Washington Redskins at New York Giants

If you’re thinking the answer is the Chargers, Vikings, or even the Seahawks, you’re wrong. But that’s a good sign. That means you still have time to not make the mistake of drafting any of them. While most people reach for risky defenses early, you can take a high ceiling running back or a highly targeted, yet low profile, receiver and still end up with a great defensive pick.

Why? Well, I firmly believe in the waiver wire playing of a defense. I love to place a mediocre defense against an abysmal offense over feeling obligated to play the Chargers because I wasted a high draft pick on them.

Sure you can count on decent production from the Chargers during the year. They’ll be playing with an injured Shawne Merriman who has two torn ligaments in his knee so that should make you comfortable, eh? Are you really going to feel safe during Week 6 when they face the Patriots? What about Week 12 when they face the Colts? Certainly Brady and Manning will be rolling by those weeks, respectively. Read more »

The Cincinnati Bengals have contacted teams in hopes to send Rudi Johnson packing. In return, the Bengals want a “legitimate wide receiver.” That basically means Ocho Cinco is seriously hurt and TJ Houshmandzadeh’s bad hamstring sure is not helping the situation.

The Bengals re-signed troublesome Chris Henry already and now feel the need to bring in another capable wide out.

The Bengals might part ways with Rudi for fairly little due to their “depth” at running back this year. The Bengals exptected to utilize a platoon of backs including Rudi, Kenny Watson, and Chris Perry. Everyone knows this was their plan, so teams wanting Rudi Johnson offer little because of Cincinnati’s eagerness to pull the trigger on a deal.

In fantasy terms, Chad Johnson might seriously be injured–enough to be innefective this year, anyway–and if Rudi goes to a team with a troubled run game, he might be the workhorse of old. Don’t expect double digit touchdowns and a lock for 1200 yards, but his stock would rise if he can become the feature back on his new team.

Chad Johnson injured his shoulder after attempting a leaping catch earlier in the preseason against the Detroit Lions. The injury now seems worse than the original diagnosis.

Johnson has a partially torn labrum and ESPN reports that the Bengals are now in the market for a wide receiver. I don’t even want to discuss the possibility of Anquan Boldin joining TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson…that’s unreal.

Ocho Cinco wore a harness at practice today and is expected to wear it during the season.

How does this affect his draft status? Well, he is expected to play this season, but with the injury and his inconsistency, Johnson is no longer the WR1 he used to be. Don’t shy away from him for too long, though. If he is out there with a reasonable value pick, he’s worth a shot. Though he’s injured, he has a lot to prove this season and the injury could go either way.

Here are a few people to keep an eye on…be it for good or for bad reasons.

The Good:

Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans

Schaub may get his first real chance with extended playing time alongside Andre Johnson. With a serious issue at running back in Houston, the Texans will look to throw the ball early and often. Early because Andre will probably get hurt before season’s end. Look for Schaub with a value pick in the mid-to-late rounds and don’t be afraid to ship him out if he goes off this year.

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Johnson’s incredible 4.24 speed will greatly complement LenDale White’s power game. He already showed a glimpse of what he can do against the Rams.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers

So far in three preseason games, Williams ran the ball 26 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Early predictions were that rookie Jonathan Stewart could steal the starting job in Carolina, but with his toe injury still lingering and Williams’ success in the preseason, look for DeAngelo to be a guy who will be available in the middle rounds who can act as a serviceable RB2. Just so it’s known, Stewart ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 10 rushes Saturday, but Williams still looks to be favored for being the feature back.

Ricky Williams, RB, Miami Dolphins

Williams was listed as the #1 back in Miami for the third preseason game while incumbent Ronnie Brown’s ACL injury is still in the picture. Williams could get the bulk of the carries early in the season so he might work very well as trade bait if he’s able to be gobbled up with a good value pick and if he can produce like the Ricky of old. It’s a possibility he could show he has a little left in the tank.

Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Face it, Edge isn’t the back he used to be and this rookie out of Richmond already has two first-half preseason touchdowns. He’s going to be available late and most likely go undrafted in 10 or even 12-team leagues. He’s going to find the endzone often this year.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Willis McGahee’s knee isn’t that huge a concern for Ravens fans because the explosive Ray Rice worked his way up to number two on the depth chart and might actually get the nod for Week 1 against the Bengals. Cincy isn’t much for stopping the run so if you don’t get him early, someone else will probably snatch him off the wire after getting a go at a promising match-up.

Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Something tells me Julius Jones isn’t the answer in Seattle. He’s never proven himself as a workhorse back, so there will be plenty of touches for Maurice Morris, Forsett, and I’d expect TJ Duckett to get a large portion of goal line carries. However, Morris might be an eternal backup and Jones may not be able to carry the ball like his brother. Look for the talented Forsett to emerge near the middle of the season as the best back in Seattle.

DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Jackson was drafted as a wide receiver/kick returner and he already returned a punt for a touchdown in the preseason. Sure, Eagle wide receivers don’t usually equate to smart fantasy selections, but Jackson is explosive and often targeted. After three preseason games, Jackson hauled in 16 catches for 189 yards. Also the injury bug already bit Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, the top two receivers in Philly. Brown’s hamstring issue leaves him probable for Week 1 against the Rams, but the injury to Curtis is far worse. Curtis had surgery to repair a sports hernia and Andy Reid did not even speculate as to how long he’ll be out. Look for Jackson, like Ray Rice, to make an impact in Week 1.

Robert Meachem, WR, New Orleans Saints

I know it’s only preseason, but Meachem, after having missed all of last season with injuries, posted great stats in his first game back with 4 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. However, the next week he only had one catch for 11 yards. It’s far from certain how Meachem will play this year, but he has shown the ability to explode.

David Clowney, WR, New York Jets

Clowney went insane in the first preseason game against the Browns. He turned two of his four catches into paydirt visits and tallied 163 yards on the way there. Bonus points for him as he was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round back in 2007 so he and Favre surely have plenty of chemistry probably have seen one another in the locker room before.

Alge Crumpler, TE, Tennessee Titans

Crumpler was never better than when he played alongside Michael Vick and now that he’s a Titan, his quarterback is as close to Vick as can be. There are plenty of tight end options this year, but Crumpler could emerge as an acceptable pick late in the draft.

The Bad:

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle Seahawks

I know, Hasselbeck does consistently well without any real stud receivers, but Seattle lost DJ Hackett to Carolina and both Deion Branch and Bobby Engram to injury. Branch is still on the PUP list and Engram is reported to be out until at least Week 5. Unless Nate Burleson can carry the load, Hasselbeck may not be the safe, yet effective option he once was.

Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona Cardinals

This isn’t Leinart’s year. The Raiders picked him three times last preseason game. Plus, Kurt Warner will most likely get the nod and he should get it because he’s far better than Leinart. Though I wouldn’t expect anyone to stock up on running backs and receivers and wait for Leinart to take the reigns of a fantsy team–which seemed to be like a worthy strategy in years prior–it’s just a heads up to steer clear of Leinart.

Rudi Johnson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Johnson is far removed from his days as a safe bet for a number one back at the end of the first round. Injuries and capable competition from Kenny Watson and Chris Perry make his draft stock plummett. Johnson’s best case scenario is being part of a two- or three-man running back committee.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins

Sure, there’s a point in the draft where if you see Ronnie Brown available you have to select him, but if Ricky Williams can run the ball effectively, the ‘Phins may be contented letting Brown rest up his ACL injury.

Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Reports of Roddy White not being on the same page as newly named starter Matt Ryan really hurt his status. White remains the Falcons’ only real receiving threat, but his entire year depends on finding chemistry with rookie Matt Ryan.

Donte’ Stallworth, WR, Cleveland Browns

No news here, but I just never have faith in Stallworth. I loved when the Eagles acquired Stallworth, but he never did a ton to impress me. That basically describes his whole career. He can really stretch the field, but that might benefit Braylon Edwards more than Stallworth.

New York Giants Defense

Yeah…I know defenses should be second to last round picks, but Osi Umenyiora will miss the entire season and Michael Strahan is gone, so don’t bother with this defense unless they have a very, very favorable matchup.

Points to be made thus far:

• Rudy Fernandez impressed me early–I knew he would–but the Spaniards turned the ball over 17 times. There is just no way to keep close to the US with seventeen turnovers because most of those are going to lead to transition which translate to easy buckets for the US of A.
• Kobe ended up with two quick fouls and that meant Dwyane Wade had to come into the game. Darn.
• LeBron seemed determined to take over the game, which he did with penetration and his outside jumper.
• Marc Gasol has a mullet.
• Ricky Rubio came in at the 3:41 mark in the first, and got rocked by a Chris Bosh pick at half court which led to a Carmelo three pointer.
• The US’s transition game has not slowed down all game…or all Olympics for that matter.
• Everyone loves Kobe, aka “Little Flying Warrior,” in China. I guess since China controls the press, Kobe’s “mishap” in Colorado never made it in the papers there.
• Seriously, Marc Gasol looks like a Geico Caveman or something. His brother looks like Tom Green.
• Ricky Rubio’s one handed oop to Rudy…

Second half:

The domination continued and the US just swatted shots and dunked all over Spain. Excluding a brief stint in which the US stopped playing defense, the game was as boring as the others. So much for that hype.

Conclusions:

If the US can romp Spain 119-82, I don’t see them falling to anyone. Argentina might be the last obstacle left for the US, but c’mon, they should be fine the rest of the way through.

Madden 09 and schoolwork drove me away from the site this month but I’m dedicated to get back to the norm.

D-Wade's defense led to six steals and a USA Victory. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, both members of the incredible 2003 draft class, helped lead the USA past Greece 92-69 and advance to the medal round. Bosh outscored Wade 18-17, but Wade’s six steals helped the US do what it does best–run. Wade also chipped in five assists, one of which was an alley-oop to Kobe Bryant after D-Wade stole the ball and saved it from going out of bounds. See for yourself:

Speaking of Kobe, he tied Bosh’s 18 points to co-lead the game in scoring. Bosh, however made a huge impact on a huge man. Greece’s Sofoklis Schortsanitis is 6′9″, 344; Chris Bosh is marginally smaller at 6′9″, 229. Bosh completely disrupted Schortsanitis by drawing a charge and another offensive foul and rendering him utterly useless. Bosh bodied up to a man 115 pounds heavier than he and aggravated him into two offensive fouls.  Sure, those two plays did not win the game for the US, but they sure showed that Bosh is not a scrawny big who can’t handle the post.

The doubt of the US only having one big man, Dwight Howard, had to have gotten to Bosh’s head and the fact that he is probably considered the fourth best player of his own draft had to act as motivation for his play in the Olympics.

Both Bosh and Wade want to be recognized as winners. Wade already has his ring, but has fallen off the radar due to injuries and a lackluster team. His intensity today showed he wants to be the D-Wade of old and Bosh wants to rise into his deserved recognition.

LeBron posted incredible numbers for a forty minute game while playing alongside all-stars. James added to his unreal blocked shot resume this year with three more and and threw down two amazing dunks, while also posting 13 points, six assists, six rebounds, and two steals.

LeBron's game helps the US in all apsects, especially jaw-dropping dunks. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Dwight Howard still continues to disappoint. He recorded only two points and six rebounds, and four personal fouls leaving the curtain open for the more Euro-style adaptable Bosh to steal the show.

I surely did not expect Greece to beat the US again after shocking them back in ‘06, but it was to be a close, physical game. The fact that the US ran all over Greece and forced the game to be up-tempo instead of Greece’s preferred half court game showed that the US can force a team out of its game plan, but uncertainty still remains about them doing it to higher level competition, such as Spain which they face Saturday night morning at 10:15 AM.

I can’t wait for that match-up. The Gasols, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Calderon, Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez, and the rest of the Spanish roster will make for the biggest obstacle on the USA’s journey for gold.

The Green Bay Packers traded Brett Favre to the New York Jets for a very, very conditional draft pick. The Packers currently receive a fourth-round pick, but if Favre plays 50% of the snaps in New York, the pick turns to a third-round pick. If Favre plays 70% of the snaps and the Jets make the playoffs, the Pack receive a second-rounder and if Favre plays 80% of the snaps and the Jets make the Super Bowl, Green Bay gets a–you guessed it–first round pick.

So now that the ordeal is over, excluding the continuous reporting of it for a day or two just so no one would miss out on the news, it’s time to look at what it all means for everyone involved, directly and indirectly.

Green Bay Packers

What it Means

It’s hard to draw positives from the fact that a team just lost an iconic legend, but given the situation, it was something the Packers had to do. Months and months of him tinkering with the idea on retirement or, in this case, actually going through with it all, drove the team further away from focusing on camp and the future of the franchise. Favre just backed himself into a corner by officially retiring.

This is not a weight lifted off the Packers’ shoulders just yet. Sure, Favre is gone from Green Bay, but he’s not gone from the NFL.

What If…

…Brett never oficially retired? I doubt the Packers’ could have presented an open QB competition for Rodgers, let alone turn the team over to him. Favre got itchy at the beginning of July. If he still remained on the roster without retiring, the Packers would have #4 starting at quarterback. I always had it in my mind that the Packers should trade Aaron Rodgers while he still had potential and value, keep Brett Favre, and groom Brian Brohm for the future. Though, to be fair, I never put it down on paper (aka blogged it), so I have to give credit to Matt Snyder from AOL Fanhouse for covering the same topic.

… what if Favre can still put up numbers that are far superior to the stats of Aaron Rodgers? Then the Packers don’t look so hot. However, they have plenty of time to organize the “We made a decision and we had to keep our word. Sure, Aaron Rodgers threw 15 less touchdowns and one less interception than Favre, but he is our man for the future” bit before season’s end.

For the Packers, regardless of Favre’s play, they can come back to the “But you gotta see it from our perspective…” story and I really can’t blame them. They did announce an open QB competition, but Favre wasn’t interested. That leads me to beleive the competition was a hoax, which, in that case, allows me to blame the Packers for losing a legend.

New York Jets

What it Means

This Favre trade means the Jets now have a capable quarterback, can give Kellen Clemens a quarterback to learn from, and can trade Chad Pennington to the Kansas City Chiefs. The trade also means Brady vs. Favre twice a year. Ugh. All the hype is going to drive me nuts. The Pats will stomp them both times anyway.

What If…

…the Favre Experiment flames out? Who cares? They lose a fourth round pick. If he plays half of the year for them, which I expect it to be more, they lose a third rounder. I’m sure the Jets wouldn’t mind giving up a round two pick for making the playoffs behind Favre. Makes them look like geniuses–or genii if you prefer. And obtaining a quarterback for 80 percent of your teams’ snaps and getting a Super Bowl appearance out of it, move over Albert, Mangini is coming your way.

I see no negatives from this deal for the Jets. If it doesn’t work, they still have Clemens and the ability to say they gave it a shot. Anyone can make a case for the media’s affect on a team atmosphere, but it’s the New York Jets. Even though they’re more of the New Jersey Jets, they still get a fair share of New York spotlight. This is still an improvement on the current quarterback situation and it leaves the team with an option for a future quarterback. Sounds like the Packers, eh?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What it Means

Nothing, really. They don’t gamble on Favre and yes, it would have been a gamble for the Bucs. John Gruden wants to control his quarterback; Favre wants to have control over the team. Jeff Garcia takes care of the ball and the Bucs’ defense win the games. Let’s just say Favre doesn’t have a “play-it-safe” mentality.

What If…

…the Bucs pulled the trigger on the deal and offered the Packers enough? Welp, tempers would flare between Gruden and Favre and the team, which has a real shot at the NFC South, could unravel at the seams. Also, the speedy Joey Galloway’s fantasy stock would rise on my board because of Favre’s cannon. Good thing I didn’t trade for Galloway yesterday like I thought I should…

It just seems that Tampa is better off without Favre to me.

Minnesota Vikings

What it Means

The Vikings not getting Favre makes them look less guilty of tampering, even though they were already found not guilty earlier this week. It also means Tarvaris Jackson is the man in Minnesota…well at quarterback at least. The Vikings now don’t have to face Favre twice a year and they get to rough up on a young quarterback, which gives the Vikes a much better shot at winning the NFC North.

What If…

…the Vikings somehow got ahold of Favre? Of course the Packers weren’t trading inside the division, but just go with it.

Vikings: “Hello, Mr. Favre. Meet Minnesota.”
Brad Childress: “Hello, Mr. Favre. Meet Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian, and a stingy defense.”
Me: “Hola, Señor Favre. Meet the Super Bowl. Meet is such a weird looking word. M-e-e-t? Haha. It’s just one of those words…”

Also, Bernard Berrian follows the Joey Galloway logic.

Chicago Bearsss

What it Means

Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton: Battle for Mediocrity. Unless they learn to utilize Devin Hester on the screen pass, the Bears will finish third in the NFC North.

What If…

…the Bears got Favre?

Bears: “Hello, Mr. Favre. Meet Chicago.”
Lovie Smith: “Hello, Mr. Favre. Meet Adrian Peterson, Devin Hester, and a still pretty good defense.”
Me: “Hey, Brett. That’s not the good Adrian Peterson, that’s the other one, so don’t get your hopes up. Hester is a speedster and you have a good defense behind you. Uhh…I wouldn’t grant you a Super Bowl bid yet…not even guarantee the playoffs. Heh…speaking of meeting people, the word itself…..”

The NFL

What it Means

The NFL can now get back to what it does in the pre-season. Play meaningless games and report on who has a hamstring injury (It seems like everyone does right now. That’s what we in the business call a ploy to not have to play pre-season games.).

What If…

…Roger Goodell didn’t re-instate Favre? He’d be hated by many, loved by few, and cement his legacy as a total hard ass.

The Media

What it Means

There is going to be a lull in the media world of sports. They can report as much as they want on how Favre is doing at camp, but no one will be glued to his TV anymore like I was once the re-instatement was granted. They’ll be all over it once the season draws nearer and nearer, though.

What If…

…Favre’s itch went away as soon as it came? We’d be bombarded with stories of Chinese Human Rights issues, a 40-year old swimmer, the Men’s Basketball team, “Why you should watch Olympic archery” and “What to watch for during a fencing match” stories, and team-by-team breakdowns of Little League World Series teams and in-depth coverage of how to effectively push your child into reaching goals you never could acheive while making him hate competitive sports, and possibly you, while doing so.

ESPN

What it Means

It’s time to pick up on the things mentioned above.

What if…

…the saga of Brett Favre was still happening?

Hello, launch of ESPN 4: Brett Favre 24/7.

At 11:00 AM Eastern, ESPN reported that Brett Favre is not interested in an open quarterback competition. The reason being is that he does not want to affect team chemistry. Albeit a bit late for the not-wanting-to-affect-the-team angle, Favre could actually consider the Packers’ situation.

Favre and head coach Mike McCarthy stayed at camp until after midnight, obviously discussing the situation.

Brett Favre is expected to not practice with the team at 2:00 today, so this could be the actual beginning of the end of Favre’s Packer legacy as the Minnesota Vikings are found not guilty of tampering with Favre while being on the Packers’ roster.

I figured the Packers would love to see Brett Favre again after Aaron Rodgers went 7-for-20 with an interception in the end zone in a Family Night scrimmage game. A Family Night scrimmage is just a (slightly) glorified backyard game with the cousins and Rodgers disappointed. But, to be fair, his interception in the end zone was a forced pass between multiple defenders did show shades of Favre. Maybe the shade was cast by Favre’s personal charter flying in, but either way, it looks as if the Packers have plenty of interceptions to throw this year.

More to come of this soon…probably within the hour. I hear ESPN is trying to attatch a helmet cam to Favre and start a brand-new station…which they’d air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNClassic, ESPNU–if they still have that–ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN 8, and probably ABC, Disney, and most likely SOAPnet.

Since I don’t know what the problem is with Internet Explorer and my pages, I’m going to post these directly as well as on my fantasy page…