After draining the dramatic game-winning 3-pointer from several feet beyond the arc against the defending world champion Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Durant was just as he always is; calm and in control.

The two-time defending scoring champion doesn’t just score, he scores in the clutchest of moments. That’s right, I said clutchest. We all have known for a while now about this guy’s ability to fill the basket relentlessly since his single season as a Texas Longhorn. But so rarely do we witness this kind of poise and leadership from a 23 year-old small forward.

After Oklahoma City’s game @ Memphis Wednesday night, talented point guard Russell Westbrook once again showed visible frustration with his teammates. Since this is not the first time the young point guard has lashed out with a myriad of unpleasant verbage towards his teammates, people have started wonder if OKC really has the core unity and strength to actually go all the way.

Durant confronted Westbrook about the matter and the situation appeared to be getting worse for the moment. When asked about the situation later, Durant simply stated that it was water under the bridge at that point and that he has Westbrook’s back 110%, just as he knows Westbrook has his.

Seriously KD ? Could you be more perfect ? And is this really water under the bridge ? Westbrook’s past behaviour would suggest that the answer to the second question is the same as the first one – No.

Just one day after this ugly situation, Durant leads his team to victory against the Mavericks by scoring 30 points (again), 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. So whether or not you believe this to be water under the bridge, you have to admit, Durant has at least built that bridge. He transcended himself from scorer and go-to-man on the floor, to a genuine leader that is now the Thunder’s go to man-to-man in the locker room as well.

Thus far this season (I know, we’re only four games in) Durant has shown a committment to continue to improve defensively as well as a constant progression in his passing (61% increase in assists from last year) and 3-point shooting (32% increase). When you add that to his terrific percentages, most fantasy players should already know that there is no one better.

Alongside Chicago Bulls’ reigning MVP point guard Derrick Rose, Durant has re-shaped the expectations of what a young star in the NBA should be: Proud yet humble, great scorer yet solid defender, physically gifted yet emotionally strong, and a gentleman that can lead other men who are not so gentle.

If the Thunder can remain a calm and cohesive unit throughout the rest of the season, I think they will win it all. That is something that is going to be much easier said than done, especially when you consider the presence of Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins in Oklahoma City.

In New York they called old Yankee Stadium “The house that Ruth built” and in Seattle we called Safeco Field “The house that Junior built”. After all the turmoil the NBA and it’s players put themselves through this past off-season, if Kevin Durant and the Thunder can accomplish NBA Finals glory, then I propose that 2012 be known as the NBA’s bridge that KD built.

Okay, I’ll admit right off the bat, the touchdown celebration was funny. But there is a time to be funny, and a time to do the right thing for your team. You obviously worked hard to prepare for your matchup with Darelle Revis, and for all intensive purposes, you were getting the better of him.

BUT THEN… you got the clever idea in your head of performing a “tribute” of your opposing counterpart Plaxico Burress in the endzone, giving yourself and your team a penalty, and the momentum to the Jets.

Keep in mind that your quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been persecuted recently by the press ( including myself ) for performing much worse since signing his new $59 million-dollar contract. But let’s be real about this, Fitzpatrick played great against the Jets even without their monster in the backfield, Fred Jackson. So none of this is Ryan’s fault. We can discuss his 2011 mid-season failures another time, this is about you, Steve.

Dropping that deep crossing-route in the 4th quarter was obviously a huge blow to your team in a key moment. Would we still be talking about this if not for the drop? Probably. Would we all be talking about it this much if you weren’t actin’ a fool earlier? Probably not.

If the ball gets up on you like that, there is no shame in reversing hand position and basket-catching the ball when necessary. But you should know that by now, you are a superstar talent. Crazily, I even think you are a smart person. But these dumb decisions are going to hold your team back, and keep you from actually being considered a truly great player in this league.

Why so serious you ask? Let me just put it this way Stevie, you need to focus on the game more than outside antics before you end up costing your team ANOTHER game-spoiling drop in a critical moment.

You’re better than that man. Keep having fun playing the game of football, but let’s tighten up the screws a little bit and start behaving a little more like pro. You owe it to your organization, the entire Buffalo area, and even to yourself.

This is a story about two Harbaughs, their journeys through the football world, and the quest to bring toughness back in a league with rising puffcake-penalties and fines.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the success speaks for itself.

The Harbaughs were both born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan. Their father Jack, was an assistant coach for the Wolverines under legendary head coach, Bo Schembechler.

John, now 49, graduated from Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor. He then later went on to play defensive back (mostly safety) at Miami of Ohio. He almost immediately moved on to coaching.

Weeks before his twenty-second birthday, he was hired as a linebackers coach at Western Michigan in 1984. John later added other universities like Morehead State, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati to his collegiate coaching resume. Then, he made the jump to the pros and became the special teams/defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for ten years that included three conference championship appearances, and one conference title. In his three and a half years thus far as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, John has an impressive record of 38-18.

Jim, two years younger than his brother, attended Pioneer H.S. initially, but graduated from Palo Alto High School in California. He went on to play quarterback for Bo Schembechler at Michigan, and led the Wolverines to a #2 national ranking after dramatic wins in 1986 against Nebraska and Ohio State, in Columbus. He earned Big Ten Conference POY honors and finished third in the Heisman ballots.

Jim was drafted by Mike Ditka’s Bears in 1987 and played in Chicago through ’93, then played for the Colts, Ravens, and Chargers from ’94-’00.

He parlayed his professional success in to a coaching career by starting out at Western Kentucky as an assistant in 1994, while he was still and active NFL player. He was of course unpaid, but enjoyed the opportunity to coach alongside his father.

He then returned to the Bay Area in 2002 and was hired as QB coach for the Oakland Raiders. After five years between QB coaching for the Raiders (QB Rich Gannon was Pro-Bowl MVP in ’02) and making football matter for three years at the University of San Diego, he returned to the Palo Alto area.

Jim Harbaugh revived football at Stanford. Toby Gerhart was a Heisman finalist in 2009. Yes, I said ultra-slow Toby Gerhart. in 2010, the Stanford Cardinal went 12-1 and won their first BCS bowl game (Orange Bowl) by thumping Virginia Tech, 40-12. Jim won the Woody Hayes Coach of the Year Award as a result.

The man is responsible for recruiting and grooming a young stud quarterback you may have heard of who is likely to be the first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. Yeah, you get the point, Jim knows the QB position.

But in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, not only has his formerly estranged QB Alex Smith vastly improved, but his 49ers sport a top-ranked rush defense and a 7-1 record.

In a division where no other team has more than two victories, the Niners look poised towards creating their first playoff berth since 2002. So aggressive hand shakes and near fist fights with Mike Ditka aside, “captain comeback” as he’s known from his playing days, is rebuilding another dynasty in the Bay as we speak.

There has never before in the history of the NFL been a pair of head coaching brothers.  The way things are looking right now, they could become the first pair of brothers to both win their divisions, and possibly more?

Last night in Pittsburgh, the Ravens came away with a 23-20 victory to complete their regular season sweep of the Steelers. Everyone knows about the Ravens “three levels of dominance” defensively as described by Ray Lewis. We also know that last year the Steelers came away with the victory that counted most, and that was in the playoffs.

That game proved that the offensive playmakers for Baltimore still had something to learn about closing out games in the second half. Well, for what it’s worth, Joe Flacco appears to have learned a few things about performing under pressure. So it looks like Jim isn’t the only Harbaugh who knows how to get production from the QB position.

These Harbaugh brothers have produced positive impacts virtually everywhere they have been. There is absolutely no reason not to believe that they will both continue to excel in the NFL for a long time to come. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the success is speaking for itself.

Since when was an average quarterback who hasn’t taken a snap in over nine months worth not one, but two first round draft picks? I know this is the Raiders, but I think this might have been considered to be a little crazy even by the late Al Davis’ standards. Palmer better be more productive than he’s been the past couple of years.

Super Bowl rings can't be found in cereal boxes, Rex.

I’ve always loved Rex Ryan, for better or worse, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not hear to call him on his crap too. Stop talking about Super Bowl championships! Over and over, every friggin’ time I turn around I hear Rex Ryan talking about championships! Shut up and play the game one week at a time. You have enough to worry about in defending Mark Sanchez every week, releasing veteran receivers, and tolerating yet another disappointing season with Shonn Greene.

If you can’t run straight, better Luck next time? – As in Andrew Luck. Things are going so bad for the Miami Dolphins right now that Brandon Marshall can’t even re-direct himself while not being touched to simply run straight, and to the house. About the only thing the Dolphins are taking to the house these days are their strong contention in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Can the Colts actually uproot the Dolphins in this sweepstakes? I sure hope not. After all this time of having Peyton Manning, I just don’t think  that would be fair. Yes, they are a horrid team right now, but in my opinion, they haven’t suffered long enough to deserve that pick. But how bad they have been terrible isn’t what will decide if they get this pick or not. Rumors are that Luck might not be willing to go to a team like Indy. If Manning is still there and expected to start healthy next year, than Luck will not want to be back up. Even though I am beginning to believe that Peyton Manning is almost done, I sure hope this ends up affecting their ability to possibly get Luck.

Yeah, that happened...

The Rams seem to be worthy of mention in the topic of worst teams going right now, but they have a commitment to Sam Bradford. – About 50 million commitments, to elaborate just a little. They also acquired receiver Brandon Lloyd from the Broncos for just a sixth round pick after letting go of Mike Sims-Walker. I think it was a nice move, and one that shows Bradford that they are serious about getting the right guys around him. However, they still have a lot of work to do with their offensive lime. I would predict that they go after one of the better linemen early in the 2012 draft.

What’s the deal with the Bucs this year? Seriously, I just don’t know about these guys? They barely brush off the Colts, get destroyed by the 49ers, and then beat the Saints the following week. Mike Williams is continuing to prove that he is not a guy who can be a number one receiver on a weekly basis, and now Blount looks likely to not be back until week 9 or 10. So that’s whats going on with Tampa I guess?

Will the Packers ever lose this year? It sure looks like this team could possibly run the table if that was their goal, but they are after another Lombardi Trophy. So with that said, I believe in a very Colt-like mindset, they will drop at least one of their final six games which include tough divisional games versus the Bears and twice against the Lions. Aaron Rodgers is a better passer than you ever were Brett Favre, so shut up and go sext-message someone who still cares about you.

So everyone knows by now that both the Lions and 49ers are for real this season. The 49ers proved their legitimacy in 2011 by taking a game in Detroit, and exploiting the Lions’ running game as well as running defense. After a very close and intense game, we find ourselves talking about a handshake.

Harbaugh, go jump around once you get in the locker room. Heck, take your shirt all the way off once you get there. We don’t care, as long as we don’t have to see it. I’m sure that’s what Jim Schwartz was thinking too before you pushed him out of the way at his home stadium after beating him. And Swartz, settle down and stop crying. Chasing the guy down doesn’t make you look any better, and if you were a player, I believe you would have been heavily fined for doing that. So grow up, and take a loss like a man, Mr. Schwartz. Figure out how to stop the run, or get used to opposing coaches being in a jubilant mood after games against your Lions.

There are a lot of great matchups to choose from in week 3, but no other matchup has a history that includes 22 world championships between the two teams. More importantly, both these teams are in the NFC North, and just like last year, this game could play a big part in home-field advantage in the playoffs.

It’s no secret that the offensive line for the Bears has not fared well as Cutler has been sacked already eleven times in just two games, and has started to show his frustration as a result. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz and line coach Mike Tice both insist that the blame go in their direction. But no matter who is to blame thus far, the matter needs to be fixed quickly in order for this team to not only give Cutler proper time to operate in the pocket, but to keep pace with Green Bay and the upstart squad in Detroit.

It will be interesting to see just how much time Cutler can have to throw downfield  to Johnny Knox and Devin Hester. My guess would be that Green Bay should prepare themselves for a heavy dose of Matt Forte and many short passes. But if Cutler can find the time, he might have a chance to capitalize on a banged up Green Bay secondary.

Packer fans can at least breather a sigh of relief as cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams are both listed as probable, along with linebacker Clay Matthews. But after just two games, this defense is generally not in great health. I’m curious to know how this crazy computer-voice pronounces Tramon - for those listening.

I trust that I don’t need to explain how good Aaron Rodgers is. Rodgers has only one real weakness, and that’s occasionally holding on to the ball too long. Despite his continual improvement in this area, I still believe that Julius Peppers is going to put him down at some point.

The real question comes down to Brian Urlacher. He was excellent in week one against the Falcons, and not so amazing the following week at New Orleans. In fairness, that game was just days after the passing of his mother, which is a more than understandable time for him to not have a very strong game. So where’s Urlacher’s head going to be at this sunday? One thing we know for sure, it will be at Soldier Field.

Turnover ratios are always a big factor in any game, so I’m not going to claim turnovers to be the only key in this matchup. If Chicago’s offense can rack up enough first downs to keep their defense from being on the field too many minutes, then they have a shot. But if the Bears o-line continues to fail, and Rodgers converts third downs at a high percentage against the monsters of the midway, it will be a long and forgettable game for da’ Bears.

As always, thank you for reading and good luck this weekend to all my fantasy heads out there! – Except the ones playing against me of course.

So this is the guy who fails his Oregon teammates by knocking out a kid from Boise St. during a heated exchange after a game in Boise. This was while they were both still suited up and on the field no less. THEN, after being lucky enough to be drafted, he gets in to a scuffle at a Titans practice in Tennessee. I mean, seriously? I know that hinesight is 20/20, but can anyone blame the Titans for wanting to wash their hands of this guy when they did?

Well in August of last year the Tampa Bay Bucs decided to take a chance on LeGarrette Blount by picking him up under the pretence that he will behave…and produce. Produce he did. The Bucs did not even commit to Blount as their primary running back until October and he still managed to top the 1,000 rushing yard mark in his first season. To be exact, he racked up 1,007 rushing yards in just 13 games and 201 carries. I know most of you out there have at least a fourth grade level education in math. But for those of you that do not; that’s five yards a carry guys!

Only three other rushers in the NFL with over 150 carries toped five yards per carry in 2011: Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, and Darren McFadden. Perhaps you’ve heard of some of these guys? Pretty good company there I would say. Of that group, Blount was the only rookie, and the only guy who was NOT originally a big part of that team’s offensive plans since the previous spring. Another great thing about the 2010 season; no teammates or opponents of LeGarrette Blount got punched.

With the continued emergence of quaterback Josh Freeman and wide receiver Mike Williams to stretch out the defense, Blount should flourish in this Tampa Bay offense this year. As long as he stays healthy, I expect to see this 6’0 247lb. beast leaping over and straight through more defenders in 2011.

I have seen the 24 year-old phenom go anywhere between the fourth and fifth rounds of fantasy football drafts. If he is still available in the fourth round of your draft, pick him up! Even if it is the early portion of that round, I still believe that you would be getting great value at that point of the draft. So grab him up and don’t look back. Rather look foward to watching an NFL season in which LeGarrette Blount racks up consistently big fantasy numbers for your team.

To put it ‘Blountly’, LeGarrette will be a force in the NFL for a long time.

For anyone who listened to this article, I am sorry that this retarded-a$$ computer voice can’t pronounce anything correctly and gets all the puctuation wrong.

First of all, let’s all make sure that we understand what qualifies as a bust. If someone were to say that Ricky Williams is not likely to be a big factor in fantasy thisseason, they wouldn’t really be calling a bust, more just spouting out common knowledge. The player has to be relevant and have a fairly large following of people who believe he will be somewhat studly this year in fantasy football.

Antonio Gates – I know a lot of fantasy players out there may think this is ridiculous, and even borderline sacrilegious. But I would invite that same person to make a couple of careful observations about Mr. Gates and his average draft position. In the four seasons (not the hotel) from ’04-’07 the 31 year-old averaged  79 catches with 993 yards receiving per season. In the past three seasons (that would make a horrible hotel name) from ’08 – ’10 Gates has averaged 63 catches for 881 receiving yards. I know that he only played 10 games in 2010, but that is just one part of my argument. How much longer can the 260lb 31 year-old keep those frail wheels of his healthy? The only thing that really even made Gates relevant last year was the fact that he did still manage 10 receiving TDs in just 10 games. That was also done on just 50 catches. Even Hall of Famer Cris Carter only had a catch/td ratio that high ONCE in his career. So does Antonio continue this 5/1 ratio and play relatively healthy all year-long? I have my doubts. Not to mention that you would likely be using a late third to mid fourth round pick to get him.

Arian Foster – Personally, I am not very low on this guy at all to be honest. I think that the 6’1 228lb. 25 year-old (barely) running back from the land of enchantment will be a stud once again. This is even more so the case in PPR leagues. His versatility and vertical down-field bursts are among the best in the game. But for the sake of argument, was he drafted nearly this high just one year ago? Nope. Is there anything to be said about his league leading 393 touches in 2010? Probably.

DeAngelo Williams – Why would anybody hate a time share? They are convenient, relatively affordable, and flexible locations all over the world. Sounds great right?! Well, not if we’re talking about backfield time shares in fantasy football, at least I think that’s what I was talking about? Even if he can stay healthy, does anyone really believe that he can even come close to his 1,515 yards and 18 rushing TDs in 2008 so long as “the daily show” is still in Carolina? I realize that he had that season when Stewart was there, but he was rookie then. Why on earth would Carolina still be holding on to these two beasts with so many other areas on their team that need improvement? Because they are using the 24 year-old 237lb. Stewart to protect the longevity of the 28 year-old, and somewhat smaller Williams. Based on the time share, there is no way that I would use a third or fourth round pick on either Williams or Stewart when LeGarrette Blount is going in the late fourth to fifth round. Heck, Shonn Greene could have just as productive of a year as Williams, and is going in late seventh to eighth round in many fantasy drafts.

Peyton Hillis - This battering ram of a running back rushed for 1,177 yards on 4.4 per rush in 2010. Keep in mind that in the first nine games Hillis averaged 4.8 per, while in the last seven games he averaged and entire yard less per carry. Cleveland is not one of the more formidable offenses in the NFL, so do you think teams are gonna load up in the box against the Browns? I think it would be naive to assume otherwise.

Michael Turner - This man is going to cost you a late first to early second round pick. Will he put up solid fantasy numbers this year? Yes, I would say that is very likely. But let’s be conscious of a few things before picking this guy so high in your drafts. In the first half of last year he averaged 4.5 yards per carry. He averaged just 3.7 in the second half. The additions of Jacquizz Rodgers to the backfield and Julio Jones to the Atlanta receiving corps tells me that the Falcons are making a concerted effort to stretch the field vertically more and throw the ball. Plus, Turner will be thirty around the time of the Super Bowl. That’s not a good age for running backs.

Michael Vick – We all know what Vick can do for you. His combination of speed and arm strength can light up the fantasy scoreboard as fast as anyone. But does anyone really think that the 31 year-old run heavy quarterback is going to stay healthy for 16 games? Considering that he is going to cost you a mid first to early second round pick, you really wanna take that chance with so many other monster studs still available?

Drew Brees - I am such a fan of this guy that putting him on this list almost makes my shoulder sore. Yeah, you remember the injury he had that would have ruined lesser men. I love ya Drew, but you cost a fantasy player a second round pick and had an alarming 31 turnovers in 2010. Yikes.

Ben Roethlisberger – Why draft this dirtbag in the seventh round if you can get Freeman or Eli a couple of rounds later?

Chad Ochocinco - So, I’m supposed to believe that this man who will be 34 when the post-season starts and can’t even spell eighty-five in spanish is gonna tear it up in New England because Randy Moss did? Chad has lost a step and doesn’t get nearly the kind of downfield separation that Moss did. He came from a relatively simple offense in Cincinnati, to one of the most complex offenses in the shortest possible off-season. You can also count on Welker to continue to grab most of the mid-range passes. I know, ochocinco was probably a better choice than ochenta y cinco in terms of jersey sales, but it’s still stupid.

Vincent Jackson – I think you can do better with your third round pick. From a DUI, to a holdout, to calf injury, this guy didn’t do much in 2010 to convince me that he’s as interested in his team as he is in himself. In 2009, He posted career highs in catches (68) yards (1,167) and touchdowns with nine. In that round there are more explosive players you can pick with better career highs than that.

Sidney Rice – Since I am so incredibly objective in my views, I thought I would throw him in here. His fantasy ranking really isn’t all that high this year anyways, but I still think there are better options for those of you who have picked him in the seventh round. As a Seahawks fan I still wouldn’t even consider this guy earlier than the ninth. He’s talented, but he has Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst competing for the starting QB position in Seattle. That looks even less impressive in text than it did in my head. Personally, I think third string quarterback Josh Portis is better than both of them. You never want to be able to say that about your 1 and 2 quarterbacks. But the truth isn’t something that is meant to feel good all the time.

Jeremy Maclin – I like him plenty, just not in 2011. He’s only 23, but in two seasons on one of the most prolific passing offenses, he has not reached 1,000 yards. So if he does not repeat the double-digit touchdown performance that he had last year, it’s hard to justify him being taken in the fourth round. He has dealt with a strange illness all off-season, so one has to wonder what level his strength will be in two weeks when he is expected to start in Philly’s regular season opener. There has been a great deal of attention placed in the way of grossly underpaid DeSean Jackson lately, and I expect that to carry on to the field as well. In other words, I have my doubts about Maclin catching that many touchdowns in this season.

Hakeem Nicks – Nicks is good, but late second to mid third round? No thanks, you can have him. I’ll take Larry Fitzgerald in the third or Miles Austin in the fourth. Before Romo got hurt, Austin was killing it. That should likely be the case in 2011. So many people assume that with Steve Smith now gone that Nicks is the one that is going take on all these extra numbers. He’ll take some of that I’m sure, but I also have to believe that Mario Manningham is going to get some extra looks as well. He goes about five rounds later than Nicks. Simply put, I don’t think that Nicks is FIVE rounds better of a fantasy player.

Feel free to let me know how I crazy I am for bashing some of these guys. Once again, thanks for reading and be active in your fantasy leagues!

On a scale of 1 – 5, I project both the actual impact to their real teams these players will have this year, and their fantasy football impact for 2011.

Julio Jones, WR Falcons - Roddy White has needed a legitimate complimentary wide-out with the talent of Julio Jones for a while now. Julio has arrived to the NFL, and much sooner than later, he will arrive as a presence in fantasy football.

Team Impact – 4.5  Fantasy Impact – 4.0

A.J. Green, WR Bengals – No Ocho, no T.O., no problem. A.J. Green will have plenty of room to run and show off his athleticism in Cincinnati. While he should see more overall targets than his counterpart Julio Jones, Green will be working with a rookie quarterback in Andy Dalton, while Jones has a proven QB in Matt Ryan.

Team Impact – 4.0  Fantasy Impact – 4.0

Greg Little, WR Browns – The wide receiver out of North Carolina should be an excellent asset to Colt McCoy in Cleveland. There is plenty of opportunity here for Little to shine as McCoy sorely needs a pair of reliable hands downfield. Peyton Hillis will break down if the Browns start him off with the workload that he saw last year, which eventually did prove to wear on him. All the more reason for McCoy to urgently develop a strong connection with Little.

Team Impact – 3.5  Fantasy Impact – 3.0

Torrey Smith, WR Ravens – Torrey Smith is a talented receiver from Maryland whose value in my opinion, does not drop from the Ravens nabbing Lee Evans. At least not in terms of on-field value, the fantasy value takes a small hit. Less targets? Maybe, but not by much, and having Evans there now to stretch defenses will make more of those targets he does get, quality ones. Things are looking better and better for QB Joe Flacco, and this will only make me harder on him if he fails to get it done in the playoffs again.

Team Impact – 3.0  Fantasy Impact – 2.5

Daniel Thomas, RB Dolphins – This is the rookie with the highest probability of getting the bulk of his teams’ rushes. With both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams out of the picture in Miami, the door is wide open for big carries. Reggie Bush can supply a very desirable wildcat-esque dimension to the Dolphins, but Thomas will likely lead the team in touches.

Team Impact – 5.0  Fantasy Impact – 4.5

DeMarco Murray, RB Cowboys – This is a running back that I believe is somewhat overlooked. This is probably mostly due to everyone’s belief that Felix Jones will be running away with the backfield duties in Big D. I say, not so fast. While Jones is certainly in line to be the lead back, this is a position that he has never been in, and he will need some help carrying the load. Murray is bigger than Choice, and for all intents and purposes, he’s flat-out more explosive than Choice. As soon as Murray can learn to pick up the blitzes and block on an NFL level, I think that he moves past Choice on the depth chart and turns those extra touches in to fantasy points.

Team Impact – 3.5  Fantasy Impact – 3.5

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB Falcons - Rodgers is someone who will often be overlooked this pre-season. It’s easy to look past a guy of his stature. We all know that Michael Turner is the man in the Atlanta backfield. But in the past 2 years, Turner has shown a propensity to be shut down by high-end run defenses while making up the difference in games against weak run defenses. There will continue to be a great deal of defensive attention brought to Turner this year, and I think that Rodgers could provide the perfect change of pace to keep defenses honest. This is a small but explosive back that should be used outside the tackles in order to make defenses pay for loading up in the box. I do not see Antone Smith as a major threat, and Jason Snelling will vulture some cheap touchdowns. But the Falcons don’t have another player that can provide the explosiveness that Rodgers can, so there is a role on this team for him to take.

Team Impact – 3.5  Fantasy Impact – 3.0

Ryan Williams, RB Cardinals – Some believe that Beanie Wells will take off with the starting role that the team claims he now has and thrive as a fantasy force. Others believe that it’s really just a matter of time before Wells gets hurt and the Cardinals will depend on Williams for backfield production. I am one of the people who think that Beanie Wells can absolutely be a productive lead back for Arizona. But whether he stays that or not, there is still plenty of room for Williams to shine, especially now that Tim Hightower is gone. Williams has an excellent chance to actually start for this team, but it will not happen right away. Either way, I don’t see Wells as the kind of guy that could go the whole year with over 20 carries per, so Williams can find himself plenty of chances even if he never gets the starting role in 2011.

Team Impact – 4.5  Fantasy Impact – 4.0

Mark Ingram, RB Saints – We all know that Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory are still in New Orleans. New arrival Darren Sproles is not someone who will get in the way of the Mark Ingram. Sproles will be used sparingly as an exciting screen-pass type option. So it really just comes down to how many carries Ingram can get between Thomas and Ivory. Pierre Thomas will continue to serve his purpose in the New Orleans backfield as a dynamic runner/pass-catcher. But Ingram is still very likely to see a healthy load of carries because there really isn’t anything that Ivory can do, that Ingram cannot do just as well, if not better. Reports out of camp are that the Saints are extremely impressed with Ingram’s vision, balance, ball security, and surprising lateral quickness.

Team Impact – 5.0  Fantasy impact - 4.5

Cam Newton, QB Panthers – I know that Jimmy Clausen is officially the starter up to this point, but does anyone really believe that Clausen will fend off Newton all year? I sure don’t. Granted, Newton does have a lot to learn about running an NFL offense after having a fairly simple offense at Auburn. But with his size, athleticism, and arm strength, I find it hard to think that he wouldn’t have an opportunity this year. I think this is a guy who will have a nice career eventually. Like Jamarcus Russell, Newton is a big quarterback with a big arm that is light years away from the mental preparation it takes to be an NFL quarterback. But unlike Russell, Newton is not lazy. So while his overall effectiveness could be limited by being a rookie quarterback with a condensed off-season, Newton is a winner.

Team Impact – 5.0  Fantasy Impact – 3.0

Blaine Gabbert, QB Jaguars – Besides David Garrard, There really isn’t anything getting in Gabbert’s way to get first unit snaps this year. While I do believe that the Jaguars will give Gabbert a considerable amount of playing time this season, I think NFL defenses are going to look just a little too fast for him coming out of the gate. He is a guy who was looked at as having a much better football I.Q. than fellow rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton and Ryan Mallett. But unfortunately for Gabbert, his arm is much more ordinary than either of those two guys. The offensive line in Jacksonville is not great and the receiving corps is less than inspiring. Gabbert has a tremendous backfield security blanket in Maurice Jones-Drew, but otherwise, he has his work cut out for him to say the least.

Team Impact – 4.0  Fantasy Impact – 2.5

Andy Dalton, QB Bengals - There really isn’t anyone to stand between Dalton and the first string as long as he’s not throwing four picks a game. With Andy Dalton, I doubt that will happen. Like Gabbert, Dalton has a lot of work to do on a team that has needed a make-over for quit some time now. But I believe the o-line in Cincinnati is not as bad as the one in Jacksonville, and Dalton has more weapons. Cedric Benson may not be Maurice Jones-Drew, but he’s a productive back that is hungry for a new contract. While Mike Thomas and Mercedes Lewis are decent players, I’ll take A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham over them any day.

Team Impact – 5.0  Fantasy Impact – 3.5

Please keep in mind, the scores are based on potential impact in ROOKIE terms. So a five-star rookie WR is not someone who I am actually saying will be as good as a five start WR like Andre Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald. Also, these stars are based on their projected impact in 2011, not for career.

In the fantasy football world, there is something known as handcuffing running backs. It is basically capitalizing on a weak run defense with more than one of the key backfield ball handlers for the opposition. At the same time, you would be limiting this player’s likely performance ’ceiling’ for the day because you already know the carries will be split. Thus, we have the term handcuffing. There is such thing as handcuffing other positions, as well as handcuffing in other fantasy sports. But I can cover that in other blogs. This one is about running backs.

The concept mainly became popular in recent years due to the abundantly growing number in committee RB situations in backfields across the league. Injuries and fatigue are always a concern with running backs. Besides offensive play calling versatility, injuries are the other prominent reason that  committee backfields were invented to begin with.

Let me make this real simple here. If you are in a standard 10-12 team league, then handcuffing running backs is much more often a horrible idea, than a good one.

One argument for it would be: If facing the run defense of a team like Arizona, Buffalo, or Denver with the opportunity to handcuff the Carolina backfield, do it. And what do we have for them Johnny??? A week one matchup in Arizona! Johnny (Jonathan) the daily show Stewart and DeAngelo Williams could both come up with serious fantasy numbers in their first regular season game of 2011.

But this is not most matchups of course. Are you really going to handcuff Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas in matchups this year against terrible run defenses like  Houston, Cleveland, Denver, or Buffalo? …And be trying to win your league at the same time? I suppose you could try that in your public wasteland league where no one else is paying close attention and there appears to be just one other league member with active brain cells. If you are actually playing with people who are not absent, or wearing styrophome helmets, this would probably not be the ever-so savvy league winning strategy you want to be practicing.

So basically, it is a playing it safe option that one can afford if running away with a league already. It’s taking advantage of one of the truly rare matchups between horrible run defenses and a somewhat equally productive pair of backfield playmakers. I do not see any way that a person can do this even semi-regularly in at least a semi-competitive league.

So if I draft Cedric Benson, do I also worry about drafting James Develin or Jay Finley? No, I do not. Just because I’m a Seahawks fan who believes that Justin Forsett can be more productive if used properly, doesn’t mean I would want to draft him and fellow Cal alum, Marshawn Lynch on the same team. So you know I am talking to you straight right now, I wouldn’t really want to draft either of them in a 10-teamer.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got crazy love for how much hate and resentment someone in the New Orleans secondary probably feels towards Lynch. Plus, my lowly division champion Seahawks (7-9 baby!) will have a noticeably improved o-line this year.

But I refuse to get ahead of myself here. They still have yet to stabilize their situation at QB, which is never a good thing when trying to find your running backs open space to run. That is just a FACT. Ironically, FANTASY is mostly about facts, and the pesky injuries too of course. I don’t play fantasy football with hometown favoritism and biased emotions. I play like a stoned-cold robot that makes a ‘gut’ decision on occasion.

Even drafting the likes of both New Orleans backs Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory would be a waste of time in a 10-12 team league where there is not more than four active slots for running back/utility. Darren Sproles anyone? Yeah, that could be good for a laugh even from a Buckingham Palace guard. We would be really only be talking about leagues with vastly stretched rosters, where handcuffing can possibly play a more useful role.

So if you really like your chances of having success going in to a season with a roster that regularly features potential stud rookie Ryan Williams and Beanie Wells together in your backfield, then I hope that you are not playing against me. My friend, that would only result in extreme disappointment for you.

…And I don’t want things to get even more awkward between you and me, or do I? I’ll let you Christians ponder that on your own time. Haha, okay, everyone else can ponder it too of course. Just couldn’t help myself. Cheesy?….of course. Like a nacho cheese fountain baby!

Once again, thank you all so much for joining me here on the blog. The lockout is over and players are now ‘locked-in’ on their runs to this year’s postseason. They are also draftable now on major fantasy sports sites such as; ESPN, Yahoo, and NFL.com. So find a good and competitive football league soon everyone! Most of all, stay fantasy active my friends.

Getting even better this season will be Tampa Bay Quarterback Josh Freeman. The emergence of Blount in the backfield will continue to draw defenses in and open things up for Freeman to operate. He is a big quarterback who plays to win, regardless of stats. Part of that statement would make a fantasy player hesitate to pull the trigger on him. But I say, go for it. This young man is ready to join the ranks of the elite in football at his position.

Surprising people this year will be Matthew Stafford, provided he stays healthy of course. Kevin Kolb will enjoy the company of Larry Fitzgerald. He will be good, very good. But let’s keep those expectations within reality. If Colt McCoy actually had reliable targets, he could resemble a young Drew Brees. Despite the small arm, his accuracy is excellent, and mobility sorely underrated.

Sam Bradford was a huge success as a rookie, and should be again. Let’s give it just another year or two before we really start expecting him to be elite though, right? He will still progress this year as he is a very composed and intelligent young QB with a nice arm and quick release. However, I smell a slight hitch in store for Bradford’s 2011 sophomore season. I think defenses will focus more on pressuring him through the middle, as opposed to letting him roll out and throw, as he does so effortlessly. The NFC West isn’t home to any of the best defenses, so…Any way I try to dice this one up, Bradford will be rising to elite status among all NFL QBs. Whether that will be happening this year or next year is really the only question here.

The next few guys here are QBs that will spark severely contrasting opinions when asked about their potential production in 2011. I believe Mark Sanchez will benefit greatly from a  very large, and even possibly rusty, yet bona-fide red zone target in Plaxico Burress. His legs are very well rested, and he can still run a sharp route.

I do not believe that Joe Flacco will become a big factor in fantasy football. He just simply does not have the downfield weapons to help him reach this status among quarterbacks. His security blanket will continue to be Ray Rice. That should continue to result in plenty more completions for Flacco, just not a lot of big ones. While I think he will be solid, I am not nearly as high on his fantasy potential this year as some of the main fantasy sports sites are.

Alex Smith and Chad Henne will surprise people this year. While I’m not saying that either of these players can carry a fantasy player’s team this year, especially not in standard 10 team setup. But, I do believe that both these QBs will be significantly better than most fans may believe.

Henne will have to make plays with guys like Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush. Also, Davone Bess seems primed for a breakout. He probably wishes he still had Ted Ginn, but Alex Smith will now be the beneficiary of that. Coach Harbaugh has decided to roll with Alex Smith, saying he was thrown under the bus by his own team in the past. I think there is truth in that.

Think about it, once Crabtree is back to full strength, he will be joining both Ginn and Braylon Edwards as downfield weapons for Smith. Worst case scenario; another Smith becomes the San Fransisco treat, Troy. I know you’re laughing, but seriously even the former buckeye could put together a few nice fantasy games in a row with all three of those receivers healthy, along with Gore at full strength. The 49ers are very unlikely to re-sign Troy Smith, but you get the point. It’s a job that EVEN he would have relative success with now that Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will be bringing this offense along.

Andy Dalton will be the best rookie quarterback in 2011. In reality, or in fantasy you ask? Well both, I respond. Who else has a more open door way to first team snaps this year among rookies? I believe that Cam Newton could challenge Dalton for this distinction in 2011, but I’m gonna pick the guy who wasn’t the national champion/Heisman winner/ #1 overall pick.  Plus, Dalton is easily underrated as a big time winner from his days as the TCU Horned-Frogs leader in to BCS recognition. Georgia Bulldog A.J. Green will be the terrific playmaker that a rookie quarterback with a condensed camp will need to get started.

I think  Jake Locker has better overall physical tools that could prove to make him even more productive than Dalton two years down the line, but his time will come another year.

Matt Cassel has been put in such a great position to succeed this year that it would really be a shame if he didn’t. The addition of Steve Breaston to the receiving corps in KC should help pull away at least some of the weekly attention that Dwayne Bowe deals with. If  all the key pieces stay healthy here, I can’t picture a situation in which Cassel actually does not improve. However, I am still not picking him to step up all the way in to the elite level of quarterbacks.