Buccaneers.com

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 9, 8:30 pm. Here’s the latest significant fantasy news from the NFC that might have you pondering some roster adjustments, or a shift in your draft strategy.

Click on any of the links to see more analysis from past KeeperLeagueGM articles.

.

.

Arizona Cardinals:

* Stock Down, QB Matt Leinhart. He’s no longer the starter, and arguably a part of the Top 10 Quarterback Busts list. Derek Anderson is the new sheriff, but he’s only worth a flier for depth purposes.

* Stock Up, RB Tim Hightower. Like Thomas Jones, he refuses to go away. Chris “Beanie” Wells will still get plenty of touches, but Hightower will be a productive member of your fantasy squad.

* No Change in Stock, LB Daryl Washington. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt refused to give him substantial times with the #1 defensive unit. He’s put up solid stats in the preseason, and it’s just a matter of time before he locks down the starting inside linebacker job.

.

Atlanta Falcons:

* Stock Down, LB Sean Weatherspoon. IDP owners hoping for an immediate impact will be disappointed. He’s relegated to a part-time role and only recommended for Dynasty and Keeper Leagues.

.

Carolina Panthers:

* No Change in Stock, RB Jonathan Stewart. Don’t worry about the injuries. He’s never missed a game, and the Panthers love his toughness.

* No Change in Stock, WR Steve Smith. Broken arm should be healed by week one.

* Stock Up, DE Everette Brown. Carolina coaches say he looks real good this preseason. He’s still only recommended for deep leagues.

* Stock Down, LB Thomas Davis. He tore his ACL for a second time in June, and is most likely done for the year.

* No Change in Stock, LB Jon Beason. It doesn’t matter if he lines up at weak-side or in the middle. He’s going to play every snap, and he’s a fantasy monster.

.

Chicago Bears:

* No Change in Stock, QB Jay Cutler. Offensive line is a sieve. But since his QB ADP is respectable, you don’t have to buy high on him.

* Stock Down, TE Greg Olsen. Brandon Manumaleuna was signed to be the blocking tight end, and offensive coordinator Mike Martz will be forced to get him on the field. The Bears have too many receivers to get Olsen split out wide. Don’t believe the coach-speak, as a Martz’ offense has never had a decent fantasy TE option.

* Stock Down, LB Lance Briggs. Briggs tweaked his ankle in the third preseason game.

* Stock Up, DB Danieal Manning. No way do I trust him, as head coach Lovie Smith benched him in 2009. He also had to split time on kickoffs with Johnny Knox. However, as of now he appears to be the starter. Ride him while you can because he has a history of producing good fantasy stats.

.

Dallas Cowboys:

* Stock Up, RB Marion Barber III. All signs point to MBIII leading the talented running back trio. He won’t get as many touches as your typical fantasy RB starter, but he’ll put up good stats regardless.

* Stock Down, WR Dez Bryant. Rookie buzz has simmered with the high ankle sprain. That’s a good thing for his development, as the media will give the kid a chance to breath.

* Stock Up, TE Jason Witten. Coaches acknowledged they shied away from Witten in the red zone. Look for an increase in touchdowns for 2010.

.

Detroit Lions:

* Stock Up, RB Javid Best. He’s the clear RB#1, and he has little competition to dominate touches.

* Stock Up, DT Ndamukong Suh. Sure, we’ve bought into the draft hype about other DT’s in recent years like B.J. Raji, Glenn Dorsey, Sedrick Ellis, and Amobi Okoye. Suh seems to be different. He’s looking like the rare DT that can be used to fill your defensive line position.

* Stock Down, LB Deandre Levy. He hurt his groin and is iffy to start the season. IDP owners who drafted him as a lock-LB#2 are getting impatient with his perceived progress as a top linebacker.

* Stock Up, LB Julian Peterson. With Levy banged up and Jordan Dizon to IR, he’ll be on the field every snap. Even when Levy returns, I have a hard time believing Peterson will come off the field in dime packages. 

.

Green Bay Packers:

* Stock Up, QB Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ offensive has looked ridiculously unstoppable in the preseason. It’s all due to the quarterback.

* Stock Up, TE Jermichael Finley. You missed your chance last year to grab him in Dynasty and Keeper Leagues. Finley is splitting out in the slot often to create massive mismatches. He’s a lock for Top 5 TE, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he ended up #1. 

* Stock Down, LB A.J. Hawk. He seems to be getting phased out of the Packers long term plans. They have decent depth behind him, so he’s going to lose playing time if he doesn’t make big plays.

* Stock Down, CB Will Blackmon. Folks who wanted to draft him for his sneaky special teams yardage ability are disappointed to find out he’s not recovering well from his knee injury. He might not even make the team.

.

Minnesota Vikings:

* Stock Down, WR Sidney Rice. Re-Draft owners with early drafts are furious with his hip surgery delay.

* Stock Down, WR Percy Rice. Migraines reoccurred twice this preseason. Buyer beware.

* Stock Up, WR Bernard Berrian. He’s an adequate role player for your fantasy squad that you can get on the cheap.

* Stock Down, LB Jasper Brinkley. The coaches love E.J. Henderson, and they desperately want him on the field. All reports state he should play week one, and Brinkley is out of a starting job.

* Stock Down, CB Cedric Griffin. He’s probably going to be placed on PUP due to a knee injury. Make sure you remember to ignore him, unless you can stash him on your fantasy IR.

.

New Orleans Saints:

* Stock Up, RB’s Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. The Saints have lost much of their running back depth due to injuries. This will lead to more touches for Pierre and Bush.

* Stock Down, WR Robert Meachem. I’m concerned over his lingering toe injury. On other teams, it might not be a big deal. But Drew Brees has no problem spreading the ball around, and Meachem won’t be force-fed.

* No Change in Stock, LB Jonathan Vilma. Groin injury appears minor.

* Stock Up, LB Jonathan Casillas. Who? This guy has won the starting weak-side job. That alone is worth a late draft investment.

* Stock Up, DB Michael Jenkins; Stock Down, DB Darren Sharper. Jenkins is starting at free safety until Darren Sharper returns… and there is no guarantee that Sharper will return. Even if Sharper comes back, I think Jenkins will solidify his role in centerfield.

.

New York Giants:

* Stock Down, RB’s Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Local experts are nervous about the offensive line and running game. Both guys have trouble staying healthy, and it’s a situation to avoid unless you own both players. Even then, you might end up seeing Andre Brown get some touches.

* Stock Up, LB Michael Boley. Keith Bulluck was brought in for linebacker help. He’s past his prime. Jonathan Goff and Phillip Dillard are not the answer. Boley will be a three-down linebacker, and history shows he will produce solid stats.

* Stock Down, DB Kenny Phillips. It’s been a long recovery from microfracture surgery. He’s not ready to dominate, yet. Ignore him until 2011.

.

Philadelphia Eagles:

* Stock Down, QB Kevin Kolb. Reports indicate he has quick feet and is fast to get out of the pocket. I’m still a believer, but I must remind everyone he has a very small sampling of games played.

* Stock Down, WR DeSean Jackson. He’s been banged up all preseason. Let’s hope this doesn’t continue through the regular season.

* Stock Up, DE Brandon Graham. He was anointed the starter opposite of Trent Cole. He’s a great guy to own in Dynasty and Keeper Leagues, but simmer on his 2010 projection. Rookie DL’s rarely make a significant fantasy contribution.

* Stock Up, LB Stewart Bradley. He’s healthy, and an ADP bargain. Lock him up. Ernie Sims is no threat to his total tackle numbers.

.

St. Louis Rams:

* Stock Up, QB Sam Bradford. Bradford looks like a competent quarterback. Of course there will be rookie struggles, but he is rosterable in any kind of league.

* Stock Up, WR Danny Amendola; Stock Down, Donnie Avery. Avery disappoints fantasy owners again, as he can’t escape his reputation of being brittle. Amendola will be thrusted into the starting lineup, and he provides great depth for fantasy teams. His receptions plus special teams yardage will add up to a fine season.

* Stock Up, DB Oshiomongo Atogwe. He opted to resign in St. Louis, which is great comfort for fantasy owners. Expect a return to the elite DB rankings.

.

San Francisco 49ers:

* No Change in Stock, RB Brian Westbrook. He was desperate for a job, so he took a backup role behind stud running back Frank Gore. He is still to be ignored in all leagues.

.

Seattle Seahawks:

* Stock Down, QB Charlie Whitehurst. He was supposed to compete for the starting job. His preseason efforts would make him lucky to win the QB#2 job.

* Stock Up, RB Leon Washington. The trade of Josh Wilson makes Leon the primary kick returner. He’s also the most explosive running back on the team. Sorry Justin Forsett owners, Leon will be the best back in Seattle.

* Stock Up, WR Mike Williams. Head coach Pete Carroll is convinced Williams can contribute. While he only deserves a flier in all leagues, at least he made a team and will have a decent role.

* Stock Down, TE John Carlson. Word on the street says he will not come close to his outstanding rookie season. Coaches will be forced to have him block, thus taking away his reception opportunities.

* Stock Up, LB David Hawthorne. Don’t worry about Lofa Tatupa; Hawthorne will be the man on defense. All reports out of Seattle say he’s been the best player in the preseason.

.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

* Stock Up, RB Kareem Huggins. The rookie’s performance got Derrick Ward cut. If/when Cadillac Williams gets hurt, Huggins takes over the lead back role.

* Stock Up, WR Mike Williams. Everyone loves this kid. Don’t get bonkers and draft him high in Re-Draft Leagues, but he makes a dynamite prospect for Dynasty and Keeper Leagues.

* Stock Down, Cb Aqib Talib. He’s been suspended one game by the league for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

.

Washington Redskins:

* Stock Down, QB Donovan McNabb. He’s suffering from an ankle injury, and reports state he might take some time to perfect the Shanahan’s offense.

* Stock Down, DT Albert Hayensworth. He’s been a headache all preseason. Ignore him in all leagues.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 9, 8:30 pm. Here’s the latest significant fantasy news from the AFC that might have you pondering some roster adjustments, or a shift in your draft strategy.

Click on any of the links to see more analysis from past KeeperLeagueGM articles.

Baltimore Ravens:

* Stock Down, RB Le’Ron McClain. RB Willis McGahee is still on the team.

* Stock Down, CB Josh Wilson. He was the primary kick returner and CB#2 in Seattle. Now there are no guarantees that he gets those jobs in Baltimore.

* Stock Down, LB’s Jameel McClain and Dannell Ellerbe. The inside linebacker job next Ray Lewis has not been set in stone by head coach John Harbaugh. McClain appears to have won the job, but almost everywhere I turn on the internet says it will be tough to hold off Ellerbe. Until someone steps up and claims the job with productive play, neither can be trusted.

* Stock Down, DB Ed Reed. In case you get all gooey about what once was, he might start the season on PUP. Even if he does play in week one, he’s banged up.

Buffalo Bills:

* Stock Up, RB C.J. Spiller. Running Backs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch are recovering from injuries. Head coach Chan Gailey has a history of riding a workhorse back. C.J. has a great opportunity to claim the lead running back job.

* Stock Up, WR Roscoe Parrish. Parrish finally has a coaching regime that believes in his game-breaking abilities. I predict he gets the starting WR#2 job opposite of Lee Evans in week one. Look for good stats in leagues that reward points for punt return yardage.

* Stock Down, WR James Hardy. Looking like a colossal bust.

* Stock Down, LB Aaron Maybin. He’s a situational pass-rusher for the time being.

* Stock Down, DB Jarius Byrd. Ball-hawking centerfielder is hurt. The Bills secondary depth is a strength (Donte Whitner, George Wilson, Bryan Scott), so it’s not that bad for the team.  

Cincinnati Bengals:

* Stock Up, WR’s Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, Jordan Shipley, QB Carson Palmer. Owens is way better than recently cut Antonio Bryant. Everyone will benefit due to T.O.’s presence.

* Stock Down, LB’s Dhani Jones, Rey Maualuga, Keith Rivers, Michael Johnson. We hoped by now that head coach Marvin Lewis would have a definite plan in place. So far, squat. All players take a hit until we know for sure who’s playing where, and who are the three-down linebackers.

* Stock Up, DB’s Chris Crocker, Roy Williams, Chinedum Ndukwe. Gibril Wilson blew out his knee and is done for the year.

Cleveland Browns:

* Stock Down, RB’s Jerome Harrison, Montario Hardesty, Peyton Hillis. In case you haven’t paid attention to the Browns in the last decade (can’t say I blame you), their breeding of competent running backs is atrocious! Nobody has stood out in the preseason.

* No Change in Stock, LB D’Qwell Jackson. His injury happened early enough for you to adjust for most leagues. He says there won’t be surgery, and he’ll be back in October. That would give me hope on any other team. However, these are the Browns – their medical history is pitiful, and their head coach is uber-secretive and unpredictable. It wouldn’t shock me at all if Eric Mangini decides to put D’Qwell on IR.

* Stock Up, DB T.J. Ward. Could be typical preseason coach-speak, but apparently this guy has been a force. Great bargain.

Denver Broncos:

* No Change in Stock, RB Knowshon Moreno. All signs point to him being healthy for week one.

* Stock Down, WR Demaryius Thomas. He’s been injured the entire preseason, and it would seem he only has value in Dynasty and Keeper Leagues.  

* Stock Up, CB Perrish Cox. Shhh, keep this quiet. He had some off-the-field issues, but his talent can’t be ignored. Rumor has it he looks good in pass coverage and could win the kickoff return gig. That’s IDP gold.  

Houston Texans:

* Stock Up, RB Arian Foster. Message to cave-dwellers, he’s won the starting job.

* Stock Down, RB Steve Slaton. See above.

* Stock Up, LB Darryl Sharpton. It appears he has won the weakside linebacker job. Keep an eye on him as your last pick.

* Stock Up, CB Kareem Jackson. Opposing teams like to pick on rookies. Ample playing time leads to an increase in defensive opportunities.

Indianapolis Colts:

* No Change in Stock, WR’s Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Anthony Gonzalez. It’s impossible to predict who has won the WR#2 and WR#3 jobs. Draft at your own risk.

* Stock Up, K Adam Vinatieri. I just picked him up late in two of my leagues. Seems people have forgotten about him. He’s healthy, clutch, and kicking for the explosive Colts’ offensive.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

* No Change in Stock, RB Maurice Jones-Drew. I’m not freaking over his rumored injury.

* No Change in Stock, LB Kirk Morrison. I’m a big fan, but there’s nothing really special to indicate a bump in his value.

Kansas City Chiefs:

* Stock Down, RB Jamaal Charles. We all want him to be the featured running back, but Thomas Jones won’t go away. As of now, it’s a split.

* Stock Up, WR/RB Dexter McCluster. Head coach Todd Haley is getting him touches in multiple formations, and it’s just the preseason. Look for Haley to really open up his bag of tricks once the season starts. He might not win the kick return job due to the emergence of CB Javier Aernas, but he’s still a sure bet for many opportunities per game. He’s Percy Harvin, without the migraines.

Miami Dolphins:

* Stock Up, RB Ronnie Brown. He’s been playing in the preseason, and that’s a lot more than I anticipated.  

* Stock Down, LB Channing Crowder. Mysterious injury has put his season in jeopardy. Tim Dobbins is the early favorite to take his spot. However, Dobbins doesn’t excite me that much in IDP league – Karlos Dansby is the man to target.

New England Patriots:

* Stock Down, RB Laurence Maroney. You willing to spend a high draft pick on him because you perceive him to have the most talent? Head coach Bill Belichick has refused to give fantasy football owners any assurance that he will have a significant role on the offense.

* Stock Up, WR Wes Welker. So far, so good in his recovery from a knee injury.  

* Stock Up, CB Devin McCourty. See Kareem Jackson comments.

New York Jets:

* Stock Down, Entire Secondary. The holdout of cornerback Darrelle Revis will put a significant strain on the defensive scheme. The Jets will have to stop blitzing corners and safeties if they are getting burnt by wide receivers. It might bump tackle numbers, but the performance plays will drop.  

* Stock Down, WR Santonio Holmes. Remember, he’s suspended for the first four games.

Oakland Raiders:

* Stock Down, RB Michael Bush. Broken finger puts a real damper on his early season outlook.  

* Stock Up, RB Darren McFadden. Run DMC has a chance to dominate early season touches. It could be his last opportunity to show management that he deserves 20+ touches per game.  

* Stock Up, TE Zach Miller. Insiders report Jason Campbell is locked in on his stud tight end. History shows Campbell has always been kind to his tight ends.

* Stock Up, WR Louis Murphy. He’ll enter the season as the WR#1.

Pittsburgh Steelers:

* Stock Up, RB Rashard Mendhall. He has zero competition for significant carries.

San Diego Chargers:

* Stock Down, WR Vincent Jackson. He doesn’t have to report until week 10 to get an accredited season towards free agency. You’re wasting roster space if you own him in Re-Draft Leagues.

* Stock Down, LB Shawne Merriman. He falls under the same category as Ed Reed. But at least I can root for Reed; I have a hard time cheering for Merriman.

* Stock Up, DB Steve Gregory. He played well in limited action last year. Now he appears to have won the starting job in 2010.

Tennessee Titans:

* Stock Down, WR’s Nate Washington, Justin Gage, Kenny Britt. All are hurt, unimpressive, and/or disappointing this preseason.  

.

Icon Sports Media

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It was no secret that the Baltimore Ravens secondary was extremely banged up. Star safety Ed Reed is 50/50 to start the year on P.U.P due to a hip injury. Even if he can go, his skills will be limited. Cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb are recovering from torn ACL’s suffered in 2009. Some folks speculated the Ravens would dangle backup running back Willis McGahee, but GM Ozzie Newsome managed to get his cornerback while only parting with a conditional fifth round pick. Josh Wilson heads across the country and will suit up for the Ravens in week one. Here are the immediate Fantasy Football Implications:

* Josh Wilson stock has fallen, but that might be a good thing. It was assumed he would handle kickoff duties and man the CB#2 spot opposite of Marcus Trufant. There’s no guarantee he’ll be the staring cornerback and primary kick returner in Baltimore. Wilson was phenomenal on special teams in 2008, totaling 1752 kickoff yards. He was the number one ranked defensive back in every league that rewards points for special team yardage. Now he goes to Baltimore that already has an explosive return man in Webb (14 games played, 918 return yards in 2009). IDP owners have to lower Wilson’s ADP rank based on the uncertainty of his tackle opportunities and return status. However, I expect Wilson to be the CB#2 and primary return man while Webb is still healing, so you’ll probably end up getting a good deal on him.

* Kelly Jennings and Walter Thurmond move up the depth chart for Seattle. Neither are intriguing IDP options at this point.

* Leon Washington has a chance to capture the kick/punt return gig in Seattle. He was an explosive returner for the New York Jets, and if he’s healthy, Pete Carroll will want to get him the ball as much as possible. It’s no guarantee, as other Seahawks have been given opportunities this preseason: Cord Parks 5 returns for 105 yards; Josh Wilson 3 for 100; Deon Butler 1 for 24; Leon Washington 1 for 23; Golden Tate 1 for 22. Who the heck is Cord Parks? Hmmm, perhaps he’s a significant threat to Washington on specials.

Here are  Management’s thoughts regarding the trade, courtesy of Seattle PI:

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says the emergence of rookie Walter Thurmond and the return to form of veteran Marcus Trufant helped pave the way for Tuesday’s surprising trade of cornerback Josh Wilson to the Baltimore Ravens. Carroll said Kelly Jennings, who had alternated with Wilson on the No. 1 unit throughout training camp, will be the starter opposite Trufant at this point, with Thurmond challenging for that job. Thurmond becomes the nickel back when Seattle goes with three cornerbacks.

Thurmond was drafted in the fourth round out of Oregon, but was expected to be a much-higher selection until blowing out his knee in the fourth game of the season. Though he’s still playing with a brace on his leg, Thurmond has impressed the Seahawks. ”It has to do with the way Walter stepped up and Tru is playing and some of the younger guys,” said GM John Schneider. “It was one of those deals that comes along. We get calls on players and we don’t do everything. This is one of those deals we felt we couldn’t pass up.” Schneider noted that Wilson will be an unrestricted free agent next season, which set the market for his value. “Right now with Josh in terms of value … we felt it was definitely fair,” Schneider said.

“Walter is an all-around football player. He runs and hits like a safety. He’s shown the speed and agility and attitude and mentality. He hasn’t backed off anything. We’ve seen him against a lot of guys in a lot of situations already and he’s really on the come. … We like what he’s bringing.”

As for why trading Wilson instead of Jennings, who now becomes the full-time starter? “They were splitting time,” said Carroll. “Both guys could play for us. Kelly has done a wonderful job for us. He’s really a good technique player and we’re pleased as heck to have him. We were able to do this because of those other guys. That’s really what made it possible.”

Carroll said Leon Washington will be the kickoff return man now with Wilson gone.

While Seahawks fans were largely caught off guard by the move, Wilson told Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com that he welcomes the opportunity to return to Maryland, where he grew up and played his college football. “There’s no place like home,” Wilson told Farnsworth. “I went to college a mile away from where I went to high school and now I’m going just down the highway from where I went to college to play in the NFL. So I’m not too upset about that.”

.

NFL Network

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

KLGM is no longer able to reproduce our injury feed like we did in 2009. CBS has tweaked their page setup for their Player News and Rapid Reports, and the injury navigation is very cumbersome. My head is pounding from trying to get a clean feed. As a result, we’ve spent the past two days preparing a new strategy. Moving forward, we’ll use a variety of feeds from KFFL and CBS, and then sort it through Excel. It’s definitely a work in progress, as these news wires may be adjusting things themselves.

Our continuing mission is to explore strange… nope, wrong one… is to have you watch the Sunday night game while we get the latest injury news from the 1pm and 4pm games at one easy-to-view location.

We’ve also updated our Twitter account to include the KFFL news feed. It seems to have a lot of injury updates, and each tweet contains a direct link the full story. The KFFL Twitter feed can also be located at KeeperLeagueGM.com in the right sidebar.

.

.

Courtesy of KFFL & CBS; organized by KLGM, updated 8/29/10, 11:30am

Coach Mike Singletary said the only injuries suffered in the game were a sprained knee to LT Joe Staley and a hamstring cramp to RB Brian Westbrook. Both players are day to day. Singletary also said WR Michael Crabtree’s neck felt stiff in pregame warmups, so they scratched him.

RB Michael Bush broke his left thumb on his final carry of the game and doesn’t know whether the injury will keep him out of the season-opener. “I have no idea yet,” Bush said.He’ll see a hand specialist on Sunday.

The radio station 1500ESPN.com in Minnesota is reporting that Vikings rookie RB Toby Gerhart injured his knee in Saturday’s preseason game against Seattle. “Just got bent backwards a little bit underneath the pile, and it’s just precautionary,” Gerhart said.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers S Sabby Piscitelli (concussion) suffered a mild concussion Saturday, Aug. 28, reports The Associated Press.

RB Steve Slaton left the game with a toe injury and is likely to miss Thursday’s game vs. Tampa Bay,

Ravens WR Donte’ Stallworth broke his foot in Saturday night’s game against the New York Giants and will probably be sidelined for two months.

DE Justin Tuck injured his hand/fingers during the second quarter. He returned to the game with his fingers taped.

LB Lance Briggs left the field on Arizona’s first scoring drive with an ankle injury. His return is questionable.

Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell (stinger) was carted off the field after suffering a stinger in the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, reports FOXSports.com’s Nancy Gay.

Cincinnati Bengals CB Adam Jones (neck) suffered a neck injury during the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, and will not return to the game, reports Joe Reedy, of The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Jacksonville Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis (ankle) suffered an ankle injury during the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, and is questionable to return, reports Vito Stellino, of The Florida Times-Union.

Baltimore Ravens WR Mark Clayton (concussion) suffered a mild concussion during the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, and his return to the game is doubtful, reports BaltimoreRavens.com’s Mike Duffy.

Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre (hand) was having his right hand checked on by the trainers on the sidelines but able to go back on the field when the offense got the ball, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Judd Zulgad.

Washington Redskins RB Clinton Portis’ (ankle) ankle injury is not believed to be serious, reports Gary Fitzgerald, of Redskins.com. Portis suffered the injury during the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27.

Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (knee) was running routes before the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, reports Kent Somers, of The Arizona Republic. He was not running at full speed but looked faster and smoother than he did last week.

Tennessee Titans CB Cortland Finnegan (groin) said he definitely will be able to play in the team’s Week 1 game, according to The Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt. “Guaranteed, there’s no doubt in my mind. I will practice the week before, that whole week, in preparation to the opener, and I’ll play,” Finnegan said.

Chicago Bears WR Earl Bennett (hamstring) tested his injured hamstring before the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, reports Jeff Dickerson, of ESPNChicago.com. He ran routes designed to gauge his ability to quickly stop and start. He appeared to be moving well after the workout.

Detroit Lions LB DeAndre Levy (groin) suffered a groin injury during the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, reports Dave Birkett, of the Detroit Free Press.

Philadelphia Eagles DE Trent Cole (ankle) is listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, reports Jeff McLane, of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The MRI done on his ankle did not show any structural damage.

Miami Dolphins LB Karlos Dansby (knee) underwent an X-ray after getting hit in his knee during the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, according to Ben Volin, of the Palm Beach Post. Dansby said after the game that he would be fine.

Denver Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) appears to be on schedule to be ready for the start of the regular season, according to The Denver Post’s Jeff Legwold.

Indianapolis Colts LB Gary Brackett’s (hand) hand injury is not considered serious, a source told Mike Chappell, of The Indianapolis Star. The X-rays done on the hand came back negative. It is not known if he will be able to play in Week 1.

Updating previous reports, New Orleans Saints LB Jonathan Vilma (groin) said on his Twitter page that he will be fine after suffering a groin injury during the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, reports ESPN.com.

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (arm, shoulder) is fine after getting nicked during the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, reports Adam Schefter, of ESPN. Charles just landed awkwardly on his funny bone during the game.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid said WR DeSean Jackson (neck) suffered a neck strain Friday, Aug. 27, and was removed from the team’s preseason game “for precautionary measures,” reports The Associated Press.

Miami Dolphins WR Brian Hartline (hip) left the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, with a hip injury, reports The Associated Press.

Atlanta Falcons CB Dunta Robinson (hamstring) sat out the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, because of a lingering hamstring injury, reports The Associated Press.

New York Jets LB Calvin Pace (foot) suffered a foot injury during the team’s preseason game Friday, Aug. 27, and will likely miss a few weeks, reports The Associated Press.

Updating a previous report, Jacksonville Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew’s (knee) agent said there is no truth to the report that Jones-Drew recently underwent knee surgery, reports Tania Ganguli, of The Florida Times-Union.

St. Louis Rams WR Donnie Avery (knee) suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the entire 2010 season, reports Jim Thomas, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Detroit Lions have announced they have placed DE Jared DeVries (knee) on Injured Reserve, ending his 2010 season.

Updating a previous report, Dallas Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick (nose) suffered a nose contusion during practice Thursday, Aug. 26, and probably will play in the team’s preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, reports Rob Phillips, of DallasCowboys.com.

Cleveland Browns LB D’Qwell Jackson (pectoral) said he expects to play at some point this season after he recovers from his pectoral injury, reports Nate Ulrich, of the Akron Beacon Journal. He said he will not be placed on Injured Reserve and will not need surgery on his injury. He said he is not sure when he will be able to return.

Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant (ankle) showed some good signs during practice Thursday, Aug. 26, by running routes for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain, according to The Dallas Morning News. Full participation in practice could come as early as next week. Bryant has been ruled out of this week’s preseason game and it’s unlikely he’ll play in the preseason fnale, even though he will lobby to do so if he’s made progress. “If I do good or great,” Bryant said. “There’s a possibility I might get a couple snaps in next week against Miami.” Bryant should recover from his high ankle sprain in time to play in Week 1.

Indianapolis Colts LB Gary Brackett (hand) left the team’s preseason game Thursday, Aug. 26, with a right hand injury, according to The Associated Press. Brackett was trying to tackle Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant on a short gain when it appeared a teammate came crashing through and hit Brackett’s hand on his helmet.

New Orleans Saints FS Darren Sharper (knee) has yet to practice during training camp, reports Les East, of The Advocate. His return date remains uncertain.

San Francisco 49ers TE Vernon Davis (knee) will not play against the Oakland Raiders Saturday, Aug. 28, reports Phil Barber, of The Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Davis did not practice Thursday, Aug. 26.

Chicago Bears WR Earl Bennett (hamstring) has fallen down the depth chart, reports Tom Musick, of The Northwest Herald. He is not expected to play Saturday, Aug. 28, after missing more practice time this week due to a hamstring injury.

Green Bay Packers LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring) left the team’s preseason game early Thursday, Aug. 26, with a hamstring injury, reports The Associated Press.

Indianapolis Colts CB Jacob Lacey (concussion) suffered a concussion during the team’s preseason game Thursday, Aug. 26, reports The Associated Press.

Indianapolis Colts RB Joseph Addai (concussion) sustained a concussion during the team’s preseason game Thursday, Aug. 26, reports The Associated Press. Addai said, “It’s nothing. I was fine. I just got a little dizzy, but I was cool.” Addai described his injury more of just getting the wind knocked out of him.

Oakland Raiders WR Chaz Schilens (knee) should miss a couple of weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, according to CBSSports.com. Head coach Tom Cable said he does not know is Schilens will be available for Week 1.

Packers RB James Starks did not play in Thursday’s preseason game against the Colts, as expected. He suffered a setback in his recovery from his hamstring injury this week and was considered doubtful going into the game. His status for the preseason finale at Kansas City has yet to be determined.

Here are the screen shots of the Seattle Seahawks defense in their preseason game versus the Green Bay Packers. Overall, the Seahawks continue to show a lot of five-man fronts. Defensive Jedi Warriors Jene Bramel and the IDP Guru both confirm Pete Carroll’s defense isn’t a true 3-4 alignment. However, when the Seahawks go into this look, it will play more like a 3-4 as opposed to a 4-3. What’s crystal clear is that outside linebacker Aaron Curry is going to rush the quarterback a ton. Also, defensive end Chris Clemons is going to get speed off the line of scrimage, as he is lined up with considerable distance from the offensive tackle. It is yet to be determined what role David Hawthorne will have since Lofa Tatupu hasn’t played in the preseason. Still draft him with confidence, as he will be the leader of the defense. All photos courtesy of NFL Network.

79        Red Bryant, DL

91        Chris Clemons, DL

59        Aaron Curry, LB

57        David Hawthorne, LB

54        Will Herring, LB

52        Matt McCoy, LB

.

Defensive Series 1:

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

  .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Defensive Series 2:

.

. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Continued on Seattle Seahawks Defense, Preseason Game 2, IDP Implications, Pt 2

.

Continued from Seattle Seahawks Defense, Preseason Game 2, IDP Implications, Pt 1

79        Red Bryant, DL

91        Chris Clemons, DL

59        Aaron Curry, LB

57        David Hawthorne, LB

54        Will Herring, LB

52        Matt McCoy, LB

.

Defensive Series 3:

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Defensive Series 4:

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Analyzing numerous sources of Fantasy Football dynasty and re-draft rankings into two excel spreadsheets, and maximizing your players’ draft position or auction price:

.

Value: Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN

We warned you to be cautious of wide receiver Sidney Rice… but it was for a different reason. KeeperLeagueGM wanted you to stay one step ahead of your opponents by addressing the Vikings quarterback depth. Turns out you didn’t have to wait to 2011 to watch Rice’s stock drop. Hip surgery has destroyed Rice’s 2010 value, and there is a significant chance he’ll miss more than half a season. The loss of Rice and the mysterious migraines suffered by Percy Harvin has left the Vikings air attack in shambles.

So who will replace all those receptions and yards? Greg Camarillo was acquired from the Miami Dolphins, but he’s nothing special. Greg Lewis isn’t the answer either. And I don’t want to hear about a Javon Walker resurrection. The two players who will see a nice bump in production are Bernard Berrian and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

So this piece was originally designed for Shiancoe. For some reason, the Giants soured on him after four boring seasons. He signed with Minnesota in 2007 and his career has been reborn. He’s a steady target and a reliable fantasy tight end. I expect the Vikings to run very few four wide receiver sets, instead focusing on packages where Shiancoe is on the field almost every snap. The lack of wide receiver depth will allow Shiancoe an opportunity to get more targets, and thus more receptions. That’s great in real life, but there is one problem for fantasy owners. Shiancoe’s average rank according to ten Dynasty sources is 13, and his average rank according to fourteen Re-Draft sources is 10. That’s exactly where he should be, and thus there is no value to be had.

If you’re looking for a late round steal, focus on Berrian. I guarantee his rankings and ADP mock stats are going to rise quite a bit with the confirmation of Rice’s surgery, so the following data will surely change. Berrian’s average rank according to six Dynasty sources is 66, which doesn’t include three sources where he is at least lower than 40, 50, and 50. Berrian’s average rank according to thirteen Re-Draft sources is 47, which doesn’t include one source where he is at least lower than 47. Even if he rises 10 slots, he’ll still be drafted as a WR#4 in a 12-team Re-Draft league. His receptions totals will never be impressive, but his yards-per-catch is dynamite due to his tremendous speed. Look for a return to his 950+ yard seasons of 2007 and 2008, making him a valuable commodity on your fantasy roster.

All signs points to YES!

. 

Icon Sports Media

. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Reach: Steve Breaston, WR, AZ

Matt Leinhart. That’s why I’m staying away. The rumblings are already starting that Leinhart’s grip on the stating job is slipping away. Now be clear that I do NOT advocate avoiding Larry Fitzgerald. He’s different, because he is arguably the best wide receiver we’ve seen since Jerry Rice. A player with his skills can hurdle any obstacle, including terrible quarterback play.

The same can’t be said of Breaston. He had a tremendous second professional season in 2008 with Kurt Warner at the helm. However, his stats dropped in 2009, as he produced 22 less receptions and 294 less yards. The receiving touchdowns remained the same, but three per year is hardly significant. Warner’s retirement will make it a lock that Breaston’s final stats will be closer to 2009 numbers.

Another factor working against Breaston is the offensive depth. Let’s say Leinhart, or Derek Anderson, is actually a decent quarterback (humor me). Third-year pro Early Doucet is poised for a significant role, and he’ll demand targets. Have you ever seen the size of his arms? The last receiver I saw with biceps like that was David Boston. Running back Tim Hightower will see a ton of check-downs and belongs on every fantasy roster. Lastly, Ken Whisenhunt will feature the running game more in 2010, and he has a solid running back-by-committee in Chris “Beanie” Wells and Hightower to get the job done.

Breaston’s average rank according to eight Dynasty sources is 36, which doesn’t include one source where he is at least lower than 40. Breaston’s average rank according to fourteen Re-Draft sources is 32. Eh, maybe he’ll be worth it by the end of the season. If I owned three quality receivers, perhaps I’d roll the dice on him as my fourth. I’m just too scared to draft him at his current market price – too many red flags in Arizona.

Should you draft him? Ask Costanza

. 

Seahawks.com

.

.

.

.

.

.

Fantasy Gold: David Hawthorne, LB, SEA

Those fluorescent green uniforms make me want to puke. The alternative uniforms are supposed to be a ploy to get the fans to buy an extra jersey. Has anyone bought them? The only positive is perhaps they burn the retinas of the opposition during the game.

Regardless of the color of the uniform, get used to seeing #57 on the field for the Seahawks. That’s David Hawthorne, and he’s a fantasy monster. No player has exploded onto the scene like Hawthorne since 2007 David Harris. He finished the season as a Top 10 LB. If you average only the games in which he started (injury replacement for Lofa Tatupu), he was the #1 LB in many leagues.

Many sources aren’t sold on his status as an elite LB. Heck, they’re not even sold on him as a Top 25 LB. The biggest reason is the linebacker depth for the Seattle Seahawks. We need to dig deeper than the depth chart to recognize that BOTH Tatupa and Hawthorne will be on the field. No, it’s not because Hawthorne has been linked to the Will (weak-side) – it’s because the Seahawks are going to run the Baltimore Ravens version of the 3-4, which means Hawthorne will play more like an inside linebacker. Keeper League GM recently identified every defensive line in the “Fantasy Football Stockwatch: IDP, Size Matters” article. The Seahawks have the personnel to make the transition, and they jettisoned 2008 first round pick defensive end Lawrence Jackson because he didn’t fit the scheme. Want more proof? Here are three superb resources that specifically identify the change in the Seahawks defensive alignment.

SeattleTimes.com

In Seattle’s defense this season, the defensive ends will be increasingly typecast. The left end (Chris Clemons) — referred to as the Leo — is a pass-rusher who’s really a hybrid between a linebacker and defensive end. The right defensive end is being referred to as the five-technique, a reference to the gap assignment on the line. “The other end in the system needs to be a really effective run defender first,” Carroll said. “We always want pass rush out of our defensive ends, but in the status we’re in right now in the program, we’ve got to get the five-technique position filled up with a guy we know can play the running game. If we (are) able to man the defensive end position with a guy that weighs 330 pounds, that’s a good thing.”

TheNewsTribune.com

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said the Clemons’ acquisition was part of the Seahawks’ concerted effort to get faster off the edge of the defense. “There’s no doubt that’s the plan,” he said. “That was one of the things that we needed to improve on, and we felt like to have the ability to get a pass-rushing type at the Leo end spot, if we can get a guy off the flex-side like we’re talking about, that will improve the pass rush.” Clemons will play the “elephant” position, which is basically a stand-up defensive end in a 4-3 alignment that lines up on the weak side of the defense opposite of the tight end.

Clemons said he came into the league as a linebacker at Georgia, so covering running back and tight ends is nothing new. He had a career-high eight sacks at Oakland in 2007, and his hoping to get back to that type of play with Seattle.

Bradley went on to say that both Foley and Reed are similar guys to Clemons and will compete for time at that position.

Seahawks.com

(Head Coach Pete) Carroll learned the spot – then called “Elephant” – as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers (1995-96) under coach George Seifert. He then used it when he was the head coach with the New England Patriots (1997-99) and at USC. “‘Elephant’ was just an e-word to designate a guy as being different from the regular defensive end,” Carroll explained.

Carroll got an 11-sack season from Chris Doleman in 1996 with the 49ers and a nine-sack season from Willie McGinest at that spot in 1999, his final season as coach of the Patriots. “It’s a position that can take on different sizes and shapes, but it is a spot – a little bit of a hybrid position – that is kind of a linebacker, kind of a defensive end,” Carroll said. “We picture it as a speed-oriented guy.”

“Elephant” became “Leo” when Carroll got to USC. “We adopted their term and made him an ‘L’ instead of an ‘E’,” he said. (The Leo will) generate more consistent (QB pressure) from (his) side of the line (because it’s) the end spot that lines up away from the tight end.

* * *

Call it an “Elephant”. Call it a “Leo”. You can call it a “Mallomar” for all I care. It’s a 3-4 formation. Here is the Seahawks first defensive series in their preseason opener versus the Titans (photos courtesy of NFL Network). It doesn’t include Play Five, which was a third-and-one (cameras couldn’t catch it in time for a good photo). Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu did not play.

79        Red Bryant, DL

91        Chris Clemons, DL

97        E.J. Wilson, DL

59        Aaron Curry, LB

57        David Hawthorne, LB

54        Will Herring, LB

52        Matt McCoy, LB

59 lined up over TE; 3-4 formation

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

91 & 59 swap sides so 59 can line up over TE; 3-4 formation

.

Same 3-4 scheme

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

No change in short-yardage situaton; still 3-4 formation

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

First play run out of the 4-3; 91 & 59 on weakside, 79 over TE

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

..

.

Same 4-3 formation as previous play

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Goal line defense is 3-4; Titans have TE's on both sides of line

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

No Titans WR on field; DT replaces DB with 3 LB deep; 97 replaces 91; 52 replaces 54

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

 .

.

Same formation as previous play

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It’s a shame that Tatupu didn’t play. As of now it’s unclear if Tatupu or Hawthorne will replace Herring. Regardless, Herring is coming off the field and Hawthorne will be in the middle when the Seahawks run the 3-4 look. When the Seahawks run the standard 4-3 scheme, Hawthorne will line up on the weak-side.

So he’s got the playing time, but you’re still concerned about the presence of a healthy (hopefully) Tatupu. Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention, but Tatupu’s statistics have gone down every season since his LB#1 rookie season in 2005. He finished 2006 and 2007 as a LB#2, and was barely rosterable in 2008 and 2009. Hawthorne is the new sheriff in town, so don’t be afraid of him losing tackle opportunities to Tatupu.

Hawthorne’s average rank according to six Dynasty sources is 34, which doesn’t include one source where he is at least lower than 32. Hawthorne’s average rank according to seven Re-Draft sources is 43, which doesn’t include one source where he is at least lower than 40. There is no way you should wait this long in your draft to grab him. He is an IDP star in the making!

That’s gold Jerry! Gold!!!

 .