him Watson could potentially grab 6-7 Td’s this season if healthy. With this potent offense kicker Stephen Gostkowski should continue to rack up plenty of points.
(Part 1 of a series)

Check back for more sections.

 

Pro Bono Fantasy NCAA Dynasty League Forming

FREE 12 Team Dynasty looking to form. Inquire on the temp message board we have set up, visit http://s1.zetaboards.com/probonofantasy/index/ and check out the NCAA Dynasty Headquarters.

Impact Rookie Individual Defensive Players.

(by Trio) As Dynasty Leagues (and deep keepers) are slowly becoming the norm, one is finding that a strong defense compliments a good defense on the road to a Fantasy Title. So without further adieu Pro Bono presents its Impact Rookie Individual Defensive Players Article.

LB Jerod Mayo (New England): Prior to the draft all I heard was talk of how poorly Coach Bill Belichick fairs at selecting rookie linebackers. Looks like he’s out to squash all those notions. Mayo is an outstanding athlete and it doesn’t hurt that he’s going to a defense-oriented team. Will see the field starting Day 1 and will make an immediate impact.

 

DT Sedrick Ellis (New Orleans): The Saints are looking to make a strong defensive imprint in their division and by choosing the USC All-American product they are headed in the right direction. Expected to clog up the middle and stuff the run. I usually expect DE’s to outperform Tackles in fantasy, but Ellis should put up some pretty decent numbers for a rookie.

 

CB Leodis McKelvin (Buffalo): One of the best DB’s in the draft this year. Should replace Ashton Youboty at CB or he may just push Terrence McGee out of a starting gig both as a corner and return specialist.

 

LB Jordan Dizon (Detroit): Might just be the best IDP’er of the bunch. Detroit’s defensive woes will offer Dizon plenty of opportunities to make big plays on the field. Very versatile and expected to play all LB positions at some point (ILB/MLB/OLB).

 

LB Dan Connor (Carolina): Just a hair off the potential expected of Mayo. Connors presence will be felt near the line of scrimmage.

 

DE Derrick Harvey (Jacksonville): The Jags defensive is starting become like a DE’s dream-come-true team. Expected to bookend the Jags D-line with a fellow rookie so double digit sacks are expected, as teams are sure to test one of them. Jacksonville is known for their fine DE play and Harvey should not disappoint!

 

DE/LB Vernon Gholston (NY Jets): When your team don’t know if they drafted you to become their stud LB or Defensive line anchor you know big things are expected of you. Considering Gholston (as massive his biceps may be) is a shade to small to completely weekly with most of the NFL’s top Offensive linemen head-to-head, expect some pretty freaky defensive packages to be assembled for him utilizing a 4-3 scheme.

 

DE Chris Long (St. Louis): Not much more can be said about this kid. Extreme motor, He gets through double teams consistently. Long has incredible play-making ability with good awareness, and it’s a huge plus that he gets his hands up to tip a lot of balls. Definitely has the potential to become a sack machine.

 

Longshot Darkhorse Sleeper Pick:

While it easy to plug stud rookie IDP’ers like  LB Curtis Lofton or DB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie in your lineup, one must dig deep to get that longshot who provide just enough productivity that you don’t regret drafting them and be pleasantly pleased. That player in 2008 just may be…

 

LB Geno Hayes (Tampa Bay): A versatile linebacker, Hayes has experience at both inside and outside positions. His great speed and quickness and surefire tackling ability make up for his coverage concerns. Selected in the 6^th round if Hayes make the Buc’s squad he may be a surprise addition to the aging LB crew.

Honorable Mention: Beau Bell (Cleveland)

Impact Rookies

 

 

After last season’s performance by Adrian Peterson all fantasy owners are going to be looking for that next breakout or impact rookie. Peterson’s rookie season is one that comes around very so often, but this years rookie class will produce some impact players for your fantasy squad.

QuarterbackMatt Ryan-

Ryan’s 2008 season will be a season of development as he will most likely begin the season as the teams number two QB behind either Chris Redman or Joey Harrington. Because of the lack of a track record by either of these QB’s look for Ryan to see the field at some point this season. Don’t set your expectation to high for this season but he is well worth a fantasy pick if you are drafting in a keeper league.

Joe Flacco- Flacco will begin camp as the backup to Kyle Boller, who has a track record of not sustaining the starting job. Look for Flacco early if the Ravens and more importantly Boller struggle early. If and when he does take over don’t expect gaudy numbers just yet from Flacco as he experiences the learning curve of being an NFL QB. On an overall assessment I see Flacco having more potential down the road that Ryan who was selected before him.

Chad Henne- Upon being drafted Henne has now joined the Miami Dolphin triangle at QB, that is himself, Josh McCown and John Beck. The veteran McCown should start the season because of his experience but don’t be surprised if all three at some point earn a start this season. Henne has the higher potential of the three so look to see if he can separate himself from the others when he eventually does make his first start.

Brian Brohm- The Green Bay Packers second round selection, has minimal fantasy value this season as Aaron Rodgers backup. But if Rodgers struggles or is injured, Brohm has the talent to step in and lead the Packers offense. Unless if Rodgers does falter, could we see a Brett Favre return?

Running backDarren McFadden- If there is anyone who can duplicate Peterson’s rookie performance last year McFadden is the guy. The Raiders are going to use him in both the rushing and receiving game and maybe we’ll see some of McFadden passing the ball. Because of the depth at RB with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush it may limit McFadden’s touches, view him as low second RB.

Jonathan Stewart- Stewart has seemed to recover from the toe injury that had hampered him this past collegiate season. Monitor once training camp begins how he performs at full speed. If everything is a go Stewart will begin the season splitting reps with DeAngelo Williams with Stewart likely seeing the touches around the goal-line. Stewart has all the tools to become a workhorse back so don’t be surprised as the season wears on if he begins to get more carries.

Felix Jones- We all saw in the playoffs the wear and punishment that Marion Barber takes every time he handles the ball. This led Dallas to take the lighting to Barber’s thunder in Felix Jones. Jones is a big time play-maker with great speed and he will fill the same role as he did in Arkansas with McFadden. Look for Jones to break off some long runs this season, while filling in for Barber. Jones has marginal value but because of the punishment Barber takes he a is a great handcuff to hold onto.

Rashard Mendenhall- He will start the season as Willie Parkers backup, but he will be used in short yardage and goal line situations. Unless Parker gets hurt don’t look for to much value here, he will enter the season as a number 4 RB.

Chris Johnson- Johnson could turn out having more value this season then some of the players ahead of him on this list. A poor man’s Brian Westbrook, Johnson will see time at RB and WR this season, and if you league rewards for receiving it makes him an even better option. While Lendale White is on pace to begin training camp with his knee, look for Johnson to steal some carries.

Matt Forte- With Cedric Benson’s departure it now means Forte will compete with Adrian Peterson for the job. Forte has the more upside and look for him because of his speed and versatility to eventually take over the starting gig. Forte should be viewed as a high number 3 RB.

Ryan Torain- No one really expected Selvin Young to play the way he did as a rookie, which leads you to keeping tabs on a guy like Torain for the Broncos.

Wide ReceiversJames Hardy- To me Hardy was the best WR in this draft class and he should play an immediate role for the Bills this year. His height at 6-5 is a great compliment opposite starting WR Lee Evans. He should be a strong number three WR this year and he will net 5-6 TD’s.

DeSean Jackson- The eagles drafted Jackson is hopes of adding another threat at WR for QB Donovan McNabb. It will be interesting how the smallish Jackson will handle his first NFL season but view him as a number 4 WR who has the potential to stretch defenses with his speed.

Devin Thomas/Malcolm Kelly- Both players will be competing for receptions alongside Santana Moss. Look for one of these players to settle in right away for the Redskins, my bet is on Thomas being the player to step up. Before you take either one, monitor which player has the edge in training camp.

Limas Sweed- Are the Steelers looking to develop another Plaxico Burress? The lanky Sweed should be used by the Steelers right away inside of the red-zone. He will need some time to develop as an NFL WR but take a stab on him in hopes he will get you TD’S.

Jerome Simpson- Keep an eye on Simpson this season as a potential sleeper for the Bengals. After waiving Chris Henry and with the Chad Johnson soap opera in full effect, Simpson’s value has begun to rise.

Tight- EndDustin Keller- The freakishly athletic Keller should immediately start at TE for the Jets this season. Keller will become a great security blanket for whoever is quarterbacking the Jets this season. If you plan on drafting your TE late this is the way to go.

John Carlson- Carlson couldn’t have been drafted by a more perfect team. Seattle has been looking for a receiving TE for years and Carlson will start right away. Carlson will become a viable target for Matt Hasselbeck, look for Carlson to finish in top 15 in TE receiving.

Fantasy Fallout of Cedric Benson’s Release

 The release of Cedric Benson now opens the door for longtime backup Adrian Peterson and rookie runningback Matt Forte to compete for the starting gig.  While Peterson could become the starter because of his experience don’t be suprised if Forte wins the job in training camp. Forte is a rugged back who can do it all, he can break a long run or run between the tackles, he also adds fantasy value with his recieving ability. The overall scenario i see playing out here is both guys will get there touches unless one runningback begins to seperate from the other.