By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

There’s nothing like nabbing a late round pick or middle round pick that turns out to be a true gem. Last year Arian Foster and Brandon Lloyd were the top of the pack in their positions for overturned value. Lloyd, had faded into a special teams athlete for a few years, and was sort of written off. No one really knew how Houston’s backfield would shape up. Most thought it would be running back by committee. When Ben Tate went down though, it really opened up things for Foster as the lone back. The rest is 2010 fantasy history.

Of course the number one reason for opportunity is typically injury. Watchout for Beanie Wells having a significant year compared to projections. No longer is he in the shadow or worrisome of Tim Hightower. Ryan Williams was supposed to be that threat, but went down to a season ending injury in week two of the preseason. LaRod Stephens-Howling is a scatback type, but won’t get more than five carries a game.

We have a few guys listed below that will likely get drafted in deeper leagues. Keep them stashed on your bench, as opportunity could come your way for these young athletes.

Delone Carter:

He was never exceptionally flashy at Syracuse, but he piled up a solid career. His nature of running the football isn’t going to benefit him for a long career, but his first five should be decent. He is an in between tackles runner, that is going to carry defenders and fall forward for extra yards. With Indianapolis getting impatient with former first round pick Donald Brown, and Addai’s injury struggles, Carter could be the main back by mid-season.

CJ Spiller:

After an extremely disappointing rookie year, Spiller has a lot to prove. He wasn’t supposed to just be a special teams force. The Bills spent a first round pick on him, and were willing to part with Marshawn Lynch. The backfield remains the same, meaning the Bills haven’t given up on Spiller yet. Look for Spiller to make more of his carries this year as he tries to gain back coaches trust. The Bills have likely got the cheapest backfield in the NFL.

Rashard Jennings:

When will the bowling ball, fade into the gutter lane? Maurice Jones-Drew has been able to sustain the hits even at his small stature. The reason is because of his tremendous sized thighs and quads. Yet, it hasn’t staved off soreness and minor injuries for Drew. He has fought through them somehow, but the message in Jacksonville seems to be a new change coming. Jennings has slowly gained carries from Drew. If the opportunity presents itself, Jennings has shown that he can get the job done.

Roy Helu:

Everyone has been ranting and raving over Tim Hightower. He is the perfect back to run the zone blocking scheme, etc. Hightower has had a dandy preseason, but what will happen when teams actually game plan against the Redskins? They’ll get after their main weakness, which is at quarterback. Once that happens, the holes will clog up. Hightower is a breakaway runner, not a slasher in between the tackles. His main issue will pop up again, as they have year after year. Fumble prone. It just doesn’t alleviate a running back. Shanahan is an impatient coach, and Helu has been just as impressive in the preseason.

Ben Tate:

There really is no reason too elaborate here. Tate has been a monster in the preseason and if it weren’t for Foster, would instantly shoot up to a top ten fantasy running back. Good luck to the rest of the NFL on shutting the two down.

Jacquizz Rodgers:

The mileage on Michael Turner’s legs is in need of a Ricky Williams hiatus to refuel. The pattern of backs being over ran and tanking is predictable. Turner might have a year left in him before he fades like Larry Johnson. Rodgers can fit the old mold the Falcons were accustomed to with Warrick Dunn. A small back, but one that can carry the load twelve to fifteen times a game.

By Zack Cimini

 notjustagame23@gmail.com

It’s a pattern that’s become too familiar in the NFL. Teams think they have their quarterback of the future, and drag on with that player for a year or two too long. Some guys just do not have starting quarterback ability. Whatever the showcase is in practice, it doesn’t translate on the field. Yet coaches risk their futures by giving in to continuing to throw out the same quarterback. Lessons expected to be growing pains learned on the field, turn into habitual mistakes.

Miami seems to be in that tough spot. If Miami did try to pursue a veteran quarterback, they failed miserably. Many thought they would at least make a strong effort to pursue Kyle Orton. Striking a glance at the Dolphins quarterback situation present, is a laughable joke. There is no true competition for Henne, a quarterback that needs it. Matt Moore was recently brought in, and was horrendous in spot duties last season for the Carolina Panthers.

You have to feel bad for Dolphins teammates, because the season is shaping up to be dreadful. The mistake prone issues that ended last year, were hoping to be reduced as a bright spot for Henne. Instead he opened up the preseason with two woeful interceptions. An outing that poured out the boos from the Dolphins home crowd. This is a franchise that not too many years ago went 1-15.

They’re trying to build a season around a running back that has failed to be anything but a decoy, and occasional flash player in Reggie Bush. At receiver they are dealing with a receiver that when the good is going well is one of the best in the league. Losing takes his skills down to Randy Moss-Oakland levels, in Brandon Marshall. And we’re sorry, the short crossing patterns of Davone Bess and Brian Hartline aren’t going to get it done.

It’s amazing to see that the Dolphins were not more active in pursuing better talent offensively in a vast amount of positions. At this point it looks as if this team wants to land Andrew Luck and build from there. It could be a huge payoff, but it’s a tough sacrifice for the fans and players this season.

Time and time again last year, Miami could not win at home. It got so bad that even a fourth quarter ten point lead in the fourth quarter, vanished vs. the Shaun Hill led Detroit Lions. Detroit came from behind with seventeen points in the last five minutes. Two crucial horrid throws by Chad Henne were intercepted, including a pick six. That summed up a year in which Miami was in most games and near .500. But a 2-6 home record is what will carry over into 2011, and the road success won’t.

Miami’s front office and coaching staff has seen enough to know that Henne isn’t the real deal. It’s going to be sad to see this team be in the same boat the Arizona Cardinals were a year ago. Tossing in a different quarterback each week, with a roster of quarterbacks that’s Madden rating would get them instantly hurt in on the field action.

By Zack Cimini

 notjustagame23@gmail.com

It’s always hard to tell what you’re going to get from a veteran signing a short term deal. A new location, reduced role, and a body that has taken a toll over the years. Down in Miami, the case of building forward with veteran running backs likely went on a year too long. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams gave the Dolphins solid years, but neither was a capable every down back a year ago. It ultimately put more pressure on Chad Henne, who wasn’t ready for the heightened role.

Miami did the right thing this off-season, by letting both Brown and Williams go as free agents. Both went to teams that are hoping to be right on the door steps of a possible Super Bowl run. Will Ricky Williams be a guy that can contribute as a complement to Ray Rice?

First think of the back that Ricky Williams is stepping in to replace. That would be Willis McGahee. McGahee also endured a solid tenure as a Raven. For all the times the Ravens thought about cutting or trading him, he brought toughness to the field each and every week. He became a battering back, that was as reliable as any as a short yardage plunge type back. He racked up enough touchdowns that many fantasy owners believed reduced Ray Rice’s value by a few spots.

Remember Williams has played the second back role for many years now. He is a 34 year old back, with the legs of a 30 year old in running back years. That is if you factor in the time he missed with suspensions and injuries. When he came back as a Dolphin, he split carries with Ronnie Brown. When Brown went down in 2009, Williams showed that he still can be counted on for a sixteen game season. Rushing for 1000 yards for the first time since 2003.

Williams is a guy though that has had issues in the past. Will a new environment affect his psyche? Possibly. Going to a team that is already veteran laden should help though. He also should feel pressure free. Ray Rice is going to garner a ton of carries and Williams will likely get the least amount of carries he has ever had in a full season.

Is he worth drafting as a fantasy back? Any backup running back is worth drafting just for insurance purposes. Handcuffing a first round pick such as Ray Rice could be the difference in you missing out of the playoffs. Williams likely won’t be a fantasy factor for 2/3 of the games he plays in this season. But an injury or a game in which the Ravens are blowing out an opponent could produce those four to five games that Williams is fantasy relevant. So yes, take Williams late as your fifth back if you can.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Little noise has been created for the other New York team. The New York Giants swayed from resigning Plaxico Burress, and stuck to their core structure as a team overall. Tom Coughlin’s always been an in-house kind of guy. Teaching and training through his proper system and instilling his overall team concept. It’s worked in the past for Jacksonville’s success, and obviously in New York where they have won a Super Bowl.

No big signings have come from the New York Giants. Just a solid draft and retaining some key free agents. Their bright nucleus of wide receivers remain intact, and will likely blossom even further this season. The area in which many are surprised a move wasn’t made would have to be at running back.

Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have had their fair share of ups and downs as Giants. Jacobs went from a breakout back to bust in a quick time span. Last year though, with the Giants relegating his carries he showed proper production as the second option back. Bursting through tacklers late in games and tacking on touchdowns gave Jacobs fantasy value once again. We all knew Jacobs would be back in 2011, it was who he would be paired with that was the question.

Ahmad Bradshaw had an out the gate type of 2010 season. Starting off so well that he supplanted Jacobs as feature back with ease. The grind of carries can typically catch up to a back in the latter parts of the year. For Bradshaw he hit a wall basically at the midpoint of the year. His value and stock dropped dramatically as he only produced one game over a hundred yards. What made matters worse was the fact that he fumbled the ball at a high rate.

As Bradshaw became less dependable that was when Brandon Jacobs seemed to resurrect. He had a three game tear weeks twelve through fourteen in which he averaged nearly one hundred yards a game. Even when he wasn’t having monster games from a yardage standpoint, he was the second half factor back for the Giants. Garnering the key carries, mostly because Tom Coughlin was likely afraid of Bradshaw coughing up the football.

So with this duo back together in 2011, fantasy owners have to be juggling to decide who will do what. One thing that can’t be taken away from either is they will produce touchdowns. The Giants run the football with the best of any NFL team. Another great plus is how the Giants spread the football around through the air. With all of their great targets it opens up the running lanes and keeps defenses on their heels. While Jacobs will burst through tacklers, Bradshaw has the long gainer ability that he is well known for.

We are worried that Ahmad Bradshaw may have had an above average season last year. He just didn’t have the feature back skills of a top tier back the second half of last season. He’ll likely slip in drafts a tad, but is a viable bottom tier number two fantasy starter, and great third option. Jacobs on the other hand will offset his five to seven points average of rushing yards, with a solid scatter of single or two touchdown games. His a quiet fantasy force that will give you close to ten points a game.

Jacobs isn’t a back that you would want to count on, but he’ll end up being one of those backs you drafted late that sneaks up your roster depth chart as a starter.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Attacking the free agency market for suitable quarterbacks was a hot pursuit by many teams. As soon as the lockout was declared over, it seemed as if teams knew what they were going to do. Front offices began strategizing long before, and teams on the other side of the fence seemed to be prepared to wheel and deal.

Adam Schefter was live on ESPN as frequent as the tv guide channel scrolling back around a minute later. Reporting on rumors is what he has been use to in the past. That wasn’t the case when the lockout was lifted. Deals were getting done immediately. We will discount Matt Hasselbeck. He was never that impressive in Seattle. Even though he got ahold of a decent contract, it won’t be too long before Jake Locker is handed the keys.

The same could be said for Donovan McNabb, but it’s all in his hands. McNabb could have a solid two to three years left to truly end his career on a good note. Will the clowning antics that were seen in the playoffs with the Eagles in 2009 pop up, or the carefree lackadaisical routine snaps in Washington? For watchers of McNabb, you’ve seen it his whole career. His demeanor is never too serious, but he gets the job done.

Being on his third team in three seasons, he knows that opportunities are closing for himself. Starting in the NFL takes a week to week approach. For some reason or other, Mike Shanahan did not see that in many Redskins, including McNabb. It was better to see them part ways, then for McNabb to waste another year in Washington.

Talent wise, McNabb will have much better tools on his side. Adrian Peterson in the backfield automatically bumps up McNabb’s fantasy stock and likelihood of staying healthy a full season. We hate to do comparisons, but we will in this case with McNabb and Brett Favre. Similar to McNabb, Favre’s hands were tied on a team he had been with his whole career. They didn’t want him to start for the Packers anymore, but the team still owned his rights.

The Packers shipped Favre to the New York Jets, where he had a few solid games but it ended poorly. A deep end of the season slide, that made many believe he was done. Free agency changed all of that, and he landed on the Vikings. A team he would likely have went to had he been a free agent a year earlier. McNabb got dealt last season to a Washington franchise that has been the model of incorrect front office management. The same tailspin to end the season happened for McNabb.

This is the same quarterback that just a few years ago, led a Philadelphia Eagles team with his arm alone, a drive away from the Super Bowl. Down three scores, he threw rocket bombs to DeSean Jackson. The deep ball is still there for McNabb, as was apparent last year when he was able to hit Anthony Armstrong frequently. Armstong had a whopping 19.8 yards per catch a year ago.

You’d think the Vikings will make one more move at wide receiver. If not, at least McNabb has one great threat in Percy Harvin and a cross target in tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

With Moss announcing his retirement, it brings a perplexed icky feel to Vikings and NFL fans. Moss was back home halfway through last years season as a Viking. A coach that was on his way out, bumped Moss off the team without front office approval. If Moss would of finished the season as a Viking, you’d assume a deal would have been worked out with Moss after McNabb signed.

Doubting McNabb for one more push, don’t. He did it at Syracuse, and he did it numerous times as an Eagle for eleven seasons. We’d rank McNabb as a tier two quarterback at this point of his career. A tier two quarterback that could start six to seven fantasy games for you and put up top ten fantasy production for those weeks.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Bouncing around as a veteran quarterback is common place. Endings seem premature in the athletes mind, and franchises are willing to take the gamble on declining skills. In the case of Donovan McNabb, no one really knows what he has left.

The Philadelphia Eagles basically traded him to move on and go with a younger talent in Kevin Kolb. Just like when he was drafted too booing Philadelphia fans, he exited as if he meant little to a franchise. It was just a few years before that he led the Eagles to their fourth NFC championship game under McNabb. They were a Kurt Warner drive away from going to another Super Bowl.

What happened last year as a Redskin was undeserving. McNabb gutted out many performances for a front office and coach that expressed their displeasure in McNabb. It was as if, Daniel Snyder was being over rode more and more as the season went on. No athlete is too tired to take a beating an entire game and not want to attempt a game winning drive. The fact that Rex Grossman took over the final few games for the Redskins was a true slap in the face move.

So McNabb is basically a free agent at this point with zero suitors because of the lockout. You have to believe that once the lockout is lifted, McNabb will be a highly sought after quarterback. Even though teams were able to stock pile youth with a high talent pool of quarterbacks in the draft, there are still many teams that need dire help.

Two teams that pop out at you are Minnesota and the Arizona Cardinals. Minnesota addressed their future quarterback hopes in Christian Ponder. Drafted as the number twelve pick, Ponder will be expected to jump in. How soon though? Do the Vikings want to try and recapture the same thing they did with Brett Favre? They’re talented enough to attempt to make a strong run with a veteran quarterback, and Adrian Peterson. It’s always tempting as a new head coach to perform now rather than later.

Arizona though could be the best option and most realistic. The Cardinals have discussed names of Marc Bulger and Kyle Orton more, but McNabb would seem to be the top selection amongst the three. Arizona’s year without Kurt last year was as bad as their pre-Jake Plummer quarterback shuffling days. Derek Anderson’s press conference rant, will join the ranks of Dennis Green’s in Cardinals fans YoutTube favorites.

Throwing out a lowly touted third day drafted quarterback in Jon Skelton, and also undrafted Max Hall last season, started to turn the career hard worker Larry Fitzgerald into a Randy Moss. You could see him giving up on routes and not into it, because he couldn’t trust the quarterback. He knew they couldn’t throw the tight throws or stick him deep with an accurate pass. Not going after a quarterback in the draft was one of the more puzzling moves of the NFL Draft.

If the Cardinals want to keep one of the best receivers in football they better go after a solid veteran quarterback. Who is currently throwing the ball to Fitzgerald in off-season workouts? Yes, that’d be Donovan McNabb. An athlete that has trained every off-season in Arizona and has developed a relationship with some of the Cardinals.

McNabb has loved Arizona since he came as a senior for the Syracuse Orangemen vs. Kansas State in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Everyone wants to say McNabb is too old, injury proned, and lacks the proper effort for a full football game. Quarterbacks are going to make mistakes. The success McNabb has had can’t be overlooked. Veteran quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are right up there in age with McNabb.

He has a solid two to three years left, and he will be seeking to land with a team that he can fully utilize those years. Arizona seems to be the best fit for that.. Their organization made the right move with a similar veteran quarterback that had been rode off, and spun it very close to a Super Bowl.

McNabb’s third uniform in three years should sport pure red and white, and occasional pure black.