PAFFL.com

2007 Fantasy Football All-PAFFL Team

The 2007 regular season is finalized and its time to recognize the studs that made this regular season sizzle and led to the Ron Jeremy Fanclub being the leading PAFFL team throughout the regular season.  You'll notice some trends as QB-WR tandems in New England & Dallas have exploded this year to dominant their respective positions unlike any other tandems in NFL history.

SI's NFL Team Power Rankings

SI.com's Peter King published his first of many 'Power Rankings' for the upcoming NFL season.  Though its hard to argue with his predictions, particularly at this point, I have to say that Indy at #1 is a little off center and likely a nod to their super bowl title from last season.  The reality is San Diego and New England both improved themselves while Indy (which barely beat NE at home in the AFC Championship game) took a step back due to defections in free agency. 

Steven Jackson & TO for Marc Bulger, Lee Evans & Michel Turner...

South Whore Jibbers and East Bay Funk announced a seven player trade this morning. 

South Whore Jibbers deal WR Lee Evans ($21, 2008), RB Michael Turner ($1, 2008), QB Marc Bulger ($55, 2009*), the rights to QB Gus Frerotte and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick ($1, 2008) to East Bay Funk for RB Stephen Jackson ($55, 2007) & the rights to WR Terrell Owens. 

South Whore Jibbers deal WR Lee Evans ($21, 2008), RB Michael Turner ($1, 2008), QB Marc Bulger ($55, 2009*), the rights to QB Gus Frerotte and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick ($1, 2008) to East Bay Funk for RB Stephen Jackson ($55, 2007) & the rights to WR Terrell Owens. 

LT for Cedric Benson?

Team Kitty and East Bay Funk announced a trade this morning. 

Team Kitty deals WR Bernard Berrian ($2, 2007), the rights to RB LaDanian Tomlinson and WR Antawn Randal El ($6, 2008) to East Bay Funk for RB Cedric Benson ($55, 2007). 

NFL QB Team by Team Analysis

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. 

2007 3rd Year WR's...

ProFantasySports wrote an article about which third year wide receivers may break out this year.  They specifically called out Tennessee's WR Brandon Jones & San Diego's WR Vincent Jackson. 

NFL.com's AFC West Team's Fantasy Overview...

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 West. 

WR Craig Davis, #30 Overall Pick, San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers selected LSU WR Craig Davis with the #30 overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft.  Davis has tremendous upside but is a slightly raw prospect who will need time to develop. 

San Diego Chargers selected LSU WR Craig Davis with the #30 overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft.  Davis has tremendous upside but is a slightly raw prospect who will need time to develop. 

Chargers Place High Tender on RB Turner

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the Chargers essentially have decided they want to keep RB Michael Turner one more season, as they will put the first- and third-round tender on RB LaDainian Tomlinson's backup.   “I'd just feel better to have him in '07,” GM A.J. Smith said Wednesday. “If anything happens to LT – God Almighty! – that he gets hurt.” Smith would also gladly give up Turner for the two draft picks.

Talent or System?

On the NFL Network today they announced that QB Drew Brees & RB LaDainian Tomlinson had co-won the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year award for service in the community.   My first thought was, 'what if the Chargers had Brees this past year?  But would Brees have been as good in San Diego?  And maybe L.T. wouldn't have been the MVP if Brees were still in SD?

Chargers Fire Marty Schottenheimer

In a surprise move, not because the Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer, but because they did it nearly a month after they publicly stated he would be their coach for another season.  Apparently after losing both coordinators (OC Cam Cameron to Miami as their new Head Coach & DC Wade Phillips to Dallas as their new Head Coach) and three other assistants, Chargers President & owner Dean Spanos felt it was time to make a change.  Anybody who followed this situation knows that there was a brewing conflict between General Manager AJ Smith and Schotteheimer but after an NFL best 14-2 regular season and a public declaration in support of him, its surprising to see it all end here in the middle of February. 

Cam Cameron Selected as next Miami HC

The Miami Dolphins signed San Diego's offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to a four year agreement. Cameron has demonstrated he's a top offensive mind after joining the Chargers in 2002 from Indiana where he was their head coach.  Cameron turned San Diego's offense into one of the NFL's best using LT as his center piece along with Antonio Gates, Drew Brees and this past season Phillip Rivers.

Schottenheimer Should Retire...

Marty Schottenheimer is one of the winningest coaches in NFL history, unfortunately he's arguably the worst playoff coach as well.  Some of his past can be summed up by bad luck but its been repeated now for over twenty years with three separate franchises during the past three decades.  In the 80's it was repeated heartache in Cleveland at the hands of Dan Reeves and the Denver Broncos.  Then in the 90's it was a Kansas City team that was a perennial playoff contender but always fizzled in the playoffs.  In fact Marty ball only made it past the divisional round when they had a veteran Joe Montana lead them to the '94 AFC Championship game which they lost.  Now Marty ball has turned San Diego into one of the best AFC teams but he's failed to win a playoff game in two opportunities. 

LaDainian Tomlinson - the greatest fantasy back ever?

San Diego Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson is clearly NFL's 2007 MVP and fantasy leaguers most valuable commodity as well.  However with Tomlinson beating Shaun Alexander's 2005 NFL TD record of 28 with his 29th (in only 13 games) he has to start being heralded as the greatest fantasy back ever and this season should be the unquestioned most dominant as well.  Forget that he's averaging more than 2 TD's a game or that's he has averaged more than 20 fantasy points a week (in a standard point system of 1 point for every 20 yards rushing/receiving and 6 points for rushing/receiving TD's). 

Morning Game Observations

Observations from NFL Week 10 Morning games. 

Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-17 -

• QB B. Favre - he put up a strong effort against a tough defense with 2 td's & 330+ yards.
  
• WR D. Driver had (or was close to) a career day w/ 190+ yards receiving & a 82 yard TD
• RB A. Green didn't do much against the NFL's top run defense rushing for 55 yards on 22 carries
• QB B. Johnson had a better day coming off back to back poor performances, throwing for 257 yards & a 40 yard TD pass.  However he did throw a pick and lost a fumble continuing a trend that will likely result in Brad Childress making a switch in the next week or two.
• RB Chester Taylor had a workmanlike 75 yards on the ground and 20 yard receiving but didn't score. 
• Minnesota WR's again were inconsistent w/ newcomers Bethel Johnson w/ 75 yards & Billy McMullen surprising with 60 yards & a TD (40)

QB Carousel in the NFL Today

In a span of a few hours major developments happened across the NFL to change the QB landscape for no fewer than six teams and possibly more.

To recap:

• Miami acquired QB Daunte Culpepper from Minnesota for a 2nd round pick. This leaves Gus Frerotte as a backup or possibly in the market if Miami can't stomach his contract, a likely scenario. It also elevates Brad Johnson into the starter's role in Minnesota and makes them a buyer, likely looking for a younger QB who they can develop to take over for the 36 year old Johnson in '07 or '08. This move improves Brad Johnson's fantasy value, significantly reduces Gus Frerotte's and slightly decreases Daunte Culpepper's since he goes from a dynamic offense in Minnesota to a run first style in Miami.
• New Orleans Saints signed FA QB Drew Brees to a reported $60 million 6 year deal w/ $10 million signing bonus. This ensures that Philip Rivers will be atop the depth chart in San Diego and makes them a buyer in the market for a quality veteran backup. This also will put QB Aaron Brooks on the market since NO's will release him in the next day or two. Brooks is much maligned but he has an impressive career resume that includes a nearly .500 career record for one of NFL's worst franchises and a career QB rating of 80 w/ 120 TD's, 84 interceptions & over 19k yards passing. This move reduces Drew Brees' value slightly since he loses the comfort of Antonio Gates & LT, it significantly improves Phillip Rivers value since he's the undisputed starter in SD now and it significantly reduces the value of Aaron Brooks since he'll be released.
• Detroit Lions signed FA QB Jon Kitna to a reported 4 year deal that includes a signing bonus between $3 million & $4 million. This puts the pressure on Joey Harrington and sets up an interesting training camp battle. It also makes the Cincinnati Bengals in the market looking for a quality veteran backup, maybe Gus Frerotte would be a good fit here. This is not nearly as significant as the first two moves but it does improve the value of Jon Kitna since he moves into a position where one can reasonably expect him to start at least a few games in '06 (Harrington hasn't been able to start an entire season's games yet).

What's left in the QB market?

• Patrick Ramsey - he's available in a trade and will be dealt in the next day or two, likely to the NY Jets who want to bring in protection against another Chad Pennington injury.


• Aaron Brooks - he is the most productive player on the market but is maligned due to a perception that he's not a winner.


• Kerry Collins - rumors are that he'll end up in Baltimore to battle Kyle Boller but he has yet to visit and the Raiders could resign him.


• Gus Frerotte - he'll be a backup in Cincinnati or Minnesota, though don't rule out the NY Jets either.

It will be an interesting few weeks as Free Agency continues on and the NFL draft approaches but few days will be as fast paced or meaningful for the QB position than this. It's getting me excited for the upcoming season.