By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

An irregular start to the season means big shakeups in running back rankings. Those of you who waited on running backs and landed McGahee and Benson late are smiling very well. After three weeks here is the big shake up in current fantasy running back rankings. We expect another complete overhaul in three weeks as things settle down.

1. Adrian Peterson- He’ll hold this spot for years
2. Maurice Jones-Drew- Finally had a MJD type game
3. Chris Johnson- His speed is so lethal
4. Ronnie Brown- Getting a lot of carries early on, can he sustain this?
5. Frank Gore-Down for hopefully only a couple of games. Grab your handcuff back in Glen Coffee.
6. Willis McGahee-Finding the endzone every week will make any fantasy owner happy.
7. DeAngelo Williams-Once the Panthers stop playing from behind Williams could propel a few spots.
8. Pierre Thomas- Making up for missed time in quick fashion.
9. Brandon Jacobs- Struggled out of the gate
10. Marion Barber- The workhorse back will be sidelined for a game or two.
11. Matt Forte- Not exactly what anyone would hope for. He is getting plenty of carries though and will breakout sooner or later.
12. Michael Turner- Yards per carry is significantly down. Can he get it back in gear?
13. Steven Jackson- Still the dual threat we love but needs to find the endzone.
14. Cedric Benson- Just shows what a never give up attitude can do.
15. LT- How often will he need to miss time this season?
16. Marshawn Lynch- Hurt himself dearly for a time share factor, now that the Bills have seen what Jackson can do.
17. Julius Jones- Has been quite a surprise
18. Kevin Smith- Going to have a great year.
19. Thomas Jones- The wily veteran just gets it done.
20. Darren Sproles- Just isn’t an every down back. More of the Reggie Bush type that can be a difference maker.
21. Ray Rice- Just need to get some of the touchdowns away from McGahee
22. Jonathan Stewart- The best backfield combo in the league.
23. Ryan Grant- You know what you’re getting from Grant.
24. Correll Buckhalter- The effective time share to keep the ball out of Orton’s hands is working.
25. Fred Taylor- Patriots gave him twenty carries and like what they saw.
26. Larry Johnson- How long ago was 2005 and 2006?
27. Ricky Williams- Carries should spike up a bit more with Pennington expected to be out.
28. Steve Slaton- Generous spot but he has to be headed for better weeks.
29. Knowshon Moreno- Should sneak into the top twelve to fifteen by seasons end.
30. Lendale White- Will run off a streak of touchdowns McGahee style
31. Willie Parker- Caught a glimpse of his old self this past week against the Bengals.
32. Brian Westbrook-Missed a game due to poor weather and field conditions. This is not a good sign.
33. Clinton Portis- On the downside of his career, and banged up.
34. Reggie Bush- Seemingly falling out of the backfield rotation like a point guard in basketball. Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell seem to be the dual combo the Saints are going to go with, and Bush will be more of a decoy and pass catching back.
35. Donald Brown- The second half back for the Colts is making things happen with limited touches. Should start getting more plays and action from Joseph Addai.
36. Fred Jackson- Did the best the Bills could of hoped for while waiting for Marshawn Lynch
37. Darren McFadden
38. Jamal Lewis
39. Cadillac Williams
40. Jerious Norwood
41. LeSean McCoy-The rookie’s impact all rides on the health of Westbrook.
42. Felix Jones
43. Rashard Mendenhall
44. Ahmad Bradshaw
45. Leon Washington
46. Tim Hightower
47. Derrick Ward
48. Beanie Wells
49. Glen Coffee
50. Jerome Harrison
51. Chester taylor
52. Tashard Choice
53. Laurence Maroney

By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

What is going on with the NFL talent pool at quarterback? Either we’re at an all time low for talent or there is a lot of rustiness needed to be worn off by a group of quarterbacks. It surely isn’t the defenses as three weeks in we’ve seen most of the defenses have their share of issues. Usually in the realm of fantasy football you can get away with waiting for a quarterback and being able to make up for the move with your other positions. These quarterbacks we’ve added on our week three horrible quarterback list have completely fallen off from any fantasy relevance. Be sure to drop these players and even if you have to wait for a proper player do it. You’ll have a faster reaction to pounce on an available free agent or solidify a trade, instead of dealing with a stinker of performance.

Heck, you could go with Jake Delhomme or Jason Campbell over these guys below and have a career day compared to what they’ll give you. Stay tuned for our Part II of this series. There is going to have to be some quarterbacks to insert, and we’ll even analyze the area of trading for a quarterback.
Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson- Eric Mangini’s hot potato philosophy Is getting old quick for both of these guys. The old staff did the same thing a million times and its just getting old. Quinn has been atrocious but you have to stick with your guns similar to what the Raiders have been doing with Jamarcus Russell. In actuality if Derek Anderson would have stepped up it would have looked like a solid move and no one would question it. Instead Anderson came in and threw three picks. It’s going to be a long, long year in Cleveland.

Chad Pennington- Even before his injury Pennington was dinking and dumping too much. Hopefully he is ok, but the reason Miami is losing these close games is because of their game management tactics. Pennington needs to stretch the field a bit more and that will translate to an even better ground game, that thus far has been dominant in the league.

Marc Bulger- Bulger needs to ask for a new setting whether it be via trade or taking a release. He has been beaten and battered the last four years and might end his career if he doesn’t get restarted elsewhere. With Kyle Boller in they actually looked like they had some life. St. Louis might make the tough move for a guy that has played his heart out for the Rams, and bench Bulger.

Byron Leftwich- You’d really hope for a resurrection for Leftwich but it just isn’t going to happen. The issues Jacksonville saw for years that he was able to get away with as a starter has caught up with him. Accuracy issues persist, consistency to move the football, and his footwork in the pocket have all just been a disaster.

Mat Cassel- This is exactly why you let an athlete earn a contract, not the agent. Cassel’s agent got his asking price for Cassel after only one season as starter. Now already Todd Haley has sparked controversy and stated he’d bring in Brodie Croyle. For Cassel’s benefit he has been trying to come back a bit early from an injury. The team though looks headed for disaster all around, and Cassel will take the most blame of anyone.

Jamarcus Russell- You have to wonder why Jeff Garcia chose to leave the Raiders to sign with a Philly team where he’d be the fourth quarterback. In all likelihood he would have been inserted by now due to Russel’s horrible play. It’s a miracle the Raiders have been able to win a game due to Russel’s pathetic play. They can not allow Russell to keep performing the way he is and still go with him. Sure he was a number one pick, but the rating as a bust has to be settled in. It’s time for the Raiders to go in another direction.

Trent Edwards- He teased us with a fantastic opening week Monday Night football game against the Patriots. The game against the Buccaneers doesn’t count in our books as the Bucs have the worst past defense in the league. A team like the Saints is notorious for giving up chunks of yards and big plays. That meant Edwards would have to connect on a few big plays to keep his team in the game. He couldn’t deliver and missed several deep wide open targets including two that have been replayed numerous times already. Edwards is the only quarterback you can take a wait and see approach just because of the talent around him. We’ve seen this before though with JP Losman. A good game here and there, but he was who he was.

By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

Where does your favorite team rank heading out of week two?

1. New Orleans- Until their offense is stopped they’ll keep winning games. We’ve seen this before though and it doesn’t carry over in the preseason.
2. Baltimore Ravens- If Flacco keeps things together this could be the best all around Ravens team since coming to Baltimore
3. Indianapolis Colts-Never a question on being one of the best regular season teams
4. New York Jets- Team is totally different from a mental standpoint of a year ago
5. Pittsburgh Steelers- Lost a tough one thanks to Jeff Reed
6. New York Giants- Eli is showing the Giants were right on cutting the check early
7. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan and the Falcons can’t be stopped at home
8. San Francisco 49ers- Even with nine men in the box Gore couldn’t be stopped. Shaun Hill will have to prove himself to get this team to a playoff level.
9. San Diego Chargers- Are they on their way to another up and down year?
10. Minnesota Vikings- Cupcake schedule thus far.
11. Denver Broncos- 2-0 and in a favorable division
12. New England Patriots- Should be 0-2, they have to get things fixed in a hurry
13. Philadelphia Eagles- Kolb likely to go again. He needs to let things open up and deliver a must win against KC.
14. Arizona Cardinals- Big win at Jacksonville
15. Buffalo Bills- Looking like a tough challenger in the AFC East
16. Dallas Cowboys- Romo is in a funk maybe worse than Delhomme’s
17. Green Bay Packers- Teams lacking sustainable chemistry on both sides of the ball.
18. Chicago Bears- Forte needs to get going.
19. Houston Texans- Schaub just needs to show up every week like a true starter.
20. Tennessee Titans- Proving to be a fluke a year ago when they were able to win close games
21. Carolina Panthers- Always seem to start off rough than go on a winning streak to tease than fade.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars- What happened down in Jacksonville?
23. Cincinnati Bengals- Surprisingly should be 2-0
24. Seattle Seahawks- Injuries seem to always plague this team. Poor offensive line and a weak tandem of running backs. It’s going to be a long year
25. Oakland Raiders- They have potential, but need Jamarcus to stop performing like a quarterback that’d be beat by a fourth grade in a pass skill competition.
26. Washington Redskins- Team seems to be headed south
27. Miami Dolphins- Another 0-2 start, this one will be hard to shake out of with the Jets and Bills launching ahead
28. Cleveland Browns- When will Mangini switch starters again?
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Byron’s not the answer as a starter. Might as well get Freeman in for some action
30. Kansas City Chiefs- Cassel will get this team some wins with his arm, but at what risk? The Chiefs need to reevaluate and load up new talent in a lot of spots.
31. Detroit Lions- They’ll get their one victory eventually and finish the year 3-13
32. St. Louis Rams- We feel bad for Steven Jackson.

By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

Notjustagame unveils its latest new and updated quarterback rankings heading out of week two.

1. Drew Brees- Untouchable among fantasy quarterbacks. Offense is running at will like a power house college team.
2. Philip Rivers- No wonder the Chargers franchised Brees a year and had a difficult time deciding which quarterback to move forward with.
3. Peyton Manning- What he did with less than fifteen minutes with the football might be a quiet legendary story down the road.
4. Eli Manning- He is picking up where we he left off in 2007 and where we expected him to be last year.
5. Tom Brady- Still shaking off the rust but balance to the offense has to develop.
6. Ben Roethlisberger- Has been a winner his whole career but is now not just making plays in the fourth quarter.
7. Matt Schaub- Ascended up this week after torching a Titans defense that was one of the best last year. As long as Andre Johnson stays healthy he’ll keep his numbers up. That and the fact they’ll be throwing a lot.
8. Kurt Warner- The ageless veteran breaks yet another record.
9. Joe Flacco- Has surprised just about everyone with his knack for development. The Ravens are actually letting him play this year and he is stepping up with some big throws.
10. Aaron Rodgers- Not where he needs to be yet but it’s a long season
11. Matt Ryan- Looks like he loves his new tight end
12. Donovan McNabb- Needs probably one more week off
13. Jay Cutler- Led his team to a huge win against the Steelers
14. Trent Edwards- Showing he can get it done but needs to trust his deep ball more.
15. Carson Palmer- Been a way for awhile, but should creep back into the top ten by mid season
16. Matt Cassel- Missed the opener and must find a way to get the Chiefs rolling.
17. Byron Leftwich- His accuracy is proving to be too much of an issue
18. Tony Romo- Has to forget about this last game in a hurry
19. Kyle Orton- Has stayed away from the mistakes and has his team at 2-0
20. Mark Sanchez- The Jets offensive attack has allowed for Sanchez to make plays and you’re starting to see his confidence soar.
21. Kerry Colins- The veterans having a tough time squeaking out the close games like they did a year ago.
22. Matt Hasselbeck- Hopefully he’ll be back within a short time period
23. David Garrard- The Jaguars are going to have many people on the hot seat soon, Garrard and Del Rio will lead it off.
24. Jake Delhomme- Bounced back enough to quiet critics but didn’t get the win.
25. Jason Campbell- Needs to ignore the headlines and attack with aggression
26. Chad Pennington- Should of screamed for a big free agent wide receiver signing, as the Dolphins do not have a true number one receiver.
27. Brett Favre-Sooner or later the Vikings will call on him to air it out.
28. Brady Quinn- No wonder Mangini took forever to announce the fans choice in Quinn
29. Shaun Hill- Singletary has got the ground game going and Hill’s role isn’t quite involved as last year
30. Marc Bulger- Hard to believe he was once a premier elite fantasy quarterback.
31. Matthew Stafford- Will go through the normal rookie growing pains
32. Jamarcus Russell- His performances have been down right atrocious.

Raymond Ayala’s Top 20 Quarterbacks

1) Drew Brees (NO) – Brees has looked as advertised during the preseason. Colston’s health will be key to another Brees pro-bowl season.
2) Peyton Manning (IND) – This year seems to be no different then the previous.
3) Tom Brady (NE) – Brady took a huge hit by Big Albert, but got up and continued to battle. Brady seems even more determined this season, than he did in 2007.
4) Philip Rivers (SD) – He just received a new contract extension, now he just has to continue to live up to it. Should not be a problem.
5) Tony Romo (DAL) – Still has young receivers to work with, but Roy Williams-Tony Romo, could be the new Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison.
6) Kurt Warner (ARZ) – Warner’s age eventually has to catch up to him, but having Fitzgerald and Boldin on your team can extend a career.
7) Aaron Rodgers (GB) – Has had the best preseason of all the quarterbacks thus far. Rodgers has potential to slide into the top 3, by seasons end.
8) Carson Palmer (CIN) – Palmer continues to battle the injury bug, but a healthy Palmer is better than most in the league.
9) Matt Ryan (ATL) – Has looked good this preseason. Adding Tony Gonzalez just gives him another touchdown target.
10) Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) – Legal matters have not had an impact on Big Ben, and he seems to be at the top of his game.
11) Jay Cutler (CHI) – Cutler has surprised me this preseason, but still lacks a valid Wide Receiver threat.
12) Brett Favre (MIN) – Some people seem to forget he is the NFL leader in Interceptions as well.
13) Donovan McNabb (PHI) – The addition of Michael Vick hurts McNabb’s fantasy value, just because Vick has a lot of potential, which could take snaps away from McNabb.
14) Matt Cassell (KC) – Even being out 2-4 weeks with an injury, still remains a valuable fantasy pick based on potential.
15) Matt Hasselback (SEA) – Hasselback has had a great preseason, and has put any doubts behind him. The addition of T.J. Houzmanzadeh has helped tremendously.
16) Chad Pennington (MIA) – I don’t expect him to put up the same numbers as last year, but his preseason is definitely encouraging.
17) Shaun Hill (SF) – Hill is officially the starter for the 49ers first game, but Michael Crabtree would make him so much more valuable.
18) Joe Flacco (BAL) – Flacco is a good game manager, but that doesn’t translate well in fantasy football.
19) Trent Edwards (BUF) – Edwards has yet to throw a touchdown pass, and is starting to scare the Bills. T.O. returns this week, so that could improve his passing arsenal.
20) Jason Campbell (WAS) – Has not impressed much during the preseason, but will still continue to put up solid numbers.

By Chris Burrows

It’s still in the air who’ll be getting things into the air in Cleveland for next season since speculation that the Browns would be trading away one of their two top QBs ended per Head Coach Eric Mangini’s recent announcement. Instead they are keeping both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn onboard and a fierce competition for the starting job has erupted.

Last season Anderson, Quinn, and backup QB Ken Dorsey shared the workload with 10, 3, and 4 credited games among them respectively. None of them were standouts then, either. The trio combined for just 11 total TDs (9 of which came from Anderson’s tosses).

This will be Anderson’s fourth season with the Browns but his stunning 3,787 yard 29 TD season in 2007 seems to be fading fast. It’ll be Quinn’s third season with the team and his first real shot at winning the starting job.

The battle for the top spot has seen a firestorm of media coverage that has pushed the QBs to the top of their games and Eric Mangini has stressed that this season he won’t be rotating QBs—there will only be one starter. He has also stressed that the two backs will be receiving equal amounts of practice time and snaps—which has been already been evidenced in Cleveland.

Obviously neither Anderson nor Quinn will be at the top of any fantasy charts but with drafts fast approaching it’d be good to know now who’ll be calling the shots in Cleveland. With the race currently in a CNN-style “too close-to-call” situation and a mum Mangini it’s important to note—is either of these guys worth the hassle?

The Browns are a very different team this season especially under the new direction of Eric Mangini who is already changing things up—penalizing sloppy play, making players fight for their jobs, and bringing a certain hard-nosedness to their game. This isn’t the 4-12 team that we saw last year. And they have the tools to do better.

18 transplants from other teams and 8 rookies make up the 2009 Browns roster. Two of the rookies—Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi—were both picked up in the second round of the draft and will be competing for a starting receiver job with Dante Stallworth indefinitely gone from the team. They’ll breath some life into a stagnant position on the squad that Braylon Edwards is scheduled to return to and hold down for ’09.

The RB position is weak point for the team that will push the air-game that both Anderson and Quinn are capable of.

The turn-around has begun with a QB quarrel at the center of it—just as Mangini likes it. Fans are drawn to the idea of switching things up for once and Cleveland now has a chance led by a top staff of coaches.

With their team momentum carrying them into the season it’s a safe bet that Anderson or Quinn (whichever gets the nod) will be a productive flinger that—as Mangini has said—will be the starter for the entirety of the season. So, if nothing else, the winning QB has an entire 16 weeks of work ahead of him—none of that switching QBs nonsense of last year.

Don’t grab either in the early rounds of the draft but whomever gets the pick should be drafter fairly high with a possibility to start especially further down the road.