Yardbarker: Roddy White

Rotowhine's Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:16:13 -0500

When it comes to fantasy football, only 99 percent of it is luck, so you better be prepared to use that final percentage point to your advantage. If you trust your instincts, you will either fail or succeed. If you study your depth charts and cheat sheets for six hours each night for three weeks leading up to your draft, you will either fail or succeed. If you hop around on one leg to the beat of Neil Diamond's "Cracklin' Rosie", you will either fail or succeed, and I'd like to see that. Email me. If you read this article of breakout candidates, you will only succeed. Unless you fail.

2008 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:36:54 -0500

Tiered wide receiver rankings for the 2008 fantasy football season.

TOP 10 REASONS WHY YOU WON'T WIN YOUR FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:39:57 -0500

by DMtShooter, Five Tool Tool

Plenty of places will tell you why your real team is doomed. But who is going to tell you why you're not going to win in Nerd Ball, either -- even though you probably haven't even held your draft yet? Me, that's who. Now step aside and see if you might learn something.

10. Overpreparation. Bought a fantasy football annual already, have you? Congratulations. You do realize that those are written by dyspeptic chimps whose idea of trenchant analysis is that Tom Brady Is Good, and that Fred Taylor is getting old... and that everyone else in your league has also read those words, and half of them are also taking your Cunning Scheme of going the opposite way... and that the only way this overpreparation can end is by challenging a Sicilian in a contest of death. I haven't even gotten started!

9. Underpreparation. I bet you don't even know who DeSean Jackson is, and how he's just one Reggie Brown injury or ineffective play away from putting up big numbers -- I mean, Hank Baskett numbers. ANd here you aren't even aware of how he's holding up so far in Lehigh, or if his Cal-Berkeley bulk can possibly hold up in East Coast humidity. Meanwhile, Reggie Brown's situation is known only to the truly trained insiders who go the extra mile of having trained insider spy scouts on the premises. I'd give up now, if I were you, if it weren't so transparently obvious that you've already done that.

8. Karma. Come on, you never win these things. It's because God hates you for all of those awful things you did behind the dumpster with the fat chick in the stonewashed denim who was OK so long as she didn't, you know, talk. You know where she is now? Rubbing a voodoo doll that looks like you from back then in dryer lint from an old Ryan Leaf jersey. You think you're coming back from that? No chance.

7. Draft position. No one ever wins when they draft from your position -- just look it up, and you'll see that you've got the slot that always winds up with Star Running Injury and Suddenly Useless Veteran. Oh, you're going for Sure Thing WR in the second? Suck on Sudden Disappointment From Aging. Ha ha!

6. Fear. You know that everyone's going to laugh at you when you make your pick, right? They all know more than you, are more decisive, and just have a better feel for this sort of thing. They also know about what you're doing with women's underwear, and how you just can't stop thinking about shoes. That's because, unlike you, they don't have a SHAMEFUL SECRET THAT WILL BE EXPOSED IN THE WHITE HOT FIRE OF THE DRAFT CRUCIBLE. Try not to blink so much.

5. Inebriation. Hey, you know what you need? A little liquid relaxation. Have a cold one; it'll help take the edge off. Besides, you won't be driving for a long time. Heck, have two, it's the best day of the year... especially when you aren't, you know, three sheets to the wind and drafting Kurt Warner in the third because God spoke to you in the bathroom. It's OK, though. God's got your back.

4. Endurance. You know when you're really going to lose this draft? In the late rounds, when I'm going to be pulling diamonds from the rough, and you're going to be drafting Joe Horn. Again. That's because I've spent the last six months prepping for this draft, pulling two a day mocks, and honing my doughy sun-hating body into an absolutely animalistic drafting machine. And so has everyone else in this draft. Muhahahee!

3. Homerism. When push comes to shove, guess who's going to take Aging Skill Player who isn't cutting it anymore, but wears your laundry with pride? That's right, it's you. Of course, this will also mean that you're going to miss out on Emerging SKill Player who will take his numbers and your heart, leaving you with a double case of fantasy homer blue balls. That's because real winners refuse to see players from their favorite team as anything but heartless lumps of meat. The world is ours, my callous brethren!

2. Callousness. Oh, you're learned your lesson this year, and now you're sworn off the siren call of Hero Player on Favorite Team? Fantastic. Finally, the rest of us can get our filthy hands on him, especially now that he's got the magic ju-ju to have his finest year ever. Your smart pick of team and player you don't care a fig about will get vultured in the red zone, wounded in the playoffs, and make you wish you had only listened to your heart. You heartless bastard. How could you?

1. Idiocy. You know what I, the guy who will wind up winning your league, have been doing while you've wasted your time with this sorry bit of timewaste, that you've read entirely in the forlorn hope that there was a nugget of drafting widsom buried deep within? (Julius Jones will be better than people think in Seattle, at least in home games. Willie Parker has some bounce back in him, but he's still going to be Fred Taylor-essue due to the lack of touchdowns. Dwayne Bowe and Roddy White have to be better than last year, because their QBs can't be worse. I'd tell you more, but it'll cost $1.99 a minute, and operators are standing by...)

Well, I've been doing draft prep. And hiring a private investigator to find that fat chick in the denim to show up at the draft and ask you why you never called. And culling together insulting entrance music for each owner. (Yours will be "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen. The stonewash chick says it brings back memories.)

And now that you know everything that's going to happen to you in my draft... I don't have to do any of it. BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT IT. AND YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD MEAT ON A STICK.

Now, who wants in to my new league? We've still got a few openings!

Fantasy Football Wide Receivers - Third Tier

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:21:31 -0500

We've profiled the Big Dog WRs and Second Tier WRs, now it's time to examine the next wave of wideouts. Again, these will be #2 & #3 wideouts for most teams. Santonio Holmes/Hines Ward - Has Santonio Holmes officially surpassed Hines Ward as the top dog? Juding by last year's stats (942 yards, 8 TDs to 732, 7) and it appears that way. I'm not quite ready to write Hines Ward off, but Holmes will likely be the first Steeler WR drafted. They will probably be picked fairly close together and produce very similar numbers. Marvin Harrison - Last year was a wasted year for the former Syracuse Orangeman. Then he showed some bad judgement in the offseason. Was last year the beginning of the end for #88? I don't think so. I think he keeps himself in good enough shape, has one of the games best QBs slinging it to him, and has great knowledge of his system that he's in for a nice rebound. Calvin Johnson - Here's a guy I'm high on. He has the size and speed to be an elite wideout. He was decent enough (756 yards, 4 TDs) as he was adjusting to the NFL. Now that he has a year behind him, I can see his career taking off. Dwayne Bowe - Bowe had a nice rookie campaign last year, nearly hauling in 1000 yards. I see him leaving that mark behind as well as tacking on a couple of TDs to his decent five-spot he produced last year. Roddy White - Roddy had a sneaky 1200 yards last year. On name recognition alone I wouldn't put him in this tier, but his numbers talk. He was one of the top wideouts from Week 12 on (minus the dud he dropped in Week 15) scoring in 4 games and topping 140 yards twice. Chris Chambers - I think San Diego was a good fit for CC. With a full training camp and preseason with the Bolts, I expect him to do even better. He's one of the WRs I'm targeting for '08. Lee Evans - If someone can just convince Evans that December year round (17 of his 29 career TDs have come in December), he'll make the leap into Big Dog status. He almost always starts off slow out of the gate so he's a guy you may want to hold off on using during the beginning weeks of the season. However, targeting him for a midseason trade may not be a bad idea. I think he can return to the 1000 yard territory with 8 TDs. Let's just hope they don't all come in December. Jerricho Cotchery - He's produced back-to-back 82 reception seasons for the Jets. He topped the 1100 yard mark. He just needs to prove he can be more a factor in the endzone. His measly 2 TDs conjure up thoughts of past Jet Wideouts like Keyshawn Johnson. Donald Driver - Driver slid under the Third Tier wall like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He failed to reach 1200 yards for the first time since 2003 last year, but his 1048 weren't bad. What was bad was the 2 TDs he scored. Greg Jennings was clearly Brett's go-to-guy last year in the red zone. With a new QB though, the steady Driver could be leaned on heavier than the explosive Jennings.

AccuScore: FFL Draft Strategies - TD Leagues

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:02:53 -0500

Too much of a good thing is usually a bad thing. That's how AccuScore fantasy expert Tim Williams feels about Oreo cookies and touchdown leagues.

Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Depth Chart

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:18:15 -0500

Michael Turner will be the premier offensive threat in an overhauled Falcons offense. See which other Atlanta players will have fantasy value in this offensive depth chart summary.

2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Notes - Atlanta Falcons

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:41:57 -0500

For the Atlanta Falcons, the season was pretty much over before it began. With all the controversy surrounding the Michael Vick dog fighting trial, the Falcons decided it would be better if he sat out the season and everything started going downhill from there.

Looking Back at the 05 draft

Thu, 08 May 2008 07:30:49 -0500

2005 had its share of stars in the 1st round but also had a handful of busts check to see where your teams pick did............. 1. Alex Smith, quarterback, 49ers: When the first overall pick is competing three years later with Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan for the starting job, that's by definition a BUST. 2. Ronnie Brown, running back, Dolphins: After a so-so first year, Brown has been solid. A torn ACL derailed his opportunity to have a strong third year. Though he hasn't lived up to the billing of the No. 2 overall pick, we're not yet ready to call him a bust. (But we could be after 2008.) 3. Braylon Edwards, receiver, Browns: Edward is becoming one of the best receivers in the league. Clearly, not a bust. 4. Cedric Benson, running back, Bears: He's been a disappointment on the field, and his arrest conjures memories of past incidents in college. Without question, he's a BUST. 5. Cadillac Williams, running back, Buccaneers: Williams made a huge splash as a rookie, but can't stay healthy. After rupturing a patellar tendon in 2007, he might not play again. If he does, he might never be the same. Based on his top-five selection, he's a BUST. 6. Pacman Jones, cornerback, Titans: BUST 7. Troy Williamson, receiver, Vikings: We once tried to throw Williamson a compliment, but he dropped that, too. BUST. 8. Antrel Rolle, cornerback, Cardinals: When a cornerback might be shifted to safety at only age 25, it's not because he's a great cornerback. BUST. 9. Carlos Rogers, cornerback, Redskins: He's on the path to being declared a bust. We'll give him one more year. 10. Mike Williams, receiver, Lions: Maybe he wouldn't have been a BUST if the Lions had made him an offensive lineman. 11. DeMarcus Ware, linebacker, Cowboys: A 2006 Pro Bowl + a 2007 Pro Bowl = not a bust. 12. Shawne Merriman, linebacker, Chargers: He could still be a bust if he gets suspended again for steroids (or blown up on a regular basis by a pint-sized running back); for now, though, Merriman is clearly not a bust. 13. Jammal Brown, tackle, Saints: The Pro Bowler in 2006 slipped a bit last year, and the Saints were rumored to be shopping him. Still, he's not a bust. 14. Thomas Davis, safety/linebacker, Panthers: He's not spectacular, but he started 16 games in 2007. Not a bust. 15. Derrick Johnson, linebacker, Chiefs: Johnson made a splash as a rookie and hasn't taken it quite to the next level in two years since, but he's not a bust. 16. Travis Johnson, defensive tackle, Texans: When the biggest hit of your career is one that you unknowingly put on a quarterback's head with your knee, you might be a redneck. And a BUST. 17. David Pollack, linebacker, Bengals: Though he was on his way to becoming a great player, a neck injury ended his career early in his second season. Unfortunately, he must be declared a BUST. 18. Erasmus James, defensive end, Vikings: Knee problems have slowed his development, but barring injury to Jared Allen and Ray Edwards (and maybe Brian Robison), James won't be a starter in his fourth season. BUST. 19. Alex Barron, offensive tackle, Rams: The Rams wouldn't have been dreaming of Jake Long sliding to No. 2 if they thought that Barron was the long-term solution on the left side, or the right. BUST. 20. Marcus Spears, defensive end, Cowboys: Yeah, he has been a three-year starter. But he was rumored to be on the trading block earlier this year, and his impact hasn't reflected his stature as one of the top 20 players in the draft. BUST. 21. Matt Jones, receiver, Jaguars: This much-hyped quarterback-turned-receiver isn't very good, and doesn't seem to care. The Jags would have been wise to let him play quarterback — for another team. BUST. 22. Mark Clayton, receiver, Ravens: The thinking in NFL circles is that a player destined to be a high-end receiver performs like one by his third NFL season. For his third season, Clayton had 49 catches for 531 yards, and no touchdowns. BUST. 23. Fabian Washington, cornerback, Raiders: Being traded for a fourth-round pick after only three seasons automatically qualifies him for BUST status. 24. Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, Packers: He has looked good when he's gotten a chance to play, but the jury is out on whether he's a bust. Get back to us in a year. 25. Jason Campbell, quarterback, Redskins: Campbell is on his way to becoming a solid starter, and could evolve into one of the better signal-callers in the conference. Not a bust. 26. Chris Spencer, center, Seahawks: If he'd been taken higher, Spencer might qualify for strong consideration as a bust. But he started every game in 2005, and the Seahawks have gotten decent value out of him. Close, but not a bust. 27. Roddy White, receiver, Falcons: White was on his way to being a bust after his first two years. He broke out in 2007, which coincidentally was his first season without catching one-hoppers from Mike Vick. Not a bust. 28. Luis Castillo, defensive tackle, Chargers: Solid defensive linemen despite some injuries. Not a bust. 29. Marlin Jackson, defensive back, Colts: Steady but unspectacular Tampa Two corner. He might be another Jason David in a defense that requires him to cover wideouts down the field. But his performance allowed the Colts let guys like David walk away. Not a bust. 30. Heath Miller, tight end, Virginia: The Steelers arguably reached on a guy who wasn't healthy in the months leading up to the draft. They ended up with a solid tight end. Not a bust. 31. Mike Patterson, defensive tackle, Eagles: The Philly chapter of PFT Planet will revolt if we were to call Patterson a bust. Not a bust. 32. Logan Mankins, offensive lineman, Patriots: Solid contributor on the offensive line. Besides, we can't call anyone who paid $7,500 for the privilege of punching a guy in the crotch a bust.

Fantasy Football 2007: The Atlanta Falcons

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:47:49 -0500

This was not a good year for the Dirty Birds. The misfortunate commenced with the Michael Vick, and his eventual plea bargain leading to jail time, rather than game time. Having watched football for many years, I have heard of players quitting on teams, but never a coach quitting mid-season, but that's exactly what first year head-man Bobby Petrino did with 3 games remaining. The 2007 edition of the Atlanta Falcons will go down as one of the ugliest teams on the field, off the field, and also in the stats sheets. There were a few exceptions, of course, such as WR Roddy White. However, the majority of the Falcons helped make the 2007 season one to forget for Falcons fans and their fantasy owners.

2008 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Rounds 4-6

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:49:46 -0500

The 2007 fantasy football season may be over, but it's already time to be thinking about 2008. The Fantasy Football Experts are already hard at work completing a 2008 Fantasy Football Mock Draft. Here are the contestants: 1. Rob Shaw, Lead Expert for FantasyFanatics.com 2. Dan Cypra, Marketing Director for FantasyFanatics.com 3. Phil Jean, Fantasy Football Expert for FantasyFanatics.com The rules are simple: 1. This is a standard Yahoo scoring league. 2. Each Expert is responsible for four teams, so there are 12 total teams in the league. 3. Rookies were not eligible to be drafted since their NFL teams and use are unknown. 4. Each roster consists of one quarterback, three wide receivers, two running backs, one tight end, one kicker, and one defense. 5. There are 13 rounds total. Here's a snapshot of the results of Rounds 4-6. A team overview follows.

Fantasy Football Wide Receivers Revisited

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:33:44 -0500

Half of the fun of fantasy football is go to back and look at the pre-season projections for several players and compare their production to what was expected. It'll leave many of you scratching your head for drafting Donald Driver so high and kicking yourself for passing over Randy Moss. While the running backs and wide outs were drafted earlier, the wide receiver position offered the most stability in the 2007 fantasy football season. Randy Moss and Terrell Owens led the way for the wide receivers, but check out where Bobby Engram and Roddy White landed. How about Brandon Marshall and Wes Welker? They were nowhere to be found on many managers' fantasy radars! Here's a look at top 20 receivers, and where they fit amidst our pre-season projections.

2007 All-Fantasy Offensive Team

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:15:41 -0500

With most standard fantasy leagues all wrapped up, FIO co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter takes an objective look at the fantasy football stars of 2007. Included is a roster of the best performers from the year, with some Honorable Mentions and side notes on those not included. Check out this comprehensive list of the '07 fantasy top offensive performers.

NFL Fines Falcons For Supporting Vick; Contradicts Themselves

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:55:31 -0500

Roddy White, Alge Crumpler, DeAngelo Hall, Chris Houston, and Joe Horn have been fined by the NFL for honoring Michael Vick last week. Roddy White lifted his jersey after a touchdown revealing a "free mike vick" message. When Clinton Portis lifted his own jersey with a Sean Taylor tribute message, he received no such fine. OF COURSE Clinton had every right to honor Taylor and he SHOULDN'T have been fined, but the NFL cannot pick and choose who to punish for violating the very same rule. Forcing your beliefs and ideals on others is a slippery slope.

Week 15 Gridiron Playoff Handbook

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:31:48 -0500

This 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.

Bad Newz for Atlanta; the Falcons still love Vick

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:35:01 -0500

The most interesting thing about last night's game was the Falcons' show of support for Vick. DeAngelo Hall had MV7 on the black strip below his left eye, and Roddy White had his Free Michael Vick T-shirt. Both will be fined, nothing new for Hall, but the bigger question is if the Falcons decide to get rid of Vick, what fallout will there be in the locker room?