PAFFL.com

NFL.com Fantasy Player Rankings

In keeping with linking to other free player rankings, below are links to the NFL.com player rankings which are also published in print form.

Nate Burleson, DS Spot & $5 for a Topper/Holdover

The Fightin' Irie kept the momentum with another deal, this time with the Ron Jeremy Fanclub who felt compelled to over pay to secure the services of '07 MVP Tom Brady.

ESPN Fantasy Football Player Rankings

ESPN has published its fantasy positional rankings, free for the general public, on its sites which also appear in its overpriced but quality fantasy magazine. 

2008 NFL Rookie Values Redux

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.             

Top 64 NFL Draft Prospects

ESPN reporter Todd McShay debuts an article on the top 64 NFL draft prospects (ESPN Insider Subscription required) in tiers of 6 or so. It's what he calls 'tiering' that every NFL war room (draft team) creates to differentiates players of various levels, so they know they're not 'reaching' for a player based on need over a superior talent in the same general area of a selection.

NFL Free Agency Kicks Off in a Frenzy...

This past Friday the NFL's annual free agency period kicked off with a flurry of activity.  However it wasn't until today that the first big fantasy changing signing occurred with the Atlanta Falcons signing former Chargers RB Michael Turner to a 6 year, $34.5 million contract with reportedly $15 million in guaranteed money. 

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.

Fantasy Football Trade: Plaxico Burress for Kellen Winslow Jr.

The South Whore Jibbers send WR Plaxico Burress ($24, 2007) to the Palo Alto Firefighters in exchange for TE Kellen Winslow Jr. ($17, 2009). This trade began about a month ago but was slow to close because both owners were wary of the others player propensity to be injured. To prevent bad feeling between the teams, an injury clause was added to the deal. The other team is liable $2 per game of 2008 money for any missed games (including playoffs) starting in Week 10.

Week 10 Waiver Wire / Free Agent Pickups

Each week I attempt to compile a diverse list of potential Waiver Wire / Free Agent pickups for week 10 of the NFL season.  I play in a 16 team league where we start 9 players (no defense, only 1 kicker) so we're always looking for that #3 QB or RB who emerges to be the final piece on a playoff run. 

Each week I attempt to compile a diverse list of potential Waiver Wire / Free Agent pickups for week 10 of the NFL season.  I play in a 16 team league where we start 9 players (no defense, only 1 kicker) so we're always looking for that #3 QB or RB who emerges to be the final piece on a playoff run. 

Tony Gonzales for Devin Hester

Blak Jesus and Ron Jeremy Fanclub have consummated a deal. 

Blak Jesus, against their MO, have dealt TE Tony Gonzales to RJFC for WR/KR Devin Hester ($1, 2009).      

Fantasy Football Trade: Ben Troupe for Alex Smith & $

South Whore Jibbers, LA Isotopes & Los Frijoles Pintos making a quasi 3-way deal (all reside in the same PAFFL division - which makes this a highly unusual deal). 

South Whore Jibbers trade TE Alex Smith ($2, '08) to the LA Isotopes for $2 and TE Ben Troupe ($4, '07), the Isotopes acquired Troupe from the Los Frijoles Pintos for $8 in '07 cap space.

Hot Free Agent / Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2

Here are the week 3 top free agent / waiver wire pickups.  In my fantasy league we have 16 teams which start 9 guys each (no defense, 1 Kicker, 1 TE, 2 RB, 2 WR & 1 QB with 2 flex spots).  So these may not be relevant to all fantasy leaguers but most are valuable guys who either will immediately have value or will in weeks ahead.   

I Love Jason Witten!

I entered this evening's Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Sunday night football game up 1 point (it says 3 but actually there is a negative 2 not accounted for from Reggie Wayne's fumble returned for a TD on Thursday) on the East Bay Funk with our respective TE's left.  He has Vernon Davis going tomorrow and I had Jason Witten tonight. 

Which Colleges Produce the most NFL talent?

The FootballOutsider.com site, from the creators of the Pro Football Prospectus, did an analysis of which colleges produce the most professional (NFL) talent.  They created a point system which credits each school for producing draft picks (sliding scale down for 1st thru 7th round selections), NFL starters, Pro Bowlers, etc.

ProFootball Prospectus - an invaluable evaluation tool

The Short Bus hooked me up with one of the most remarkable sources of football information I have ever come across, the Pro Football Prospectus 2007.  Think Bill James for football, its using statistical analysis to truly determine the value of players at their core.  Football is tough because it truly is a team sport, outside of maybe Barry Sanders with the Detroit Lions, I can't think of a single NFL player (specifically skill position player) who was successful despite of his teammates.       

PAFFL Post-Auction Team Predictions

This is an analysis of each PAFFL franchise, identifying starters and role players on each roster, in an attempt to discern strengths & weaknesses across the board.  From that I made a prediction on each team for this season in the form of a record and whether or not they qualify for the playoffs - from that point on its a matter of momentum and luck.  A couple of points before anybody dives in, the player rankings are done for a league that consists of sixteen teams (thus a number one player at any position is one ranked anywhere between 1-16, & 17-32 = #2, and so on) and the players were ranked by a combination of Fantasy Index & the FootballGuys.com.  I chose these two sources because they're reputable and extensive, meaning they rate more than 25 QB's, 40 RB's and 50 WR's.  So in short, the rankings are the subjective nature of FI & Footballguys.  Please take a read and let me know what you think. 

Keeper League Champ's TE Cheat Sheat

In the spirit of sharing (enjoy, fellow league members!) and blogging, here is my 2007 TE cheat sheet going into the 2007 PAFFL draft, to be held this Saturday, July 28.

Background: I'm reigning champ in a 16 team keeper league, auction based with contracts running up to 8 years. The league was started in 1987 and remains more intense and competitive than any fantasy league I've ever encountered. Players are weighted with this season, but also the following 2-5 seasons, in mind so you'll notice some rookies and second year players fairly high. We know our stuff - ask our wives.

 

Fantasy Football Draft Guide for 2007 Season

Fantasy Football league draft or auctions are starting to take shape.  'Tis the season so to speak as we turn the corner into August.  Most leagues probably won't form and hold their annual gatherings until the end of August or early September but that's no reason to not start thinking about and planning for that day.  For those of us who absolutely LOVE fantasy football, the week of NFL training camp openings is not too dissimilar from the start of the twelve days of Christmas, they both lead to my favorite time of the year.  Below is a guide to help your planning for the 2007 fantasy football season. 

Rotonews Sleepers & Busts..

Rotonews (or are they calling themselves Rotowire this week?) published their annual NFL Sleepers & Busts for the upcoming NFL season.  It's a paid subscription service but can be read in their print publication (Rotowire) or online.  We've listed their selections below but you must pay to read their analysis. 

2001 NFL Draft Recap....

The 2001 NFL draft brought some of the biggest stars to the league but surprisingly some of them were after the coveted first round.  LaDainian Tomlinson (#5 Overall) is far and away the prize of this draft but folks like Chad Johnson (2nd round), Steve Smith (3rd round) and TJ Houshmandzadeh (7th Round).  The full list is below and analysis can be found here at FBKids blog. 

Top Player Matchups

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano did an analysis of the some of the top positional battles between stars at the same position. 

NFL.com's Player Rankings & Auction Values

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano published his fantasy player rankings, by position, including auction values.  The rankings are deep too - 40 QB's, 70 RB's, 80 WR's.  Take a look and use it as reference for your looming fantasy football auctions (just kidding - though the PAFFL's annual auction is less than 3 weeks ago). 

NFL.com's Fantasy Trends to Follow for '07

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano wrote an article on the fantasy trends he has observed so far this fantasy season and how that they play out in other folks fantasy drafts.  There were several things, summarized below, read the whole article to get his entire thoughts. 

Financially Motivated Sleepers?

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano wrote an article listing out a group of NFL skill position player's who for one reason or another are playing for their next contract.  In just about all of their cases, the player's are in their last year of their current contract (QB Byron Leftwich) and for some they've hit a career crossroads (RB Chris Brown). 

Jeremy Shockey the most overrated NFL TE?

ESPN's Seth Joyner published an analysis of NFL tight ends (subscription required), looking at their effectiveness by rating them by yards per attempt.  The most underrated Tight End, relative to the starters, was Jeremy Shockey who only had a 4.7 YPA.  Relative to the other pro bowl TE's in 2006 in the NFC, this was abysmal, Jason Whitten & Alge Crumpler each had an over 8 YPA. 

2007 Rookie Draft Prospect Analysis from DFL

Dynasty Football League reviews the top NFL rookie's from the 2007 draft.  Nothing particularly surprising with their rankings but their analysis is worth a read.

2nd Year Player's to Watch?

ESPN's Scott Engel wrote an article listing out second year player's to watch.  Some of them are obvious, such as Minnesota Vikings projected starting QB Tavaris Jackson but there are some nuggets in there: Miami's WR Derek Hagan, Cleveland's WR Travis Wilson, Denver's WR Brandon Marshall among many others.  They are listed below.

NFL.com's NFC East 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 NFC East.

L.J. Smith has successful Sports Hernia surgery

ESPN reports TE L.J. Smith will not participate in the team's Organized Training Activities (June 5-14) after undergoing successful surgery to repair a sports hernia Wednesday. The surgery was performed on the 6-foot-3, 258-pound Smith by Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia. Smith's status will be evaluated over the next several weeks to determine whether he will be ready to practice at the start of training camp. Veterans are scheduled to report to training camp on July 30.

NFL.com's AFC North 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 North.  

NFL.com's AFC South 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 South.

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. 

L.J. Smith is in a Contract Year!

The Philadelphia Daily News reports the first thing you notice, watching TE Brent Celek and TE Lee Vickers at the Eagles' current rookie mini-camp, is that while both seem able to catch the ball, neither possesses the lithe athleticism of TE L.J. Smith.  In other minicamp news, WR Jeremy Bloom, the former Olympic skier who sat out last season on injured reserve, seems to be standing out. Bloom, nagged by injuries last year after being drafted in the fifth round, is showing good hands and crisp pattern-running.

TE Zach Miller, #38 Overall Pick, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller with the #38 overall selection (#6 in the 2nd round) in the 2007 NFL draft.  Miller is a big, athletic pass catching tight end who will immediately upgrade the Raiders tight end position and provide a security blanket for short & intermediate routes in the middle of the field.   

Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller with the #38 overall selection (#6 in the 2nd round) in the 2007 NFL draft.  Miller is a big, athletic pass catching tight end who will immediately upgrade the Raiders tight end position and provide a security blanket for short & intermediate routes in the middle of the field.   

Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller with the #38 overall selection (#6 in the 2nd round) in the 2007 NFL draft.  Miller is a big, athletic pass catching tight end who will immediately upgrade the Raiders tight end position and provide a security blanket for short & intermediate routes in the middle of the field.   

Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller with the #38 overall selection (#6 in the 2nd round) in the 2007 NFL draft.  Miller is a big, athletic pass catching tight end who will immediately upgrade the Raiders tight end position and provide a security blanket for short & intermediate routes in the middle of the field.   

Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller with the #38 overall selection (#6 in the 2nd round) in the 2007 NFL draft.  Miller is a big, athletic pass catching tight end who will immediately upgrade the Raiders tight end position and provide a security blanket for short & intermediate routes in the middle of the field.   

TE Matt Spaeth, #77 Overall Pick, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TE Greg Olsen, #31 Overall Pick, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears selected University of Miami TE Greg Olsen with the #31 overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft.  Olsen shocked the scouting combine running the 40 in one of the all-time record times for a TE (4.5) to pair with his known athleticism and pass catching ability.  This will provide Chicago another offensive weapon to spread the ball around. 

Chicago Bears selected University of Miami TE Greg Olsen with the #31 overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft.  Olsen shocked the scouting combine running the 40 in one of the all-time record times for a TE (4.5) to pair with his known athleticism and pass catching ability.  This will provide Chicago another offensive weapon to spread the ball around. 

Top 20 Fantasy Losers this Off Season

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano followed up his top 10 off season beneficiaries (of new locations or system changes) with his Top 20 Losers.  The list includes folks like QB's David Carr & Chris Simms, RB's Warrick Dunn, Leon Washington, Kevin Jones, Reuben Droughns, Mike Bell, Corey Dillon and WR/TE's Joe Horn, Chris Henry, Ronald Curry, Reche Caldwell and Tony Scheffler. 

Though its all speculation he makes a good point why each and every one of them will be less productive and hence valuable to fantasy leaguers in 2007. 

Kellen Winslow to miss 2007 season?

The Canton Repository reports an Internet story that says Cleveland Browns TE Kellen Winslow possibly sitting out the 2007 season — he had recent knee surgery — got Cleveland fans buzzing last week. “The procedure was done to help him be better this year than he was last year,” GM Phil Savage said. “Toward the end of the year, he did struggle some from that knee. We feel like he’ll be back. He’s been around the building. He should be good to go in June or July. There’s never been any talk about (Winslow missing 2007) that I’m aware of. We’ve never even given a second thought he wouldn’t be back with us for this next season.”

Randy McMichael gets $11 million from St. Louis Rams

ESPN reported that recently released former Miami Dolphins TE Randy McMichael signed a three year agreement for approximately $11 million with a $3 million signing bonus.  McMichael was a fourth-round choice in the 2002 draft, he has 282 career catches for 3,096 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career. He is also durable, as evidenced by the fact he has never missed a game in his career, appearing in 80 straight contests, all as a starter.

TE Reggie Kelly resigns with the Bengals

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli reports eight-year veteran TE Reggie Kelly, considered by most to be the second-best tight end available in the unrestricted market, on Tuesday night agreed to return to the Cincinnati Bengals. Kelly will sign a three-year, $9 million contract and, in so doing, he eschewed formal offers from at least three other franchises.

Daniel Graham - Highest Paid TE in the NFL

NFL.com and ESPN are reporting the Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with TE Daniel Graham on a five-year, $30 million contract that includes $15 million guaranteed. The deal makes Graham the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.  Graham was heavily pursued by the Seattle Seahawks as well but ultimately the opportunity to go home & the guaranteed dollars the Broncos offered him were too great.  Graham's father played for the team in the 70's, he grew up in Denver and attended the University of Colorado. 

Fantasy Football Positional Rankings from CBS Sportsline

CBS Sportsline's positional player rankings were posted today with updates after the first few days of free agency.  Its still early but always good to gauge where player values reside.