By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

One agent that deserves strong praise is that of Michael Vick’s. Away from the game over a year he landed Vick a contract over a million last year, and an option of 5.2 million for the second year. Well the Eagles brought him back after almost everyone expected them to part ways. That salary will make Vick one of the highest paid backups in the NFL. Pressure is on the young first year starting quarterback Kevin Kolb.

He knows the team made a huge sacrifice and gutsy move by parting ways with one of the biggest Eagles franchise players since the 80’s in Donovan McNabb. Playing in Philadelphia comes with expected results. Wins. Kolb needs to go out and produce from week one onward. If not guess who is awaiting in the wings to get out there and showcase his redemption attempt as a starting quarterback? Mr. Vick.

Last year was sort of like a tune up for Vick. We all know his capabilities and what his old weaknesses were. Those likely will not change. After all his time off though he looked out of gear sort of like when Michael Jordan came back in 1995 after a huge layoff playing baseball. Now that Vick has familiarized himself and been active in football like drills daily, his sense of the game is going to reappear on a stronger level. The Eagles must of saw some flashes of Vick’s old self or the project of brining him back would have ended abruptly.

Right now the Eagles have no clue what direction they’re headed. They will know by mid to late October though. This franchise is either getting turned over to Kevin Kolb or Michael Vick. The game of toying with Vick as a decoy and specially utilized player ten times a game will not happen anymore. It caused more harm to the flow of the teams overall chemistry than Andy Reid would of liked in 2009. Plus Vick is no longer the third string quarterback. As a backup entering 2010 they need to protect their insurance in case Kolb lands out with an injury. They surely do not want to have to start Mike Kafka.

Showcasing what the Eagles have done from a front office stand point it leaves them with options. They’re believing Kevin Kolb can get the job done but are they? They extended his contract that was set to expire after this year only an extra season. The value is only 12.2 million for both those years. Not the top of the heap when it comes to starting quarterbacks money. Vick will be making nearly just as much this season. Call it more of an investment strategy where the Eagles spent a combined 11 million to figure things out.

Fantasy discussions of Vick are premature but he will be a factor this season. It’s hard to name a first year starter that has come out and lit afire from the gate. It just does not happen and won’t for Kevin Kolb. There’s just a lot more things they can go wrong instead of go his way. Donovan McNabb basically led the Eagles to the playoffs like clockwork every season.

Bordering at or below .500 will only raise the pressure on Kolb and reasons to see Vick in action. If Kolb gets the team rolling, how will the typical string of losses affect him as they happen? Some quarterbacks fight it off and others succumb and fold even further. It’ll be interesting to see what happens but Vick will be ready to go. Once he gets out there what type of quarterback will we see? We think Vick can flourish in the Eagles system and create havoc just like he did a few years ago. This is not a dream like turn of events story that we envision happening. This is business related. You can see where this is headed with a binocular view from general manager Tom Heckert’s press box.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

Strategizing for a fantasy football draft is good in all until your plan gets thwarted by other owners. Certain players fall off the board and in panic mode you scramble and reach for other picks you think won’t be there. It’s happened to all of us. Then come the end of the draft you realize you have a glaring gaping hole. For most it comes square at the position of quarterback. Owners get immersed in adding that sure fire depth to the running back and wide receiver position that they bypass a quarterback for several rounds. Depending on the size of your league sometimes that works to your advantage.

It does not matter if you’re in an eight, ten, twelve, or fourteen team league, once all owners have their primary quarterback they tend to wait three to four rounds before drafting a backup. This gap of rounds provides the necessary leverage for yourself to take advantage. Sometimes it works, and sometimes you’re stuck throwing Kyle Orton or Jake Delhomme out there. It’s probably a scenario you want to avoid if at all possible. Some of you just do not learn, and were going to take a look at some quarterbacks that owners will risk carrying their fantasy team on a week to week basis. Get use to weeks of hit or miss. Yeah we’re talking those weeks where your cursing up a storm when a point total of six is put up by your quarterback.

If you can get your hands on two of these guys below, you could start spot them enough to set up favorable matchups and get quality starts. It’s almost like setting up bye week fillers. Quarterbacks on this list last year were Matt Schaub now a top five fantasy quarterback, Brett Favre, and Joe Flacco who will all likely be considered top ten fantasy quarterbacks.

Chad Henne- From what Henne showed he can be an elite quarterback with the right direction and proper progression on his part. He possesses the quarterback smarts to learn by the week, and did a dandy of a job for being thrown in after Pennington’s injury. He has an organization backing him 100 percent, and the physical tools to be a fantasy number one. His youth and inexperience will scare of owners this year. We still like him to grow and be a quarterback you can become more at ease with starting as the season goes on. Having Brandon Marshall out there does not hurt either.

Kevin Kolb- Based on Andy Reid’s coaching tenure in the NFL we know he tends to have a disproportionate ratio of passes compared to run plays. Kolb may not lead the league in certain quarterback categories, but we can bet he will be close to the top in attempts. That has to be a bright sign for fantasy owners as some of the quarterbacks we’d like to rank higher are cut down a few notches because of their offensive system. You do not have to worry about that with Kolb. Interceptions will come in bunches with Kolb but that territory is nothing alarming as we all expect it due to his inexperience.

Matthew Stafford- Toughness, heart, and determination were just some of the traits Stafford showed in his debut season. While his rookie year was cut short he threw some throws that just have future Pro Bowler written all over the guy. Detroit has been working on retooling the team to get Stafford a strong supporting cast. He has the receivers and newly drafted running back Javhid Best will add a flare of unique abilities for Stafford. Best’s skill set is not like a back the Lions have had in who knows how many years. Stafford is not a guy you would probably want as your number one, but he’ll have certain weeks where he will be a top ten or higher fantasy quarterback. Probably more than anticipated.

Donovan McNabb- For some reason McNabb’s draft stock in fantasy drafts has slipped the last few seasons just as his fanfare in Philadelphia has. Besides the occasion game where McNabb can’t hit a target if it were five feet in front of him, he is rather consistent for the most part. Those games are inexplicable, but McNabb has the obvious driving force to this season. Departing from Philadelphia was not what he wanted and he is set to pull a Brett Favre resurrection as Favre did in his actual favorable destination in Minnesota. Washington is stocked at running back and McNabb will find a way to develop his receivers as he did with mediocre receivers for the majority of his career in Philly.

Others that deserve a glance with binoculars

* Jason Campbell- Will he adjust and fit in well? Oakland’s always been a tough place for quarterbacks but Campbell is not a young quarterback anymore. He is a veteran at age 28 and should be ready for this type of stability that Washington never could grant him.

* Ben Roethlisberger- The media will be all over him from training camp onward, heck they already are. Will the constant questioning wear on him, or can he move on and let his game on the field speak for itself? He has a lot to prove to doubters and fantasy owners have to keep in mind a minimum four game suspension if the original six gets reduced.

* David Garrard- Garrard’s been a fantasy tease on occasion and is probably the league leader in inconsistency. You just don’t know what you’re going to get from him. We thought he’d see some type of increase once Dirk Koetter came aboard as the offensive coordinator. After all Koetter came from the potent Arizona State offensive system as their college coach. Garrard just has not excelled enough entering the crossroads of his career. It’s hard to believe he is only one year younger than Donovan McNabb.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

When you think of Syracuse football the first thing that comes to mind is, do they play football there anymore. The program has been in disarray since 2000. Long gone are the days of Marvin Harrison, Rob Konrad, Donovan McNabb, and Dwight Freeney. Talented players that use to commit to Syracuse are finding their ways to Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and other opposing conference teams. Attracting prospects and turning them from a blue chip to a stud is what Syracuse footballs main challenge has been. That’s harder said than done, and the program has stunk it up the past decade.

Last year the team regained some notoriety even though losing was still apart of the fold. They hired Doug Marrone former Saints offensive coordinator to take over head coaching duties. Then a laughable story at first in bringing in Greg Paulus to quarterback the team actually fared decent. Paulus had a rough go at stretches but brought fans back to the Carrier Dome to watch football, and had them in many games they could of won. Paulus has now worked himself an opportunity to make the Saints team after getting an invite to training camp.

A prime reason for Paulus’s ascent and climb throughout last year at Syracuse was because of wide receiver Mike Williams. Williams stretched defenses and gave Paulus a safety net of trust on any type of throw. Paulus could air out a median type of pass or the quick throw and Williams would not disappoint. How else could you explain a quarterback that was held for hardly any yards throwing including only 36 passing yards in the second half against Minnesota, to a week later throwing for 346 yards? That just doesn’t happen. Take a glance at the guy who ate up over 200 yards receiving with two touchdowns in that game, Mike Williams.

Williams had a tumultuous ride at Syracuse. While the team was being dismantled on the field, Williams showed a glimmer of hope for Syracuse fans. As a sophomore he caught a touchdown in nine straight games in 2007. That’s when the off the field issues begun. He was suspended for the 2008 season for academic reasons,  and had to rededicate himself by enrolling at a nearby community college. This type of story has happened to many of athletes and some just give up. Even with how embarrassing the matter was Williams got his grades up and showed enough for Syracuse to reinstate him for 2009.

Last year was going fine for Williams and it seemed as if he did not miss a beat. Talks around college football began to label him as a potential first or second round pick, and a top talent receiver. Towards the end of the season things began to unravel again for Williams. As Syracuse’s chances for a bowl exited the team also began to deviate from rules laid down by head coach Marrone. Players on the team including Williams had went to a casino in New York and been involved in a minor accident. That led to a suspension imposed on all the players. Instead of facing the suspension Williams decided to quit the team. With only a few left he figured there was no value in finishing out the year as he had plans to put his name in the NFL Draft anyways.

You could see why his stock slipped and why teams were weary in adding him to their team. Williams fell all the way to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round, but has every opportunity to show NFL franchises what they missed out on. Tampa Bay is going to give him a chance to win a starting job. The team has a lot of question marks especially offensively, and Williams will have his work cut out against opposing secondary’s. That’s nothing different from the way it was at Syracuse where teams tried to slow him down but couldn’t.

If Williams can stay out of trouble he is going to be a solid fantasy receiver in his first season. Tampa Bay is going to be down in a lot of ball games. That will open the door for Williams to get additional junk yardage and possible touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Out of the receivers selected this year Williams could end up being of the highest value right behind Dez Bryant. Call it crazy for a fourth round pick, but Williams has been bucking trends ever since he stepped foot at a Syracuse school that hasn’t seen his type of talent in years.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

As the NFL and franchises keep facing the rise of dealing with troubling issues, teams are stepping up to the plate by going in other directions. Cutting lose from looming battles of investigations that destroy team chemistry, and allow a player to rejoin after serving a suspension. Talent level is too high to deal with such issues.  It has been a pattern too often plaguing offseason organizations and now teams are wising up.

Literally just after trading for Lendale White and supposed reunion with Coach Carroll it has ended abruptly. After another failed drug test White would now face suspension by the league. This may have been something an organization three or four years into a regime would sidestep. Not a team rebuilding with a new nucleus starting from coach to multiple position players. Tolerance of breaking the rules is not what Caroll will allow or showcase. What kind of example would that set for a team that has underachieved consecutive years?

The prior linking of White and Caroll at USC had to make the decision tough, but Carrol and the Seahawks made the right decision. White will have time to get the right people around him and rededicate himself. For the Seahawks they have chose to move forward. In an article only a few weeks ago we highlighted the Seahawks backfield as a primary battle for fantasy owners. With White out of the loop it gets even more interesting. Could the Seahawks possibly go after Brian Westbrook or bring in a free agent rookie to pose a threat of shaking up the backfield.

There are several red flags to the current Seahawks backfield situation. Julius Jones and Justin Forsett were part of the Seahawks bottoming out the NFL in productivity in the backfield. Upgrading by bringing in Lendale White and Leon Washington were glaring signs to both Jones and Forsett. All signs were that White would be their primary ball carrier. Can Forsett and Jones shake off the fact that the organization was not backing them only a few days ago?

It’s hard enough for players to compete at their highest of levels when trade talks are surrounding that player. As an NFL athlete you have to be prepared for any type of situation and hopefully these two guys are. Down the road their carousel of being misled will likely end with the typical closure of exiting papers. Before that happens though both can brighten their perceived value by making the most of their situations.

Jones looks to be the once again front runner. Leon Washington is a change of pace back that will bring excitement to Carroll’s system. When it comes to being an every down back though Washington has not shown enough capability to do that. Jones has not necessarily lit up the charts himself. Something will give as the Seahawks know they can not force a complete burden on Hasselback’s bad back and shoulders.

Looking from a fantasy value perspective we have too leave off both Forsett and Jones. Jones is on the downside of his career. He has not been getting a significant amount of carries. Running backs  just do not suddenly reemerge statistically. Forsett is a scat back type that could make a push but may not be the guy the Seahawks are looking for. That leaves Washington as the lone fantasy worthy back currently for Seattle. This is for early fantasy drafts that are happening in June. This will continue to be a hot topic based on what type of offense Carroll wants to tailor. He’ll be tinkering with all types of ideas and the debate could involve another back by the end of the summer. For now though Washington  is the main guy. He has been a blip of a fantasy performer that should only see a higher committed role than prior years as a Jet.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

The state of Arizona has enough national debate arisen of itself as of late. When it comes time for training camp another battle will loom. Kurt Warner’s decision to retire opened the door for former first round pick Matt Leinart to finally prove his maturity. After faltering early on in his career Leinart had the fortune of sitting back and grasping the learning curve of an NFL quarterback from the sideline. Anxious to get back out on the field Leinart could not surpass the precision and veteran chemistry Kurt Warner brought to the table. Now though he has a golden opportunity to take over on a team that is expecting to keep moving forward without missing a beat.

For someone such as Leinart you’d think the team would have full faith in their prized first round pick that they’ve slowly allowed to grow. Ken Whisenhunt has never been one to hand over the job unless it is warranted. The Cardinals did draft a quarterback in John Skelton from Fordham but the big move was acquiring Derek Anderson. Anderson was stricken by the Brown bug his last two seasons in Cleveland. Coaches there kept shuffling between Anderson and Quinn so much that it was comical. Neither could show production and was best on both sides too finally part ways.

Anderson may be written off as a solidified backup the rest of his career but don’t be fooled. Anderson will be given just as much of an opportunity to win the job as Leinart. It’s Leinart’s job to lose, but he has done that before when he went into training camp a few seasons ago ahead of Warner. Time too learn and mature can do wonders for a quarterback and we expect Leinart to prove himself. Similar to the way Vince Young stormed back, Leinart has no choice but to end any competition battle as quickly as he can.

Once training camp opens he needs to solidify himself as the Cardinals starting quarterback. Veterans on this team are likely rooting for him but they also want to keep building and winning as the team has the past few years. Any setbacks are unacceptable and it all starts who is under center. So if Leinart is not ready the veteran voices will shift sides quickly too Derek Anderson. It’s been awhile since Anderson has had a solid NFL game but in 2007 he was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL. He is tall, at 6’6 and one of his best assets is his ability to survey the field and go deep with accuracy. A trait that receivers in Cleveland didn’t have the skills to do, but will be a force with the number one receiver in the NFL in Larry Fitzgerald.

Going into training camp this is going to be the most talked about quarterback battle in football. Leinart was the USC standout the was expected to easily transit his winning ways to the NFL. Learning lessons happen and did for Leinart. If he has truly learned underneath Warner than this could be a fantastic future and prosperous beginning for traction of a franchise quarterback for years to come. When can you say Arizona has had a quarterback than can build around for five to eight seasons? Jake Plummer is the only quarterback that comes to mind but that was an ugly overly done marriage filled with seasons of more interceptions than touchdowns.

Leinart will win this job and based upon how the Cardinals like too spread out their offense and pile up points, Leinart is a strong fantasy sleeper. He’ll likely be there in middle tier rounds when most fantasy owners are drafting their backup quarterback. Gamble and get your fourth running back or bench receiver and snag Leinart later. He’ll add more than enough value to keep you unworried about what you’re going to do if you’re number one quarterback goes down.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

After all the gossip talk and predictions of what people think is going to happen with Donovan in Washington and Kolb in Philly,  training camp will begin and performance will be the true measure. The fantasy world is already anticipating a spike to Kolb’s game and expect him to be a strong fantasy starter.

Why shouldn’t they? He was a big factor in his two starts last year when he threw for 300 yards and had the offense ticking like it hadn’t missed a beat. Two games is hardly a scope of predictable measure. Quarterbacks have their streaks all the time, and more often than not a quarterback can step in and excel. Especially with a solid skill set as Kolb does have, and experience gained from learning behind McNabb. Often though once that quarterback gets truly tested defensive coordinators gain quickly on a quarterbacks tendencies. They’ll know exactly what type of pressure to throw at Kolb and schemes too throw off his rhythm.

Flashback to what the true reason why McNabb wasn’t traded a year before. A November 23rd matchup in which McNabb was yanked and Kolb came in and played like an ex XFL caliber quarterback. Andy Reid’s statement of just giving Kolb some experience and his other stammering explanations were bogus. If Kolb would have performed well then and there he would of taken over the reigns.

The potent combo and fantasy fanatics that are expecting DeSean Jackson to thrive as he did last year may be in for a surprise. Sure Kolb’s two starts last year were great games for Jackson. Both games he exploded for big touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving. For anyone that remembers those games, Jackson’s big play touchdowns were not due to Kolb’s arm. The plays involved Jackson making a big play after the catch and using his speed to run away from the pack. Kolb doesn’t necessarily have a strong arm; not nearly the strength of Donovan McNabb’s.

That’s the factor that could turn DeSean Jackson from a week to week consistent big time fantasy factor back to unpredictable. If Kolb can’t show the strength to air it out, teams will compress their safeties and bump more off the snap on Jackson. Jackson has shown the ability to make catches wherever on the field but we all know he is a guy that is a burner. He had 10 plays for over 40 yards, an incredible statistic, especially considering he only caught 61 balls. That’s a bad sign for owners banking on Jackson trending around the numbers of last year.

We expect Jackson’s big play ability to be diminished with Kolb under center. Meaning Jackson likely will have a tough time catching six to eight touchdowns. Yardage should still be there as we know Andy Reid is going to call enough pass plays to numerically make up for Kolb’s three years as backup. Seriously though, do not make the mistake of reaching too high on grabbing Jackson. A legit number one fantasy receiver should be somebody that without question can guarantee you ten plus touchdowns. We don’t foresee that happening in 2010. Breaking down the numbers of last year and looking beyond the big plays of Jackson, he had seven games with three catches or less.

Unless Kolb is an All-Pro type like Aaron Rodgers waiting to shine, it’s going to be a long painful growing experience for Kolb, Jackson, and Andy Reid.