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I went to my local Subway restaurant to have some lunch the other day. I really needed a break from work, so I decided to go inside instead of using the drive-up.
What I thought about was both exciting and moderately disturbing. You see, I’ve found my mind never really leaves the world of fantasy football. This was just one more event that reinforced it.
As I looked at the menu, it was hard for me not to compare the different sandwiches to current players in dynasty leagues. I perused the list of Jared’s favorites, and I just couldn’t help myself.
The parallels for these fabulous gridiron footlongs are just so obvious.
Sandwich: Cold Cut Combo
Player Represented: Reggie Bush
You look at the cold cut combo at it excites you at first. Three delicious meats, all turkey based. It’s one of the cheaper ones, so it catches your eye quickly.
Reggie Bush is much the same.
You get it excited about him as you see his highlight reels. You think of all the ways he could help your fantasy team and listen to all the pundits saying “this is the year.”
In the end, it’s all just bologna.
Sandwich: Meatball
Players Represented: Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco
Do I really even need to go further?
Owens and Ochocinco teaming up has created one the most ridiculous circus-like atmospheres in league history. They have a chance to make history as either one of the most explosive duos we’ve seen, or as a pair who destroys a coaching staff.
Either way, it’s hard to argue they’re both not just a couple of meatballs.
Sandwich: Feast
Player Represented: Chris Johnson
The feast is one of the craziest sandwich creations known to man. It’s basically every meat and cheese found in the restaurant stuffed into bread with blunt force. In the end, it weighs about as much as you do.
The feast has everything, just like the player it represents.
Chris Johnson can run with power, is blessed with incredible speed, and can beat a team in just about every way imaginable. His athletic blend is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. There’s one other parallel here the Titans need to be aware of, though.
They’re both pretty expensive.
Sandwich: Veggie Delight
Player Represented: Eli Manning
I actually stray away from the veggie delight. I want something more sassy. Something more scandalous. The veggie is a little boring, but it’s certainly effective.
Eli Manning is much the same.
Manning is a valuable dynasty quarterback, but he just doesn’t come with glitz and glamour of other fantasy quarterbacks. Owners go crazy watching his demeanor on the field. He does help win games, though.
The good thing about Manning and the veggie is neither will blow up your stomach.
Sandwich: Buffalo Chicken
Player Represented: Trent Edwards
This one was easier than the meatball.
Dynasty owners cringe when they watch Trent Edwards play. His legendary knack for the check down and inability to throw the deep ball consistently for Buffalo have left many owners cutting bait with him.
This preseason has shown us a little different Edwards, but right now, his prior history of having a lack of courage labels him as an easy choice as the buffalo chicken.
Sandwich: Tuna
Player Represented: Brandon Marshall
Can you make a meatball out of tuna? We may just find out this season.
Brandon Marshall’s move from Denver to the Dolphins has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason.
He’s apparently doing his best to stay in the news.
His recent practice antics can’t be sitting well with the biggest tuna of them all in Bill Parcells. After everything Marshall has gone through, you’d think he’d know better and take advantage of his fresh start in Miami.
Hopefully he does.
Sandwich: Club
Player Represented: Ray Rice
The club has ham, turkey and roast beef. It’s a tasty blend that warms the tummy, but found in a more compact size than the enormous feast.
Ray Rice is a blend of his own as well.
He’s much like Chris Johnson in the fact he has a little of everything. He can run, catch, block, and score much like Johnson.
He’s not quite the feast, but he’s pretty close and won’t cost a customer or a fantasy owner in dynasty leagues quite as much.
Sandwich: Philly Cheesesteak
Player Represented: DeSean Jackson
With McNabb out of the picture, Jackson is arguably the most noteworthy of all the Philadelphia Eagles in fantasy football.
The cheesesteak is one of the premium subs on the menu at Subway, but it’s also only available for a limited time.
That brings us back to D-Jax.
Was his fantasy breakout performance in 2009 a limited time offering, or can he really repeat that explosive statistical season?
The parallels for the Philly Cheesesteak and the Philly player seem to be right on par.
Sandwich: BLT
Player Represented: LaDainian Tomlinson
I have to admit it. This one was all in the letters.
LT doesn’t remind me of bacon, lettuce, or tomatoes in any way I can think of. The letters represent his status in fantasy football and in dynasty leagues, though.
BLT = Bye LaDainian Tomlinson!
The next time you frequent your local sandwich shop, tell them DLF sent you. They won’t know what that means, but maybe it sounds cool to strangers.
Just make sure you don’t upset a spicy Italian.
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
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Entering the final year of his current contract, Ricky Williams is reportedly hoping to receive a one-year contract extension from the Miami Dolphins that will run through the 2011 season.
Williams,33, is coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season since before his abrupt retirement prior to the 2004 season.
In 16 games including seven starts in 2009, Williams rushed for 1,12 yards and 11 touchdowns. He split time with starter Ronnie Brown early in the season and took over as the feature back when Brown suffered a season-ending foot injury in November.
Never a guy who just played for the money, Williams negotiated and signed a one-year extension with the Dolphins prior to the 2009 season. He is slated to make $4.35 million in 2010.
Williams hired super-agent Drew Rosenhaus in March, leading many to believe Williams would be seeking one last big-money deal. However, it seems Williams remains committed to working out an extension with the Dolphins and retiring after the 2011 season.
Analysis
In my mind, re-signing Williams beyond the 2010 season is a no-brainer.
Williams is still a highly productive back and doesn’t have the wear and tear that many backs his age do. His conditioning is top-notch and he absolutely has the ability to be a feature back if called upon.
Furthermore, Williams’ contract demands have never been outrageous and it’s safe to say the guy has earned just a fraction of what he could have in his pro career.
Not that Miami should make up for that now, but they should definitely realize that Williams isn’t going to hold out for an insane contract.
Williams would also be useful in 2011 if Ronnie Brown isn’t re-signed when his contract expires following the 2010 season. Brown is an extremely talented back, but at 29 and having missed quite a bit of time in recent years with various injuries, it’s hard to say he’s a prime candidate for a long-term contract.
I imagine Brown will be able to get more money elsewhere, which would make the need for Williams in Miami all the greater. Backup Lex Hilliard hasn’t been that productive in the regular season and has limited upside, while Patrick Cobbs is more of a third-down back and specialty player.
Williams is still a capable back and should command a fair one-year extension, making him an ideal feature back in 2011 until the Dolphins can find a younger, long-term solution.
Discuss this article on the forum here!
Chris J. Nelson majored in journalism at Georgia State University and is currently a programming coordinator for Turner Sports in Atlanta. He operates his own Miami Dolphins Web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and he can be followed on Twitter here.
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The Miami Dolphins finished their last workout of training camp on Thursday and there was a major scare in the morning as Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post reported that Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long had left the team’s morning practice with an apparent right leg injury.
Thankfully, Volin and Omar Kelly of the Florida Sun-Sentinel followed up with coach Tony Sparano and Long was only suffering from cramps.
Miami can not afford a serious injury to Long, especially given the already weakened state of its offensive line (Nate Garner is out at least eight weeks due to a foot injury and rookie John Jerry is battling a sore knee).
If you read my postgame coverage of the Dolphins first preseason game,you could guess that the writing was on the wall for Ryan Grice-Mullen, who was released this week (See the following link (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/436116-miami-dolphins-preseason-game-1-coachs-review-of-the-game)
The following slides will briefly describe some other recent developments:
Before I get started, I want to let it be known that in no way, shape or form was I impressed by Miami’s effort on Saturday night as they kicked off their 2010 preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Last year, the Bucs were one of the worst teams in football, and Miami should have dominated them in the first quarter, which they didn’t.
However, I did find five positives from the game that give me hope for the upcoming season:
(First in a series- NFC South)
One of the most fascinating streaks in football is in serious danger of ending this year.
For eight straight seasons, the last place team in the NFC South has made the playoffs the following year and Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris says he has no intention of (buc)king the trend- pardon the pun.
“I’m hoping that remains true,” Morris told ESPN Radio Wednesday morning. “I don’t want to buck any trends along that line. That would be nice. We’re just focusing on competing. We’re just focusing on giving our very best all the time.”
The Bucs gave their very best last year when they handed the New Orleans Saints their second loss of the season in Game 15. Tampa Bay‘s defense limited Drew Brees to 258 yards passing and one touchdown that afternoon in the Superdome.
Said Morris to ESPN: “These guys went out last year and competed against the New Orleans Saints. That was a great team and that was a great stepping stone for us to build on. We can’t use that (win against the Saints) for this year, but you can let the team know when they play smart, they play fast and they play consistent, they can play with anybody.”
Tampa Bay looked solid in a 10-7 pre-season opening loss to the Miami Dolphins last week. The Bucs second-year QB Josh Freeman proved to be a commanding presence in the huddle in limited action.
“I’d say he (Freeman) had to be the standout player,” Morris told the Tampa Tribune. “It’s all about five.”
It really is all about five. Freeman will need to be brilliant and then some for Tampa Bay to rise from the ashes.
Freeman started nine games as a rookie last season and had a higher completion percentage than New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez, a fact you will likely never hear from ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, an unabashed Jets fan.
Freeman, for better or worse, became the face of the franchise as soon as he took over as the team’s starting QB in 2009.
“Really, the games (Freeman) started in we had a chance, we competed in every single one,” Morris told ESPN’s Mike Golic. “We knew at the beginning of last season that we were trying to build a lasting contender and that has to be done with youth.”
The problem with youth movements is that head coaches rarely survive to reap what they sow.
Morris will rise or fall with the kids—”the toys” as he refers to them.
“We’ve got a bunch of ‘em—young toys, we’ve got toys coming back all over the place,” Morris told the Tampa Tribune.
One of those “toys” is first-round pick Gerald Mc Coy, the coveted defensive tackle from Oklahoma, selected third overall in this year’s draft.
So far, Raheem Morris likes what he sees of McCoy.
“I’ve been hesitant to talk about my young defensive lineman until we put the pads on,” Morris told ESPN. “He (McCoy) is really doing a good job. The man works hard. He’s everything you thought he would be before you brought him here.
“He’s developed into a young, hard working, individual. We like to refer to them (the defensive lineman) as ‘the mountains.’ And he (McCoy) is one of those mountains. And he’s one of those mountains, we hope takes us over the top.”
Morris talks a lot about playing smart and playing fast and playing consistent.
He talks a lot about toys and mountains.
“We’ve got the big guy (Freeman) at quarterback. And now we go get a three-technique (defensive tackle McCoy)—a big guy.
“Right now, we’re just trying to move these two mountains in the right direction,” says Morris.
Just the faith of a mustard seed will move a mountain!
He knows in his heart of hearts that making the playoffs in a division that includes the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and the promising Atlanta Falcons may take more than a little Divine intervention.
Just the faith of a mustard seed will move a mountain!
Those New Orleans preachers are fond of shouting from those Bourbon Street balconies, “the last shall be first!”
Yet, not even the most faithful soul believes that’s a possibility in this year’s NFC South.
Randy’s (Savoir-Faire’s) Prediction: Tampa Bay 5-11, 4th in the NFC South.
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