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New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has officially defied all the odds against a super-fast recovery to step in and play in the Patriots‘ second preseason game versus the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night August 19.

Welker played in the Patriots’ first drive of the game and was in for a total of six plays according to @MikeReiss on Twitter.

He was targeted three times by quarterback Tom Brady and Welker caught two of the passes for 20 yards before being seen on the sidelines with his helmet off and a towel over his head.

What an amazing coming from a catastrophic knee injury that happened only seven and a half months prior on January 3 in the final regular season game of the 2009 season against the Houston Texans.

Welker was carted off of the field and many were concerned as to if Welker would even play in the 2010 season at all.

Luckily, the injury was not severe as initially thought and he was able to get surgery and begin his rehabilitation quickly to get him to this night when he has shown what kind of dedicated player and teammate he truly is.

All other NFL, college, and high school football players should take notice of this remarkable feat and it shows that Welker is a true champion as an athlete.

Now Patriots fans have to start thinking that there is a good chance that Welker may actually play in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

 

Welker was not scheduled to be ready for play until some time in October-ish.

In the meantime, the Patriots were planning on getting more reps to receivers Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate, and Taylor Price.

Looks like they will get those extra reps, but more so in the preseason and not as much in the regular season with Welker’s surprising recovery.

This news may have many teams re-examining the Patriots’ passing attack now because Welker alone has caught 346 passes for 3,688 yards and 15 touchdowns and his presence alone on the offense will make defenses think twice about who gets the ball between him and Randy Moss.

One of the NFL’s premier wide receivers just got healthy way faster than expected and you can believe that other teams have taken notice of the remarkable comeback.

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The average fan seems to believe that The New England Patriots dynasty has flat-lined.  The popular media has buried Tom Brady, interred Bill Belichick, and cremated the idea that there is anyone of much value in the Patriot’s organization beyond these two passing icons. 

 

But before we plant flowers on the grave of the Flying Elvis, perhaps we would be best served looking at a few of the particulars that have created this notion, and whether or not there is merit in these assumptions. 

 

Perception #1: The last thing that the world remembers about the New England Patriots is Ray Rice skipping (rather effeminately) through their end zone in January after his second rushing touchdown to put the Baltimore Ravens up 21 points in the first quarter of their AFC wild card match-up.  The Ravens went on to win the game by 18 points. 

 

Conclusion: The Patriots defense is a shell of its former self and couldn’t stop a Pee-Wee squad.  Two words: Leadership Void.

 

Reality Check #1: The Patriots defense ranked 6th in scoring defense and 3rd in yards allowed in 2009.  However, the Patriots defense did surrender late leads to Denver, Indianapolis, Miami, and Houston to go 2-6 on the road.  They also got demolished in the aforementioned Ravens game when playoff intensity escalated and they came out flat.  This would suggest a lack of leadership in the locker room, a catch-phrase in New England in the off-season, likely caused by malcontent Adalius Thomas and his presumed toady, Shawn Springs, who was seen laughing at Thomas in his infamous “Snow Gate” press conference.  

 

The void in leadership could also be attributed to the departure of stalwarts, Teddy Bruschi Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour who were sent out to  other pastures.

 

The Patriots have made efforts to both purge toxic locker room players and add players with exceptional integrity in the off season, drafting five players who were captains of their college teams.  Gone are bad boys such as Thomas and Springs.  

 

Based on the overall statistics from last year, one would have to conclude that there is a tremendous amount of talent on the roster, which will blossom under the care of excellent coaching and a handful of veteran role players.

 

Perception #2: Tom Brady is past his prime and does not really care about football anymore.  

 

Brady was photographed by paparazzi throughout the off-season getting foot massages from Gisele Bundchen, laying low in tropic locales, and, gasp, playing with his children.  He did not report to the team’s optional off-season training program to spend more time on the West Coast with his children.  As far as performance on the field, Brady choked during critical times during the season, including his three-pick performance against the Ravens.  

 

Conclusion: Brady has essentially given up on football and will never be the same player as before Bernard Pollard demolished his leg in the 2008 opener. 

 

Reality Check #2: Brady had the second best statistical season of his career in 2009, throwing for 4,398 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing 65.7 percent of his throws and earning a rating of 96.2.  He put up these numbers while laboring most of the season with three cracked ribs, a broken finger on his throwing hand, and a shoulder injury.  

 

Oh, and by the way, this was a year after he tore his ACL and MCL and spent the entire year in recovering from the surgery and in rehabilitation.  As to the notion that Brady is no longer interested in football, one need look no further than several incidents in this year’s training camp in which Brady screamed at his offensive line for blowing a red zone play, at one point even calling them “fat cows.”  (The latter epithet was likely a product of fatherhood, drawn from son Jack’s early readers such as “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.” In this case, “The Cow Got Pushed Off the Line of Scrimmage and Into my Lap.”)  

 

Brady’s fiery celebration after a first quarter touchdown by Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis against the New Orleans Saints tells you all you need to know about Brady’s competitive impulses, even at the ripe old age of 33.  He is still determined to win, only this time, it will be using language that is a bit more suitable for a younger audience.  

 

Now that he is healthy, a year removed from his knee surgery, the rest of the NFL should beware. 

 

Perception #3: Bill Belichick is tired of coaching in the NFL and is past his prime as a head coach.  

 

His mind is more on golf and fishing than on red zone efficiency and the 3-4 defense.  At age 58, he is too old to want to withstand the rigors of being an NFL coach, particularly the long hours and little amount of time allowed to spend with family. Vince Lombardi stepped down from the Green Bay Packer’s head coaching position at age 55. Bill Walsh was 67 in his last year for the San Francisco 49ers.  Bill Cower was 50 when he called it quits.  Jimmy Johnson was 56 when he last coached in the NFL.  Only a few exceptional head coaches, such as Bill Parcells and Don Shula, have made it into their 60s.  

 

Conclusion: It is simply too difficult for an old man to fire up his troops to march into battle in the NFL.

 

Reality Check #3:  What else would Belichick do? I don’t think that ESPN is anxious to get their hands on him.  His press conferences could kill the dead (appropriately, his one cameo on television is at a funeral in the show “Rescue Me”).  His typical response: “It is what it is,” has become a jingo in Foxboro, apropos of less than nothing.  He was divorced in 2006 and his three children are grown up.  Is he really that anxious to get home and watch reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond?”  

 

But aside from the emptiness that awaits him following his retirement, he bleeds footballs, literally, his blood is composed of liquefied pig skin.  He nibbles on shoulder pads in the bowels of Patriots place and sips on the blood of the downed opposition, and has been slowly devolving into a Gollum-like creature over the past decade, thinly veiled in public with cut-off sweat pants and a gray hoodie. Think he’ll become a GM some day?  Have you ever seen him put on a suit?  He looks ridiculous.  He would fit in at the front office like a dead cat would at a speed-dating meet-and-greet.  No.  

 

Belichick will coach until his head explodes and Xs and Os ooze out onto the field.

 

Perception #4: The offense is old at key positions and lacks depth of quality players.  

 

Let’s begin with the offense.  Tom Brady is 33 and has been in the league since Seal was popular.  Their running back stable boasts three players (Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fred Taylor) who will soon apply for AARP cards.  Receivers Randy Moss and Tory Holt have already bought adjoining rocking chairs and have started to begin every sentence with, “When I was a young man….”  The offensive line is also old. 

 

As for depth there, Logan Mankins is a holdout and will not be in camp anytime soon.  His proposed backup, Nick Kazcur, is on the shelf with a back injury and is out “indefinitely.”  The third man down the line, backup Dan Connolly, is untested, and behind him are a series of young unheralded players with bizarre names, such as Rich Ohrnberger, who are unproven. 

 

Conclusion: Move over grandma…

 

Reality Check #4:  The Patriots have drafted a series of young players to bolster their roster offensively, tackle Sebastian Vollmer, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and receivers Julian Edelman, Taylor Price, and Brandon Tate.  All of these players are in their first or second year, and all appear to be the real deal, particularly Edelman who roasted the world champions in their first pre-season game for 133 total yards, most of them against the Saints first units.  

 

Tom Brady lit up the league last year with three injuries and two good receivers last year.  In 2006, he took the Patriots to the brink of the Superbowl with Reche Caldwell as his number one target.  How do you think he might do with an offense loaded with young talent?  Oh, by the way, Wes Welker is healthy.  Some say he may wear down over the course of the season or not be able to cut as sharply as he has.  Everyone has bet against this guy his entire career.  Given how those assumptions have turned out, I’m not going to make the same mistake now.

 

 

Perception #5:  The defense lacks quality depth, particularly at outside linebacker and defensive line, where the Patriots are thin and long in the tooth (what the hell does this expression mean?).  

 

Last year, they had 31 sacks, good for 25th in the league in that important defensive statistic.  Looking at the film, their QB hurries, hits, and pressures were all quite low as well.  Many opposing QBs appeared to have enough time to build a house in the pocket before picking apart a suspect secondary.  The run defense was atrocious, particularly during the Ravens playoff loss, surrendering 234 yards on the ground.

 

Conclusion: Jamarcus Russell could tear this group up, with a cup of purple drank in his left hand.

 

Reality Check #5: The Patriots did have a suspect run defense, ranking 13th in rush yards allowed per game.  However, much of that can be attributed injuries to their two primary run-stopping studs on defense.  Jerod Mayo hurt his knee in the first game of the season, missed three games, came back and was never the same.  Vince Wilfork was hurt with three games to play, and came back only against Baltimore; rust was an issue.  True, the team did miss Richard Seymour in run defense, as they tried to plug in Mike Wright and Jarvis Green, who was also banged up, to no avail.  But they have addressed this gap in starter quality and quality of depth bringing in Gerard Warren, Damian Lewis, and drafting Brandon Deadrick, who is the real deal.  

 

Middle linebacker will no longer boast role players such as Gary Guyton in starting roles.  Second round pick Brandon Spikes had eight tackles against the Saints, mostly against the first unit, and plays like a veteran.  He will start next to Mayo barring injury.  The depth behind them is also much improved, with last year’s third round draft choice, Tyrone McKenzie and the previously mentioned Gary Guyton. 

 

Outside Linebacker has widely been regarded as a position of weakness, but with the return of Derrick Burgess, the group suddenly offers solid depth, if not high-end talent. Burgess will likely start with Tully Banta-Cain.  Many point to the fact that five of TBC’s sacks came against Buffalo, but recall that QB hurries, hits, and pressures are just as valuable, and he had a ton versus virtually almost every opponent (except for the Saints).  

 

Behind these two is Marquis Murrell, who had a pressure and a sack on Drew Brees in the first preseason game.  Fourth on the depth chart is second round draft pick Jermaine Cunningham from Florida, who has much in the way of potential.  

 

The secondary picked up first round draft choice Devin McCourty to start as a nickel corner to support the likes of Leigh Bodden and Darius Butler, a second year player from UConn who has impressed in training camp.  The trio, combined with playmakers Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung at safety, suddenly gives the Patriots a formidable secondary to compliment its pass rush.

 

They won’t be a top five defense, but they’ll probably be in the top ten.

 

Conclusion: Despite winning the AFC East last year with a record of 10-6, the Patriots were pantsed last year in the playoffs by the Ravens, unveiling a season of locker room turmoil and injuries at positions offering little depth.  This year, with the walls of the locker room stripped of the images of past glory, the team appears poised for a monster season, restocked with young talent and depth at nearly every position.  

 

While very few remain from the last Superbowl victory, shovel dirt on this group with a trembling trowel.  With first ballot Hall of Famers Brady and Belichick in the coffin and glut of young upstarts lining the crypt, the Patriots may soon be eating your brains.  

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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The average fan seems to believe that The New England Patriots dynasty has flat-lined.  The popular media has buried Tom Brady, interred Bill Belichick, and cremated the idea that there is anyone of much value in the Patriot’s organization beyond these two passing icons. 

 

But before we plant flowers on the grave of the Flying Elvis, perhaps we would be best served looking at a few of the particulars that have created this notion, and whether or not there is merit in these assumptions. 

 

Perception #1: The last thing that the world remembers about the New England Patriots is Ray Rice skipping (rather effeminately) through their end zone in January after his second rushing touchdown to put the Baltimore Ravens up 21 points in the first quarter of their AFC wild card match-up.  The Ravens went on to win the game by 18 points. 

 

Conclusion: The Patriots defense is a shell of its former self and couldn’t stop a Pee-Wee squad.  Two words: Leadership Void.

 

Reality Check #1: The Patriots defense ranked 6th in scoring defense and 3rd in yards allowed in 2009.  However, the Patriots defense did surrender late leads to Denver, Indianapolis, Miami, and Houston to go 2-6 on the road.  They also got demolished in the aforementioned Ravens game when playoff intensity escalated and they came out flat.  This would suggest a lack of leadership in the locker room, a catch-phrase in New England in the off-season, likely caused by malcontent Adalius Thomas and his presumed toady, Shawn Springs, who was seen laughing at Thomas in his infamous “Snow Gate” press conference.  

 

The void in leadership could also be attributed to the departure of stalwarts, Teddy Bruschi Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour who were sent out to  other pastures.

 

The Patriots have made efforts to both purge toxic locker room players and add players with exceptional integrity in the off season, drafting five players who were captains of their college teams.  Gone are bad boys such as Thomas and Springs.  

 

Based on the overall statistics from last year, one would have to conclude that there is a tremendous amount of talent on the roster, which will blossom under the care of excellent coaching and a handful of veteran role players.

 

Perception #2: Tom Brady is past his prime and does not really care about football anymore.  

 

Brady was photographed by paparazzi throughout the off-season getting foot massages from Gisele Bundchen, laying low in tropic locales, and, gasp, playing with his children.  He did not report to the team’s optional off-season training program to spend more time on the West Coast with his children.  As far as performance on the field, Brady choked during critical times during the season, including his three-pick performance against the Ravens.  

 

Conclusion: Brady has essentially given up on football and will never be the same player as before Bernard Pollard demolished his leg in the 2008 opener. 

 

Reality Check #2: Brady had the second best statistical season of his career in 2009, throwing for 4,398 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing 65.7 percent of his throws and earning a rating of 96.2.  He put up these numbers while laboring most of the season with three cracked ribs, a broken finger on his throwing hand, and a shoulder injury.  

 

Oh, and by the way, this was a year after he tore his ACL and MCL and spent the entire year in recovering from the surgery and in rehabilitation.  As to the notion that Brady is no longer interested in football, one need look no further than several incidents in this year’s training camp in which Brady screamed at his offensive line for blowing a red zone play, at one point even calling them “fat cows.”  (The latter epithet was likely a product of fatherhood, drawn from son Jack’s early readers such as “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.” In this case, “The Cow Got Pushed Off the Line of Scrimmage and Into my Lap.”)  

 

Brady’s fiery celebration after a first quarter touchdown by Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis against the New Orleans Saints tells you all you need to know about Brady’s competitive impulses, even at the ripe old age of 33.  He is still determined to win, only this time, it will be using language that is a bit more suitable for a younger audience.  

 

Now that he is healthy, a year removed from his knee surgery, the rest of the NFL should beware. 

 

Perception #3: Bill Belichick is tired of coaching in the NFL and is past his prime as a head coach.  

 

His mind is more on golf and fishing than on red zone efficiency and the 3-4 defense.  At age 58, he is too old to want to withstand the rigors of being an NFL coach, particularly the long hours and little amount of time allowed to spend with family. Vince Lombardi stepped down from the Green Bay Packer’s head coaching position at age 55. Bill Walsh was 67 in his last year for the San Francisco 49ers.  Bill Cower was 50 when he called it quits.  Jimmy Johnson was 56 when he last coached in the NFL.  Only a few exceptional head coaches, such as Bill Parcells and Don Shula, have made it into their 60s.  

 

Conclusion: It is simply too difficult for an old man to fire up his troops to march into battle in the NFL.

 

Reality Check #3:  What else would Belichick do? I don’t think that ESPN is anxious to get their hands on him.  His press conferences could kill the dead (appropriately, his one cameo on television is at a funeral in the show “Rescue Me”).  His typical response: “It is what it is,” has become a jingo in Foxboro, apropos of less than nothing.  He was divorced in 2006 and his three children are grown up.  Is he really that anxious to get home and watch reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond?”  

 

But aside from the emptiness that awaits him following his retirement, he bleeds footballs, literally, his blood is composed of liquefied pig skin.  He nibbles on shoulder pads in the bowels of Patriots place and sips on the blood of the downed opposition, and has been slowly devolving into a Gollum-like creature over the past decade, thinly veiled in public with cut-off sweat pants and a gray hoodie. Think he’ll become a GM some day?  Have you ever seen him put on a suit?  He looks ridiculous.  He would fit in at the front office like a dead cat would at a speed-dating meet-and-greet.  No.  

 

Belichick will coach until his head explodes and Xs and Os ooze out onto the field.

 

Perception #4: The offense is old at key positions and lacks depth of quality players.  

 

Let’s begin with the offense.  Tom Brady is 33 and has been in the league since Seal was popular.  Their running back stable boasts three players (Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fred Taylor) who will soon apply for AARP cards.  Receivers Randy Moss and Tory Holt have already bought adjoining rocking chairs and have started to begin every sentence with, “When I was a young man….”  The offensive line is also old. 

 

As for depth there, Logan Mankins is a holdout and will not be in camp anytime soon.  His proposed backup, Nick Kazcur, is on the shelf with a back injury and is out “indefinitely.”  The third man down the line, backup Dan Connolly, is untested, and behind him are a series of young unheralded players with bizarre names, such as Rich Ohrnberger, who are unproven. 

 

Conclusion: Move over grandma…

 

Reality Check #4:  The Patriots have drafted a series of young players to bolster their roster offensively, tackle Sebastian Vollmer, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and receivers Julian Edelman, Taylor Price, and Brandon Tate.  All of these players are in their first or second year, and all appear to be the real deal, particularly Edelman who roasted the world champions in their first pre-season game for 133 total yards, most of them against the Saints first units.  

 

Tom Brady lit up the league last year with three injuries and two good receivers last year.  In 2006, he took the Patriots to the brink of the Superbowl with Reche Caldwell as his number one target.  How do you think he might do with an offense loaded with young talent?  Oh, by the way, Wes Welker is healthy.  Some say he may wear down over the course of the season or not be able to cut as sharply as he has.  Everyone has bet against this guy his entire career.  Given how those assumptions have turned out, I’m not going to make the same mistake now.

 

 

Perception #5:  The defense lacks quality depth, particularly at outside linebacker and defensive line, where the Patriots are thin and long in the tooth (what the hell does this expression mean?).  

 

Last year, they had 31 sacks, good for 25th in the league in that important defensive statistic.  Looking at the film, their QB hurries, hits, and pressures were all quite low as well.  Many opposing QBs appeared to have enough time to build a house in the pocket before picking apart a suspect secondary.  The run defense was atrocious, particularly during the Ravens playoff loss, surrendering 234 yards on the ground.

 

Conclusion: Jamarcus Russell could tear this group up, with a cup of purple drank in his left hand.

 

Reality Check #5: The Patriots did have a suspect run defense, ranking 13th in rush yards allowed per game.  However, much of that can be attributed injuries to their two primary run-stopping studs on defense.  Jerod Mayo hurt his knee in the first game of the season, missed three games, came back and was never the same.  Vince Wilfork was hurt with three games to play, and came back only against Baltimore; rust was an issue.  True, the team did miss Richard Seymour in run defense, as they tried to plug in Mike Wright and Jarvis Green, who was also banged up, to no avail.  But they have addressed this gap in starter quality and quality of depth bringing in Gerard Warren, Damian Lewis, and drafting Brandon Deadrick, who is the real deal.  

 

Middle linebacker will no longer boast role players such as Gary Guyton in starting roles.  Second round pick Brandon Spikes had eight tackles against the Saints, mostly against the first unit, and plays like a veteran.  He will start next to Mayo barring injury.  The depth behind them is also much improved, with last year’s third round draft choice, Tyrone McKenzie and the previously mentioned Gary Guyton. 

 

Outside Linebacker has widely been regarded as a position of weakness, but with the return of Derrick Burgess, the group suddenly offers solid depth, if not high-end talent. Burgess will likely start with Tully Banta-Cain.  Many point to the fact that five of TBC’s sacks came against Buffalo, but recall that QB hurries, hits, and pressures are just as valuable, and he had a ton versus virtually almost every opponent (except for the Saints).  

 

Behind these two is Marquis Murrell, who had a pressure and a sack on Drew Brees in the first preseason game.  Fourth on the depth chart is second round draft pick Jermaine Cunningham from Florida, who has much in the way of potential.  

 

The secondary picked up first round draft choice Devin McCourty to start as a nickel corner to support the likes of Leigh Bodden and Darius Butler, a second year player from UConn who has impressed in training camp.  The trio, combined with playmakers Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung at safety, suddenly gives the Patriots a formidable secondary to compliment its pass rush.

 

They won’t be a top five defense, but they’ll probably be in the top ten.

 

Conclusion: Despite winning the AFC East last year with a record of 10-6, the Patriots were pantsed last year in the playoffs by the Ravens, unveiling a season of locker room turmoil and injuries at positions offering little depth.  This year, with the walls of the locker room stripped of the images of past glory, the team appears poised for a monster season, restocked with young talent and depth at nearly every position.  

 

While very few remain from the last Superbowl victory, shovel dirt on this group with a trembling trowel.  With first ballot Hall of Famers Brady and Belichick in the coffin and glut of young upstarts lining the crypt, the Patriots may soon be eating your brains.  

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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The Hall of Fame Game is in the books, and Week One of the NFL preseason starts Thursday night.

With three games on the schedule, it’s time for dynasty league owners to take the in-depth research and roster evaluation necessary to become a league champion to the next level.

With that in mind, here are the lucky 13 players who I’m keeping a watchful eye on during Week One’s opening night:

 

New Orleans vs. New England

 

Brandon Tate, WR, NE

It seems the Patriots are doing everything possible to get him into the No. 3 wide receiver role. It’s time we see if his practice dominance translates to reality.

 

Wes Welker, WR, NE

They really wouldn’t even risk it, would they? If Welker gets on the field, the worries about him missing the season opener are gone.

 

PJ Hill, RB, NO

With the season ending injury to Lynell Hamilton, the door is open for Hill to make his case to be the short yardage compliment to Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. Will he take advantage?

 

 

Oakland vs. Dallas

 

Jason Campbell, QB, OAK

Al Davis is saying he’s the next Jim Plunkett. Raider fans would take the next non-JaMarcus Russell.

Campbell has been great so far in practice. It would be nice to see him take the team to a score on the opening drive.

 

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, OAK

Many dynasty league owners have already cut bait on Heyward-Bey after last year’s disaster. Let’s see just how much progress he’s really made in the offseason.

 

Jacoby Ford, WR, OAK

Ford is one of DLF’s favorite sleepers. He was the fastest player at the combine with a 4.28 40, and is said to have run as fast as 4.126 in the past.

 

At the very least, he should look super fast in HD.

 

Kevin Ogletree, WR, DAL

Ogletree had a solid performance in the Hall of Fame Game, with two catches for 25 yards in limited action. He needs to build on that if he wants to make his mark before Dez Bryant returns.

 

 

Carolina vs. Baltimore

 

Hunter Cantwell and Jimmy Clausen, QBs, CAR

Matt Moore has the starting gig all sewn up barring an epic preseason meltdown, so the battle begins on Thursday for the backup job.

Most have Clausen winning this hands down, but we’re not jumping on that bandwagon quite yet.

 

Tyrell Sutton, RB, CAR

Sutton was one of the stars of the 2009 preseason.

Another year of promise shown and the Panthers’ future depth chart at backup running back could become more clear.

 

His opportunity starts Thursday night.

 

Brandon LaFell, WR, CAR

 

LaFell has been spending a lot of time with the first team in practice as of late. If he starts the game, it’s bad news for Dwayne Jarrett’s future and great news for LaFell owners.

 

Armanti Edwards, WR, CAR

Dynamic. Electrifying. Jaw-dropping.

There haven’t been a shortage of adjectives being thrown around when describing Edwards’ transition from small school quarterback to NFL receiver.

It’s time we had ourselves a look.

 

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL

It’s going to be odd to see him in black instead of red.

It would be great to see some type of chemistry with Boldin and Joe Flacco during their one and only series they play together.

 

There’s a lot to look forward to in terms of player evaluation this preseason. It all starts Thursday night and dynasty league owners across the planet are ready for some football.

 

For the complete set of strategic 2010 dynasty rankings, click below:

Strategic Quarterback Rankings
Strategic Running Back Rankings
Strategic Wide Receiver Rankings
Strategic Tight End Rankings
Strategic IDP Rankings

 Article written by Ken Kelly
DynastyLeagueFootball.com

Join our fantasy football community at  
www.DynastyLeagueFootball.com/dlforum

 

 

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Searching for the latest Brett Favre news? NFL betting guru Mike Godsey of GodsTips says, “It’s only a matter of when he comes back. He is the Minnesota Vikings starting QB.”

Now, key football wagering info for this week.

The free picks for each NFL division and the major NCAA football conferences are out. But now, it’s time to win with preseason NFL picks.

Here is the famed preseason primer with quarterback and key player rotations for the first full week of NFLX compiled by the handicappers at OffshoreInsiders.com

Thursday, August 12

 

Saints vs. Patriots

New England is very deep at WR. Brandon Tate may be in for a breakout year. He is a third-round pick from last year, who had most of his season wiped out because of injury.

However, those who bet NFL preseason point spreads will note that the Pats are thin in the trenches with Logan Mankins holding out, Nick Kaczur out with back issues and Ty Warren with a hip injury. Warren’s backup Ron Brace has been a big disappointment thus far.

 

Panthers vs. Ravens

Panthers star WR Steven Smith is out for the preseason.

 

Friday, August 13

 

Chiefs vs. Falcons

Lines-Maker.com’s Brian Kayma reports that Atlanta WR Michael Jenkins is done for the preseason. He caught 50 passes last year.

 

Saturday, August 14

 

Vikings vs. Rams

The Minnesota Vikings may get great inspiration at the scheduled miracle return of LB E.J. Henderson. He is coming back from a gruesome fractured left femur injury, which was considered career threatening.

Percy Harvin is likely out. The star WR continues to have migraine headache issues. Two Pro Bowlers, Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice, have also missed significant camp time because of mystery injuries.

 

Browns vs. Packers

The Cleveland Browns have a revamped QB rotation with Jake Delhomme the starter, followed by Seneca Wallace and rookie Colt McCoy. The rookie from Texas should she significant playing time in the second half.

Cleveland’s secondary is a work in progress. Eric Wright just got hurt and is questionable. First round pick Joe Haden has gotten mixed reviews in training camp thus far.

 

Raiders vs. Cowboys

Dallas, of course, has a game under their belt after annihilating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Hall-of-Fame game, a GodsTips Wise Guy easy winner. However, they face a short week with just three days between games.

They are suddenly thin at TE with John Phillips, a big star of training camp, out for the year. Martellus Bennett missed Sunday with a bad ankle, Jason Witten will not see much time in the preseason. He and Scott Sicko are the only completely healthy TEs the Pokes have.

 

Monday, August 16

 

Giants vs. Jets

The Jets Derrelle Revis, perhaps the best cover man in the NFL, is still holding out.

 

Sunday, August 15

 

Broncos vs. Bengals

Denver is minus both starting RBs Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. They are very thin at that position.

For more information: Get all the top sports service picks for the NFL preseason and updated NFL injuries, QB rotations, news and notes for NFLX betting on the OffshoreInsiders.com Network.

 

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Aug 10th, 2010 | Filed under NFL, Preview/Prediction