The Fantasy Sports Channel

“Nothing is over until we say it is! ….Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor???”

HELL NO!!!!!

• I guess Ladianian Tomlinson is apparently upset with his role in the offense. I’m thinking he should be greatful for the chance to play on a winning team last season and I don’t think he’s going to be so fortunate next year. Not only are the days of LT2 being an every week starter over in Fantasy, but I think the same can be said on the NFL level as well.
• Well guess who’s a hot commodity now? Michael Vick is now on the radar for a lot of NFL teams and I think it’s very justifiable when you consider the lack of good options out there. Teams like Buffalo, St. Louis, Cleveland, and even Carolina should be getting involved in the Vick-Sweepstakes that are coming up this off-season.
• There’s actually rumors out there that the Eagles are going to part ways with Donovan McNabb via trade, so that they can go with the younger Kevin Kolb that the team used a 2nd round pick on back in the 2007 draft. I can’t begin to tell you how ridiculous this is, but I’ll try. Not only have we not seen enough of Kolb to know that he can cut it as a regular starter, it’s way to early to give up on an all-pro player like McNabb. If the Eagles deal McNabb, they’ll be regretting it in a big way.
• Sorry New Orleans Saints‘ fans but it looks like you’re the most recent victims of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx. Last week it was the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets featured in a split cover. This week, Saints’ QB Drew Brees is posted on the cover with a large caption reading; “WHO DAT!” … Who Dat gonna jinx the team with no chance in hell at winning this game.
• Florida QB Tim Tebow has been looking pretty rough in Senior Bowl Practice thus far. Most scouts think he falls out of the 1st round and I’m right there with them. I just don’t see a traditional throwing motion and he may well be stuck with some really bad habits/mechanics that will be a problem for his whole career. Check out what position I think Tebow fits best in over at RookieDraft.com
• Finally, give us a shout-out Wednesday Night 9:00pm EST over at The Fantasy Exchange Podcast. Live Advice, News/Notes, Playoff Talk, and Super Bowl Predictions. We’ll be talking more and more NFL Draft, as the combine approaches.

Well, instead of talking about the Joke BowlPro Bowl and what a disaster it has become or dwell on the redundant Brett Favre talk that will forever plague us this time of year, this week I wanted to put it out there and tell you all some things I know that I know in 2010. . .

QB Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears

This guy has one of the worst reputations in the NFL thanks to his bitter parting with the Denver Broncos and his league-leading 26 interceptions in 2009. What a lot of people fail to realize is that Jay Cutler also threw the most TDs, 27, than he has in his entire career. What we saw this season was the absolute floor of production in my opinion and I’m convinced that Cutler will be a top-10 QB in all scoring formats this coming season. They’ll bring in another WR, they’ll add more linemen, and the defense will also bring back their all-pro LB Brian Urlacher.

QB Matt Stafford – Detroit Lions

I love people knocking this kid and I’ll continue to let them do it because that will almost ensure that I’ll get him as a backup QB in my fantasy league. Why do I want the Detroit Lions QB? Because I’m smart like a fox and there’s going to be another Paper Lion on this list. Detroit’s defense won’t be able to get off the field and the team will be playing a ton of games from behind. Matt Stafford was actually very impressive considering his age and I see him developing into a top-10 QB in any format. Yes, right it down, take a picture, and do what you’ve got to do because I’m standing by this.

RB Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys

I know this pick is becoming more and more of a fad now that Felix Jones showed some more flashes in the playoffs but I’m banking on a big season from this kid. I really think that Jones has a shot to be a top-10 back in almost all formats because of his phenomenal big play ability. Not only does Felix catch the ball well but he can also be very dangerous running outside and beating defenders to the corner. If the Cowboys make improvements on their offensive line, look for a big improvement Jones next season.

WR Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions

ALL HAIL LORD MEGATRON! I know that you folks out there are just as mad as I am about Calvin Johnson disappointing us in 2009 but 67 receptions and 985 yards wasn’t that bad, considering that he missed the majority of 4 games during the year. The 5 TDs is not the norm in my opinion and I expect a top-5 WR year from Megatron in 2010. Not a doubt in my mind that rebounds in a big way!

Miami Defense

Team Defense!?!? I know but look who they just signed and what he did in Denver. With Mike Nolan now coaching up the defense, I expect Miami to drastically improve upon their meager interception total form 2009(15). The Dolphins were one of the best in the league with 44 team sacks and with two very talented young corners in Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, Miami has a lot going for them in 2010.

Avoid Over Valued Tight Ends

I hate you Greg Olsen! Seriously though, for the folks that invested in Chris Cooley, Greg Olsen, and John Carlson, I’m sorry. I fell for it as well, especially with Olsen and Carlson. Not only did they get out performed by the other elite tight ends, there always seems to be younger and more unheralded TEs coming out of the wood-work each year. With guys like Visanthe Shiancoe, Brent Celek, and JerMichael Finley blowing up this year, I’m just not going to invest in anybody unless it’s Gates, Clark, or Jason Witten. After that, they all just seem to fall into a very similar category. . . “Not Antonio Gates”

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

I know Fantasy Football Season may be over but the 5 Post-Season Playoff competitions I’ve entered are telling me different.

• We may have seen the last of Brian Westbrook, especially as an elite Fantasy RB. The guy still has some skills but you could tell he’s too concerned with taking the big hit and Philadelphia clearly looks to be moving on with LeSean McCoy likely to be the main RB next season. So long Westy, it’s been nice knowing you and thanks for the good years.

• I know the Bengals are done and they looked terrible down the stretch but Cedric Benson was a man child this season and it looks to continue. Marvin Lewis has already gone out there and stated that the Bengals will be run heavy in 2010, so don’t expect a decline from Benson who will be on the last year of his current contract.

• “The Patriots Dynasty is over”. Please don’t shed too many tears for Bill Belicheat and the Bundchen Gang, as they still have a very young defense, three 2nd round picks in 2010, two 1st round picks in 2011(thanks to the Raiders being idiots), and there’s also that guy named Tom Brady to build around. “Yeah, we’ll never hear from them again” <—- Insert Sarcasm Here.

• The 2009 MVP has been announced and it’s Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. There’s no doubting his talent and the total control that he has over that Colts’ machine but what’s really concerning me here is the fact that nobody voted for Chris Johnson. Manning received 39.5 votes, Drew Bress received 7.5 votes, Philip Rivers received 2 votes, and Brett Favre only got one vote. I know that “Everybody Loves a QB” but this is getting way out of control.

• Alright, I can’t help it. I’m REALLY getting stoked up about Pete Carroll coming back to the NFL. He’s going to be instituting his west-coast system, he’s bringing in Jeremy Bates, and now he just hired Alex Gibbs to be the offensive line coach. If you’re not familiar with Gibbs, he is the Godfather of the Zone Blocking scheme made famous in Denver under Mike Shanahan. Justin Forsett might be a very interesting player this off-season.

• Finally, give us a shout-out Wednesday Night 9:00pm EST over at The Fantasy Exchange Podcast. Live Advice, News/Notes, Playoff Talk, and Match-up Previews. We’ll even get Brenda Warner’s take on her husband’s prospective retirement.

OK, here’s a few start ‘ems for these playoff games this week if you’re still alive in your playoff pools, contests, and such. You can either get some advice or experience how dead wrong I am. . .

QB Drew Brees – New Orleans vs Arizona

I love this pick for a survivor league, where you can only use a player once. YES, I think the Saints are going to choke but that doesn’t mean that Drew Brees won’t still have a great game. The Cards gave up plenty of points to the Packers and can be beaten through the air, so I’m looking for the Saints to put points up on the board in another game that should be a safe “Over”.

RB Thomas Jones – New York @ San Diego

On that survivor note, now is the time to use Thomas Jones! He’s in a great situation and the Chargers can still be had on the ground with the lack of talent on their D-Line. Shonn Greene has been getting used a lot more but I still expect the Jets to stick to the run and I’m looking for TJ to hit pay-dirt at least once.

WR Derrick Mason – Baltimore @ Indianapolis

This should be a no-brainer but with the Ravens going up against the injury riddled Colts secondary, look for Derrick Mason to have a ton of targets in this match-up. The veteran WR should be in store for at least 70 yards receiving and should find his way to the end-zone in the process. If you’ve still got the chance to use Mason, now is the time.

WR Pierre Garcon – Indianapolis vs Baltimore

I know that it’s no fun to have more than two or three players in a game but the rook should be closed in Indianapolis, making for excellent passing conditions. The Ravens do have Ed Reed back in the lineup but their corner backs are still very suspect and Manning targeted Pierre Garcon 8 times in the team’s last game against the Ravens resulting in 6 receptions for 100+ yards. I like his chances with the Ravens trying their best to shut down Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne.

TE Jeremy Shockey – New Orleans vs Arizona

I hate going with one Brees target only but I’ve got a feeling that today is “Jimmy Shaker Day” and that this weekend will be a good time to start Jeremy Shockey. The Saints do have a good match-up but I think Shockey will get open deep and expose a Cardinals’ defense that will be going out of their way to stop Marques Colston and Robert Meachem.

PK Neil Rackers – Arizona @ New Orleans

We’ve got to touch on the special-teamers and we knocked one out of the park last week with the super special-teamer Jay Feely but this week we need somebody involved in the game that should feature the most points scored. The Cardinals’ Neil Rackers had only missed one kick all year before last weekend and he should be in store for a lot of points regardless of if they come via 7 extra points or 3 field goals.

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Of course it’s “way” too early to post an NFL Mock Draft a whole 100+ days before the the event in New York city begins but the reality is that it’s just too much fun to do a mock this early.

The actual draft order is becoming more clear with the NFL’s regular season now over and done with. I live for the draft, so you can guarantee that there will be plenty of more mocks to go around.

1. St Louis Rams: DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

If there’s a lock this year, it’s Suh going in the top-3 picks. If the Rams select Suh, they’ll have a very stacked and talented young defensive line that will include Adam Carriker, Chris Long, and Victor Adeyanju.

2. Detroit Lions: DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

Gerald McCoy may not be as good as Suh but he’s in the same category and he’s exactly what the Lions need to prevent teams from dominating Detroit’s defense every single week.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: S Eric Berry, Tennessee

This is WAY too high for a safety to be selected but not only is Berry a special defensive player that should test through the roof but he’d be a welcomed addition to a team that needs more play makers on defense. Berry is a special player.

4. Washington Redskins: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Bradford may be injured and some folks like Jimmy Clausen a lot more but I think, with Shanahan at the helm, he’ll want to snag the guy who I think is the best QB in this draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

This appears to be a match made in heaven, as the Chiefs are desperate for O-Line help and Okung is the best tackle on my board. They made a huge reach for Tyson Jackson last year, so this could be anybody’s guess.

6. Seattle Seahawks: WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

I know this is ridiculous and he’s had his problems but we’re talking about a very special athlete here, who has a ton of upside as a #1 wide receiver.

7. Cleveland Browns: DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech

The Browns really need a pass rushing presence on defense and Morgan could be their man. It’s very doubtful that they take another Notre Dame QB here and Morgan would give their front seven a nice upgrade.

8. Oakland Raiders: QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

With JaDumbass Russell partying in Vegas, getting outplayed by street free-agents, and being one of the larger failures in the NFL, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Raiders roll the dice on the QB that chuck it a country mile.

9. Buffalo Bills: OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland

The Bills had a revolving door at offensive tackle but they have a very young interior with 2nd year players Eric Wood and Andy Levitre. They also love the potential of Demetrius Bell but they need another prototype left tackle.

10t. Denver Broncos: LB Rolando McClain, Oklahoma

McClain is a great athlete with tremendous closing speed for his size and very long arms. Denver has a good LB corps but Andre Davis is long in the tooth and this would give them a nice influx of youth with Williams, Dumervil, and 2nd year pro Robert Ayers.

10t. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Tim Tebow, Florida

This franchise needs a shot in the arm and they need to sell more tickets. I personally don’t think Tebow is a real NFL quarterback but I do think he’s a player with a lot of marketability in a state that loves him.

12. Miami Dolphins: WR Brandon LaFell, Louisiana State

I really like this kid. You watch some college players and you just know they’re going to be pros from day one. Miami doesn’t have the big-bodied WR that they need to help their passing game down the field and I think LaFell could be the answer.

13. San Francisco 49ers: OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers

The 49ers need an answer on the other side of Joe Staley and I don’t think Adam Snyder or Tony Pashos are more than serviceable. Davis would be a welcomed addition to an offense that has a lot going for it.

14. Seattle Seahawks: QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

I hate this kid. I really don’t think he’s got a prayer and I’m a HUGE Notre Dame fan but the games I’ve seen haven’t impressed me at all. I saw a weak arm with no velocity and minimal spin. He was accurate at times but I think he’s possibly the biggest bust at QB this year.

15. New York Giants: S Taylor Mays, Southern California

The Giants secondary needs play-makers and they’ll be lucky to see Mays slide this far. If Kenny Phillips can return from a degenerative knee condition long enough to play the season, the Giants would have a terrific safety tandem going.

16t. Tennessee Titans: DE Everson Griffen, Southern California

I love this guy’s pass rushing ability. He could be one of the better pure defensive ends from this class and the Titans sure could use some help on a front line that missed Albert Haynesworth a lot.

16t. San Francisco 49ers: CB Joe Haden, Florida

The 49ers defense needs more help in the secondary and Haden is a potential shut-down corner that would come in handy playing against the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and TJ Houshmandzadeh twice a year.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa

The Steelers’ offensive line isn’t that far off but they need to get better, younger, and more physical. Bulaga is a massive tackle that has some nice athleticism and would be a welcomed addition to a line that needs a shot in the arm.

19t. Atlanta Falcons: CB Donovan Warren, Michigan

Atlanta’s secondary struggled this year and never really recouped from injury. They need a corner with great cover abilities and great tackling prowess, which is exactly what Warren brings to the table.

19t. Houston Texans: RB CJ Spiller, Clemson

Some say Spiller won’t slip past the top-10 but I don’t see any team jumping on him any earlier than 15 or 20. He is a play-maker and a dynamic kick returner. I could see Houston completely ruining what could be a great fantasy RB one day.

(21) Baltimore Ravens: CB Ras-I Dowling, Virginia

The Ravens secondary has fallen off the map and it appears to be an achilles heel for them as of late. They’ll do their homework and snag the 6′2″ Cavalier that has a ton of up-side as a lock-down corner.

(22). Green Bay Packers: OT Charles Brown, Southern California

The Packer tackles got abused this year and they’re still dependent on aging veterans Mark Tauscher and Kyle Clifton. They need an influx of youth at this position and Brown could be a great pro some day.

(23). Cincinnati Bengals: RB Jahvid Best, California

I really like this kid and while Cincinnati has Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott, their offense needs more play-makers. Best brings a ton of speed to the table and moves on top of moves in the open field.

(24). New York Jets: DT Terrence Cody, Alabama

The Jets should get Kris Jenkins back from injury next year but they want insurance and depth at a crucial position. Cody is massive and could be a great run stuffer in this league but could go even higher in the draft if he proves he can manage his weight.

(25). Arizona Cardinals: TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

The Cardinals don’t really have a need for more pass catchers but they could certainly use a TE with some upside. If Anquan Boldin is dealt to another team, then this pick will make a lot of sense. Bottom Line, Greshem is a WR in a TE’s body and compares very favorably to Plaxico Burress.

(26). New England Patriots: DT Dan Williams, Tennessee

The Patroits love collecting interior linemen more than my uncle love’s weather. Seriously though, the Pats always want depth on their front 7 and Williams brings a lot of different skills to the table for Belicheat’s 3-4 D.

(27). New Orleans Saints: S Earl Thomas, Texas

The Saints still stink at covering the pass and they need more play-makers in the secondary. Thomas has a ton of speed and the potential to be a true center-fielder for the future, something the Saints definitely need.

(28). Philadelphia Eagles: DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida

Speaking of a team that collects defensive linemen like they were comic books, Philly still wants a blue-chip defensive end to pair with Trent Cole and Dunlap is a heck of an athlete that will fall from character concerns.

(29). Minnesota Vikings: LB Brandon Spikes, Florida

Speaking of Character concerns, old Brandon “Eye-Ball” Spikes brings his fair share of off-field issues but he is a great player that would be a timely pick for the Vikes, as they look to be without EJ Henderson for at least another 6 months.

(30). San Diego Chargers: DT Brian Price, U.C.L.A.

The Chargers were terrible against the run and a lot of that can be credited to the Jamal Williams injury but they obviously need more depth at the position and Price could be a nice fit for their interior defensive line.

(31). Dallas Cowboys: WR Damian Williams, Southern California

The Cowboys will continue surrounding Romo with play-makers and attempt to make up for their Roy Williams blunder. Williams is fancied as a top-20 pick by some and I agree that he gets a 1st round grade but he will slide to the end of the 1st round.

(32). Indianapolis Colts: CB Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest

One of my favorite draft mysteries, is what direction the Colts go on draft day. I see them trying to add to a secondary that was abused late in the season and might have seen the last of Bob Sanders.

Thanks a ton for reading and please bang out some feedback or comments below. You can also e-mail me questions, comments, and even complaints to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Did you vote “None of the above“? Give us your answer and why in the feedback section below!