2011 Mock NFL Draft

1. Car - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
2. Den - Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
3. Buf - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
4. Cin - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
5. Ari - Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
6. Cle - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
7. SF - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
8. Ten - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
9. Dal - Tyron Smith, OT, Southern California
10. Was - Jake Locker, QB, Washington
11. Hou - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
12. Min - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
13. Det - Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
14. Stl - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
15. Mia - Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
16. Jac - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
17. NE - Cameron Jordan, DE, California
18. SD - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
19. Nyg - Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
20. TB - Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
21. Kan - Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
22. Ind - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
23. Phi - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
24. NO - Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
25. Sea - Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
26. Bal - Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
27. Atl - Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
28. NE - Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
29. Chi - Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
30. Nyj - Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor
31. Pit - Marcus Cannon, G, TCU
32. GB - Brooks Reed, DE/OLB, Arizona

TE Tamme looks Like A Clark Clone

Indianapolis Colts' tight end, Jacob Tamme, has been called a Dallas Clark clone in practice by Colt's coaches, but he actually performed that way in his first start catching 6 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown in the Colts 30-17 win over the Texans. 


Tamme Will be the Colts starting tight end for the remainder of the year as starter Dallas Clark is out for the season with a wrist injury.


Tamme was selected in the fourth-round out of Kentucky in 2008, but has yet to have a chance to prove himself.  At 6-3, he is the same size as Clark, and while he is a bit lighter and not quite the blocker, he seems to be near the same level as Clark as a receiver and that should bode well for all fantasy owners.


Sin City Scout

RB Blount Takes Over in Tampa

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, LeGarrette Blount, has led the Bucs in rushing for two consecutive games.  He rushed for 72 yards on 11 carries in last weeks 18-17 win over the Rams and then rushed 22 times for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bucs 38-35 win over the Cardinals.

You might remember Blount as the Oregon running back who punched a Boise State player and was suspended most of the 2009 season and was thusly undrafted in 2010.

The 6'0, 249 back was slated for a big year in 2009 after rushing for 1,007 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior at Oregon.  He did carry five time for 36 yards and a touchdown in the 2010 Rose Bowl after his reinstatement.

He is a legitimate prospect and after Sunday's performance everybody will be trying to get him.

Sin City Scout

WR Report: Week 6

Mike Williams - Seahawks
Posted a career-high 10 catches for 123 yards in the Seahawks 23-20 win over the Bears.  He hasn't showed his big-play ability yet, but this performance could be the start of a new relationship between him and quarterback Matt Hasselback.

Jason Avant - Eagles
With DeSean Jackson out, Avant should get at the start and pick up some decent reception numbers against the Titans.  He caught 5 passes for 62 yards in the Eagles 31-17 win over the Falcons and has 18 catches for 180 yards in 2010.  He has some value in PPR leagues, but lacks big-play ability to be successful in others.

Patrick Crayton - Chargers
With Malcolm Floyd possibly missing action and Vincent Jackson still unsigned, Crayton could finally get a chance to shine over the next few weeks in San Diego.  He caught 6 passes for 117 yards in the Chargers 20-17 loss against the Rams.

Anthony Armstrong - Redskins
There is very little upside for the 27-year-old rookie, but he is getting the looks and now has 8 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in the last two games.  He makes a solid start during the bye weeks if you are in need.

Deon Butler - Seahawks
The third-round draft-pick has been just under the radar, but as the Seattle offense continues to mesh, he should continue to see more looks and bigger fantasy numbers.  He caught 4 passes for 47 yards and his second touchdown of the season in the Seahawks 23-20 win over the Bears.

Danario Alexander - Rams
The undrafted rookie out of Missouri had quite a debut catching 4 passes for 72 yards and 1 touchdown in the rams 20-17 win over the Chargers.  The Rams are playing good ball with Sam Bradford and Mark Clayton's injury has opened the door for the 6-5 rookie.

Damian Williams - Titans
The third-round draft-pick is starting to get involved in the offense and managed 4 catches for 48 yards in Tennessee's 30-3 win over the Jaguars.

Torain the Man in Washington

The season started with a crowded backfield full of big names and today the one small name remains and that is sleeper Ryan Torain.

Ryan Torain didn't have a huge game and is be no means a top player at this point, but he is getting the carries for a team who is playing solid ball and a coach, Mike Shanahan, knows how to run the ball.

He rushed 16 times for 40 yards against the tough Packer defense in the Skins' 16-13 win.  He also caught 4 passes for 27 yards.  This is after his 18 carry, 70 yard and one touchdown performance last week. 

The injured Clinton Portis will be back at some point, but they will split the load and Torain may slowly take over if he can stay healthy.

In the end Torain is Shanahan's pick when he was in Denver and Shanahan would love to see him become a dominate back in Washington and so will some fantasy owners.

Sin City Scout

Rams' Amendola Catches 12

St. Louis Rams receiver, Danny Amendola, caught 12 passes for 95 yards in the Rams 44-6 loss to the Lions.

Amendola is an undrafted fourth-year player who may remind you of a poorman's Wes Welker.  He had receptions for 2,246 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career at Texas Tech and spent a few years on various practice squads before making on the Rams in 2009 and he managed 43 catches for 326 yards and one touchdown as a rookie.

Amendola has 33 catches for 303 yards and no touchdowns thus far in 2010.  He has zero big-play ability and wouldn't score much in the Rams offense anyway, but in a PPR league he can put up some very solid fantasy numbers as the season goes on.

Sin City Scout

Rookie Willams Catches 3rd TD

Tampa Bay Buccaneer rookie wide receiver, Mike Williams, caught his third touchdown of the season in the Bucs big overtime win against the Bengals.  Williams finished the game with 7 catches for 99 yards and the one touchdown.

Williams was the Bucs fourth-pick in the 2010 draft. He had 49 receptions for 746 yards and six touchdowns for the Orangemen before quitting for personal reasons.

Overall in 2010 Williams has caught 19 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns.  With Josh Freeman getting better and better at quarterback, Williams will continue to make a bigger fantasy impact.

Sin City Scout

Fitzpatrick Becoming Fantasy Option

Buffalo Bills starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, is popping up on the fantasy radar, especially with the byes.  Better yet, he is coming up with some pretty solid fantasy numbers, solid enough to possibly be kept as a backup.

In Sundays' 36-26 loss to the Jaguars Fitzpatrick went 20-30 for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Yes, it was the Jaguar pass defense, which ranks amongst the worst, but he is playing good enough to warrant a backup job in larger leagues.

He went 20-28 with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the weak Patriot secondary and 12-27 with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Jets.  The point is all of these games are solid performances and as quarterbacks fall to injury it is only a matter of time before some team scoops him up for good in your fantasy league.

Sin City Scout

Lynch Trade Effect

Marshawn Lynch was traded to the Seattle Seahawks from the Buffalo Bills. In addition to Lynch this has an affect on 3 other players. Here is the breakdown:

Marshawn Lynch: This move increases Lynch's value. Don't get me wrong, he is still on the lower end of RBs, but he should get more attempts in Seattle then he was going to get in Buffalo. Still, if he is available in your league, he is worth a flyer as he could take over the Seattle run game.

Justin Forsett: This move hurts Forsett. Julius Jones was not much in the way of competition for Forsett in Seattle's backfield, but Lynch is. I have to believe this will be a fairly even split between the two. However, I like Lynch's upside a little more the Forsett so this could prove to be very bad.

C.J. Spiller: Spiller is the reason that Lynch became expendable. But, since an outstanding preseason, Spiller hasn't done a whole lot. Still, one less person to share carries with will increase Spiller's value.

Fred Jackson: This move helps out Jackson the most (in my opinion). Jackson has been Mr. Consistent for the Bills and I think that he will get the bulk of the carries now. Spiller is much more exciting, but I think he will end being a change of pace back with Jackson being the 'Meat and Potatoes' guy.

So, Lynch up, Forsett down, Spiller up, and Jackson up.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

TE Moeaki Becoming Fantasy Starter

Kansas City Chief rookie tight end, Tony Moeaki, caught 4 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs 31-10 trouncing of the 49ers.

It was his second touchdown catch of the season for the Chiefs 2010 third-round pick.  For the season he has 12 catches for 123 yards.  Those are very nice numbers when you consider that the Chief passing offense has not been much this season.

If the K.C. passing offense can kick it up a notch Tony Moeaki should make for a very solid medium to low-end fantasy starting tight end.

Sin City Scout

Forsett Takes Over in Seattle

It wasn't exactly an amazing performance, but Justin Forsett finally got to carry the load in the backfield in Seattle's 27-20 win over the Chargers.

He pounded out a tough 63 yards on 17 carries meanwhile running back Leon Washington finished with one carry and zero yards.  Julius Jones did not see action.

Most importantly is the Seahawks won the game and he was a part of it.  Combine that with a solid three catch 31 performance and Forsett has a shot at being the feature back in Seattle.

Overall he has rushed for 150 yards @ 4.7 yards a carry and has caught seven passes for 56 yards.  He has yet to see the end zone, but he will never be a big touchdown-back. 

Pete Carroll has the Seahawks winning and he wants to have a consistent offense.  Forsett may not be a stud, but his big-play ability coupled with his possible reception numbers will make him a very decent fantasy back if he continues to be the feature back in the Seattle Seahawk offense.  He is definitely worth pickign up in most leagues and should be target for a cheap trade.

Sin City Scout

RB Hillis Goes for 144 in Loss

Unheralded Cleveland Brown running back, Peyton Hillis, ran for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Browns 24-17 loss to the Ravens.  In addition he caught seven passes for 36 yards.  Hillis rushed 9 times for 41 yards and a touchdown in the first week and then rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown last week. 

Hillis is an injury-prone back, but plays well every time he is given a chance and it seems like he has taken over as the starter in Cleveland.

Jerome Harrison was placed on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Ravens because of a thigh injury.  If you can own both until we see if Hillis can last more than half a season, it would be wise.

Sin City Scout

Saints' WR Moore Explodes

New Orleans Saints' wide receiver, Lance Moore, caught 6 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns and returned another touchdown on a punt in the Saints 27-24 overtime loss to the Falcons.

The problem with owning Lance Moore is his lack of consistency.  In fact, that is the problem with owning any Saint receiver.  Brees spreads the ball around to everyone, and every week one player is bound to have the big game.

Nevertheless, Lance Moore is worth picking up in most leagues for depth at receiver.

Sin City Scout

Rams' Clayton Catches Two TD's

St. Louis Rams wide Receiver, Mark Clayton caught just two passes in the Rams 16-14 loss to the Raiders, but both went for touchdowns.

Last week Clayton caught 10 passes for 119 yards against the Cardinals.  He is quickly becoming rookie quarterbacks Sam Bradford's favorite target and with Bradford playing very solid ball, this could mean a very solid fantasy season for Clayton.

Clayton was acquired in a trade from the Ravens where the former number-one draft-pick played well, but never could quite become the star that the Ravens had hoped he's be.  He may have found a new home and he may have found fantasy relevance.

Sin City Scout

Broncos' Rookie WR Breaks Out

Denver Bronco rookie wide receiver, Demaryius Thomas, made his debut against the Seahawks and caught 8 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown in the Broncos 31-14 trouncing of the Seattle Seahawks.

The 6-3, 229 pounder out of Georgia Tech was selected by the Broncos with their second number-one pick (22nd overall).

The Broncos passing game has looked pretty good with the underrated Kyle Orton at the helm and you have to love Thomas' size, especially in the end zone.  Eddie Royal makes a good possession receiver and that should free up Thomas with a lot of single coverage and a lot of potential big plays.

Sin City Scout

No Beanie, Hightower Goes for 115

Tim Hightower rushed 11 times for 115 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for 9 yards in the Cardinals 41-7 loss to the Falcons.
Hightower continues to start for the injured Beanie Wells, but Wells is expected to get the job back upon his return.

The bottom line here is Wells' value is dropping while Hightower's is raising.  It is very likely going to be a two-back-attack upon Wells' return, but Hightower should be the main goal line back.

With that said, if you can get value for Hightower in a trade, now may the the best time to move him and if you can pick up Wells at a cheap price, do it while Hightower is peaking.

Sin City Scout

Mathews Down, Tolbert Runs in Two

Chargers rookie running back Ryan Mathews injured his right ankle in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against Jacksonville.

Mike Tolbert took over and rushed for 82 yards and tow touchdowns.  Tolbert in in his third season and has played very little, but has shown good receiving skills and a a good end sense.  At 5-9, 243 pounds, he has the makings of an excellent goal line option.

Mathews was seen jogging on the sidelines, but did not return.  He is likely to return next week, but the Chargers have found something with Tolbert and he should become part of the offense as the wees go on.

Sin City Scout 

AFC Running Back Report

Darren McFadden - Rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries and caught 6 passes for 55 yards and one touchdown.  Michael Bush was out and McFadden took advantage. 
It could be a two-back attack when he returns, but the Raiders would love to see McFadden become the main back.

Javon Ringer - He is quickly becoming a very important handcuff to Chris Johnson because of the departure of LenDale White.  He looked pretty good in the preseason and carried 7 times for 31 yards and a touchdown in the Titans win over Oakland.
If Chris Johnson goes down, he would be gold. 

Fred Taylor - He carried 14 times for 71 yards and caught two passes and though he won't every be great again, he makes a decent fantasy reserve.  Laurence Maroney has been traded to the Broncos and has little fantasy value unless Moreno goes down to injury.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis will likely get his share of carries, making this a situation to stay away from unless desperate or prospecting.

Cedric Benson - He struggled in the Bengals loss to the Patriots rushing 15 times for 43 yards and caught just one pass.  The jury is still out on exactly how good Benson really is.  It is just one week, but Bernard Scott is chomping at the bit to get more carries.  He carries 6 times for 35 yards and caught three passes.
Keep on eye on this situation week-to-week. Scott can still become the better fantasy back if given a chance.

Steve Slaton - The one-time fantasy-stud is now a backup with no current fantasy value, but Arian Foster's big day has increased Slatons's value.  First, he now has value as Foster's handcuff, but if Foster can gain over 200 yards behind that offensive line, it is likely that Slaton could as well. The fact is Foster has no history to look at, so he could be a back who gets injured frequently or he could simply be a legitimate stud running back. The bottom line is Slaton, especially with his receiving skills, makes a decent roster stash until we learn more about Arian Foster. 

Justin Forsett - He only carried 7 times, but did gain 43 yards (6.1 per carry) and caught 3 passes for 17 yards in the Seahawks big win against the 49ers.  Julius Jones and Leon Washington combined for 14 carries and gained just 30 yards and caught no passes.
Clearly Forsett is the best of the bunch, but he will likely never get full load of carries because of his size and the crowded backfield.  Nevertheless, as the weeks go on, he is likely to keep out performing the other two backs and should eventually become a bit more of a feature-back and become a worthwhile low-end fantasy starter, especially in PPR leagues. 

Sin City Scout

First Big Injury: Ryan Grant

Ryan Grant, RB for the Green Bay Packers, is most likely done for the year. Injuries are part of the game, but missing a little time and being out for the year after one game just stinks. I'm sorry Mr. Grant.

How bad is this for the Packers? In my opinion, not too bad. There is no question that the Packers were going to make their living through the air. Whatever they got from the ground game was just going to be gravy. Grant was their best option, but again, running was not the first option.

How bad is this for fantasy? That is a more interesting question. Even though running wasn't the Packers 'A' game, Grant was a full time back. There are not a whole lot of full time backs in the NFL anymore, so that gave Grant some serious value. Enough value that it was not a stretch to see him go early in the second round. So his injury is probably far more painful to fantasy teams then his NFL team.

So, who's the backup and should you grab him. Brandon Jackson and YES! Here's the thing, Jackson is alright. He's not great, he's not bad, he will get the job done. He will also be a full time back. To be able to pick up a full time back off of waivers should be done in all but the shallowest leagues.

Packers might try to sign someone, but they have pegged Jackson as their guy.

So, sorry all you Grant owners (and sorry to Ryan Grant), but it's time for plan 'B'. Plan 'B' is clearly Brandon Jackson.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Ravens Have Housh

T.J. Houshmandzadeh has signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

Hey, didn't they also sign another big name receiver? Yep, Anquan Boldin.

Wait, don't the Ravens have one of the most consistent receivers in football, Yep, Derrick Mason.

When you add up these three guys, Ray Rice, and Joe Flacco, the Ravens have (on paper) a very, very good offense.

This move increases the value of T.J. Not sure what was going on in Seattle, but that is behind him. I wouldn't consider him an elite WR, just cuz there are so many weapons there. But he should be a strong number 2 WR for your fantasy team.

This move also affects Flacco. He was already a guy with some good upside, now that upside got a little brighter. Everywhere he looks, he will have outstanding receivers. This should make his job a lot easier. Not to mention that their running game is solid too. Flacco may break into the second tier of good QBs this year.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

McFadden Up / Bush Down

Michael Bush broke his hand in a preseason game. Unfortunately, he needs his hand to hold onto the ball. Best case scenario is that he is out 4 weeks. Best case doesn't always happen though.

What does this do to Bush's value? Obviously it takes a hit. Bush as a bit of a sleep coming into this year as he has a lot of talent. This injury makes him more of a sleeper. His draft spot should fall significantly with this news. However, he will return and can add a nice boost to your running game later in the season.

What does this do to Darren McFadden's value? Clearly, it makes him more valuable. McFadden was a big question mark coming into this season. He has tremendous skills, but seems to always underperform or get injured. But for at least the first several games of the season, he will get a heavy work load. If he starts living up to his potential, then Bush will have a hard time stealing too many carries away from him. This will be McFaddon's biggest (last?) opportunity to step us as an elite back.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

College Football Debut for #1 Alabama without Heisman Winner

The top team in the country will make their NCAA Football Betting debut on Saturday September, 4th but they’ll have to do it without their Heisman winning running back. Alabama will be without Mark Ingram for their opener against visiting San Jose State as he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday morning. That doesn’t put the Tide in any kind of jeopardy of losing this game, but it just puts a damper on what is a year full of high hopes down in Alabama.

Ingram became Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner last season and led the tide to the national title on the strength of 1,658 yards and 20 touchdowns. His injury occurred late in Monday's practice, and although minor, rather than risk problems later in the season, they opted to take care of this as soon as possible. Everyone down in Tide territory is hoping for speedy recovery as they’ll have no problem getting past San Jose State but on September 11th they host Penn State, and not having the reigning Heisman winner for that was would be a big blow to their offense.

The attention now turns to sophomore back, Trent Richardson. Moving into a starting role should be no problem for Richardson as he ran for 751 yards last season as Ingram's backup. Backing up Richardson will be redshirt freshman Eddie Lacy, so Tide fans will get to see what the future of Bama’s backfield looks like, for a few weeks at least.

One team’s misfortune is another’s opportunity as San Jose State needs all the help they can get. Just imagine how they’re going to feel on opening day playing in front of over 100,000 screaming Tide fans, it’s going to be a thrill but they better come ready to play. First year coach, Mike MacIntyre, should have his boys ready to go. He comes in with a pretty impressive resume that includes some NFL experience with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. But his most impressive achievements to date have to be his work with the Duke Blue Devils the past two seasons.

Cowboys' Running Back Report

Dallas is a balanced team, with a good passing attack and a good running attack. But who will be 'the man' this year, Barber or Jones?

Felix Jones: Felix Jones should be viewed as the number one back in Dallas. He is just more explosive then Barber. He has a lifetime average of 6.5 yards per carry and is a true 'homerun' threat at all times. It's not hard to see why he is getting the attention as the number one option. He has been slowed by the injury bug, but if he can stay healthy, he should have a very nice season.

Marion Barber: Barber has been a staple in Dallas for a few years now. I don't think there is a tougher runner in all of football (Gore is very close). However, that tough running also leads to some injuries. The power he displays also costs him some speed. You get yards from him just not the big play too often. Even as the number two back, he will get a ton of carries. This may be one of the evenest RB splits in the NFL.

Conclusion: Both of these guys should be owned in all leagues. They will both get a lot of carries (which hurts their value some, but may keep them from getting too hurt). Jones is being drafted around the 50th overall position with Barber around 70. This seems right. Alone, they would be top 20, but together, 50 and 70 is good.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Seahawks' Running Back Report

The Seahawks did not have a good year last year. Their normally solid QB wasn't his old self, the receivers were up and down, and the running game struggled. What about this year? Not a whole lot has changed.

Justin Forsett: Forsett may not be labeled the starter for the Seahawks, but he will get a good share of carried. Despite sharing the load with Jones last year, he still performed well. He averaged 5.4 yards a carry (ridiculous). In addition, he caught 41 passes. His speed and catching ability makes him the first back to own on Seattle.

Leon Washington: Washington has a very similar game to Forsett. It's based on speed. Can't really call him a change of pace back and this should hurt his carries. I imagine he'll get most of his work in the special teams area.

Julius Jones: Jones has not done much of anything to impress. He averaged 3.7 yards a carry and only had one 100 yard rushing game last year. He is a stronger back then Forsett, so that should allow him to be the 'change of pace' guy. Still, not a whole lot to like here.

Conclusion: Forsett is the best option, but is still being drafted around the 130 mark. That is probably a good place for him. I just don't see Seattle being good enough for him to be a star. Washington and Jones should probably be ignored except if you are in a very deep league.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Cardinals' Running Back Report

With the retirement of Kurt Warner and the loss of Anquan Boldin, the Cardinals are a huge question mark. Their amazing passing game cannot survive these changes, they will have to depend more on their running game. Who do they have to pick up this load?

Chris 'Beanie' Wells: Last year was his first in the NFL for this former Ohio State star. Although he didn't light the world on fire, he did enough to wrangle the starting job from Timothy Hightower. Wells cracked 100 yards in a game only once, but still had a nice 4.5 yards per carry. Some of that may have to do with the opponents trying to defend the pass. That won't happen as much this year, but the running game should be used more prominently.

Timothy Hightower: Hightower lost his starting role to Wells mid-way through the season. He showed a good ability in short yardage situations and catching out of the back field, but not much else. This makes him an excellent third down back. Although he is not the starting back, and although you won't get a lot of big plays from Hightower, his catching ability and goal line potential makes him useful.

Conclusion: Wells is obviously the back of choice. Currently he is going off the boards in the low twenties. I think this is a little early due to the fact that I think the Cardinals are going to struggle and have to abandon the running game late in games. Still, this will not be an even split, so Wells should get a nice number of attempts. Hightower is going way later. He's not without value and will be the starter if anything happens to Wells (Wells was injury prone in college).

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Giants' Running Back Report

Thunder and Lighting. This has been the nickname for the Giants running attack since the days of Tiki Barber. Not a whole lot has changed since then. The Giants still have a big man and a small man (it's all relative).

Big Man: Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs has been the feature back for the Giants for a few years now. He is big, strong, and has good feet. This combination has made him an outstanding running back that struck fear into all would be tacklers. However, after a 15 TD year in 2008, Jacobs had a poor 2009. He only had 835 yards and 5 TD (plus 1 more receiving). He blames this completely on a partially torn meniscus he suffered in week one. He never felt healthy. Now recovered, he feels that he is back to his old self.

Small Man: Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw is definitely the 'lightning' of this attack. He is very fast and can break a big play at any time. Last year, in the back-up role, he ran for 778 yards, 7 TD, and has a good 4.8 yards a carry. Last year, Bradshaw was also suffering through injuries in his foot. He too is mended.

Conclusion: Both backs should see a lot of carries. The question is who will be the number 1 guy. As of now, it's unclear. Most seem to believe that it will be Bradshaw. I'm not convinced. If Jacobs is indeed healthy, there is no reason for the Giants to stray from their super bowl formula, a heavy dose of 'Big Man' with a mix of 'Small Man'. However, most sites have Bradshaw being drafted in the mid 20's and Jacobs in the mid 30's. If I'm choosing one, I will take Jacobs with the later pick. He has great upside (not to mention he should get the bulk of goal line carries). Bradshaw shouldn't disappoint, but I see more value in Jacobs.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Chiefs' Running Back Report

KC had one of the most exciting and surprising running backs in football last year, Jamaal Charles. So what did they do? They went out and got a 1,000 yard, pro-bowl caliber running back, Thomas Jones. That's right, the Chief's running back situation looks to be strong.

Jamaal Charles: Charles is the #1 back in KC. His speed and physicality makes him a threat every time he is on the field. Not only can he run, but he has good hands too. Cassel will probably look his way for dump offs and outlet passes often. Charles is a great fantasy option (assuming he can repeat last year's performance), and would be even more valuable if KC didn't go out and get Thomas Jones.

Thomas Jones: Jones comes over from the New York Jets. He makes getting a 1000 yards seem routine. Jones is one of the hardest, toughest runners you'll see. That great power comes at the sacrifice of great speed. He is not a guy who will rip off 40 yard runs, but will get the 10-20 yard runs often, as well as the short yardage for the first or for a TD. Jones' value in fantasy takes a huge hit this year as he is no longer the #1 guy, but he is still a player that should be owned in most leagues. Charles will get most carries, but Jones will get a good amount - he's too good not to. I have to think that goal line work will go Jones' way.

Charles' draft position seems to be in the teens whereas Jones is being drafted around 40th. Charles is definitely the higher value, but I don't think the disparity in fantasy value will be as great as their draft positions are indicating. Jones could be a nice sleeper this year.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Texans' Running Back Report

hings have gotten a lot easier for fantasy owners due to the unfortunate injury to rookie running back Ben Tate.  Tate is out for the season after he fractured his ankle in Saturday’s 19-16 preseason loss to Arizona.
Coach Gary Kubiak said that Tate will be placed on injured reserve and undergo surgery this week.

That leaves 2010 late season surprise, Arian Foster and 2008 fantasy stud Steve Slaton to battle it out for the starting job.

Arian Foster
He is the favorite because of his size, hands and his 119 yard, two touchdown 2009 season finale performance.

At 6-1, 227 pounds, Foster has the size to be an every down back and to take the load of goal line carries.  More importantly with his battle against Steve Slaton is he seems to hold on to the ball a lot better fumbling once in his 47 carries in 2009.  He has potential receiving ability as well catching eight passes for 93 yards in his limited play in 2009.

Steve Slaton
The one-time fantasy-stud in the making struggled in 2009, mostly because he could not hold onto the ball.  He coughed up the ball seven times with just 175 touches last season and lost his starting job.  He still managed 44 catches for 417 yards and four touchdowns though he only rushed for 437 yards @ 3.3 yards a carry.

Clearly catching the ball is his strong suit, but this strength may just regulate him to being the change-of-pace back.  His speed and lack of size (5-9) makes him a perfect compliment to the bigger Foster. 

Slaton already lost a fumble in the red zone during Houston's preseason loss to Arizona.  This along with the Ben Tate injury gives Foster the inside advantage for the coveted Houston Texan starting running back job and his ranking is is soaring upwards.

Sin City Scout

Chargers' Running Back Report

Gone are the days of LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) in San Diego. What do they do now?

Answer, they turn to a rookie, Ryan Mathews out of Fresno State.

Wait a minute! Don't they have that super fast, small guy, Sproles? Yes, Darren Sproles is still there, but the Chargers do not like him as an every down back.

Mathews is a very nice compliment to Sproles (or the other way around). He is a larger back, stronger, but doesn't have the top gear like Sproles. I have seen comparisons to Matt Forte. Just because he is not as fast as Sproles (not too many are) don't think that he can't make big plays. He won't run away from guys too much, but he will break their tackles. His 1800+ yards last year shows that he can put up some big numbers (oh by the way, those yards came with him missing a game due to an injury - so the numbers are even better then they look, and they look good)

Outlook: Ryan Mathews will be the number 1 back in San Diego. The Chargers have one of the best passing games in football, so this should open up some opportunities in the running game. There is every reason to believe that Matthews will have a solid/good rookie year. He is certainly not a first rounder at this point, but he will be going fairly high (end of round two).

Darren Sproles on the other hand will resume back up duties. He has excelled here and should pretty much keep the same value he has had for the last few years. Ultimately, a great flex play.

The Chargers were 31st in running last year, they will need to improve for a serious run at the Super Bowl (which is legitimately in their sites).

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Bills' Rookie Spiller Shows Flash

Buffalo Bills rookie #1 draft pick (9th overall), C.J. Spiller, showed his first flash of brilliance by scoring on a 31-yard run in the Bills 34-21 win over the Indianapolis Colts.  He finished the game with 10 carries for 51 yards and caught one pass.

With Fred Jackson out four to six weeks with a broken left hand and backup Marshawn Lynch nursing a sore ankle, Spiller has the chance to step up and become the feature piece of the Bill offense.

Spiller will not be an every down back, nor a goal line back, and the Bills offense isn't much to speak of, so his value is still limited, but he will be used in all facets of the game: running, receiving and in special teams by returning punts and this will lead to a very solid overall rookie season, particularly in points per reception leagues.

Sin City Scout

Welker Up, Edelman Down

Wes Welker got three looks and made two catches for 20 yards and played a total of six snaps in the Patriots 28-10 preseason victory over Atlanta.

The message here simple Welker is back and is going to be a catching machine.  His draft value should sky rocket near his actual value.  There should still be some concern with Welker's health.  It is still less than a year since his surgery. Nevertheless he should climb back into the top 50 player rankings.

This is, of course, bad news for Julian Edelman, Wes Welker's backup.  He still has draft value, but his stock plummets and should be drafted only as a handcuff to Welker or a deep backup.

Sin City Scout

49ers' Running Back Report

With the signing of Brian Westbrook, the 49ers have a good problem to have, two outstanding running backs.

Frank Gore: Frank Gore is their #1 back - period. He will get the bulk of the carries (as long as he is healthy). However, Westbrook will cut into some of those carries throughout the year. Gore has been a top 5 pick in fantasy and shouldn't lose too much value heading into this year. But, I do believe that the Westbrook addition will move Gore down a couple spots. On the flip side, if Gore gets a little less work, then maybe he can stay healthy all year.

Brian Westbrook: Westbrook was a top 10 draft pick in fantasy as recent as last year. But, now he has the backup role. When healthy, Westbrook is one of the best backs in football (he is really, really good). His addition should make the 49ers a very dangerous team. As the #2 back, his draft spot should fall into the middle rounds, but there is a lot to like here. He can make a great flex player, and if Gore gets hurt - you have yourself a stud.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Redskins' Running Back Report

Clinton Portis
He got the start in the first week of preseason carrying six times for 22 yards.  The point here is he got the first start and is likely to be the main back in a very crowded backfield.

Larry Johnson
He did not play in week one.  Johnson will start the team's second preseason game.

Willie Parker
He is listed as the Redskins' number three running back, but he will get a chance to be the feature back in week three.

Ryan Torain
Shanahan drafted him and now has him in Washington. He rushed 17 times for 62 yards in the preseason opening win against Buffalo.

The Skinny
It is a mess in Washington.  Not necessarily a mess for the Redskins, but a mess for fantasy owners.  It is clear that the job will be Portis' to lose.  It is also clear that Willie Parker has very little chance to be the starter.  His is much more suited as the change of pace back that Shanahan loves to have.  The wild card here is Shanahan favorite, Ryan Torain.  He was on the fantasy radar before a torn anterior cruciate ligament cost him the remainder of the 2008 season and all of 2009.  He can be considered a deep sleeper at this point, but is likely to be a second-stringer at best in 2010.

Sin City Scout

Raiders' Running Back Report

Darren McFadden
Surprise, surprise McFadden injured the hamstring in the first practice last Saturday and missed the first preseason game against Dallas. McFadden has a history of various injuries since being drafted fourth overall in 2008.

He plays solid ball when healthy, so the flop tag is premature, but if the injuries keep up in the preseason, you need to stay away from him completely.

Michael Bush
Bush started and rushed for 7 times for 31 yards and caught one pass.  His stats aren't really important in week one, but what is important is that he was healthy and looked good. 

Bush is a much safer pick in your fantasy football draft at this point of preseason.

Sin City Scout

Big Names: Steelers

By big names, I mean that they are not only well known, but they have a lot of letters in them.

First, lets talk about Roethlisberger. He is suspended for the first 6 games of the season. This really hurts his fantasy value. However, it is possible (and sounding very probable) that his suspension will get reduced to 4 games. So, heading into your draft, you may get a 12 game Roethlisberger at a 10 game price. Even with the loss of Santonio Holmes, Big Ben has shown that he can be a valuable fantasy QB.

Next we talk about Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall was a 1000 yard rusher last year, but only put up 7 TDs. He also had around 250 receiving with a TD. This should keep him in a lower draft spot for fantasy. However, with Big Ben out for the first few games (at least 4), you have to believe that Mendenhall is going to get some serious work. Consider this, if Mendenhall gets off to a great start cuz of his workload, he will be a great 'Sell high' candidate. Mendenhall has not shown that he can perform at a high level for a full season, so if you can get a few great games out of him and then trade him before he starts to wear down and before their QB comes back, you should have a decent start going for the season.

Roethlisberger and Mendenhall should not be high picks in any draft, but both should be owned. Consider all the circumstances around these two and you might be able to maximize your draft.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

NFL 2010 Training Camp Report

NFL Training Camps are just beginning to open and Pro Fantasy Football will be watching several position battles and rookies across the NFL. We will also be watching for key injuries to both fantasy players and their all important offensive lines.

Some key battles include:

Buffalo Bills Running backs - Fred Jackson vs. C.J. Spiller vs. Marshawn Lynch

Cleveland Browns Running backs - Jerome Harrison vs. Montario Hardesty

Houston Texans Running backs - Arian Foster vs. Steve Slaton vs. Ben Tate

Oakland Raiders Running backs - Darren McFadden vs. Michael Bush

New York Giants Running backs - Brandon Jacobs vs. Ahmad Bradshaw

Washington Redskins Running backs - Clinton Portis vs. Larry Johnson vs. Willie Parker

Detroit Lions Running backs - Kevin Smith vs. Jahvid Best

Seattle Seahawks Running backs - Justin Forsett vs. Julius Jones vs. Leon Washington

Stay tuned and check back for updates all the way into the preseason when we begin our Preseason Fantasy Football Reports.

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Gaining Relevance: Hakeem Nicks

It feels like every week I'm saying I told you so. On one hand I feel like a jerk saying it. On the other... I am a jerk. But, I'm the jerk who told you to get Miles Austin while you still could.

This week let's stay in the NFC East and talk about another up and coming young receiver: Hakeem Nicks.

The Giants first round pick out of North Carolina had big shoes to fill. At first the focus on the Giants rookie class was on Nicks, but as camp started up a lot of the focus shifted to the Giants third round pick, Ramses Barden. Barden was all of the sudden the one people felt might make an impact and Nicks sort of shifted to the background after having a mediocre camp.

As the season began the Giants started getting production from Steve Smith and Mario Manningham and really nothing from Nicks. Nicks had 2 catches for 18 yards in his first 3 games.

Since then, however, the Giants have been getting Nicks more involved in the offense. Manningham had been the definitive number 2 target behind Steve Smith, but in the recent weeks Manningham has been sick with a case of the dropsies. He's been dropping or bobbling every thing in sight, including a certain TD last week. Even some of the plays he's made have come on bobbles that he just simply recovered. His struggles have opened the door for Nicks.

In his past 4 games, Nicks has 14 catches for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns. That includes a touchdown in four straight games. Granted last weeks TD was a bit fluke, but four straight games with a TD is nothing to sneeze at. If that doesn't impress you, consider that he's the first Hakeem that comes up when conducting a Google search. That's an honor!

I expect to see Nicks remain a part of the Giants offense and continue to give you solid fantasy production. Consider him a matchups play or 3rd receiver in 10 team leagues and a borderline every week guy at this point in deeper leagues (depending on your depth at the position, of course).

Nicks is owned in 53% of ESPN leagues.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com

What To Make of Miles Austin's Big Day

Wow. I didn't see that coming.

Miles Austin had a gigantic game on Sunday. The 1.3% of fantasy owners that started him are carrying themselves around the way a dog does when he's got a giant stick in his mouth, this week.

In my league, he was picked up at 12:48PM Sunday and lifted my buddy B-Ru to a win over a team he would have beaten anyway. Still, B-Ru took a gamble and walked away with a big prize.

A 45 point prize to be exact. A 10 catch, 250 yard, 2 Touchdown prize.

Ok, so Austin had a huge week, but what now? What can we expect from here out? Let's break this down, shall we?

Here's what we know:

• Austin got playing time because Roy Williams was out with a rib injury.
• The Cowboys are on bye week this week.
• Roy Williams is expected to be able to play next week.
• Tony Romo has yet to really "connect" with any of his receivers this season, though has slightly with Jason Witten.
• Patrick Crayton, the Cowboys current number two receiver, has had a case of the dropsies for the better part of three years.
• There's no question that what Austin did last week impressed the coaching staff and his fellow teammates, most important of which is his Quarterback, Tony Romo

So what do we make of all this?

The chances Austin finds himself the number one receiver on this team are pretty minimal. With that being said, I'd expect to see him get increased playing time and targets.

Roy Williams has been virtually useless for this Dallas team, outside of Week 1 and Patrick Crayton has been something of a let down himself.

Austin is still available in over 60% of ESPN leagues. If yours is one of them, I'd definitely consider Austin worth an add. Many owners may be shying away from him because he is on Bye this week or because they want to see what role he'll play with Roy Williams back. Don't bother waiting for that or, chances are, you'll miss out.

Even in 10 team leagues, if you've got someone giving you mediocre production with little upside (think Torry Holt, et al) add Austin and see what happens. At this point, we're probably talking about your 5th or 6th receiver. I'd be surprised if many owners are getting more upside from that spot as it is.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com

WR Watch: Week 5

Miles Austin - Cowboys: 10 catches - 250 yards 2 touchdowns
The preseason sleeper woke up and had a career game against the Chiefs.  He should move in as Romo's second favorite receiver which means more targets, though don't expect many more 10 catch games.

Chris Henry - Bengals: 3 catches - 91 yards
He has been a non-factor thus far, but finally showed up with a big 73 yard catch.  There are too many targets in Cincinnati, but at least keep an eye on Henry.

Mike Wallace - Steelers: 2 catches - 52 yards 1 touchdown
It is hard to get excited about a Steeler #3 wideout, but he is putting up decent numbers.

Eddie Royal - Broncos: 10 catches - 90 yards
He finally came up big in PPR leagues, but his value is steal shaky with a conservative Bronco offense and a slightly above average Orton throwing to him.  Nevertheless, he has been cut and is worth a look if you can snag him.

Donnie Avery - Rams: 5 catches - 87 yards 1 touchdown
Avery is the real-deal, but the Rams aren't.  Still, they can improve a bit as the season progresses and Avery will be the man in St. Louis.

Hakeem Nicks - Giants: 4 catches - 49 yards 1 touchdown
Nicks has the knack for finding the end zone, but with Manningham and Smith playing well, starting him would be a roll of the dice unless a starter is injured.

Jeremy Maclin - Eagles: 6 catches - 142 yards with 2 touchdowns
He showed his big-play ability by scoring on deep passes of 51 and 40 yards while starting in place of Kevin Curtis.  Good bye Kevin Curtis.

Austin Collie - Colts: 8 catches - 97 yards 2 TD's
He's has surpassed Garcon in fantasy value and could keep Gonzales out of the starting line if he continues to play well.

Josh Morgan - 49ers: 4 catches passes 78 yards
Back-to-back solid games for Morgan makes him a viable low-end fantasy receiver.

When Will Warner's Luck Run Out?

Coming into 2008 Arizona Cardinal quarterback, Kurt Warner, was not even on most mangers fantasy radar as the job was expected to go to former #1 pick Matt Leinart.

30 touchdowns, and 4,583 yards later, Kurt Warner was every managers free agent dream come true.

What was more amazing, the 38-year-old, fragile quarterback didn't miss a game in 2008. Part of that is due to Warner's amazing quick release, but more of it was due to shear luck.

Thus far in 2009 Warner has continued to have solid protection, though the hits are adding up.  His game, on the other hand, has seen a dramatic drop off from his 2008 performance.  Warner has thrown for 863 yards and a mere 4 touchdowns against 4 touchdowns.  Not horrible, but not what some fantasy managers expected.

There is not likely to be a controversy anytime soon, but it could happened by week six or seven if he and the Cardinals do not improve. But Warner owners should have a bigger worry. His potential for injury.

While it is impossible to guess when a player will be injured, the odds suggest Kurt Warner is way overdue.  And if Warner gets injured, say a concussion, it will likely mean the end of the road for him. 

Enter back up quarterback Matt Leinart.

The 10th overall-pick from USC has been a disappointment thus far, but not a bust.  While he was expected to be starting by now, the Cardinals, like fantasy  mangers, did not expect Kurt Warner to resurrect himself.

Leinart actually had a very solid rookie season throwing for 2,547 yards and 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2006.  He regressed early in 2007 and that is when Kurt Warner ran away with the job.

Now Leinart has had the time to mature and learn from the great Kurt Warner and is primed to start again in the NFL.  The only question is when.

Warner owners would be wise to pick up Leinart now or in the next few weeks as an insurance policy.

All other owners should grab Leinart if they have an extra roster spot open for a prospect.  It can payoff big if Kurt Warner finally goes down to injury.

Sin City Scout

Antonio Bryant on the Rise?

Let's begin by reviewing my projection for Glen Coffee last week. I projected: 22 carries, 109 yards, 1TD, as well as 4 rec. for 19 yards. Here's what he actually did: 24 carries, 74 yards, 4 rec. 32 yards.

Okay so I was off by 22 total yards and a TD. Not terrible. I should have known better than to project a TD. They are hard to predict because you never know when the opportunity will arise and when your defense scores 3 of them, that's less chances for you. Still, I am pleased with the projection and I presume those who started Coffee are pleased enough with his production.

For the record, I like him again this week.

With that behind us, let's take a look at a Wide Receiver who might be available in your league and might just be able to give you some very low priced production.

Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay: Coming in to the season, Bryant was a guy people expected decent output from, but were skeptical to trust. So far that's proven to be a reasonable assessment.

Through 3 weeks Bryant had been worthless for his owners. He caught 3 balls for 35 yards through 3 weeks, including a zero catch output in week 2. Those numbers are a virtual negative if you consider who you probably could have started in his position.

After that, however, something changed for the Buccaneers; they benched Byron Leftwich and began to start Josh Johnson. In week 4 Bryant finally showed up for his owners with 4 catches for 44 yards and a TD. Granted, that's not a huge performance, but Bryant has enough upside that it could be a sign of chemistry with Johnson and better things to come.

Coming out of drafts Bryant was owned in 100% of leagues. Since then 30% of his owners have given up on him.

The Bucs are a team that's going to be down and going to be throwing the ball. If you're in one of those 30% of leagues, snag this guy up and wait a few weeks to see if last week was a fluke or not. I'm betting he doesn't give your number one WR numbers, but could give you number two type digits.

I don't know about you, but I'll take a free number two receiver.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com

WR Watch: Week 4

Mike Sims-Walker - Jaguars: 7 catches - 91 yards 2 TD's
He has taken over as Garrard's #1 target and is on his way to a 1,000 yard season. 

Johnny Knox - Bears: 5 catches - 31 yards - 102 yard TD Kickoff Return
He is getting the targets, even though 31 yards won't pay the bills, but a return TD will.

Josh Morgan - 49ers: 2 catches passes 39 yards 1 TD
He has done very little to excite fantasy owners, but him and Shaun Hill both have room to grow.  Keep an eye on him.

Micheal Crabtree - 49ers:  Agrees to 6-year deal.
Missing camp and preseason makes 2009 a inconsequential year for Crabtree.  At best he may catch some deep passes or contribute late in the season.  Not worth a look for at least a month.

Austin Collie - Colts: 6 catches - 65 1 TD
He's splitting time as the second receiver with Garcon and could have a good game on any given week if you are in need.

Mohamed Massaquoi - Browns: 8 catches - 148 yards
The rookie has some chemistry with Derek Anderson and now Braylon Edwards is gone. 

Kenny Britt - Titans: 7 catches - 105 yards
It is looking as if he may become the #1 receiver in Tennessee, but Titans' passing game is dreadful right now.  Still, Britt has huge upside.

Donnie Avery - Rams: 3 catches - 47 yards
The preseason prospect is healing up from his injury and is again the #1 in St. Louis.  Now if somebody could only throw it to him.

Pierre Garcon - Colts: 3 catches - 71 yards
Not helpful in a PPR league, but has 2 TD's in 4 games.

Mendenhall Breaks Out Sunday Night

Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall has been dogged since having fumbling problems as a rookie, but an injury to Willie Parker, put Mendenhall into the starting lineup on Sunday Night Football against the San Diego Chargers and the real Rashard Mendenhall finally showed up.

He showed up with a break out performance rushing for 165 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. He added 26 yards on two catches.

Mendenhall was the Steelers #1 pick of the 2008 draft out of Illinois, but missed most of the season with a knee  injury.

The Steelers would like to have a pounding-back like Mendenhall to complement the speed of Willie Parker.  Both can be good fantasy backs because Mendenhall will get the goal line carries and Parker has the big-play-ability and should get more receptions.

Sin City Scout

Rookie WR Massaquoi Comes Up Big

Cleveland Brown rookie receiver Mohamed Massaqoui caught 8 passes for 148 yards in the Browns 23-20 overtime loss to the Bengals.

Massaquoi was drafted in the second round out of Georgia where he caught 158 passes for 2,282 yards (14.4 avg) and 16 touchdowns in his career.

With Brady Quinn he only caught 2 passes in three games, so this could be a fluke or he just has a connection with Derek Anderson. Either way he is worth a look if you need a receiver and should go on everyone's radar.

Sin City Scout

Glen Coffee, Handcuff to Starter

I handed it to you. I handed you Glen Coffee.

If you were one of the three people who read my "Handcuff Hero" column in the preseason about Glen Coffee, I can only hope you listened. And since one of those people was me and one was my mother I hope you, lone true reader, listened.

Somehow Coffee is still available in 42% of ESPN.com leagues. So if yours is one of them, I'm going to skip to the part where I tell you to run out and get him because if you wait until you're done reading this he might be gone. Go head. I'll wait.....

Ok, so now that you have Coffee, should you start him? What's he going to do this week? Well, let me make that part short and sweet: START GLEN COFFEE THIS WEEK!!!

Some rankings have Coffee as a flex option this week. That is to say he would be somewhere in the 20-30 area in terms of running backs. I'm here to tell you he should be higher than that.

Coffee is an outstanding talent, who led the NFL in rushing yards this preseason. He's playing on a 49ers team that runs the ball a lot and when they are passing, often passes the ball to their Running Back. On top of that the 49ers are playing the St. Louis Rams who are 27th in the NFL against the run. What more do you need to know here?!? A projection? Ok, I'll give you a projection:

Final line for Glen Coffee:
22 carries, 109 yards, 1TD. 4 Receptions, 19 yards.

Don't make me say I told you so.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com

Browns RB Harrison Could Start

Cleveland running back, Jerome Harrison could get the start against the Cincinnati Bengals if starting running back Jamal Lewis can't go.

Lewis is nursing a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable.

Harrison played solid against the dominating Ravens rushing for 52 yards on 16 carries and caught 5 passes for 33 yards.

Rookie 6th-round-draft-pick, James Davis, should also see a share of the carries if Lewis is out, but Harrison should have more fantasy value, especially in a PPR league.

Harrison was a 5th-round pick in the 2006 from Washington State where he broke the record for most consecutive games with 100 or more yards by a Pac-10 runner, with 16.

He is small at 5'9, so he doesn't look like an everyday back, but his big-play ability combined with his good hands can make him a solid fantasy backup in deep leagues.

Sin City Scout

RB Report Week 3

LeSean McCoy - Eagles: 20 carries - 84 yards 1 TD - 1 Rec - 9 yards
Still available in some leagues and will make a  good start when often-injured Brian Westbrook is out.

Glen Coffee - 49ers: 25 carries - 54 yards  
Frank Gore is out  and Coffee will start.

Fred Taylor - Patriots: 21 carries -105 yards 1 TD, 1 Rec - 4 yards
Laurence Maroney  left the game with a thigh injury and Taylor looked good and could keep getting the majority of the carries.

Jamaal Charles - Chiefs: - 6 carries - 36 yards - 3 Rec - 34 yards
He was much more effective than Larry Johnson and his playing time could increase.

Jerome Harrison - Browns: 16 carries - 52 yards, 5 Rec - 33 yards
Big-play type, but not an ever down back, but Jamal Lewis' age and injury, he should get some good running time as well as use as a third-down back.

Maurice Morris - Lions: 8 carries - 10 yards 1 TD
Kevin Smith is listed as a limited practice participant Thursday, so he could still start. Morris is only worth a look if desperate.

The Saints RB Situation: Week 3

Wow! This is my third column this year about someone named Pierre. My second in two weeks. Either I'm embracing my French culture more or more guys named Pierre are becoming solid athletes. Probably both.

Ok, let's get to the stuff you care about. And yes, I mean you, the one person who reads my column.

Before the season began Pierre Thomas was on everyones radar, and why wouldn't he be? This is a guy who was responsible for tremendous output in the final 7 weeks of last season, out of no where. This is also a guy who was slated to get the bulk of the carries for an offense that is among the most explosive in the league.

Then came the MCL sprain. All of the sudden, Thomas owners went from being excited about the potential value of their pick to that terrible position fantasy owners dread. That awful spot when a guy goes down with a week to week injury. Now you're constantly searching for updates on his injury status. Is he going to play? Is he going to get touches if he does? Is it bad that my week depends entirely on the previous weekends fantasy results? Ok, maybe that's just me.

In his absence, Mike Bell has done an outstanding job (see my preseason column about Mike Bell... you're welcome) and it started to look like Thomas would take a back seat. However, the tables have turned. Now it's Bell who is down with an MCL sprain.

Thomas returned to action last week, which tells me he's ready to go. Granted he was not effective in his one touch, but let's be serious, it was one touch.

Bell on the other hand has not participated in practice this week and if he doesn't participate again on Friday, I would not expect to see him on the field against Buffalo. That should allow Thomas to slip back in as the premier rusher for the Saints, with Reggie Bush continuing to get his usual action.

There's one more thing to consider though; Is Thomas startable against a Buffalo defense that's only allowed 65 yards per game on the ground? Let's break this down, shall we?

We already know Buffalo has been effective so far stopping the run against the Patriots and Buccaneers. Neither of those are marquee rushing attacks. Also, while they've allowed only 65 yards per game on the ground, in each games they've allowed 9 receptions to running backs for an excess of 60 yards per game. To top that off, the Bills lost their Middle Linebacker Paul Posluszny in the opening game and are using a backup in his place.

Another thing to consider here is the motivation to run the ball. I expect the Saints will outmatch the Bills and get up early, allowing them to lean a bit harder on the running game. On top of that they are expecting rain in Buffalo on Sunday, which could force the Saints to commit to the ground game more than usual.

Because of those factors, I am starting Pierre Thomas this Sunday as a RB3/Flex. To give you an idea of what range of players to consider him in; my RB1 and RB2 are D'Angelo Williams and Ryan Grant. I would not start Thomas over either of those players, but I am starting him ahead of Jamal Lewis and Julius Jones.

Let's just hope I'm right about Pierre. The rest of my week depends on it.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com

Seahawks RB Forsett Gets Playing Time

Seattle Seahawks running back, Justin Forsett, rushed five times for 35 yards and caught six passes for 57 yards in Sunday's loss to San Francisco.

It is early, but so his role as a receiver out-of-the-backfield might make him a worthwhile fantasy back in PPR leagues. 

The 7th-round-draft-pick is likely too small (5-8) to be an every down back, but he could play a role similar to Leon Washington did for the Jets in 2008.

In the end, Julius Jones is solid at best and the fact is he is often-inured.  That should give Forsett plenty of opportunities to shine in 2009.

Sin City Scout

WR Watch: Week 2

Mario Manningham - Giants - 10 catches -150 yards 1TD

Mike Sims-Walker - Jaguars - 6 catches - 106 yards 1 TD

Johnny Knox - Bears - 6 catches - 70 yards 1TD

Devery Henderson - Saints - 3 catches - 71 yards

Chansi Stuckey -  Jets - 4 catches  - 64 yards 1 TD

Julian Edelman - Patriots - 8 catches  -  98 yards

Laurent Robinson - Rams - 6 catches - 54 yards 1 TD

Barber Out, Choice In...Maybe

The news is bad, but not horrible for Marion Barber owners.  He was expected to miss at least one game and possibly two due to his injury, but Monday's MRI confirmed that Barber has nothing worse than a he strained quadriceps and he received treatment Tuesday and hopes to play on Monday night against the Panthers.

Tashard Choice will be worth picking up if available and will make a solid start Monday night against the Carolina Panthers in Dallas if Barber is out.

Naturally, Felix Jones will also see more action, likely either way, which is great news after his big game on Sunday night.  He is a must start.

Sin City Scout

WR Robinson Becoming Rams' #1

Donnie Avery was supposed to be the main man in St. Louis with the departure of the great Torry Holt, but his preseason injury has given third-year wideout Laurent Robinson the chance to step up and Robinson has done just that.

He caught 5 passes for 87 yards in his debut as a Rams' starter and came back and caught 6 passes for 54 yards and his first Ram touchdown in the Rams 9-7 loss to Washington.

Laurent Robinson was drafted in the third-round by Atlanta in 2007 and had a good rookie year catching 37 passes for 437 yards and a touchdown.

He fell out of favor in 2008 due to injuries and the rise of Roddy White.

In three preseason contests, Robinson has caught 10 passes for 137 yards.

Considering the Rams have done very little, Robinson is putting up some solid starts.  He is worth a look if you are in need of a wide receiver.

Sin City Scout

Replacing Anthony Gonzalez

Indianapolis Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez sprained multiple knee ligaments in Sunday's Week 1 win over Jacksonville.

The Colts are saying Gonzalez could be off the field for as much as 8 weeks. This is a big loss for fantasy owners, who were expecting big things from the 3rd year pro out of Ohio State.

Gonzalez was taken at an average draft position of 92 (28th among WR) making him a third receiver for most players and a very early 10th round pick.

Gonzalez owners, however, were for the most part expecting to get better than 3rd receiver value from Gonzalez, who was expected to be a bigger part of the Colts offense with the loss of Marvin Harrison. This year marked his first chance to crack the starting line up for the Colts super powered offense.

In the absence of AGonz the Colts have a few places to turn. For one, they just signed veteran receiver Hank Baskett, who while experienced, is best known these days for his Playmate wife. Lucky bast... nevermind. Baskett gives them some size on the outside that they lack with the other guys on the roster but, he doesn't know the offense yet, so may only see limited time for the next couple of weeks.

That brings us to the other two, more likely to succeed options: Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie.

Garcon is a second year guy who Peyton Manning seems to like and who caught three balls in the season opener. Plus, let's be serious, how fantastic of a name is Pierre Garcon?!

Collie is a rookie wideout out of BYU that the Colts really seem to like and who had a very solid camp.

If you listen to Manning, and I do, it seems like Garcon is the more promising option. He was quoted as saying:

"Pierre is going to be a big part of our game plan, Austin Collie, too, no question... But this is the NFL. You can't just draw up a play and say this ball has got to go to Dallas Clark. Pierre has worked hard over here, I think he spent six hours over the last two days studying film and Austin has done that as well."

Personally, if I had a roster spot to spend, or if I had been a Gonzalez owner in a deeper league looking for a viable replacement I'd take a flier on Garcon and keep my eye on Baskett and Collie.

We all know the Colts offense is a place for any offensive skill player to shine. Don't let those guys shine one someone else's roster.

PCB Scout

Questions? Comments? Random nonsense? Email me: pcbscout(at)gmail.com