THE GLORIOUS RETURN OF FANTASY SPORTS DAILY!!!

Greetings,

Our apologies for leaving you hanging for the entire fantasy football season. Hopefully most of you are battling it out in your fantasy Super Bowls this weekend, best of luck to everyone. Fantasy Sports Daily will be teaming up with a new insider partner that will bring you all the latest info in regards to Fantasy Sports that you crave on a daily basis.

We will be giving a review of the NFL season and providing some early insight into next years top draft picks. Fantasy Basketball is in full swing right now so we will be giving you the daily/weekly updates on all the free-agents, trades, benchings etc. that you need to know about to guide your team to the championship and achieve total fantasy sports domination.

Really that is our goal here, we're not going to give you fluff to fill up space, we'll leave that to the other guys. You come here for one reason only, insider fantasy news that keeps you ahead of the curve and it is our job to deliver. As always if there are things you want to see, questions you want to ask or just general comments about the site and ways that we can improve, leave us a comment or send us an e-mail and we will definitely take it into consideration since your satisfaction is our #1 priority. Aside from kicking ass in fantasy sports of course.

So put the women and children to bed, its fantasy sports daily time and we are back with a vengeance.

- Fantasy Sports Daily Team

BOOOOOOSH!!!!

What a Week 1

Well what can you say about week #1 in the NFL?? I can say this much... The Bengals, Lions, 49er's, Raiders and Rams all STINK!!!! I mean what can you say about these teams? They all looked awful, their Defense was nowhere to be found and they looked like they made absolutely 0 improvements from last year. Its going to be a long season for these teams but it doesn't necessarily mean your going to have a long miserable fantasy season if you have some players on these teams.

Don't forget to drop me a line if you have a specific topic you want me to discuss. I'll make sure I get to it first.

But let's get to the injuries first. As everyone knows by now Tom Brady is done for the year. Tough break for all of you who reached for him in the first round, I must admit that I was tempted in 1 league but I held back and went with either a RB or WR. I saw Brady, Manning, Brees and Romo all go off fantasy draft boards very early this year and I'm not really sure why? I understand the upside that a lot of these guys had but did you honestly think Brady was going to repeat last years stats? Definitely not. As for the rest of those guys, I wouldn't waste even a 2nd round pick on a Quarterback unless we're talking about a 6 point passing touchdown league or a 2 QB league. Other then that, I waited in every draft I had.

I ended up with McNabb in two of my leagues which, after week 1 at least, doesn't look like such a bad pick to me. I got Big Ben in the other league I am in and the jury is still out after that amazing week 1 performance from Fast Willie Parker.

But in regards to the actual injury to Brady well obviously Cassell gets a boost up, I wouldn't recommend picking him up until we see what he can do in week 2 playing a full game. There are mixed reviews on this guy so hold off for another week if you can. But if your a Brady owner, I suggest you make a trade now or at least throw a few offers out there to see if someone is willing to trade you one of their decent back ups. I think this injury gives a huge boost to the NE running game, they are going to have to get the lead and hold it with their running game and defense. So this bumps up Maroney and Sammie Morris. As much as I stay away from talking about kickers, this might actually give Gostkowski a boost as well. As we may see some vintage Patriots football... a la Adam Vinatieri days. Don't trade for him or anything but if you got him, good for you.


Next on the injury train is Nate Burleson. Also done for the year... yikes. I had him as a bit of a sleeper in 1 of my leagues and he caught a TD last week so things were looking up. Expect some of the lesser known guys like Courtney Taylor to step up in his absence.

Up next we have Marques Colston: this one hurt me too. I'm sure it hurt a lot of you as well as he was probably your #1 WR on a few teams. He's out 4 to 6 weeks which is certainly not peanuts but hey, at least he's not out for the season. This gives a huge boost to Jeremy Shockey, David Patten and Robert Meachem. If Patten and/or Meachem are out there on the waiver wire in your league, PICK EM UP! Trust me you won't regret it, one of them will stick.

Marion Barber has sore ribs but is expect to play this Sunday, just keep an eye on him as the week goes on to see what his status is on the injury report. If he's good to go then start him in all formats. Keep an eye on Felix Jones though, I know he got a lot of garbage time in week 1 but he looked good and believe me, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys noticed what he did, expect a slight bump in his work load I think. Tony Romo got some stitches on his chin but he'll be fine. Tough match-up against the Eagles D in week 2 but man that cowboy offense looked like a machine in week 1.

It should not have been a surprise to you that Willis Mcgahee was going to sit week 1, all the major sites had this one pegged well ahead of time so you should have done your homework there if you owned him. So if you started him, shame on you. Ray Rice looked good and will be a solid player to own going forward especially for Mcgahee owners.

Vince Young looked awful, official word is that he has a sprained ego.... and an MCL. I give up on Vince Young and you should too. If you want to keep him on your bench because you love him too much to drop him that's fine, but I told you so. He looked absolutely awful, his team won, but that's mostly because of former East Carolina superstar in the making Chris Johnson. He looks AWSOME WITH A CAPITAL A BABY! Keeper league darling Chris Johnson had 15 carries for 93 yards and 3 catches for 34 yards and a TD, NICE!!

I'll be back tomorrow with another update and some potential break out candidates in week 2.

2008 Power Rankings: Week 1
1 (1)
Patriots - 16-0-0
The Patriots had better hope Tom Brady stays healthy. They've looked lost without him. Injuries on the offensive line and question marks in the secondary will make their games more competitive this year. (TG)
2 (3)
Chargers - 11-5-0
The Chargers are tired of knocking on the door. This team is ready to make a Super Bowl push, and it could be a successful push if they stay healthy. (BW)
3 (4)
Cowboys - 13-3-0
The Cowboys' delegation already has set up a branch office in Tampa. The only thing standing in the Cowboys' way is winning their first playoff game since 1996. (MM)
4 (2)
Colts - 13-3-0
All those early injury concerns got solved, and now they're going to have to figure out life without key cog C Jeff Saturday. With all that missed practice, can the stars keep up superb Sept. play? (PK)
5 (5)
Jaguars - 11-5-0
A lot to like, but OL play is a concern, particularly with LT Khalif Barnes underachieving. Those backs need holes and David Garrard needs time. Derrick Harvey's initial contribution won't be big. (PK)
6 (7)
Steelers - 10-6-0
Nearly all of the pieces are in place for the Steelers to make a run. The one exception is a shaky OL, which could be the difference in being a good team or an elite team. (JW)
7 (12)
Saints - 7-9-0
Offense is loaded at the skill positions. Defensive overhaul must take hold for this team to contend. (PY)
8 (6)
Giants - 10-6-0
I had to do it. You drop at least four spots when you lose the best defensive player on the team. (MM)
9 (9)
Seahawks - 10-6-0
The Seahawks might have more depth than they've had at any time during the salary-cap era. Even backup QB Seneca Wallace looks like he could win games if needed. (MS)
10 (8)
Packers
13-3-0 - Aaron Rodgers had a solid preseason, but the backup QB situation is a bit worrisome. (KS)
11 (11)
Vikings
8-8-0 - QB Tarvaris Jackson looked sharp in the preseason -- when he was on the field. (KS)
12 (13)
Eagles
8-8-0 - If Donovan McNabb stays healthy and the Eagles knock off the Cowboys early, this team could challenge for a division title. (MM)
13 (10)
Browns - 10-6-0
Are the Browns good enough to turn it on after a sluggish preseason? We will find out with two tough games against Dallas and Pittsburgh to start the season. (JW)
14 (14)
Titans - 10-6-0
Behind Jags now, but I have a feeling they'll wind up at least even in the long run. When they open the playbook, you'll see a pass offense that's better than it seemed in the preseason. Even with a struggling VY, the run game and defense can win. (PK)
15 (15)
Buccaneers - 9-7-0
Defense looked strong in the preseason. But QB Jeff Garcia and WR Joey Galloway missed lots of practice time with injuries and might not be sharp right away. (PY)
16 (23)
Jets - 4-12-0
The O-line appears fantastic, and their defensive additions have made a noticeable difference. If Brett Favre can cope with the big change, look out. (TG)
17 (20)
Panthers - 7-9-0
QB Jake Delhomme's arm seemed fine in the preseason and DE Julius Peppers appears motivated for a big year. Rookie RB Jonathan Stewart will give the team the power running game it has lacked. (PY)
18 (18)
Bills - 7-9-0
Brett Favre's arrival in AFC East and Pro Bowl OT Jason Peters' holdout will make it more difficult for the Bills to make the playoffs. Defense should be markedly improved with DT Marcus Stroud. (TG)
19 (16)
Redskins - 9-7-0
I want to believe in the Age of Zorn, but the last couple of performances scare me. At some point, this team probably needs one of its second-round receivers to show up. (MM)
20 (19)
Texans - 8-8-0
I see progress, but how will they climb up a rung in this division? The defensive stars need others to play better around them. The run game and secondary still rank as legitimate concerns and that first five-game stretch is a crucible. (PK)
21 (17)
Cardinals - 8-8-0
The Cardinals have better depth in their defensive front seven and enough weapons at receiver to produce without WR Bryant Johnson. Lack of depth on the offensive line could hold them back. (MS)
22 (22)
Broncos - 7-9-0
The Broncos have had a lot of transition in recent years and there still are a lot of questions about their defense. But don't worry about the offense. Jay Cutler has this unit in good shape. (BW)
23 (24)
Bengals - 7-9-0
The Bengals looked awful on both sides of the football this preseason. Receiver Chad Johnson's shoulder injury will be something to watch all season. (JW)
24 (21)
Ravens - 5-11-0
Quarterback issues could plague this team all year. The defense will have to play lights out for Baltimore to have a chance to win most games. (JW)
25 (25)
Bears - 7-9-0
On top of the QB situation, the Bears' defense had a horrible preseason. Not a good combination. (KS)
26 (29)
Lions - 7-9-0
The Lions finished the preseason 4-0 for the first time since 1990. Nothing to get too excited about, but they are moving in the right direction. (KS)
27 (27)
Raiders - 4-12-0
The Raiders' offense will be much better and much more exciting. However, there are still a lot of holes on this team. (BW)
28 (26)
Rams - 3-13-0
The Rams have a chance as long as RB Steven Jackson is healthy, but this team appears shockingly low on depth at multiple positions, including linebacker. The TEs could be a strength. (MS)
29 (28)
49ers - 5-11-0
The 49ers' offense figures to be hit and miss (as opposed to miss and miss in 2007). This team could surprise if QB J.T. O'Sullivan exceeds expectations. The defense appears solid. (MS)
30 (31)
Dolphins - 1-15-0
QB Chad Pennington's acquisition gives leadership and direction to Bill Parcells' latest rebuilding effort. Young defense has been dynamic in the preseason. (TG)
31 (30)
Chiefs
4-12-0 - This team has gone green. The Chiefs are all about the youth movement. The present might be bleak but the future is bright. (BW)
32 (32)
Falcons - 4-12-0
The Falcons are throwing rookie QB Matt Ryan into the fire. He'll need a lot of help from the defense. (PY)

Bengals QB Palmer treated for broken nose

CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer broke his nose during Saturday night's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, but coach Marvin Lewis said he should be ready for the regular-season opener.  This guy just can't catch a break... oh wait, yes he can.

Alright that was terrible sorry but seriously I just feel bad for Carson Palmer at this point.  The guy plays for a team that provides him with zero help on the defensive side of the ball so they can't even hold down the lead if he gets them there, TJ Housh and Ocho Cinco were both banged up for this game (I'm assuming they'll be fine for the regular season opener) so he was throwing to 2nd and 3rd string guys and clearly he needs offensive line help because although he went 11-16 he was knocked down 5 times and sacked 3 out of those 5 times, including the last one that broke his nose.

To put a fantasy spin on this whole team I'll say use EXTREME CAUTION!!  Now I'm not saying that none of the Bengals offensive players won't be valuable this season, because they will, but I urge you to use caution when selecting them.  Evaluate their schedule, look at who else is out there and choose wisely.  I say this partly because I was a burn victim of Carson Palmer last year in 
my keeper league and I've been bitter about it every since.  Palmer threw for 26 TD's last year but had a horrific 20 INT's.  So every week I was counting on big numbers from him because I drafted him expecting it and it just never came.  

Chad Johson, same thing, different league.  Chad Johnson came out to a roaring start last year only to hit the E-break and come to a screeching halt when fantasy teams needed him the most.  Maybe it was that stupid "Future HOF 20--" jacket?  I don't know but I still don't trust him this year, he says he's going to play 100% and he should so he can get a trade out of Cincy and get a decent contract next year but he's never a sure thing.  Last year Chad had 1400 yards and 8 TD's, very nice from a fantasy perspective but if you take out week 2 game against Cleveland where Chad had 200 yards receiving and 2 TD's it brings his numbers down to earth quite a bit.  Also what you may not notice about Chad is that he had a 2 TD game as I mentioned and a 3 TD game later in the season.  That's over half his TD's in 2 games!!!!!  So you can see why I say to use extreme caution with this guy.  He scores in bunches and that's what I look to stay away from in Fantasy football.

Warner named starter for the Cardinals

Source: Cardinals set to name QB Warner as starter.

In a not so surprising move the Arizona Cardinals named Kurt Warner their starting QB to open the 2008 season. This announcement came after Matt Leinart's poor performance Saturday night against the Oakland Raiders which probably sealed the decision.

Leinart had three interceptions in the first half and completed just 4 of 12 passes for 24 yards. His passer rating was 2.8. The Cardinals won the game 24-0.

This move doesn't surprise me one bit and I actually drafted Warner late in one of my fantasy drafts for this exact reason. Warner caught fire late last season for the Cards and became one of the best fantasy QB's down the stretch when most fantasy owners are looking for points any way they can find them.

When all was said and done Warner was actually the 10th best QB in regards to total fantasy points scored for QB's last season so clearly the guy still has it.

This situation could be tricky though as the Cards are not afraid of going with a QBBC like they did last year so this definitely hurts both guys overall fantasy value. Neither of these guys should be drafted as anything other then a fantasy backup or a late season fill in when most starters only play half the game.
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In more upsetting news to Giants fans, Osi Umenyiora is out for the season with a knee injury.

An MRI on Sunday showed that Umenyiora tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee in a preseason game against the archrival Jets on Saturday night.

Not good news for the defending Super Bowl champions who really looked like they were going to be a force on the defensive side of the ball this season. Now with Strahan retired and Osi out for the season lets see how the Giants jump this hurdle before game 1. My thoughts are that they will move Kiwi to defensive end and shift someone else over to LB to take Kiwi's spot. Something I'm sure they didn't want to do but its hard to replace a guy like Osi.

From a fantasy perspective you might want to drop the Giants D down a spot or two on your cheat sheet because of the injury, I still think the Giants D will be a decent defense to own this season but they certainly are not a top 5 unit anymore with this crushing blow.

Good News Early Drafters

ST. LOUIS -- Rams running back Steven Jackson ended his holdout on Wednesday and St. Louis appeared on the verge of signing him to a new multi year contract.

Jackson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he had agreed "in principle" to terms of a deal. He added that once a few details were ironed out, "We'll be pretty much done."

The 235-pound Jackson, a bruising runner and the centerpiece of the Rams' offense, is entering the final season of a five-year, $7 million deal he signed as a first-round pick in 2004. His prolonged stand perhaps reflected a realization of his value to an attack that averaged only 16 points last season while the team went 3-13.

Fantasy Spin: Hallelujah!! For those of you who went against my advice and decided to have your fantasy draft way too early in the off-season/pre-season this is some very comforting news. I think we all thought it was just a matter of time before the Rams gave Jack what he wanted but every day in an adventure when you own a guy that's holding out.

With Jackson (happy) and in the backfield now along with a healthy offensive line and Quarterback the Rams could at least get their dignity back this season after falling off the map last year. I'm not going crazy here and telling you they will make the playoffs because they won't. But they will put up some points out there and be fantasy relevant once again.

HEEELLLOOOO Leryn Franco!!!

Where oh where has this little beauty been hiding all throughout the Olympics??!! In case you had no idea, like me until about 5 minutes ago, Leryn Franco is a Paraguayan athlete who specializes in the javelin throw. Her personal best throw is 55.38 metres, achieved in May 2007 in Fortaleza.

Did you ALSO know... In 2006 Franco was the runner-up in the Miss Paraguay competition and also competed in the Miss Bikini Universe pageant the same year.

The sport of Javelin throwing just got a lot more interesting!!

See headline for my personal motto today.

This just in... Gymnastics Stunts your growth!!

Either that or (GASP!) these girls are not 16. I mean seriously people just LOOK at this picture. Nastia Liukin is 18 years old and for those of you who don't know who she is well figure it out, she's the only non-chinese girl up there. Ok so she looks a little petite for 18 years old but there is no question she is of age to compete right? right.

Now focuse your attention on the other two little hobbits standing to her right. They look like they just got away with robbing a handful of candy from a local quick check or something don't they? I mean something just rubs me the wrong way about these two, seriously. Not to mention the fact that Nastia Liukin got hosed last night and man does she look pissed in that picture! She was classy about the whole thing but come on, we all know that these girls are not 16 period.

As China's gold medal count climbs to 40 now and the USA only maintains a slim lead over them in the overall medal count I am becoming more and more suspicious that something bad is going to come out after these Olympics. I'd hope it was the real age of these gymnists but I fear it could be far worse then that. Since when has China been a world power is so many Olympic sports in the past? Now when the games are in their own country they put up a 40 spot?? China did have 32 gold medals in Athens which I thought was a lot, the US had 36. You can see the full count here. But 40 gold medals and we have another week to go? Something's fishy here and it ain't the local Chinese cuisine. Ok enough, that little girl in the middle is really pissing me off.

The GGGGGG-Men

So I'm sitting here watching the Pre-season Monday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns and the first half has just come to an end.

In other words I'm not FINISHED watching the Giants and the Browns. A few observations about the first half of this game that I'd like to record while they are still fresh in my mind.

1. Eli Manning still looks like he has turned that corner. All the talk last year was about whether or not Eli Manning had "IT" all throughout the regular season and I'll admit I wasn't sure if Eli had "IT". I remember quite a few Sundays on the couch pulling my hair out yelling at the television after Eli threw an interception or walked off the field with no expression on his face...Ask a Giants fan and they will know exactly what your talking about. Anywho, Eli Manning looked VERY solid in this game. Now granted Cleveland is not known for having a stellar defense but Eli was carving them up fairly easy. Point goes to Eli on this night, I like what I see here and for you Fantasy buffs out there I'd feel pretty good moving Eli up a notch or two on my QB rankings this year... I think he's primed for a mini-breakout season. It can only be mini since he already has a Superbowl MVP under his belt but remember, he wasn't great last year so look for him to hang around late in drafts... he's not a sexy pick but that can help you if you decide to wait for a QB.

2. D-FENCE!!!! Wow, that defense still looks just as good as it did in the Super Bowl when they were busy wiping the floor with Tom Brady down after down. I thought they might miss a beat after losing their vocal leader Micahel Strahan but clearly this has not impacted them at all. A new leader will emerge on this squad and Justin Tuck is just an absolute beast back there. They were all over the Browns and Derek Anderson, who I might add seemed to walk off the field with what they were calling a concussion. Bad news for Cleveland fans.

3. Cleveland a flash in the pan?? Ok I know its only pre-season and most teams save their offensive fire power for the regular season. No Braylon Edwards so I have to take this performance with a grain of salt but damn that offense looked terrible. The offensive line looked horrible and they are supposed to be one of the best in the league. Jamal Lewis fumbled a perfect hand-off close to the goal line that was returned for a touchdown by Big Blue and then Anderson left the game after getting his clock cleaned one last time. Brady Quinn looked decent when he came in and replaced Anderson, drove the Browns down the field for a touchdown.

Conclusion - Eli Manning is legit, the Giants defense is still totally legit, the Browns still have some work to do and are now going to fool anyone this season. Giants are indeed the defending SuperBowl champions and playing like it. Don't expect a huge let down this season Giants fans I think we're in for a solid season.

8 for 8 in 8/8/08 GREAT!!!

Alright so maybe the lady in the back left doesn't look impressed but I sure as heck am! I know everyone has seen and heard about as much as they can handle of Michael Phelps but I just wanted to put my two cents in about this guy and what he has done.

I think its hard to really comprehend what this guy has actually done right now since we see a million events and a million differetn people winning gold medals but this dude just won 8 gold medals!! I mean how many of you can say that you have seen an individual accomplishment like this one?? Honestly, I haven't seen anything like this in my lifetime and I probably never will again unless 50 years from now Michael Phelps has a child and that child becomes an Olympic swimmer and he enters more events then dear old Dad did and wins them all and sets World Records in all but 1 of them. I mean come on that's just rediculous!!

As an American I will say that while I believe that these games have been slanted in favor of the Chinese althetes without question, I mean they have what 10 more gold medals then anyone else? That's just rediculous. Their gymnists were not 16 but they overlooked that. Their divers and swimmers may not have been of age either but who knows, I just think there is something fishy going on out there literally and it rubs me the wrong way. So while I sit here feeling slightly unsatisfied by this Olympics for a number of reasons Michael Phelps makes me proud to be an American yet again. Maybe this is why everyone in other countries don't like us but you know what, I don't care right now.

I think that this can only be compared to what Tiger Woods is currently doing but has not yet accomplished in regards to breaking Jack's record of most majors won. I would compare it to what Lance Armstrong did which was very very impressive as well but I don't know cycling just rubs me the wrong way with guys getting caught doping in the Tour de France, you have to think that Lance was on something when he won 7 in a row. Maybe he wasn't and if that's the case, then he deserves to be mentioned right up there with the best of them. But I think only Tiger can be put in the same sentence and Michael Phelps at this point because they both compete against the WORLDS best competition, not just the best America has to offer but the best in the WORLD. That to me makes all the difference.

In the end I still have to give the nod to Michael Phelps because this guy beat the worlds best 8 times in roughly one weeks time. I know Tiger can do that with golf but let us be serious for a second, can we really compare Golf to Swimming in terms of what is more physically demanding? Not even close. Congrats Michael, you've made us all proud, put swimming on the map again in America and have cemented yourself as probably the greatest United States Olympian of all time and quite possibly the greatest American athlete ever. My hat is off to you my friend.

Good News for Mets fans...

As if you needed any more of it after taking over first place in the division. I'd like to get a sense of how the Mets fans are feeling right now. Shoot me an email and I'll get your feelings out there.

John Maine made his first start for the Mets since July 28 on Wednesday, tossing five scoreless innings versus the Nationals. The right-hander had been out with a rotator cuff strain, and his ownership in ESPN leagues dropped to about 60 percent during his stint on the disabled list. Maine lowered his ERA to 3.97 in his first game back, allowing one hit and four walks while striking out six.

Maine had shown growth in his first two seasons in the Mets' rotation, but this year, he's struggled a bit more with his control.

Maine's ERA has increased each month this season, and there's really no skills growth evident in his 2008 numbers. At this point, Maine is a younger, left-handed version of Ted Lilly: a No. 3 starter with a solid strikeout rate, spotty control and occasional home run trouble. Maine is reliable now and, at age 27, still has considerable upside, but ESPN readers are on the money -- he's not yet an every-down back in mixed leagues.

Guys you need to keep an eye on this NFL season

You always knew Ryan Grant was going to be a fantasy stud.

Yeah Right!

The same can be said of Derek Anderson, Earnest Graham, Dwayne Bowe, Kenny Watson, Justin Fargas, Kevin Walter, Kenton Keith and Kolby Smith. Each was well nigh undraftable last August, but each was a much-added fantasy entity early in the season.

Who's next?

Not all of these guys will wind up being fantasy factors in '08. But I'd bet at least one or two will.

Anthony Alridge, RB, Broncos: This spot would've been reserved for rookie Ryan Torain out of Arizona State, he broke his elbow and is out for at least two or three months. Alridge is an undrafted free agent who's made a positive enough impression that he's currently third on the depth chart, and we all know that in Mike Shanahan's world, anything can happen.

David Clowney, WR, Jets: Hey, did you hear some guy named Brett Favre is a Jet now? And that he likes to go downfield just a little bit? The third-receiver job in New York is up for grabs, and the winner of that gig has the potential to be a touchdown maker.

Will Franklin, WR, Chiefs: He's 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and runs a 4.39, so I can definitely see him supplanting the underwhelming Devard Darling opposite Dwayne Bowe.. If Herm Edwards has suddenly found an offense, Franklin might be a part of it.

Roy Hall, WR, Colts: Marvin Harrison is healthy. The Colts say it, so it must be true, right? But what if he goes down again? Sure, Anthony Gonzalez would be the primary beneficiary, but who becomes the third receiver? Hall is 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, and runs a 4.35. That makes him David Boston (before Boston got fat), but bigger and faster.

Tim Hightower, RB, Cardinals: When the Cardinals waived Marcel Shipp, Hightower, a rookie from Richmond, gained some street cred. He's 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, and coming off a 1,900-yard senior season. He's not fast or shifty, but he's powerful, and I'm betting he's the Cardinals' goal-line back.

Jason Hill, WR, 49ers: Mike Martz breeds fantasy stars. Who knew Mike Furrey's name before he got thrown into the Martz mix? Or Shaun McDonald's? Hill's got 4.32 speed and spectacular hands. He's injury-prone, but frankly, Hill reminds me of a slightly bigger version of the young Isaac Bruce.

Jalen Parmele, RB, Dolphins: A rookie out of Toledo who's 6 feet tall and 221 pounds, he was a punishing rusher in college and clocks in at a respectable 4.53. Consider the two men he's currently behind on the Miami depth chart: Ronnie Brown is coming off ACL surgery and you can insert your own Ricky Williams "doobage" joke here.

Antonio Pittman, RB, Rams: Steven Jackson is still holding out. He'll probably be in there by Week 1, but Pittman seems the likely starter if Jackson stays away. Cut by the Saints after last year's draft, he was solid as a backup for St. Louis last year, is a very good pass catcher and has nice elusiveness. The presence of fellow sophomore Brian Leonard would complicate things, but I'd prefer Pittman.

Marcus Thomas, RB, Chargers: Thomas, who was a fifth-rounder this spring out of UTEP, is a relatively big, very powerful runner with the kind of nice pass-catching hands the Chargers like. He's not fast enough to turn the corner, but then, neither is Jacob Hester. Alas, at the moment, LaDainian Tomlinson simply doesn't have a traditional handcuff any longer, but watch both Hester and Thomas.

Mike Walker, WR, Jaguars: Walker isn't huge and he isn't lightning, but he's a pretty good combination of size and speed: 6-foot-2, 209 pounds with a 4.45 40. Considering that Reggie Williams has already undergone knee surgery during training camp (he's expected back near the season's start), Jerry Porter will miss all of camp because of hamstring surgery, and Matt Jones has a cocaine-related trial date, Walker could step forward.

info courtesy of Chris Harris @ espn.

Fantasy Draft Lesson #1...

ALWAYS (if you have control over it) draft after the pre-season and here is the reason why.

Bobby Engram, will miss six-to-eight weeks after cracking a bone in his shoulder, according to Clare Farnsworth at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Farnsworth reports that Engram "isn't expected to play until the after the bye week Sept. 28."

Brutal news for a team that was already without Deion Branch (knee). This doesn't really help anyone from a fantasy prospective, although Ben Obomanu0 and Courtney Taylor will have a few more early-season opportunities.

The Tacoma News Tribune writes the following:
Mike Holmgren said that Courtney Taylor is slotted to step into (Engram's) spot, but nothing (is) given.
Neither Obomanu nor Taylor are Week 1 options, althought both become slightly more valuable. Matt Hasselbeck definitely takes a hit here as well and should be downgraded slightly with this news. He also reportedly didn't practice due to a back injury,
and could miss Seattle's next preseason game.
Engram was a solid receiver catching 94 passes for 1147 yards last season.

And reason #2 is...
Ravens starter Willis McGahee will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery, a "cautionary procedure" described by team doctors. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. Since Baltimore's season-opener versus Cincinnati is September 7, McGahee will likely be given the always maddening "questionable" label Week 1. YUCK!!!

This news obviously making Ray Rice a lot more valuable so you should be moving him up your running back rankings immediately and he is an obvious handcuff choice now for all McGahee owners at this time.

See this is why you always have to wait until after the pre-season to do your fantasy draft. I know it's only pre-season but so many things can happen and believe you me, they happen EVERY year. Some people are so anxious to do 5 drafts leading up to the regular season and half the time when news like this hits, your team is crushed. Imagine the guy who thought he was loaded this season when he drafted both Engram AND McGahee? He's joining Sergio Garcia who is still crying in the corner. So do yourself a favor this year and tell your league commish to hold off on draft day until at least the 3rd pre-season game, most starters have got their reps in by then anyway. Trust me guys and gals you'll be thanking me on this one.

Alright so I was wrong...

Even though I try to stay on point with my fantasy stuff on here... rankings are coming shortly I promise, I felt the need to go back on a previous post in regards to the PGA Championship not being a tournament I could get into.... I lied.

On Sunday afternoon/evening before anything else worth watching was on television I found myself on the couch glued to the tigerless PGA Championship. I never thought in a million years that I would actually find myself getting involved in Major Golf Championships without Tiger Woods. The guys running the PGA Tour must be high fiving each other all over the club house. (Or where ever they hang out and high five each other.

But I would be curious to know how many of you actually watched the final few holes of this golf tournament and can honestly tell me that you were no the slightest bit interested in it... be honest with your comments. Harrington looking to become the most recent golfer since Tiger Woods to win both the British Open and the PGA Championship back to back (Tiger's done it twice) while also looking to step up and become the #2 golfer in the world while Tiger fixes his knee. That's all great and dandy for Irishman but I found myself rooting for Ben Curtis. That's right the guy rocking the Detroit Lions cap and playing in front of practically no one. He was in serious contention the whole way and I really thought he might pull this one out but he had a few really poor shots down the stretch that he ultimately couldn't rebound from. I mean what would it say about the competition in a major if you won down the stretch after drilling one into the snack bar.

Of course this wasn't the only drama of the tournament no... There was our Major less, clutch less, gutless, good looking, choking friend Sergio Garcia. Hey buddy, you had a rough go out there yesterday.

But you know what just when you thought Sergio was in a position on the 17th hole to take this major away from Harrington he choked. All he had to do was take the safe route and aim his shot to the left over the bunkers and get himself safely on the green with an outside change for a birdie but at the worst a par to keep him in it. Instead he left his grip, that was already slipping; totally slip away when he hit his shot into the water. Now I'm sure he thought he made the right decision and he really almost made it but he got way too risky with that play I think and ultimately flushed another major championship down the tubes. You want to talk about a guy that must be curled up in a corner in his million dollar mansion right now its this guy. Do I feel bad for him? Not really no. I mean here is your chance to capture a major without Tiger in the picture and you blew it. This was Spain's year and Sergio should have fed off that but he didn't and let himself down, his fans down and last but not least... his country down.

Harrington is quite a competitor but you have to ask yourself... What would Tiger have done?

New 2008 Fantasy Football Rankings Coming Soon.

I'll have my 2008 Fantasy Football Rankings posted here tomorrow. Just getting this site started so I'm just trying a few different posting options out but trust me I have all the rankings ready to go. In fact I just finished a 20 team keeper league draft in which I think we drafted every NFL player possible and even the cheerleaders haha. But there was a lot of exciting stuff that came out of this draft that will help me analyze a lot of different approaches to take when preparing yourself for your fantasy draft and believe me this year you need all the help you can get whether its a 10 team 12 team or a 20 team. Saddle up boys and girls this is going to be another fantastic Fantasy Football Season.

Can't wait until tomorrow to feast you eyes on the rankings? Ok ok I'll give you a little taste... here's my Top 5 RB's this season in a straight up league (no PPR).

#1 - Ladainian Tomlinson - Until he gets hurt, or shows signs of aging he will continue to be #1.
#2 - Brian Westbrook - I'm a HUGE believer in consistency when it comes to fantasy football.
#3 - Adrian Peterson - Love guys with huge upside, just not as much as I like consistent studs.
#4 - Steven Jackson - If you look at his #'s over the 2nd half of last season and he was a beast.
#5 - Clinton Portis - This new west coast offense is making my mouth water, and I'm sure it is making his water as well... I expect another monster season from Portis.

There is a Major Golf Championship this weekend?

Yes believe it or not there is still some golf to be played even though Tiger Woods is done for the season. All is not lost at least Singh is the leader early on Day 2 of the PGA Championships at Oakland Hills Country Club. Oh wait.... what's that? It's not Vijah Singh that's leading the PGA Championships right now? I'm sorry but who the heck is Jeev Milkha Singh?? Probably Vijay's long lost cousin or something.

Now listen I was all about watching Rocco battle Tiger in sudden death and I will admit that until the final round actually started at the British Open I was into it... that is until the Shark made bogey on the first 5 holes or something close to that and made the rest of the day a snoozefest. Again, I was all about the Tigerless golf, but this.... ha well now this I'm not so sure about. I don't think I can get into Jeev Milkha Singh winning the PGA Championship this weekend, if that's the case don't even mention golf to me again until the Master's next year.

We are in luck however, Sergio Garcia is tied for 2nd at -1 and Phil Mickelson isn't far behind at (E) even par thus far. There are actually a lot of big names on the leaderboard right now and I think we may be in for a nice little golf tourny this weekend. One that may actually be worth watching... but no matter what happens, when all is said and done you still have to ask yourself, WWTHD - what would Tiger have done?

Hint: Not this

J-E-T-S JETS JETS..... JETS???

Well it seems with a bit of foreshadowing I got my wish that this whole Brett Favre off-season circus will finally come to an end with his announcement to play for the New York Jets. Really? The Jets?

Now I live in the Tri-State area but I am and always will be a Giants fan so I could almost care less about this move, except for Fantasy Football purposes which definitely gives the Jets receivers and the offense overall a HUGE boost on draft boards.

Let's look at what the Jets have done here and how big of a move this actually is. First off, the Jets just went out and spent a ton of money on their offensive line this off-season picking up Alan Faneca to protect Pennington and/or Clemens this season but not for nothing, why spend all the money to protect a bottom tier QB who can throw the ball more then 20 yards in the air or a young un-proven, talentless (yeah I called him talentless) QB in Clemens who I just didn't see as the answer for the Jets and I'm going to go out on a limb here guys and say that I don't think the Jets thought that he was the answer for them either after this move.

So clearly this was going to be a work in progress for the Jets. But now they have a hall of fame QB again and I think we all remember what happened the last time the Jets had a HOF QB behind center. Now I'm not going to get crazy here and say the Jets are automatically Super Bowl bound this year, after all they still have to deal with the Patriots who probably want revenge on the entire league about as bad as any team has ever wanted to get revenge in the NFL ever after their horrific loss in the Super Bowl to my New York Giants.... no they aren't mine, shut up you know what I'm saying. But in that division with Buffalo just kind of standing still waiting for Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas to return and the Miami Dolphin project under way the Jets can make a run here. They have definitely jumped a few spots on my power rankings for this season that's for sure.

In terms of Fantasy Football you have to like this move for a number of reasons, not only is there another top scoring QB back in the pool but this gives the Jets receivers an enormous boost of draft boards this season. Coles and Cotchery benefit from Favre's arrival. Now Coles was a favorite target of Penington because of those short slant patterns he runs oh so well but nevertheless I'd say that this move bumps Cotchery up into the low-20's for WR's, so maybe around Hines Ward.

Chad Pennington is not off fantasy football boards at all and in fact I think he actually gets a boost in rankings. See we knew exactly what we were going to get with Chad coming into this year about 3/4 quarters of a season of up and down football and then the inevitable Clemens take over when the Jets are no longer a contender. But Chad could go to Miami, KC or Chicago within a week and get a nice boost in value for fantasy purposes and again... not only does he become more valuable but he makes the players on whatever team he goes to more valuable.

I'll get into this more tomorrow. But for now... How bout those Jets huh?

Brett Farve Saga Finished?

So now it sounds like the Brett Farve situation has come to a stand still AGAIN. Haha I mean come on people can we please figure something out here... I feel like someone needs to step out with a bright neon sign that reads, "WRAP IT UP" when something really bad is going on waaaay to long on television or on stage. I mean is anyone else completely finished with this story? I know I am. I just had a fantasy draft the other day and I was pissed because I waited on drafting a QB and thought maybe I could scoop Farve up late in the draft but not so much, someone beat me to it but you know what that's their problem now and I'll be fine. But seriously can we wrap up this Brett Farve situation already?

Un-freakin Believeable

As you will soon find out I am a New York Yankees fan. A very passionate one at that... so needless to say that last night disasterous loss to the Texas Rangers has me feeling a little down in the dumps today I must admit. I mean I didn't think losing Kyle Farnsworth was going to be that big of a deal but can someone please tell Marte that he plays for the Yankees now and he's actually in a playoff race and not the lowly Pittsburn Pirates where what you do on most nights is overlooked and no one cares. I mean I've only seen this guy pitch 3 times for us now, the first he struck out Ortiz, fantastic thought we were on to something... the next time he throws a 90 mph meatball and gives up the lead to a team that escapes me at the moment and last night he gives up a Grand Salami to Marlen Byrd?? That's two days in a row now where the yanks have given up grand slams late in a game. Ok not just a late inning run or two but GRAND SLAM! Things are getting ugly in New York and I'm starting to worry that this team despite all that they have done thus far is in danger of missing the playoffs. yeah I said it.

Fantasy-Sports-Daily

Welcome All! Just getting setup so plenty more to come very very soon.