http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3514 Recent articles about Darren Sproles 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 RB can't make a DB miss in practice without the world knowing about it. That said, here is a list of RBs that I feel will exceed expectations this season. Justin Fargas - A lot of people assume that the addition of Darren McFadden means the end for Justin Fargas. I couldn't disagree more. He was an 1000 yard back last year on a rotten team. He'll likely be penciled in as the starter while Run DMC gets accustomed to the NFL, it's speed, blocking assignments, etc. Plus, McFadden has had a great deal of success sharing the backfield. Why change that up? I don't see another 1000 yard year from Fargas, but 800-1000 total yards isn't without question. Neither will likely get the red zone carries as Michael Bush looks ready to contribute. Steve Slaton - Right now he's #3 in the depth chart behind Ahman Green and Chris Brown. Durability has been an issue for both of those RBs though, which could bode well for the rookie out of West Virginia. Even if just one of them go down, Slaton could stand to receive a fair amount of work. He has a lot to overcome, but Slaton is a decent risk to contribute down the stretch. LaMont Jordan - Getting cut by the Raiders of all teams has to sting. However, LaMont couldn't have landed in a better situation. New England almost always takes teams' castoffs and turns them into serviceable players. He'll be buried initially in the depth chart behind Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk, but his versatility could earn him some touches. He is a big, strong back (5?10, 230 lbs) who has exceptional hands out of the backfield. If Maroney and Morris struggle at the line, he could get a shot at that. If Faulk struggles or misses time, Jordan can fill that void. I wouldn't be surprised to see Faulk and Jordan used together in third-down packages. Darren Sproles - With Michael Turner moving on to greener pastures (at least according to his bank account), Sproles gets the envious task of backing up the best RB in the game. The recipe could be similar for Sproles. The Chargers light teams up early, and then run them into submission. Sproles is quick and could hit some Home Runs. He averaged 10.9 yards per carry last year, which is an indication of his big play ability. If something terrible were to happen to LT, he would be one of the most sought after pickups in the league. Pierre Thomas - If Deuce McAllister's health is an issue this year, Pierre Thomas suddenly has some fantasy merit again. He didn't do much last year, but he finished the 2007 with a bang running for 105 yards on 20 carries and 12 receptions for 121 yards against the Chicago Bears. That could have been a fluke, especially when you consider it was the season's final game, but it's worth taking notice. Ryan Torain - Imagine that. A Bronco rookie RB being a sleeper pick. Mike Shanahan likes to alter his RBs about as much as Gruden likes to tinker with his QBs. He has a few RBs to leapfrog (Selvin Young and Michael Pittman), but that's not impossible given the Broncos' history. Pittman has already said he's open to playing some Fullback, so that could help increase the rookie's workload. Click the link for the Deeper Sleepers Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:05:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301371 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301371 Foxsports Fantasy visits the Chargers to provide this fantasy report. L.T. is already in mid-season form while Chris Chambers showed good rapport with Philip Rivers. Vincent Jackson also moves up draft list and Darren Sproles could be a sleeper in the late rounds. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:49:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301029 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301029 With all the training camps now up and running, it couldn't be a better time to take a look at how the Oakland Raiders competition within the AFC West.  Not only am I going to examine the rosters of the teams us Raider fans hate most, but the Fan-Sided blogger's for the Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers have weighed in on the same topic.   San Diego Chargers When honestly examining this Chargers team, it's hard for me to talk a lot of smack.  There are to many players on this roster that I wanted Oakland before the Chargers drafted or signed them.  But one I didn't was Philip Rivers.  I hate his cocky attitude (Jay Cutler is not a small guy, and also benches over 400lbs; makes me think one of these day's someones gonna knock Rivers in that fat mouth).  Not much to their receiving corps, but if I played Fantasy Football, Vincent Jackson would be one of the first receivers I'd take.  Tomlinson's a stud; nuff said.  The O-line is one of the best in the league, and needs more recognition from the guys on ESPN and Fox Sports for being so consistent. I got no love Merriman for the obvious reasons, but he continues to dominate, so you can't deny his impact.  I still feel there's a weakness inside at the linebacker spot, but as long Williams continues to pick up the slack, they'll be fine with the meager talent they have.  But if there's one spot I think they've failed at, it's utilizing the opening Williams gives them by signing or drafting a premier middle linebacker.  Their secondary isn't a liability but isn't anything special either.  So again, it's hard for me to speak poorly of the likes of Darren Sproles, Igor Olshansky, Jammal Williams, and Nick Hardwick; and those aren't even the headliners in S.D.  All in all this team is in great shape, with tons of talent.  I don't think they're Super Bowl bound, and I think as a hole the Raiders have the (young) talent to supplant the Chargers, but if I had to bet on who's got the better chance in '08, I gotta give the nod to Chargers. Kansas City Chiefs A lot like the talent in San Diego, there are few player's that I think are a joke in K.C.  They have a nice combination of young and old talent, and although it will be a weakness at times I think they will do far better than they did last year.  I know Brodie Croyle hasn't become a steady starter, but I loved this kid at Bama, and have no doubt that he can play at this level.  It took the overlooked Jeff Garcia and the first round blue chip Rich Gannon to totally different paths to the Bay Area where they finally lived up to their abilities.  I hope for Croyle's sake he finds his place sooner than later, but I can't believe he'll never make it in this league.  Larry Johnson might not last forever and Kolby Smith isn't the best second choice, but after Smith's performance against the Raiders last season in Arrowhead he gives me no place to say the Chiefs are in trouble at running back.  Dwayne Bowe reminds me of the Texans Andre Johnson, and he should start putting up similar numbers as the Pro-Bowl wideout. 7 of the 11 presumed defensive starters were drafted in the first and second round (Napolean Harris, Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey, Patrick Surtain, Bernard Pollard, Brandon Flowers).  The lack of effort in free agency, especially since an upcoming un-caped season approaches, shows how stingy Carl Peterson is.  He knew he was going to have to give into the absurd rookie contracts ($51 million makes Dorsey one of the top paid DT's in the league), but refused to shell out any money for veterans that were on the market.  The Chiefs are still in bad shape, and need a lot to go right and a couple of guys to come out of nowhere for them to come close to .500. Denver Broncos Finally a division rival that gives me reason to rip on them.  Ok, where do I start…their coach can't win sh*t without a guy named Elway, Jay Cutler is not that good, the o-line looks pathetic, their running backs are a joke, Elvis Dummerville and D.J. Williams are the only good players in their front 7, their secondary is nothing compared to the Raiders now, and the hated Jason Elam is finally gone.  Cutler throws a nice hard pass, and is workout warrior, but he hasn't shown me that he's has what it takes to be a great quarterback in this league.  His size and strength will keep him in this league, but I don't think he has the mind or magic to succeed.  Ken Dorsey's lack of physicality has kept his great football knowledge and winning ways from excelling at the NFL level; there's no doubt in my mind that Dorsey would've been a Pro Bowler in this league if he had half of Cutler's physical talents. No one can deny what Champ Bailey has accomplished in this league, but how much longer can the 30 year old corner be successful out on the wing.  I think Bailey will make a smooth transition from corner to free-safety, but that usually happens after a player starts getting beat outside.  Will that start this year?  I wouldn't be surprised.  Dre Bly plays the ball better than he can play the player.  As the 31 year old Bly continues to lose speed he'll need more man-to-man skills than ball skills to be successful.  Bly's very similar to the Chiefs Patrtick Surtain, a former stud that's lost a step but has improved his coverage skills to be able to stay in the league.  I look for Bly to run a step slower in each year from here on; removing his name from elite status.  Ahhhh, it feels good when one of the teams you hate gives you every reason to doubt them.  Every other team in this division can run and pass against this defense, and stop every facet of this Broncos' offense. If the Broncos do plummet to the bottom of the league, then the front office should have no other choice but to fire Mike Shanahan.  Music to my ears. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297215 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297215 No. 2 running back: Darren Sproles vs. Jacob Hester Yes, you know a team is in good shape when its biggest concern is the backup tailback position. But this is a position of concern for San Diego as it tries to reach the Super Bowl. Superstar LaDainian Tomlinson was banged up in the playoffs last season and at 29, he has to be careful not to become susceptible to wear and tear. Plus, his super-backup Michael Turner is now in Atlanta after cashing in during free agency. Sproles is an interesting player and a dynamic return man. But he is small and has yet to prove he can carry the load. That is why the Chargers moved up in the third round to take Jacob Hester. The LSU product can also play fullback. Hester is tough and was a winner in college. It will not be a surprise if Hester becomes Tomlinson's top backup. But Sproles is a weapon and he will be a factor as well. Intensity index: Hot No. 3 cornerback: Antoine Cason vs. Paul Oliver Like the backup running back position, the nickel cornerback position battle is usually not all that hot to follow. But the Chargers do play in the nickel defense package about 60 percent of the time, So they will need a capable player here. The team drafted Cason out of Arizona with the No. 28 overall pick with designs of him becoming the nickel cornerback behind Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer. Cason is a smart player and was a playmaker in college. But Oliver won't be easy to beat out. He is feisty and has shown he is capable of doing the job. But when push comes to shove, a first-round pick should end up winning the job. Intensity index: Mild CLICK LINK FOR THE REST OF THE AFC WEST Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:58:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296405 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296405 2007 was supposed to be the year for the San Diego Chargers… supposed to be. Following a 1-3 start, many questioned the team, especially that first overall pick for many fantasy football owners, LaDanian Tomlinson. It's hard to believe, but Tomlinson had a whopping 130 rushing yards entering week 4. He proceeded to total 132 rushing yards in that game, leading many to believe he was back on top. Congratulations to those of you who bought low early, knowing that Tomlinson wouldn't stay quiet throughout the season. However, week 5, Tomlinson was back to his early season ways, rushing for only 67 yards against a Denver Broncos team the Chargers beat by 38 points. Again, congratulations to those of you who bought low. The reason why?... Tomlinson finished the season with 1474 yards, 19 total touchdowns (including the one he threw), 60 receptions, and 475 receiving yards. Further, the massive stretch run weeks 14-16, likely carried many of his owners to the fantasy football championship. I'm pretty sure Webster's Dictionary has placed a picture of LT next to the word "stud". As for the rest of the Chargers, quarterback Phillip Rivers was a bit of a... Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:14:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284907 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284907 The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that wide out Eric Parker will be traded or given an outright release by training camp. What? Sure, Parker missed all of last season. Yes, the Bolts have Chris Chambers now. I know, Mark Jones was signed. Nevertheless, this team has been thin and wide receiver for a while. Chambers and a healthy Parker would be a formidable one-two punch. Plus, Parker has been the guy in San Diego for a while now. While the team is totally covered in the punt return game with Darren Sproles, amongst others, I don't see how grooming a new batch of receivers is better than hanging on to a proven performer. There is a lot of young talent on the team and someone should step into the number two role. I just can't see any of them burning a corner while Chambers is inevitably double teamed on most plays. The underneath threat is still there with Gates and L.T., which is huge, but if one of those threats is neutralized the passing game could collapse. I haven't heard anything about A.J. Smith looking for a receiver on the open market, not that there are many viable options out there. The Chargers will continue to be a run first offense, same as last year, still without Parker. The season turned out fine without him. So at the very least we should expect more of the same? We'll see. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:31:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283205 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283205 The last few seasons, the two back system has become a very popular trend in the NFL. Teams are noticing that the two back system keeps both backs fresh and avoids them from taking a pounding. Most two back systems have a combination of power and speed. Almost all of the teams on this list have that. So without further explanation, here is my list of the top ten running back tandems in the NFL. 1. Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars: Many people wouldn't agree with this but both Taylor and Jones-Drew are among the top 20 backs in the league. Taylor hasn't really gotten much national attention but is one of the most consistent backs in the league. Jones-Drew is a touchdown machine as he has 22 career rushing touchdowns in two years. The two back system has also helped both of them as well as Jones-Drew is learning from one of the best backs in the game while Taylor has added at least 2 years onto his career. 2. Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor Vikings: Many people would have put this tandem at number one on the list. But to me their is more of a drop off from Peterson to Taylor then with the Jaguars tandem. Peterson had an excellent rookie season and if he keeps it up will be one of the best backs in the league for a long time. Taylor also had a solid season with 844 yards and 7 touchdowns. It seems hard to believe but this tandem can be even more effective when the Vikings develop a passing game. 3. LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles Chargers: It's hard to beat a tandem with the best back in the league and a shifty scat back who can score everytime he touches the ball. They may have lost Michael Turner in the offseason, but that won't stop Tomlinson from having a great year as he is always good for at least 14 touchdowns. Sproles also played very well last year and showed he is a good receiver out of the backfield. 4. Marion Barber, Felix Jones Cowboys: This is the perfect example of a thunder and lightning tandem. Barber is one the best brusing backs in the game as he had 10 rushing touchdowns last year. While Jones has great speed and will run all over defenses after Barber has worn them down. This tandem could be much higher next year. 5. Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts Redskins: Portis had another great season last year as he had 1262 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has established himself as one of the best backs in the game. While Betts even though he didn't play that well last season, he is one of the better backups in the league and has the potential to start for some teams. 6. Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw Giants: Considering Jacobs missed 5 games, he had a very good season last year as he averaged 5 yards a carry and had over 1000 yards. The only problem was with his size he should score more then 4 touchdowns. Bradshaw was a great find for the Giants late in the draft last year as he was very elusive and had a big part in the offense during the playoffs. 7. Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden Raiders: This group has the potential to be in the top 4 in this list next year. Fargas had a very good season last year as he had over 1000 yards in 14 games. While McFadden was too good for the Raiders to pass up with the 4th pick. This tandem will really shine once JaMarcus Russell develops but even if the passing game struggles, this duo will be fun to watch. 8. Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood Falcons: This group compliments each other very well as Turner is more of a bruiser while Norwood is among the fastest backs in the league. Both of these guys also have fresh legs as neither of them started last year. Until Matt Ryan develops, these two will be the majority of the Falcons offense. 9. Willis McGahee, Ray Rice Ravens: McGahee had a solid first year in Baltimore with over 1200 yards and 7 touchdowns. Rice was drafted in the second round and due to the fact he is very durable,has the ability to give the Ravens 12-15 carries in his first season. Both of these guys will benefit from having Cam Cameron as offensive coordinator as he loves to utilize his running backs. 10.Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall Steelers: This group could become one of the top tandems in the league if Parker stays healthy and if Mendenhall lives up to the billing of a first round pick. Mendenhall has the ability to become a back who can handle 25 carries a game while Parker is a threat to score everytime he touches the ball. Mike Tomlin will love coming up with ways to get both of these guys on the field at once. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:14:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278036 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278036 Good Morning All! If this doesn't wake you up I'm positive it should wake McNabb up. After all those years of chasing QB's and finally getting that Superbowl, Strahan is hanging it up. Should be a Hall of Famer and I respect him. But thank God no more pressure from him. Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:50:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276073 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276073 From LaDainian Tomlinson to Bill Belichick, FIO co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses his disgust with all of the crying that has been going on in the NFL this season. Check out this exceprt from FIO's Free For All writers' blog. Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:20:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/124130 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/124130 Included in this article are highlights to the NFC & AFC Championship games, a reaction to the games and potential Super Bowl match-up, a debate as to what LT's deal was sitting out the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, and the Super Bowl line. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:08:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/79834 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/79834 ESPN is reporting Philip Rivers expects to play in today's game against New England. We explain why it probably won't matter who the starting quarterback is for San Diego. Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:20:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/78076 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/78076 ... It's from the perspective of those five games that I make the following observations about the Indy-SD postseason divisional round matchup... Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:17:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/69695 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/69695 his time around, instead of offering you a simple waivers article, FIO co-founder and writer Adam Allen has put together a fantasy playoff handbook to help lead your fantasy football team to domination. Included are a few waiver wire pick-ups, key match-ups, those players still hungry (in the playoff hunt), and some projected weather conditions. Everything you need to make some crucial roster adjustment to advance in your fantasy playoffs. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:39:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/49162 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/49162 See the hot pick-ups that could provide your fantasy football team with some post season production. Go check it out. Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:00:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/46610 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/46610 I think that this is a very interesting list, but we all know who is number one. 1.Devin Hester 2.Josh Cribbs 3.Pacman Jones 4.Leon Washington 5.Darren Sproles 6.Roscoe Parrish 7.Jacoby Jones 8.Maurice Jones-Drew 9.Jerious Norwood 10.Nate Burleson 11.Allen Rossum 12.Yamon Figurs 13.Ted Ginn Jr. 14.Dante Hall 15.Steve Breaston Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:38:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/39277 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/39277