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McNabb Doesn’t Know Overtime Rule

Nov 19

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

In what has to be on eof the most ridiculous things to ever come out of a professional quarterbacks mouth, Donovan McNabb stated during a postgame press conference, that he was unaware of the overtime rule in the NFL.

The rule McNabb was referring to is of course the fact that an NFL game can end in a tie if neither team scores during the overtime period. This was the case when the Eagles and Bengals played on Sunday ending in a 13-13 tie.

When asked McNabb said, “I’ve never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book. It’spart of the rules and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to the next opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game.”

McNabb in a postgame press conference talks about the overtime rule.

McNabb in a postgame press conference talks about the overtime rule.

I mean this really has to be the silliest thing a professional QB could possibly say. Not only did McNabb not know the rule, but he didn’t help his team much on the field either, turning the ball over 4 times in the contest, the first time he’s done that since 2003.

While the tie does not entirely destroy the Eagles post season hopes it sure doesn’t help. At 5-4-1 the Eagles find themselves in last place in the NFC East and unless they go on a winning streak have little chance at a wild card berth either.

Now to be fair many people have suggested that had McNabb known the rule perhaps he would have played more agrresively in overtime. One, McNabb has been throwing the ball agressively all day long and it resulted in the 3 interceptions. Two, to suggest that he would have some how tried harder to win the game had he known that it would end in a tie is just plain silly. McNabb was out there trying to win no matter what the rule was that’s his job.

The Eagles will move on this season and make no mistake about it, McNabb will be the quarterback, despite Eagles fans calling for his job and possibly his head. What should be noted is that McNabb’s contract is up next season and its likely that the two will part ways. The real question is will head coach Andy Reid remain in Philadelphia if they don’t make the playoffs this season? That remains to be seen, for now the Eagles must refocus their attention on making a postseason run.

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Oakland releases CB Hall

Nov 7

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Well, what is there really to say about the Oakland Raiders at this point? Talk about a franchise in absolute turmoil, this team seems not to even know which way is up at this point.

The Raiders in usual Al Davis fashion went on a free agent spending spree in the off season and inked corner back Deangelo Hall to a $70 million contract. Apparently the Raiders decided that they didn’t like Hall or the deal all that much and have since released him after just 8 games.

The move is perhaps one of the most shocking moves seen at the half way point of an NFL season in quite some time. It seems to have left a number of Oakland’s own players stupefied, “I’ve never been in a situation where you cut one of the best players,” said safety Gibril Wilson, another of the team’s off season acquisitions. “That’s strange to me. It’s almost like we’re throwing in the towel.”

Granted Hall may not have demonstrated that he was worthy of a 7 year $70 million contract, but he was still adjusting to Oakland’s mainly man-to-man defensive scheme and was showing signs of improvement in recent weeks.

Since taking over for the fired Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and his coaching staff have made a number of questionable personnel moves. Cable took safety Michael Huff out of the starting lining and has actually relegated him to third on the depth chart. Cable has also relegated Ronald Curry the teams leading receiver the past two seasons to special teams duty, but has stated that high priced wide receiver Javon Walker who has just 13 receptions this year is in no danger of losing his job?

Guess what Tom the only person whose going to be in danger of losing his job is you, especially when you make moves like this that completely destroy the players confidence in your ability to do what is right for the team.

Doing what is right for the team isn’t always necessarily what you think is right for the team, you must also consider how the players in your locker room will respond to the decisions you make and from everything that has been coming out of Oakland it does not look like they are responding positively.

So, as usual things just keep deteriorating in the black hole and I’m betting most players and fans are waiting for the day when Al Davis, or Tom Cable for that fact are no longer calling the shots.

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Padres Ace Peavy on the Market

Oct 17

Posted by admin in Baseball, Braves, Cy young, MLB, New York, Peavy, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, Yankees, atlanta, jake peavy, online sports community, padres, san diego, trade, trade talks | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

In what I would deem a fairly surprising move, the Padres are considering moving ace pitcher Jake Peavy to the highest bidder.

Peavy, a Cy Young winner had somewhat of a down year this season with 10 wins and 11 loses, but performed quite well in every other pitching category. He had the third lowest ERA in the National League with a 2.85 and struck out 166 batters.

Peavy does have a no trade clause in his contract which could help him get his choice of team, but apparently his top five choices have not expressed enough interest to make them a viable option. Among Peavy’s top choices are Atlanta, St. Louis, the Chicago Cubs, the L.A. Dodgers and the Houston Astros.

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Jake Peavy is on the trading block

Yet, none of these teams have made a viable offer and the Padres have begun reaching out to other teams.  Of course, when any big name comes on the market the Yankees are always in the mix, but many believe that Peavy would not enjoy playing in New York or in the American League for that fact, and are unsure if he would sign off on a deal that sent him to the Yankees.

The Braves seem to be the team in the best position to make a deal for Peavy which would have to include some young pitchers and perhaps a few outfielders. The Braves have promising young talent in pitchers such as Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson and center fielders Jason Heyward and Jordan Scaefer. However, the Braves are reluctant to talk about dealing their best prospects.

Peavy is an extremely attractive trade option because he is under contract until 2013 and is just 27 years old. It is very rare that a pitcher of Peavy’s talent and youth is even considered trade bait, but many in the Padres front office feel the team needs to get younger now, and Peavy is their best bargaining chip.

Where Peavy will land is anyones guess, but one thing is for sure… it won’t be in San Diego.

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Giants Players Side with Coach on Plax Suspension

Oct 3

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, New York Giants, Plaxico Burress, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Star Player, Suspension, Uncategorized, giants, online sports community, star, wide receiver | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Make no mistake about it Plaxico Burress is an extremely talented player…he’s also quickly becoming a distraction in the Giants lockeroom.

Burress standing on the sidelines, which is where hell find himself this Sunday.

Burress standing on the sidelines, which is where he'll find himself this Sunday.

Plax spent much of the off-season posturing (with the aid of his agent Drew Rosenhaus) for a new contract after a year in which he hauiled in a career high 12 TD and caught the game winning TD in the Super Bowl. So what did Burress do? He sat on the sideline for most of the off-season, training camp and pre-season with a supposed “ankle injury”. In fact, Plax was just refusing to play until he got what he thought he deserved.

And how did the Giants star wideout return the favor to the team that granted him his wish and gave him a lucrative contract extension? By missing practice the Monday following his teams overtime win over the Cincinnatti Bengals on Sunday and not even bothering to phone in and tell the team why he was not in attendance until later that evening.

Burress was dealing with a “important family matter”, what exactly that matter was, was not disclosed, but it should be noted that Burress has been involved in a number of domestic altercations since joining the Giants in 2004.

The Giants and Burress recently settled on the terms of the suspension levied by the team after Burress appealed the original suspension through the NFLPA. Burress was originally fined $235,249 or two weeks pay, but that fine was cut in half to $117,000, though he will still be suspendend for this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The decision to suspend Burress was made by both Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese, and has received support from nearly every player in the Giants locker room.

“I can’t speak for Plaxico, but as a team it’s indicative of our coaches trying to make a statement as far as every guy on this football team is equal and I think (Tom Coughlin) got his point across,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “I hope he got his point across.”

Giants players are not the only ones who hope Coughlin made his point loud and clear to Burress, Giants fans also have to be concerned with the receivers seeming discontent with practicing.

Many felt that Burress was a warrior last season for playing through bothersome ankle and knee injuries, but recently there has been some grumbling around the league that any player that sustained similar types of injuries would have at least attempted to practice or would have been forced to do so by the team.

Now the Giants will be forced to play without their leading receiver heading into Sunday’s contest against the Seahawks and the team and fans are praying that his absence doesn’t cost the team its perfect record.

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Giants Beat Skins in NFL Season Opener

Sep 5

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, New York Giants, Pro Sports, Season Opener, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, online sports community | No Comments

Before the game began fans of both teams had questions on their minds about this coming season.

Would Eli play like he did during his magical playoff run which led to a Super Bowl MVP? Would the Giants defense be able to apply the same pressure without Osi Umenyiora, and Michael Strahan? Would the Redskins look as dismal as they did in their final two postseason games?

Actually the answer to all these questions seems to have been a resounding yes.

After Michael Strahan came out to fire up the crowd with the Lombardi Trophy in hand the Giants took the opening kick off and drove 84 yards in 11 plays with Eli running a boot leg in the endzone to secure a 7-0 first quarter lead. During the drive Eli and his favorite target Plaxico Buress, who was awarded with a contract extension hours before the game began, connected on some big third down conversions to keep the drive alive.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Manning scores first touchdown of the NFL year.

Then the Giants defense on their first play from scrimmage, were able to answer the questions about their ability to apply the same type of pressure on QB’s that helped lead them to a Super Bowl Championship. Justin Tuck and Fred Robbins both broke through the Skins line and sacked QB Jason Campbell. It was a foreshadowing of things to come for both the Giants defense and the Redskins offense.

The Redskins looked befuddled under new head coach Jim Zorn’s West Coast scheme. Jason Campbell in particular looked like he had little idea of how to run this offense, on many occasions electing to check down for three or four yard gains in 3rd and long or fourth and long situations.

Washington’s defense didn’t look too much better allowing the Giants to drive down field on three consecutive drives, but holding firm in the red/green zone, relenting field goals instead of touchdowns. Perhaps the closeness of the game was more a result of conservative play calling from the Giants rather then stellar defense from the Redskins.

The Giants have to be happy about their performance on both sides of the ball. Brandon Jacobs was an absolute beast last night, literally plowing over Redskins on his way to 116 yards on 21 carries. Just ask Redskins safety Dawan Landry about what its like to try and tackle Jacobs. Manning completed 19 of 35 passes for 216 yards and 1 interception. He looked very good on third down conversions, but did throw some of those trademark ill advised passes that could have reversed the course of the game had Washington been able to make a play on them. Plaxico Burress who is finally healthy after fighting through knee and ankle injuries last season had a dominant 10 catch 133 yard performance and at times made the Skins secondary look like high schoolers. Despite the win though the Giants left a number of points on the board and allowed Washington to hand in the game much longer then they shouuld have. They also did not score a point in the second half, but then again they didn’t really need to.

The Giants defense was outstanding. New York limited the new-look Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that these Giants are back for another run despite the preseason predictions that there chances of repeating are slim.

With one in hand now each team will go back to the drawing board and try to improve on this weeks performance. The Redskins will have to make a lot of adjustments if they are to be contenders in the ultra competitive NFC East. The Giants on the other hand have to be happy about picking up right where they left off, now they just have to focus on finishing drives instead of setteling for field goals and all should be well in New York.

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Boldin Wants Out of Arizona

Aug 21

Posted by admin in Arizona Cardinals, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, contract negotiations Drew Rosenhaus, online sports community, rumors, trade talks, wide receivers, wideout | No Comments

Anquan Boldin part of the talented wide receiving duo in the dessert of Arizona stated that he wants out of Arizona. Citing a non- existent relationship with head coach Ken Whisenhunt and contract issues.

For his part Whisenhunt seems to have no idea what Boldin is refferring to saying that, “We’ve been communicating if communicating is talking, that’s what we have been doing at practice. As we go forward, I don’t know. I don’t foresee anything changing. If it does, it’s in his court.”

With training camp rapidly coming to a conclusion the wideout mad eit sound like the last few weeks have been pure hell for him. He opened up training camp by calling out the franchises front office, saying that they reneged on an offer to re-negotiate his contract.

Boldin wants out of Arizona.

Boldin wants out of Arizona.

The situation seems to have evolved from thecsizeable contract the Cards handed to WR Larry Fitzgerald who signed a four-year $40 million, deal after last season, with $30 million guaranteed. Obviously Boldin feels, he is underpaid and under aprreciated by his current team.

He has three years left on the four-year, $22.75 million extension he signed after the 2005 season that keeps him under contract through 2010. He’s making an average of $4 million a year.

Boldin is one of the most talented wideouts in the NFL. He became the fastest player to reach 400 career receptions when he topped the mark just 67 games into his career.In his five NFL seasons Boldin has 413 receptions for 5,458 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Yet, if Boldin is so concerned about what he is being paid then maybe he shouldn’t have signed that contract extension in 2005 that gaves him his current salary rate. And although Boldin has stated that he feels that Fitzgerald earned his contract its fairl obvious that had Fitzgerald not gotten such a sizeable pay increase Boldin would not feel like he was being” mis-treated” bv the team.  It probably doesn’t help the situation that his agent is Drew Rosenhaus either who seems to encourage this type of behavior from his players.

What does Boldin expect to happen? Does he actually believe that the Cardinals are going to trade one of their most valuable offensive players right before the seasons begins? Apparently not, as even Boldin himself was quoted as saying that he doesn’t believe their will be a solution to the standoff.

The Cardinals have also stated that they have little interest in dealing the stud reciever at this time, especially considering he is under contract until the 2010 season.

There are of course a number of teams around the league that could use the services of Boldin. The Philadelhpia Eagles seem to be keenly interested in acquiring a receiver especially considering the injury to their number one wideout Kevin Curtis, which could sideline him for 6-8 weeks.

A player for player trade would be the most likely of possibilties and if the Cardinals decide to change their minds and deal Boldin it could be for an Eagles defensive back like Lito Sheppard or something along those lines.

IN all likely hood Boldin will have to reamin a Cardinal at least for the remainder of this season and try to work out a deal for himself during the offseason.

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Teixeira Traded to Angels

Jul 31

Posted by admin in Baseball, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

The Agels have to be praising new general manager Tony Reagins for the move that he just pulled off 1 day before MLB’s trade deadline. In a swift maneuver to add more protection to their lineup the Angels acquired slugging first baseman Mark Texira from the Atlanta Braves and sent rising star Casey Kotchman and a minor league pitcher to Atlanta.

Teixeira now an Angel.

Teixeira now an Angel.

It’s becoming a mid-summer tradition to “rent” Teixeira for an October run and this year is no different as Texiera is on the final year of his contract and will be a free agent at seasons end. Teixeira could demand as much as $20 million a year because he is by far the best first baseman available in the upcoming free agent market and should have a number of suitors if the Angels are unable to workout some type
of contract extension with Texiera by the end of the season.

Yet, the Angels have to be happy with the move, mortgaging a little bit of their futurte for the prospect of winning right now. The Angels already have one of the best rotations in the major leagues, they own the leagues best record , have an 11 1/2 game lead in the AL West and are now poised to correct one of their most glaring post-season problems…their offense.

Since winnning the World Series in 2002 the Angels have claimed three division titles, but won just one playoff series. During that stretch they were swept out of the playoffs twice, including last October by
the Boston Red Sox. The main problem has been finding a hitter dangerous enough to give Vladimir Guerrero some protection in the lineup, and now they have that in Teixeira.

Guerrero, the man who the Angels have relied on to provide their post-season pop, has produced poorly since claiming the World Series title in 2002. He’s batted just .183 with one home run in the 16 playoff games since 2002, most likely a result of the immense amount of pressure placed on him to perform in the post-season.

A number of other teams were interested in Teixeira but could not provide the Braves with the same type of package that the Angels were offering. The Arizona Diamonbacks who seemed an early frontrunner in acquiring Teixeira offered up Chad Tracy as possible trade bait, but Tracy is only under contract until 2009 while Kotchman is under contract for three more seasons. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were also in the hunt for Teixeira, but could not put together a promising enough package either, leaving them some major offensive issues heading into the stretch.

The acquisition of Teixeira automatically makes the Angels one of baseball’s top contenders to capture the World Series. Their rotation has been dominant throughout much of the season, their key players are producing and have remianed healthy and with the addition of the switch hitting Teixeira they now have one of basbeall’s best lineup’s. Angel’s fans could find themselves in basbeall heaven at the end of the year.

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NFL Training Camp Update

Jul 28

Posted by admin in 2008 NFL, 2008 training camp, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, contract, holdouts, negotiations, online sports community, training camp | No Comments

Its the start of NFL training camps around the league and as is the case with most seasons many players find themselves vying for new contracts, holding out or reporting to training camp in undesirable situations. Let’s take a spin around the NFL and see which players are in these situations.

Despite reporting to training camp these players have made it very clear that they are unhappy with their current situation and either would like to force a trade or would like negotiate a new contract.

1. Plaxico Burress- NY Giants

Burress watching Manning from the sidelines at training camp.

Burress watching Manning from the sidelines at training camp.

Since catching the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl and turning in one of the best regular seasons of his career despite playing through numerous injuries Burress has requested a contract re-negotiation more on par with that of the leagues other top wide receivers. Burress has reported to Giants training camp but had yet to participate in any practice sessions citing an ailing ankle as the cause for his refusal to participate. By league standards Burress is underpaid and should be given a new contract only time will tell how GM Jerry Reese will handle the situation, he has shown a fine ability to divert contract issues from becoming a major distraction in the past and will need to make a move soon to avoid alienating the teams star wideout.

2. Chad Johnson-Cincinatti Bengals

Johnson reports to camp

Johnson reports to camp

After a long off season of complaints a situation which seemed to be headed to a point of no return ended without much fanfare as Johnson did report to training camp on time and without complaint. Johnson has continued his practice of refusing to talk to the cities press, but has apologized to fans for possibly alienating them during the offseason with his repeated requests for a trade. Johnson has three years remaining on his contract which was reworked in April 2006. The contract gave Johnson an additional $10.75 million. Johnson has stated that fans can expect him to return to his usual jovial, entertaining self and should not worry about his status with the team.

3. Devin Hester-Chicago Bears

Hester arrives at camp

Hester arrives at camp

The bears All-Pro return man was extremely unhappy with his contract siutation heading into camp and staged what could be the shortest hold out in NFL history. The bears ended up inking the stud returner to a four year deal which is reportedly worth at least $30 million, $15 million of which is guaranteed. The contract also includes some roster bonuses, a $10 million dollar bonus in the final year if Hester reaches performance levels equal to that of a No. 1 receiver. If Hester fails to reach these incentives the bonus “de-escalates to reflect his performance. Signing Hester was a key move for a Chicago team’s whose offense seems more then likely to struggle this season. They need to find a way to insure that Hester can reach that roster bonus because the more he gets his hands on the ball the better off the Bears will be.

4. Steven Jackson- St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson

Steven Jackson

Somewhat of a shock here as I don’t think many fans expected Jackson to hold out in the final year of his contract. The team has stated that getting Jackson under contract is a priority but, have recently cut off talks with his agent after Jackson refused a contract offer on Friday. The Rams have stated that they will not resume talks with Jackson until he reports to camp. Jackson, in the final season of a five-year contract he signed after the Rams drafted him in the first round in 2004, has had three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons after totaling 1,002 last year despite injuries that sidelined him for four games. He is the centerpiece of a Rams offense that was decimated last year by injury. With the return of All-Pro tackle Orlando Pace the teams offensive line, its biggest weakness last season, should be much improved providing greater space for Jackson to work his magic.

5. Keith Rivers- Cincinnati Bengals

Rookie Holdout Keith Rivers.

Rookie Holdout Keith Rivers.

The Bengals first round pick (No. 9 overall) has yet to report to camp and is listed as a hold out for missing the teams 1 p.m. check-in deadline on Sunday, July 27. This is a huge set back for the club as Rivers was projected as the teams starter at weakside linebacker after an impressive mini-camp. A Rookie holdout is especially troubling given the fact that they need as many snaps as possible to adjust to the speed of the NFL game as well as digesting a more complex defensive scheme. With most of the first rounders already inked to contracts its some what of a head scratcher as to exactly why Rivers is holding out, but it will be extremely beneficial to the club to get Rivers signed A.S.A.P as they had one of the leagues worst defensive united in 2007.

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Raiders Al Davis Unsure of Offseason Moves?

Jul 1

Posted by admin in 2008 Fantasy Football, AFC, Al Davis, Coaching Staff, College Sports, Fantasy, Football, Moves, NFL, Offseaons Trades, Offseason, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Trades, Uncategorized, atlanta falcons, coach, nfl draft, online sports community, raiders | No Comments

(If you stare at Al Davis long enough he can look right into your soul.)

For the first time in his tenure as owner of the Oakland Raiders and perhaps for the first time in his entire life Al Davis is questioning himself, and more specifically the moves he made during the offseason.

In typical Al Davis fashion the Raiders went on a free agent spending spree this offseason, inking three players to multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. Among those signed by the Raiders were former Giants safety Gibril Wilson, former Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall and defensive tackle Tommy Kelly. Wilson was given a sic-year, $39 million contract, $16 million of which is guaranteed. Hall took in the largest contract with a seven- year, $70 million whopper, including $24 million guaranteed after being traded away by the Falcons. Kelly was re-signed to a seven-year $50.5 million contract, with $18.125 guaranteed.

The team also signed oft-inured wide receiver Javon Walker and re-signed running back Justin Fargas as well. In the last two seasons the team has been forced to dole out huge contracts to rookies because of their high first round draft pick status. JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden were both given sizable contracts because of their draft position.

Al Davis should be questioning the moves he’s made, but he should be looking much further back then just this past offseason. The Raiders have made a string of questionable decision regarding their coaches and players since the 2003 season when they lost the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since that time the Raiders have a league worst 19-61 record and have gone through four coaches in the last five seasons. It was even reported that the team wanted to coach Lane Kiffin to step down after last season, his first with the team.

Davis has been too hasty when reacting to his teams performance on the field over the past 5 seasons. He has not allowed a single coach to establish an offensive game plan or take command of the locker room. The only coach who has remained is defensive coach Rob Ryan, and the teams defensive performance has been the one constant positive over the years.

Many sources have claimed that Davis sought the services of former Green Bay Packers vice president of player finance Andrew Brandt. Davis wanted Brandt to player a larger role in selecting and evaluating the type of talent the Raiders should be adding to their team. However, Brandt reportedly declined Davis’ offer and instead countered with an offer to be a consultant to the team.

The Raiders camp has vehemently denied the rumors swirling around Davis’ crisis of confidence. Oakland public relations director Mike Taylor told reporters, “You obviously don’t know Al Davis. Self-doubt is not part of the equation with Al Davis,” Taylor said. “I’m not going to justify this tripe, this drivel by even asking (Davis) for his response. It’s ludicrous, it’s insane, it’s rumor-mongering and it’s irresponsible journalism.

“The fact is, we’re very excited about what we’ve done here this offseason and looking forward to a great year. We’ve signed or traded for three of the top players at their position and picked up two of the top players in the draft the past two years.”

The fact is though, that the Raiders did overpay for a number of their free agent signings. Tommy Kelly for example has never posted more then 4.5 sacks and has yet to prove himself as a solid player in this league in 3 NFL seasons and yet he was rewarded with a monster contract. DeAngelo Hall is considered to be an elite shutdown corner, but he has demonstrated some character flaws on more then one occasion and his on field demeanor can hurt a team more then help. Gibril Wilson is an effective safety, but was most likely overpaid because of his new found Super Bowl champion status.

Whether Al Davis’ confidence in his offseason moves is shaken or not, only time will tell if the spending spree will payoff in wins.

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2008 Fantasy Football: Top 10 Wide Receivers

Jun 20

Posted by admin in 2008 Fantasy Football, AFC, Elite, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, NFC, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, fantasy wide receivers, online sports community, randy moss, top ten, wide receiver | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Fantasy football championships are earned by drafting a balanced team and after running back there is no position that has a greater impact then wide receiver. Sure, you may be thinking that hey, isn’t quarterback an important position too? Well yes it is, but this isn’t real life football, this is fantasy football! You have to realize that outside of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Tony Romo the drop off at the QB position is nowhere near as severe as it is at the WR position. Grabbing an elite wide receiver early in your draft is key to having a successful fantasy football season. So let’s take a look at who are the elite fantasy football wide receivers.

1. Randy Moss- New England Patriots

It’s funny to think that just 2 years ago Randy Moss was being written off and declared dead as a dominant wide receiver in the NFL. The move to Oakland literally seemed to suck Moss into a black hole, and it wasn’t the one near the Raiders endzone. The savvy New England font office pulled off a spectacular trade and nabbed Moss for a 4th round draft pick, a trade that should go down as one of the best and worst in the history of the sport. The Randy ratio which virtually disappeared in Oakland was back in effect in New England and it paid huge dividends for owners who drafted Moss last season. Moss broke an NFL record held by Jerry Rice, hauling in 98 passes, 23 for touchdowns, and amassing 1493 yards, the second highest total of his career. He was easily fantasy’s number one wide receiver and in most leagues was probably in the top 3-5 in fantasy scoring. If you exclude the years he spent suffering in the black hole that was Oaklands passing game Moss is a consistent double digit TD threat and has always exceeded 1200 yards receiving. Its doubtful that Brady or Moss will match the monster numbers they put up last season, I mean you just can’t expect that type of production in back to back seasons. Though a dropoff is entirely expected it won’t be a massive one, and Moss should still be the number one wide receiver taken in every draft.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1400 Yds. Rec. 17 TD

2. Terrell Owens- Dallas Cowboys

Love him or hate him, you can’t deny the fact that if T.O. is on the board when its your turn to pick you’re going to take him, unless you’re the most die-hard Eagles fan…ever. T.O. is a consistent performer, even though he is entering what is most likely the latter stages of his illustrious, though sometimes embarrassing career. His established a great connection with Tony Romo so much so that he will literally cry if you say nasty things about his man-crush “teammate” Romo. I bet Jessica Simpson has never even cried that hard over their relationship. Anyway, T.O. is the type of talent that can make you cry tears of joy watching him rack up points for your fantasy team. He put up a more then solid effort last year accumulating 1355 yards and 13 TD. The same type of production is well within reach for the Romo- Owens love connection so draft him if you can.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1400 Yds. Rec. 14 TD

3. Braylon Edwards- Cleveland Browns

Speaking of man-crushes, I have to admit I have a huge man-crush on Edwards for this coming season. It is no coincidence that Edwards finally broke out as a fantasy stud in his third year, with Derek Anderson taking the reigns at QB. Edwards finally has someone who can throw him the ball, and he’s got a great young offensive line to make sure that the Browns QB will finally spend less time on his back then Paris Hilton. It truly was a breakout year for Edwards last season, he ranked second in the league in receiving TD’s with 16 and put up 1289 yards. With the acquisition of Donte Stallworth in the off-season the Browns have two deep threats and one of the most solid receiving corps in the league. Stallworth should draw some attention away from Edwards and force defenses out of consistent double teams. Edwards could put up some huge numbers this season if all goes well, and I think he will.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1300 Yds. Rec. 16 TD

4. Reggie Wayne- Indianapolis Colts

Wayne had to shoulder a lot of the workload last season when Marvin Harrison went down with a knee injury and he proved himself more than worthy of the task. He lead the NFL in receiving yards with 1510 and caught 10 TD’s. He is now firmly set to be the number one guy in Indy which is never a bad thing for fantasy production. Having Peyton Manning throwing you the ball doesn’t really hurt that much either. No one knows how much the injury will effect Harrison, but either way you have to expect that he won’t be the same guy especially considering his age. That leaves Wayne as the top dog in this high powered passing attack and means good things for fantasy owners who draft him.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1500 Yds. Rec. 13 TD

5. Andre Johnson- Houston Texans

Johnson started out the 2007 NFL season as the best wide receiver not named Randy Moss, until he was sidelined with an injury that allowed him to play just 9 games. If you look at Johnson’s career up to this point you won’t see stellar numbers, but you have to consider the circumstances he played under. He had a terrible O-line, a terrible QB, no real running back threat and a No. 2 WR that drew about as much attention as I’d get standing next to George Clooney. With QB Matt Schaub in place for his second year running the offense and with Johnson expected to return at 100% he should put up some huge numbers. Look at what he did in the 9 games he played last year, 851 yards receiving and 8 TD (a career high), if you double that you have one hell of a fantasy football season. He may also fly under some people’s radar who only look at stats during a draft, make sure you’re not that guy.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1300 Yds. Rec. 12 TD

6. Larry Fitzgerald- Arizona Cardinals

Fitzgerald just inked a moster deal with the Cardinals so maybe the incentive to play as hard isn’t there, but I doubt that from this guy. He doesn’t have ideal speed for a wide receiver, but that has hardly slowed him down. He knows how to use his size and leaping ability to his advantage, especially in the redzone and puts up good numbers no matter who is throwing him the ball. Matt Leinart should assume the full workload as Quarterback and has shown flashes that he should develop into the QB many thought he would be. With Anquan Boldin still manning the opposite side defenses will have a hard time deciding which guy to double up on. Fitzgerald went for 1409 yards and 10 TD last year he should be able to match or surpass those totals.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1400 Yds. Rec. 11 TD

7. T.J. Houshmandzadeh- Cincinnati Bengals

It took me an hour just to spell his last name, but I don’t need a dictionary to tell me how good this guy is on the field. I’ve ranked him higher then his counterpart Johnson because he hasn’t been whining at all during the off-season and Johnson seems a step away form packing it in and moving on from Cincinnati. A lousy running game and a lousy defense means that Cincy should be airing the ball out quite often. Look at his career and T.J. has done nothing but get better and better and better. Every single season he has upped his yardage and his TD totals and with Ocho Cinco still in turmoil the sky could be the limit for T.J. in 2008. Last year he pulled in 112 catches for 1143 yards and 12 TD. Depending on what Chad decides to do and how that situation plays itself out he could be in line for a nice bump in yards and TDs.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1200 Yds. Rec. 13 TD

8. Chad Johnson- Cincinnati Bengals

I may catch some flak for rating him below his teammate T.J., but I just don’t like the way things are playing out in Cincy at the moment. It was encouraging to hear that Johnson did report to mandatory mini-camp and participated in practice. He did have minor ankle surgery recently, but he is expected to be fully healed in time for training camp on July 27. Chad’s career best 1440 receiving yards placed him third in the NFL and he managed to haul in 8 TD passes. Honestly though, the whole contract/trade situation aside, I think Chad is slightly overrated as fantasy wide receivers go. He’s posted double digit touchdown totals just once in his career (10) and while he does rack up some nice yardage totals TDs win fantasy football championships. That’s why I’d take T.J. over Chad any day of the week. Yet, if all you want is a damn good, consistent fantasy wide receiver then Chad is always a solid option.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1350 Yds. Rec. 8 TD

9.Marques Colston- New Orleans Saints

Colston started out last season very slowly which may have cost owners a chance to make their leagues playoffs. However, if you weathered that storm and continued to use Colston in the second half of the season he paid off in a big way. In fact, his production came at a time when most leagues were entering their playoffs which makes Colston a clutch fantasy performer. In the two years since he was drafted by the Saints in the 7th round Colston has outperformed everyones expectations. Last year he posted 1202 yards and 11 TD and has easily become Drew Brees’ favorite target. I like the Brees-Colston connection and expect that they should continue to grow together in Sean Payton’s complicated but effective offense.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1200 Yds. Rec. 12 TD

10. Plaxico Burress- New York Giants

Plax is not happy with Giants and they way they have treated his contract negotiations. He has refused to participate in mini-camp and is threatening to hold out of training camp if the situation is not resolved. Still, no QB/ WR tandem has connected for more touchdowns in their time together then Burress and Manning and Plaxico has had some good down time to heal from the injuries that plagued him throughout the 2007 season. Plaxico caught 70 passes for 1025 yards and 12 TD last year a career best for TD totals and a pleasure for fantasy owners to watch. He is Eli Manning’s go-to-guy and with the way Eli played during the Giants run to the Super Bowl that is good news for owners willing to draft Burress over other wide receivers. The Giants strong rushing game makes it impossible for teams to concentrate their efforts on Burress and with Amani Toomer, Jeremy Shockey, and Steve Smith available as weapons at Manning’s disposal Burress should have plenty of room to operate.

2008 Projected Stat Line: 1200 Yds. Rec. 13 TD

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