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Volume 8, Issue 123 (Saturday, August 25th)
LIMITED TIME OFFERS Hi Folks, Good Sunday to you. Hope you're having a great weekend and I hope you're enjoying this weekend of football. Week 3 of the preseason is always the best and these games have been fun. We've also got plenty of News and Notes for you and even the David Boston field sobriety test video. So let's get to it. JSITE NEWS A.
Perfect Draft - 14 Teams
B.
Survivor Drafts and You
C.
How to Choose Your Keeper
D.
Starting a Team Quarterback
E.
In Absentia: An Autopick/Draft-By-Proxy Primer
F.
Reversing the Yudkin Theorem for Running Back Analysis
G.
Analyzing Your Redraft League's Draft Habits
H.
Stay Flexible!
I.
ADP vs. Actual Rank
J.
When To Draft Peyton Manning
K.
Drafting For Depth
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. KC - Chiefs QB Huard Wins Starting Job2. NYG - TE Shockey, WR Burress Miss Game 3. TB - Bucs Confident WR Boston Is Innocent 4. CLE - Browns QB Plan Clarified 5. HOU - Texans Like WR Depth 6. BAL - K Stover States Being Proactive Is Key To Success 7. NE - WR Moss' Agent Talks About Week 1 Possibilities 8. TB - RB Williams Getting Limited Carries 9. CIN - RB Johnson Improving Receiving Skills 10. CIN - WR Johnson Back To Talking Smack 11. CIN - Bengals O-Line Getting Sorted Out 12. BUF - HC Jauron Concerned About Running Game 13. OAK - HC Kiffin Hasn't Decided On Starting QB 14. JAX - HC Del Rio Not Wavering On Starting QB 15. NYG - Giants Hoping To Settle On PK Soon KC - Chiefs QB Huard Wins Starting Job Source: Adam Teicher, Kansas City Star Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards has named QB Damon Huard the starter for the beginning of the regular season. Huard beat out second-year QB Brodie Croyle for the starting job. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Sometimes, it really does come down to one game. Croyle could have won the starting job with a good game last Thursday. Instead, he was awful. Awful enough to give the job to Damon Huard who's been battling a calf injury. It has to be seen as a plus for Larry Johnson as the way Croyle had been playing, teams could have teed off on Johnson even more than usual. NYG - TE Shockey, WR Burress Miss Game Source: Arthur Staple, New York Newsday New York Giants WR Plaxico Burress and TE Jeremy Shockey both sat out tonight's preseason game. Burress missed the game with the flu. Shockey sat with an ankle injury. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] It's just the most important game of the preseason. Nothing to worry about here... Seriously, I haven't had a good feeling about the Giants all summer and this isn't helping any. Both players should be OK for the Week 1 opener but this is time they could have used. TB - Bucs Confident WR Boston Is Innocent Source: Roy Cummings, Tampa Tribune The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have conducted their own investigation into the incident involving WR David Boston and are confident he is innocent of the charges levied against him. As a result, he is expected to play tonight and will likely continue to work towards making the 53-man roster. "We have investigated the David Boston situation and feel that we have an understanding of the facts," GM Bruce Allen said in a statement. "At this time, we have seen no objective evidence to support the charges that were brought against him." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Let's hope this is how it turns out and it's not just Tampa putting on the good public relations face so Boston can play Saturday. We'll see soon enough. To see some of the official police video from Boston's field sobriety test, click here. CLE - Browns QB Plan Clarified Source: Patrick McManamon, Akron Beacon Journal Browns QB Charlie Frye will start Saturday night's preseason week 3 game against Denver, in hopes of gaining confidence to start the regular season at the top of the depth chart. If Frye performs poorly, QB Derek Anderson will get the starting nod. Rookie QB Brady Quinn will be brought along slowly to better prepare for long-term success. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] It would have been extremely helpful to see what Quinn could do against the starters but instead, we'll have to wait until Week 4 or so when Crennel finally realizes Frye and Anderson are not the answer. I've had a few readers suggest I was being too hard on Crennel. Truth is I'm still mad at him for flipping a coin in the first preseason game to determine who was starting. At least he could have used our Magic 8 Ball Head Decision Maker. To check it out, click here. Source: Kristie Rieken, Associate Press The wide receiver depth in Houston is a strength this preseason. Number one receiver Andre Johnson is considered one of the most talented in the league. There is an ongoing competition for the second spot between Kevin Walter and rookie Jacoby Jones. Veteran leadership shows up further down the depth chart with Keenan McCardell, Andre Davis, and Jermome Mathis. "It's amazing. Last year we knew it was an issue. We talked about it and how we had to get better," head coach Gary Kubiak said. "The reason it got better really is because of work habits and giving young players a chance to get it done. You start to put that all together and it's a deeper, more well-conditioned group." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] We love Jacoby Jones. He's wowing everyone not just with the WR play but with his return duties on special teams. He had another TD Saturday night. All this is encouraging for new QB Matt Schaub who'll need all the help he can find. BAL - K Stover States Being Proactive Is Key To Success Source: Camille Powell, Washington Post Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover has a stack of 16 red notebooks he keeps in a closet in his house. Each notebook contains details on every field goal he has attempted, both in games and during team drills at practice. The information itself is useful, because it helps Stover identify tendencies, both good and bad, in his preparation and performance. "You be proactive in the way you approach your game to eliminate errors, so then it doesn't happen in a game," Stover said. "You play like you practice. It's total self-discipline. If you want to be the best at what you do, you have to be self-disciplined. You have to have a routine, and you need to discover what works for you." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] OK, no real fantasy value there. Just a quirky note on Stover. I love this guy. NE - WR Moss' Agent Talks About Week 1 Possibilities Source: Karen Guregian, Boston Herald Tim DiPiero, agent for Patriots WR Randy Moss didn't offer any definitive word on Moss' return, but sounded encouraged about the possibility of seeing Moss play on opening day against the Jets. "I don't know for sure, but I think it's in the realm of possibility," DiPiero said. "He's encouraged. He's fine. He's encouraged he's going to be all right eventually. I think that's how he felt from the get-go." "I think he's been upbeat since he's got there. He's been positive since Day 1. He's still positive and anxious to get going. I do hope he's going to be available (for the) first game," DiPiero said, "but it's just speculating whether that's accurate or not. I think they're being cautious. We'll just have to see what happens."[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] I don't know about you, but "encouraging" is not a word I'd use to describe Moss playing in Week 1 as "in the realm of possibility". It's in the realm of possibility that Jerry Rice starts for the Patriots on Week 1. I was one of the "he'll be OK" guys on Moss but I'm officially starting to get worried here. TB - RB Williams Getting Limited Carries Source: Joe Henderson, tbo.com Bucs HC John Gruden said that starting RB Cadillac Williams won't get the ball much in the remaining preseason action. He has gotten the call only four times in two games this preseason. "He won't carry the ball a lot against Miami, he just won't," Gruden said. "We like what we see out of him out here. The guy is a rookie of the year who set an NFL record exploding on the scene there. If we can just give him 15 to 18 quality looks a week, he'll be just fine." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Gruden's right. They know what they have in Williams. No need to risk injury in preseason. CIN - RB Johnson Improving Receiving Skills Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals HC Marvin Lewis credited RB Rudi Johnson for working hard to improve his pass-receiving skills, and QB Carson Palmer has noted how Johnson is catching the ball with his hands and not letting it get into his body. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Rudi Johnson quietly produces and nobody seems to notice. I'm not sure if it's because Chad Johnson draws so much attention or if it's just because Johnson does his job without a lot of fanfare. The only real weakness in his game has been pass receiving and it looks like he's working to address that as well. Not surprising. CIN - WR Johnson Back To Talking Smack Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer It appears that Bengals WR Chad Johnson is in mid-season form with his trash talking. He said on Friday that he sent copies of his book, "Chad: I Can't Be Stopped," to each of the Atlanta defensive backs this week in advance of the game Monday night. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] You have to like sending the DBs your book for a preseason game... CIN - Bengals O-Line Getting Sorted Out Source: Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals starting LT Levi Jones continues to work with the second-team in his first week back at practice. When and if Jones does return to the starting lineup, Andrew Whitworth, the current left tackle, will not supplant LG Stacy Andrews, HC Marvin Lewis said. Andrews has won that position, where he and Whitworth were expected to compete if Jones had not been hurt. Whitworth's versatility and intelligence provide invaluable depth on the line. Lewis also said that he is hopeful that starting right tackle Willie Anderson will return to practice sometime next week.[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Excellent news for the Bengals here. As we've been talking about, they desperately need to settle their offensive line. It looks like they're heading in that direction. BUF - HC Jauron Concerned About Running Game Source: NFL.com The Bills running game sputtered in the first half against the Titans on Friday night, with rookie RB Marshawn Lynch finishing with nine carries for 9 yards and a 3 yard reception. "We clearly have to run the ball better," Jauron said. "We're definitely concerned. You always want to play better. There are clearly things we need to improve on." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] It's interesting to me that both the current Buffalo RB in Lynch and a former Buffalo RB in Willis McGahee are both struggling. Lynch is especially worrisome as he's never shown he can produce at this level. We think he will but he's certainly not been impressive yet. OAK - HC Kiffin Hasn't Decided On Starting QB Source: NFL.com With one preseason game left, Raiders HC Lane Kiffin said he'd have to look at the game tape before deciding if he's any closer to picking his starter for the season opener. "Ideally, it would have been a month ago," Kiffin said. "We'll go back and we might have an answer for you tomorrow or we might not and go into this next game without an answer." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] We think Kiffin is being honest here - it's a tough decision in Oakland. Do they go with the recovering veteran in Culpepper or the younger guys in McCown or Walter? It sort of feels to me like they're leaning toward Culpepper but that's pure speculation on my part right now. JAX - HC Del Rio Not Wavering On Starting QB Source: Alan Schmadtke, Orlando Sentinel QB Byron Leftwich has struggled the past two preseason games, but HC Jack Del Rio hasn't seen anything in the exhibition season to make him waver on his decision to name Leftwich his starter for opening day. Leftwich is 12-of-28 passing for 148 yards and no touchdowns. "We had some problems converting third downs. We had some near misses with a couple of receivers open deep, and if you hit a couple of those, it feels a lot better," said Del Rio. [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Leftwich has been up and down but he clearly is the Jaguars starter. He'll be fine. Garrard has been solid and he's an excellent #2 but this is Leftwich's team at least for now. NYG - Giants Hoping To Settle On PK Soon Source: John Branch, New York Times Settling on a place-kicker is the most compelling decision the Giants will make before the season starts on September 9th. Rookie K Josh Huston has made both of the team's FG attempts during the preseason. K Lawrence Tynes, has not tried a FG and has only attempted two kickoffs. His performance at training camp, he said, has been "mediocrity, at best." [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ OUR VIEW ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Stay tuned here to see how this goes. Don't be the guy to draft a Giants kicker that isn't a Giant anymore... That'll do it for today, Folks. Have a great Sunday and we'll see you tomorrow with the update. J |
