.::Strictly Fantasy Football::.

The 2012 NFL Draft has passed and it looks to be one of the deepest skilled position drafts in a long time. Now that we know where these talented rookies landed, lets break down their fantasy impact. Even though it is EARLY these rankings are subject to major changes. I will put into consideration the team they were drafted to and the supporting cast.

Read the rest of this entry »

Every year, I watch and evaluate more than 250 college players on film. The objective is straightforward: Project and transition them to the NFL. While the goal is clear-cut, the devil is in the details. I like to think (many might see me as delusional) I have a fairly well-honed sense of evaluation and projection based on my extensive film study of the NFL game during each season. Unfortunately, it’s never that simple and uncomplicated.

Each year, there are players I really like on film that I believe will transition well from Saturday to Sunday’s game. And others I find intriguing even though they have limitations that are readily apparent. I am not speaking about the players likely to go in the first round. I am more interested in those players who will be seen as lower-round selections. It’s the process that makes it fascinating. It’s always easy to be an expert when you have access to the result. In three years, we’ll all know about these players. That’s no fun. There’s no debate, or differences of opinion at that point.

A couple of other quick points that make the process so absorbing. One, you’re evaluating 20- and 21-year-old athletes, playing against other boys. You have to get a sense of how you feel they will play against men, and how much you feel they can develop physically once they get into an NFL weight room. Secondly, you need to have a sense when you watch a player what can be coached, and what can’t. A college player is not a finished product.

Here’s a short list:

  Read the rest of this entry »

Hey, did you hear that Peyton Manning is playing for a new team this year?

Oh, you heard that, did you?  You mean that you’ve already seen the ad-nauseum analysis of how that move will affect everything from Manning’s fantasy value to the psyche of the parking lot attendant at Lucas Oil Stadium that really thought Peyton was his friend?  You’ve seen all that, huh?  

Well fear not, fantasy faithful, we are going to purposefully avoid the subject of Manning, as we talk about how the OTHER moves this free agency period will affect fantasy players coming into the 2012 season (Yes, other teams actually made a couple of moves too).

Today we will discuss how situations have changed for players that did not change teams, and how these situations affect their overall fantasy value for 2012.
Read the rest of this entry »