By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

There are an array of different formats of fantasy leagues to get involved with. One format that is amongst the highest in growing on a year to year basis is dynasty leagues. If you participate with the same buddies year in and year out it’s a way to grow that league as a whole. You’re tied with that pool of players for a longer stretch and it causes for an owner to bear more responsibility. Of course some dynasty formats force owners to part ways with a certain amount of players, and a smaller version of a redraft happens in the preceding summer. One of the areas that has been a fun process with dynasty leagues is the rookie draft.

We’ve entered our fifth year in a fantasy football expert league and a big part of our success has came via our selections through the rookie draft. Players such as DeSean Jackson, Steve Slaton, Chaz Schilens, Percy Harvin, and Ted Ginn Jr. have fell into our laps. Just like in regular drafts the difference in your team comes from your middle to late round picks playing above their value.

This years rookie class is more defensive laden than prior years. Teams are tired of offenses overpowering their defense, which was at an all time high last year. Quarterbacks were throwing for 300 yard games at an obscene rate, and backfields were pounding the ball with ease. It truly was an offensive explosion of sorts. Participating in our rookie draft this week we have been looking for a few steals.

With the eighth pick in the first round we were in a tough spot. With every capable rookie running back that will likely see significant carries snatched up we decided to draft a wide receiver. No one really stood out so we went with Andre Roberts. Roberts was a little known receiver in college from Citadel. When an athlete from a small college is able to garner attention in the third round we figured he was worth a look at. Roberts goes to a team with a solid chance at winning the third receiver spot, and learning from one of the best receivers in the game in Larry Fitzgerald. Even though Matt Leinart is the quarterback now, Arizona has been one of the league leaders at getting three receivers involved from a fantasy standpoint.

Steve Breaston is trying to take on a new role as the teams number two wideout now that Anquan Boldin is gone. If he can not handle the role Whisenhunt will likely spread out formations at a higher rate. We’re pretty strong as it is at receiver with our fantasy team so allowing Roberts to grow on our bench is no problem for us. In the second round we also decided to plan for the future and selected Jimmy Clausen. Clausen slid further than imagined in the NFL draft but is in a perfect fit in Carolina. Matt Moore goes in as the teams number one quarterback and will likely remain for the 2010 season. This will allow Clausen to develop properly and be even stronger to surpass Moore once the 2011 training camp begins.

Being successful in a dynasty league causes for different preparation for rookie drafts as you’re usually deep down at the end of rounds. A rookie draft is similar to an NBA team going into their draft with years of success. They usually look overseas or in years past the high school level to recruit talent that they believe will blossom. One player we really liked that was selected in the early second round was Mike Williams of Tampa Bay. He had some issues while at Syracuse that led to him being booted off the team twice. Once was for academic reasons and last year was for conduct off the field. While he was on the field though Williams was a beast and had a stretch where he caught a touchdown in nine straight games. Last year he was basically there lone receiver that produced for quarterback Greg Paulus. That’s right Greg Paulus who was inaccurate as could be and basically through up lobs that Williams hauled in regularly. If you’re looking for a steal in rookie drafts keep an eye on Williams. He went under the radar at Syracuse and was drafted in a prime opportunity with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

By Zack Cimini

Stats as of 5/13/2010: Avg: .254/HR-4/RBI-12/R-18/SB-2

For those looking for somewhat of a bat in a sparse pool take a look at David Dejesus. He has had an up and down start to the year but is putting up numbers in all categories. His average is not where you’d like it to be, but he is getting on base, and is performing well since being moved from leadoff to the three hole.

Dejesus has solid value and is available in 65% of Yahoo leagues. Snatch him up as a bargain now and see how long you can get performing numbers from him to keep give your current roster a boost.

By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

Talk about a breakout week for running backs not even ranked in the top fifty of any fantasy sports rankings coming into 2009. Jerome Harrison, Jamal Charles, Maurice Morris, Michael Bush, and Beanie Wells were the fantasy factor backs for week fifteen. Who would of imagined that? All this does is give fantasy owners knocked out of the playoffs chances to wheel and deal in your dynasty leagues, or start taking notes early for next years draft. It is never too early to start preparing to strategize and reload for next year. Heck, those owners should be strategizing for building a 2009 fantasy playoff team. There though the players busting out on teams not heading for the playoffs won’t matter to you.

A small percentage of owners though have a shot at winning their leagues title. Meaning you’ve got one last shot to perfect your fantasy lineup via the waiver wire.

Quarterbacks

Chad Henne- Henne likely has answered enough questions Miami may have had about making him compete with Chad Pennington for 2010’s starting job. The future is in Henne’s hands and he will learn from the mistakes he has been making. Unlike some of his younger counterparts trying to adapt to the game, Henne is displaying an array of throws and isn’t afraid to stick the ball in some tough spots. Miami was afraid to unleash Henne after the wildcat had to be abandoned. In the long run it will prove to be a quality decision by coach Sparano. Miami should also give Henne some better talent to throw to as Davone Bess, Ted Ginn, Greg Camarillo, and Brian Hartline is not going to cut it.

Matt Moore- What does Carolina have a reason to sit Delhomme for good? Moore’s got the size at 6’6, and is performing well for a quarterback with as little experience as himself. Were sure the Panthers will still have Delhomme as their starter going into 2010, but the battle will brew quickly if Delhomme has any mishaps as he did this year.

Running Backs

Jerome Harrison- Just when it seemed like the Browns were going to give the bulk of their carries to Chris Jennings they fooled us all. Harrison dueled against Jamaal Charles for the highest combo from two backs all season long. We don’t know if Harrison’s breakout game will end up being an after thought but we do know he will be the hottest commodity on any waiver wire this week.

Maurice Morris- Morris did much more than expected against a Cardinals defense that has been stout against the run. Heck they shut down Adrian Peterson to 19 yards. Detroit came out of the second half with a strong commitment to get back in the game. They made some changes on the offensive line as well which really gave Morris some great lanes to run the ball through. Morris is a great veteran back that has done well when giving the opportunity due to injuries

Michael Bush- Whatever system the Raiders plan on having for Michael Bush and Darren McFadden is yet to be discovered. The carries all year long have had no consistency, but they do know they have a talented core of backs. Look for the Raiders to continue to heighten the overall carries to their tail backs. With a strong weakness at quarterback the best thing to do is keep a heavy dose of run plays. It worked to their advantage and allowed them to eek out their fifth win of the season.

Tight Ends

J.P. Foschi- Carson Palmer accuracy lately is as precise as anyone in the league. He seems to have timing down with every pass catching Bengal. Foschi had a big day against the Chargers. He is a big target that hasn’t seen enough looks for whatever reason. Palmer likely has gained trust and confidence after this game and will start to look his way more often.

John Carlson- Carlson was the only plus too Seattle’s horrid performance against the lowly Buccaneers. If your looking for a new look at tight end for your fantasy super bowl hopes, Carlson is available in 44 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Wide Receivers

Chaz Schilens- Schilens is a big target that has a knack for getting open. After missing most of the year with injuries, Schilens is starting to factor in more and more. With the Raiders barely throwing for 100 yards on any given week it’s a high risk investment to go with Schilens. At any rate the Raiders have scored 20 or more points in three of their last five games. Most of that was due to the effectiveness of Bruce Gradkowski. Still, Schilens is worth a shot if you’re stuck in a rut in your third wide receiver position.

Chris Chambers- After being unable to beat out Malcolm Floyd for a starting position in San Diego and fading on their roster by the week, it seemed that Chambers was ready to be written off from fantasy relevance for good. When he was cut and picked up off the natural NFL waiver wire little was thought of Chambers having an impact. The Chiefs needed someone with Dwayne Bowe’s suspension and Chambers immediately entered their starting position. Were still surprised at what he has been able to do, but it can no longer be looked at as a fluke.

Lavernues Coles- Coles lost his starting job to Andre Caldwell but Palmer still will be throwing his way for the short and intermediate routes. Coles has lost the speed he had as a Jet but still can run decent routes. The Bengals will need him to perform like he did this past week to keep Chad Johnson from being blanketed by double and triple coverages.

Kevin Walters- Matt Schaub and the Texans have dismissed any thoughts of running the football. Schaubs averaging 300 yards passing a game and has had Andre Johnson owners beaming lately. When you’re throwing the football at the pace the Texans are obviously balls are going to be a plenty to catch. Proportionally it should mean the first three receivers on the Texans depth chart should all be fantasy factors. Walters is coming off his best year in the league but has had trouble factoring in due to Andre Johnsons enormous all world games.

Mike Wallace- The rookie came up huge with a catch Steelers fans will never forget. When memories of the 2009 highlight reels are showcased he will always be a part of that. Big Ben’s refusal to let his team down and carry everything on his shoulders has meant many a passes being thrown. Roethlisberger’s averaging throwing the football 34 times a game. With Hines Ward seemingly playing no where near 100 percent, it will mean Wallace’s role should expand the last few games.

By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

It’s that time of year where all your hard work could be erased by one bad roster move. Don’t be that team that’s put on a show all year, and done all the gloating and smack talking to your buddies. After all nothing is worse than going into the fantasy playoffs with all the glory and being put to rest with the quickness. In an odd year where inconsistent play has plagued the fantasy world it is going to continue to be about sneaking some fantasy points here and there to gain an edge. Meaning you can still work the waiver wire to your advantage if you’re feeling a little risky.

So whose left to take a look at for favorable matchups in these last few weeks?

Quarterbacks

Jason Campbell- Campbell taking the brunt of criticism for Washington’s woes offensively and being a quarterback unwanted for years but starting because of default. Washington has had issues from coaching to the front office but Jason Campbell has held his end of the bargain as much as a quarterback could.
Chris Redman- Redman has done well enough in his spot duty to be tracked on fantasy owners radars that have had to deal with Jay Cutler or another struggling fantasy starter. Redman seems comfortable with the Falcons playbook and is distributing the football nicely for the Falcons. Keep an eye on Matt Ryan’s status, but the Falcons likely have no reason to rush him back out on the field.

Charlie Frye- It appears as if the Raiders have seen enough from incumbent starter Jamarcus Russell. Even with Bruce Gradkowski done for the year the Raiders are looking to go elsewhere at quarterback and let Frye step in. We applaud the move as no one can bare to witness Russell struggle so poorly anymore. The Raiders have actually been semi decent offensively with a different quarterback other than Russell at the helm. Frye will have three games it looks like to maybe push Russell to the idea that he may have to challenge for the backup role let alone starter. This was a similar tactic the Cardinals did this year with Matt Leinart.

Running Back

Chris Jennings- The shuffling of quarterbacks, running backs, and you name it in Cleveland has us all confused. Eric Mangini wants players out on the field that want to play and Jennings seems to be the back answering the call.

Maurice Morris- With Kevin Smith out the rest of the year the workload will shift to more of a tandem backfield with Morris likely edging Aaron Brown for majority of carries. Detroit’s offense is going to be nothing too write home about with Daunte Culpepper under the gun. Picking up Morris or Brown would be an absolute no other choice at running back move.

Willis McGahee- McGahee bounces back and forth from the proverbial fantasy stud to outcast. Ray Rice will be a top five fantasy back if not higher going into 2010 and for years to come. McGahee’s role will be modified depending on Joe Flacco’s struggles. The Ravens thought he was ready to carry this offense more with his arm than handing it off. That proved to be a costly move as Flacco has struggled with the Ravens throwing more than running. Last week that went back to their bread and butter and that means utilizing McGahee along with Rice.

Tight End

Fred Davis- Davis is finally utilizing the talents the Redskins have been waiting to see in action. Davis struggled in preseason with countless drops that carried over into the regular season. Repetition and countless mental lashings from his coaches seem to have finally worked. Jason Campbell has always been a quarterback that relies on his tight ends and is why Chris Cooley was a major factor as a tight end for so long. When he was lost for the year Davis was expected to handle the role without a problem. It took him almost the entire year but of the last three games Davis is one of the hottest fantasy tight ends in football. The yardage numbers are not there but four touchdowns in three games speaks very well for a tight end.

Wide Receivers

Reggie Brown- Browns whereabouts were on the level of where’s waldo. He was no where to be found buried and lost in a village of youth. One thing Brown has developed over the years is trust with Donovan McNabb. Injuries to Kevin Curtis, Jeremy Maclin, and DeSean Jackson gave Jason Avant and Reggie Brown time to shine with an increased role. Brown has taken advantage of it and might be worth a look at if Maclin and Curtis need extra time to cope with their injuries. The Eagles are going to throw the ball easily up to 40 times a game. The distribution has to be broken up somehow and Brown will factor in like he has the last several weeks.

Davone Bess/Greg Camarillo- With the wildcat seemingly out in Miami the play calling has shifted to Chad Henne and traditional pass plays. Bess and Camarillo are starting to become Henne’s reliable go to guys. The problem is which one is going to be the main contributor on any given week. Henne’s comfort is gaining each week and is poised for an all around break out statistical game. Dolphins receivers are fantasy worthy for the first time since Chris Chambers wore a Dolphin uniform.

Sam Aiken- Aiken was blanketed to similar numbers as Randy Moss last week against Carolina with zero catches. That’s the type of dud performance that usually would keep someone obscured completely and off the radar. But these are the New England Patriots that love to throw the ball and abandon the run. Aiken has been sporadic at best but has the big play ability worth a gamble on if you’re desperate.

Hakeem Nicks- When Eli Manning was discovering Steve Smith and Mario Manningham as his rising young receivers Nicks was sidelined at the time. He has bounced back and quickly become the Giants main big play receiver. Steve Smith has the skills and trust of Manning as their possession receiver. Expect Nicks to continue to make big plays and to have a few shots at jump balls with his gargantuan hands.

By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

The bye week teams for week five are Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, and San Diego. Assuming you have a kicker or defense representing one of those teams you’re going to need to do a quick addition to your team. As no team can afford to go without those crucial points that give that extra boost to your fantasy team. The crop available on the waiver wire will be slim pickings. Notjustagame tries to provide you the best matchups of kickers and defenses likely available to give you solid points for week five.

Defenses
Houston (Available in 94% of Yahoo Leagues)- We know they’re going to give up points but the chance of a big play here and there defensively is likely. The Cardinals line has struggled to open up holes for the running game, which has made them quick to abandon the run game. Warner has taking an early beating in the Cardinals first three games because of it. The Texans front four has the speed to create havoc and get after Warner some more. We all know Warner is fumble prone when getting attacked.

Miami (Available in 55% of Yahoo Leagues)- Miami’s defense will look to continue to confuse Mark Sanchez as the New Orlean Saints did. Being a rookie it’ll be interest to see how Sanchez responds to his first real struggle. We will see how tough he is mentally to overcome those woes. Miami has enough play makers defensively to warrant a pickup this week against the rookie.

New England (Available in 41% of Yahoo Leagues)- The Broncos are riding high off on a four game winning streak, but in all four games Kyle Orton has been able to manage games. Allowing only 26 points thus far in four games will not be a probable result for a fifth week. The Patriots put up points on everyone and that means Kyle Orton will have to display that arm more. We have not forgotten the ugly Orton that threw three horrible picks in limited action in one game during the preseason.

Kickers

Olindo Mare (Available in 98% of Yahoo Leagues)- After being criticized by his coach Mare has taken enough negative feedback to put him as a non considered fantasy kicker. This week though the Seahawks play the Jaguars which have been giving up lots of yards through the air. Seattle hasn’t had too much trouble moving the football which should give Mare two to three attempts at field goals.

Phil Dawson/Bill Cundiff (Available in 95% of Yahoo Leagues)- The Browns offense is ten times better with Anderson in, and with a few games under his belt the offense should get some chemistry together. Once their in sync it will allow for Dawson to give his leg an actual workout. We don’t know if Dawson will be ready to go this week after missing a few games with a calf injury. If he isn’t ready Cundiff is a viable option as well as he has been doing fine filling in. The Bills are coming off giving a bunch of points to the Dolphins and haven’t been strong defensively yet besides three quarters against the Patriots. That game really was just Brady missing open targets.

Neil Rackers (Available in 75% of Yahoo Leagues)- The Texans averaged out their points allowed by playing the pathetic Jamarcus Russell Raiders attack. The Cardinals are coming off a bye week and should be well prepared to take it to the Texans offensively. Rackers was the best of the best a few years ago and is in a potent offense. We’re stupefied that he is this widely available.

This week the team that has been revitalized from a fantasy perspective comes from Cleveland. They have a selection choice to fill a waiver wire spot from each major position. Take a look at who else is available based upon their week four performances.

Quarterbacks:
Derek Anderson- Questioning Mangini’s back and forth decision making between Anderson and Quinn can come to rest. Mangini is a head coach and could have waited another three miserable performances from Quinn before being forced to make the move. By being proactive the Browns competed and looked good offensively. Anderson is still not in his 2007 form, but either is the go to target of that year in Braylon Edwards. Maybe Edwards will get back on track and give Anderson a target he desperately needs.

Kyle Orton- Orton is becoming the Kerry Collins of last year, seemingly dinking, dumping, and taking a chance rarely but getting results from them. He is as steady a performer you can have from the quarterback position with minimal risk. Right now the Broncos defense Is playing exceptional. When the rough periods begin for the defense that’s when we will see Orton have to display his arm more. The Broncos have enough talent for Orton to unleash his arm, but will Josh McDaniels let him?

Matthew Stafford- Stafford is day to day after a knee injury that looked like it could have been season ending. Thankfully it wasn’t anything to hamper his rookie season. He shouldn’t miss more than a game, and once he is back he should continue to progress steadily on his rookie campaign. Stafford seems to be getting more comfortable with his reads and NFL game speed. His arm is definitely there as he has been delivering some solid throws. A bonus is his ability to scramble with the football. The extra points he can get you as a scrambling quarterback will make up for the mistakes in the turnover department he’ll give you. Not worthy of being a fantasy starter but a solid consideration if matchups present themselves.

Running Backs

Rashard Mendenhall- Mendenhall has had the craziest two weeks an NFL player can have. He went from being benched too starting and having a breakout game. Owners that were quick to let him go a week ago have to be smacking themselves now. Mendenhall’s display will ultimately now turn more carries his direction even with Willie Parker bouncing back from turf toe. With Mendenhall running the ball he added a different element which Willie has been unable to provide this year. Mendenhall is available in 52 percent of Yahoo leagues and is the hottest default waiver wire move for sure heading out of week four.

Jerome Harrison- Still available widely in most leagues, Harrison outdid expectations with a solid week four performance. He did not cross the goal line but did rush the ball nearly thirty times for almost 130 yards. Jamal Lewis missed the game with a hamstring injury and will likely be questionable going into week fives matchup against the Bills. Insert Harrison this week as the Browns are facing a Bills team that is giving up huge chunks of yards on the ground. Against Miami they gave up around 250 yards.

Wide Receivers
Michael Crabtree- As his prognosis as a holdout lingers to a likely inevitable end, Crabtree will have to come into the fold with the 49ers slowly. We don’t envision Crabtree being a huge hit right away, but he could be of fantasy relevance when it matters most; the final stretch of the fantasy season. Crabtree will likely get involved with ten to fifteen plays a game to start, but should easily surpass current starters Isaac Bruce and Josh Morgan.

Mohammed Massaquoi- With the Browns needing a target to step up at wide receiver Massaquoi being a rookie without an ego has stepped up to the challenge. Braylon needs to get his Hollywood act together as Massaquoi appears ready to be the number one receiver on this team. It was Massaquoi’s first true chance to shine this season, as Brady Quinn never had the stats to deliver promise to any of his teammates. Massaquoi should be considered a fourth and possibly third receiver on your team via the waiver wire.

Johnny Knox- Knox continues to factor in weekly to the Bears offense even though Cutler is spreading the ball and not putting up high yardage totals. With Knox being a special teams factor as Hester was a few years ago it only adds to his value. We expect Knox to grow to be their number one option offensively before the season is done.

Kenny Britt- Seems to be Kerry Collin’s new favorite target. He struggled with a few drops against the Jets but made up for it this week against the Jaguars. Britt being a rookie will likely see his stats be erratic based upon woes rookies usually have. Plus the Jaguars are the worst pass defense in the league so Britt will have to show that he can be a factor against tough secondary’s.

Tight Ends
Mercedes Lewis- With Dirk Koetter expanding the offenses passing attack Lewis figures to balance in well with increased looks. He has never been a strong fantasy tight end but is coming off one of his best games in a long time. Lewis caught several balls from Garrard, including Garrard’s last scoring strike of the day. Lewis is worth a look at if you’ve been having a hard time with production at tight end.

Jermichael Finley- Finley is looking more like a decoy tight end lining up as a receiver for the Green Bay Packers. He had an incredible breakout performance against the Vikings, in which he had a few big plays to spark the Packers offense. After he showed what he can do, expect his role to expand and for the Packers to continue to spread him out for mismatches. With already two speedsters in Jennings and Driver, spreading out Finley as they did against the Vikings is going to be nightmares for opposing teams.