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It’s been quite some time since a rookie running back had a true fantasy impact in year one. Last season many were expecting Mark Ingram to be just that as a New Orleans Saint. Instead the tandem system and Ingram’s ineffectiveness lessened his work load as the season progressed. Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles are both more fantasy friendly than Ingram.

The rookie that stirred a frenzy off the waiver wire last season was DeMarco Murray. He burst onto the scene because of opportunity and now is a top tier fantasy back. It all opened up for Murray because of injuries in front of him, and the fact the Cowboys had let Marion Barber and Tashard Choice go.

Who will it be this year that surprises? It may not be for a significant amount of games like Murray, but Seattle’s rookie Robert Turbin is already on many fantasy radar watch lists after his preseason. With the Seahawks letting workmanlike beast Marshawn Lynch rest in the preseason, Turbin has received the majority of carries and looked impressive.

The fourth round pick out of Utah State might be the most physically imposing running back in the NFL already. His physique particularly in his arms are comparable to former Arizona Cardinal/Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman. Statistically Turbin has been solid from game one in the preseason, and last week against Kansas City he had over 90 yards rushing.

Pete Carroll sort of shares the same values as Mike Shanahan. If you’re producing he is not afraid to make a move. No matter the salary of the player that is supposed to have that position. It creates a continual reevaluation of roster positions even during the season.

Drafting in your fantasy leagues, Robert Turbin was already an automatic handcuff for Marshawn Lynch. A year ago Lynch received the majority of carries as the Seahawks did not have a back behind him capable of handling duties. That will change with Turbin, who should get five to seven carries a game to spell Lynch.

This could boost Lynch’s fantasy impact. He will be fresher over the course of the season and not overworked as he was a year ago.

Lynch has missed preseason action with a back injury that Seattle has said is minor. In fact Lynch has practiced in the majority of Seahawks practices. An area everyone knows Lynch is on a short leash is his off the field issues. It was one of the main reasons why Buffalo decided to let him go, and he has already had a few issues as a Seahawk. One more offense and a suspension or upper management move could come.

The style that Lynch runs with is not one of longevity for a running back. If Turbin was not handcuffed by Marshawn Lynch owners and you have roster spots to tinker with, pick up Turbin and sit him on your bench.

Bench players do not necessarily always have to be integral weekly parts of your fantasy team. If you are overloaded it just makes decisions harder on Sundays when you’re trying to fulfill your starters. Bench points you see can be frustrating and cause you a loss from the wrong insertion. So it’s always good to have a player or two with upside that won’t cause you headaches weekly.

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If you own a police scanner in the NFL off-season you can roam the frequencies and like catching a fish you’re bound to hear about an NFL player getting arrested. Years ago media outlets would drag out initial reports on just about any athlete. Now it’s usually just a headline flasher and quick part of the news and notes segment.

It’s too common these days and NFL teams typically have run out of patience with athletes and arrests. Roger Goodell has a strict policy in place, and teams have clauses to protect themselves now. In certain instances though, athletes with high potential still outweigh waiting for the athlete to stack more newsworthy issues or live out his contract.

Dallas of the 1990’s know all too well about off the field issues with players. The organization took a proactive route and told Bryant not only do we employ you at the practice facilities, but were going to enlist a set of rules for you to abide to off the field. No more saying if you’re in an instance and need help, here is an immediate contact number. Bryant’s shown that he is still immature and needs the guidance of the organization to prevent him from straying into trouble.

The list of things Dallas has put into place is not abnormal. Rules such as not going to strip clubs or clubs is promoted by head coaches especially in training camp. Young athletes that think they’re invincible though and can not avoid their old friends egging them on, are going to continually get themselves put in ominous positions. The area that lets Cowboys fans know that Dallas is backing Bryant is by having full time security surround him.

Security is often looked at as preventing danger in front of bevies of people. The three security staff members that will surround Bryant though will do much more than that. They’ll develop a bond with Bryant and partake in many conversations with Bryant. Over time this will be more beneficial than any of the team rules listed on Bryant. The support of those guys around him all the time should finally develop the maturity people are seeking from Bryant.

Barring injury, this type of news boosts Bryant’s fantasy worth. Miles Austin’s hamstrings are red flags of an ongoing issue that will either limit his production or eventually cause him to miss more time in the regular season. Dallas is not going to slow down it’s passing game, and Bryant will be the main threat that benefits from this. His physical tools and youth are the reasons why he is still sporting a Cowboys uniform, and not on his way to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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An obvious standout from Denver’s success last season could be attributed to the defense. While the offense struggled to produce points, the defense kept the game close each and every week.

Tim Tebow produced heroics would of never been if not for the defense. The way Tebow performed last minute was like a shot clock winding down in the NBA, he did it when least expected. Denver decided to move forward from last years weekly cinderella showcase, and try and advance with future hall of fame quarterback, Peyton Manning.

Instantly fantasy owners are reveling at the fact of a healthy Peyton Manning. John Elway and the Denver Broncos fans are as well. There is no denying the accuracy and knowledge that Manning has behind center. He reads defenses better than any quarterback in the NFL at the line of scrimmage. His audibling is an innate ability that few quarterbacks can do with such high frequency.

Expecting Manning to comeback and shine like his glory days in Indianapolis is unrealistic. He has not thrown a meaningful throw in the NFL since the Colts playoff loss to the New York Jets in January of 2011. It has been a roller coaster experience just for Manning to get full clearance to return to where he is at now.

Owners and the football world know though that the Broncos passing offense will produce more results than a year ago. The Tebow offense was catered to limitations and that led to an offset of designed runs, and heavy carries for Willis McGahee.

Just because Manning will add to the offense does not lessen McGahee’s value. McGahee seems like he has been in the NFL forever. Everyone remembers his blownout knee while in college at Miami. Many did not expect him to recover in the way he did. Quietly in the NFL, McGahee has been very consistent. With Buffalo and several years in Baltimore.

When signed by the Denver Broncos he figured to be at his last pitstop before fading out of the NFL, like what happens to most veterans. Instead the Tebow factor probably helped boost his career. Denver needed to run the football and did so with McGahee, Moreno and Lance Ball. When Moreno went down, McGahee became the focal point for the Broncos running game, and shined like a number one fantasy back.

Will this year be differentfor McGahee? At age 30 you are not supposed to have strong seasons. Do not discount McGahee for the reason alone. Throughout his career he is one of few backs that did not get overworked on a yearly basis.

The duel backfield that fantasy owners started to dread a few years ago, has been apart of McGahee’s entire career. The most carries he ever had was his second year in Buffalo at 325. His carries have never been alarming, so his legs are still fresh to handle a solid workload, even at age 30.

With an added dimension of passin to the Broncos offense that should open thins up even more for McGahee. He hits the hole hard and has solid vision to gain extra yards even after contact. Knowshown Moreno is coming off his knee injury so he will not be a threat this season to have a major impact. Rookie Ronnie Hillman will likely be the back to gain some carries in Denver’s offense.

That will not hurt McGahee. He will be the red zone back, and get 65-70% of Denver’s rushing touchdowns this season. He was eight yards away last year of having a career high in rushing yards. Fantasy owners were likely frustrated with the fact he only reached paydirt four times last season.

You can say his touchodwns were “Tebowized”.

He likely would of had at least double his touchdowns or near ten if it was not for Tebow’s eleven rushing touchdowns. McGahee is devalued right now in fantasy drafts going as a low number two fantasy back. For those that draft a quarterback and wide receiver high, and believe they may be in trouble with McGahee as their second back should not fret. Double digit touchdowns should be an easily achievable number for McGahee and a back to back 1,000 yard season.

By Zack Cimini

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The decision of Pete Carroll to pursue to move forward with Russell Wilson versus giving their free agent signing Matt Flynn a chance, can be read in an article from a few days ago. At any rate, Friday, the Seahawks started Russell Wilson and Matt Flynn sat in street clothes. He was listed as out due to an injury, but who really knows the story behind the story.

The pressure was on Wilson to deliver on Friday and he did just that. Seattle blew out Kansas City and Wilson had a major part in that. He led multiple scoring drives and did every thing you would expect from a starter and more. The Arizona Cardinals sure wish they would of spent one of their picks on Wilson.

After two great games as a starter Matt Flynn got a mega contract from the Seattle Seahawks. Now after a preseason start, and a few good quarters against teams backups, it appears that the Seahawks are prepared to hand over the starting job to the rookie Wilson.

Seattle has not even parted ways with last years incumbent starter Tavaris Jackson. The move they are about to make for Flynn could backfire if the move was premature. Flynn is not a veteran of any sort, that can be moved in and out of the starting lineup without worry. He is still young and inexperienced. A move to the bench will definitely lower his confidence and probably get him to over think in all types of areas related to quarterback.

With a late rise in Wilson, many people are going to suggest picking him as a late round fantasy sleeper. Lets hold off on that. His flashes have been glimpses in the preseason. Added up they are hardly over a full games worth of solid play. If named starter he is going to need to string together a couple of good games before fantasy consideration. In deeper leagues obviously you may want to make that move now, and make the cut later for a waiver wire pickup if it does not pan out.

Pete Carroll’s demeanor seems to have been on Wilson’s side from the get go. Once Wilson was drafted he hinted at a quarterback battle, which was confirmed upon training camp. During the preseason he has looked like a college coach when Wilson has delivered an unordinary play. By showing excitement with the rest of the sideline and his body language as a whole.

I’d hate to be in Matt Flynn’s shoes right now. If Wilson is the right guy, hopefully they will trade Flynn and let him have another shot elsewhere. There are plenty of teams that are still in need of a young starting quarterback.

By Zack Cimini

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The preseason is mainly a gauge for the team to analyze depth and workout kinks on the offense and defensive side of the football. While holes filled in special teams and proper depth position is an annual routine, there is another area coaches are looking to develop. Drafted rookies usually get a high percentage of looks and opportunities. Confidence in the preseason from rookies often will carry over to the regular season.

Cardinals rookie wide receiver Michael Floyd is not necessarily lighting up the statistics. In the hall of fame game he caught one ball for fifteen yards, followed up by week one of the preseason with a catch for three yards, zero catches week two, and last night two catches for sixteen yards. Fellow rookies, Kendall Wright and Justin Blackmon on the other hand have had high success and look much more ready to have a fantasy impact out the gate.

Fantasy owners are having a hard enough time figuring out where to rank Larry Fitzgerald in standard drafts, and how much to bid on him in auction drafts. Fitz has put up statistics though throughout his career with Max Hall, Matt Leinart, and both Skelton and Kolb. His statistics actually jumped with Skelton over Kolb last season, but both will get him the football.

A bright side to the fact that Floyd has had dismal preseason numbers is a breakdown of the Cardinals embarrassing quarterback battle. Before Kolb’s performance last night, neither Skelton or Kolb had thrown over the mid 30’s for yardage in the preseason. That’s correct, and this is coming from two guys competing for a starting job. You might not find another team in the NFL that’s had these type of preseason performances just with their backup quarterbacks.

There were some good things pointed out by the ESPN crew on what the Cardinals can do to move forward with the offense. Kevin Kolb is use to the quick pace from when he was in Houston. When Arizona used the hurry up offense he seemed to have a better grasp of the offense, and the team as a whole responded better. It may be just what he needs to get out of the funk he is in.

The Cardinals are going to have to announce the starter here in the next three to five days. Skelton was the favorite going into week three’s preseason game, but Kolb did outperform him Thursday. This could be a hot potato affair which Cardinals fans have become accustomed to since the Kurt Warner days.

That spells trouble for rookie Michael Floyd. If the Cardinals have any success offensively it will likely come through the ground attack. Touchdowns thrown through the air will be gobbled up by Larry Fitzgerald. Expecting either Kolb or Skelton to throw over twenty touchdowns even with sixteen games as a starter would be exceeding expectations.

Those hoping for Floyd to be a rookie sleeper better look the other way at Kendall Wright and Justin Blackmon. Floyd will have the worst numbers of the three, and should not be on any fantasy roster this season. Larry Fitzgerald is the only one worth eyeing, unless Kevin Kolb shows back to back games like his three games in Philadelphia than. Rookies like Floyd may scatter and tease you with a game or two here and there. The inconsistencies and headaches of knowing when that will occur will drive an owner crazy. Spare yourself.

By Zack Cimini

Arrogance and cockiness go hand in hand with the elite players in sports. Most can tone it down to keep the view of the audience oblivious to a players actions. Whether its yapping of the mouth to the opposing team, or basic body language. DeSean Jackson has never been one to tone down his talents.

He has high stepped the last ten yards of touchdowns, ran twenty yards sideways inside the five yard line on a punt return touchdown against the Giants, and flipped the football before the end zone against the Cowboys on Monday Night football. Those are just a few of Jackson’s antics that have been just a natural part of his on-the-field demeanor.

At points in a professional athletes career humbling times occur. Last year for the Eagles was an eye opener, as a team and an individual level for DeSean Jackson. Playing as a franchise tagged athlete, Jackson had the type of numbers that would make a team let the athlete walk away. The team seemed to fold as he did, and never had any type of consistency. Jackson has admitted he did not play at his highest levels a year ago. Based on the Eagles play he likely was not the only one.

The Eagles know and the NFL knows that Jackson is a gem of a talent. Still only 25, Jackson seems like he has been in the league much longer. He played in the latter last hooray for Donovan McNabb in which he first became the deep threat people know of today. Against the Cardinals in the 2009 NFC Championship, Jackson made one of the best catches for a touchdown in recent playoff memories.

He has been through the short lived Kevin Kolb era, and now entering his third season with Mike Vick.

Maturity seemed to start to hit Jackson as the Eagles season imploded last year, and he realized his future could be in jeopardy. His contract could have been much higher than what he received in the off-season. Only 18 million of it is guaranteed, which means Jackson is going to have to earn the rest of the mid 50 million dollar contract.

Maybe watching greats just when he was a rookie like Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, and Terrell Owens struggle to find jobs suddenly and fade so quickly awoken him.

Media circles our stating Jackson seems like a new person, and much more focused. Philadelphia has one of the top defenses in the NFL, Mike Vick, and LeSean McCoy. The difference though will be with Jackson. Jackson’s open field speed and ability to get open just creates that extra dimension teams can’t stop.

The focus will always be on Vick because of his history and being the quarterback. In many rankings, Jackson can be found in the late teens and even early twenties. That is much too low for a player of Jackson’s caliber. I expect a breakout year from him, and to be a top ten fantasy receiver this season, and top five in a handful of weeks this year.

He never has been a top fantasy receiver, but has been one of the top open field and speed receivers in the NFL. Sooner or later that should lead to a breakout year, which will be this season.