Each Monday of the fantasy football season, we'll cut through the fantasy numbers put up by individuals and tell you what they really mean.
When peering ahead to the fantasy football draft of 2010, it's easy to envision getting the top pick and taking Adrian Peterson without a second thought. And if you had one, it would probably be Maurice Jones-Drew. After these past two weeks, though, I'm fully behind considering Chris Johnson the top fantasy football player heading into next season. In fact, I'll say it right now: Johnson will end the season with the most fantasy points among running backs and be the consensus No. 1 player on the board for 2010. Unbelievably, it seems to involve the presence of Vince Young.
For those who may use a different term or are new to fantasy football, "handcuff" is the term used when you own insurance for one of your players in the form of owning his real-life backup. It's usually a running back, but you could conceivably handcuff a quarterback. The theory is that some or all of the production is automatically replaced should you lose a high draft pick to injury, meaning you need to insure a high draft pick by grabbing his backup.
A little more than a week before the start of training camp, the Rams ensured that they'd have a wide receiver whose name isn't meant with blank stares. St. Louis dealt defensive tackleOrien Harris to the Lions on Wednesday for Ronald Curry, a rare swap of two players who have never played a regular-season snap for the team that traded them.
Curry should slot in alongside Donnie Avery in the Rams' starting offense, which is a lot better situation than the one he left in Detroit. The Lions signed him in April, but he became an unneeded part after the team dealt for Dennis Northcutt in late June.
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.
Meet The ... Team best known for self-destruction and felonies! Yes, only in America ... it's the Cincinnati Bengals. Honestly though, the troubled times seem to be in the past, as the Bengals are preaching team unity and singing a new tune heading into the upcoming season. Under the radar? Sleepers? Well, when was the last time we heard such chatter as it relates to the Bengals? Hold tight, let's watch this story develop. However, you heard it here first (sort of): The Bengals have some fantasy potential.
They possess one of the top quarterbacks in the league (when healthy), a stable of cast-off running backs, a troubled receiving corps with "rebound" potential and the capability to be an explosive offense, again. Will the line hold up to keep Carson healthy? Will Ochocinco snap back into circa 2005 form? A lot of questions, but you already know there is gonna be risk with these guys. However, this year they do offer a sliver of hope that they will indeed reward.
Welcome to another successful installment of Five Questions with an Enemy Blogger, where each week, via email, I will be exchanging hot questions and [sometimes] answers with a rival blogger about their team and the upcoming matchup.
This week I sat down with Brett Knight of RAMblings, a Most Valuable Network column that covers the St. Louis Rams.
Dan Benton: "For many, the Rams offseason expectations were extremely high. How frustrating has it been to watch your team struggle for the first quarter of the season?"
Brett Knight: "Obviously, with so many pundits picking the Rams as a darkhorse playoff team, it's been difficult to watch the team stumble thus far, with no end in sight. But I don't know what's been harder to deal with: all the forces that have been out of our control or all the blown opportunities. It's one thing to watch your offensive line crumble and your Pro Bowl backfield taken out of games by injury - it's tough, sure, but there's really nothing you can do about it. It's a whole different story, though, to sit through the sloppy play this team has been exhibiting this year: penalties, turnovers, blown coverages, missed tackles, awful play-calling. For all the talk of the talent on this team, it's really been a shock to see such a lack of fundamentals. It's been said that the mark of a good team is how it responds to adversity; with that in mind, I'm not sure how to respond to this team."
Leonard was a second-round pick, and his versatility is what makes him so intriguing. He's 6-3, 260,6-1, 226, got 4.5-forty speed, can run (2,779 rushing yards during his four-year Rutgers career), catch (207 career receptions), put a linebacker on his back with a block ... or jump over cornerbacks trying to avoid contact.
Steven Jackson is obviously in no danger of losing his job, but Leonard will likely be the No. 2 guy. Head coach Scott Linehan is limiting Jackson's touches during the preseason -- something Clinton Portis probably thinks is a good idea -- and Leonard is the beneficiary. And so far, he hasn't disappointed.
Now if the Rams could just do something about that defense.
Remember a few weeks ago, when some fans and media wondered why Daunte Culpepper would turn down a three-year, $15 deal with the Jags? I know, I know, it's only preseason ... but, Culpepper has looked pretty damned impressive so far. He shows no ill effects from the bum knee, or worse, the psychological trauma that goes along with playing for Nick Saban.
The Raiders defeated the Rams 20-10 last night, and highlight for Culpepper was a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ronald Curry in the face of heavy pressure. He finished the night 4 of 8 for 47 yards, and although the numbers aren't spectacular, the Raiders have to feel good about where their starting quarterback is compared to a year ago (both Daunte in Miami and Aaron Brooks in Oakland).
While the highlights make it look like a Raiders rout (save that embarrassing move Brian Leonard put on Fabian Washington), there were issues: LaMont Jordan had a goal-line fumble and the running game only averaged 3.7 yards per carry. The offensive line also allowed four sacks and there were eight penalties.
Still, this team is a billion times improved over last year. I don't know what such a drastic improvement translates to in terms of regular season wins, but you have to guess it'll be more than two. And that's a start.
To go along with Louisville's 2006 Big East Football Championship, and a nifty pair of Big East Golf Championships, Louisville is also this years winner in the 2007 NLF Draft among Big East teams. The Cardinals were able to land four players on NFL teams in this years draft. They were followed by Pittsburgh and Rutgers with three each, Syracuse and Cincinnati with two each, South Florida and Connecticut each had one player drafted, and dammit I'm missing someone here. Let's see....oh yeah, West Virginia with zero players drafted. Ugh!
Another sign that the Big East is crawling out of obscurity, this was the first year since 2004 that the Big East had two players drafted in the first round. The 16 players drafted this year also compares favorably to 11 Big East players being drafted in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Next years draft should consume more high profile players from the Big East with the likes of Brian Brohm, Steve Slaton, Mario Urrutia, and Pat White all eligible.
NFL scouts think they know Brian Leonard, and they are probably right.....
Can a guy a little too small for a NFL fullback and not quite fast enough to be an NFL running back find a home in the NFL? More to the point, is there a star in Brian Leonard's future, or will he be relegated to being the best special teams demon sine Don Beebe?
Positives: Solidly built with above-average strength, thick thighs and calves, good bubble, tight waist, broad shoulders and good arm-muscle definition ... Has excellent speed for his position, showing the upper body strength and leg drive to create and maintain a rush lane as a lead blocker ... Has a good short area burst through the creases and the change-of-direction agility to make the initial tackler miss ... Shows the plant-and-drive agility to make precise cuts ... Has very good balance and body control throughout his stride, demonstrating fluid flexibility and quickness getting to top acceleration
Negatives: When he gets too erect in his stance, he will lose some base and get pushed back through the rush lane ... While Leonard has had success bouncing outside to gain yardage in the past, he was used mostly on runs between the tackles as a senior ... Seems to have the speed to get outside, make the cut and turn it up the field, but he tends to lose his body lean and get too high in his stance, leaving his feet exposed for shoestring tackles
Probably Getting Drafted...
Most likely on the first day, but depending on team needs (our favorite get out of jail free phrase) could fall to an early second day draft pick.
The NFL Draft is two weeks from today and this is about the time player agents really start laying it on thick. Usually, this predraft posturing takes some form of "Team X loves my client and he'll long gone by the time Team Y goes on the clock."
Often, the agent provides this information to the newspapers to insure maximum exposure ... or at the very least, exposure to the two likely targets: Team X and Team Y. Well, here's a real live example, from agent Mike McCartney, agent to Paul Posluszny and Brian Leonard:
"The other day, the St. Louis Rams had (Rutgers fullback) Brian Leonard in, a player I represent," McCartney said. "I don't know this, but let's just say that Brian's their guy. They're not going to tell the rest of the league that Brian's their guy, so they're going to bring in three other running backs, which they did. "You can't just make it so obvious that the only guys you bring in are the guys you like."
The Rams won't take Leonard with their first-round pick -- they select 13th overall -- but if McCartney's right (and we have every reason not to believe him ... he's an agent, after all), St. Louis could draft him with the 52nd pick.
Assuming Leonard's still available. Depending on the mock draft, Leonard's listed as the third or fourth best back behind Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch and Antonio Pittman. If NFL teams feel similarly, he could be gone by the time St. Louis goes on the clock in the second round.
Of course, this all presupposes the Rams are even in the Leonard business.
For those who may use a different term or are new to 
A little more than a week before the start of training camp, the Rams ensured that they'd have a wide receiver whose name isn't meant with blank stares. 
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all. 
Welcome to another successful installment of Five Questions with an Enemy Blogger, where each week, via email, I will be exchanging hot questions and [sometimes] answers with a rival blogger about their team and the upcoming matchup.
Remember a few weeks ago, when some fans and media wondered why 
To go along with Louisville's 2006 Big East Football Championship, and a nifty pair of 
The NFL Draft is two weeks from today and this is about the time player agents really start laying it on thick. Usually, this predraft posturing takes some form of "Team X loves my client and he'll long gone by the time Team Y goes on the clock." 
