http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/22081 Recent articles about Anthony Gonzalez en-us I'm going to preface this by stating that in this day and age there really are no "sleepers" since there is so much coverage that a fourth string WR can't make a one-handed grab in practice without the world knowing about it. That said, here is a list of WRs that I feel will exceed expectations this season. Anthony Gonzalez - OK, he's not a sleeper to most fantasy football fans, but I see Anthony Gonzalez leapfrogging a lot of WRs that will be picked in front of him. With Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Dallas Clark demanding attention, Gonzalez will be the posion most defenses will pick. Nate Burleson - Nate had a rough start to his Seattle Seahawk career. He turned it on down the stretch last year though grabbing five TDs in the last five weeks. He meshed well with Hasselbeck, and should be his go-to-guy this year. Sidney Rice - I thought Rice was decent at times last year. His numbers would have been even better if his QB (T-Jack) could have hit him when he was open. With Bernard Berrian working the deep routes and Bobby Wade working the slot, Rice could find himself with plenty of opportunities. I like his size (6?4?) in the red zone. Bryant Johnson - Bryant is going from Third Fiddle to First Fiddle in San Francisco. He's also moving to a Mike Martz offense. With Isaac Bruce taking some of the pressure off, he should have a solid year by the Bay. Ted Ginn, Jr. - If his small frame can avoid big hits, he could be a nice surprise for fantasy owners. He's super quick and has big game ability. He just needs to stay focused. He should be playing from behind quite a bit increasing his opportunties. Click the link for the Deeper Sleepers Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:14:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301786 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301786 The Colts lost by 14 to the Washington Redskins.  If this was October, that would be a major problem.  However, in October with 4 All-Pro players missing, this was a great game.  The Colts were tied going into the fourth quarter with mostly backups playing the entire game.  Some players really stood out.  Here are my top 10 players from the game. 10. Roy Hall, WR: Hall was very good last night.  He gained a fair amount of yards on the screen pass, and he caught a tough pass after it hit off of his hands.  They didn't test him on deep plays, so we still don't know how good his receiver skills are.  However, as a 4th receiver, he's more than qualified. 9. Eric Foster, DT: Quinn who?  Foster had the Freeney spin and gave the Colts a good pass rush even though it didn't result in incompletions.  The linebackers were pretty weak.  Foster is a good pass rushing defensive tackle.  This team will get a lot of sacks. 8. Marcus Howard, DE: Sometimes 40 times don't lie.  Marcus Howard is extremely fast.  He was blowing by the tackles and getting into the backfield.  He was giving Todd Collins hell all night long.  The play that stands out the most for me was his sack when he was being held.  He is small, but he has good strength.  He definitely will get playing time this year.  I don't consider him a project.  He's ready to take the league by storm. 7. Brannon Condren, S: I didn't know much about him.  I knew he was pretty good at special teams, but as a safety, I assumed that he wasn't a big hitter and more of a ball-hawking safety.  I was wrong.  He was hitting hard last night.  He played like Matt Giordano, which is good for a player that will be a special teamer. 6. Gijon Robinson, TE: Robinson's first catch made my jaw drop.  Sorgi was looking to sacrifice him by throwing the ball over his head, but Robinson made the leap and held onto the ball even though a safety clocked him.  He had 3 other catches that resulted in a fair amount of yards.  I see him making the roster as well. 5. Pierre Garcon, WR: Garcon was the most impressive receiver to me.  Whenever a pass was off target, he was able to adjust and get a hand on it.  He was running his routes perfectly.  He impressed me on special teams as well.  On his only kick return, he got it to midfield, and if he would have tried to get pass the kicker, he could have scored. 4. Jamey Richard, C: Sure, he had that bad snap, but he had the bad luck of the Colts being inside their own 10 when he made that snap.  If that was at midfield, Gray would have picked it up and threw it away.  After that, Richard became unstoppable.  He was pancaking defensive tackle, lead blocking for Mike Hart, and giving The Hefty Lefty time to make a crappy throw.  This was a great 7th round pick. 3. Jordan Senn, LB: I haven't heard people talk about him, but he was great.  It seemed like he was involved on every tackle no matter where the ball was.  He definitely has the speed that the Tampa-2 requires.  Right now, I'd say he is a practice squad player, but that can change very quickly. 2. Quinn Gray, QB: Gray locked up the backup QB spot so far.  It would take a collapse of epic proportions to make him lose the job.  He can scramble.  He's got a great arm.  When he scrambles, he is able to throw an accurate pass, which gave us around 80 yards that we would have lost if Lorenzen or Sorgi was throwing on the run, which would have been an incompletion or thrown away.  Gray looked better than a few starting QBs in this league. 1. Mike Hart, RB: There isn't enough to say about this guy.  He proved why 40 times are useless.  He looked faster than any other Colts back out there.  He fought for the extra yards, which is huge for a back that will be used in short yardage situations.  The play where he lost his helmet but still gained another 3 yards showed why he will make this team.  He's like a stronger and faster James Mungro. All of these guys minus Senn will make the roster, and all but Gray will be in the rotation.  Here are some players that did not impress. Jared Lorenzen aka The Hefty Lefty and The Pillsbury Throwboy, QB: Not only does he look like a lineman or competitive eater, he throws like one.  He was double clutching and shotputting his throws.  This guy should stick to the donuts and leave football alone.  He is not an NFL QB.  Plain and simple.  Good thing Eli Manning never got hurt or else the Patriots would have been 19-0. Clifton Dawson, RB: Mike Hart is better in pads, and Dawson is better on the practice field.  Dawson went down after the first hit, and he didn't have a reception.  He's got a Havard degree.  He'll be better off as a lawyer than a backup running back. Freddie Keiaho, Victor Worsley, and Brandon Archer: Worsley and Archer aren't anything special, but the starting WILL linebacker being so bad in pass coverage is concerning.  He needs to improve or else we could see Philip Wheeler or Clint Session playing on the weak side. So with all of this, here is the updated roster.  I love making these. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Obviously. #5 Quinn Gray: After this game, I am more confindent in our backup QB than ever. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Obvious again. #38 Dominic Rhodes: He had some great runs last night. #32 Mike Hart: Even though he is a Michigan grad, I can't get enough of this guy. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Shocker, I know #88 Marvin Harrison: Duh #11 Anthony Gonzalez: Not a lot of second year former first round picks get cut #83 Roy Hall: Amazing potential #85 Pierre Garcon: Division III needs some love too. #80 Devin Aromashodu: He played pretty well last night. TE #44 Dallas Clark: A few years ago, Austin Croshere wore number 44 for the Pacers.  Indianapolis had two white guys named after cities in Texas wearing number 44. #47 Gijon Robinson: The stumpy H-back was impressive last night. #84 Jacob Tamme: Tamme is bigger than I thought he was.  I want to see him get some throws from Gray and Sorgi, not BBQ (Bad & Bulky Quarterback, not Big & Beautiful). #86 Tom Santi: Santi should make the roster even though he is hurt. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: Underrated tackle. #76 Dan Federkiel: The only Canuck on the team on this roster prediction. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Underrated guard. #53 Steve Justice: I didn't notice him last night. C #63 Jeff Saturday: The Indy Star did a piece on future Colts Hall of Famers, and Saturday wasn't mentioned even though players like Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney were.  Saturday has been just as dominant as any current modern-era centers. #61 Jamey Richard: Richard was great last night.  He's very, very fast, and the bad snap was a major fluke. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak played well last night. #74 Charlie Johnson: A "Meh"-worthy performance last night.  Didn't see anything great out of him. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Often goes unnoticed, but I notice when he isn't playing. #75 Michael Toudouze: We've got some depth at offensive line.  Toudouze is good for a backup right tackle. LE #79 Raheem Brock: He had some good pass rushing last night.  He will play UT on passing situations. #98 Robert Mathis: I prefer him as a pass rush specialist.  His best seasons were behind Brock. #60 Curtis Johnson: Johnson surprised me last night with some good run defense. RE #93 Dwight Freeney: If you don't double team him, he will get a sack.  It's as simple as that. #92 Marcus Howard: I shall call him "Mini-Freeney". #90 Jeff Charleston: Josh Thomas is still as slow as hell. NT #99 Ed Johnson: Big Eddy didn't see too many snaps last night, but he is the best run-stopping player on this team. #95 Darrell Reid: Special teamer who may see some time at defensive tackle this season. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: The last couple of drafts have been absolutely amazing.  In Polian We Trust. #68 Eric Foster: He's been the MVP of training camp so far.  Let's see if he can carry that momentum into September. SLB #55 Clint Session: I don't like him being hurt.  Being a Colts linebacker, you will probably get hurt and not get resigned. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: Hagler's injury may have cost him a starting job. MLB #58 Gary Brackett: He'll make the Pro Bowl this year.  The snub will motivate him. #50 Philip Wheeler: Knees are slightly behind the Patriots as the Colts biggest enemy. WLB #54 Freddie Keiaho: He better improve at pass coverage. #52 Ramon Guzman: Special teamer. CB #28 Marlin Jackson: He can hit and cover well.  Speed isn't a big factor in the Tampa-2. #26 Kelvin Hayden: See Marlin Jackson. #20 Dante Hughes: He dropped because of his 40 time.  40 times are so frickin' overrated! #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has done well enough in training camp to keep this job. #34 TJ Rushing: Garcon and him will make a great returning duo. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: He could make the Pro Bowl the old fashion way (not by being an alternate) this year. #42 Brannon Condren: He won me over. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders likes his New England Patriots the same way he likes his ice.  Crushed. #43 Matt Giordano: He hits so hard his hair fell out.  Or at least that's what John Madden says. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: One for the thumb. P #17 Hunter Smith: Being the Colts punter is the easiest job you can have. LS #48 Justin Snow: Long snapper needs to become an official position. Reserve PUP/IR: #25 Michael Coe: Another knee injury… Practice Squad RB Chad Simpson WR Sam Giguere WR Onrea Jones OL Darren Marquez DL Collin Ferrell LB Jordan Senn LB Kyle Shotwell DB Jamie Silva 10 to Keep In Touch With QB Jim Sorgi RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Corey Hilliard DL Josh Thomas DL Joe Bradley LB Brandon Archer LB Victor Worsley DB Melvin Bullitt DB Keiwan Ratliff Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:39:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300628 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300628 An in-depth look at the top 49 wide receivers going into the 2008 season. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:22:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300489 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300489 Obviously, I will not try to predict anything or break down the opponent.  I know nothing about the Redskins backups, and I won't try to act like I do.  The final outcome of preseason games are useless.  We could go 5-0 or 0-5, and it won't affect my final prediction on the season. Players To Watch Quinn Gray: We've heard good things about him from people who have gone to training camp.  Right now, I consider him the leader for the backup QB job.  This game could give him a huge advantage over Sorgi and the Pillsbury Throwboy. Clifton Dawson & Mike Hart: This may be the tightest race so far.  Hart has amazing potential as a fullback in the Colts system.  However, so does Dawson.  Dawson has looked better in practice, but Hart is better at full contact than he is in practice.  I want to see who is the better receiver and short yardage back in this game. Sam Giguere, Courtney Roby, & Pierre Garcon: Right now, I consider Marvin, Reggie, Gonzalez, Hall, and Aromashodu as locks to make the final roster.  After last year, I see one of these guys making the roster and either Garcon or Giguere (depending on who makes the roster) making the practice squad.  Giguere has great potential.  Roby has the most experience.  Garcon has looked great in practice.  This should be another tight race. Mike Pollak & Charlie Johnson: This is a starting job competition.  I'm not a Charlie Johnson fan at all, so he will have to play very well to win me over.  Mike Pollak is our second round draft pick.  He's expected to win this battle.  The right guard spot should be hard to get. Marcus Howard & Curtis Johnson: Neither of these guys won't make the roster.  Or at least I believe so.  What I want to see is if the Colts will be able to generate a pass rush if Mathis and Freeney would get hurt again.  These guys are two of the fastest rookie defensive ends in the league.  They will be expected to give the Washington QBs hell.  In another interesting development, Colt Brennan, the former Hawaii QB, is a backup QB for the Redskins.  Marcus Howard played for Georgia last year and dominated the Hawaii offensive line in the Sugar Bowl.  Colt and Marcus are very familiar. Jamie Silva & Brannon Condren: The Colts will only carry 4 safeties.  Bob Sanders, Antoine Bethea, and Matt Giordano will most definitely make the roster.  The competition between Silva the undrafted free agent out of Boston College and Condren the unknown second year player.  I prefer Silva who showed great poise and leadership in college over Condren, who I do not know too much about. Projected Depth Chart QB #12 Jim Sorgi #5 Quinn Gray #13 Jared Lorenzen RB #29 Joseph Addai #38 Dominic Rhodes #36 Kenton Keith #30 Clift Dawson #32 Mike Hart #35 Chad Simpson WR #87 Reggie Wayne #11 Anthony Gonzalez #83 Roy Hall #80 Devin Aromashodu #85 Pierre Garcon #14 Sam Giguere #10 Courtney Roby #16 Onrea Jones TE #44 Dallas Clark #84 Jacob Tamme #47 Gijon Robinson #46 Zac Herold LT #67 Tony Ugoh #76 Dan Federkiel #60 Darren Marquez LG #61 Jamey Richard C #63 Jeff Saturday #53 Steve Justice #73 Doug Datish RG #78 Mike Pollak #74 Charlie Johnson RT #71 Ryan Diem #75 Michael Toudouze #72 Corey Hilliard LE #98 Robert Mathis #91 Josh Thomas #60 Curtis Johnson RE #79 Raheem Brock #92 Marcus Howard #90 Jeff Charleston #64 Ben Ishola NT #99 Ed Johnson #95 Darrell Reid #61 Collin Ferrell #69 Joe Bradley UT #96 Keyunta Dawson #68 Eric Foster SLB #52 Ramon Guzman #49 Jordan Senn MLB #57 Brandon Archer #51 Victor Worsley WLB #54 Freddie Keiaho #59 Kyle Shotwell CB #28 Marlin Jackson #26 Kelvin Hayden #20 Dante Hughes #23 Tim Jennings #34 TJ Rushing #31 Keiwan Ratliff #39 Brandon Foster #37 Antonio Smith FS #41 Antoine Bethea #40 Jamie Silva #33 Melvin Bullitt SS #43 Matt Giordano #42 Brannon Condren K #4 Adam Vinatieri P #17 Hunter Smith #5 Adam Crossett LS #48 Justin Snow Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:21:44 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300271 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300271 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3RocbkSz3c For people who happen to read Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk, you should already know that he thinks the Colts are going to be passed by the Jaguars.  He backs up this ridiculous thought with bad information and the twisting of facts.  On the link posted above, you can see Mike Florio spouting off his usual "The Colts are doomed.  There time is up." crap that he has been saying since the offseason started.  He pretty much gives us three reasons on why the Colts are doomed: There are a bunch of injuries, the Colts give out big contracts which causes a lack of depth, and the Jaguars spent a lot of money this offseason. True, the Colts do have a lot of injuries.  They also have said and shown that everything is fine.  Bob Sanders has said that he is almost at 100%.  Dwight Freeney has been running in practice, which gives me the right to assume that he is around 90 to 100%.  Peyton Manning had an infected bursa sac which is not a big deal at all.  Marvin Harrison is 110% and is only missing tomorrow night's game just to be careful that he wouldn't reinjure them. The contract comment was ignorant and stupid.  If the Colts have bad depth, then teams with good depth should have multiple Pro Bowlers on the bench.  Here are all of the players that were projected starters or contributors going into training camp that missed multiple games: Marvin Harrison Anthony Gonzalez Tony Ugoh Ryan Diem Dwight Freeney Anthony McFarland Raheem Brock Robert Mathis Rob Morris Freddy Keiaho So we didn't have 9 starters and our first round draft pick for multiple games, and still went 13-3 losing to the 2 teams who played in the AFC Championship Game by a combined score of I think it was 7 and a game where we rested the starters. That comment was made out of pure ignorance to what happened last year.  He chose a little fact, and he ignored the other facts to make it seem like it was a problem.  Jeff Saturday will get a big contract this offseason or at least the franchise tag.  It won't hurt the team.  Sure, Tyjuan Hagler might have to leave, and some players might be cut, but it won't affect the team. Throw in Cato June, Nick Harper, Jason David, and Dominic Rhodes, all of whom started in the Super Bowl season left, and we had a better playoff seed this time around. Also, his comment about the Jags spending money was another dumb one.  In that case, I guess the Redskins should win the Super Bowl, the Knicks should win the NBA Championship, the Yankees should win the World Series, and USC should win the BCS National Championship Game.  The teams that spend the most money don't always win the most games.  It's not how much money you spend.  It's how wisely you spend it.  The Colts signing Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, and Bob Sanders to big contracts is better than giving players like Jerry Porter big contracts.  These players are proven stars.  Jerry Porter hasn't done anything recently to deserve that contract. Good teams don't spend money in the offseason on big name free agents.  Look at the Patriots.  They have drafted well over the past 8 years and made smart trades to get Welker and Moss, and they did great last year.  The Chargers did well drafting LT, Luis Castillo, Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie, and signing Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent.  The Giants drafted Corey Webster, Justin Tuck, Brandon Jacobs, Gibril Wilson, Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Ahmad Bradshaw, and made a draft day trade for Eli Manning.  All of these guys were key to the Super Bowl victory. My point is, signing big name players in free agency does not make a winner.  Sure, the good teams all have some players that were acquired through free agency.  The Colts have Adam Vinatieri.  The Patriots have Rodney Harrison.  The Giants have Plaxico Burress.  However, none of these teams have been out signing every big name free agent that comes their way.  That's what the Raiders do.  They get players like Javon Walker and suck.  Free agency is not the way to build a team.  Drafting well and making smart personnel moves is. So to sum it up, Mike Florio is as knowledgable as a five year old in Pakistan about the NFL and the game of football in general. Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:56:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299955 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299955 Quinn Pitcock has retired from professional football.  I guess he pulled a Ricky Williams.  Indy still hold his rights, so if he would change is mind like Brett Favre, he would have to play for the Colts.  Good thing that this happened at arguably our deepest position.  I'm sure some of the other defensive tackles can make this whole ordeal be forgotten.  Eric Foster, Keyunta Dawson, Darrell Reid, and Ed Johnson should do the trick. Since Pitcock quit, and I have read some info about who's been looking good and who hasn't, I think it is time for another roster prediction. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Do I even have to say anything? #12 Jim Sorgi: He's leading the competition right now, but The Pillsbury Throwboy (aka Jared Lorenzen) is sneaking up on him. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Another Pro Bowler. #38 Dominic Rhodes: I thought he got #33 back.  I guess it doesn't really matter. #32 Mike Hart: Freddy Keiaho nailed him, and Keiaho got some lip from Dungy.  Hart hasn't been as impressive as I thought he would be. FB #30 Clift Dawson: I've heard he has been impressive in camp, so why not give him a shot on the roster?  We've got some room. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Pro Bowler, again. #88 Marvin Harrison: Future Hall of Famer back from an injury and looking great in practice. #11 Anthony Gonzalez: After what I saw from him last year, I like the future of our receivers. #83 Roy Hall: The freakish potential of Hall should get him on the field no matter what he looks like in practice (moot point since he's looked fine). #80 Devin Aromashodu: I've never been a big fan, but if he's looked good in practice, he should be on the roster. #85 Pierre Garcon: He could be our kick returner as well, but I am giving that to another receiver.  I think Garcon could surprise me.  If he runs his routes like Marvin (which I've heard), then he should get a fair amount of playing time this year. TE #44 Dallas Clark: Great redzone target. #84 Jacob Tamme: Wide receiver stuck in a tight end's body.  I like! #86 Tom Santi: Santi has a bursa sac infection like Peyton.  Maybe they can compare how bulbous and gross their knees looked. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: The potential is scary for this tackle. #75 Michael Toudouze: Toudouze and Federkiel are as equal as you can get. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Lilja stayed with the team while Jake Scott went to the Colts Trashcan (aka Tennessee).  Let's see if he can continue being the great linemen he has been. #61 Jamey Richard: 2nd day pick on the line.  We don't need a high draft pick to find a quality lineman. C #63 Jeff Saturday: Pro Bowler.  Future Hall of Famer.  Not too uncommon on this team. #53 Steve Justice: One of the rookie interior linemen.  Not a lot is known about these guys. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak has competition, but he should be the starter. #74 Charlie Johnson: Johnson better improve or else he'll struggle to make the roster. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Always goes unnoticed.  Diem has been on this line since the Mora era. RDE #93 Dwight Freeney: He'll be back and better than ever. #92 Marcus Howard: Howard could end up being the steal of the draft.  He's the fastest defensive end we've seen in a long time. #91 Josh Thomas: This wasn't meant to go numerically.  It just happened like that. Over Tackle #99 Ed Johnson: Big Ed could have a sophomore breakout year.  He's a first round talent that fell for legal reasons. #95 Darrell Reid: I guess he will have to temporarily replace Pitcock. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: With Brock changing positions, Dawson will be the starting under tackle. #68 Eric Foster: Foster could end up being the gem of this class.  He is a natural leader and has a great work ethic. LDE #79 Raheem Brock: Brock has been moved to defensive end, and this will only help the run defense and the pass rush. #98 Robert Mathis: Mathis became a great defensive end when he wasn't a starter.  He should become another pass rush threat on third down. #60 Curtis Johnson: This undrafted free agent could end up being a star pass rusher. SAM #55 Clint Session: Even when Hagler gets back, I think Session will be the starter. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: His injury problem may cost him a starting job. MIKE #58 Gary Brackett: His snub from the Pro Bowl last year was a major mistake by the players, coaches, and fans. #50 Philip Wheeler: My prediction: Wheeler will be a Pro Bowler before 2011.  He's perfect for this system. WILL #54 Freddy Keiaho: Keiaho should be a great linebacker if he is healthy. #52 Ramon Guzman: Guzman is making this team because of special teams.  And that only. RCB #28 Marlin Jackson: What can you say about him?  He's a great Cover 2 corner. #20 Dante Hughes: Hughes at nickelback could make this team impossible to pass on. #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has one more chance to prove his worth. LCB #26 Kelvin Hayden: He is becoming a budding star in the Cover 2. #34 TJ Rushing: Rushing has surprised me and became a quality corner. #25 Michael Coe: Special teams for him. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: Another Pro Bowler here. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders tackled the inner-city violence problem…for a four-yard loss. #43 Matt Giordano: Giordano is a hard-hitting safety, just like the starter. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: Another future Hall of Famer. P #17 Hunter Smith: Go Irish!!! LS #48 Justin Snow: Long-snappers need some love too. RS #14 Sam Giguere: Canada has a player represented on this team even though Federkiel didn't make the cut. Practice Squad RB: #35 Chad Simpson FB: #47 Gijon Robinson OL: #76 Dan Federkiel DL: #90 Jeff Charleston DL: #61 Colin Ferrell LB: #51 Victor Worsley DB: #40 Jamie Silva DB: #42 Brannon Condren 5 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Darren Marquez LB Jordan Senn DB Brandon Foster Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:50:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298484 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298484 Serviceable WRs We've profiled the Big Dog WRs, Second Tier WRs, and Third Tier WRs, now it's time to examine the next wave of wideouts. These will likely either be your 3rd WR or make up your WR depth. Kevin Curtis/Reggie Brown - Curtis was decent last year for the Eagles. He had a couple of huge games. I'd like to see DeSean Jackson push for the starting job opposite of Reggie Brown, who should bounce back from his mediocre 780 yard 4 TD season, which would allow Curtis to got to the slot and utilize his speed like Wes Welker. If that happens, all three could be viable plays. Laveranues Coles - Coles had a decent season going before the wheels fell off in Week 8. If he can produce like he did the first seven weeks (460 yards, 6 TDs), he'll be worth an occasional start. Joey Galloway - How long can Mr. Galloway keep it up? Dude will turn 37 in November. He's registered three straight 1000+ yards seasons though. One warning, he was very inconsistent last year. Santana Moss - Moss has barely matched his outstanding 2005 numbers when you combine the past two years. However, he still has big-play ability. He's scary to own, and even scarier to start, but he can occasionally almost single-handedly win a matchup for you. Javon Walker - Who knows how he'll respond following last year's lost season and butt-whoopin' he took in Vegas. When he's healthy though, he can produce. That hasn't always been easy for him though. Bernard Berrian - He's a mystery heading into the year. He produced in Chicago, but we'll see how he does in Minnesota. The Viking certainly have the running game to keep the DBs honest. I'm just leery of T-Jack's accuracy. Anthony Gonzalez - Here's another guy I'd love to see end up on my team. He gained valuable experience as a rooke, and if Marvin Harrison returns to form, he could be looking at some cupcake matchups. He could be the poison that defenses pick, which is great news to his fantasy owners. Previous Previews Quarterbacks Running Backs Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:09:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297424 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297424 In our earlier article on breakout wide receivers we looked at statistics and used criterions to improve our chances of finding a breakout wide receiver. In this article we looked at the candidates for 2008 and tell you which ones we believe are most likely to breakout and which are worth drafting based on their average draft position. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:38:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296776 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296776 Players report on Thursday, so this is one of the last days to do a roster prediction.  It feels like now is the best time for one, so here it goes.  53 players make it on the roster, 8 on the practice squad, and I will put 10 that should keep in touch if injuries take their toll. 53 Man Roster QB #18 Peyton Manning-I bet I caught you off guard with this one. #12 Jim Sorgi-Sorgi will get a chance to prove himself this upcoming year.  He better not blow it.  Adam Tafralis and Josh Betts are creeping up on him. RB #29 Joseph Addai-Another shocker. #33 Dominic Rhodes-Rhodes will be a change of pace back who should get somewhere between 100 to 150 carries per game.  He should prosper without all the pressure on him. #32 Mike Hart-I consider Hart a running back, although it seems like he will be used as a fullback/short yardage back. FB #47 Gijon Robinson-Robinson is a fantastic blocker, and he will also be able to catch the ball, as he is "officially" a tight end.  Look for him in the goal line. WR #87 Reggie Wayne-As long as he doesn't hurt himself in a meaningless basketball game, he will be Peyton's number one target, at least until Manning and Harrison get their connection back. #88 Marvin Harrison-Hopefully he can recover quickly and maybe get a few plays in a preseason game so he isn't too rusty. #11 Anthony Gonzalez-Gonzalez could have a breakout year.  Or at least I hope so.  He's on my fantasy team. #83 Roy Hall-Hall will be a surprise player and will be a major difference maker this year.  Mark that down. #14 Sam Giguere-Giguere could never make an impact in the NFL.  He could also be the biggest star wide receiver we've seen in a long time.  We know he has the talent, but can he produce on the field?  Let's give him a shot. TE #44 Dallas Clark-Clark should still be a redzone target even with the Rhodes signing and Marvin's injury recovery. #84 Jacob Tamme-Tamme is an athletic tight end who should help the passing game become even more prolific. #86 Tom Santi-It's all about blocking here.  Someone needs to take Utecht's place. LT #67 Tony Ugoh-If Ugoh would have stayed healthy last year, Joe Thomas may not have been named the unanimous best rookie lineman in the league.  Ugoh replaced a Pro Bowler, and most people would not have noticed Tarik Glenn left. #75 Michael Toudouze-We need some fillers on the offensive line after last year.  Toudouze is a fair lineman when called upon, but he shouldn't start. LG #65 Ryan Lilja-Kansas City made a bad move by waiving Lilja.  He's an unheralded star on this team who is versatile and tough at the same time. #61 Jamey Richard-Not much should be expected out of a seventh round pick.  Richard will see some action in the rotation, but he won't be a difference maker this year. C #63 Jeff Saturday-I hope we can find some legal medicine that can make him play forever.  He's the leader of the offensive line. #53 Steve Justice-In Polian We Trust.  I'm sure he had a plan when he took so many interior linemen. RG #78 Mike Pollak-I'll give him the nod right now, but maybe Charlie Johnson can be a better guard than a tackle (which shouldn't be TOO hard). #74 Charlie Johnson-I was disappointed in his play last year.  We won in spite of him.  He was hapless as a tackle.  Let's see if he can improve as a guard. RT #71 Ryan Diem-Diem needs to stay healthy so Addai and the rest of the backs can get positive yards. #76 Dan Federkiel-Like Toudouze, Federkiel is an insurance lineman. DE #93 Dwight Freeney-Freeney should recover well from his foot surgery and be drawing the usual double and triple teams play in and play out. #91 Josh Thomas-I'm not a big fan, but he can stop the run.  His pass rush is very weak, however. UT #79 Raheem Brock-Brock is unnoticed when he plays, but you know he's missing when you see mediocre backs running up through the middle and QBs having all day in the pocket.  Hopefully he can stay healthy. #96 Keyunta Dawson-Dawson is another 2nd year player who should make a big impact at defensive tackle.  He is now listed as a defensive tackle on Colts.com, so there is no doubt on where he will line up next year. #68 Eric Foster-Last year it was Ed Johnson.  This year it will be Eric Foster.  Foster was made for the Tampa 2. NT #99 Ed Johnson-Big Eddy was a magnificent signing by Polian last year.  Sexual assault, schmexual schmassault.  Ed Johnson can stop the run. #97 Quinn Pitcock-The young players run the nose tackle position.  Pitcock is ridiculously strong, and he played well last season when the offensive line was plagued with injuries. #95 Darrell Reid-This man was the last thing Chris Henry saw before his life flashed before his eyes. DE #98 Robert Mathis-With Freeney back, Mathis should return to his double-digit sack season shortly. #92 Marcus Howard-No he is not a linebacker.  And if he does well, no he is not a surprise.  I expect him to do great along with many other Colts fans. SLB #55 Clint Session-I was stuck between Keiaho and Session here, but Session is bigger and could be a better run stopper.  We've all seen what he can do in the passing game. #56 Tyjuan Hagler-He's hurt, but it won't cost him a roster spot. MLB #58 Gary Brackett-Brackett was up there with the Pro Bowl snubs last year.  He was the leader of a top-5 defense, and he will only get better. #50 Philip Wheeler-Wheeler can play anywhere at linebacker.  I expect him to be a starter in 2009.  It depends on how Session and Keiaho do this upcoming season. WLB #54 Freddy Keiaho-To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how anyone can pass on us this year.  The linebackers are all ballhawkers, and the secondary is one of the best in the league.  Keiaho is a great example of a prototypical Tampa 2 linebacker. #52 Ramon Guzman-He's here for special teams and special teams only. CB #28 Marlin Jackson-Like all Tampa 2 corners, Jackson is way underrated.  He can shut the passing lane for any QB on any team. #34 TJ Rushing-Rushing will not be a returner, but he is good enough to be a dime cornerback. FS #41 Antoine Bethea-Bethea is a breakout player who will contend for another Pro Bowl spot this upcoming year. #40 Jamie Silva-The team of dark horses and surprise players strike again with Silva.  Boston College has some good players in the pros. SS #21 Bob Sanders-70% of the Earth is covered by water.  The rest is covered by Bob Sanders. #43 Matt Giordano-After Giordano lacerated Bo Scaife's liver, John Madden had a funny quip.  "[Giordano] just knocked all of his [own] hair off!" CB #26 Kelvin Hayden-He's the same corner as Marlin Jackson.  I would love to see him get a long-term contract. #20 Dante Hughes-Hughes is expected to be a standout at nickel back.  Also, it's Dante, not Daymeion. #25 Michael Coe-Fitting that one of the fastest players on the team shares the same number as Rocket Ismail, my favorite football player of all-time. K #4 Adam Vinatieri-His leg will be better, and his accuracy will be as well. P #17 Hunter Smith-Not a big surprise he's over Adam Crossett right now. LS #48 Justin Snow-Longsnappers normally do not get any attention.  For obvious reasons. RS #35 Chad Simpson-Simpson is just the kind of player the Colts need at returner.  Someone who is extremely fast and may take a chance and not call a fair catch. Practice Squad QB Adam Tafralis RB Clifton Dawson WR Devin Aromashodu OL Corey Hilliard DL Colin Ferrell DL Curtis Johnson LB Jordan Senn DB Brannon Condren 10 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby WR Pierre Garcon OL Mike Elgin OL Darren Marquez DL Jeff Charleston LB Victor Worsley DB Tim Jennings DB Brandon Foster RS Rudy Burgess Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:16:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293513 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293513 People around the league think that the 3rd year is the breakout year for a receiver and the theory was proven true last year as players like Roddy White and Braylon Edwards had great seasons. Edwards even made it to the Pro Bowl as he had 16 touchdowns. Tight Ends are harder to predict but every year, somebody like Donald Lee burst on to the scene and has a big impact in the passing game. Wide Receiver: Calvin Johnson Lions: Johnson had a solid rookie year as he had 756 yards and 4 touchdowns. But compared to his hype coming in, that was a disappointment. Johnson has great size at 6'5 and with 4.3 speed and a 40' inch vertical, many people thought he would come right in and be an elite receiver. Johnson was bothered by a back injury last year which slowed him down so now that he is healthy and the Lions will be running a more balanced attack, don't be surprised if he has more than 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sidney Rice Vikings: Rice had a solid rookie season as he had 396 yards and 4 touchdowns. Now he has added 8 pounds of muscle this offseason and with his 6'4 frame, it was important for him to fill out. Now with Bernard Berrian on the other side, Rice will have single coverage on smaller corners and become one of the best red zone targets in the league. Santonio Holmes Steelers: Holmes had a very good sophomore campaign as he averaged over 18 yards a catch and had 8 touchdowns. But he should be even better this year as he has a great connection with Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward is starting to decline. Don't be surprised if Holmes gets at least 1200 yards this year and makes the Pro Bowl. Mike Walker Jaguars: I was very high on Walker last year until the Jaguars put him on injured reserve. Now he is fully healthy and with Jerry Porter missing preseason, Walker might come in to training camp as the Jaguars number one receiver. Don't be surprised if Walker becomes one of the better players from the receiver heavy 2007 draft class. Anthony Gonzalez Colts: Gonzalez had a solid rookie season as he had 576 yards and 3 touchdowns. But with Marvin Harrison declining and his health a factor, Gonzalez could be starting for one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Gonzalez probably won't become a number one receiver but he has the potential to be an elite number two. Don't be surprised if he gets around 1000 yards and 6 touchdowns this year. Chansi Stuckey Jets: Like Walker, Stuckey was placed on injured reserve for his whole rookie season. Stuckey though could come in this year and right away be the slot receiver for the Jets and with his speed, gives them another deep threat. With the quarterback situation still unsettled, Stuckey should show glimpses this year but should really start hitting his stride in 2009. Tight End: Ben Utecht Bengals: Utecht is a pass catching tight end and he now gives Carson Palmer a dimension he has never had during his time in Cincinnati. Utecht has great size at 6'6 and has experience in pass oriented offenses as he was previously with the Colts. Utecht could end up with around 55 catches and 5 touchdowns in his first year with the Bengals. Marcedes Lewis Jaguars: Lewis has great size and soft hands and with the Jaguars low risk passing attack could have a career year in his 3rd season. Last year Lewis had 391 yards and 2 touchdowns. Don't be surprised if that touchdown total at least doubles this year. Zach Miller Raiders: Miller had a very good rookie year as he caught 44 passes and 3 touchdowns. Miller has a growing connection with JaMarcus Russell and if Javon Walker isn't fully healthy, could have a big year. Don't be surprised if Miller catches at least 60 passes this year. Brent Celek Eagles: Celek may have only caught 16 passes last year, but he showed lots of potential at the end of the year and with his great size and L.J. Smith's injury history, Celek could get a very good chance to start and could put up big numbers. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:53:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292829 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292829 Whats your favorite fantasy football line up? Okay all you BARKERS in the YARD....This is your KEEPER League Team, You've been in this league for 4 years now... Needless to say, you can only keep 10 of your 20 players. You've won the Championship Game 3 of the last 4 years, so everyone is out to get your this year. So all you YARDBARKERS, you are the owners and can only keep 10 players from the team below who would you keep? And who does the YARD cut and why? Can the YARD put a competitive team together? Can you win it all? As teams of the league let their players go, we will ask the YARD what player they want to fill the positions players that the YARD cut. We will then post the updated team with the new player the YARD's team picked up. We will continue this until the YARD's team is complete. Here is the YARDBARKERS KEEPER TEAM: QB: Donovan McNabb, David Garrard and Trent Edwards RB: Adrian Peterson (both AP's - Minn and Chicago), Maurice Jones-Drew, Edgerrin James, Earnest Graham WR: Terrell Owens, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwayne Bowe , Bernard Berrian, Anthony Gonzalez, Amani Toomer TE: Kellen Winslow and Vernon Davis K: Mason Crosby and Josh Scobee D/ST: Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:03:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292191 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292191 In our first edition of fantasy mailbag, find out what our thoughts are on Brett Favre, why we have Jerricho Cotchery ranked ahead of Laveranues Coles, our thoughts on the Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez situation in Indianapolis and much more... Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:41:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289527 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289527 IGN released the ratings for every player on every team in the league, so we now know what the boys at EA Sports think about the Colts.  Here are the notable player ratings. Best & Worst Player: Peyton Manning (99), Jamey Richard (64) Best & Worst Morale: Hunter Smith, Adam Vinatieri, and Peyton Manning (99), Gary Brackett (85, only player under 90) Fastest & Slowest Player: Tim Jennings (96), Corey Hilliard and Michael Toudouze (50) Best & Worst Acceleration: Bob Sanders (97), Corey Hilliard (54) Strongest & Weakest Player: Ryan Diem (94), Adam Vinatieri and Tim Jennings (40) Best & Worst Agility: Kelvin Hayden & Bob Sanders (94), Corey Hilliard (48) Best & Worst Awareness: Peyton Manning (100), Pierre Garcon (35) Best & Worst Catching: Reggie Wayne & Marvin Harrison (97), Ryan Lilja (7) Best & Worst Carrier: Joseph Addai (90), Multiple Players (40) Best & Worst Tackler: Gary Brackett (94), Jim Sorgi (11) Best & Worst Jumper: Pierre Garcon (95), Jeff Saturday & Hunter Smith (29) Best & Worst Kick Returner: Tim Jennings (87), A Bunch of Guys (10) Best Celebrator: Marlin Jackson (88) My Thoughts: Wow we are fast.  The defensive backs all have acceleration of 89 or higher.  Peyton Manning is amazing as always.  Manning, Saturday, Bethea, Addai, Vinatieri, Mathis, Lilja, Brackett, Freeney, Diem, Sanders, Clark, Harrison, and Wayne all have ratings of 90 or higher.  Pollak is rated higher than Charlie Johnson, so he is the presumable starter.  The most underrated players are Anthony Gonzalez (80) and Clint Session (70).  Overall, this will be a fun team to play with.  A lot of interceptions will be returned to the house with this secondary. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:07:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283829 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283829 Don't you hate it when the media doesn't set themselves up for being ridiculed?  That's a pet peeve of mine.  Bloggers are always there to correct the media, but Pete Prisco has made his top 50 list near-perfect.  I'm sure you know who the top 2 players are. Prisco dives into the very dangerous waters of Brady v. Manning.  I hate comparing these two, but Prisco does a great job.  Prisco has had Peyton as his number one player for a few years now, but that has changed after Brady's MVP season.  However, he doesn't say the idiotic "Peyton's on the downside of his career" crap I've heard since the San Diego game. Manning had an off year, by number standards, in 2007. All he did was go over 4,000 yards passing for the eighth time in his career, throw 31 touchdowns and complete 65.5 percent of his passes, much of that without receiver Marvin Harrison on the field. Most quarterbacks would kill for those numbers. The great thing is we expect Manning and Brady to do it again in 2008. Why not? Brady has his entire offense back, a coach who lets him throw it around at will, and another year's experience on his résumé. Manning expects to have Harrison back, and third receiver Anthony Gonzalez isn't a rookie anymore. The first man to 40 touchdown passes wins. I agree completely.  Although I despise the New England Patriots and anything associated with them, I agree that Brady deserves the top spot.  For now.  The first one to 40 TDs wins.  I could see this be a Sosa-McGwire type fight for the TD pass record.  Both of them have enough weapons to get the job done. Prisco has a total of four Colts on his top 50 list.  Here is his take on the Colts players: 2. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts: Even Manning's down seasons are sensational. If Marvin Harrison is back this year, watch out. And Marvin will be back. 7. Bob Sanders, S, Indianapolis Colts: The only thing holding him back is the injury issues. When he's on the field, the Colts have a different defense. His injury issue didn't come into play last year, and *knock on wood* hopefully it doesn't come into play this year.  Sanders is the best defensive player in the league.  No team has found a way to stop him. 22. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts: When Marvin Harrison was out last season, Wayne emerged as the team's go-to receiver. The guess here is that is that it stays that way. He's a true star now. I don't like Prisco having Wayne ranked lower than Steve Smith, but at least he recognizes his star power. 25. Dwight Freeney, DE, Indianapolis Colts: He's coming off a serious foot injury, which is a concern. It's why his ranking is down. When he's truly healthy, he's a top 15 player. Unlike others, Prisco doesn't think Freeney's foot was amputated and he'll never be the same again.  It's good to see logic in the mainstream media. His top 10 was Brady, Manning, LaDanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss, Champ Bailey, Mario Williams, The Eraser, Carson Palmer, DeMarcus Ware, and Kevin Williams.  5 defensive players and five offensive players.  Palmer is ranked a little high, though. My biggest beef in this article is the lack of Jeff Saturday.  I guess the multiple All-Pro appearances doesn't make him a top 50 player in this league.  Not even an honorable mention.  I guess no one is perfect, not even one of my favorite writers. Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:11:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283647 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283647 Indianapolis, Indiana. Headquarters of the NCAA, state of the movie Hoosiers, and home to one of the most potent offenses of the last 5 years, the Indianapolis Colts. 2007 somewhat saw the passing of the torch. For years we've waited for the decline of Marvin Harrison and the "breakout" of Reggie Wayne. Those banking on 2007 being the year of Wayne's movement from elite WR2 to elite WR1 were handsomely rewarded with a season of 102 receptions, 1510 yards, and ten touchdowns. Harrison, on the other hand, suffered through a lingering knee injury that frustrated fantasy owners for the majority of the season, finishing with a line of 20 receptions, 247 yards, and a whopping one touchdown. 2007 was also the emergence of Joseph Addai as a fantasy asset, though he likely disappointed some owners. Entering his first year as a featured ball carrier, the LSU product battled nagging injuries all year, and experienced a late season fade as he finished with fewer than 75 rushing yards in each of his last eight games. Still, despite that fade and missing his week 5 matchup, Addai totaled 1072 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. Point-per-reception leagues also enjoyed his 41 receptions for 364 yards. Dallas Clark also became a hot commodity as the loss of Harrison resulted in the former Hawkeye nearly doubling his reception total from 2006. Finishing with 58 catches for 616 yards, Clark led the Colts in receiving touchdowns with 11. Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning, and despite everyone's infatuation with golden boy Tom Brady (who disgusts me by the way), Manning garnered 4040 yards, 34 total touchdowns, and every endorsement on the planet. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:26:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280507 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280507