Plugged into the "Rate My Team" function. Does not take into account the playoffs:
QB: Donovan McNabb, Chad Pennington
RB: Earnest Graham, Fred Taylor, Bernard Scott, James Davis
WR: Randy Moss, Eddie Royal, Vincent Jackson, Donald Driver, Justin Gage, Antwaan Randle El
TE: Greg Olsen, Vernon Davis
PK: David Akers, Nick Folk
TD: New York Jets, Detroit Lions
Overview:
We'll start by complimenting you on your strength at quarterback, receiver, and tight end. As you know, it's very difficult in a competitive league to assemble a team that is strong at QB, RB, and WR, so just about every team will have a weakness. As you probably suspect, we perceive yours to be at running back.
In 2009, that's not an instant fantasy team killer like it might have been five years ago. Your league setup also doesn't mandate running back strength to the extent that many do. So in this particular case, we absolutely think you're strong enough elsewhere to overcome it. You've definitely got a good team here, but we'd feel better if we knew you were committed to keeping an eye out for the 2009 version of 2008's Steve Slaton, Le'Ron McClain, or Derrick Ward.
Players we particularly like on this team include Eddie Royal, Donovan McNabb, Donald Driver, Vernon Davis, Justin Gage, and Antwaan Randle El. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:
With great inseason management, we think you have about a 85 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 75 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 62 percent chance of making the playoffs.
In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 3 of 2007:
Randy Moss vs. BUF: 115 receiving yards, 2 TD
Donovan McNabb vs. DET: 381 passing yards, 4 TD
Earnest Graham vs. STL: 75 combined yards, 2 TD
Donald Driver vs. SD: 126 receiving yards, 1 TD
QB Summary:
Donovan McNabb is our #6 quarterback so he's a good start to a QB corps. Chad Pennington is a good second quarterback. But even so, adding a third QB is advisable.
RB Summary:
We see all your starters at running back as below average. Our projections have Earnest Graham ranked 31st, Fred Taylor ranked 34th, Bernard Scott ranked 77th, and James Davis ranked at #78.
Your bench looks good and should help offset the unexciting starting unit.
A quick note about the same-team Taylor/Randy Moss duo you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair. See this article (which was written before the 2008 season) for more discussion.
Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:
Earnest Graham is ranked #29 by some of our writers. Jeff Pasquino reasons, "Earnest Graham put in several seasons as a backup and special teams player before getting his chances in the Tampa Bay backfield. Now with only Derrick Ward to share the work, Graham should be at worst a complimentary back and more likely be part of a good committee for a team that needs to run. Questions abound as to the QB for 2009, so both Ward and Graham will be needed to move the chains. Ward is not a proven starter so Graham could vault past him on the depth chart by Week 1."
Some of our staffers have James Davis as high as #47, which would make him a great fourth running back and even a legitimate RB3. Jason Wood's take: "Davis has looked good early in camp and appears to be a quick study with the playbook. In the meantime, the Browns are hardly settled at the RB position. While Davis is clearly a long shot, he's someone who could easily work his way into a major role and yet most fantasy owners are unaware of him."
WR Summary:
Nice work here. We like all your starting receivers, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 13.4 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Randy Moss is our third ranked WR, Eddie Royal is #13, Vincent Jackson is #26, Donald Driver is #29, and we have Justin Gage 42nd.
Antwaan Randle El is an excellent depth pick, though you may not end up using him much.
TE Summary:
Nice work here. We like both your starting tight ends, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 3.0 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Greg Olsen is our #6 ranked tight end, and we have Vernon Davis at #14.
Kicker Summary:
With David Akers and Nick Folk, you should be above average at the position.
Defense Summary:
The Jets are probably not a difference-maker at defense, but they should be OK.
Dodds' projections:
Donovan McNabb 286.2
Chad Pennington 218.4
Earnest Graham 138.7
Fred Taylor 126.1
Bernard Scott 34.9
James Davis 34.1
Randy Moss 285.1
Eddie Royal 226.6
Vincent Jackson 194.2
Donald Driver 183.8
Justin Gage 161.5
Antwaan Randle El 104.1
Greg Olsen 216.6
Vernon Davis 150.6
David Akers 137.0 (only 3 pts for all fgs)
Nick Folk 128.0
New York Jets 169.1
Detroit Lions 116.9
Total: 2911.9 (17 weeks)
What did you do to NorrisB?Never mind, don't even tell me.
