Hey Guys,
Someone in another thread said they didn't get the weekly news email summary for this week. So I thought I'd post it here.
Also thought it might be a good thread if you wanted to pick a story mentioned in the email and make your own comment on it.
Maybe just cut and paste the story in a new post and offer your opinion. Let's hear it.
J
Someone in another thread said they didn't get the weekly news email summary for this week. So I thought I'd post it here.
Also thought it might be a good thread if you wanted to pick a story mentioned in the email and make your own comment on it.
Maybe just cut and paste the story in a new post and offer your opinion. Let's hear it.
J
Hi Folks,
Welcome to Friday and another Footballguys Recap of the News and Notes. The NBA wrapped up their regular season where they play 82 games to eliminate four teams from the post season or something like that. Whatever. Don't worry though as you can stay glued to the hardwood while our Sigmund Bloom has you covered with everything that's happened in the NFL this week as of Thursday evening.
Remember, a big change for Footballguys this year is the website will be open all "offseason" long. We'll be bringing you a ton of information for the NFL Draft as well as Fantasy Specific content for you. Check out the front page for Footballguys.com and you can see all the FREE Off Season Content here.
Have a great Friday and we'll see you next week. Happy Easter to you.
J
SITE NEWS
A. Way Too Early Redraft WR Rankings
Is Mid April too early to be ranking fantasy players for this year? Of course is it. Is that stopping us? No way. Our Sigmund Bloom has his set of WR rankings ready for you.
B. Way Too Early Redraft TE Rankings
Same thing with TEs. Yes, it's too early. And we're ok with that.
C. FBG Player Movement Tracker
The question every owner needs to stay on top of every offseason is "What's different?" Our Footballguys Player Movement Tracker helps you answer exactly that as we keep up with every player of note that's moving teams. And like most Footballguys features, it's user friendly allowing the viewer to sort and view in the way that works best for you.
D. Rookie Primer - Wide Receivers
Our Chad Parsons continues the Rookie Primer series taking a post combine look at WRs.
E. Potential Situations for Rookie QBs
Our Cian Fahey takes a detailed look into where the Rookie QBs may end up and what kind of role they might have.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
This Week in NFL News by Sigmund Bloom AFCCleveland - The Browns matched Jacksonville's five-year, 42 million dollar offer sheet for C Alex Mack.
Why It Matters - This was expected, but it is good to see that the Browns are using their cap room to keep a cornerstone. Center is increasing in value around the league, and Mack is one of the best, so he is raising the bar for what a top center can get paid on the open market. This will help Ben Tate and the Browns passing game. The Jaguars lose out, but at least they are attempting to make improvements.
Denver - QB Peyton Manning said RB Montee Ball is ready to be the starter.
Why It Matters - Manning's endorsement is important, as pass blocking is just as important as running effectively when you are beside Manning in the backfield - ask "Dammit" Donald Brown. Ball is already being drafted in the second round - or even late first - as if he will perform at the ceiling Knowshon Moreno set in the Denver backfield last year. There are backs who should be just as productive with less risk available at the same point in your drafts, so we wouldn't get too caught up in theBall hype train.
Kansas City - WR Dwayne Bowe pled guilty to lesser defective equipment and littering charges to resolve a November arrest for marijuana possession.
Why It Matters - Bowe is unlikely to be suspended after another person in the car swore under oath that the marijuana was his and Bowe had no knowledge of it. While his 2013 was extremely disappointing, Bowe looked more like his old self as the season went on, and he should be a value as a WR3/Flex pick in the mid-rounds of drafts this year.
New England - Mike Freeman, of Bleacher Report, wrote this week that according to source close to TE Rob Gronkowski, he will "take his time and then take more time" in his return from a torn ACL and MCL.
Why It Matters - Gronkowski owners from last year know this drill, where Gronkowski returns when he is ready, not when everyone else is ready for him to return. Gronkowski could start the year on the PUP, and give fantasy owners a tough choice again in the 3rd-5th rounds of fantasy drafts. The good news is that Gronk was a stud once he did get back on the field, and if it wasn't for the freak hit directly on his knee, he was likely to help many teams go deep into the fantasy playoffs.
New York Jets - The Jets signed RB Chris Johnson to a two-year, eight million dollar deal with three million guaranteed.
Why It Matters - Johnson is getting paid more than Chris Ivory, so he is likely to have more fantasy value, but the duo will be used more like a RBBC than Johnson as the lead back and Ivory as the backup. Johnson should also get the passing down work and plenty of receptions, so RB2 status in PPR leagues is not a stretch. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Jets have some concerns about one of Johnson's knees, including arthritis, but Johnson denied that he has an arthritic knee. Either way, his decline has started, at least in the view of the NFL, as Johnson was slated to get eight million for just this season under his old contract with Tennessee.
San Diego - San Diego Union Tribune reporter Michael Gehlken wrote that WR Malcom Floyd's career is still in jeopardy despite his reporting to voluntary veteran workouts next week.
Why It Matters - No timetable has been set for Floyd's clearance to return to football activities, or even a decision whether Floyd will be able to continue playing according to Gehlken. The Chargers are likely to draft a wide receiver, but in the meantime, Vincent Brown and Eddie Royal project as secondary targets, with tight ends Antonio Gates and breakout candidate Ladarius Green helping pick up the slack for the lack of a true #2 wide receiver in the Chargers' offense.
NFC
Detroit - New WR Golden Tate compared his role in the Lions' offense to Lance Moore's under new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi when Lombardi was in New Orleans.
Why It Matters - Moore's numbers during his time with New Orleans should be considered Tate's floor, as Tate is a better receiver in the air and after the catch than Moore, although he is not as good of a route runner. Tate will also benefit from the coverage that Calvin Johnson draws, giving him the upside to be a strong WR3/Flex, assuming the Lions don't trade up to get Sammy Watkins or otherwise spend a high pick on a wide receiver.
Green Bay - The Packers signed QB Matt Flynn.
Why It Matters - Flynn will compete with Scott Tolzien to back up Aaron Rodgers. He proved to be only a desperation option for fantasy in his return to the Packers last year. The wide receivers took a hit when Flynn started, but RB Eddie Lacy and TE Andrew Quarless were bigger parts of the offense. Flynn is not a sure thing to beat out Tolzien, but he should be considered the favorite to win the #2 QB job.
New Orleans - The deadline for TE Jimmy Graham to file a grievance about his designation as a tight end on his franchise tag is next Tuesday, April 22, but GM Mickey Loomis said that the date was not a deadline for a new contract.
Why It Matters - This dispute has been simmering like a pot of gumbo while the free agent news and draft speculation has been flying. Graham would get over five million dollars more as a tagged wide receiver, and he was arguably used more like a wide receiver, so he would be remiss if he did not file a grievance, unless a long-term deal gets done in the next few days. Jermichael Finley got more than the tight end tag number from the Packers two years ago when he was a candidate to be tagged, and Graham is worth more to the Saints than Finley was to the Packers.
New York Giants - The Giants signed QB Josh Freeman to a one-year deal.
Why It Matters - The team must not be that comfortable with 2013 fourth-round pick Ryan Nassib as the backup to Eli Manning. Freeman's standing has plummeted in league circles. He is only 26 and has franchise QB tools, but the NFL let him sit on the market for over a month, and he likely signed a dirt cheap deal with little commitment. If the Giants can help him turn around his career, they could retain Freeman, which has the potential to figure into the decision of whether to extend Eli Manning after his contract expires in 2015.
New York Giants - Former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride dismissed talk that QB Eli Manning is on the decline and implied by omission that WR Rueben Randle might not be in the Giants future plans.
Why It Matters - After flirting with fantasy QB1 level numbers in the past, Manning has fallen to the point that he might not even be drafted in some fantasy leagues this summer. Gilbride said Manning will be fine once the Giants solidify the offensive line and "get somebody that’s going to be productive for them as an outside receiver". Since Randle is already on the roster, that is not a great sign of Gilbride's opinion of the third-year receiver. GM Jerry Reese was also lukewarm when he talked about Randle earlier in the offseason. Randle could break out this year, but he should be low on your list of sleeper wideouts until he generates more positive buzz.
San Francisco - OLB Aldon Smith was arrested at the LAX airport for an incident in which he made a false bomb threat.
Why It Matters - Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group reported that "after talking to several sources involved with the 49ers’ decision-making, is that troubled linebacker Aldon Smith hasn’t only lost the benefit of the doubt, he probably won’t play for the 49ers in 2014." Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that it appeared unlikely that the 49ers would pick up Smith's fifth-year option, adding fuel to the fire. Smith is also facing previous DUI and felony weapons charges with an April 29court date. The team did draft Tank Carradine and Corey Lemonier last year, and Ahmad Brooks has turned into an all-pro level 3-4 OLB, so the team could release or trade Smith and have a plan B at his position.
San Francisco - Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports that the 49ers have been shopping RB LaMichael James.
Why It Matters - Philadelphia is mentioned as a possible trade partner because head coach Chip Kelly had James at Oregon. James, a 2012 second-round pick, has been a massive disappointment, and the 49ers have been looking at punt returners and running backs in free agency and the draft pool, despite GM Trent Baalke's insistence that James "will be a 49er" back in February. James is unlikely to garner more than a very late-round pick, but Barrows writes that he wants to be on the field more, so perhaps he could get his foot in the door on a new team. He is probably only worth holding onto in deep dynasty leagues at this point.
San Francisco - The 49ers signed WR Brandon Lloyd.
Why It Matters - Lloyd could push 2013 fourth-round pick Quinton Patton for the #3 wide receiver job and cost Jon Baldwin a roster spot, but he has been away from the game for a year. The 49ers may run more three-wide sets this year, but it is unlikely that Lloyd would have fantasy relevance without multiple injuries to key San Francisco passcatchers - that is, if he even makes the team.
San Francisco - According to the police report, Seattle WR Ricardo Lockette called the police to intervene in the incident involving 49ers Colin Kaepernick.
Why It Matters - In other words, this is highly unlikely to be a problem for Kaepernick. No charges have been filed and Kaepernick has not been sought for questioning. Chalk this one up to the TMZ-ization of the NFL news cycle.
Seattle - WR Sidney Rice returned to the Seahawks on a one-year deal.
Why It Matters - This could slow down any sleeper buzz building behind Jermaine Kearse, but it makes sense for both Rice and the Seahawks to maintain continuity, as Rice provides a downfield and red zone threat when healthy, although that when healthy part has been the sticking point. QB Russell Wilson tweeted"Yesssssss!!!!!" upon news of the signing, so you know it is not a bad thing for his fantasy outlook. Rice is very unlikely to have fantasy relevance this year, but a player of his former abilities is always worth monitoring for an unlikely resurgence.
Tampa Bay - ESPN's Pat Yasinskas advises that RB Doug Martin "is going to be the main ball carrier and that means he still will be a fantasy force".
Why It Matters - There have been worries about Martin's workload being cut back based on comments about a rotation from head coach Lovie Smith, but this is the smart play. He was overrated as a top 5 pick last year, but Martin is a value if you can get him in the second round of drafts this year.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing your Fantasy Football Season with us. Seriously. We think it's a big deal that you give us the time to read what we write. We're in this thing together and we'll do all we can to help you make 2014 your best year yet. Have a great week and we'll see you next Friday with another update.
Peace,
J
