Sunday Evening Wrap checks out players who increased or decreased their value during the Sunday afternoon games. Faller of the Week: Everyone on the Oakland Raiders. The Houston Texans entered the game as one of the league's worst defenses. They were the worst in the NFL against the run. Sunday, the Raiders gained just 165 yards and only a single first down on the ground against those same Texans. I'm done with Darren McFadden. Michael Bush and Justin Fargas shouldn't be considered viable fantasy contributors in any format, and I'd even give up on Zach Miller (which isn't his fault, but he's not going to put up stats for this embarrassingly inept offense). This team is dead to me, and they should be to you, too.
On Second Thought is Matt Snyder's look back at the initial FanHouse staff rankings, which were compiled nearly a month ago. As we all know, fantasy players' value changes frequently, even when no games are being played.
Formerly a relatively unpredictable position with just a small handful of reliable WR1-types, wide receiver now sports a solid upper-echelon. With the overemphasis on the pass game in the NFL, you must have one elite wideout to compete in fantasy football.
There is also good depth. It seems to me most of the shaky players here in terms of good value are in the teens. Meaning after the elite wideout, you should let everyone fill out their WR2 while waiting to stockpile good value guys in the seven and eight round range.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers think they finally have a franchise quarterback, in Kansas State's Josh Freeman. They very well might, but that doesn't make him a good fantasy football option for this coming season. In fact, I don't think he should be drafted in any league as of right now.
The Bucs currently have Byron Leftwich, who will probably be starting this season, while the rookie is brought along, a la Carson Palmer waiting behind Jon Kitna in Cincinnati. It's possible for the Bucs to cut Leftwich -- since they didn't give him a signing bonus it wouldn't cost them any money -- but most in the know believe Freeman's not ready to immediately come in and start.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their busy offseason on Thursday afternoon by re-signing safety Jermaine Phillips and tight end Jerramy Stevens. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Phillips has spent his entire seven-year career in Tampa Bay, and is coming off an injury-shortened season in 2008 where he registered 59 tackles and three interceptions. He's going to be returning to a slightly different defense from the one Tampa fans have been accustomed to over the years, thanks to a new defensive coordinator (Jim Bates) and several new starters.
Derrick Ward has left the band. The only current free agent member of "Earth, Wind, and Fire," the Giants' trio of running backs, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night, inking a deal that is reported to be worth four years and $17 million ($6 million guaranteed).
Ward joins a running back corps that now includes Earnest Graham and a broken down Cadillac Williams, the latter of whom dealt with two serious injuries in 2008. The signing by the Bucs is another interesting move in what has been an already "bizarre" offseason in Tampa Bay.
For all those secretly coveting and projecting Derrick Ward as the 2009 version of Michael Turner (you know the capable back-up who signs with a new team to be the man) you just might wanna pay attention. Ward just signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs with aspirations of finally being the man.
If another season plagued by knee injuries wasn't the signal of the end for Carnell Williams, this should be. Ward had other suitors in the fold, but chose the re-vamped Tampa Bay offense that is beginning to take on a new shape in the early going of this new regime. You may recall Ward was quite the steady contributor the past few seasons in New York and he caught the eye of many in the fantasy football world after he blistered the Carolina Panthers for 215 yards on National TV. So who else is impacted?
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.
Following a disastrous end to the 2009 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone through some pretty significant changes. Gone are head coach Jon Gruden, general manager Bruce Allen and starting quarterback Jeff Garcia.
That's what happens when you haven't won a playoff game since 2002 and closed out your season on a four-game losing streak.
By placing the franchise tag on him earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers guaranteed wide receiver Antonio Bryant a $9 million raise in 2009. And you know what? He's not really happy about that. Seems kind of odd for a guy that was out of football entirely in 2008.
Anwar S. Richardson of the Tampa Tribune reports that Bryant wanted to sign a long-term deal so he could have some security. Bryant's agent, Lamont Smith, claims that he may not sign the offer sheet and may be interested in testing the market or holding out.
In 2008, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant made $600,000. He's just been guaranteed $9.9 million for 2009.
Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that the Buccaneers are expected to designate Bryant, the team's top wide receiver, as their franchise player by Thursday. That means Bryant could, if he so chooses, sign the one-year franchise tender offer and make a guaranteed salary of at least $9.9 million in 2009. It also means the Bucs don't have to worry about losing Bryant to another team.
Sunday Evening Wrap checks out players who increased or decreased their value during the Sunday afternoon games. 
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers think they finally have a franchise quarterback, in Kansas State's 
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their busy offseason on Thursday afternoon 
For all those secretly coveting and projecting 
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 
By placing the franchise tag on him earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers guaranteed wide receiver 
In 2008, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver 
