NFL News, Rumors, Scores, Predictions, and Stats

Clearly there are plenty of people who think Tim Tebow will experience tons of success with Denver.

As the NFL’s No. 1-selling jersey, Tebow has some big expectations to live up to.

But where will he even line up at on the field? Only Broncos coach Josh McDaniels truly knows.

As it stands, Tebow’s just a third-string quarterback who has an outside chance at taking legitimate snaps under center—and he might not even get one.

Don’t think so? See if these 10 reasons help change your mind.

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As everyone starts to get amped up for their drafts, which will ensue over the next couple of weeks, we are working to provide coverage on as many key players as possible. From sleepers, potential busts, solid selections, and who to reach for and when, we are very diligent in giving our readers the players we feel are going to have the biggest impact in 2010.

With that being said, I wanted to highlight a few players to keep an eye on. You can view them as sleepers, no-brainers, or however you would like, and of course, their value is going to differ based on your league’s point setup. I am going to start a series focused on each position and the players outside of the top-tiered guys who you should focus on, and more importantly, what round(s) you need to be looking to scoop them up.

We will start with the most hallowed of all fantasy football positions—the running back. Now if you need help in determining whether to draft Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson, this article may not be for you. This will focus on those backs who most consider your No. 2 or potential flex player, if not a solid bye week filler.

Jonathan Stewart

Carolina is in a tough position this year. They have a head coach in the last year of a contract and essentially a rookie QB. The one thing they do have is a solid offensive line and two absolute studs at RB.

Deangelo will go off the board in the first round as he should. If you get Deangelo, getting Stewart in rounds five or six is essential. Stewart, because he is a backup, usually drops down boards, but keep in mind he had 1100 yards and 10 TD’s last season.

He had offseason surgery to correct some nagging injuries from 2009, which limited his numbers. Limited to 1100 yards and 10 TD’s? Be sure to read that twice if you need to.

He also had a 5.1 YPC average, which was up there with the best of the best. Additionally, Deangelo has some injury concerns, and when Stewart started, he went off to the tune of 130 yards and a TD per game.

Ryan Matthews

I would never recommend hanging your No. 1 spot on a rookie, but Matthews is going to have the potential to be a huge fantasy star this year. He has the tools, and in SD’s offense, he will get opportunities galore.

In PPR leagues, he is a great catch to backup or be a third starter. If you are a dynasty owner, he should definitely be at the top of your list as well.

Don’t expect anything huge early on, but Matthews will get the bulk of goal line opportunities. He will share the load with Darren Sproles, but expect Matthews to become the primary back, with Sproles becoming a change of pace option for the Chargers when the run game does sputter.

In rookie drafts or keeper leagues, he is a first round option. In other leagues, look for him in rounds three-to-five, depending on how fast RB’s are flying off the board.

Matt Forte

I mentioned him in my last article, and again, I am extremely high on Forte having a great bounce back year. In most rankings, I have seen him in the 30-40 range from a rankings perspective.

Forte is young and the Bears put some pieces in place this year to shore up the defense, which means the offense isn’t playing from behind nearly as much this season, so the Bears won’t always be pushed into a pass first, run second scenario.

If Forte is there in Round three or four, take him. He will once again be a solid No. 2, and don’t be shocked if by season’s end he isn’t someone back in the Top 10 for next year, from a fantasy perspective. He can catch passes as well and offers a great option for PPR leagues.

Ronnie Brown

Yes he is injury prone, but he offers a great option as a No. 2 or No. 3 back. He will be healthy, and the Dolphins will still be a run/wildcat focused team.

The big difference-maker here is that Chad Henne now has a legit top WR to throw to. Kyle Orton looked amazing at times last year, and part of that was due to Brandon Marshall. As Marshall helps extend the field for the Dolphins, opposing defenses won’t be able to stack the box and just focus on the Wildcat. Even out of the Wildcat, Brown will put up solid numbers in conjunction with Ricky “Sticky Icky” Williams.

Look for Brown in Rounds four-to-six if you have only one RB by that time.

Clinton Portis

Well he is low on draft boards and I can understand why, to some degree. Last season was a major disappointment, but let me outline a few things as to why it wasn’t just Clinton Portis.

The Skins O-Line was likely the worst in the league. Jason Campbell was beaten to a pulp and shipped off to Oakland, and Portis tried to be the normal workhorse, but finally had to put a hold on things due to injuries.

Portis essentially chose not to play towards the end of the season, for risk of a larger injury. The Skins were crumbling, and I think this was the best decision for him and the organization

Fast forward to 2010, and you see Portis as a big risk, and there certainly is some risk. However, if you can get Portis as your third RB for a Flex or as a bye week filler, you will be at the top of your league.

McNabb will give the Redskins a legit arm who can get the ball to speedster Santana Moss and the TE’s, which will make defenses back off the box. Portis regularly faced eight-man fronts and defenses which blitzed 60 percent of the time against the Skins.

When you have a terrible O-line and a QB with no confidence, there is not much any RB can do. The Skins have made major improvements in both of these areas, and the new

coaching staff and player additions will spark life into their players.

Those are just a few names to keep an eye on for draft day. I am always available for our readers via email at jd@hattywaiverwireguru.com and always welcome emails, whether it is for trades, draft strategy, lineup questions, etc. I am looking forward to helping our readers win more this year and feel free to contact me with anything fantasy football related.

Get yer’ $5 Draft Guide

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So Brett Favre decided to grace the Vikings with his presence. If you were one of the one or two people who fell for his act… shame on you. For the rest of us, who always knew he was coming back, we can get to the real question at hand: what does Favre’s return mean to us fantasy football players?

For starters, you can add Brett Favre in the mix as one of the top eight to 12 fantasy starters. I wouldn’t put him ahead of the likes of Rodgers, Brees, Peyton, Brady, Rivers, Romo or Schaub, but after last year’s brilliant performance, I can see you rolling the dice and taking him as a low-end fantasy starter.

I know he’s never missed a game and has been a top-tier QB for the past three seasons, aside from the last few games with the Jets when he blew out his arm, but you should strongly consider adding a quality backup if you’re using Favre. He will turn 41 this year, and after the success the Saints had attacking Favre, you have to imagine other teams will follow suit and try to take down the new grandpa.

I am not worried that Favre’s return will hamper Adrian Peterson. He put up big numbers before Favre and put up big numbers with him. I’m more concerned with his fumbling issues, but that’s a different topic for a different day. I still consider AP the number one fantasy running back since teams can’t stuff the box on him.

The Viking wide receivers have to be breathing a sigh of relief. It’s not that I don’t think Tarvaris Jackson is capable of moving the chains and putting up some points, but he is not to be confused with Brett Favre. Favre sweats out more experience every game than T-Jack has accumulated, and it will benefit the Viking wideouts.

The player I like the most is Percy Harvin. Of course he is a weekly risk thanks to his recurring migraine issue, but he has so much natural ability. He is strong and shifty and racks up yards after contact like a running back. Favre showed a willingness to deliver the ball to him in the red zone, so double-digit touchdowns is not out of the question.

Sidney Rice was his favorite target last year, but he is dealing with a hip issue. He has not walked the walk with injuries like the gunslinger has, so there is cause for concern. If he can stay healthy, he should be able to put up big numbers thanks to his body control and leaping ability. He’ll be gone from fantasy drafts before I’m willing to role the dice on him.

Bernard Berrian is an interesting option. He’s too widely know to be considered a sleeper, but he could far exceed his expectations. First, he’ll have to stay healthy, which has been a challenge. If he can do his part, and Percy’s (migraines) or Sidney’s (hip) issues flare up, he could see a lot of targets. He was almost the forgotten man last year but was heavily featured (nine catches, 102 yards) in the NFC title game vs. the Saints. Don’t sleep on him despite his 161 ADP (57th WR).

Perhaps the player who is happiest to see Favre’s return is Visanthe Shiancoe. Not because thet two can sort out the great training camp tweet debacle, but because Favre loves throwing to tight ends in the red zone. Shiancoe had 11 TDs last year to back up that claim. He loses some value in PPR leagues because he likely won’t catch more than 55-60 passes, but another double-digit season is a distinct possibility.

I know you’re sick of the Favre drama, but the Vikings are a better team with him under center. Their players become better fantasy options as well. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing not to like about Favre’s return.

Also check out:
- 2010 Top 30 Fantasy QB Rankings
- 2010 Top 50 Fantasy RB Rankings
- 2010 Top 60 Fantasy WR Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy TE Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy IDP Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Team Defense Rankings
- 2010 Top 15 Fantasy K Rankings

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Minnesota Vikings Running Back, Adrian Peterson, has been a consistent fantasy football stud since entering the league in 2007.  Since his breakout rookie season, he has been seen as one of the top running backs to snag on your fantasy football draft day. Now that Brett Favre has confirmed his return, can Peterson continue his reign near the top of draft boards?

Many see Favre as a key to Peterson’s worth. Many also forget that Peterson was doing his thing before Favre got there and would have continued if he didn’t return. While Favre does relieve some pressure from an opposing defense, Peterson would have likely gained even more carries and would still have his offensive line.

While Peterson’s carries went down in 2009 (still over 300), his receptions more than doubled from the previous season, adding value in leagues that reward Points Per Reception (PPR). In 2010, the man that took regular receptions from Peterson is gone as Chester Taylor has departed for Chicago. We should see Peterson more on third down situations.

Are you wondering why we have not mentioned fumbles yet? Yes, Peterson appears to be a fumbling machine. He does make up for it in points and he won’t likely see much time on the bench other than a wakeup call for a drive or two.

For example, his only multiple fumble game (two against the Lions) last season, he ran for 133 yards and two TDs. While his fumbling gained concerns in the playoffs because the magnitude of the game, those things don’t matter in fantasy football. If you want to shy away because of fumbles, we will happily take him off your hands.

One thing you will notice in his numbers is how his yards per carry have went down each season. Don’t let that bother you, you are thinking too much. Adrian Peterson is one of the safe picks in the first round, from top to bottom.

Currently, Peterson is landing an Average Draft Position of the second pick in the first round. He has landed anywhere from the first pick overall to the sixth pick (would like to be in that league).

At this time, Peterson ranks number two in our Running Back Predraft Rankings.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

If you thought Kurt Warner’s rags to riches story was great, think again.  The Denver Broncos are now writing their own, and this time around, it looks very promising.

In a year that sees the Broncos set up for a substantial amount of success in comparison to the past few years, Denver’s current roster looks impressive at the present time.

Considering that the Broncos were one of the more unimpressive teams in the league last season, I think you’ll agree that this offseason has looked promising, given the dismissal of problem player Brandon Marshall, and the addition Tim Tebow.

For the most part, the Broncos look to be a solid team for the future.  They have the youth and talent to go far, and even though Josh McDaniels is still taking a large power trip in the name of all that is right in Mile High, perhaps Denver’s hopes this season aren’t all that diluted, when it comes to visiting the postseason.

But to keep the terrible trend going, once again Denver has encountered a problem that may not be so easy to solve in a short space of time. 

So who am I talking about?  Why Brady Quinn of course, the troubled player that looked downright poor in week-one of the preseason, and failed to impress just about everyone that tuned in to see the Tim Tebow Show.

In the past, Brady Quinn hasn’t been all that fantastic.  Sure, he isn’t on the level that JaMarcus Russell once was with the Oakland Raiders, but when Brady was a Brown, he caused a few fans to tear their hair out and question why he was drafted by Cleveland in 2007.

I guess the problem with Brady Quinn has been simple.  Where has all this so called “talent” evaporated to in the past four years?

Well, to be quite frank, it’s now arguable that Brady Quinn never was that talented to begin with. After all, he did complete the 2009 season with 1,339 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

However, that was all in the past, and even though Brady Quinn looked totally out of place Sunday night in Cleveland, he may still stand up and perform at a high level. 

While we are discussing Brady Quinn’s time in Denver though, perhaps the outlook on his expectations has changed a little after his disappointing start in preseason.

For you see, the entire purpose of Brady Quinn was to motivate Kyle Orton.  Last year, Kyle Orton notably struggled, and was indeed in need of a kick start to help move not only his career along, but the entire Denver Broncos season along as well.

And has Brady Quinn provided that kick start?  Of course not, heck, he is now fending Tim Tebow off for the back up starting role.

When it comes time to judge Brady Quinn, we may all be being a little harsh on him.  Sure, he failed on Sunday night, but let’s remember Josh McDaniels does run a complicated game plan, and it doesn’t help when Denver is still lacking a No. 1 wide receiver that a young quarterback could rely upon.

Still, when Brady Quinn looks totally out of sync from the get go, some questions really must be asked, and that is exactly what happened Sunday night, after his ultimate no-show.

“Obviously, I could’ve done some things better here and there,” said Quinn two days later. “But that’s why we come out here to practice, that’s why we’re working on it…things are never always as bad as they look and never as good as they look on film.”

Although Brady Quinn’s positive spin is appreciated, there is no real cover up for his performance.  He looked bad, end of story.

Luckily for Denver fans both Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow showed up in more ways than one, and that has perhaps saved Brady Quinn a little, as fortunately he isn’t the starting quarterback this season.

Brady Quinn is now facing a make it or break it year, and with JaMarcus Russell now out of work, Brady Quinn could easily be the next face to front up to the unemployment office.

Hopefully it won’t come to that, and hopefully Brady Quinn endures a nice tenure as the second string or third string quarterback in Denver.  If his season starts off as poorly as he looked in week one…well, I hate to think what may happen for this still struggling player.

Ryan Cook is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also an NFL columnist for Real Sports Net and a Green Bay Packers writer for Fan Huddle and PackerChatters. Ryan is also a contributing writer for Detroit Lions Talk, Gack Sports and Generation Y Sports.  Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter.

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