Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
People ask if the way I tier my RB can work with other positions as well. I like to think that the QB position can also translate into my grading system and allow for similar tiers. Here are the 5 categories I used along with the weighted percentages for each category.
1.Coaching: Basically this is the philosophy of the HC and OC for the team they play on. If the coach likes to throw a lot it will translate into points which translates into wins for FF owners. It’s really that simple but it is a major component of whether the QB will succeed. I try and stay away from arm strength, vision, tenacity…all that stuff is great but we have to assume most NFL QBs grade pretty high on that stuff or they wouldn’t be playing. As great as Dan Marino was he had a coach in Don Shula that allowed him to throw at will. The philosophy changed quite a bit when Jimmy Johnson took over. I weighted this category at 30%.
2.Weapons: Does the QB have the weapons around them to succeed. Would you rather your QB starting every week was throwing to Holt/Bruce/Curtis, or would you rather he be throwing to Jones/Wilford/Williams. A QB needs weapons to score with and I weighted this category at 20%.
3.Offensive Line: Simple, will he have time to throw or not? Weighted at 20%
4.Defense: Does the defense of the NFL team he plays for…do they allow quick scores? Do they allow the opposing team to run the ball on long drives keeping your QB riding the pine a lot and shortening the game and opps? Does the defense get a lot of T/O and set up short fields for the QB to score from? Or does the defense not give an inch and thus the coaching doesn’t have to push the ball thru the air to score? These things are very important to me. I weighted this category at 20%
5.Pass Schedule: These things are always hard to predict. I used the FBG articles and weighted this at 10%.
I do not project stats as I feel they are a waste of time…mostly they lead you down the wrong path or they completely screw you for the season when players either do not meet expectations or players you pass on tear it up during the season and leave you scratching your head.
Ready? Here we go.
“A” Bucket/Tier: Not very big, in fact only 1 QB hits this mark, think about that on draft day when you are taking the RB11 off the board and he is sitting there.
Peyton Manning: Indy
3.8 A
Coaching: A
OC and Manning are on the same page. Manning can throw whenever he feels like it.
Weapons: A+
Has Harrison/Wayne/Stokley/Clark…lots of weapons.
OL: A
1st in sacks allowed last season. Rip them apart for run blocking but they know how to pass protect just fine.
Defense: B
They are actually starting to hinder Manning a bit because they are slowly becoming a better defense, however they still are allowing some big plays but not as many as they used to.
Pass Schedule: A
Just seems unfair that one of the best QBs in the game will have an easy pass schedule.
Final Thoughts: Manning warrants consideration in the 1st round. You do have to make up for it by drafting a RB in 3 of the next 4 rounds but he really is in a class by himself. Sure, someone will be close to him or even a couple points ahead of him by the end of season…but you won’t know who and Manning is virtually a lock for top3.
B+ Bucket/Tier
Carson Palmer: CINCI
3.5 B+
Coaching: A
The coaches realize his talent and throw the ball plenty to the talented WR on this team. Funny how a defensive mind like Coach Lewis has assembled a potent offense. The running game takes a lot of pressure off the pass.
Weapons: A
Chad Johnson is an ace in the hole. TJ Housh, and Chris Henry make a very nice 2/3 combo. Hopefully Henry can stay out of trouble off the field. Rudi Johnson does not catch a lot of balls but takes pressure off the passing game. Chris Perry is annice 3rd down back option out of the backfield.
OL: A
2nd in sacks allowed for 2005. OL is in tact, should do well again this season.
Defense: B
They are allowing a lot of points and that is good. Would like to see them get better aginst the run though as that can limit the amount of times Palmer is on the field. If I was playing the Bengals I would run the ball right at them and shorten the games. Their secondary is not all that terrific though and that does put Palmer back on the field plenty.
Pass Schedule: D
I think the QB trumps this grade a bit…I would never not start Palmer because of match ups. Guy has shown he can throw on almost anyone.
Final Thoughts: If he is healthy he has a real chance to join Manning as a bonafide QB stud and not just a 1 year wonder.
Eli Manning: NY Giants
3.2 B+
Coaching: A
Some will disagree here but Manning gets plenty of opps to throw the football downfield. This is far far from a power running offense that throws infrequently.
Weapons: B
Shockey is his best weapon. Burress is inconsistent and Toomer disappears at times. Barber is a very nice security blanket out of the backfield.
OL: B
7th in sacks allowed last season.
Defense: B
Arrington and Strahan on the same defense…lot of sacks gonna happen. Sacks and pressure create turnovers, and turnovers equate into short fields and easy points.
Pass Schedule: D
It’s not that easy.
Final Thoughts: His 2nd half of the season last year was pretty average and he showed that he was still a young QB with a lot to learn. Thankfully the pedigree would indicate that he will be a lot better this year than last. I think he might have an even better Arm than Peyton but he is not playing in the same kind of offense. Would I take Eli 3rd off the board? He does grade out high and shouldn’t surprise people should he make a leap to 27-28TD this season.
Daunte Culpepper: Miami
3.2 B+
Coaching: B
Certainly we would like to know that Miami is going to throw it all over the place. Well Miami did finish 10th in passing and that was with a nice 1-2 punch at RB with Brown and Williams last season. I don’t see where Saban is a conservative offense type guy.
Weapons: B
Chambers and McMichael make a very nice 1-2 in the receiving dept. CPepp is going to love seeing McMichael streaking across the middle of the field. Booker is a reliable WR2 with good hands.
OL: A
4th in sacks allowed per attempts.
Defense: B
Miami gives up big play through the secondary. They are however pretty good against the run, so their weakness is what fuels for more opps for the QBs…also makes for shorter drives for opposing offenses. You want the QB on the field not sitting on the bench for 5, 6, and 7 minute drives during the games…hard to get into any kind of rhythm that way.
Pass Schedule: B
Buffalo, Tenn, Hou, NE, NYJ, and GB for 6 weeks after they open with Pitt. He should see good stats early into the season.
Final Thoughts: All accounts are that he is healthy and will start. Miami has been OK on offense but CPepp is the best upgrade they could make to the position. I have followed him since his days at UCF in Orlando, though Minnesota stole him in the draft way back, and now he is the Miami Dolphins QB, a player Miami fans have not seen since Marino. All systems are go for CPepp.
“B” bucket/tier: If you want to mix some of these guys with the B+ tier that’s fine. In understand why you would do it.
Matt Hasselbeck: Seattle
3.1 B
Coaching: B
Would love to see Seattle throw it even more. They were only 23rd in attempts last season but I also think with the running game doing so well they felt no need to throw as often. They will however throw the ball in the redzone. It’s not always the Shaun show back there despite his 28 TD last season. They were 14th and 13th the previous 2 years in attempts.
Weapons: B
He has some weapons but this is no Harrison/Wayne combo. DJax either drops passes or is injured…consistent is not the word I use for him. Engram, Burleson, and Stevens make nice role players in the passing game. And of course Shaun takes a lot of relief off the passing game. Shaun has become almost non existent in the passing game however.
OL: B
9th in sacks allowed last season but the departure of Hutch will take its toll at some point in the season.
Defense: B
This again is good for the QB. They have gotten a lot better at stopping the run but still have trouble in the passing game. This makes for more chances on that offense and also they may have to answer scores. Seattle’s defense has gotten a lot better with Tatupu at LB and what he has added is helping shut the run down.
Pass Schedule: A
Lot of patsies in the NFC West. Det, AZ, NYG, St Louis, Oak, St Louis, SF, GB, AZ, SF, SD…just not a lot of toughies on the schedule. You shouldn’t have to pull him because of match ups.
Final Thoughts: He has had 2 top5 finishes in the past 3 seasons. Finished 13th the other year and disappointed those that took him too early. No reason to see him slide…in fact if the running game struggles a bit with Hutch gone, you might see an increase in passes and better stats. Can Hass make it a 30TD season? Seems like a lock for 23-25 at any rate.
Kurt Warner: Arizona
3.1 B
Coaching: A
Denny Green will throw the ball as long as forward passes are legal in the NFL. With Edge, without Edge, they are going to throw the ball around. He has too much talent at his disposal in the passing game…which leads us to the next category.
Weapons: A
Fitz, Boldin, Edge…awesome!
OL: C
Surprising they are middle of the pack at pass blocking from a per attempt basis. They better be because Warner don’t move too well.
Defense: C
I have mixed emotions about this defense and their affect on the team. With Rolle coming back healthy and Adrian Wilson at SS make for a much better DB unit…however I am not sold Arizona is there on defense yet. I graded the out a C and I’m comfortable with that.
Pass Schedule: B
Nothing too frightening.
Final thoughts: OK OK OK, he won’t make it thru the season, I get it and I understand. One of the reasons Matt Leinart not being in camp is killing himself for this year. As long as Warner is upright and throwing he is going to approach 250-300 yds a game. In every game he started and finished he threw for over 255+ yds…reaching 300+ in the majority. McCown threw for 300 yds in 2 of his games and 297, 294 in 2 others…the offense is geared for big stats.
Jake Plummer: Denver
3.0 B
Coaching: B
They like to run the ball in Denver but they sure are not afraid to pass and Shanny does a good job of letting his QBs excel in game situations. What does that mean? They tend to exploit bad secondaries well. Shanny is great at gameplanning and has no reservations with throwing 1st if the defense dictates that situation.
Weapons: B
Could do a lot worse than Rod Smith and Javon Walker lining up on the outside. Even though Smith is aging and Walker is coming back from injury…this is a good solid bunch of weapons at his disposal.
OL: A
Are you surprised they rank as high in pass protection as they do at run blocking?
Defense: C
Unfortunately this defense has made leaps and bounds and Denver does not need to score 30+ point to win all their games…they can sit back and run the ball effectively and allow the game to come to them.
Final thoughts: I think Plummer will have the best combo he has seen at WR. Somehow the running game will shake out and take some pressure off him. But if it does not for some reason and he is asked to throw the ball more, he has a real chance to finish higher. He finished top5 in 2004, 11th last year, certainly seems like he has a great chance for top10 and he is being drafted after the 1st 10 QBs in most leagues…he won’t last till the 11th round but at about the 8th round he makes a lot of sense.
Marc Bulger: St.Louis
3.0 B
Coaching: B+ Martz is gone but Linehan coached the Vikings offense so I think he knows how to throw the ball around. Using a 2 WR set instead of a spread may not be a bad thing for Bulger and his health either.
Weapons: A
Do you need an explanation? Holt, Bruce, Curtis, McDonald, lethal 4 some at WR.
OL: D
22nd in sacks allowed. Not good.
Defense: A
They are awful against the pass. They have problems stopping the run too but I think Haslett will standa better chance of whipping the front 7 into shape than the DBs on this team. St Louis will see big play after big play given up by their secondary which forces Bulger onto the field more. Also if you fallbehind you have to pass. When they are close in games which will be early on I am sure they will try and run to keep their defense off the field but Linehan is no dummy. If they fall behind they take to the air…they’re too good not to.
Pass Schedule: C
Match ups won’t matter much to you with Bulger.
Final thoughts: If they give him time then he is going to do a lot of damage, plain and simple. I think a 2 WR set will allow for more time to throw for Bulger, I expect him to do big things this season…his defense will keep them on the field too.
Jake Delhomme: CAR
2.9 B
Coaching: B
John Fox likes to run the ball. He certainly allows Delhomme to pass enough too but this is not a pass 1st team. Especially with Foster/Williams set at RB there will be a commitment to running the ball with this team.
Weapons: A
Smith, Keyshawn, Colbert and Drew Carter make a nice 4 some of WRs. Foster and Williams make a potential lethal 1-2 punch. Foster is great out of the backfield. Delhomme does not suffer from any lack of talent around him right now.
OL: B
12th in sacks allowed.
Defense: C-
If they make a leap to something close to what the Bears did last season…the Panthers might make a shift to a power running team in some of their games. If their defense is pitching a shut out or is holding the other team to under 10…what’s the use of throwing all over the place? Even if the weak spot is the DBs on Carolins…they have the best DL in football perhaps and they won’t have to cover the WR for long.
Pass Schedule: F
Awful according to last years stats…lots of media outlets have the NFC South with the hardest pass schedule of anyone.
Final Thoughts: I think Delhomme is going to come back a bit this year. Lot of guys want to sign him up as their QB1…I don’t see Carolina having to throw the ball a lot to compete. Delhomme threw for 3,200 and 3,400 yds in ’05 and ’03, finished outside the top10 both seasons. I see Delhomme as a middle of the pack QB this year, FF owners will be disappointed taking this guy as their QB1.
Tom Brady: NE
2.8 B
Coaching: B
They allow him to throw the ball as needed. Brady has a great mindset for the game. Wish he had been able to continue with the same OC at NE but he did improve from 10th and 11th to 2nd last season in FF. hard to argue against that.
Weapons: C
I’m being generous here. Branch has not passed the 1,000 yd mark, and 5 of the top6 WR from last season are gone. Watson and Graham make a nice TE combo but everything is built on expectation for them, not what they have shown over an entire season so far. Neither have been totally dominant. There is a nice combo at RB behind him but that doesn’t amount to much in receptions.
OL: B
Did well alst season but Tom Ashworth is gone, will be interesting to see how this group does in pss protection this season. Their run blocking thus far in camp looks to be far improved.
Defense: B
They have problems in the secondary stopping the pass…that’s good for Brady.
Pass schedule: C
Middle of the road.
Final thoughts: nothing I am going to say is going to prevent some of you from taking him in the 3rd/4th round this season. So be it. I think Brady drops back a bit this season to somewhere in the 12-15 range. NE is going to run hard with Dillon and Maroney, shorten the game a lot, and cruise into the playoffs again. Branch’s holdout is a major concern at this point too.
“B-“ Bucket/tier: I would think this is the last of the possible QB1 on the board. Some are iffy as well.
Brett Favre: GB
2.7 B-
Coaching: B
They run the WCO, that seems good to me, and probably Favre too.
Weapons: C
Driver is a solid WR but nothing special. The rest of the group are not anything to write home about either. Looked like Walker was ready to join elite status in this league b4 the injury, now he is gone. Green is damaged goods at this point and Bubba Franks is a better blocker than receiver in the NFL.
OL: B
They can pass block. 3rd in sacks allowed last season per attempts.
Defense: C
Charles Woodson signing shores up a decent CB duo with Al Harris. Nick Collins and M&M from Seattle form a decent Safety combo as well. One good thing is the drafting of AJ Hawk…he should help the Pack get off the field quicker on defense.
Pass Schedule: A
It’s Easy!
Final Thoughts: I have been drafting Favre in and around the 10th-11th round in many redraft leagues…this is a steal for a possible top10 QB. I think Favre is certainly at the end of his career but he’s almost a lock for 20 TDs, and is one of the few QBs you will find around here that has passed for over 30 TD many times before.
Aaron Brooks: NO…J/K…Da Raaaaiiiiddderrrrsss
2.7 B-
Coaching: C
I am grading them low due to the fact they haven’t been in the NFl for a number of years and the last time Art Shell was head coaching the Bills were ruling the AFC. I think the vertical passing game is great but it might not work like the good ole days. Moss is capable of stretching the field but I am not hot on this scheme.
Weapons: B+
If Moss didn’t take plays off I’d give em an A. Porter is a mystery at this point. Anderson makes a nice TE for Brooks, and we know Jordan can catch the ball well out of the backfield.
OL: C
Not too good not too bad.
Defense: A!
They stink against stopping the pass. The offense will be on the field a lot because of this. This is one of the QBs you can see playing in the 3rd and 4th quarter down by 2-4 TDs and having to sling it around when the defenses start to soften. He will have 100 yds and no TD at the half, and 260 yds and 2 TD by the end of the game because of them racking up losses.
Pass schedule: C
Not too good not too bad
Final Thoughts: Read the defense post. That sums up my feelings on Aaron Brooks. I would like to have him but will not be reaching for him…I still think the coaching will get in the way of what could be a tremendous season for Brooks from a FF perspective. He sure has looked sharp in camp.
Jon Kitna: Detroit
2.7 B-
Coaching: B
Martz as the OC…they will throw the ball a lot, no way around it.
Weapons: C
C.Bradford is your WR2? Nothing but disappointments like Rogers, and M.Williams who are fighting for roster spots right now. Roy Williams is talented but he has yet to complete an entire season yet.
OL: B
Seem to be able to pass block fine, Martz will love that.
Defense: B
Very suspect secondary that gives up big plays…that’s good for your FF QB so he can be on the field more.
Pass Schedule: C
Right in the middle of the pack
Final thoughts: OK, there is upside with this pick as the Lions are going to throw the ball. But I also think there is a chance McCown gets into the mix too. You might need both of them as your QB2/3 and you may have some FF gold at some point this season. Martz turned Warner into a 40+ TD guy so anything is possible. Kitna has tossed over 20 before so he could make a leap but he also is Jon Kitna and there is a ceiling with this guy too.
“C+” Bucket/Tier: Time to start looking at your QB2 and if you waited too long you get a QB1 then you better hurry.
Philip Rivers: SD
2.5 C+
Coaching: C
28th and 13th in pass attempts for the Chargers the past 2 seasons. They are a run 1st ball club and with a rookie under center you have to think they will be running as much as they can.
Weapons: C
Gates and Tomlinson are great but they have an old man as their WR1 and not much at their WR2 slot…I just think there will be a lot of dump offs to LT and short passes to Gates. That’s great but defenses will catch on and pinch close to the line and eventually turn those dump off to minimum gains. They really need an explosive WR and they don’t have that right now.
OL: B
10th in sacks per attempts last season. They can pass protect just fine.
Defense: B
Their weakness is against the pass, that’s terrific for the QB. They shut down the run so teams don’t typically go on long drives against them. Maybe this should be an A grade.
Pass schedule: B
Pretty good for the Chargers.
Final Thoughts: I was sour on him early but after grading him out I think he will surprise some people. A decent QB2 for a lot of clubs and a perfect QB3 if he lasts that long…you will spot start him some during the season where the match ups dictate it. I think San Diego will actually progress nicely but will see that they lack big play ability with no real home run threat at WR.
Ben Roethlisberger: Pitts
2.4 C+
Coaching: C-
They like to run, plain and simple. His attempts will never be close to 500. They put him in situations where he can succeed with limited attempts but this is a run 1st coaching staff.
Weapons: B-
Hines Ward and heath miller make a nice combo at WR/TE. Cedric Wilson is supposed to be “NFL ready”…whatever that means. We’ll see.
OL: B
They keep him upright. Wonder if the Bengals go after him with a little more umph this season?
Defense: B
Certainly they are good, they also make a lot of turnovers and that adds to short fields where he can toss short TD to Ward and Miller. This could get downgraded if they become a simple stopiing defense that does not create turnovers allowing Cowher to keep it conservative.
Pass schedule: D
It’s pretty tough.
Final Thoughts: I don’t think we have seen what Ben can really do yet but we might not ever see it with Cowher coaching this team. I think Ben has the skills to be a topflight FF QB given the right situation. This is not it and it won’t for the foreseeable future.
Donovan Mcnabb: Philly
2.3 C+
Coaching: A
Throw throw throw, that’s the attitude in Philly. They don’t throw the long ball well without TO unfortunately so its like a drop in yds per pass attempt.
Weapons: D
No proven WR, an ok TE in LJ Smith although he needs to stay healthy. TO leaving has left a huge whole. What bother me with Philly is they are too stubborn to fix it…why not go and sign another big play potential WR. I would have loved to have seen them grab a Brandon Lloyd, or even a David Givens who could be counted on to catch a lot of balls. They really don’t have that right now and not much of a running game to speak of.
OL: C
Not that great at pass blocking really.
Defense: C
They are good enough to not get beat but not really a big playmaking defense. Doesn’t help our guy out much.
Pass Schedule: C
Final Thoughts: As you can see I am very down on McNabb. He was great a few seasons ago but we have had more QBs enter the league and a lot of coach shuffling going on. I think there are better choices and those that take McNabb in the 4th round thinking they are getting value are in for a wake up call. I am sure Philly fans will disagree but McNabb just does not grade out as high as years past.
Drew Bledsoe: Dallas
2.3 C+
Coaching: B
Parcells love to run the ball but he is not afraid to pass at all either. Bledsoe will get plenty of opps to put the ball into the endzone.
Weapons: A
TO, Glenn, Crayton, Witten, they have an array of talent catching the ball.
OL: F
They were 28th in sacks allowed per attempt last season…and they let Allen go to SF…they are in trouble. I know Bledsoe doesn’t move too well but this OL has got some serious problems.
Defense: C
I think they have a pretty good pass defense and they tend to allow the rush a bit and that combo is not good for Bledsoe. Nguyen retired so look for their rush D to possibly get a little worse. They have looked good in camp though. Good pass defenses don’t helpn the QBs much.
Pass Schedule: D
It’s not easy.
Final thoughts: I have mixed feeling with Bledsoe. On one hand he is getting TO at his dispoal so he should do well. I just see a lot of problems with the OL and a Jones/Barber combo that will eat up a lot of 1st and 2nd downs. Dallas needs to make the playoffs and I look for them to shorten games with their rushing offense and a possibly improved defense. Bledsoe is going pretty high in drafts…I don’t like him anywhere close to his ADP.
Chris Simms: TB
2.3 C+
Coaching: B
Gruden likes to throw the ball. No doubt about it and he has done well with his QBs in the past. Brad Johnson, Rich gannon, they all have looked their best when Gruden was calling the plays.
Weapons: B
Clayton and Galloway make a nice 1-2 punch at WR. “Cadillac” and Pittman are nice out of the backfield. Could be better but most teams would like to have what the Bucs have as weapons. Hilliard and Boston as the 3rd and 4th WR are nothing to cry about either.
OL: C
16th in sacks allowed per attempt. Right in the middle of the pack.
Defense: C
They do get turnovers and that helps. But this defense is hard to score on and thus Gruden can be a lot more conservative with his offense.
Pass schedule: F
Tough tough tough
Final Thoughts: Simms should do better this season and is getting better as an NFL QB. He plays for a coach that has spit out a lot of top10 QB in FF. I don’t like the tough schedule but I do like the offense overall and think Simms will make a nice QB2 on a lot of rosters.
“C” Bucket tier
Trent Green: KC
2.1 C
Coaching: C
Herm Edwards was not what I had in mind when Vermeil left town. I have not read much that I liked coming out of Herm Edwards mouth. I don’t think he really gets it to be honest…I also think that the KC job will show without a doubt that he should not be an NFL coach. The OL claoch was promoted to OC…yippie! That doesn’t help Green throwing the ball IMO.
Weapons: C
Kennison and Parker are not scaring anyone. Gonzo is not getting any younger although he is only 30 at the moment. LJ certainly makes up for some of the lack of punch at WR.
OL: C
Better at run blocking than pass blocking…Roaf retires…Turley is going to be blocking…this might not be good.
Defense: C
Now has Ty Law and Patrick Surtain…this means teams will not be able to pass all over KC…they also saw a turnaround with their run defense a bit drafting Johnson last season. This defense may be better than the offense by season’s end. Tougher defense means Hermy is not gonna want to throw a ton…I look for much less output in total points in KC games this year. Pinball scores could be over.
Pass Schedule: C
Mediocre
Final Thoughts: I am not looking at Trent Green as more than a QB2 in most leagues I am drafting in. The great thing is he will be gone in most before I am ready to take them. The guy has produced a lot of yards for a lot of years but I see a big dip this season with Hermy running the show.
Marc Brunell: Wash
2.1 C
Coaching: C+
Even with a run 1st type guy as Gibbs, the addition of Al Saunder can mean nothing but good things for Brunell. I am not saying he turns into Trent Green but Saunders will find ways for him to succeed.
Weapons: B
Moss, Randel El, Lloyd, Cooley, Portis…this is almost an A group really.
OL: C
Better run blockers than pass blockers
Defense: D
A strong defense that will likely not help Brunell. No reason to go buck wild passing the ball with a strong defense and Portis/Betts to hand the ball off to.
Final Thoughts: He has a chance to duplicate what he did last season…at times he was a top5-10 FF QB in a lot of weeks. Still he is getting older, and still makes stupid mistakes…like throwing interceptions in the preseason and endangering the Skins/MOP’s franchise RB…stop that!
Steve McNair: Balt
2.0 C
Coaching: B
Certainly Billick is able to throw the ball despite what he has shown the last few seasons. He hasn’t had a QB worth a spit since CPepp really. While they like to run the ball a lot in Baltimore, McNair will give them a chance to unconstipate this offense.
Weapons: C
Mason/Clayton and Heap make a decent trio to throw to but Clayton is a little unpolished and Mason is not a game breaker really. Heap is perhaps the best of the three, hopefully he can stay healthy this year.
OL: C
Defense: D
They are really good and it does dictate a more conservative approach on offense. If they can get a lot of turnovers that they don’t return themselves, that will help McNair in putting up some easy TDs.
Pass Schedule: D
Not easy
Final Thoughts: People are really high on him this year but I don’t see him as something to build your FF team around. He has a propensity to get hurt. Makes a decent QB2 but the Ravens are going to be pounding the ball to go with that strong defense they have.
Billy Volek: TEN
2.0 C
Coaching: C
I like Fisher as a HC, and Norm Chow as the OC, I just think Tennessee has been handicapped in the talent area. I like Volek to use this opp to spring board his career. But back to coaching…Fisher want to establish the run and if he could hand off every down I think he might if he could get away with it. Still this is the NFL, reality mean that Volek will get his share of attempts.
Weapons: D
Drew Bennett is an OK WR but this is not an overly talented group of weapons…anywhere on this team including the back field at this point.
OL: C
Losing Brad Hopkins will hurt the OL. They were good in pass blocking last season but I see a dip without a strong LT for them.
Defense: B
They allow big plays against the pass, that’s a good thing for our guy. Pacman will make strides but this defense is still a long way from being great.
Pass Schedule: C
Middle of the road
Final Thoughts: How can you not remember what this kid did a couple of years ago. I am looking forward to him taking over at the starter even if it’s only 1 season. He will do well and sign with another team next season that is in need of a starting QB. The Bills or even Arizona if Leinart is not ready to go may be in need of his services sooner rather than later.
Byron Leftwich: JAX
1.9 C
Coaching: C-
Jack Del Rio’s offense does not impress me. You know you want to piund the ball, why not invest a high pick and get a RB you can actually rely on and move forward. This offense doesn’t have an identity and it drives me nuts.
Weapons: C
Unproven guys at WR, although they seem to have a lot of talent but that has to translate onto the field.
OL: C
Defense: C
Not really helping Lefty as they are pretty tough on defense and it allows Del Rio to stay fairly conservative on offense.
Pass Schedule: B
Pretty easy but will Del Rio let him take advantage of it?
Final Thoughts: I like Byron and have wanted to see him step forward as a viable FF QB but to this point he really hasn’t. he puts up a lot of 200 yds and 1TD type performances and that will not win a lot of games for you. Sure he’s a decent value in the 11th/12th round but he is no better than a QB2 right now.
Alex Smith: SF
1.9 C
Coaching: C
Nolan might be in over his head. I do like the addition of Norv Turner on offense however. This should bode well for Smith and the running game as well.
Weapons: C
Has a nice TE combo with Eric Johnson and rookie sensation Vernon Davis. Bryant come over from leveland to team up with the oft injured Arnaz Battle as the #2. Gore/Barlow form an interesting backfield but nothing spectacular yet.
OL: F
31st in sacks allowed per attempts last season…here’s hoping that Larry Allen can help them improve and keep Smith upright, might help this season.
Defense: B
They are horrible against the pass heading into the season. They lost Carter, Peterson, and some DBs they were building on. This team may not be able to stop the run or pass…now if they can’t slow teams down rushing the ball, then they might not provide as many chances for Smith. But I think teams will fire at will on that secondary and probably with success and lead to opps for Smith and SF to do some damage.
Pass Schedule: B
Not too bad when you look it over.
Final Thoughts: I want Alex Smith to succeed…I just think he is at least a year from being a guy you would want to rotate into your line up. That said do not let the 1 TD and 11 In the had a year ago detour you from taking a later round flyer on him. There is some upside here and I like him better than many of the same guys in and around this tier.
“C-“ Bucket/Tier
David Carr: Hou
1.8 C-
Coaching: C
Kubiak cannot be a downgrade from Capers, no way.
Weapons: B
Moulds and Johnson make for a solid WR duo.
OL: F
If they do not get better at pass protection Carr will never be able to throw the ball. The commercial a couple of years back where he lined up and there was no OL…that still holds water…are they holding out hope that Tony Bosselli is going to suddenly take the field? C’MON!
Defense: C
They’re not that great but they also don’t get a ton of turnovers. That are not helping Carr in any of the extremes that I look at in this category.
Pass Schedule: C
Final Thoughts: Have been waiting for Carr to do something for awhile. That OL is still scary but hopefully Kubiak can help this kid get going in the NFL…Kubiak can’t block for him though can he?
Michael Vick: ATL
1.7 C-
Coaching: B
I thought about this score for a long time and was going to give him a D as they want to run a lot…but you know what? The fact they do run a lot and do allow Vick to take off is probably the best thing for Vick owners.
Weapons: C
Crumpler keeps this category from going thru the floor. Jenkins and White are not even close to being polished, neither has stepped up but then again maybe the QB has not given them that chance. I don’t see anything so far at WR that strikes fear into opposing DBs.
OL: D
They allow a lot of sacks for a guy that is mobile…maybe he runs around too much and makes this category worse than it needs to be…but the fact is he takes a lot of sacks.
Defense: D
They are a nightmare…they have a very nice collection of DBs now and a ferocious pass rush with Abraham and Kerney. Unfortunately they cannot stop the run so it means teams will go on long drives against them and chew up clock while Vick sits on the bench. This is not good.
Pass Schedule: F
It’s very very very hard.
Final Thoughts: I am not high on Vick this season, add in the injury factor as what he does best is run not throw and I think most FF owners are wising up to Vick. If he could throw for 3,500 yds, rush for 1,000 and Pass/run 25-30 TDs he would be gold…but he simply is not that QB no matter how much you wish it. His last 2 years in the league he has had 17 and 21 TDs…that’s not about 1 per week and that’s just not enough to win most weeks.
Drew Brees: NO
1.6 C-
Coaching: C
Sean Payton takes over for Haslett, I need to see what he does for a year before passing total judgement but I haven’t really like the fact he does things like push Stallworth down the depth charts…guy seems like a hothead without much to back it up to me…might be a short fuse coach and that doesn’t mean success in this league. Players can quickly turn on you if you are not careful about it and I don’t think he has earned it yet.
Weapons: B
If Horn is definitely healthy and returns to his status before last season this could rise quickly. Bush is going to be lightning in a bottle for this team.
OL: D
Hard time protecting the QB
Defense: D
Allowed 125+ yds rushing 11 times…140+ 8 times…that means they are on the field too much and even though they have a suspect secondary, why would a team put the ball in the air when they can just rush the ball.
Pass Schedule: F
It’s HHHHHhhaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Final Thoughts: Brees is going to miss the Chargers big time…he also is going to wonder why he didn’t sign for less money with the Dolphins where he could have had some success most likely. He has weapons around him but he has a so so OL, a defense that is unlike the one he left in SD, and a rookie coach that to me seems a little in over his head at this point.
“D+/D and F” Bucket/Tier
J.P.Losman: BUFF
1.5 D+
Coaching: D
#### Jauron…ahhhh that screams vertical passing game doesn’t it?
Weapons: D
Sorry Lee Evans owners but he is not nearly the same as a Holt/Harrison or Smith. Moulds is gone, they are in bad shape on offense with this team.
OL: D-
Like the turnstiles at Disney baby! Oh have they got OL problems.
Defense: C
This is actually one of the few bright spots…he may see the field a lot as his defense is terrible right now.
Pass Schedule: A
Who cares? They won’t be able to take advantage of it will they?
Final Thoughts: Final is a good word here to describe Buffalo and their passing offense…final as in LAST!
Brad Johnson: Minnesota
1.3 D
Coaching: C
New coach. Leaves Philly for Minnesota and has said he is committed to running the ball. An OL built to run the ball too.
Weapons: D
KRob/T.Williamson/T.Taylor/MRob…not scaring anyone right now. No 1,000 yd WR on this roster that has done it recently either. I liked some of what I saw in Williamson but he is not ready quite yet.
OL: D
Great run blocking group, not so good at pass protection…and with BJ under center at the ripe age of 38…looks more like Steve Deberg in his 2nd stint around the NFL.
Defense: D
Pretty good secondary and maybe they might have some trouble against the run…if the defense is really better as it is being billed thn Childress has no need to air it out and look for a conservative ground game with Chester Taylor leading the way.
Pass Schedule: D
Not a piece of cake for sure.
Final Thoughts: 162, 136, 144, 146, 143 and 12 TDs in 10 games total…this is not where you want to hang your hat at QB…I even would shy away from his as a QB2, really. And they have nothing behind him either…good luck in Minnesota.
Brian Griese: Chi-Town
1.2 D
Coaching: D
Lovie Smith? I’m waiting for the wing-T to be brought out. I’m sure having Rex Grossman and Ootpn as a rookie will do that to you…but I have not seen a lot of creative offense from the Bears. Maybe it’s not their fault.
Weapons: D
No all star TE, Muhammed is it at WR…this is not a vertical pass offense.
OL: C
Great at run blocking, not as good at pass protection…they probably never practice it during the week as it is used so infrequently.
Defense: F
Great defense and they keep drafting more defense so they are probably going to just keep the defense on the field all the time…even when they don’t have to. Nothing here that would ever need Chicago to get into a street ball fight on Sundays.
Pass Schedule: B
Whatever
Final Thoughts: I like what Griese has shown thus far in camp but I don’t see the Bears need ing him to throw more than about 20 times a game. I think he will kick Grossman out of his starting spot during preseason. Draft him as your QB3 and hope you never have to start him other than a spot play.
Charlie Frye: CLE
0.8 F
Coaching: D
Romeo Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo…he might know how to put a defense together but he is offensively challenged to say the least.
Weapons: D
We have no idea if Winslow can even play…Edwards has been injured, JJ is not a WR1…Frye is going to have a lot of problems with this offense.
OL: F
They were bad before Bentley got hurt…I bet Frye doesn’t make it thru the season and not by choice.
Defense: D
Not too bad against the pass, has trouble stopping the run, doesn’t make for a good situation for QBs.
Pass Schedule: D
Oh yeah and their schedule is sorta tough too.
Final Thoughts: I just want to tell you good luck Charlie, we’re all counting on you.
What if you think that I weight the Qbs too much. Meaning all you are looking for is coaching mindset and weapons. Forget schedule, OL, and Defense…OK. I can list them that way too. 20 would be perfect, and there are 3 QBs that hit that mark.
P.Manning-20
C.Palmer-20
K.Warner-20
E.Manning-18
M.Bulger-18
D.Bledsoe-17
J.Delhomme-17
J.Plummer-16
M.Hasselbeck-15
D.CPepp-15
C.Simms-15
T.Brady-14
D.McNabb-14
A.Brooks-13
M.Vick-13
B.Favre-13
M.Brunell-13
J.Kitna-13
S.Mcnair-13
D.Brees-12
D.Carr-12
B.Roth-11
T.Green-10
P.Rivers-10
A.Smith-10
B.Lefty-9
B.Johnson-8
B.Volek-8
C.Penny-8
B.Griese-5
J.P.Losman-5
C.Frye-5
I think you have to factor in the OL, defense and schedule but it’s your team and you have to do what you feel is right of course.
Chime in and bring it boys and girls. Have a good criticism please speak up, make sure you shares some insight as well and bring the stats...while I don't project them much, they sure come in handy when a debate breaks out. Have fun, I did.
1.Coaching: Basically this is the philosophy of the HC and OC for the team they play on. If the coach likes to throw a lot it will translate into points which translates into wins for FF owners. It’s really that simple but it is a major component of whether the QB will succeed. I try and stay away from arm strength, vision, tenacity…all that stuff is great but we have to assume most NFL QBs grade pretty high on that stuff or they wouldn’t be playing. As great as Dan Marino was he had a coach in Don Shula that allowed him to throw at will. The philosophy changed quite a bit when Jimmy Johnson took over. I weighted this category at 30%.
2.Weapons: Does the QB have the weapons around them to succeed. Would you rather your QB starting every week was throwing to Holt/Bruce/Curtis, or would you rather he be throwing to Jones/Wilford/Williams. A QB needs weapons to score with and I weighted this category at 20%.
3.Offensive Line: Simple, will he have time to throw or not? Weighted at 20%
4.Defense: Does the defense of the NFL team he plays for…do they allow quick scores? Do they allow the opposing team to run the ball on long drives keeping your QB riding the pine a lot and shortening the game and opps? Does the defense get a lot of T/O and set up short fields for the QB to score from? Or does the defense not give an inch and thus the coaching doesn’t have to push the ball thru the air to score? These things are very important to me. I weighted this category at 20%
5.Pass Schedule: These things are always hard to predict. I used the FBG articles and weighted this at 10%.
I do not project stats as I feel they are a waste of time…mostly they lead you down the wrong path or they completely screw you for the season when players either do not meet expectations or players you pass on tear it up during the season and leave you scratching your head.
Ready? Here we go.
“A” Bucket/Tier: Not very big, in fact only 1 QB hits this mark, think about that on draft day when you are taking the RB11 off the board and he is sitting there.
Peyton Manning: Indy
3.8 A
Coaching: A
OC and Manning are on the same page. Manning can throw whenever he feels like it.
Weapons: A+
Has Harrison/Wayne/Stokley/Clark…lots of weapons.
OL: A
1st in sacks allowed last season. Rip them apart for run blocking but they know how to pass protect just fine.
Defense: B
They are actually starting to hinder Manning a bit because they are slowly becoming a better defense, however they still are allowing some big plays but not as many as they used to.
Pass Schedule: A
Just seems unfair that one of the best QBs in the game will have an easy pass schedule.
Final Thoughts: Manning warrants consideration in the 1st round. You do have to make up for it by drafting a RB in 3 of the next 4 rounds but he really is in a class by himself. Sure, someone will be close to him or even a couple points ahead of him by the end of season…but you won’t know who and Manning is virtually a lock for top3.
B+ Bucket/Tier
Carson Palmer: CINCI
3.5 B+
Coaching: A
The coaches realize his talent and throw the ball plenty to the talented WR on this team. Funny how a defensive mind like Coach Lewis has assembled a potent offense. The running game takes a lot of pressure off the pass.
Weapons: A
Chad Johnson is an ace in the hole. TJ Housh, and Chris Henry make a very nice 2/3 combo. Hopefully Henry can stay out of trouble off the field. Rudi Johnson does not catch a lot of balls but takes pressure off the passing game. Chris Perry is annice 3rd down back option out of the backfield.
OL: A
2nd in sacks allowed for 2005. OL is in tact, should do well again this season.
Defense: B
They are allowing a lot of points and that is good. Would like to see them get better aginst the run though as that can limit the amount of times Palmer is on the field. If I was playing the Bengals I would run the ball right at them and shorten the games. Their secondary is not all that terrific though and that does put Palmer back on the field plenty.
Pass Schedule: D
I think the QB trumps this grade a bit…I would never not start Palmer because of match ups. Guy has shown he can throw on almost anyone.
Final Thoughts: If he is healthy he has a real chance to join Manning as a bonafide QB stud and not just a 1 year wonder.
Eli Manning: NY Giants
3.2 B+
Coaching: A
Some will disagree here but Manning gets plenty of opps to throw the football downfield. This is far far from a power running offense that throws infrequently.
Weapons: B
Shockey is his best weapon. Burress is inconsistent and Toomer disappears at times. Barber is a very nice security blanket out of the backfield.
OL: B
7th in sacks allowed last season.
Defense: B
Arrington and Strahan on the same defense…lot of sacks gonna happen. Sacks and pressure create turnovers, and turnovers equate into short fields and easy points.
Pass Schedule: D
It’s not that easy.
Final Thoughts: His 2nd half of the season last year was pretty average and he showed that he was still a young QB with a lot to learn. Thankfully the pedigree would indicate that he will be a lot better this year than last. I think he might have an even better Arm than Peyton but he is not playing in the same kind of offense. Would I take Eli 3rd off the board? He does grade out high and shouldn’t surprise people should he make a leap to 27-28TD this season.
Daunte Culpepper: Miami
3.2 B+
Coaching: B
Certainly we would like to know that Miami is going to throw it all over the place. Well Miami did finish 10th in passing and that was with a nice 1-2 punch at RB with Brown and Williams last season. I don’t see where Saban is a conservative offense type guy.
Weapons: B
Chambers and McMichael make a very nice 1-2 in the receiving dept. CPepp is going to love seeing McMichael streaking across the middle of the field. Booker is a reliable WR2 with good hands.
OL: A
4th in sacks allowed per attempts.
Defense: B
Miami gives up big play through the secondary. They are however pretty good against the run, so their weakness is what fuels for more opps for the QBs…also makes for shorter drives for opposing offenses. You want the QB on the field not sitting on the bench for 5, 6, and 7 minute drives during the games…hard to get into any kind of rhythm that way.
Pass Schedule: B
Buffalo, Tenn, Hou, NE, NYJ, and GB for 6 weeks after they open with Pitt. He should see good stats early into the season.
Final Thoughts: All accounts are that he is healthy and will start. Miami has been OK on offense but CPepp is the best upgrade they could make to the position. I have followed him since his days at UCF in Orlando, though Minnesota stole him in the draft way back, and now he is the Miami Dolphins QB, a player Miami fans have not seen since Marino. All systems are go for CPepp.
“B” bucket/tier: If you want to mix some of these guys with the B+ tier that’s fine. In understand why you would do it.
Matt Hasselbeck: Seattle
3.1 B
Coaching: B
Would love to see Seattle throw it even more. They were only 23rd in attempts last season but I also think with the running game doing so well they felt no need to throw as often. They will however throw the ball in the redzone. It’s not always the Shaun show back there despite his 28 TD last season. They were 14th and 13th the previous 2 years in attempts.
Weapons: B
He has some weapons but this is no Harrison/Wayne combo. DJax either drops passes or is injured…consistent is not the word I use for him. Engram, Burleson, and Stevens make nice role players in the passing game. And of course Shaun takes a lot of relief off the passing game. Shaun has become almost non existent in the passing game however.
OL: B
9th in sacks allowed last season but the departure of Hutch will take its toll at some point in the season.
Defense: B
This again is good for the QB. They have gotten a lot better at stopping the run but still have trouble in the passing game. This makes for more chances on that offense and also they may have to answer scores. Seattle’s defense has gotten a lot better with Tatupu at LB and what he has added is helping shut the run down.
Pass Schedule: A
Lot of patsies in the NFC West. Det, AZ, NYG, St Louis, Oak, St Louis, SF, GB, AZ, SF, SD…just not a lot of toughies on the schedule. You shouldn’t have to pull him because of match ups.
Final Thoughts: He has had 2 top5 finishes in the past 3 seasons. Finished 13th the other year and disappointed those that took him too early. No reason to see him slide…in fact if the running game struggles a bit with Hutch gone, you might see an increase in passes and better stats. Can Hass make it a 30TD season? Seems like a lock for 23-25 at any rate.
Kurt Warner: Arizona
3.1 B
Coaching: A
Denny Green will throw the ball as long as forward passes are legal in the NFL. With Edge, without Edge, they are going to throw the ball around. He has too much talent at his disposal in the passing game…which leads us to the next category.
Weapons: A
Fitz, Boldin, Edge…awesome!
OL: C
Surprising they are middle of the pack at pass blocking from a per attempt basis. They better be because Warner don’t move too well.
Defense: C
I have mixed emotions about this defense and their affect on the team. With Rolle coming back healthy and Adrian Wilson at SS make for a much better DB unit…however I am not sold Arizona is there on defense yet. I graded the out a C and I’m comfortable with that.
Pass Schedule: B
Nothing too frightening.
Final thoughts: OK OK OK, he won’t make it thru the season, I get it and I understand. One of the reasons Matt Leinart not being in camp is killing himself for this year. As long as Warner is upright and throwing he is going to approach 250-300 yds a game. In every game he started and finished he threw for over 255+ yds…reaching 300+ in the majority. McCown threw for 300 yds in 2 of his games and 297, 294 in 2 others…the offense is geared for big stats.
Jake Plummer: Denver
3.0 B
Coaching: B
They like to run the ball in Denver but they sure are not afraid to pass and Shanny does a good job of letting his QBs excel in game situations. What does that mean? They tend to exploit bad secondaries well. Shanny is great at gameplanning and has no reservations with throwing 1st if the defense dictates that situation.
Weapons: B
Could do a lot worse than Rod Smith and Javon Walker lining up on the outside. Even though Smith is aging and Walker is coming back from injury…this is a good solid bunch of weapons at his disposal.
OL: A
Are you surprised they rank as high in pass protection as they do at run blocking?
Defense: C
Unfortunately this defense has made leaps and bounds and Denver does not need to score 30+ point to win all their games…they can sit back and run the ball effectively and allow the game to come to them.
Final thoughts: I think Plummer will have the best combo he has seen at WR. Somehow the running game will shake out and take some pressure off him. But if it does not for some reason and he is asked to throw the ball more, he has a real chance to finish higher. He finished top5 in 2004, 11th last year, certainly seems like he has a great chance for top10 and he is being drafted after the 1st 10 QBs in most leagues…he won’t last till the 11th round but at about the 8th round he makes a lot of sense.
Marc Bulger: St.Louis
3.0 B
Coaching: B+ Martz is gone but Linehan coached the Vikings offense so I think he knows how to throw the ball around. Using a 2 WR set instead of a spread may not be a bad thing for Bulger and his health either.
Weapons: A
Do you need an explanation? Holt, Bruce, Curtis, McDonald, lethal 4 some at WR.
OL: D
22nd in sacks allowed. Not good.
Defense: A
They are awful against the pass. They have problems stopping the run too but I think Haslett will standa better chance of whipping the front 7 into shape than the DBs on this team. St Louis will see big play after big play given up by their secondary which forces Bulger onto the field more. Also if you fallbehind you have to pass. When they are close in games which will be early on I am sure they will try and run to keep their defense off the field but Linehan is no dummy. If they fall behind they take to the air…they’re too good not to.
Pass Schedule: C
Match ups won’t matter much to you with Bulger.
Final thoughts: If they give him time then he is going to do a lot of damage, plain and simple. I think a 2 WR set will allow for more time to throw for Bulger, I expect him to do big things this season…his defense will keep them on the field too.
Jake Delhomme: CAR
2.9 B
Coaching: B
John Fox likes to run the ball. He certainly allows Delhomme to pass enough too but this is not a pass 1st team. Especially with Foster/Williams set at RB there will be a commitment to running the ball with this team.
Weapons: A
Smith, Keyshawn, Colbert and Drew Carter make a nice 4 some of WRs. Foster and Williams make a potential lethal 1-2 punch. Foster is great out of the backfield. Delhomme does not suffer from any lack of talent around him right now.
OL: B
12th in sacks allowed.
Defense: C-
If they make a leap to something close to what the Bears did last season…the Panthers might make a shift to a power running team in some of their games. If their defense is pitching a shut out or is holding the other team to under 10…what’s the use of throwing all over the place? Even if the weak spot is the DBs on Carolins…they have the best DL in football perhaps and they won’t have to cover the WR for long.
Pass Schedule: F
Awful according to last years stats…lots of media outlets have the NFC South with the hardest pass schedule of anyone.
Final Thoughts: I think Delhomme is going to come back a bit this year. Lot of guys want to sign him up as their QB1…I don’t see Carolina having to throw the ball a lot to compete. Delhomme threw for 3,200 and 3,400 yds in ’05 and ’03, finished outside the top10 both seasons. I see Delhomme as a middle of the pack QB this year, FF owners will be disappointed taking this guy as their QB1.
Tom Brady: NE
2.8 B
Coaching: B
They allow him to throw the ball as needed. Brady has a great mindset for the game. Wish he had been able to continue with the same OC at NE but he did improve from 10th and 11th to 2nd last season in FF. hard to argue against that.
Weapons: C
I’m being generous here. Branch has not passed the 1,000 yd mark, and 5 of the top6 WR from last season are gone. Watson and Graham make a nice TE combo but everything is built on expectation for them, not what they have shown over an entire season so far. Neither have been totally dominant. There is a nice combo at RB behind him but that doesn’t amount to much in receptions.
OL: B
Did well alst season but Tom Ashworth is gone, will be interesting to see how this group does in pss protection this season. Their run blocking thus far in camp looks to be far improved.
Defense: B
They have problems in the secondary stopping the pass…that’s good for Brady.
Pass schedule: C
Middle of the road.
Final thoughts: nothing I am going to say is going to prevent some of you from taking him in the 3rd/4th round this season. So be it. I think Brady drops back a bit this season to somewhere in the 12-15 range. NE is going to run hard with Dillon and Maroney, shorten the game a lot, and cruise into the playoffs again. Branch’s holdout is a major concern at this point too.
“B-“ Bucket/tier: I would think this is the last of the possible QB1 on the board. Some are iffy as well.
Brett Favre: GB
2.7 B-
Coaching: B
They run the WCO, that seems good to me, and probably Favre too.
Weapons: C
Driver is a solid WR but nothing special. The rest of the group are not anything to write home about either. Looked like Walker was ready to join elite status in this league b4 the injury, now he is gone. Green is damaged goods at this point and Bubba Franks is a better blocker than receiver in the NFL.
OL: B
They can pass block. 3rd in sacks allowed last season per attempts.
Defense: C
Charles Woodson signing shores up a decent CB duo with Al Harris. Nick Collins and M&M from Seattle form a decent Safety combo as well. One good thing is the drafting of AJ Hawk…he should help the Pack get off the field quicker on defense.
Pass Schedule: A
It’s Easy!
Final Thoughts: I have been drafting Favre in and around the 10th-11th round in many redraft leagues…this is a steal for a possible top10 QB. I think Favre is certainly at the end of his career but he’s almost a lock for 20 TDs, and is one of the few QBs you will find around here that has passed for over 30 TD many times before.
Aaron Brooks: NO…J/K…Da Raaaaiiiiddderrrrsss
2.7 B-
Coaching: C
I am grading them low due to the fact they haven’t been in the NFl for a number of years and the last time Art Shell was head coaching the Bills were ruling the AFC. I think the vertical passing game is great but it might not work like the good ole days. Moss is capable of stretching the field but I am not hot on this scheme.
Weapons: B+
If Moss didn’t take plays off I’d give em an A. Porter is a mystery at this point. Anderson makes a nice TE for Brooks, and we know Jordan can catch the ball well out of the backfield.
OL: C
Not too good not too bad.
Defense: A!
They stink against stopping the pass. The offense will be on the field a lot because of this. This is one of the QBs you can see playing in the 3rd and 4th quarter down by 2-4 TDs and having to sling it around when the defenses start to soften. He will have 100 yds and no TD at the half, and 260 yds and 2 TD by the end of the game because of them racking up losses.
Pass schedule: C
Not too good not too bad
Final Thoughts: Read the defense post. That sums up my feelings on Aaron Brooks. I would like to have him but will not be reaching for him…I still think the coaching will get in the way of what could be a tremendous season for Brooks from a FF perspective. He sure has looked sharp in camp.
Jon Kitna: Detroit
2.7 B-
Coaching: B
Martz as the OC…they will throw the ball a lot, no way around it.
Weapons: C
C.Bradford is your WR2? Nothing but disappointments like Rogers, and M.Williams who are fighting for roster spots right now. Roy Williams is talented but he has yet to complete an entire season yet.
OL: B
Seem to be able to pass block fine, Martz will love that.
Defense: B
Very suspect secondary that gives up big plays…that’s good for your FF QB so he can be on the field more.
Pass Schedule: C
Right in the middle of the pack
Final thoughts: OK, there is upside with this pick as the Lions are going to throw the ball. But I also think there is a chance McCown gets into the mix too. You might need both of them as your QB2/3 and you may have some FF gold at some point this season. Martz turned Warner into a 40+ TD guy so anything is possible. Kitna has tossed over 20 before so he could make a leap but he also is Jon Kitna and there is a ceiling with this guy too.
“C+” Bucket/Tier: Time to start looking at your QB2 and if you waited too long you get a QB1 then you better hurry.
Philip Rivers: SD
2.5 C+
Coaching: C
28th and 13th in pass attempts for the Chargers the past 2 seasons. They are a run 1st ball club and with a rookie under center you have to think they will be running as much as they can.
Weapons: C
Gates and Tomlinson are great but they have an old man as their WR1 and not much at their WR2 slot…I just think there will be a lot of dump offs to LT and short passes to Gates. That’s great but defenses will catch on and pinch close to the line and eventually turn those dump off to minimum gains. They really need an explosive WR and they don’t have that right now.
OL: B
10th in sacks per attempts last season. They can pass protect just fine.
Defense: B
Their weakness is against the pass, that’s terrific for the QB. They shut down the run so teams don’t typically go on long drives against them. Maybe this should be an A grade.
Pass schedule: B
Pretty good for the Chargers.
Final Thoughts: I was sour on him early but after grading him out I think he will surprise some people. A decent QB2 for a lot of clubs and a perfect QB3 if he lasts that long…you will spot start him some during the season where the match ups dictate it. I think San Diego will actually progress nicely but will see that they lack big play ability with no real home run threat at WR.
Ben Roethlisberger: Pitts
2.4 C+
Coaching: C-
They like to run, plain and simple. His attempts will never be close to 500. They put him in situations where he can succeed with limited attempts but this is a run 1st coaching staff.
Weapons: B-
Hines Ward and heath miller make a nice combo at WR/TE. Cedric Wilson is supposed to be “NFL ready”…whatever that means. We’ll see.
OL: B
They keep him upright. Wonder if the Bengals go after him with a little more umph this season?
Defense: B
Certainly they are good, they also make a lot of turnovers and that adds to short fields where he can toss short TD to Ward and Miller. This could get downgraded if they become a simple stopiing defense that does not create turnovers allowing Cowher to keep it conservative.
Pass schedule: D
It’s pretty tough.
Final Thoughts: I don’t think we have seen what Ben can really do yet but we might not ever see it with Cowher coaching this team. I think Ben has the skills to be a topflight FF QB given the right situation. This is not it and it won’t for the foreseeable future.
Donovan Mcnabb: Philly
2.3 C+
Coaching: A
Throw throw throw, that’s the attitude in Philly. They don’t throw the long ball well without TO unfortunately so its like a drop in yds per pass attempt.
Weapons: D
No proven WR, an ok TE in LJ Smith although he needs to stay healthy. TO leaving has left a huge whole. What bother me with Philly is they are too stubborn to fix it…why not go and sign another big play potential WR. I would have loved to have seen them grab a Brandon Lloyd, or even a David Givens who could be counted on to catch a lot of balls. They really don’t have that right now and not much of a running game to speak of.
OL: C
Not that great at pass blocking really.
Defense: C
They are good enough to not get beat but not really a big playmaking defense. Doesn’t help our guy out much.
Pass Schedule: C
Final Thoughts: As you can see I am very down on McNabb. He was great a few seasons ago but we have had more QBs enter the league and a lot of coach shuffling going on. I think there are better choices and those that take McNabb in the 4th round thinking they are getting value are in for a wake up call. I am sure Philly fans will disagree but McNabb just does not grade out as high as years past.
Drew Bledsoe: Dallas
2.3 C+
Coaching: B
Parcells love to run the ball but he is not afraid to pass at all either. Bledsoe will get plenty of opps to put the ball into the endzone.
Weapons: A
TO, Glenn, Crayton, Witten, they have an array of talent catching the ball.
OL: F
They were 28th in sacks allowed per attempt last season…and they let Allen go to SF…they are in trouble. I know Bledsoe doesn’t move too well but this OL has got some serious problems.
Defense: C
I think they have a pretty good pass defense and they tend to allow the rush a bit and that combo is not good for Bledsoe. Nguyen retired so look for their rush D to possibly get a little worse. They have looked good in camp though. Good pass defenses don’t helpn the QBs much.
Pass Schedule: D
It’s not easy.
Final thoughts: I have mixed feeling with Bledsoe. On one hand he is getting TO at his dispoal so he should do well. I just see a lot of problems with the OL and a Jones/Barber combo that will eat up a lot of 1st and 2nd downs. Dallas needs to make the playoffs and I look for them to shorten games with their rushing offense and a possibly improved defense. Bledsoe is going pretty high in drafts…I don’t like him anywhere close to his ADP.
Chris Simms: TB
2.3 C+
Coaching: B
Gruden likes to throw the ball. No doubt about it and he has done well with his QBs in the past. Brad Johnson, Rich gannon, they all have looked their best when Gruden was calling the plays.
Weapons: B
Clayton and Galloway make a nice 1-2 punch at WR. “Cadillac” and Pittman are nice out of the backfield. Could be better but most teams would like to have what the Bucs have as weapons. Hilliard and Boston as the 3rd and 4th WR are nothing to cry about either.
OL: C
16th in sacks allowed per attempt. Right in the middle of the pack.
Defense: C
They do get turnovers and that helps. But this defense is hard to score on and thus Gruden can be a lot more conservative with his offense.
Pass schedule: F
Tough tough tough
Final Thoughts: Simms should do better this season and is getting better as an NFL QB. He plays for a coach that has spit out a lot of top10 QB in FF. I don’t like the tough schedule but I do like the offense overall and think Simms will make a nice QB2 on a lot of rosters.
“C” Bucket tier
Trent Green: KC
2.1 C
Coaching: C
Herm Edwards was not what I had in mind when Vermeil left town. I have not read much that I liked coming out of Herm Edwards mouth. I don’t think he really gets it to be honest…I also think that the KC job will show without a doubt that he should not be an NFL coach. The OL claoch was promoted to OC…yippie! That doesn’t help Green throwing the ball IMO.
Weapons: C
Kennison and Parker are not scaring anyone. Gonzo is not getting any younger although he is only 30 at the moment. LJ certainly makes up for some of the lack of punch at WR.
OL: C
Better at run blocking than pass blocking…Roaf retires…Turley is going to be blocking…this might not be good.
Defense: C
Now has Ty Law and Patrick Surtain…this means teams will not be able to pass all over KC…they also saw a turnaround with their run defense a bit drafting Johnson last season. This defense may be better than the offense by season’s end. Tougher defense means Hermy is not gonna want to throw a ton…I look for much less output in total points in KC games this year. Pinball scores could be over.
Pass Schedule: C
Mediocre
Final Thoughts: I am not looking at Trent Green as more than a QB2 in most leagues I am drafting in. The great thing is he will be gone in most before I am ready to take them. The guy has produced a lot of yards for a lot of years but I see a big dip this season with Hermy running the show.
Marc Brunell: Wash
2.1 C
Coaching: C+
Even with a run 1st type guy as Gibbs, the addition of Al Saunder can mean nothing but good things for Brunell. I am not saying he turns into Trent Green but Saunders will find ways for him to succeed.
Weapons: B
Moss, Randel El, Lloyd, Cooley, Portis…this is almost an A group really.
OL: C
Better run blockers than pass blockers
Defense: D
A strong defense that will likely not help Brunell. No reason to go buck wild passing the ball with a strong defense and Portis/Betts to hand the ball off to.
Final Thoughts: He has a chance to duplicate what he did last season…at times he was a top5-10 FF QB in a lot of weeks. Still he is getting older, and still makes stupid mistakes…like throwing interceptions in the preseason and endangering the Skins/MOP’s franchise RB…stop that!
Steve McNair: Balt
2.0 C
Coaching: B
Certainly Billick is able to throw the ball despite what he has shown the last few seasons. He hasn’t had a QB worth a spit since CPepp really. While they like to run the ball a lot in Baltimore, McNair will give them a chance to unconstipate this offense.
Weapons: C
Mason/Clayton and Heap make a decent trio to throw to but Clayton is a little unpolished and Mason is not a game breaker really. Heap is perhaps the best of the three, hopefully he can stay healthy this year.
OL: C
Defense: D
They are really good and it does dictate a more conservative approach on offense. If they can get a lot of turnovers that they don’t return themselves, that will help McNair in putting up some easy TDs.
Pass Schedule: D
Not easy
Final Thoughts: People are really high on him this year but I don’t see him as something to build your FF team around. He has a propensity to get hurt. Makes a decent QB2 but the Ravens are going to be pounding the ball to go with that strong defense they have.
Billy Volek: TEN
2.0 C
Coaching: C
I like Fisher as a HC, and Norm Chow as the OC, I just think Tennessee has been handicapped in the talent area. I like Volek to use this opp to spring board his career. But back to coaching…Fisher want to establish the run and if he could hand off every down I think he might if he could get away with it. Still this is the NFL, reality mean that Volek will get his share of attempts.
Weapons: D
Drew Bennett is an OK WR but this is not an overly talented group of weapons…anywhere on this team including the back field at this point.
OL: C
Losing Brad Hopkins will hurt the OL. They were good in pass blocking last season but I see a dip without a strong LT for them.
Defense: B
They allow big plays against the pass, that’s a good thing for our guy. Pacman will make strides but this defense is still a long way from being great.
Pass Schedule: C
Middle of the road
Final Thoughts: How can you not remember what this kid did a couple of years ago. I am looking forward to him taking over at the starter even if it’s only 1 season. He will do well and sign with another team next season that is in need of a starting QB. The Bills or even Arizona if Leinart is not ready to go may be in need of his services sooner rather than later.
Byron Leftwich: JAX
1.9 C
Coaching: C-
Jack Del Rio’s offense does not impress me. You know you want to piund the ball, why not invest a high pick and get a RB you can actually rely on and move forward. This offense doesn’t have an identity and it drives me nuts.
Weapons: C
Unproven guys at WR, although they seem to have a lot of talent but that has to translate onto the field.
OL: C
Defense: C
Not really helping Lefty as they are pretty tough on defense and it allows Del Rio to stay fairly conservative on offense.
Pass Schedule: B
Pretty easy but will Del Rio let him take advantage of it?
Final Thoughts: I like Byron and have wanted to see him step forward as a viable FF QB but to this point he really hasn’t. he puts up a lot of 200 yds and 1TD type performances and that will not win a lot of games for you. Sure he’s a decent value in the 11th/12th round but he is no better than a QB2 right now.
Alex Smith: SF
1.9 C
Coaching: C
Nolan might be in over his head. I do like the addition of Norv Turner on offense however. This should bode well for Smith and the running game as well.
Weapons: C
Has a nice TE combo with Eric Johnson and rookie sensation Vernon Davis. Bryant come over from leveland to team up with the oft injured Arnaz Battle as the #2. Gore/Barlow form an interesting backfield but nothing spectacular yet.
OL: F
31st in sacks allowed per attempts last season…here’s hoping that Larry Allen can help them improve and keep Smith upright, might help this season.
Defense: B
They are horrible against the pass heading into the season. They lost Carter, Peterson, and some DBs they were building on. This team may not be able to stop the run or pass…now if they can’t slow teams down rushing the ball, then they might not provide as many chances for Smith. But I think teams will fire at will on that secondary and probably with success and lead to opps for Smith and SF to do some damage.
Pass Schedule: B
Not too bad when you look it over.
Final Thoughts: I want Alex Smith to succeed…I just think he is at least a year from being a guy you would want to rotate into your line up. That said do not let the 1 TD and 11 In the had a year ago detour you from taking a later round flyer on him. There is some upside here and I like him better than many of the same guys in and around this tier.
“C-“ Bucket/Tier
David Carr: Hou
1.8 C-
Coaching: C
Kubiak cannot be a downgrade from Capers, no way.
Weapons: B
Moulds and Johnson make for a solid WR duo.
OL: F
If they do not get better at pass protection Carr will never be able to throw the ball. The commercial a couple of years back where he lined up and there was no OL…that still holds water…are they holding out hope that Tony Bosselli is going to suddenly take the field? C’MON!
Defense: C
They’re not that great but they also don’t get a ton of turnovers. That are not helping Carr in any of the extremes that I look at in this category.
Pass Schedule: C
Final Thoughts: Have been waiting for Carr to do something for awhile. That OL is still scary but hopefully Kubiak can help this kid get going in the NFL…Kubiak can’t block for him though can he?
Michael Vick: ATL
1.7 C-
Coaching: B
I thought about this score for a long time and was going to give him a D as they want to run a lot…but you know what? The fact they do run a lot and do allow Vick to take off is probably the best thing for Vick owners.
Weapons: C
Crumpler keeps this category from going thru the floor. Jenkins and White are not even close to being polished, neither has stepped up but then again maybe the QB has not given them that chance. I don’t see anything so far at WR that strikes fear into opposing DBs.
OL: D
They allow a lot of sacks for a guy that is mobile…maybe he runs around too much and makes this category worse than it needs to be…but the fact is he takes a lot of sacks.
Defense: D
They are a nightmare…they have a very nice collection of DBs now and a ferocious pass rush with Abraham and Kerney. Unfortunately they cannot stop the run so it means teams will go on long drives against them and chew up clock while Vick sits on the bench. This is not good.
Pass Schedule: F
It’s very very very hard.
Final Thoughts: I am not high on Vick this season, add in the injury factor as what he does best is run not throw and I think most FF owners are wising up to Vick. If he could throw for 3,500 yds, rush for 1,000 and Pass/run 25-30 TDs he would be gold…but he simply is not that QB no matter how much you wish it. His last 2 years in the league he has had 17 and 21 TDs…that’s not about 1 per week and that’s just not enough to win most weeks.
Drew Brees: NO
1.6 C-
Coaching: C
Sean Payton takes over for Haslett, I need to see what he does for a year before passing total judgement but I haven’t really like the fact he does things like push Stallworth down the depth charts…guy seems like a hothead without much to back it up to me…might be a short fuse coach and that doesn’t mean success in this league. Players can quickly turn on you if you are not careful about it and I don’t think he has earned it yet.
Weapons: B
If Horn is definitely healthy and returns to his status before last season this could rise quickly. Bush is going to be lightning in a bottle for this team.
OL: D
Hard time protecting the QB
Defense: D
Allowed 125+ yds rushing 11 times…140+ 8 times…that means they are on the field too much and even though they have a suspect secondary, why would a team put the ball in the air when they can just rush the ball.
Pass Schedule: F
It’s HHHHHhhaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Final Thoughts: Brees is going to miss the Chargers big time…he also is going to wonder why he didn’t sign for less money with the Dolphins where he could have had some success most likely. He has weapons around him but he has a so so OL, a defense that is unlike the one he left in SD, and a rookie coach that to me seems a little in over his head at this point.
“D+/D and F” Bucket/Tier
J.P.Losman: BUFF
1.5 D+
Coaching: D
#### Jauron…ahhhh that screams vertical passing game doesn’t it?
Weapons: D
Sorry Lee Evans owners but he is not nearly the same as a Holt/Harrison or Smith. Moulds is gone, they are in bad shape on offense with this team.
OL: D-
Like the turnstiles at Disney baby! Oh have they got OL problems.
Defense: C
This is actually one of the few bright spots…he may see the field a lot as his defense is terrible right now.
Pass Schedule: A
Who cares? They won’t be able to take advantage of it will they?
Final Thoughts: Final is a good word here to describe Buffalo and their passing offense…final as in LAST!
Brad Johnson: Minnesota
1.3 D
Coaching: C
New coach. Leaves Philly for Minnesota and has said he is committed to running the ball. An OL built to run the ball too.
Weapons: D
KRob/T.Williamson/T.Taylor/MRob…not scaring anyone right now. No 1,000 yd WR on this roster that has done it recently either. I liked some of what I saw in Williamson but he is not ready quite yet.
OL: D
Great run blocking group, not so good at pass protection…and with BJ under center at the ripe age of 38…looks more like Steve Deberg in his 2nd stint around the NFL.
Defense: D
Pretty good secondary and maybe they might have some trouble against the run…if the defense is really better as it is being billed thn Childress has no need to air it out and look for a conservative ground game with Chester Taylor leading the way.
Pass Schedule: D
Not a piece of cake for sure.
Final Thoughts: 162, 136, 144, 146, 143 and 12 TDs in 10 games total…this is not where you want to hang your hat at QB…I even would shy away from his as a QB2, really. And they have nothing behind him either…good luck in Minnesota.
Brian Griese: Chi-Town
1.2 D
Coaching: D
Lovie Smith? I’m waiting for the wing-T to be brought out. I’m sure having Rex Grossman and Ootpn as a rookie will do that to you…but I have not seen a lot of creative offense from the Bears. Maybe it’s not their fault.
Weapons: D
No all star TE, Muhammed is it at WR…this is not a vertical pass offense.
OL: C
Great at run blocking, not as good at pass protection…they probably never practice it during the week as it is used so infrequently.
Defense: F
Great defense and they keep drafting more defense so they are probably going to just keep the defense on the field all the time…even when they don’t have to. Nothing here that would ever need Chicago to get into a street ball fight on Sundays.
Pass Schedule: B
Whatever
Final Thoughts: I like what Griese has shown thus far in camp but I don’t see the Bears need ing him to throw more than about 20 times a game. I think he will kick Grossman out of his starting spot during preseason. Draft him as your QB3 and hope you never have to start him other than a spot play.
Charlie Frye: CLE
0.8 F
Coaching: D
Romeo Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo…he might know how to put a defense together but he is offensively challenged to say the least.
Weapons: D
We have no idea if Winslow can even play…Edwards has been injured, JJ is not a WR1…Frye is going to have a lot of problems with this offense.
OL: F
They were bad before Bentley got hurt…I bet Frye doesn’t make it thru the season and not by choice.
Defense: D
Not too bad against the pass, has trouble stopping the run, doesn’t make for a good situation for QBs.
Pass Schedule: D
Oh yeah and their schedule is sorta tough too.
Final Thoughts: I just want to tell you good luck Charlie, we’re all counting on you.
What if you think that I weight the Qbs too much. Meaning all you are looking for is coaching mindset and weapons. Forget schedule, OL, and Defense…OK. I can list them that way too. 20 would be perfect, and there are 3 QBs that hit that mark.
P.Manning-20
C.Palmer-20
K.Warner-20
E.Manning-18
M.Bulger-18
D.Bledsoe-17
J.Delhomme-17
J.Plummer-16
M.Hasselbeck-15
D.CPepp-15
C.Simms-15
T.Brady-14
D.McNabb-14
A.Brooks-13
M.Vick-13
B.Favre-13
M.Brunell-13
J.Kitna-13
S.Mcnair-13
D.Brees-12
D.Carr-12
B.Roth-11
T.Green-10
P.Rivers-10
A.Smith-10
B.Lefty-9
B.Johnson-8
B.Volek-8
C.Penny-8
B.Griese-5
J.P.Losman-5
C.Frye-5
I think you have to factor in the OL, defense and schedule but it’s your team and you have to do what you feel is right of course.
Chime in and bring it boys and girls. Have a good criticism please speak up, make sure you shares some insight as well and bring the stats...while I don't project them much, they sure come in handy when a debate breaks out. Have fun, I did.
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