The Fightin' Irie and IMT have completed a relatively big deal involved multiple rookie picks, toppers, cap space and All-Pro Ben Roethlisberger.
Continue reading "Ben Roethlisberger for Laurence Maroney & Tarvaris Jackson..." »
The first blockbuster deal of 2008 was consummated between BINGO (formerly Blak Jesus) and the Beavercats.
Continue reading "Braylon Edwards, Willie Parker, Donovan McNabb in a blockbuster..." »
Ok, I did this right after the NFL draft in April but following OTA's & mini-camps, and the stupidity of veterans (such as Cedric Benson) a lot has changed since then. So I wanted to take another pass at this.
The NFL draft always brings some surprises but one guarantee you can always count on is new blood, an infusion of 250+ players who are young, healthy and hungry to make it in the NFL. In a professional sport that carries a career expectancy of approximately 3.2 years for a drafted player, many joke that NFL stands for 'Not For Long'. For fantasy leaguers, particularly dynasty league participants (where you keep players for longer than a single year), the NFL draft represents new blood, players who shift current player's values and new opportunities for fantasy success. One trend that people will start talking about a lot more, and expect to see this all over the 2008 fantasy football guides that get published in June, is the NFL shift to Two Back systems where one running back maybe gets a majority of the carries between the 20's and then another one comes in for the goal line work, short yardage or third down opportunities. The NY Giants won the super bowl with this strategy, and New England has employed it during their reign the past eight years to great success. So while having competent backups has always been the goal, the NFL is moving towards a trend of literally have two guys who could be considered the starter. For fantasy this means fewer true 'featured backs' and more ambiguity as to who is the 'right' guy to start week to week.
Continue reading "RB Share Situations - New Blood from the 2008 NFL Draft" »
I.M.T. and the PA Short Bus have consummated a trade deadline deal.
I.M.T. deals veteran WR Hines Ward ($46, 2007) to the Short Bus for WR Kevin Walter and SB's 2008 rookie pick.
Continue reading "Kevin Walter & a rookie pick for Hines Ward" »
NFL.com's Michael Fabiano analyzed all 32 NFL team's Quarterback position for fantasy production. He didn't go into as much detail as some may like but for the majority (AKA no keeper leagues) of fantasy leaguers it'll be a good overview by team.
The Post Gazette reports the way RB Najeh Davenport measures it, a football player is only as fast as his field intelligence, his grasp of the game plan, his comprehension of the playbook. And, man, he feels his brain synapse at 4.4, 4.5 speed nowadays. It's a completely different Steelers state of mind from last fall. "He had to learn everything on the run last year," new Steelers OC Bruce Arians recalled of the backup running back, who was signed the day after the team's 2006 season opener. "It was really game plan to game plan. Now he's learning the nuances of the offense." "It was like a clean slate: Every Sunday, you erase. Come back every Monday and learn new stuff," said Davenport. He laughed yesterday, amid the second week of organized team activity on the South Side, about his personal acuity change the past five months or so. "Now you don't have to think about stuff, go over plays in your head, go crazy with reads: the safety...," he continued. "You aren't thinking about it."
Continue reading "Najeh Davenport getting comfortable in Pittsburgh" »
NFL.com's Michael Fabiano is publishing overviews of each division by team of their fantasy value including schedule strength (against run & pass) and listing of each team's top 5 fantasy performers. I've listed the top 5 for each team below and the overall summaries are good. Some of this is academic but for fantasy nuts, its worth diving into the details. This is for the AFC North.
Continue reading "NFL.com's AFC North Team's Fantasy Overview..." »
ESPN is reporting that veteran RB Kevan Barkow has signed an agreement with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Terms of the agreement were not known but its likely a one year deal for the veteran minimum for the back who grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attended the University of Pittsburgh and has seen his career plummet over the past two years after starting as a promising young runner for the San Francisco 49'ers.
Continue reading "RB Kevan Barlow signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers" »
Pittsburgh Steelers selected Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth with the #77
overall selection (#13 in the 3rd round) in the 2007 NFL draft. Spaeth, son of former NFL player, is a huge target who was very productive in college but needs to improve his blocking to be a complete TE in the NFL.
Continue reading "TE Matt Spaeth, #77 Overall Pick, Pittsburgh Steelers" »
The Post Gazette reports the Steelers today signed backup RB Najeh Davenport to a two-year $2 million contract, paying him the kind of money that should put him high in their plans for next season. Davenport, who would have become an unrestricted free agent on Friday, received a $405,000 signing bonus, a salary of $595,000 this year and $1 million next year.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Ken Whisenhunt told the media at the scouting combine that he felt QB Ben Roethlisberger's struggles in 2006 were in part a result of his struggles in the offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly will announce Mike Tomlin as their next head coach on Monday. The 34 year old Tomlin just completed his first season as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, he apparently beat out Pittsburgh assistant head coach Russ Grimm and the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. Prior to his season in Minnesota, Tomlin was the secondary coach for the Tamba Bay Buccaneers which developed the fame 'Cover 2' defensive alignment.
According to the AP, the Arizona Cardinals have hired former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt as their new head coach. The terms were not disclosed but they're believed to be for 4 years with a team option for a fifth season. Whisenhunt was one of the top candidates to replace Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh but he evidently felt this was a great opportunity. "I'm really excited," Whisenhunt said by phone Sunday evening. "I really think it's a great opportunity. It's a team with a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball. The more I studied the situation, the better it looked, and the more I wanted that job. I can't wait to get started."
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher informed his assistant coaches on Thursday that he was going to step down and leave the job he started in 1992. In sixteen seasons he's lead the Steelers to 10 playoff berths, 6 AFC conference championship appearances, two super bowl runs and one title in 2006. He leaves an important legacy that will be difficult to match but he followed up the four-time super bowl winning coach Chuck Noll who had led the Steelers from 1969 thru 1992.
Continue reading "Cowher Takes a Break; Leaves Steelers..." »
Willie Parker was supposed to be too small to be a featured back but proved he could tote the rock 250+ times last year. Entering the 2006 season the question was whether 'Fast Willie' could get the job done at the goalline. Thru ten games its been a resounding yes; he's scored 12 touchdowns with eight of them coming from five yards or less out. In addition he's increased his yards per game from 85 to around 105.
The Macon Telegraph reports Pittsburgh RB Verron Haynes (5-9, 222) has been working in the offseason in hopes of moving up from his role as the third-down running back to being a starter with the Steelers. He is currently second on the depth chart behind RB Willie Parker, who has 1,202 yards and four touchdowns last season. On March 27, he signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh, possibly setting up his anticipated upgraded role. In order to earn a starting position, Haynes has been working out at a gym in Atlanta, as well as waking up at 4 a.m. to go running on his own. He and his teammates report to camp in Latrobe, Pa. on July 28.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports the Steelers aren't close to reaching a contract agreement with first-round draft pick WR Santonio Holmes,
but they're making progress. The Steelers are also committed to giving
Holmes a chance to resurrect his reputation, despite multiple run-ins
with the law since the draft. "Definitely, he gets another chance,"
Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said.
Continue reading "Steelers Rookie Holmes Given 2nd Chance..." »
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Steelers first round draft pick WR Santonio Holmes has not returned any calls from QB Ben Roethlisberger. "I've reached out to Santonio, kind of like [Jerome Bettis] did to me," Roethlisberger said. "I gave him my numbers, told him to call me, and when he got into trouble, I called him a bunch of time and left a bunch of messages for him, and he has never called me back, so I don't know how to take it. If he wants me to help him and wants me to take him under my wing, I'll do that, but it is his call, now, not mine. The ball is in his court, so to speak, but I think he'll be OK and, hopefully, he'll get to camp and get his head screwed on straight." Holmes has been arrested twice since draft day, the latest on domestic-violence charges. Holmes is a receiver, which means he'll work closely with Roethlisberger.
The news this week of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Rothelisberger's motorcycle accident sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. It was a sudden fall for the golden boy, who only 5 months ago won the super bowl in his 2nd professional season. In about twenty-four hours the collective hearts of Pittsburgh fans (and fantasy leaguers w/ Roethlisberger rights) thought their 2006 season was over. My first thought was of an interview I saw last year after Kellen Winslow's motorcycle accident where he said something to the effect that wearing a helmet was restricting on a motercycle, that he only traveled in packs at slow speeds and was the "safest rider he can be".
Now that the news is much rosier, and quite frankly amazing that Big Ben only sustained a bad concussion, broken jaw, cuts to his face and a loss of teeth (no doubt a badge of honor for this hillbilly wannabee), he can thank his lucky stars that he is alive. I hope NFL teams take better precautions with their most prized players that forbid them to ride motorcycles at all.
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