FantasyGuru.com: Staff Blog

News, Notes, and Nuggets from the Owners’ Meetings

Matt Camp — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:41:58 +0000

With the draft still more than a month away and the biggest names in free agency finding homes, we are in a little bit of a lull when it comes to news. However, John Hansen attended the combine and Adam Caplan spent time at the owners’ meetings looking to pick up any information from coaches, executives, and other team officials. What we have here are some of the nuggets from the coaches that spoke last week in Arizona.

Bruce Arians, Cardinals

-Believes addition of Rashard Mendenhall helps because of their history. Mendenhall doesn’t need to come out of the game.

-Prefers to use one RB instead of committee

-Wants to name starting QB ASAP, possibly by end of spring. Comfortable with Drew Stanton because he knows the system already and has some athleticism.

-Outside of Levi Brown at LT, there will be competition on the OL.

-Wants flexibility at TE because he doesn’t like to use a FB. Rob Housler praised for being an excellent receiver, just scratching the surface.

Tom Coughlin, Giants

-Excited about Brandon Myers’ catch total from 2012. Believe he’s well rounded and can help with ground game.

Jason Garrett, Cowboys

-Need more than one RB. Need to run it better. Need to balance offense and healthy DeMarco Murray has meant team has been at their best on offense. Murray does good job catching and running. Injuries to Murray, Felix Jones proves they need another guy. Liked what Lance Dunbar did as instinctive runner, good route runner, but not everything translates well from practice to game. Dunbar a good special teamer, but maybe not a legit #2.

-Feel they have played to Tony Romo’s strengths and he doesn’t really limit them at all, as production has shown. Love his instincts, great vision, great feel for bodies around him in pocket, great feel for defender spacing, don’t want to stifle him. Continues to harp on improved ground game helping Romo.

Chip Kelly, Eagles

-Looking for QB to grasp offense, how they process it on the field, transfer from practice to game important

-Not looking to use 2 QBs

-Still needs to see more of the team on the field to get a better grasp of what he has, roles, etc.

Mike McCarthy, Packers

-Randall Cobb picked up things very easily, able to play lots of positions. Tried to tailor some things to him last year and worked out well. Excellent slot receiver.

-Need to get Jordy Nelson healthy and keep him that way. Could be very good with Cobb, Nelson, and James Jones healthy.

-In process of finalizing running game. Schematic changes coming. Run blocking needs to improve.

-Feels great about DuJuan Harris and how he finished the season, but stops short of naming him starter.

Sean Payton, Saints

-Believes Drew Brees’ job changed with lack of run game and shaky defense.

-Wants more opportunities to run the ball. Will help the whole offense.

Ron Rivera, Panthers

-Impressed with Steve Smith because he does everything. They put him in position to take advantage of abilities.

-Brandon LaFell has developed into a very solid football player. Will continue to grow. Can get in tight spaces and make catches.

-Need to work on using RBs. Need to work on rotation to get quality touches.

-Cam Newton needs to keep improving base fundamentals, like footwork, especially in shotgun, because tendency is to get lazy.

Greg Schiano, Buccaneers

-Wants Doug Martin to get some time to rest in the offseason, maybe take a little bit of the load off him, but also use him more on third-down because he’s a good receiver and blocker.

-Called LeGarrette Blount a backup RB. Will gives carries to those who earn it.

-Josh Freeman needs to figure out what he was doing wrong on turnovers (7 INTs in 13 games, 10 INTs in 3 games).

-Wants Freeman to scramble when he can make a play. Can extend play in/around pocket and with arm strength hit a big play. He’s an accurate passer on the run, so pocket was moved more. They are a vertical passing team, which might explain Freeman’s lower percentage. Hinted that issues with Freeman’s mechanics were feet/upper body not being in sync.

Jim Schwartz, Lions

-Compared Reggie Bush’s big-play ability to a hitter being able to clear the bases. Also said Bush could return kicks.

-Believes Bush can help Calvin Johnson and vice versa because they open things up for each other and make teams play if they focus on Johnson.

-Doesn’t believe Bush is declining. Said he ran against eight-man boxes a lot last year and did it well. Still thinks he’s explosive.

-Said there’s more than enough touches for others like Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell.

Mike Smith, Falcons

-Said Steven Jackson has a great skill set. Runs and catches it well. He’ll get opportunities and open up opportunities for others.

Marc Trestman, Bears

-Thinks Jay Cutler can improve mechanics and knows he can have high-level mechanics. His arm is as good as any he’s seen. Can make all the throws, change speeds.

-Will have some read option in the packages. Know how to coach it. Cutler has tremendous agility and mobility. Can move and throw it accurately. Cutler is exceptionally tough.

-Believes Evan Rodriguez can play FB. Excited to see more of him. Offense can use more traditional FB, but will see where they are with personnel after OTAs.

-Matt Forte has a skill set that goes the whole spectrum of what you want in a RB. Can run in and out, catch it extremely well, very good route runner, versatile, willing blocker.

-Looking at Alshon Jeffery as a starter, has seem him do some very good things, but not enough to really know.

-Devin Hester is just a specialist for now.

Bill Belichick, Patriots

-Danny Amendola is productive on the inside and has had some production on the outside. No explanation for his injury issues.

-Donald Jones has the opportunity to improve.

-Thought Ryan Mallett really performed well and improved a lot last year.

Gus Bradley, Jaguars

-Told told Blaine Gabbert, ‘We’re supportive of you. We love your talent level and all you can bring, but we’re still going to have competition. That’s the NFL.’

Rob Chudzinski, Browns

-Believes Josh Gordon has all the tools to be solid #1 WR.

-Greg Little improved as the season went on. Very physical player, does a lot of things well. Can play in slow and they can move him around. Norv Turner should help development of receivers.

-Jordan Cameron has some tools to work with and should have opportunities.

-Open to using read option. Noted Turner has been an innovative guy for years.

-Thinks Trent Richardson can play on any down, but wants to keep him fresh. Called Montario Hardesty a nice change-of-pace guy. Happy to re-sign Chris Ogbonnaya because he’s versatile and does a lot well.

-On Brandon Weeden: he can throw the

ball, he’s got good feel and presence in the pocket and really it’s just going to be about getting him into this system, into

the meetings, getting a chance to coach him and seeing what he can do once we get out there on the field. Noted he’ll be learning a new system, so almost like a rookie again.

John Fox, Broncos

-On signing Wes Welker and what he brings: This game is about matchups, and depending on what matchups you get defensively… One of the reasons we went a lot of what we call 12-personnel was if they go to nickel or put a DB in to cover one of those tight ends, [then] all of a sudden they’ve gotten smaller so there are some advantages there in the run game. Everybody does this. Now, if they sub base

then it’s a matchup you like in the passing game. You do the same thing with the three-wide sets—we call it 11-personnel. What do they have against you? How are they going to matchup defensively? A lot of it is how the defense matches up. Having had to defend Wes for so many years, you learn to appreciate how touch a matchup he is. It’s hard to have one guy cover him.

-Thinks Peyton Manning will be better now that he’s had a season back.

-All the RBs got opportunities and happy to have large stable. Ronnie Hillman is getting better, really pleased with. Transition as a rookie a little slower because of having so many plays to know with audibles, so protections change, which is tough. Needs to be bigger/stronger, needs a year to develop pro body.

John Harbaugh, Ravens

-Replacing Anquan Boldin will make WR very competitive. Named pretty much every WR they have as someone who could step up.

-Believes Tandon Doss would be the first guy you have to look at to play the slot. Also thinks having guys like Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson helps because you can flex them out too.

Gary Kubiak, Texans

-DeVier Posey won’t do anything in the spring coming off Achilles surgery

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati

-Mohamed Sanu has a great understanding of the game, very mature for his age. Complete player, better in games than practice.

Doug Marrone, Bills

-Will be very multiple with their offensive scheme, will depends on what they want to attack.

Mike Munchak, Titans

-On signing Shonn Greene: “He’s a guy that can fall forward. A guy that’s physical. A guy that understands his role. And we’re not (just) looking at him as a short-yardage back, a goal-line back, a four-minute back and that’s all he does. We feel he can play all three downs. He may get a series where he gets going, we’re taking over the line of scrimmage, we want that type of runner in there and we’ll leave him in there. He gives us some more options. We haven’t stayed healthy at that spot the last two years. We’ve been really nervous. Luckily C.J. has been very durable and hasn’t missed a game. We feel very blessed there with that. … Especially with a young quarterback, we have to start moving the chains better and making that time of possession better.

-Jake Locker enters 2013 as the unquestioned starter, but needs to stay healthy. Has the component of running in his game, so could use some read option to add another dimension.

-Believes that Taylor Thompson is still learning, so Delanie Walker became someone to target because he’s different than what they have.

-How Walker helps: Chris Johnson’s had his most success, we’ve had a guy that can move and felt comfortable as that second tight end, moving around, creating different formations and opening up the defense. He can line up in the slot, he can line up at tight end, he can line up in the backfield. He gives us a lot of versatility, which creates matchup problems and confusion for the defense, which we like. We talked to guys on our stuff, and we know how many problems that gave them with certain guys.

-Got away from being physical last year, weren’t able to stay on the field, didn’t get enough offensive plays. If they can get ground game going consistently, gives them matchup to win with guys like Walker vs. LBs.

Chuck Pagano, Colts

-Will be some West Coast flavor to offense under new OC Pep Hamilton, but know they have to run it. Believes adding some short passing game, catch and run stuff will help.

-Vick Ballard always gets positive yards, extra yards. Did a good job as the closer. Has make miss-ability in the open field. Gets better the more carries he gets.

Joe Philbin, Dolphins

-Wants improvement in decision making, accuracy, play-making ability at critical times from Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill showed he could make vertical throws, out-breaking route throws, in-breaking route throws, move around and show athleticism.

-Believes Mike Wallace brings element to offense they didn’t have, but not having him run go routes on every play. Need to do more.

-Hopes Lamar Miller takes advantage of opportunity with less crowded backfield. Impressed by his running skill, explosiveness. Wants more consistency in pass blocking and catching the ball, which he showed flashes of last year.

-Dustin Keller is competitive in terms of blocking, but they need to work with him.

-Michael Egnew didn’t earn any opportunities last season. Didn’t even do it on special teams. Just showed some flashes, needs to get his game speed up.

-Hopes Daniel Thomas can stay healthy and be more consistent. Has to eliminate the fumbling and mental errors.

-Brandon Gibson has good route skills, caught the ball consistently, moved the chains, got some YAC, played bigger than his size.

Andy Reid, Chiefs

-Alex Smith has been able to handle a lack of stability and that’s a tribute to him. Thought a change had to take place, always had his eye on Smith.

-Jamaal Charles was moved around in 2010 and it worked out well, which is what Reid has done in the past. Handled himself well in the passing game. Wasn’t utilized in passing game in last couple of years.

Rex Ryan, Jets

-Made it clear competition at QB is important, but Mark Sanchez will get the first snaps.

-David Garrard had a strong workout and can still throw it well. Believe he’s healthy.

-Believes if Santonio Holmes comes back healthy, they’ll have an above-average group of receivers. Just want Holmes ready for Week One. Could be limited in camp.

-Will be using West Coast offense under new OC Marty Mornhinweg, but wants other aspects as well to be very multiple.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers

-Will be leaning on strengths of their guys with switch to zone-blocking scheme. Want to optimize what they do best.

-Too early to tell where Heath Miller is at in recovery and his timetable.

-Matt Camp

They’re Unnecessary

Matt Camp — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 19:32:11 +0000

Each year, we publish an article about Overvalues & Players to Avoid, but make a point to say that at the right value, anyone is worth drafting. While I agree with that philosophy for the most part, there is always a group of players I want nothing to do with due to injury history, continuing off-the-field issues, too much competition at the position, or a coach who doesn’t care about your fantasy team (looking at you, Mike Shanahan). With training camp underway and mock drafts happening much more often, I figured I’d share my 2012 list with you. You’ll probably have some disagreements, which is understandable since some of these are based on gut feeling. I asked some of you on Twitter about players on your list and will include them below.

There's too much going against Ahmad Bradshaw to draft him with confidence this year.

Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw has been one of my favorite players to watch since making a name for himself as part of the Earth, Wind, and Fire backfield for the 2007 Giants. After Derrick Ward departed, Bradshaw got a much-deserved increased role in the offense. I’ve given him plenty of credit for being a versatile back with the ability to be a tough, inside runner, as well as reliable part of the passing game. He’s battled multiple injuries, a sometimes bad OL, and most recently, a shift in offensive philosophy. However, the Giants are coming off a Super Bowl season in which they were among the worst rushing teams in the league. Bradshaw battled injuries for a good portion of the season, and with an obvious shift in philosophy to more of a pass-first offense, the team took home yet another Lombardi Trophy. HC Tom Coughlin would like to improve on that rushing attack, which probably explains the selection of David Wilson, but he has to know that winning in the NFL starts with a successful passing attack. Between the threat of Wilson, his long injury history, and the passing attack being the key to victory, I just don’t see how Bradshaw will ever rise to prominence again. He’s going way too high as it is in drafts right now and will probably be someone you keep in your lineup for a few extra weeks too many based on name value alone. As much as it pains me to say, I’m staying away from him in 2012.

Any Jet Skill Player – Early last season, I had a discussion with a friend, who strictly plays in (extremely) high-stakes fantasy leagues. We were discussing draft strategy and he said a big deciding point on players comes down to just how good their team is. He loved Darren Sproles last season because he knew Sproles was part of one of the best offenses in the league. On the other hand, he wanted nothing to do with Shonn Greene because there didn’t appear to be a lot to get excited about when it came to the Jets. Of course, he ended up being correct on both accounts, which had got me to thinking about using this strategy a little more often going forward. The Jets stuck out as a team I want nothing to do with this season because of their mess of a QB situation, a lack of talent in their receiving corps, no RBs to feel good about, an OL that took a step back last year and didn’t improve in the off-season, and the giant monkey wrench Tim Tebow is going to throw into the offense. I can’t find one reason to be optimistic about this offense, so I’ve decided to stay away from them altogether. If I could find any upside, maybe I’d change my mind, but I just don’t see it.

Redskin RBs – I hate seeing good talent go to waste, but I hate it even more when I waste a draft pick on a player I banked on starting for my team. If you’re taking Roy Helu in the top eight rounds, you’re probably expecting him to be in your lineup just about every week. One problem: he’s a Redskin RB. I really want to get behind a talented player like Helu or Evan Royster, but how can I when Mike and Kyle Shanahan seem to change their minds on a daily basis when it comes to who will be getting the ball for them in any given week. Even worse, they’ll talk up a player, like Ryan Torain, and then keep him off the field once we get around to the actual game. Why should we believe this is going to change when it’s all we know from the Shanahans dating back to their days in Denver. Outside of two great backs, Terrell Davis and Clinton Portis, they’ve shifted backs on and off the field on a constant basis. To me, it’s such a crapshoot to deal with on a weekly basis that it’s not worth my time to have any of these players on my roster, especially not someone like Helu, who’s been going around the 6^th round of many drafts I’ve seen. There’s definitely some good talent in this backfield, but no one that sticks out enough to ride with for the majority of the season, so I’m staying far away from all of them.

Patriot RBs – Much like Mike Shanahan in Washington, Bill Belichick doesn’t care about your fantasy team. Outside of Corey Dillon in 2004, the Patriots haven’t really given us a reliable fantasy back in the Brady Era and I don’t expect that to change in 2012. Sure, we’ve seen guys like Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and Kevin Faulk have decent numbers for a few weeks here and there, but relying on this team to give you a consistent option is asking for trouble. We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback on Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, but that doesn’t mean Belichick is going to make one of these guys his main ball carrier for the entire season. He, like the rest of the league, knows that the key to winning is by throwing the football and as we saw on their way to the Super Bowl last season, the Patriots can certainly do that with a lot of success. The addition of Brandon Lloyd will only make them that much more dangerous through the air, which is why I expect the ground game to continue to be an afterthought in their offense. Why bother with anyone in this backfield if Belichick won’t (and shouldn’t) feel the need to commit to any of his RBs?

LeGarrette Blount – The former UDFA had a nice rookie season in Tampa Bay back in 2010, but came crashing back to Earth last season after many drafted him to be their #2 fantasy back. He certainly fell well below those expectations and often didn’t even belong in a starting lineup. The Buccaneers made some big changes in the off-season and traded back into the 1^st round to get a much more talented player in Doug Martin, who is already getting plenty of praise and appears to have already passed Blount on the depth chart. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since Blount is a big, lumbering back, who doesn’t react well to contact and has shown just about no skills as a receiver. I’m confident saying he’s a player with no upside and the most he’ll do is steal a couple of TDs from Martin, although that’s probably reaching. Considering how late he’s going, I’d rather get someone with upside than waste a pick on Blount.

Martellus Bennett – Drafting Bennett is similar to drafting a RB, who might not be any good, but may end up being a volume back. With Jake Ballard out for the year (and now gone) due to an ACL tear and Travis Beckum working his way back from his own ACL tear, the Giants added Bennett in the off-season and it certainly looks like he’ll be their starter come Week One, mostly because they really don’t have anyone else who can fit that role. We’ve heard all about Bennett’s potential, but he never came through in Dallas despite having little pressure on him playing as the understudy to Jason Witten. I realize Witten has been one of the best at the position during the time Bennett has been there, but we’ve certainly seen our share of teams with multiple TEs who contribute. Bennett’s had plenty of chances to step up and it hasn’t happened yet. Some believe he can be a sleeper in what might be a better situation, but I’m not buying it.

Randy Moss – If you owned Moss at any point in 2010, this shouldn’t be a hard sell, but I’m still seeing a lot of people buy into the hype created by 49er HC Jim Harbaugh when he told Rich Gannon Moss was the team’s best receiver this off-season. This is also the same coach who said the team wasn’t interested in Peyton Manning as a way to smooth things over and pump up Alex Smith. Moss turned 35 earlier this year and after a season out of the game, we’re supposed to believe he’s going to make a major contribution? This is the same guy that played for three teams in 2010 and made little impact on any of them. Even if Moss is somewhat refreshed from a year off, he’s still in the mix with a great talent in Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, who’s coming off a solid 2012 campaign. On top of everything, we’re relying on Smith to just not be bad again and I’m having trouble buying into that idea. Give me a player with some legitimate upside over a hope and prayer like Moss.

I also wanted to touch on a few players I don’t feel comfortable with on my team due to their high ADP, which I don’t expect to drop barring an injury/off-field issue. I’ll only take these guys if they fall considerably, which probably won’t happen.

Chris Johnson – Despite a very disappointing 2011 season, Johnson continues to be a 1^st-round pick and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. Maybe it’s because the position is so weak near the top or maybe it’s because some believe he’ll rediscover the magic that helped him crack the 2000-yard mark in 2009. I’m having trouble buying into any of that logic since the only player I saw last year was a tentative runner, who continued to look for the big play too often as opposed to taking what was given to him. Add in the notion that the Titans will become more of a vertical passing team and Johnson doesn’t expect to catch as many passes, and you don’t have a player that should be coming off the board as your top pick. I don’t think he’s a bum, but I’m avoiding taking him unless he falls into the middle or end of the 2^nd round, although I doubt that happens.

Dez Bryant – We know all about Bryant’s off-the-field problems and maturity issues, but I’m usually one to overlook that when you have a player that’s as physically gifted as Bryant. Unfortunately, he’s yet to reach his potential despite having lots of opportunities to do so in his first two seasons. I’m well aware that injuries have plagued him over that time and historically, third-year receivers tend to break out, but with his skill, it really shouldn’t be taking this long. His draft status hasn’t changed a whole lot for fantasy, yet he hasn’t really proven to be worth what I perceive to be too high of a pick. I still believe the potential is there for him to be a dominant player, but with the inconsistency he’s shown so far, I’m probably more willing to play it safe with a reliable option than hope Bryant is going to pan out.

DeSean Jackson – Jackson feels like the ultimate boom-or-bust player. We know he has the ability to change a game with one play, but we also know he’ll disappear at times. In PPR leagues, I’m not touching the guy because he’s never caught more than 63 balls in a season and I don’t see that changing this year, especially with guys like Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek on the same team. Jackson isn’t a RZ target and if he’s not scoring, like last year (2 receiving TDs), he’ll usually be a disappointment. Whether it’s his concussion history, perceived attitude problems, or relying on Michael Vick, Jackson’s stock appears to have dropped off just a bit heading into 2012. Some believe that because he finally got paid, his head will be in the game and he’ll rebound this year. Others think that because he got paid, the effort won’t be there. Jackson’s a bit of a polarizing figure and I’m not quite sure what to expect from him this season, but knowing how frustrating he can be, I’ve decided to stay away unless he falls down the board considerably and that’s probably not going to happen.

Finally, here are some of your tweets about players you’re not touching this season:

@ErictheBody: Andre Johnson, never scores double-digit TDs, never plays double-digit games

@druishprince: I’m passing on inconsistent players this year. DeSean Jackson and Vincent Jackson. Jermichael Finley. Need consistency from starters.

@The_Controller: Michael Turner.

@FG_Dolan: Ahmad Bradshaw!

@Alekismyname: Andre Johnson, the way he burned me last year I’ll never draft him again.

@Novocaine: Ahmad Bradshaw has to be on that list, right? Screws in foot = no-no. Maybe I’m wrong but I’d also add Kevin Smith. Yeah, he’s the week 1 starter, but people are forgetting he’s made out of glass.

Thanks to everyone who contributed on Twitter, and if you have any more suggestions or questions, please feel free to send them to me @TheMattCamp or include them in the comments below.

Game Notes: Giants, Jets, Raiders, Eagles

Joe Dolan — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:41:04 +0000

This off-season, we spent some time watching each and every NFL team again, trying to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses with players we might have missed in the rush of the regular season. The intention was to feel more confident in our analysis for what turned out to be our biggest player profiles ever.We spent more time on some teams than on others, and even the teams we spent the most time on we were only able to watch a handful of games. But we thought it might be cool to publish a series of blogs detailing what we saw from the teams we watched with our raw notes.

These notes were never intended for publication, so forgive grammatical errors or the occasional poor language. Nor were they intended to be comprehensive, or definitive takes on fringe players (especially WRs, who are difficult to watch on TV angles). We simply thought it’d be a neat way to show a little extra insight into some of the players that we might not have felt like we had a great grip on this season. Each of the games that follows in this article is from Week Two.

New York Giants

Week 2 – Stl

Eli Manning
- 1st-quarter INT was a horrendous throw… totally fooled by zone pressure and never saw S Quintin Mikell.
- Great chemistry with WR Nicks.
- Know he was great in the playoffs but there is still a hot-and-cold element to his game, more so than you see from a Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees. He was terrible against the blitz in this game, and his deep balls were inaccurate.

Ahmad Bradshaw
- Looked good early in this game… great with the cutbacks, willing to absorb contact.
- He can go anywhere with the ball… I know he struggled this year but he looked like a complete back in this game.
- Capable, natural receiver.

Brandon Jacobs
- He does what he does. When he gets a head of steam, he’s tough to bring down. But that head of steam is not consistent or even the majority. He stinks in short yardage.

Mario Manningham
- Attacked CB Justin King on first play… comeback route on designed PA rollout from Eli.
- Hands can be frustrating, had a big drop on 3rd-and-3, ball hit him right in the chest.
- Can get deep against safeties, Eli missed him 2nd quarter.
- Late 2nd-quarter catch on a bobble… he bobbled a perfect throw and fell down catching it. Good concentration but should have been a 50 yard-TD instead of 24-yard catch.

Domenik Hixon
- Tore ACL on acrobatic TD catch… will he be Manningham replacement?

Hakeem Nicks
- I know he has problems with drops, but in this game it looked like he had glue on his hands at times. Huge hands, allows Eli to throw tough back-shoulder balls.

———-

New York Jets

Week 2- JAC

Mark Sanchez
- Very efficient opening drive. Got going with shorter passes, then uncorked two longer throws to Keller and Holmes.
- 1st-quarter TD to Holmes a fantastic throw. Holmes only wideout on play, Sanchez pump froze defense, stuck it in between two defenders high. Excellent timing and location throw… helped that he had perfect protection.
- INT on second drive “vintage” Sanchez. Never saw CB underneath WR Derrick Mason in bracket coverage, and throw wasn’t strong enough to get into window before CB William Middleton made easy pick.
- Used mobility to his advantage in this game.
- Second INT similar to his first in that he tried to stick a throw to a receiver he locked in on, allowing defender Rashean Mathis to undercut WR Holmes. Defenses can bait Sanchez.
- TD throw to Keller in 3rd quarter was fantastic. Keller had little separation from LB Paul Posluszny, Sanchez put it right on hands. His 2 TD throws his 2 best throws of the day.
- You get the feeling watching Sanchez that he’s a ticking-time bomb… even when he’s throwing the ball well (as he did most of this game) you hold your breath on any throw down the field.

Shonn Greene
- Clearly at his best when he just moves forward and uses his size. At times, he made multiple moves before he even got to the line of scrimmage. He’s not elusive or fast enough to recover from doing that. He needs to build a head of steam.
- Don’t get the feeling he’s a lead back.

LaDainian Tomlinson
- Used as a change of pace from Greene.

Santonio Holmes
- Absurd route on 17-yard 1st-quarter TD. Three stutter steps/quick moves to create just a little separation from CB, then leaping catch in end zone between CB and S. The type of play that makes you wonder why he’s not more productive.
- On Sanchez 2nd-quarter INT, Holmes made no effort to come back to the ball and play “defender” against Mathis… pick was Sanchez’s fault but Holmes must make effort when he sees defender jumping route.

Plaxico Burress
- Total non-factor in this game. Didn’t even notice him until 4th quarter, when Sanchez targeted him twice in the red zone.

Dustin Keller
- Got going with 2 catches on opening drive, including 33-yard gain on crossing pattern. S Courtney Greene slipped. Throw from Sanchez a little behind him, but he was wide open.
- Another big gain down the seam 3rd quarter, Sanchez snuck ball into tight window. Threw it behind him a bit, might have had a bigger play if he led him up the middle of the field.
- True difference maker.

———–

Oakland Raiders

Week 2 – @BUF

Jason Campbell
- Slow delivery is apparent when watching him.
- Campbell’s “slow” play is exceptionally dangerous when he throws near the sidelines. Allows defenders to jump routes on WRs, CB Drayton Florence in particular had a near pick six in 1st quarter.
- Raider line struggled to protect at times. Not a good recipe because Campbell is very deliberate.
- When he has time, capable of throwing a perfect deep ball. But time was an issue with this line often.
- Not a lot of shotgun in this game for the Raiders, but it was effective when they did use it.
- “Touch” isn’t a word you’d use to describe Campbell’s throws. Doesn’t have a feel for what kind of speed he needs to put on the ball.

Darren McFadden
- Hard to imagine a back in the NFL more willing to just run someone over than McFadden is.
- Raiders set up screens for him pretty often…clearly because they were missing firepower at WR in this game. Jackson putting the ball in his playmaker’s hands.
- Totally unstoppable in first half. Gained something on every run.
- Focus is ALWAYS upfield, even when forced to bounce. Eyes never wander. Anti-Chris Johnson.
- Did not have a single negative-yardage play all game.
- Not many moves. Just goes. Fun to watch.

Michael Bush
- Clearly the Raiders’ goal line back. Surprising because McFadden was so effective in short yardage in this game. Bush just doesn’t have the acceleration of DMC. Took him two tries to score from 1 yard in 2nd quarter
- Raiders view him as a similar player to McFadden – he’s not as straight-line explosive, but they run all their standard plays with him, including shotgun draws. Invites contact.

Marcel Reece
- Raiders’ wild card – how often in the NFL is a guy listed as a FB and splits out wide? He had to play WR in this game with so many guys missing.

Taiwan Jones
- Took an end around while split out wide. Perhaps a design of Raiders missing WRs in this game.

Denarius Moore
- First real shot of the game was taken to him. Designed double move against CB McKelvin, route was a little sloppy, throw was slightly long. Tough throw between Leodis McKelvin and safety help over the top.
- Spectacular catch on McKelvin in 2nd quarter. Went up and challenged for the ball from slot. Throw was an ill-advised lob… Campbell should have stuck it in lower. Great catch by Moore. Not just deep threat.
- Beat McKelvin in single coverage for 42-yard gain on go route in 2nd quarter. Nothing fancy, just a little move and ran past him. Great throw by Campbell.
- Gained 24 yards on 4th-quarter reverse.
- 50-yard 4th-quarter TD a spectacular individual play. Went high over S George Wilson and CB McKelvin to pull down the ball. Was a little bit underthrown.
- Was the only Raider WR capable of going deep in this game. Led to some forced throws by Campbell.

Derek Hagan
- Veteran WR featured in this game thanks to key injuries at the position.

———-

Philadelphia Eagles

Week 2 – @ATL

Michael Vick
- The thing that makes Vick so frustrating is that, even when he struggles, you can see just HOW GREAT he could be. In this game, he was careless with the ball, and it cost the Eagles despite them outplaying the Falcons completely.
- Think about it. The Eagles put up yards WITH Vick being inconsistent and frustrating. Imagine if a full off-season could eliminate just a few mistakes?
- Vick’s inability to see a blitz evident in this game.
- Overall, this has to be the fastest offense in the league, INCLUDING the OL. Jason Peters plays LT like a freaking running back the way he gets downfield.

LeSean McCoy
- He’s good. Really good. It’s hard to imagine any player in this game having more short-area elusiveness than he does.
- The Eagles run a ton of draws with him, and he’s unstoppable out of them.

Jeremy Maclin
- Absolutely dominant in this game. He looked like a #1 WR… unfortunately it ended with a terrible drop on his part on 4th down.
- People talk about DeSean as the deep threat, but notice that Maclin’s speed also forces defenders to play off coverage… he takes advantage of it with quick slants and comebacks… he’s a more polished and complete receiver than DeSean.
- Effective on WR screens.

Game Notes: Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, Saints

Joe Dolan — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:17:39 +0000

Miami Dolphins

Week 2 – Hou

Chad Henne
- Sack on first series no receivers open… Henne had no chance.
- Henne stood in there and delivered strike to open Bess for 41 yards 2nd quarter… Houston was called for roughing the passer.
- Henne 2nd-quarter INT arm hit as he threw, ball HAD to be out sooner.
- The word I would use to describe Henne is inconsistent. That’s not exactly eye-opening but he misses on short throws that should be easily completed.
- By the same token, on more than one occasion he stepped into a collapsing pocket and threw a beautiful deep ball. Perfect example 2nd-quarter deep ball to WR Gates, CB Kareem Jackson called for PI, could have been a TD.
- He struggles with timing plays I feel.
- Got a lot of balls batted down… waiting a split second too long to deliver the ball?
- 25-yard 4th quarter to Hartline a fantastic throw. Put it to outside shoulder and only where Hartline could get it.
- You watch Henne and you understand why a team would love him as a backup… the tools are evident.

Reggie Bush
- Effort from Dolphins early to get Bush going between the tackles, which is the #1 thing we noticed about him all season.
- In this game Bush still would dance before getting to the line… he was destroying his speed before he even got going.
- Non-factor in this game, Thomas was MUCH better… what happened later in the year?

Daniel Thomas
- This was his first NFL game.
- Looked more effective than Reggie… HIT IT UP IN THERE with more velocity. Broke tackles.
- Gets “skinny”… can fight his way through small holes.
- If you watched this game alone and you were told BUSH would be the 1,000 yard back you’d be shocked.
- He looks kind of herky jerky, but effective. I like watching him.
- Ball security could be an issue… fumbled 3rd quarter really shook up the momentum in this game.

Brandon Marshall
- 29 yards 2nd quarter perfect example of the advantage Marshall gives you.. perfect coverage from CB Joseph, Henne just floated it in the air and Marshall went over the top
- Got behind CB Allen in 2nd quarter, dropped great throw from Henne, would have been a TD.
- Really effective at creating space on hitch/comeback routes… one of the major reasons he’s such a PPR beast. In the red zone, defenses have to respect his ability to get vertical, and it opens up the underneath area.

Brian Hartline
- Was targeted like four or five times in this game but I barely noticed him.
- Don’t think he’s particularly fast, his best asset is his size.
- 25 yard 4th quarter catch a fantastic throw by Henne… great catch too but only where Hartline could get it.

Davone Bess
- Lined up frequently in the slot… 41 yards second series found huge void in zone.
- When he lined up out wide, it was usually on a motion play. He’s a guy who creates in the short area. Big plays aren’t something he’s going to make often.
- Didn’t notice him much in this game.

———-

Minnesota Vikings

Week 2 – TB

Donovan McNabb
- Can still move a little bit… he’s not toast as a runner.
- Still effective off the play action. This is where Vikings created plays in the passing game because they don’t have a good receiver outside of Harvin.
- Missed open Shiancoe for TD in 2nd quarter… threw low.
- Deep balls were really inaccurate all game.

Adrian Peterson
- Can’t say much about this guy we don’t know. He’s an amalgamation of everything we love about RBs – he glides into running lanes like Foster, makes defenders miss in the open field like McCoy, and will run players over like McFadden. He is unbelievable.

Toby Gerhart
- Obviously, he’s not Peterson. He might not even be Peyton Hillis. He’s slow. But he does go forward… it’s why he’ll always be a viable handcuff behind Peterson. He gets positive yardage, and occasionally he’ll break one.
- Might be a better receiver than Peterson, clearly comfortable coming out of the backfield.

Percy Harvin
- Can create separation for himself with quick moves, especially in the slot. He’s not a gimmick player, unbelievable that he wasn’t used more early in the season. He can play anywhere.
- Really good at stopping his route and coming back to the ball. Defenders can’t change gears that quickly.
- He took a couple carries out of the backfield… like watching him as a runner. He understands cutbacks better than some actual RBs.

Visanthe Shiancoe
- He can go up and get the ball still… long arms and huge frame. Not fast anymore but strides well. He can contribute to a contender.

———-

New England Patriots

Week 2 – SD

Tom Brady
- He’s good… throw to Welker 17 yards first series absurd. No space on out route, put right on the money.
- Patriots came out with play action early.
- “Precision” is the word I’d use to describe Brady’s performance in this game.
- He’s mobile in the pocket. He avoids sacks, just doesn’t run a lot.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis
- Actually was impressed with his ability to fight through congestion.
- Doesn’t turn upfield naturally after catching a pass.
- When he dances in the backfield, he has no chance. Not explosive enough for it.
- Patient and will use blockers…16-yard 4th quarter TD an example.

Danny Woodhead
- Patriots tried to get him to the perimeter on almost all of his runs.

Wes Welker
- You watch him and you find you can’t say anything unique. He’s just really good.

Deion Branch
- Brady seems to look for him against zone… good at finding voids.
- Most of his production after the catch in this game.

Chad Ochocinco
- Actually caught 2 passes in this game, nice route 2nd quarter to get open and find void.

Rob Gronkowski
- One look I noticed the Patriots gave a lot… five-wide with Gronkowski and Hernandez on the trips side…Hernandez aligned in the innermost position (dictating matchup with LB) with Gronk on a S.
- First catch 10-yard TD in 2nd quarter, this time he was innermost on trips side, easy TD in zone.
- I don’t think he LOOKS fast but he is. Man can he pick up a head of steam after a screen.
- A lot of his damage in this game was play design and Brady recognizing advantages. It’s one thing to stop him when he’s well covered, it’s another to try to stop him when he’s not covered at all.
- Pats will bunch the TEs to create confusion.

Aaron Hernandez
- Beat S Bob Sanders for 14-yard TD in 1st quarter… Brady an excellent throw to the much bigger Hernandez, who was able to leap and come down with the ball over Sanders. Really a throw that Sanders couldn’t defend.
- He’s an impossible matchup for a LB. Very sudden and elusive in his movement.

———-

New Orleans Saints

Week 2 – Chi

Drew Brees
- Colston injured, did not play, Saints played a lot of 2 TEs. Possibility if Colston leaves in FA?
- Saints a lot of short passes to get the offense going. Chunks of yardage, Brees hit Sproles, Graham, Meachem, Henderson, Thomas all for gains.
- Obviously, nasty off play action.

Darren Sproles
- This guy is invaluable to the Saints’ offense. Really call him a RB only because of the occasional carry. Same way that Graham is really a TE because he occasionally lines up there.
- He will line up out wide as a flanker. There is nothing they don’t do with him.
- Often on the field with another back.

Pierre Thomas
- Dropped pass… very rare for him.
- Don’t know how to make this sound “scouty” but in this game he was a far more effective runner than Ingram. Always gained positive yardage, ran through contact better.

Mark Ingram
- He felt like less than an afterthought in this game. He had a couple nice runs but he also had a couple negative runs.
- Good vision, seems to know when to bounce and move it forward.
- Wasn’t impressed with his moves in the open field.
- They went to him in the red zone.
- Can the Saints trust him as “closer” when his ball security is an issue?

Lance Moore
- Doesn’t always line up in the slot – he’ll play on the perimeter as well. People forget that Colston is primarily a slot guy because he can exploit mismatches.

Devery Henderson
- Did some of the “Colston work.” 79-yard TD vs. Cover 2 came out of the slot, straight down the seam. Henderson made perfect move at the right time to get behind S Major Wright, and Brees made a perfect throw.

Robert Meachem
- All his catches in this game were “short,” not what you expect from him. Saints compensated for absence of Colston with Meachem and Henderson running some “Colston routes”
- Problem in this game was that he didn’t create after the catch on those routes.
- On TD, came out of the slot.

Jimmy Graham
- They scheme to get him the ball. Clearly the guy they focused on in the passing game with Colston injured. Screens, stacks, slot play.
- They LOVE him outside the numbers in the red zone against man. Fade routes against safeties… Brees inaccurate throw 1st quarter with Graham singled up on S Wright.
- Impressed with his ability to find voids in zones for such a raw player… he knows when to sit and wait for Brees. Good chemistry.

Game Notes: Texans, Colts, Jags, Chiefs

Joe Dolan — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:53:27 +0000

Houston Texans

Week 2 – @Mia

Matt Schaub
- Texans came out throwing.
- First drive stalled inside the 5 when Dolphins got pressure on Schaub, forced him to throw it away.
- Texans established run on first drive then brought out the play action.
- Dolphins got pressure early and were able to throw the passing game out of rhythm.
- A lot of the plays he made early came on the run… example 2nd quarter short TD to Daniels.
- Not a lot of room for error… shortarmed an out route about 20 yards down the field to Andre. Arm strength issues evident on that play. Andre open.
- Dolphins pressure was all over Schaub in this game.

Arian Foster
- Was inactive Week One. First carry of the season classic Foster. Just glides through small hole for 14 yards.
- What you notice about Foster is that his cuts/reads sometimes surprise you… he finds room where there doesn’t appear to be any.
- No wasted movement… no dancing. Every jump, cut, juke has a purpose.
- He’s one of those players who is so smooth he looks slow… but before you know it he’s picked up 10 yards.
- Left this game injured… but he was spectacular when he played.

Ben Tate
- Started Houston’s second series… opened with 13-yard reception and 15-yard run
- Not nearly as natural a receiver as Foster, but he can contribute there if they need him too
- Not as smooth as Foster, but I think he absorbs more contact. “Handcuff” is the best way to describe him.
- He actually looks faster than Foster, but I think that’s because his movement isn’t as “gliding.”
- Texans will use him as the “closer”… had a bunch of 4Q carries.

Jacoby Jones
- 31 yards on first possession… Schaub rolled out and found Jones between coverage. Jones came from far slot to near sideline… great playcall to get mismatch, good concentration from Jones who adjusted to tipped ball by S Yeremiah Bell.
- Great punt return 1st quarter… you imagine he’s a frustrating player for the coaches because he clearly has the talent to be almost a game-changing player but he disappears.

Andre Johnson
- Texans tried to scheme him away from CB Vontae Davis when possible.
- Got about six inches of separation from CB Davis 43 yards 2nd quarter, play action got single coverage. Great throw by Schaub, fantastic concentration from Andre.
- 4th quarter TD went right behind CB Noah Carroll… Carroll must have thought he had help, easy TD, total bust from S Reshad Jones, who looked lost.

Owen Daniels
- Split out wide on the Texans’ second play from scrimmage, 10-yard gain against S Jones who was late getting over.
- Schaub missed him for TD second series… Daniels released after blocking and Schaub floated it over his head as he was falling away.
- 2nd quarter TD a good play by Schaub to roll away from pressure and Daniels to notice what was happening and come back to the ball, good chemistry.

James Casey
- I’m surprised we didn’t hear more from this guy this year. He had a 23-yard catch called back by penalty, but he came out of a three-point stance in the backfield as the up back in an I and ran down the seam. Really athletic. They can move him around.

Week 4 – Pit

Matt Schaub
-Patient with poise in the pocket. Good protection up front. Sees the field. Can step up into the pocket and deliver throws with confidence.
-Impressively delivered passes into tight windows early in the game, although penalties took some plays off the board.
-Passing game limited in this game. A lot of play-action, working off successful run game. Lost Andre Johnson in middle of the 2nd quarter.
-Missed wide open Foster in corner of end zone on 3rd down. Ended up scrambling and delivering the ball to him late and high. Texans had to settle for FG.
-Gets the ball out with a quick release but doesn’t necessarily put a lot on it downfield. Still hit Daniels in stride downfield.

Arian Foster
-Unbelievable ability to stick his foot in the ground and make the right cutting the Texans’ zone blocking scheme. Explodes through the hole and has great vision and patience. Offensive line effective in creating holes.
-Keeps his feet driving after contact and can break tackles. Falls forward.
-Almost impossible to defend when he cuts back. So explosive and quick.
-Playing this game after being limited by hamstring injury early in the season. Ended up with 30 carries after Tate limped off early.
-Looks natural as a receiver out of the backfield.
-Ripped the Steeler defense apart on first possession, largely responsible for Texans taking nearly 11 minutes off the clock on opening scoring drive.
-Runs with incredible balance. Keeps plays alive and bounces to the outside even when there’s no room up the middle. Avoided tackle by Troy Polamalu in the backfield with great juke, then bounced the other way for big pickup.
-Later agility is almost impossible to match, especially for a guy his size.
-Controlled the game with the offensive line in the first half. Texans dominated time of possession, and Texans made it look easy stringing together momentum against Steeler run defense, which is very, very rare.
-Just missed leaping catch in corner of end zone after play broke down. Was wide open, but Schaub was late and ball went high off his fingers.
-Made long TD run look easy. Cut back across the field and outran everybody. Daniels sealed the edge.

Ben Tate
-Not as sharp of a runner as Foster, but gets momentum going downhill. Runs hard and is tough to defend in the Texans’ blocking scheme.
-Limped off the field on first drive after only 2 carries.

Andre Johnson
-Runs precise routes. Clearly tough to handle physically because of his size and agility. Burned Ike Taylor easily on an out pattern to pick up a 1st down on 3rd down.
-Hurt his hamstring in the 2nd quarter after catching 4 passes

Jacoby Jones.
-Silent most of the game. Got a deep ball down the sidelines late, but didn’t get separation and ball was tipped away with good coverage.

Owen Daniels
-Easy TD on first drive. Steelers sold out against the run at goal line, Schaub ran play-action with Foster (who had been rolling), and Daniels released from block and was uncovered out to the left.
-Tough to handle after the catch because of his strength and agility.
-Very versatile player who can also be a threat downfield, which the Texans needed when Johnson went down.
-Effective blocker, sealed edge on big Foster cutback for TD.

Joel Dreessen
-Has a bit of speed. Texans set up a perfectly blocked screen to him out wide on a play-action. Dreessen peeled out from blocking and got downfield for a 14-yard pickup.
-Called for two holding penalties on the Texans’ first drive.

———-

Indianapolis Colts

Week 2 – Cle

Kerry Collins
- Started this game for the Colts.
- Colts used a lot of shotgun, three-wide, and stack concepts, trying to create quick strikes.
- Problem with some of the quick strikes is that Collins was either rushed in his throws or innacurate… doesn’t work in this offense.
- Collins was particularly poor in this game.

Joseph Addai
- Colts’ line generated absolutely no push in the ground game early, leading to Colts putting Carter in. Line improved as the game went on.
- Only back who played in this game who was somewhat capable of making a defender miss in the open field. Utilized a jump-stutter step well. Understands cutbacks.

Delone Carter
- Colts’ line struggled in the run game early, so Carter was used a lot because he would absorb contact and move forward.
- Doesn’t have much lateral movement.
- Difference in speed between Carter and Addai is palatable. Carter much slower.
- One thing you notice about Carter is that he can occasionally “get skinny” and get himself through a crease to create more yardage.

Reggie Wayne
- His understanding of coverage and route-running is still apparent. Fantastic at giving himself space. Victimized Sheldon Brown twice in the first half. And once late.
- He can still play. He might not be dominant because he can’t run past anyone, but if he follows Peyton he’ll produce.

Pierre Garcon
- Clearly the only Colt receiver capable of getting vertical.
- Browns were more concerned with him than Wayne… he drew the matchup with top CB Haden, actually drew three penalties from Joe Haden.

Austin Collie
- Almost always aligned in the slot. When he was on the outside, he motioned into a stack or into the slot.

Dallas Clark
- Separated from the formation, quick passes.
- Colts ran a lot of two-TE sets with Brody Eldridge as the other… they must value him as a blocker and view Clark/Tamme as similar players
- Not a guy who gains a lot of separation against safeties. You watch Clark and you say “He needs Peyton to succeed.”

———-

Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 2 – @NYJ

Luke McCown
- Started this game for Jags, sacked for safety on the first drive.
- Was pressured early, never recovered. Threw off his back foot all game, shortarming throws.
- Made perfect deep throw to Dillard in 2nd quarter, was picked on a horrendous throw next play downfield to Thomas. Threw ball between three defenders (ill-advised) and sailed it right to Antonio Cromartie.
- Second INT was miserable, never saw S Eric Smith playing zone in the middle of the field underneath WR Thomas.
- Threw INTs on consecutive pass attempts in the 3rd quarter, both when he was rushed. INT #4 resembled #2… didn’t see zone coverage underneath receiver across middle. There was nowhere to throw the ball.
- Horrendous performance from top to bottom.
- Benched for Blaine Gabbert in 4th quarter.

Maurice Jones-Drew
- Little to no success running up the middle. Whenever he gained yardage when between the tackles, you felt that he earned every yard. Jet defense was stifling in this respect.
- MJD had to get skinny and run through tackles when running between the tackles.
- Don’t think he was tackled on first contact once all game.
- Given how good the Jet D was, a great performance overall.
- To get him going, Jags ran pitch plays, shovel passes, and draws.

Mike Thomas
- Played in the slot. Clearly Jags wanted him away from Darrell Revis.
- Low to the ground, so he moves pretty powerfully. Can run through arm tackles. Strong guy.
- Only WR you noticed the Jags had in this game.

———-

Week 2 – @DET

Matt Cassel
- Chiefs came out running the ball incessantly, even when Charles went out. Clearly didn’t want to subject Cassel to Lions’ pass rush early.
- Underthrew ball on 45-yard gain to Bowe in 2nd quarter… good adjustment by Bowe. Arm strength limitation apparent. Could have been a TD.
- 2nd quarter INT a good throw between three defenders… went off Bowe’s hands and picked.
- Cassel’s problem in this game was mistakes when taking chances… late 2nd quarter INT was thrown high and behind a wide-open Jerheme Urban.
- Downfield throws bordered on wildly inaccurate in this game… that’s a concern.
- Chief concerns with Lion rush came to fruition in second half. Cassel lost fumble leading to Lions TD on sack, then picked up when rushing a throw under pressure in 4th quarter.
- Miserable overall game. Chiefs unable to get anything going, and Cassel really struggled.

Jamaal Charles
- Injured on his second carry of this game. Chiefs lost their offensive soul… gameplan got much more conservative, less exciting when he went out.

Thomas Jones
- Became the Chiefs’ “sustaining” runner when Charles went down, splitting time with Le’Ron McClain.
- Still physical, but you can see why his effectiveness has waned. His first step is slower and he isn’t capable of making defenders miss in the open field.
- Nothing special about his game at all.

Dexter McCluster
- Actually started this game as a third TE. Came around behind Cassel and picked up 22 yards on an TE around. Nifty playcall… stuff like this was destroyed when Charles got hurt because McCluster had to become the “Charles-like” player.
- Clearly a satellite “gimmick” player miscast as a traditional RB… this hurt his effectiveness and the coaches’ ability to put him in a better position to make plays. When they tried, effectiveness of the plays limited because defense didn’t have to worry about Charles. In other words, he’s not a 15-touch type of guy.
- Ball security issues could be a problem.

Dwayne Bowe
- Great feel against zone. Doesn’t try to do too much, understands when he has space, presents an open, big target for Cassel.
- Beat defense for 45-yard gain late 2nd quarter. Had to adjust to underthrown ball. Could have been a TD with a better throw.
- Throw off his fingertips picked off 2nd quarter… he’s had some issues with inexplicable drops. Good throw by Cassel.
- Dropped a deep ball in the 4th quarter… might have heard footsteps. Another good throw by Cassel. When Cassel is your QB, margin for error is smaller and Bowe HAS to make a play like that.

Game Notes: Cowboys, Broncos, Lions, Packers

Joe Dolan — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:11:17 +0000

Dallas Cowboys

Week 2 – @SF

Tony Romo
- First play, slightly overthrew Austin on potential big play, but Austin slowed down and probably should have caught pass.
- Dez Bryant out of this game.
- First drive two big plays to Witten… one a fantastic throw the other great pocket movement
- LT Doug Free had a poor game. He looks lazy at times.
- Romo injured in first half, Jon Kitna actually started 2nd half, Romo came back late 3rd quarter after two Kitna INTs.
- Romo was incredible in the 4th quarter and OT… major throws under duress. He’s fun to watch when he’s on.

Felix Jones
- Injured early in this game… hurt shoulder on first series but returned.
- Total non-factor… couldn’t even get a read on him in this game. Afterthought in the gameplan.

DeMarco Murray
- Stiff + straight line, very tight in his hips, similar running style to Raiders Darren McFadden but not as fast or explosive.

Miles Austin
- Romo/Austin struggled to get on same page early. Frequently targeted early on but either Romo’s throws were off, Austin dropped ball, or there was miscommunication. Maybe why Austin a frustrating fantasy player?
- Caught 3 balls on Cowboys final series of first half — Austin 53-yard TD well designed by Cowboys. Motion to 3×1 set dictated nickel corner Tramaine Brock on Austin in the slot, Brock fell down, Austin easy TD.
- Austin good route and good reaction on 25-yard 4th quarter TD… Fantastic throw by Romo, but S Madieu Williams made horrendous read and play.

Jason Witten
- Match up on CB Carlos Rogers in slot on first 3rd down…created a little bit of space, great throw by Romo, 25 yards.
- He’s not explosive or fast. But he’s strong and has great chemistry with his QB, both Romo and Kitna. They trust him to find space and pick up YAC.
- A lot of Witten’s value comes in the team’s ability to run 2 TE sets… dictating that defenses stay in base personnel.

Week 12- Mia

DeMarco Murray
- Felix was back in this game, but Tony Fiammetta was out. A lot of one-back runs for DeMarco, some with backup TEs in the backfield.
- I think in this game Murray had a lot more subtle lateral movement… was able to find some space.
- There was an element of patience in his game this particular week.
- Exhibited the ability to “get skinny” to get through holes, a good sign.
- 18-yard 2nd quarter run, he went left tackle and then made CB Sean Smith miss in the open field. Lateral agility… we didn’t see this from Murray all season.
- Murray good at picking up the blitz and a capable receiver… for fantasy we like to see this because it means he can stay on the field on third downs
- He didn’t have the huge stats in this game because he didn’t have the huge runs/holes, but I feel like Murray played a “complete” game this week. Can he put that together into a full season?

———-

Week 2 – Cin

Kyle Orton
- Notice he’s comfortable making all the throws… this is important as a backup to Tony Romo, because Cowboys won’t have to try to change offense.
- Effective on the play action fakes, knows where to go with the ball.
- His quick throws were usually pretty accurate. With the weapons in Dallas, he could be a great Waiver guy if he needs to play.
- I think his pocket awareness is a little shaky… 3rd quarter fumble could have been prevented.

Willis McGahee
- Knowshon Moreno injured this week.
- Thought the Bronco line got pretty good push. McGahee great behind a line that can get a little push because he makes decisions so quickly.

Lance Ball
- Not much lateral movement to his game at all. He’s a one-cut guy who invites contact. Didn’t see any moves in this game.

Eddie Royal
- On both of his receptions on opening drive, he was put in motion… not strictly a slot guy with Orton at QB.
- Actually came out of the backfield in this game at times.
- Injured early 2nd quarter – Tim Tebow had to play WR

Eric Decker
- Fumbled on his first reception, great throw by Orton after great PA fake, opened up middle of the field but Decker lost it
- He’s a really “aware” receiver… knows when the play has worked the way it’s supposed to, communicates with his QB. This will fly with Peyton Manning.
- 25-yard 3rd quarter TD, created separation from CB Nate Clements at line of scrimmage with effective swim move, saw this move twice in this game. Creates just a little space.
- 52-yard 4th quarter TD, came back to the ball, good back shoulder throw by Orton.

NOTE: We didn’t make any extra effort to watch Tim Tebow again. We feel like his strengths and weaknesses have been discussed ad nauseam, and we watched plenty of him to try to figure him out during the season.

———-

Detroit Lions

Week 2 – KC

Matthew Stafford
- Lions clearly designed to get him going early. Two WRs screens to open, then a pass to Best in the flat.
- Horrible decision on 1st quarter INT. Threw ball while wrapped up by DL Wallace Gilberry, just floated into air. Lucky S Jon McGraw fumbled it.
- Perfect throw on 1st quarter TD to Calvin between two defenders… chemistryy here is just absurd.
- 2nd quarter TD throw to Scheffler even better than his throw to Calvin… perfectly fit ball into zone, understanding throw would be there because 3-TE formation brought S McGraw to the line of scrimmage. Made stick throw into closing window.
- If there’s an issue in Stafford’s game, it’s his tendency to sail throws. They didn’t hurt him in this game with turnovers, however.
- Underrated elusiveness. You think of Stafford as a stand-in-there passer but he can move away from the rush, and he uses his strength to shake off defenders. What you like about him is he’ll always look to set his feet and throw downfield if possible, even if he breaks the pocket.
- Masterful performance.

Jahvid Best
- Actually a pretty strong runner… he’s small but he’ll keep his legs moving to try to pick up extra yardage. He won’t run somebody over but he’s capable of breaking a few tackles in addition to making guys miss in space.
- Does a good job keeping his focus forward.
- Picked up blitz nicely.
- Lions did give him carries up the gut, and he picked up yardage, they just didn’t do it often.
- Have a feeling most of his “fantasy damage” in the future will be in the passing game. Played a lot in the slot, and/or motioned out wide. He’s a nightmare matchup for a LB, ran right by LB Derrick Johnson in 3rd quarter for huge gain in passing game. Faked route to the flat and then cut it up inside. Johnson had no chance.
- Burned Johnson again on a double move for 9-yard 4th quarter TD. These are the matchups the Lions want.
- Really sudden route runner. Watching this game, felt like Best was a better route runner than Titus Young.
- Had 2 TDs and a big second half, but you almost feel like Best was an afterthought in Lion offense… function of Stafford really mixing it around the field.

Calvin Johnson
- 15-yard 1st quarter TD came when he was the only receiver separated from the formation. Just ran right by CB Brandon Flowers and a perfect throw from Stafford before safety help got there.
- Scored twice, but was not really a huge factor in this game, at least from a yardage standpoint. If Chiefs took him away, they paid for it with big production from other weapons.

Nate Burleson
- He was most effective on short patterns – curls, outs, screens. Stafford way overthrew him on 2nd quarter deep ball.
- Really good after the catch, has a good feel for when a defender is behind him and can slip a tackle.
- Lions clearly didn’t trust their run game – three WR screens to Burleson in the first half alone.
- Reliable receiver for Stafford… we might have been disappointed with his season because he wasn’t explosive for fantasy, but he made a lot of key plays for the Lions and Stafford trusts him in tight windows, which is important.

Titus Young
- Lions spent a lot of time in three-wide. In this alignment, Young often on the outside with Burleson or Calvin in the slot.
- Spectacular catch 43-yard in 2nd quarter… went up and beat CB Brandon Carr falling backwards for ball on great throw by Stafford.
- Got a 28-yard pass from QB Shaun Hill late in game. Not much separation from CB down sideline, just a great throw by Hill, good control by Young to stay inbounds.
- Doesn’t look to be a particularly crisp route runner.

Tony Scheffler
- TE in name only. Rarely lines up in formation at LOS. Usually split into slot, out wide, motioned into backfield, or stacked behind another receiver.
- 36-yard TD reception in the 2nd quarter was one of Stafford’s first shots down the field. Scheffler was one of 3 TEs on the field, became separated from formation when Will Heller motioned into backfield. Scheffler busts out of three-point stance and just splits the zone. Unbelievable throw by Stafford down the seam.

Brandon Pettigrew
- Really a non-factor in the passing game in this one.

———–

Green Bay Packers

Week 2 – @Car

Aaron Rodgers
- What can you say about this guy? He’s unbelievable. Throws better on the run than many do from the pocket. 2nd quarter 38 yards to Finley great example.
- Actually felt as if he rushed some throws in this game.

Ryan Grant
- SLOWWWWWWW

James Starks
- Clearly has more juice than Grant but he’s not very sudden… choppy when he makes a move.
- Lacks breakaway speed.
- Better receiver than Grant.

Greg Jennings
- When Packers went three wide, he was often the ISO receiver on one side with Nelson and Driver (in the slot) on the other.
- Love watching him create space in the short area. This is why he’s so effective in the red zone… he can stick his heel in the ground and change direction.
- CB Chris Gamble strong in coverage in this game, often drew Gamble 1-on-1.
- 49-yard TD was out of 2-tight, 2-RB personnel. Designed shot route against nickel, matched up on safety Jordan Pugh and owned him. Easy throw for Rodgers.

Jordy Nelson
- First time you really noticed him was on 84-yard TD, Nelson was X and slanted under CB Captain Munnerlyn… no coverage across the middle because of great PA fake.

James Jones
- Packers like him as the Z… allows him to build a head of steam.

Randall Cobb
- Really quick after the catch… is he the most natural slot WR on this team? Breaks tackles in the short area.

Jermichael Finley
- Separated from the formation more often than not… Packers ran designed misdirection screen with him 2nd quarter.
- Motion a lot.
- Packers clearly tried to get him going early in this game, he was the primary read on a lot of plays.
- 38-yard 2nd quarter reception lined up in formation as a TE, ran down the seam and found void. Rodgers great throw on the move.
- They LOVE splitting him out wide in red zone.
- In the red zone, motioned him out wide for fade pattern to end zone. Singled up on S Sherrod Martin, Martin called for PI.

Game Notes: Panthers, Bears, Bengals, Browns

Joe Dolan — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:09:52 +0000

Carolina Panthers

Week 2 – GB

Cam Newton
- Panthers came out chucking the ball. Deep shots to Jeremy Shockey first two plays. They trusted him EARLY in the season. Coaches know what they have.
- Newton throws on the move extremely well, so dangerous.
- Can throw across the field… arm strength allows him to do this.
- Recognized positive chances at the line of scrimmage… TD throw to Brandon LaFell good example, found single coverage.
- Panthers did nothing to hide Newton at all… a ton of shotgun and empty backfield. Run game was an afterthought.
- More comfortable in the gun.
- 2nd INT a mistake… broke down and threw off his back foot, Charles Woodson undercut it.
- Everything we learned about him this year confirmed in this game. If he continues to develop the sky is the limit.

DeAngelo Williams
- Non-factor in this game. Not really a “sustainer,” at least in terms of the gameplan. Panthers tried to get him going by running to the perimeter, putting him in motion, and splitting him out. Didn’t really work.
- Stewart is a more natural receiver… turns upfield quicker.

Jonathan Stewart
- Really looks natural coming out of the backfield as a receiver…turns upfield quickly and builds a head of steam. Surprising he wasn’t used in this capacity more.
- Major factor as a receiver in this game… extension of the run game, allowed Newton to get into rhythm.

Steve Smith
- Panthers put him in motion, make him hard for a defense to mark. This works to Smith’s advantage because he’s such a smart receiver.
-
Legedu Naanee
- In three-wide, he was the slot WR.
- Struggled to gain separation from safeties when sent down the field.

Greg Olsen
- Panthers almost exclusively 2 TEs early. TD called back by penalty.
- Beat S Morgan Burnett in 1st quarter for 34 yards… Unbelievable throw by Newton. Recognized man and knew Olsen would beat him off the line.

Jeremy Shockey
- He can still get open, creates space. Understands route running.
- Panthers would occasionally run 2 TEs with BOTH TEs separated from the formation

Week 4 – Chi

Cam Newton
- Not immune to mistakes. Forced a throw into double coverage early downfield to Naanee. Ball was thrown late and almost intercepted.
- Panthers running a lot of different formations and looks. Newton ran reverse option from under center, took and flipped out to Stewart for solid gain, although holding penalty on Olsen brought it back.
- Stands tall and poised in the pocket.
- Throws a catchable ball with accuracy and a smooth delivery.
- Bad interception on second drive on another forced pass.
- Clearly not Mike Vick in terms of speed, but a fast and powerful runner.
- Effortless arm strength. Play broke down, but rolled out and threw 50+ yard pass to wide open Smith near goal line without setting his feet.
- Was a little lazy with footwork on a few throws, causing ball to sail a little high.
- Impressive in the pocket, but can also improvise and throw on the run. Does play like Ben Roethlisberger, fighting off tacklers, when necessary.

DeAngelo Williams
- Slippery between the tackles, hits the hole and has good vision. Keeps his legs driving and runs hard.
- Panthers using two-TE offense, shift TEs around and use in backfield.
- Ran a Wildcat read play with Stewart, took it himself and easily picked up 7 yards between the tackles.
- So dangerous when he gets a crease. Laterally explosive with a burst upfield.

Jonathan Stewart
- Big gain early from shotgun/3-WR look. Read option, Stewart gets the handoff and bounces it back outside to the right, gets upfield for big gain.
- Panthers clearly like using him as a receiver. Nice screen to him picked up a chunk of yards to the outside early after penalty set them back.
- Really dangerous when he gets some room going downhill. Another screen got him a crease, and he had a big burst through the hole, outran several defenders.
Steve Smith
- Chemistry with Newton is excellent. Timing there between them, even though it was only Week Four.
- Tough receiver with dsfaseep speed and physicality over the middle. Undersized but willing to get hit.
- Dangerous after the catch, still has a burst and elusiveness.

Brandon LaFell
- Caught an improvised throw from Newton on the sidelines, but lacked awareness and stepped out of bounds right away instead of balancing himself and continuing to run.

Jeremy Shockey
- Got called for a push downfield on 25-yard TD from Newton, took it off the board.
- Uses size to his advantage. Can help make up for lack of speed/separation.

———-

Chicago Bears

Week 2 – @NO

Jay Cutler
- Has some “Vick” elements in his game… by that I mean he’ll run around when he doesn’t have to, make a play, and then it makes you forget that he didn’t have to break down in the first place.
- Cutler tough to watch in this game. Looked like he had no idea what was happening. OL didn’t help but he didn’t help the OL either.

Matt Forte
- Love watching him get to the edge… he might not be fast in the traditional sense but he “glides,” kind of like Arian Foster or Fred Jackson. No wasted movement with him.
- So painfully obvious he’s their best offensive player. I don’t think I noticed a WR in the first half outside of Dane Sanzenbacher’s TD and Earl Bennett’s injury.
- When lined up in the slot, he’s a terrible matchup for a LB. Big-time advantage for the Bears. Creates separation with “spin route.”
- Ability to make defenders miss is underrated. His moves aren’t flashy but they’re effective.

Johnny Knox
- Cutler was rushing throws… missed open Knox a couple times.
- Tough to stop when he’s the Z… he can run past his man and find a zone. Runs a square in well, presenting open target for Cutler.

Earl Bennett
- Slot receiver almost exclusively. Took huge hit from S Roman Harper on his first catch of the game.

Devin Hester
- Seems to have no idea how to run a route… most effective when they get him into the open field with a quick crossing route. His speed should make him a deep threat but it seems as if he takes himself out of the play sometimes.

Dane Sanzenbacher
- 8-yard TD total coverage bust. Wide open behind all coverage.
- Just does not gain separation against man. Single coverage with CB Leigh Torrence in 3rd quarter in red zone from slot… Torrence blanketed him, no room for Cutler to throw.

Week 4 – Car

Jay Cutler
- Bears had no interest in passing early. First drive ended in red zone when Cutler ran draw from shotgun on 3rd and goal from the 4.
- Attempted 1 pass in the first 24 minutes of the game. Bears ran and made big D/ST plays.
- No downfield passing game for Bears. They ran and threw short… and when Cutler dropped back, he was pressured.
- Frequently backpedalling away from pressure and forced to throw off back foot.
- Lacked confidence in this game. Was not poised under pressure.
- When protection is there, capable of stepping up and delivering strong/accurate throws into tight windows.
- Got happy feet in the pocket. Let a throw sail in 4th quarter, was intercepted. Perceived pressure.

Matt Forte
- Really dangerous in the open field. Followed blocks to the right, found a crease and made defenders miss in the open field. Really elusive with some lateral agility.
- Bears really riding him early in this one. Decisive runner with quick feet and burst. Hard to stop if you let him get to second level.
- O-line actually gave him some room in this one. He capitalizes on it with 17-yard TD on outside run with Panthers loading up the middle. Once he finds a crease, he’s incredibly dangerous. Hits the hole hard and is a smooth runner.
- Effective receiver, reliable hands, tough to bring down after the catch.

Marion Barber
- Actually made someone miss with impressive juke at the line on first carry, picked up a 1st down on 1st-and-10 play.

Johnny Knox
- Commitment to run/struggles in pass protection limit his value because lack of downfield game, but showed he can make plays with drag route. Turns up field and clearly has a second gear.

Roy Williams
- Actually made a catch early for 15 yards on slant, but that was his only target.

Devin Hester
- Can’t really be counted on to catch the ball in traffic.

Week 16- @GB

Kahlil Bell
- A lot of his runs came behind FB Tyler Clutts.
- Patient, willing to let holes develop.
- I didn’t find his lateral movement particularly smooth… he’s not necessarily a straight-line runner, but he doesn’t move side-to-side with perfect fluidity. Still, he manages to find yardage. Sloppy, but effective, at least this week.
- Doesn’t have breakaway speed.
- Wouldn’t call him a pure physical runner, but he’s not afraid of contact and is capable of generating enough power to run through tackles.
- Thought the Bear line in this game performed well, gave Bell holes to find.
- Capable receiver, not a stud because his routes were sloppy, but he could catch 50 balls in the right situation.
- Ball security issues? Fumbled twice in this game.
- Armando Allen, who was the backup RB in this game, clearly faster.

———-

Cincinnati Bengals

Week 2 – @Den

Andy Dalton
- Thought he was occasionally a little bit late with his throws, minimizing YAC on occasion.
- I actually think he throws a pretty nice deep ball when given time.
- He can create a little bit with his feet, an essential trait with a lack of arm strength… kept his shoulders turned upfield when running.
- Sold the play action well. What you notice about Dalton is he does everything he needs to do to hide his limitations as an actual thrower.
- Ridiculous poise… didn’t play like a rookie.

Cedric Benson
- Bengal line was BAD in the run game.
- LB Joe Mays stood out as a good run defender, aggressive.
- He was dancing in the backfield, but he had to.
- I thought LT Andrew Whitworth looked a little slow off the snap… Benson had to create on his runs to the left edge.
- Non-factor in this game. Function of the line?

Bernard Scott
- I didn’t see much lateral movement from him.

A.J. Green
- What can you say about this guy? He’s fantastic. Does remind me of Calvin Johnson. Thought he was a tier below that kind of talent but I might have been wrong.
- Elite YAC ability.
- Type of WRs who makes DBs look totally hopeless.

Jerome Simpson
- I thought his routes were a little sloppy… at least inconsistent.
- Tough to bring down with the ball in his hands… 31-yard catch 3rd quarter a good example, as was 84-yard 4th quarter catch… great speed down the middle. Fun player to watch, if a little unpolished.

Jordan Shipley
- Tore his ACL in this game.

Jermaine Gresham
- Was utilized both in line and on the perimeter in this game, but he was a non-factor.

Week 4 – Buf

Andy Dalton
- First pass to Gresham had somewhat lazy mechanics, threw off back foot, and let it sail.
- Solid mobility, capable of staying poised and decided when to run to escape pressure.
- A little sloppy early. Misfired another short throw with poor footwork.
- Fearless in the pocket. Fantastic poise for a rookie. Stands in there. Still missed Green downfield, although had hand in his face.
- Missed an open Caldwell, throwing it behind him, and the ball ended up bouncing off Caldwell’s hands and getting picked and returned for a TD.
- Dalton started the game horribly, 4-for-15 and an INT. Very erratic with accuracy and mechanics. Then the day turns around right away by Green’s ridiculous catch over a defender down the sidelines.
- A few plays after Green play, Dalton blows momentum by throwing a horrendous INT. Have no idea what he was looking at, but George Wilson was running stride for stride in front of Caldwell.
- Was a little off balance, but delivered nice 18-yard TD pass from pocket over the shoulder to Gresham in front corner of the end zone.

Cedric Benson
- Remains an impressive one-cut runner. Good vision, solid burst through the hole.
- Lousy job dropping a well-blocked screen pass.
- Still runs really hard, gets North-South.
- Capable of being a sustainer, but Bengals not really allowing him to get into rhythm in the first half.

Bernard Scott
- Mixed in a little more than usual early in this game.

A.J. Green
- Smooth, fast runner who can mix it up.
- Runs good routes. Makes sharp cuts, breaks to the ball.
- Breaks Dalton out of slump with absurd catch on deep ball, reached over defender, stayed on his feet, and cut back for more. Unbelievable body control, awareness and balance. Totally embarrassed Leodis McKelvin.
- Willing blocker in the run game.
- Green embarrasses McKelvin AGAIN early in second half. Dalton just throws it up for grabs down the sideline… Green turns around, extends, leaps, and catches the ball falling backwards. Unbelievable play for a big gain, throw wasn’t even great.
- Incredible field awareness.

Jerome Simpson
- Simpson started but totally silent early in the game.
- Finally made a catch with 20 seconds left in first half, proceeded to spend too much time celebrating a couple yards with time running.

Andrew Hawkins
- Actually has some real explosiveness. First NFL catch on a swing pass, made a quick move upfield. Lateral quickness.

Andre Caldwell
- Bad drop on an early 3rd down at the sticks. Dalton’s throw pretty much hit him in stride but it just hit his hands.
- Had a ball pop off his hands again and caught by Bryan Scott, who returned it for a TD. Dalton’s throw was behind him though.

Jermaine Gresham
- Tough to bring down, pretty strong after the catch.
- Impressive hands, beat defender for excellent grab, high-pointing the pass in front corner of end zone for 18-yard TD. Uses size to his advantage and has good concentration.

———-

Cleveland Browns

Week 2 – Ind

Colt McCoy
- Lack of arm strength is evident when he’s throwing toward the sidelines. If the timing with WR isn’t perfect, it’s going to be incomplete or intercepted. No margin for error on those throws.
- A major problem for McCoy was that his WRs were really non-factors in this game. How can a QB like McCoy succeed when his WRs can’t gain separation?
- Improv is part of his game. 16-yard TD to Moore in 2nd quarter great example. McCoy can give himself time and give his receivers time to get open. Also 28-yarder to Massaquoi to set up Hillis TD late 2nd quarter.
- His recognition of pressure is too inconsistent. Didn’t feel it when it was there sometimes (causing a fumble) and others felt it when it wasn’t.
- You get the feeling that every throw McCoy makes down the field has a chance to be picked. Throws just don’t zip in there the way you like to see.
- Browns won this game because Hillis was good and Kerry Collins was terrible. McCoy was average to poor, and made some improv plays when he had to.

Peyton Hillis
- Lined up at FB on more than one occasion. This versatility could be big for his free agency prospects… he’s the type of guy you can use on the field with another back. Old-school FB.
- Has absolutely no moves whatsoever, but he’ll run a guy over.
- The one thing you notice about Hillis is that he always tries to fall forward when he’s going down.
- Natural as a receiver. When he gets to the flat he turns it upfield quickly, and he actually looks somewhat fast when he has a head of steam.
- Long TD run 24 yards was nothing special… just broke free of arm tackle, got outside pile and wasn’t touched past line of scrimmage.
- With Hillis’ style, you worry about two things – injuries and ball security

Mohamed Massaquoi
- McCoy’s “preferred” target in this game.
- You try to find something unique to say about Massaquoi but it’s difficult. Average size, speed, and route running. Average WR.

Greg Little
- Tough to bring down on first contact.

Josh Cribbs
- Don’t think the Browns took a shot to him past one yard down the field. Just wanted to run WR screens and swing passes to try to get the ball to him.
- Put in motion a lot.

Evan Moore
- You wonder why the Browns don’t use him more… only receiver capable of creating a mismatch here.

Week 4 – Ten

Colt McCoy
- Nimble in the pocket, stepped up under pressure and found outlet over middle.
- Doesn’t get enough velocity on passes
- Poor footwork on missed throw behind open Watson, second throw in a row that he was behind receiver. Not leading receivers.
- Badly misses on some throws… nearly picked on throw for Cribbs on third down, although OL did a terrible job in protection.
- Made a few nice throws into tough windows, including a slant to Moore… can be really precise with accuracy.
- Can be late with reads… Hit Cribbs over middle but missed him wide open earlier, could have turned it up field for more
- They protect him with a lot of underneath throws
- Will sometimes get happy feet under pressure
- Makes bad decisions when the play breaks down… On one throw was flushed out of the pocket and threw to nobody but Titan defenders, resulting in a pick-six
- Almost every pass seems to be a short, quick curl or crossing route
- Hit Watson for a TD down the seam, threw off back foot but ball still got there because he was wide open. Inexplicably, Watson was covered by DE Derrick Morgan.
- McCoy actually threw for 350 yards, but all about volume in this one. Got away from what they want to do and threw 61 passes, completing 40. Hardly any throws downfield.
- Struggles to get into a rhythm. Hops and has hitches instead of trusting protection and letting the ball go. To his credit, also took a beating in this one.

Peyton Hillis
- Second effort, driving forward after contact.
- Patience before cutting up field on stretch play.
- Straight-line player who doesn’t cut quickly, no lateral explosiveness, but gets his momentum going North-South and is tough to tackle.
- On a 4th and 1, the Browns lined up Hillis/Armond Smith in I, pitched out to Smith, who didn’t get there. Second busted play involving Smith after earlier pass out wide.

Montario Hardesty
- Browns used Hardesty with Hillis in split-back set on first play.
- Runs pretty hard, appears decisive.
- Nice job on catch down sidelines on 3rd and 1 that goes for a big first down… Stays with the ball and catches it in stride… Was lined up on the wing and ran a wheel.
- Hardesty active as a receiver.
- Caught 5 passes…. But also dropped 4 balls. Don’t understand why they used him over Hillis. Heard footsteps and turned before securing ball. Lack of concentration.

Mohamed Massaquoi
- Got a few short targets but didn’t do anything.

Greg Little
- Nice route down field on play-action from McCoy, adjusted and came back to throw that was slightly behind him on 20-25-yard out.
- Drew hold from Cortland Finnegan and was still wide open, although pass missed.

Josh Cribbs
- Horrible reverse attempt on a 3rd-and-6… Titans read it and Cribbs had to reverse field and had nothing… big loss.

Ben Watson
- Good feel for coverage, finds the open spots on the field and has good hands.
- Scored a TD, but could have walked backwards to get open matched up one-on-one with DE Morgan.

Game Notes: Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Bills

Joe Dolan — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:22:57 +0000

Arizona Cardinals

Week 2 – @Was

Kevin Kolb
- Really tough to watch in this game…didn’t see him set his feet and deliver a ball until his 4th attempt.
- We talk about a guy like Josh Freeman struggling to maintain consistent mechanics, but at least Freeman has the arm strength and ability to make the occasional off-balance throw. Kolb will throw off his back foot and just lob the ball into the air.
- 3rd-quarter INT just a terrible decision. Kolb rolled out and threw into four defenders. Inaccurate throw and poor decision. Kolb doesn’t have the attributes to make a dumb throw like that.
- Cards needed to use shotgun to help him get into a rhythm.
- Touchdown throw to Fitzgerald was fantastic. Kolb moved away from backside blitz and delivered accurate ball while getting blasted, 73 yards. Perfect example: Kolb CAN deliver a ball while under pressure… problem was he didn’t feel the pressure this time and didn’t panic. Can he do that when he KNOWS he’s going to get hit?

Beanie Wells
- Missed protection assignments in play action… this is a big-time gaffe with Kolb at QB because he’s so reactive to pressure.
- Poor receiver… doesn’t look natural at all, poor hands.
- Took game over as a runner in the second half. His change of direction is strong, smooth, and natural. Maintains speed when he sticks his cleat in the ground. No wasted movement, contrast between Wells and a guy like Roy Helu evident in this game. He’s just not consistent.
- Effective out of the shotgun… gains a head of steam and moves forward.

Larry Fitzgerald
- Non-factor in first half, got him going early in the second with quick passes.
- Cards love to move him around. They finally took a shot to him late in 3rd quarter for 24 yards. Just ran down seam and found void in the zone, good route.
- Hilariously burned CB DeAngelo Hall with Sluggo route on 73-yard TD. Wide open, Kolb delivered strike.

Andre Roberts
- They’ll bring him out of the slot.
- Needs to get more consistent catching the ball, let a perfect Kolb throw go right off his hands.
- Most of his work comes on quick slants, screens, and out routes.

Early Doucet
- Can take a hit and stay on his feet, a valuable asset in a slot receiver.

Jeff King
- 21-yard TD came on busted coverage, looked like MLB went wrong way, he was wide open.
- Slow, deliberate. He’s a backup TE.

————————————————-

Atlanta Falcons

Week 2 – Phi

Matt Ryan
- At this point in the season, Falcons still a run-first team.
- Ryan was clearly uncomfortable with pressure in this game. Did not look calm at all, DE Trent Cole was unbelievable in this game.
- Made poor reads, perfect example: INT by Asante Samuel.
- His play improved throughout the year… at this point, Falcons did not look like a playoff team. He was terrible.

Michael Turner
- Vintage Turner game… Falcons ran him at the Eagles until they wore down, then he got his holes.

Roddy White
- Didn’t notice him much in this game… function of Ryan struggling + good defense in the secondary? He was asked to win one-on-one matchups.

Julio Jones
- This game is a perfect example of why Julio struggled early in the season. He couldn’t run routes or help his QB who was clearly struggling. Didn’t “set up” the corners to help out his QB.
- Improved on these things later in the season, presumably. His emergence coincided with Ryan’s strong play in the no-huddle.
- He’s very vertical… straight-line deep speed and crossing routes. Effective on those plays that put him in a position to get YAC because he doesn’t move as well laterally… he won’t, in the open field, face up on a defender.

Tony Gonzalez
- This guy is still incredibly dangerous against a safety. Totally victimized Jarrad Page in this game.
- Falcons will utilize two TEs against teams they think they can exploit in the deep secondary.

——————————–

Baltimore Ravens

Week 2 – @Ten

Joe Flacco
- Under pressure, uncomfortable the entire game.
- Threw off balance too often, missed receivers when they did gain separation.
- Rushed throws.
- Ravens tried to get Flacco comfortable by moving him out of the pocket and using him in shotgun often.
- INT in 1st quarter was a bad throw to Lee Evans. Alterraun Verner undercut out pattern, Flacco locked onto him from the start, never made another read, and underthrew ball. Had Boldin open underneath in slot for a first down.
- A lot of one-read throws for Flacco, Cam Cameron clearly simplifying things.
- Inaccurate on long and short throws, struggled to get the ball to Rice on some checkdowns.
- Anticipated pressure led to some rushed throws.
- Clearly has some pocket mobility, but you wonder if he uses it correctly. Can improvise and make plays at his best, but can put himself off balance at his worst.
- Inaccurate even when he had time, missed Evans on deep ball in 3rd quarter.
- Really poor game against a defense that played well. Missed throws and rushed others.

Ray Rice
- Titans swarmed him most of the game.
- Ravens ran up the gut with him a lot… it wasn’t effective early as the Titans collapsed the line of scrimmage, Titan D line dominated in the run game.
- Ran into contact a lot, don’t expect that of Rice… didn’t use his lateral agility as much as you might hope.
- Flacco inaccurate on checkdowns.
- Was clearly more effective when the Ravens got him to the perimeter.
- Incredible individual play on 31-yard TD. Ravens set up a basic screen, and Rice just ran through tackles. He’s typically designated as a speed guy, but he is really physical.
- Not a dominant game, but played well against a strong defense.

Anquan Boldin
- Apparent that he struggled to gain separation.
- First catch of the game came midway through 2nd quarter. Ravens motioned him from near side slot to far side slot against zone, good throw by Flacco between defenders for 16 yards.
- Only three catches came against zone coverage, all nice throws by Flacco.
- Dropped 4th quarter TD on hit by LB Barrett Ruud, probably was an uncalled hold on CB Cortland Finnegan.

Lee Evans
- Nonfactor in this game. Flacco missed him early on a 3rd down when he had to rush a throw and was off balance.
- On his second target, ball was picked off. Evans not running full speed with bum ankle, CB Verner took risk that Evans wouldn’t burn past him and undercut out pattern, poor throw by Flacco. Verner read him the entire way.
- Flacco had Evans open deep twice… overthrew him against man, hit him for 32 yards between defenders in Cover 2.

Ed Dickson
- Dropped pass when popped by Finnegan… Finnegan a physical player, plays bigger than his size. Titans will line him up anywhere, on this particular play he was lined up in the slot in zone, drilled Dickson with a perfectly timed hit
- Ravens will line him up in the backfield on passing situations, getting him into the flat.

Dennis Pitta
- When Flacco had to make a second or third read, Pitta often seemed to be the guy he was going for. Pitta will make catches when Flacco has to improvise.

—————————————————-

Buffalo Bills

Week 2 – Oak

Ryan Fitzpatrick
- A ton of shotgun. Clearly a design by Chan Gailey to get Fitz comfortable behind rough offensive line.
- Bills a ton of 4- and 5-wide sets. Making up for lack of dynamic talent with volume of weapons. Fitzpatrick comfortable chipping away.
- Inconsistent thrower. He can zip it in there, but he also will lose the grip on a throw or two, resulting in a duck that can be picked easily. Several examples in the 1st half.
- 2nd quarter INT by Stanford Routt… no idea what Fitz was looking at. Routt came off of Johnson and undercut the post route, Fitz must have just completely ignored him.
- Effective against the blitz with quick throws.
- Really reminds you of Tony Romo, in mentality, mobility, and inconsistency.
- Game-winning 4th-quarter drive trademark Fitz. Quick, short throws, some of them perfect, others ill-advised. Got away with some potential INTs, but delivered when it counted. Mentality is ideal for a “clutch” QB… he is not afraid to mess up.

Fred Jackson
- Big 34-yard run in 1st quarter example of how Jackson is patient while still not tentative. Allowed TE Chandler to pick up blitzing LB then cut it up inside into huge hole.
- Ran a lot out of the shotgun. Very effective in this setup.
- 43-yard TD run in 3rd quarter – once again Chandler motions into backfield and makes a key block. Jackson does the rest, nothing sudden in space but he makes the right moves to get himself room. Great vision. Not a guy you’d call elusive. He kind of glides… almost reminds you of Arian Foster.
- Bills split him out wide on final drive.
- Most of his damage in this one came with a second player in the backfield… either TE Chandler or WR Nelson.

C.J. Spiller
- Spent a lot of time in the slot.
- Longest three plays (12, 18, and 26 yards) came when both he and Jackson were in the backfield in some capacity.

Steve Johnson
- Clearly Fitz’s preferred target. He forces the ball to him. And goes to him against the blitz.
- Completely owned S Jerome Boyd on 7-yard TD. Jerk route double move in red zone. Good example of how he can create space in red zone by gaining just a little separation… not elite size or speed but good understanding of routes and good feel for the field.
- Always seems to have a “halo” of space when he catches a ball. Function of strong routes in short area. Good after the catch.

Donald Jones
- Along with Stevie, almost exclusively perimeter player.
- Made key play to knock INT away from CB Chris Johnson on last drive. Bad throw from Fitz on fade pattern.

David Nelson
- The Bills’ “motion” guy at the WR position on offense. They’ll line him up everywhere and try to get him an advantage with his size.
- All his damage in the passing game came out of the slot, often as the innermost WR in trips – Gailey loves him here.
- His only play on the final drive in which he was on the perimeter was game-winning TD. He motioned inside pre-snap and found void. Wide open.
- Bills actually motioned him into the backfield in shotgun and used him as a lead blocker for Jackson multiple times.

Roscoe Parrish
- Team clearly lost something without him… big YAC potential on WR screens. Probably the big reason Spiller played WR middle of the year, Fitz didn’t have that guy after Parrish got hurt.

Scott Chandler
- Strong blocker. Bills will motion him into the backfield on run plays, and he’s an aggressive blocker – will go head on into a rushing LB. Sprung Jackson on long 1st quarter run.
- Good block on Jackson’s 43-yard TD run – once again out of the backfield.
- TD catch in 4th quarter was a bad throw by Fitz. S Branch just missed the ball. It should have led Chandler high… instead it was behind him and low. Not taking advantage of his size, Bills got lucky.
- Not a player who is going to gain separation from a S or even a LB. His advantage is entirely in his size and strength.
- Wasn’t even targeted in this game outside of the red zone. “Traditional” TE.

Week 4 – Cin

Ryan Fitzpatrick
- Fearless in the pocket.
- Accuracy is extremely erratic.
- Sometimes puts a little too much into passes, throwing his whole body into it.

Fred Jackson
- Jackson split out wide early in game.
- Moved around the field, plenty of action out of the shotgun.
- Kept his legs moving, drives forward.
- Makes sharp cuts and has exceptional vision. Just always moves forward and stays on his feet. Never quits on runs.
- Patient at the goal line, avoids traffic, bounces outside to walk into end zone.
- Incredibly versatile, good all-around player. Does everything right.

C.J. Spiller
- Bills doing nothing to get him into space in this game.

Steve Johnson
- Deceptively quick. Not a burner, but really took off after making a catch down the seam, beat Kelly Jennings to the inside and picked up 44 yards.

Brad Smith
- Bills ran a well-designed screen with him, where he cut inside from a bunch formation out of the slot… Can change directions quickly.

David Nelson
- Good downfield block on big play for Stevie Johnson
- Strong hands, nice job on hard throw by Fitzpatrick to catch the ball away from his body and bring it to his body.

Scott Chandler
- Certainly not explosive, but ran a nice route over the middle and adjusted to the ball for a diving catch.

Week 16- Den

C.J. Spiller
- Noticed in this game that the big Spiller runs came out of three-wide… he’s tough to defend when a defense is in nickel and they can’t plug holes as effectively.
- Tashard Choice came in on 3rd sometimes and red-zone… why? Trust issue?
- Effective in zone running, a lot like Jackson. Is he more similar to Jackson than we thought? Maybe why he couldn’t get on the field early in the year?
- Breakaway speed… he plays fast. Ran past LBs and safeties.
- Also capable of making guys miss. No real wasted movement in this game. For instance, I thought he looked a lot better than the version of Reggie Bush we’re used to watching.
- Even with Jackson out, occasionally lined up at WR. Makes defenses account for him at all times.
- In this game, I thought Spiller was actually tough to get to the ground, relative to his size. Kept his feet churning, ran through arm tackles.
- Bills run zone with “wham” block from TE a lot. Out of the shotgun.

Handcuffed: Is Ben Tate’s ADP straitjacketing Arian Foster owners?

Joe Dolan — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 02:26:51 +0000

It is getting to be the time of year when I am not only building my general draft strategy, but I am also starting to break down what I plan to do into specifics. I have my studs, sleepers, targets, and values highlighted. I have my duds and overvalues blacklisted. But most notably, and perhaps obviously, my analysis of these specifics starts with a single question:

“If I have the #1 pick in fantasy football this season, what am I going to do with it?”

Here’s the easy answer: I’m going to draft Arian Foster. I will take Foster and his 23.3 FPG in a PPR (1^st among RBs), plus his 1841 yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs in 13 games. I will beam when he sucks up touch after touch down the stretch of a close game when both the Texans and my fantasy team need those yards and points.

But is the answer really that simple? Unfortunately, it’s not. It’s a discussion I started on my Twitter account (@FG_Dolan) about a week ago, and my interest in the topic was rekindled on our subscriber message boards this morning.

To put it frankly, it’s wise to be a little bit concerned about Foster’s injury history. Injuries are why he went undrafted in 2009, and injuries cost him two full games and parts of a third over the first three weeks of the 2011 season. And those injuries are why second-year back Ben Tate emerged as the most valuable handcuff in fantasy football last season. On the season, Tate ranked 35^th in FPG, but he was 15^th through Week Three, a stretch during which he had 66 carries with Foster’s hamstring bugging him. He had only 109 rushes in his other 12 games, an average of 9 per game. After Week Three, he ranked 39^th in FPG. And he was even worse in a PPR, as he totaled only 13 catches on the season, with 11 of them coming spread over three separate games, so he was unproductive and inconsistent as a receiver. Tate posted exactly zero catches in 10 separate games. But because he was coming off a serious injury of his own, Tate went undrafted in many leagues, and he was as pleasant a fantasy surprise as there was in the league last year. In fact, I even used both Foster and Tate to great success on one occasion (sorry Matt Camp).

Caring about your fantasy team: is drafting Tate as a handcuff worth it?

But typically it was only when Foster was out that Tate was viable. But on those occasions, boy, was he valuable. And that’s the issue. It appears to me that Foster owners feel somewhat obligated to handcuff themselves with Tate, and it’s understandable. Tate is a perfect fit for the Texans’ downhill zone running scheme, and when their superstar isn’t available, he’s going to get the football. But it’s resulted in Tate’s perceived value totally blowing up.

According to our latest average draft position (ADP) data on FantasyGuru.com, Tate is going with the 86^th pick in drafts, placing him comfortably into the early 8^th round in a 12-team league.

From our most recent data, Tate’s ADP is 86.0. Here are players within eight picks of that, either way: Denarius Moore, Mark Ingram, Willis McGahee, Fred Davis, Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, Michael Bush, Robert Meachem, Peyton Hillis. If you include QBs, throw Robert Griffin III and Ben Roethlisberger into that mix. Yup, according to ADP, Tate is being drafted ahead of Willis McGahee (87.5), Michael Bush (92.5), and Peyton Hillis (94.3), all of whom are projected to start or have a significant rotational role on their clubs. Now obviously, those numbers are skewed a little bit because Foster owners feel they have to reach to draft him to protect their investment. But is it worth it to draft Tate and pass on players who might legitimately contribute on a weekly basis? I wouldn’t be shocked if you told me any of the players I just listed were viable flex options in a 12-team league.

In fact, of the 11 players I just listed, five are broken down specifically as good values and players to target in John Hansen’s annual treatise, published just this week (every subscriber should read it). It’s entirely possible that Foster stays healthy for most of the season, which obviously is what you hope for. But then, your relatively early pick of Tate goes to waste, and you’re left a little thin at another position as a result.

It’s led a lot of fantasy players to ask whether drafting Ray Rice or LeSean McCoy #1 overall becomes the safer play. According to ADP data, Rice’s handcuff (ostensibly Bernard Pierce) isn’t even being drafted, and it’s too early to even tell who will be McCoy’s primary backup – Dion Lewis was unimpressive last year and just got arrested, but the only other backs the Eagles are two rookies in Bryce Brown and Chris Polk. With either of these selections, it’s feasible you could land a viable handcuff with your last pick, or even off the Waiver Wire, while loading up on mid-round values. If you don’t feel good about either, Aaron Rodgers is becoming a chic pick at #1 overall (I’ve even see Calvin Johnson go there in one draft, although I don’t endorse him quite that early).

So, ultimately, the dilemma boils down to a few questions.

If you’re totally convinced Foster is the best option at RB (and I think I still am), is it more beneficial to just bite the bullet and let someone else grab Tate so you’re not burning a valuable pick?
Is the difference between Foster or Rice/McCoy small enough that not having to reach for Tate is a good enough reason to pass on Foster at #1?
Is the value of having one of these stud tailbacks so great that it’s worth passing on a guaranteed stud in Aaron Rodgers?

Right now, I’m leaning to answering #1 with a “yes,” and I’m still a little bit leery of a QB #1 overall in a 4-point passing TD league, although I’m warming up to it. I still want that stud RB.

In short, if I’m picking first overall, especially in a PPR, Foster is still my guy, Tate or no Tate. Although still ridiculously productive, Rice was actually a little sluggish at times last year and has his contract situation still looming, and there’s no way McCoy is scoring 20 TDs again. Foster is the perfect combination of TD scoring, receiving, and big plays. He’s a true fantasy monster.

But I refuse to reach for Tate, in any event. If Tate were to fall to the 10^th round or so, when more “uncertain” options like Ronnie Hillman, LeGarrette Blount, and Stevan Ridley are coming off the board, I’m more willing to protect my investment. But the current ADP data suggests I’ll have to pick him as many as three rounds earlier than that, which I’m just not willing to do. In an auction, I’ll be a little more flexible, allotting a few extra dollars to Tate, but if someone wants to overspend on a true backup RB without owning Foster, be my friggin’ guest.

As an aside, I think there can be a small compromise here: Tate only caught 13 passes last year, and if Foster does go down, I would expect to see Justin Forsett get some third-down work, and he’ll come a hell of a lot cheaper than Tate.

Overall, the purpose of this quick post was to facilitate some discussion. Is the cost of handcuffing Foster too high to draft him at #1 overall?

2012 NFL Draft Team Needs: NFC West

mbrown — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:24:19 +0000

The 2012 NFL Draft is a week away, and this edition is much clearer than last year, at least in terms of team needs, because free agency has already taken place. Here on the staff blog, I’m breaking down each team’s top needs and fantasy outlook for the draft, going division by division. In the final post, we head to the NFC West, and, if you missed them, check out the AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, and NFC South. Got a player you want your team to target? Let me know in the comments.

Also, be sure to take a look at our massive 2012 Pre-Draft Rookie Report, which takes an in-depth look at all the top fantasy prospects. And, as an early reminder, Joe Dolan and I will be conducting a live chat for commentary/questions during the 1^st round of the draft next Thursday.

Arizona Cardinals

Picks: 13, 80, 112, 151, 177, 185, 221

Top Needs:

1. Offensive Tackle – The Cardinal offensive line has been lousy in pass protection, and that’s a big problem with Kevin Kolb at QB, because he really struggles dealing with pressure. Levi Brown has struggled, but the team re-signed him, so he’ll continue starting. However, the Cardinals have not brought back Brandon Keith, so their top priority is probably addressing OT with the 13^th overall pick, unless they plan to use Adam Snyder there. If he’s on the board, Iowa’s Riley Reiff could be the pick. They could also trade down and try to grab someone like Georgia’s Cordy Glenn or Stanford’s Jonathan Martin.

2. Wide Receiver – The Cardinals are set with one of the best WRs in the league in Larry Fitzgerald, but they could use someone new to compete for the #2 job with Early Doucet best in the slot and Andre Roberts best as a role player for depth. If the Cardinals don’t take an OT in the 1^st round, they could go for Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd or Baylor speedster Kendall Wright. They don’t have a 2^nd round pick, but in the 3^rd round they could target Wake Forest’s Chris Givens, among others.

3. Outside Linebacker – The Cardinal defense made huge strides under DC Ray Horton as the season progressed last year, and they ranked in the top 10 in the league in sacks. Still, they’ve had some turnover with Joey Porter and Clark Haggans gone, and while O’Brien Schofield and Sam Acho are two young players who could step up, it couldn’t hurt to add some more young competition in the team’s 3-4 scheme. If he slips, Alabama’s Melvin Ingram is a possibility.

Fantasy Outlook: The Cardinals will probably continue to go with the QB duo of Kevin Kolb and John Skelton. They could draft a QB late, but they’re not going to address the position early. They’re set at RB with Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams, and LaRod Stephens-Howling, and they also added an athletic young TE in Rob Housler last year, so, aside from targeting a #2 WR, there probably won’t be a lot of action for fantasy.

St. Louis Rams

Picks: 6, 33, 39, 65, 96, 171, 209

Top Needs:

Sam Bradford didn't play well last year, but it would help if he had a receiver to throw to or linemen to block for him.

1. Wide Receiver – The Ram offense was a total mess last year, and while the offensive line deserves plenty of blame, it didn’t help that nobody stepped up in the receiving corps, aside from Brandon Lloyd, who is gone after only 11 games in St. Louis. The Rams will get slot man Danny Amendola back, but other than that there is no one to count on. Brandon Gibson shouldn’t be starting, Danario Alexander has durability issues, and free agent signing Steven Smith remains a big question mark. The Rams fortunately have three of the draft’s first 39 picks, so they could either take Justin Blackmon in the 1^st round or wait and take someone like Rueben Randle early in the 2^nd round.

2. Offensive Tackle – QB Sam Bradford had a rough sophomore season, and he received little help from his offensive line, which came nowhere close to living up to expectations. The Rams gave up a league-worst 55 sacks in 2011, and while OTs Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith are both young, they both got hurt and struggled last year. It’s highly unlikely that the draft’s top tackle, Matt Kalil, will fall to #6 overall, but the Rams could target someone with one of their two picks early in the 2^nd round. Or, they could trade down a few spots from #6 and try to get Iowa’s Riley Reiff.

3. Cornerback/Defensive Tackle – Take your pick. The Rams have needs everywhere, so we’ll call #3 a tie. The Ram pass defense actually held up fairly well last year despite an absurd number of injuries, although it may have done okay partly because teams ran the ball all over the front seven. They made a big signing in CB Cortland Finnegan, and they also added DTs Kendall Langford and Trevor Laws. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t add more help. LSU CB Morris Claiborne and Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox are both possibilities with the 6^th overall pick.

Fantasy Outlook: WR is the most glaring need because the Rams don’t have a quality starter on the outside right now. However, RB could also be a big need pretty soon. Steven Jackson is still very effective, but he’ll be 29 years old this season and has taken a beating as a featured runner with a tough running style. If Alabama’s Trent Richardson somehow falls to #6, the Rams could take him and try to move on from Jackson. Otherwise, they at least need to add a backup to Jackson, and it’s possible a change-of-pace back like LaMichael James or Isaiah Pead could be targeted on Day Two.

San Francisco 49ers

Picks: 30, 61, 92, 125, 165, 199, 237

Top Needs:

1. Guard – The 49er roster is fairly loaded, so they don’t really have many major needs. However, starting RG Adam Snyder signed with the Cardinals, leaving a hole to fill. As of now, Daniel Kilgore would be the starter. Picking at the end of the 1^st round, the 49ers could be in position to take Wisconsin’s Kevin Zeitler.

2. Wide Receiver – The 49ers addressed a gaping hole at WR by signing Mario Manningham, who will move into the starting lineup with Michael Crabtree, and they also took a chance on Randy Moss providing some value as a deep threat. Given that they don’t have many needs, they could still spend an early pick on a big-play receiver to develop. In the 1^st round, that may be the very raw Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech, or they could get really lucky if Baylor’s Kendall Wright somehow falls to #30. If they wait, they could target someone like Wake Forest’s Chris Givens.

3. Defensive Line – The 49ers had the best defense in the NFL and were fantastic against the run, so this really isn’t a huge need. Instead, they have the luxury of adding a few young players here and there for depth. Justin Smith and Isaac Sopoaga are in their 30s now, so depth never hurts.

Fantasy Outlook: It’s hard to predict what the 49ers will do, but, in addition to a WR, they could possibly add a TE. Obviously, they have a stud in Vernon Davis, but, as the Patriots have shown, a lot of damage can be done with multiple weapons at TE. So, don’t rule out Stanford’s Coby Fleener, who played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, in the 1^st round.

Seattle Seahawks

Picks: 12, 43, 75, 106, 181, 225

Top Needs:

1. Defensive End – The Seahawks have a very good DT rotation; however, they still need another pass rusher off the edge. Chris Clemons has been very good the last two years, but they need an athletic player in the mix with the versatile Red Bryant and Jason Jones. With the 12^th overall pick, the Seahawks could land North Carolina’s Quinton Coples or hope that Alabama’s Melvin Ingram falls.

2. Linebacker – Starting MLB David Hawthorne signed with the Saints, and while the Seahawks added Barrett Ruud, he struggled in Tennessee last year. If Boston College LB Luke Kuechly is still on the board when the Seahawks pick at 12, he’s probably the most likely pick.

3. Guard – The Seahawks have added a lot of young players to the O-line in the last few years, including spending a 1^st-round pick on James Carpenter last year, and they also signed free agent G Deuce Lutui this off-season with Robert Gallery gone. There could be re-shuffling on the line if they don’t address the position early in the draft, but it’s also possible they’ll take Stanford’s David DeCastro in the 1^st round. DeCastro is clearly the draft’s best guard and is capable of starting right away.

Fantasy Outlook: The Seahawks addressed perhaps their biggest need by signing Matt Flynn, and while there are still some who think they’ll target Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, don’t count on that. Elsewhere, the Seahawks could add depth at both WR and RB. They’re solid at both positions, but a bigger back to take some pressure off Marshawn Lynch wouldn’t be a bad idea. At WR, they’re in decent shape but have dealt with injuries, so they could take one at some point.

-Matt Brown