Has Ocho Cinco Gone Cuckoo?

Chad Johnson has always been viewed as an odd ball for his on the field antics, but his past shenanigans don’t compare to what he just did off the field this week.

According to Miami radio station 790 The Ticket, the receiver has legally changed his last name to “Ocho Cinco.”
Johnson forewarned the public that a major surprise was coming during a recent interview with Chris McKendry on ESPN’s SportsCenter & he couldn’t have been more correct.

Ocho Cinco, The Wide Receiver Formerly known as Chad Johnson, has always wanted to wear his nickname on the back of his Jersey, but the National Football League wouldn’t allow it without fining the Prima donna receiver.
Johnson started a buzz in Cincinnati during the off season by requesting a trade because he didn’t feel enough love from Carson Palmer & The Bengals organization. Ocho Cinco, loves the lime light and will do anything he can to make sure he’s a highlight on ESPN and in the public eye!

I can’t help, but to ask myself if he’s a genius who will be able to make millions marketing his own brand identity or has he gone completely mad like Mike Tyson did when he tattooed a tribal scribe on his face to look more intimidating in the ring?

Whatever it is, Ocho Cinco has sent shockwaves around the football world with his unpredictable behavior once again & I’m even happier with myself that I drafted him on my fantasy football team this 2008 season!

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Sorting Through The Fluff

Pre-season, in my opinion is the most frustrating four weeks of the year. Still, some folks love pre-season. I’ll admit it, when the Hall of Fame game finally rolls around, I do find myself randomly giggling with joy. Can you blame me? This game is the first glimpse of real football in months. But other than that, pre-season is nothing more than an injury filled boring lump of games. First of all, anyone who already has a guaranteed job is doing everything they can to avoid an injury. So when we see our top fantasy players struggling in pre-season, it’s simply because there not giving it all they got. Really, why would they? Is it really worth a season ending injury? Unfortunately, pre-season can also be terribly misleading for all of us fantasy geeks. With only a week and half left before the start of the season, I’m sure you want all of the relevant fantasy analysis you can get. So, here is my best effort to sort through all of the pre-season fluff in an attempt to provide you with quality fantasy analysis. You won’t find any useless ranting about guys who still haven’t solidified a spot on their team.

We May Finally See The Real Calvin Johnson

Many people never truly had the chance to watch Calvin Johnson play in college. For the most part, everything they know of Johnson comes from the constant highlights of his brilliant plays. Whether it was a sick one handed grab over the middle, making an opposing defensive back look like he was in high school, or his blazing speed as he out ran an entire defense, everyone knew Calvin Johnson was a freakishly amazing athlete. Yet, Johnson was also one of the best route runners we’ve seen come out of college in years, something that went unnoticed to most. Johnson is an all around phenomenal player and this looks like it will be his year. Last year was a tough year for Johnson as fought a lower back injury for most of the season. This limited his playing time and his production. Entering a new season with full health, we expect Johnson to regain his old form and establish himself among the elite at his position. Through three pre-season games, Johnson has 9 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown. To help his cause, the Lions have clearly stated they will establish a running game, something that has been missing from their offense for some time. Because of this, Johnson should see more play-action looks, giving him more room to work some of his magic. If you’re looking to pick up receivers early, Johnson will be available as an early second option, but may perform as a number one.

DeSean Jackson In For A Solid Year!

The injuries to Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown make this one an easy call, but regardless of his spot on the depth chart, Jackson has proven that he can compete at the pro level. Jackson has 16 receptions for 189 yards through his first three games. To top it off, Jackson returned a punt 76 yards for a score against New England. This guy is game breaker and can take it the distance from anywhere on the field. With Curtis out indefinitely and Brown nursing a tender hamstring, Jackson will be in the starting line-up on opening day. Don’t pass on Jackson in your draft.

Frank Gore Is A Perfect Fit For A Mike Martz’s Offense

With only three pre-season games to analyze, this one seems a little difficult to believe. For some reason, however, Frank Gore has been incorrectly labeled as a power back and many thought this would hold him back in offense that required a versatile back. After watching Gore in camp and specifically on the field, it’s pretty obvious Gore will be just fine. Martz is fully aware of his shaky quarterback situation and in their last pre-season game, he made it clear that they plan to use Gore to the full. Their first three offensive plays went to Gore and he made the most of it rushing for 43 yards. In those plays, he showed great vision and was quickly cutting up field for extra yardage. When they eventually decided to sit Gore, looking back to their first two offensive drives, 10 out of their 18 offensive plays went through Gore. With 10 total touches (8 carries, 2 receptions), Gore totaled 70 yards. Even though Martz has been known to abandon the run, we can easily see him reverting back to the days when he had Marshall Faulk in his backfield. Yes, he still did pass quite often, but always made sure Faulk frequently touched the ball in some way. We expect the same philosophy this year with Gore.

Watch Out For Hightower!

The rookie running back from Richmond has made strong case for more carries thus far. He has a touchdown in all 3 pre-season games and there are rumors that he will be the permanent goal-line back in 08’. He has already locked in the second spot on the depth chart and if Egderrin James was to be injured, the load would fall on Hightower’s shoulders. View him as a fifth option with tremendous upside.

QB Week 3 Progress Report

Tom Brady

Team: Patriots

Last game: 17-27 loss vs. Eagles

Results: DNP…Brady missed yet another preseason game, but says he’ll be ready for the opener.

Tony Romo

Team: Cowboys

Last game: 23-22 win vs. Texans

Results: 15-19, 166 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT…This was a very solid performance for Romo and he appears ready for the season.

Peyton Manning

Team: Colts

Last game: 7-20 loss vs. Bills

Results: DNP. He has yet to test out his knee.

Ben Roethlisberger

Team: Steelers

Last game: 12-10 win vs. Vikings

Results: 10-17, 65 yds…Big Ben gave way for Leftwich to have an extended look in this one.

Derek Anderson

Team: Browns

Last game: 6-26 loss vs. Lions

Results: DNP. He’s still sitting out due to his head injury.

Drew Brees

Team: Saints

Last game: 13-0 win vs. Bengals

Results: 14-22, 199 yds, 1 TD…Brees will be one of the best again this year.

Matt Hasselbeck

Team: Seahawks

Last game: 17-18 loss vs. Chargers

Results: DNP. Frye got the look in this one.

Kurt Warner

Team: Cardinals

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Raiders

Results: 2-4, 40 yds…The best thing for Warner was Leinart’s 3 INT.

Carson Palmer

Team: Bengals

Last game: 0-13 loss vs. Saints

Results: 11-16, 105 yds…This doesn’t say much without Housh and Chad on the field.

Eli Manning

Team: Giants

Last game: 7-10 loss vs. Jets

Results: 10-17, 113 yds…It’s tough to gauge Eli when Plax isn’t on the field.

Philip Rivers

Team: Chargers

Last game: 18-17 win vs. Seahawks

Results: 11-21, 143 yds…So far, the knee is holding up.

Donovan McNabb

Team: Eagles

Last game: 27-17 win vs. Patriots

Results: 13-17, 180 yds, 1 TD…McNabb looked very efficient in his most extended preseason game.

David Garrard

Team: Jaguars

Last game: 23-17 win vs. Buccaneers

Results: 10-16, 118 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT…This was a very solid showing for Garrard. If he plays that way the whole year, the Jags will be near the top of the AFC.

Marc Bulger

Team: Rams

Last game: 24-10 win vs. Ravens

Results: 18-25, 182 yds, 2 TD…This looks like the Bulger of old.

Jay Cutler

Team: Broncos

Last game: 24-27 loss vs. Packers

Results: 6-13, 115 yds, 2 TD…Cutler didn’t complete many passes but he certainly made the most of them.

Jon Kitna

Team: Lions

Last game: 26-6 win vs. Browns

Results: 9-11, 98 yds…Kitna was accurate and more importantly he didn’t turn the ball over.

Jeff Garcia

Team: Buccaneers

Last game: 17-23 loss vs. Jaquars

Results: 11-18, 79 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT…Garcia can’t be happy about this performance, but he won’t be losing his job over it.

Jason Campbell

Team: Redskins

Last game: 3-47 loss vs. Panthers

Results: 6-10, 39 yds…It was not a good game for Campbell, as the score indicates.

Matt Schaub

Team: Texans

Last game: 22-23 loss vs. Cowboys

Results: 15-27, 166 yds, 1 TD…Schaub wasn’t very accurate but he’ll be huge for Houston if he can stay healthy.

Tarvaris Jackson

Team: Vikings

Last game: 10-12 loss vs. Steelers

Results: DNP. He’s still nursing his knee.

Vince Young

Team: Titans

Last game: 3-17 loss vs. Falcons

Results: 9-18, 102 yds, 1 INT…Standard Vince here. He has yet to turn into a complete QB.

Jake Delhomme

Team: Panthers

Last game: 47-3 win vs. Redskins

Results: 11-19, 159 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT…So far, so good for Delhomme.

Aaron Rodgers

Team: Packers

Last game: 27-24 win vs. Broncos

Results: 18-22, 193 yds, 1 TD…This is exactly what Rodgers needed to get fans to forget about Brett Favre.

Sage Rosenfels

Team: Texans

Last game: 22-23 loss vs. Cowboys

Results: 4-8, 29 yds…There’s not much to report here as he wasn’t given much playing time.

Damon Huard

Team: Chiefs

Last game: 0-24 loss vs. Dolphins

Results: 3-7, 26 yds, 1 INT…Ouch.

Chad Pennington

Team: Dolphins

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Chiefs

Results: 11-15, 94 yds, 1 TD…Short passes and a high completion percentage are exactly what Miami fans can get used to seeing.

Brian Griese

Team: Buccaneers

Last game: 17-23 loss vs. Jaquars

Results: 7-11, 71 yds…He has proven that he can be solid in relief of Garcia.

Josh McCown

Team: Dolphins

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Chiefs

Results: DNP…McCown is probably 4^th in line right now.

Quinn Gray

Team: Colts

Last game: 7-20 loss vs. Bills

Results: 8-16, 158 yds, 1 TD, 4 INT…Gray will find himself buried on the depth chart after this game.

Chris Redman

Team: Falcons

Last game: 17-3 win vs. Titans

Results: 9-11, 83 yds…Redman was good enough to lock up the backup spot and will take over if Ryan struggles.

Kyle Boller

Team: Ravens

Last game: 10-24 loss vs. Rams

Results: DNP. Flacco was given a long look in this one.

Joey Harrington

Team: Falcons

Last game: 17-3 win vs. Titans

Results: DNP…It’s not a good sign when you’re sitting out preseason games and you’re not the starter.

Trent Edwards

Team: Bills

Last game: 20-7 win vs. Colts

Results: DNP. The Bills let Losman handle this one.

Gus Frerotte

Team: Vikings

Last game: 10-12 loss vs. Steelers

Results: 13-19, 133 yds, 1 INT…He started in place of Jackson and struggled.

Brodie Croyle

Team: Chiefs

Last game: 0-24 loss vs. Dolphins

Results: 12-21, 110 yds, 1 INT…It wasn’t a good outing, but he’s clearly the best of the KC options.

Cleo Lemon

Team: Jaguars

Last game: 23-17 win vs. Buccaneers

Results: 9-12, 56 yds…No INT’s is key here. If he finds himself in the game, he’ll need to take care of the ball.

Kellen Clemens

Team: Jets

Last game: 10-7 win vs. Giants

Results: 9-12, 83 yds…Clemens turned in numbers very close to Favre, so the Jets have to be happy about that.

Trent Green

Team: Rams

Last game: 24-10 win vs. Ravens

Results: DNP. Kind of concerning since the Rams played 3 QB.

Luke McCown

Team: Buccaneers

Last game: 17-23 loss vs. Jaguars

Results: 11-19, 104 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT…He was the best of the Bucs quarterbacks.

Todd Collins

Team: Redskins

Last game: 3-47 loss vs. Panthers

Results: 9-15, 79 yds…He was the most impressive of the Washington QBs, or is it the least unimpressive?

Shaun Hill

Team: 49ers

Last game: 37-30 win vs. Bears

Results: 6-7, 60 yds…Hill was effective but O’ Sullivan has clearly taken the reigns.

JP Losman

Team: Bills

Last game: 20-7 win vs. Colts

Results: 13-19, 108 yds…JP did nothing to prove that he should be starting.

Rex Grossman

Team: Bears

Last game: 30-37 loss vs. 49ers

Results: 1-4, 6 yds…Lovie made the right call.

Kyle Orton

Team: Bears

Last game: 30-37 loss vs. 49ers

Results: 10-17, 147 yds, 2 TD…Orton showed that he can manage the game and give Chicago the best chance to win

Matt Leinart

Team: Cardinals

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Raiders

Results: 4-12, 24 yds, 3 INT…This is the game that lost him his job.

JaMarcus Russell

Team: Raiders

Last game: 0-24 loss vs. Cardinals

Results: 14-28, 140 yds, 1 INT…This could be an average game for Russell this year.

Alex Smith

Team: 49ers

Last game: 37-30 win vs. Bears

Results: 6-17, 83 yds…Smith has a lot of work to do if he ever wants to start again.

Brady Quinn

Team: Browns

Last game: 6-26 loss vs. Lions

Results: 14-24, 106 yds…Quinn looked good, but then again so did Ken Dorsey.

John Beck

Team: Dolphins

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Chiefs

Results: DNP…Beck is 3^rd on the depth chart.

Billy Volek

Team: Chargers

Last game: 18-17 win vs. Seahawks

Results: 3-9, 33 yds…This couldn’t be any less news worthy.

Drew Stanton

Team: Lions

Last game: 26-6 win vs. Browns

Results: DNP. Meanwhile Dan Orlovsky was very solid. Not a good sign.

Matt Ryan

Team: Falcons

Last game: 17-3 win vs. Titans

Results: 15-21, 102 yds, 1 TD…Ryan showed that he can be efficient and not make mistakes.

Brian Brohm

Team: Packers

Last game: 27-24 win vs. Broncos

Results: 0-4…This is not what Green Bay wants to see.

Joe Flacco

Team: Ravens

Last game: 10-24 loss vs. Rams

Results: 18-37, 152 yds, 1 TD…Flacco was given a whole game and he wasn’t amazing, but he wasn’t terrible either.

Chad Henne

Team: Dolphins

Last game: 24-0 win vs. Chiefs

Results: 2-7, 14 yds, 1 INT…Not a good showing for Henne, but he’s clearly the backup.

Brett Favre

Team: Jets

Last game: 10-7 win vs. Giants

Results: 9-12, 96 yds…Brett continues to settle in and has looked solid so far.

J.T. O’Sullivan

Team: 49ers

Last game: 37-30 win vs. Bears

Results: 7-8, 126 yds, 1 TD…O’ Sullivan looked calm and composed and solidified his spot as the starter.

Tyler Thigpen

Team: Chiefs

Last game: 0-24 loss vs. Dolphins

Results: 1-5, -5 yds, 1 INT…No comment.

Troy Smith

Team: Ravens

Last game: 10-24 loss vs. Rams

Results: DNP. Flacco played the whole game.

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Fantasy Running Back Sleeper of the Year

Thomas Jones, New York JetsBefore you read the reasons why Jones receives this lofty claim, the definition of why he's considered a sleeper should be clear. Jones is coming off a somewhat disappointing 2007, as he only reached the end zone twice, (just once on the ground) and is playing for a team coming off a 4-12 season.

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NFL Injury Report 8.24.2008

Arizona Cardinals

Matt Leinart: According to team reports, Leinart has officially been benched in favor of Kurt Warner. Leinart’s 4 for 12 & 3 INT performance is what did him in.

Kurt Warner: The greatest show on earth may be in full effect in Arizona this season. Kurt Warner has just been named the clubs start to being the ‘08 season.

Atlanta Falcons

Joe Horn: Joe Horn was released by the falcons ball club this week. Horn should catch on with another ball club before the season starts.

Baltimore Ravens

Willis McGahee: McGahee indicated that he should be ready for the regular season, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Buffalo Bills

Roscoe Parrish: Parrish has been nursing a leg injury

Trent Edwards: Edwards is recovering from a deep bruise in his right thigh just above his knee, won’t play in Sunday’s preseason game against the Colts.

Carolina Panthers

D.J. Hackett: Hackett (toe) did not play against the Redskins on Saturday night. Hackett is going to benefit from Steve Smith’s absence the first 2 weeks of the season.

Muhsin Muhammad: Muhammad (sore ribs) sat out Saturday’s preseason win over the Redskins and may be out till the regular season opener.

Chicago Bears

Kevin Jones: KJ made his first appearance with the Bears this past week and had three carries for 30 yards in his Bears debut. Orton will greatly benefit from
KJ’s presence on the football field this year if he can stay healthy.

Desmond Clark: Clark missed Thursday’s preseason game against the 49ers with a sprained knee.

Cincinnati Bengals

Carson Palmer: Palmer’s nose was treated Sunday after it was slightly fractured in Saturday’s game. Palmer will miss the final pre-seaon game, but will be
ready to go come week 1.

Rudi Johnson: Johnson (hamstring) said he’ll return to game action in this coming Thursday night’s preseason finale.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Houshmandzadeh didn’t in Saturday’s preseason game against New Orleans. Housh, may suit up for the finale, but don’t count on it.

Chad Johnson: Johnson’s sprained shoulder has progressed quicker than first thought and the regular season opener remains the target for his return, according to team reports.

Cleveland Browns

Derek Anderson: Coach Crennel said if Anderson is cleared to return to practice, he may play in the Browns’ preseason finale on Aug. 28.Derek Anderson is recovering from a
mild concussion.

Braylon Edwards: The Browns said that Edwards is “making progress” with his foot, which was cut in practice 10 days ago. Brylon will miss the rest of the pre-season to
be ready for week 1 action.

Jamal Lewis: Lewis missed Saturday’s game in Detroit after pulling a hamstring in Monday’s loss to the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys

Key Injuries: None

Denver Broncos

Brandon Marshall: Marshall hauled in two passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in Friday’s preseason game against the Packers. Marshall will be out the first 2 games of
the season,but that shouldn’t stop you from taking him in in the first 4 to 5 rounds of your Fantasy Football draft.

Detroit Lions

Jason Hanson: Hanson (hip flexor/thigh sprain) did not play Saturday against the Browns & may miss next weeks game too.

Green Bay Packers

James Jones: Jones has been diagnosed with a sprained knee and he’s considered “week-to-week,” according to team reports.

Ryan Grant: Grant (hamstring) was back at Packers practice Sunday.

Houston Texans

Ahman Green: Green (groin) will not be ready to play in Houston’s preseason finale Thursday, according to team reports.

Chris Brown: Brown (back) is unlikely to play in Houston’s preseason finale on Thursday.

Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning: Nothing new here, Manning will continue to miss pre-season play after having minor knee surgery, but will be ready come week 1.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew: The ankle sprain that Jones-Drew sustained early in Saturday’s preseason game isn’t considered serious and will most likely miss their final pre-season game.

Jerry Porter: Porter may return to practice next week, according to team reports.

Reggie Williams: Williams (knee) returned to practice on Wednesday & should see some action their final pre-season game. Williams had a big year last year & should continue to
be one of David Garrard’s favorite targets in ‘08.

Kansas City Chiefs

Brodie Croyle: Croyle has one more pre-season game to provie he should be the starter of the Chief’s in ‘08. Tyler Thigpen or Damon Huard will get the nod if he continues to
struggle or put up mediocre performances.

Miami Dolphins

Ronnie Brown: Brown may see a lightened workload early in the season as he nurses his injured right thumb back to health. This may leave the door wide open for Ricky Williams
to prove that he should be the primary back for the fish in ‘08.

Minnesota Vikings

Robert Ferguson: Ferguson injured his right leg playing special teams in Saturday’s preseason game.

Tarvaris Jackson: Jackson (knee) sat out Saturday’s exhibition game after warming up but said after the game he definitely will play in the Vikings’ regular season opener.

Sidney Rice: Rice missed Saturday’s preseason game after missing four days of practice with a virus.

New Orleans Saints

Jeremy Shockey: Shockey, didn’t make his Saints’ debut in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Bengals, but may play in their pre-season finale game.

Reggie Bush: Bush suffered a contusion to his quadriceps late in the first quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the Bengals, according to team reports.

Marques Colston: Colston suffered bruised ribs in Saturday’s preseason win over the Bengals & is considered day to day.

New England Patriots

Wes Welker: Wild Wes Welker did not have an update on Welker’s rib injury Saturday, the Boston Herald reports.

LaMont Jordan: Jordan (undisclosed) did not play in Friday’s preseason game against the Eagles.

Tom Brady: The pride of beantown (right foot) won’t see any pre-season action, but will be ready for week 1.

New York Giants

Osi Umenyiora: Umenyiora suffered serious ligament damage in his left knee Saturday, and he will miss the entire 2008 season.

Lawrence Tynes: Tynes (knee) will likely miss the Giants opener while recovering from exploratory knee surgery, according to team reports.

New York Jets

Laveranues Coles: Coles (leg) did not play in Saturday’s preseason win over the Giants.

Oakland Raiders

Drew Carter: Carter tore his left ACL in Saturday’s preseason game, and he will likely miss the 2008 regular season.

Sebastian Janikowski: The Polish Prince (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday, but may be ready to test his leg in their final pre-season game.

Philadelphia Eagles

Reggie Brown: Brown is out for the rest of the preseason with a hamstring injury, but said he expects to play in the season opener against the Rams on Sept. 7th.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key Injuries: None

San Diego Chargers

Shawn Merriman: Merriman said Saturday that he has a torn LCL and a torn PCL in his left knee & that they’re career threatening.

Lawrence Tynes: Tynes underwent an exploratory arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Friday, which revealed no structural damage. Tynes may miss a couple of games to
start the season.

Antonio Gates: Gates (toe) was scheduled to just participate in individual drills on Thursday, but he felt so good that he decided to take his first snaps in team drills.
AG should be ready to go full speed come week 1 of the regular season.

Seattle Seahawks

Matt Hasselbeck: Hasselbeck (back) will not play against San Diego on Monday or the rest of the pre-season.

San Francisco 49ers

Bryant Johnson: Johnson (hamstring) is expected to miss San Francisco’s final preseason game against San Diego on Friday, according to team reports.

St. Louis Rams

Orlando Pace: Here we go again, Pace (shoulder) sat out the Rams’ 24-10 win over Baltimore on Saturday night. Hopefully Pace just aggravated the injury and he’ll be fine
for the regular season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Antonio Bryant: Bryant (sore knee) did not play in Saturday’s Buccaneers-Jaguars game.

Tennessee Titans

LenDale White: White (ribs) is expected to play in the final preseason game against Green Bay, according to team report.

Washington Redskins

Jason Taylor: Taylor will be out for 10-14 days with a spraineed right knee. Campbell & the rest of the offense are going to miss JT’s putting pressure & sacking
opposing quarterbacks to improve thier field positions while he’s out.

AFC Quarterbacks Showdown!

AFC East
New England Patriots
The news out of Patriots camp is that there is no news. Tom Brady sat out another preseason game.Buffalo Bills
Trent Edwards continues to solidify his role as the starting QB for the Bills. Edwards turned in a nice game vs. Pittsburgh. He went 9-for-11 for 104 yards and 2 TD. JP Losman was 4-for-5 with just 19 yards.
New York Jets
Brett Favre made his debut and had the 3rd most passing yards for the Jets. New York made Brett’s debut a quick one as he attempted just 6 passes, completing 5 including a 4-yard TD toss to Dustin Keller.Miami Dolphins
Conventional wisdom will tell you that Chad Pennington is the starter so his 5-for-6 performance was plenty of work for him. It’s worth noting however that Chad Henne was 17-for-26 for 133 yards vs. the Jaguars.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben is clearly ready for the season to start, as he is looking sharp. Roethlisberger completed 9 of 11 passes for 142 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT vs. Buffalo.Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco made the most of his chances vs. Minnesota. Flacco went 10-for-15 for 74 yards. He didn’t throw an interception and that’s something that Troy Smith and Kyle Boller can’t say. Boller had 40 yards and Smith had 25.Cincinnati Bengals
Palmer comes out of Sunday’s game with a sad stat line. Palmer went 6-for-13 for 50 yards and an INT. In fairness to Carson, he was without TJ Housh and Ocho Cinco left early with an injury.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns will take on the Giants in this week’s Monday night matchup. The New York frontline should prove to be a good test for Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.AFC SouthIndianapolis Colts
The news here is similar to that for the Pats. No Peyton Manning as he recovers from surgery. This was your chance to see Quinn Gray, Jim Sorgi and Jared Lorenzen, as they won’t be on the field when the games count.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee quarterbacks were a combined 14-for-39 against Oakland. Vince Young easily turned in the worst performance going 4-for-13 for 37 yards.Jacksonville Jaguars
David Garrard hasn’t been very impressive so far this preseason, but he’s not exactly a flashy QB to begin with either. Jacksonville has had wide receivers with injuries and drug arrests too. Having said that, 7-14 for 63 yards vs. the Dolphins is unacceptable.
Houston Texans
Matt Schaub turned in an impressive outing vs. New Orleans this week. Schaub completed 14 of 16 attempts for 187 yards and 2 TD. Sage Rosenfels was 6-for-8 for 94 yards.AFC WestDenver Broncos
Jay Cutler was in mid-season form vs. Dallas. Cutler attempted 20 passes and connected on 16 of them. He tallied 178 yards and 1 TD.
Kansas City Chiefs
Brodie Croyle completed 7 passes for just 38 yards vs. Arizona. He now has 120 yards in 2 games. Tyler Thigpen got an extended look this week and he made the most of it. He finished with 16 completions on 24 attempts for 174 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.San Diego Chargers
Philip Rivers was not on the field this week, as Charlie Whitehurst and Billy Volek handled the duties under center.
Oakland Raiders
JaMarcus Russell looked good this week with 75 yards and 1 TD. He completed 59% of his passes but recorded just 4.4 yards per attempt.
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Rumor Has It...

Ahman Green On His Way Out?

Just when you thought you had the Houston backfield figured out, rumors arise indicating the possible release of veteran running back Ahman Green. With the recent signing of Marcell Shipp, the Texans have made it clear that either Chris Brown or Ahman Green will get the boot. To make their decision easier, Steve Slaton went and out performed every back on their roster in the last pre-season game against the Saints. Head coach Gary Kubiak was very impressed with his performance. "First off, I can feel the speed on the field. When he’s out there, you can feel his speed and the chance to make big plays and the kick off return," Kubiak said. "He’s growing in what we are doing run-game wise. He makes some bad cuts, but then he makes some great cuts. It’s obvious that this kid’s going to be a big part of it, if he keeps heading the way he’s heading.” Initially, Slaton was competing with Chris Taylor for the 3rd spot on the depth chart, but that battle seems to be over. Taylor has been plagued by cramps and our sources are telling us that Slaton is rapidly moving up the depth chart. Coach Kubiak even mentioned that Slaton will begin to see some time with Houston’s first-team offense for their game against Dallas on Friday night. As we can see, Slaton now has his eyes on a much larger role.

Slaton easily warrants a selection in your draft as your 4th or 5th running back depending on the depth of your league. Regardless of what happens with Brown or Green, Slaton should enter the season 2nd on the depth chart and push the starter for playing time. With Houston’s improving pass offense, Slaton is in a position to make a decent impact in the fantasy world. As this story develops we will keep you updated. As always, check out our highly praised Custom Cheat Sheets with everyone’s current fantasy value.


Meachem To Start The Season!

In the ever changing New Orleans pass offense, we can finally point to the player who will start opposite Colston. That man is Robert Meachem. Meachem had a great pre-season opener pulling in four balls for 129 yards and a score. His second opportunity was less impressive, only catching one ball for 11 yards, but according to our sources, the Saints are doing everything they can to help Meachem start the season. The odd man out seems to be Devery Henderson, who may even be released because of a nagging hamstring injury. The veteran David Patten is still in the mix, but all signs point to him as the slot receiver.

We recommend targeting Meachem as your 4th or 5th receiver. The Saints offense is always productive and he should have an easy time getting open with Colston and Shockey receiving most of the defense’s attention. Meachem was held out for most of the season last year because of a knee injury, but if you watched the first pre-season game, I’m sure you agree, Meachem looks just fine. Keep an eye on Meachem in your upcoming drafts.


Gruden Quite Displeased With Galloway!

Veteran Joey Galloway has not taken one rep in the Bucs training camp and currently has no timetable for his return. Galloway was dressed for the past pre-season game against the Patriots, but had no chance of playing due to his limited role in training camp.
In a recent interview, with a hint of sarcasm, Gruden commented on Galloway and said, "He's got to get back on the field, We need to get him back out there. This guy hasn't worn a football uniform since the Giants game... This is as close as we could get to him playing. We wanted Joey to have a real NFL experience tonight." Obviously, Galloway’s roster spot is guaranteed regardless of what happens, but his absence in team practices has opened up roles for some of the younger guys such as Dexter Jackson and specifically Antonio Bryant. Bryant has been the star of training camp and we like his potential. The Bucs need someone other than Galloway to create on the offensive side of the ball and Bryant has a history of making big plays. Unfortunately, he also has history of making dumb decisions. Bryant is by far the most talented receiver on the team and if he can get over himself, has the ability to produce immediately, making him a very intriguing option.

In most drafts, Bryant is going un-drafted and this is probably wise. Still, the Bryant fan in me (don’t ask) says take a shot on him with your second to last pick. In my most recent draft, I picked him up as my 7th receiver. If nothing comes of this, then I will drop him and pick somebody else up. On the other hand, if by chance he finds a solid role in Tampa, I have a 7th receiver who may see some action on my team.