Off Season-Off Topic: Big Ten Expansion

Well, my friends, we find ourselves at an odd spot within the realm of fantasy football. With league champions freshly anointed, coaching changes in progression and the draft far off, it’s much too early to make predictions. Sure, I could make a conjecture or two, but let’s face it whatever I do say will either be (a) forgotten and/ or (b) amended due to the football shuffle that occurs during the coming months (and I’m not talking about anything conjured up by “Sweetness,” “Punky QB,” or “Samurai”) So what is there to talk about, well this is when I get to be a bit selfish with my choice of topics (as if I wasn’t already) and get to discuss those things especially near and dear to my heart. This week it’s the Big Ten. More specifically, the Big Ten expansion.

As many of you have already heard, there are many rumors circulating that the Big Ten is looking to expand. I, for one, whole heartedly support this move. For far too long have we Big Ten supporters suffered from shorter seasons, lack of conference Championship game excitement, and ridicule for our illogical name. But who should join? Here’s a quick glance at the current contenders.


Pitt:
Pros: Location, location, location. Evident by its name, the University of Pittsburgh is conveniently nestled in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, placing squarely within Big Ten country. Thus, travel costs incurred by the universities, and fans alike, for all sports would be on par with what they are currently expending. Now, you may not think this is a big deal, but think about it. While football programs are not usually pinching their pennies when it comes to travel, lesser funded sports such as lacrosse, soccer and field hockey, which play many more games per year, aren’t as fortunate. As a result, the closer the schools are grouped together, the better it is for the majority of college athletics. Academically, Pitt fits in nicely with the rest of the Big 10 school s as it is a major research institute. With regards to athletics, adding Pitt would make two enormous contributions: (1) boost Big Ten basketball, and (2) giving PSU back its natural rivalry. Seriously, this charade with MSU needs to stop! No one cares. That Land Grant Trophy is fugly and I never want to see it again. Lastly, adding Pitt would seriously add to my entertainment as my father and I have agreed that if PSU and Pitt were ever to play again, we would get tickets, don our respective team’s apparel, and fight in the parking lot. This needs to happen.
Cons: Although, it’s conveniently located, the urban campus setting doesn’t really go with the land grant image of the Big Ten; but then again neither does OSU. Also, there are some grumblings that adding Pitt doesn’t make financial sense. Basically, the arguments are that (1) because Pitt is located in southwest PA, the Big Ten would not gain any further television markets because the area already shows OSU and PSU games, and (2) because Pitt cannot consistently filled is 65,050 capacity stadium, while OSU, PSU and Michigan regularly fill their 100,000+ stadiums, it would actually be Pitt who would benefit from addition and the Big Ten would be better off adding Notre Dame or Mizzou.

Notre Dame:
Pros: Notre Dame is located in the heart of Big Ten country and for that significance please refer to above because I am far too lazy to retype it. Also, as much as I hate to say it, Notre Dame is a crown jewel of college football and acquiring it would not only entail bringing in a prestigious school rich in tradition and history, but also an enormous fan base who is notoriously loyal. Evidence: (1) Despite their recent mediocrity, the Fighting Irish closed out their 2009 home schedule with their 212 consecutive sellout of their 80,795 capacity stadium…..Eat your heart out Pitt, (2) who doesn’t like Notre Dame just a little bit because of Rudy.
Cons: Since Notre Dame currently has a lucrative contract with NBC and has no troubling scheduling, Notre Dame could come at a high cost to the Big Ten, if they were willing to come at all.


Mizzou:
Pros: Mizzou fits in the Big 10 as a land grant university and a major research institute and geographically it makes sense as its both close and would provide a natural way to divide the Big 10 into East and West divisions. Hypothetically, West would contain Minnesota, Mizzou, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern and Wisconsin, while East would contain Michigan State, Michigan, OSU, PSU, Indiana and Purdue. Thus preserving the rivalries of Wisky-Minnesota and OSU-Michigan. Furthermore, Mizzou seems winning to consider the idea of joining and Missouri’s Governor has even suggested creating reciprocal tuition agreements with Big 10 schools, if it would join, like the one currently in place with Kansas.
Cons: Mizzou would be like a stranger to the Big 10 and some question whether the academic level is on par with the Big Ten (I’m not saying it, I’ve just read it several places), but I’m not familiar enough with Mizzou to make that judgment.


Rutgers:
Pros: On the rise (relatively) and could expand the Big 10 market into the New York/New Jersey area.
Cons: That market is too small to make the Big 10 salivate. Also, the Big 10 should be looking for a bigger name in college football to add who is more consistent. (My feelings on adding Rutgers are illustrated by the photograph to your right)



Nebraska:
Pros: Nebraska is almost everything the Big 10 is looking for. It fits the Midwestern flavor of the Big 10, is a land grant school, and is contiguous with current Big 10 states. Also, it brings the positives of Notre Dame (rich in history and tradition, huge fan base) without the pesky uppity-ness of being “too good for a conference.” Also, like Mizzou, adding Nebraska would create the natural East-West division which still preserves rivalries.
Cons: Doesn’t quite fit in with the Big 10 academically, I’m not putting down a Nebraska education, it’s just not known as a research institute.


Other names floating around: Texas (yes, Texas), WVU, Boston College and Maryland.

Play-To-Host: A New System For Selecting Super Bowl Host Cities

In a few weeks, thousands of fans and countless media will pack their bags and make their way to Miami for Super Bowl XLIV. Undoubtedly, these fans and media will bring with them excitement and national attention, however, they also bring something much more beneficial to the City of Miami, especially in this economy, money. Yes, we all know that hosting a Super Bowl brings an economic boon for the host city, but in times like these two questions, at least in my mind, arise:

(1) Just how much money will hosting a Super Bowl bring to the host town? ; and (2) How is it fair that although 32 cities across America are home to teams, only a handful routinely get the economic benefit that comes with hosting the Super Bowl?

To answer the first question, according to a 2003 study by Craig A. Depken II and Dennis P. Wilson, the net real impact of hosting a Super Bowl is between $220 million and $350 million. This seems pretty accurate considering that USA Today reported that hosting the Super Bowl XL provided an economic boost of $273.9 million to Detroit. With this in mind, the answer to the second question is that it’s not fair.

Since the inception of the Super Bowl in 1967, the list of hosting cities and frequency is as follows:
Total By City: LA 2; Miami 10 (including 2010); New Orleans 9; Houston 2; Pasadena 5; Pontiac, MI 1; Tampa 4; Stanford, CA 1; San Diego 3; Minneapolis 1; Tempe 1; Atlanta 2; Jacksonville 1; Detroit 1; Glendale, AZ 1.

Total By State: California 11, Florida 15, Louisiana 9, Texas 2, Michigan 2, Minnesota 1, Arizona 2, Georgia 2.

What’s striking about this list is that the cities which have hosted the most frequently are also those cities which annually draw in some of the highest amounts of tourism revenue, even in non-hosting years (Ok, so maybe it’s not so striking, I’m pretty sure we were all aware of this). So, in essence, by awarding hosting duties to these cities, the NFL is making some of the most tourism rich cities richer, while the remaining NFL cities get diddly squat when it comes to the big game. This is particularly upsetting considering the current economic situation ( let’s face it, all cities could use some money) and the fact that even pre-2008 some NFL cities such as Cleveland and St. Louis were severely depressed.

So what’s the solution, well to me it’s obvious: spread the wealth. More specifically, I propose that the NFL adopt a rule that the winner of the Super Bowl gets the option to host the Super Bowl 5 years (or whatever period of time the NFL deems is sufficient to give cities time to prepare) later. If that winner’s home city rejects the offer, then the loser of the Super Bowl gets next dibs, if they reject then the option follows in this order: Super Bowl winner, Super Bowl loser, Team which lost to Super Bowl Champion in Conference Championship game, Team which lost to Super Bowl loser in Conference Championship game, Team which lost to the Super Bowl Champion in divisional round prior to Conference Championship, and so forth if it so necessary.

While I devised this new system with the intent of allowing all NFL cities access to the economic wealth associated with hosting a Super Bowl, I believe that this play-to-host system would also bring other benefits:

Good for Fans
The spreading out of the Super Bowl will be better fans because it could make attending a Super Bowl more of a possibility for many people. Unfortunately, the reality of life is that not everyone can afford the already high costs of traveling and staying in California, Florida or Louisiana (which are inflated even more when a Super Bowl is tossed in). However, it may be more affordable for someone who resides in say Philadelphia to attend a Super Bowl hosted in Pittsburgh, New York or Baltimore.

Good for the NFL
In additional to being better for existing fans, the spreading out of Super Bowls will be good for the NFL in either creating new fans or making casual fans more invested in the team. Think about it, when your team is playing for the right to host one of the most economically rewarding games a lot more people in the host city are going to become emotionally invested in the team. The theory of it being better for the NFL and its teams is especially true if the salary cap is busted. Then, I predict cities would be more willing to contribute extra money to payrolls or provide tax break incentives to teams in order to secure a better chance of bringing the Super Bowl to their town.

Now I know what some of you are thinking, you’re thinking that holding the Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium in February in a northern state is a terrible idea for a couple reasons: (1) who would want to attend a Super Bowl in the freezing cold, (2) cold and/or snow would impact the game. However, I don’t completely buy these as reasons sufficient enough to prevent a northern, open stadium Super Bowl from happening.

To begin, in regards to (1), a lot of people would want to attend a Super Bowl regardless of the cold. How do I know this, well, the cold doesn’t stop thousands of individuals from filling AFC and NFC Championship games and playoffs held just weeks before the Super Bowl takes place.

With respect to (2), to use the argument that we wouldn’t want adverse weather to determine the outcome of the Super Bowl is a bit ridiculous considering we have no problem with allowing the same adverse weather conditions t0 effect who will be playing in the Super Bowl during the playoffs and conference championship games. Until at the playoff are held a neutral locations with controlled temperatures, (2) isn’t a strong enough argument.

Defensive Corner: Playoffs Edition (Week 16)

First and foremost, Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you had a wonderful day/8 days/ time period associated with a holiday I’m unfamiliar with. I, for one, celebrated with my family in typical Griswold fashion, but that is a story neither relevant nor suitable for this time and place. Let’s just say it involved several trips to the emergency vet and a desperate search for an open gas station.

Ok, on to football. 99.9% of us are into playoffs (and yes, that’s a figure I just made up) so while at least half of us have had our dreams dashed, those of us with still viable hopes of attaining the ultimate prize of a year’s worth of bragging rights (and or cash/trophies/etc.) are entering into competition with our leagues fiercest competitors. So what does this mean? Well, when competition gets this rough 1 point can come between you and a championship, i.e. now, more than ever, the extra points scored by defenses are crucial to success.

Start
Bengals: The Bengals know how to take advantage of a bad offensive line and boy is Kansas City’s offensive line awful. The Bengals should have no problem getting to Cassel during this home game resulting in point earning sacks, fumbles and interceptions.

Saints: Although they haven’t scored over 5 points in the past three weeks, the Saints have already demonstrated just five weeks ago that they can sufficiently handle the weak Tampa Bay offense, who are on their 3rd quarterback this year and are 2-12 on the season.

49’s: Why should you start the 49’s, well they’re playing the Lions this week. Not enough? Ok, well not only is San Francisco playing the Lions, but they’re playing them at home, and the 49’s play tough at home; in the past three home games the 49’s scored 17, 17, and 24 points with the 24 points coming against the potent offense of the Cardinals.


Mehs (Start if No Better Option)
Cowboys: The Cowboys haven’t been the greatest this season, but they have already played the Redskins which gives us a good indicator of what we should expect this week. Given their past success against the Redskins, the fact that they are in contention for a playoff berth while the Redskins are surely out and that Albert Haynesworth was sent home early from practice for disciplinary problems on top of already being questionable for knee issues, the Cowboys should do well this week.


Sit:
Steelers: As a Steelers fan it pains me to say that the Steelers Defense has been an incredible disappointment this season. What’s even worse is that their collapse is seemingly due to the absence of a certain Samoan. Anyway, the Steelers’ Defense has been far too inconsistent to warrant a start during the playoffs, especially when playing the Ravens.

Jets: While strong, the Jets defense suffers at the hand of their offense. So far, Sanchez has 20 interceptions on the season, 3 occurring last week alone, one of which was returned 99 yards for a touchdown. This, paired with the fact that the Jets are facing Peyton Manning and the Colts does not bode well for the Jets Defense.

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury & Impact

Sleeper:
Chargers (v. Kansas City): Last time these two met the Chargers Defense racked up an amazing 23 points (ESPN default scoring). Since then the Chiefs have lost top RB Johnson and have suspended top WR Bowe. Oh, and the Chargers are on a five game win streak consisting of wins against quality opponents such as the Giants and Eagles.

Injury and Update

Bengals (v. Browns)
Keith Rivers, LB, Calf, Limited Practice
Morgan Trent, CB, Knee, Limited Practice
*Rey Maualuga, LB, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Domata Peko , DT, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Robert Geathers, DE, Hip, Limited Practice
*Tank Johnson , DT, Knee, Limited Practice
*Johnathan Joseph, CB, Foot, Limited Practice

Status: Coming off an unexpected loss to the Raiders, the Bengals will be looking for redemption this week against the Browns. This, in addition to the Browns generally horrendous play, should have fantasy owners salivating this week. However, although starting the Bengals Defense should not be only be safe, but wise, keep your eye on this situation, as for any team the possible benching of five starters would mark a drop in production.


Vikings (v. Bears)
*E.J. Henderson, LB, Knee, Full Practice
Benny Sapp , CB, Groin, Full Practice
*Antoine Winfield, CB, Foot, Limited Practice

Status: The limited play/non-play of Winfield hurts, but the Vikings are facing the Bears and their turnover machine of a quarterback. Start.

Eagles (v. Redskins)
Akeem Jordan, LB, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Asante Samuel, CB, Neck, Did Not Practice
Victor Abiamiri, DE, Knee, Full Practice
Quintin Demps, S, Ankle, Full Practice
Victor Harris, S ,Eye, Full Practice
*Mike Patterson, DT, Wrist, Full Practice
*Sheldon Brown , CB, Hamstring, Limited Practice

Status: The Eagles may be down two cornerbacks (if that), but the Redskins are a complete mess organization wise and are down Clinton Portis and possibly Ladell Betts leaving them to rely on third-string Cartwright on the ground. This should be a fantastic week for fantasy owners, especially considering Philly’s Defensive dominance in their last meeting.

Steelers (v. Ravens)
*James Farrior, LB, Not Injury Related, Did Not Practice
*Troy Polamalu, S, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Travis Kirschke, DE, Calf, Limited Practice

Status: The Steelers have demonstrated that the absence of Polamalu equals the absence of defensive consistency and domination. This, in addition to the fact that the Steelers may be starting an inexperienced third-string quarterback and will therefore probably be heavily reliant on the defense, does not bode well for fantasy owners this week.

Ravens (v. Steelers)
Matt Birk, C, Neck, Did Not Practice
*Ray Lewis, LB, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Ed Reed, S, Foot, Did Not Practice
*Terrell Suggs, LB, Knee, Did Not Practice
*Jarret Johnson, LB, Shoulder, Full Practice
*Haloti Ngata, DT, Ankle, Limited Practice

Status: Even against a mediocre Steelers team, I would be hesitant to start the Ravens. However, as mentioned above, this week the Steelers may be starting Dixon, an inexperienced third-string QB. Due to this, the Ravens offense will probably dominate time of possession and will be able to eventually wear out and exploit the Polamalu-less Steelers’ defense. Keep you eye on whether Big Ben is cleared to play.

Why Women Should Play Fantasy Sports (Part 1)

When I sat down to write this week’s post I decided I wanted to do something a little different this time; perhaps a funny piece on how to trick your significant other into playing (or at least accepting your playing) fantasy football. However, that all changed when I moseyed on over to the Women Against Fantasy Sports website and read this (what I guess is their mission statement): “We are incredibly smart people who can’t believe that their spouses or significant others, family members, and friends don’t have anything better to do with their time than sit in front of a computer looking at stats, planning line-ups and whatever else they waste their time on. It is amazing how over the year we have grown…I guess that only makes sense considering so many are falling prey to this addiction!” My reaction was two-fold: (1) Oh, h*** no!, and (2) obviously, I can’t just let this go uncontested.

So, ladies and gentlemen, here is why women should play fantasy sports (or at least tolerate it without protest)

1. It can improve your relationship: Before you laugh, hear me out. With the right perspective, playing fantasy sports can improve your relationship in some aspects, and I’m living proof. If your boyfriend/husband/ significant other is anything like mine, talking on the phone ranks on his list of favorite things to do somewhere right between cleaning his bathroom and getting ball tapped (Again, hun, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry), so getting him on the phone, at least in an active conversation that doesn’t consist of grunts and single word answers can be quite a challenge sometimes. However, I’ve notice quite a change since, after making fun of me for two years for doing so, he began playing fantasy football this year. Why? Because as much as my boyfriend hates the phone, he loves venting about his underperforming players or basking in the glory of beating his friends more. And who does he call to discuss this? Me. Why? Because I can relate to his situation. Now, you may be thinking “that’s all well and good, but how does that help communication not related to football.” I’ll tell you how. Once you’ve got your boyfriend on the phone and he’s not in that “Oh I hate hate hate the phone, but I have to do this” mentality, transitioning from football to discussing your day and other topics is so much easier. In fact, some of our best conversations, including one about our relationship, have followed “Greg Jennings is the biggest disappointment of my fantasy career” griping. (I’m very bitter about wasting a higher draft pick on him!) Note: This comes in extremely handy when you have a fight and want to talk about it. Guys hate talking about fights so sometimes you have to trick them into such a serious conversation with a diversion tactic. Devious? Yes. Does it work? Yes.

2. Because you can beat him at his game: How great would it feel to beat your fantasy obsessed significant other at his game? For me, that feeling is priceless. However, if you’re not evil like myself and get no thrill out of beating the crap out of your boyfriend at something he asserts to know more about than you, then consider this: You can make this a friendly, reward driven contest. Maybe your boyfriend hates going to the fancy restaurant that you love… well, make it so the winner of your head-to-head matchup gets to their ultimate date night, or something along those lines. “But, Juliann, I know nothing about football or I know about football but don’t want to dedicate time to developing a great fantasy team.” Well, you’re in luck. One of the great things about fantasy football is that you don’t have to be an actual football fan, let alone, fanatic, to play and succeed. Thanks to the popularity of fantasy sports, as well as all those geeks “who don’t have anything better to do with their time than sit in front of a computer looking at stats” there are many helpful websites, SportsJudge.com for example, which come out with pre-draft rankings and weekly updates to help you select players and week-to-week lineups. Additionally, most leagues will show your players weekly projections, making it easier for even those who, like a certain friend of mine, think the quarterback throws to the other quarterback win match-ups.

3. Because it’s something fun to do with friends: Forget about your significant other, playing fantasy sports is also a great way to keep in contact with friends. Three years ago, I lived in State College, PA where I lived between 3ft and a 15 minute walk to the homes of the friends who played in a fantasy football league with me. Since then, I moved back to Pittsburgh to attend law school while others have moved all throughout the mid-Atlantic region, gotten married and have their big-kid jobs. Due to our insanely busy schedules, it’s hard for us to get together, however, at least once a year, we all take a break from our lives and have a live draft. During this draft we discuss what’s going on with our lives, reminisce about the past and openly mock each other…. Just like old times. Additionally, for months following, you get this same kind of interaction with whoever you’re going head-to-head with and anybody else who cares to comment on the your matchup. I guess through all this rambling my point is this: No matter how close you are, when your friends move away and move on with their lives, you tend to lose things in common with them. This is not because you don’t care about each other, but because you’re not involved in the newer aspects of their lives. Fantasy sports not only provides you a forum to communicate with each other all at once, which is especially helpful if you don’t have Facebook, or Facebook’s acid jean wearing, not so cool anymore older sister Myspace, but also provides you with a commonality to discuss.

Why you should tolerate it: Because fantasy sports being a complete waste of time is a matter of opinion any your opinion is not automatically your significant other’s opinion: Alright, so you don’t want to play fantasy sports and you think they’re incredibly stupid and a waste of time, well this doesn’t mean you have free reign to openly protest and guilt your man about him wanting to play. First, “waste of time” is a matter of taste and I highly doubt that everything you do, your significant other finds value in also. Most of the girls that I know who get pissed at their boyfriends and husbands for playing fantasy sports also spend time reading gossip websites, watching E.T. and the Insider, read gossip magazines, shop when they don’t actually need anything because they find it fun, read Twilight, etc.. I’m not knocking those activities, I’m a Twihard and need my daily dose of Michael K. (Dlisted.com for those of you who have not discovered this magical website), I’m just saying, that if you spend time doing things your guy might think are stupid and pointless, yet he doesn’t insist on you ceasing those activities, isn’t it a bit unfair for you to nag him about spending time on things he loves but you deem useless. Second, one of the biggest complaints women have about their guy playing fantasy sports is that he could be spending quality time with them instead. In fact the Women Against Fantasy Sports homepage has happy pictures of the things men and women could be doing as a couple if he wasn’t playing fantasy sports such as jogging together , him serenading you in the park, and him goofily spilling potatoes all over the kitchen. (Really, you miss spilling potatoes?) Now those pictures are great and all, but ask yourself this, all those things you imagine you and him doing together, would he actually be doing those things if he wasn’t playing fantasy sports? Honestly? Does he do those things during the fantasy offseason? Or would he just find some other hobby that would fill that time? Now, if your guy is neglecting you, the kids, his responsibilities or his personal hygiene in favor of fantasy sports, you probably have a legitimate complaint, but if the status quo is pretty much maintained with maybe a slight impact, what’s the harm in him playing fantasy sports.


Oh wait, there’s more! Just not this week; to be continued……

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury & Impact Week 8

Sleepers:

Cardinals (v. Panthers): The Cardinals have scored 10 points or more in each other past three weeks against the Giants, Seahawks and Texans. Surely this improving defense can handle a team only capable of barely beating the abysmal Redskins and Buccaneers.

Chargers (v. Oakland): Oakland is one of those magical teams that makes their opponents automatically a better fantasy pick than the week prior. True, the Raiders limited the Chargers to only 7 fantasy points (ESPN scale) the first week of the season, but since then the Raiders have played well in close games with quality opponents while, with the exception to the Eagles game in which the Eagles just forgot how to rely commands from their brains to their extremities, the Raiders have floundered. Additionally, their star quarterback has just been benched for his awful play.

INJURIES & IMPACT

*Denotes starter

Baltimore Ravens (v. Denver)
*Tavares Gooden(LB) Head Questionable, did not practice
*Jarret Johnson(LB) Shoulder Probable, full practice
*Ed Reed(S) Illness Questionable, did not practice

Status: A loss of a starting linebacker and starting safety is the last thing this team needed right now. In week 6 against the Vikings, the Ravens got rocked allowing Farve to throw for 278 yards and limiting the defense to -1 fantasy points. This week, the Ravens will face Kyle Orton, who has averaged 267.3 yards in his last three starts against the Cowboys, Patriots and Chargers and only has 1 fumble and 1 interception on the year so far. Unless the Ravens worked out all the kinks in their secondary during the bye week, you might was to consider other defenses to start this week.

Dallas Cowboys (v. Seattle)
Allen Rossum(CB) Hamstring Questionable, did not practice
Gerald Sensabaugh(S) Thumb Probable, full practice
*DeMarcus Ware(LB) Foot Probable, full practice

Status: Really no injuries here. Start against the average Seattle offense.

Green Bay Packers (v. Vikings)
Derrick Martin(S) Hamstring Questionable, did not practice
*Charles Woodson(CB) Hip Questionable, limited practice
Jarius Wynn(DE) Hamstring Questionable, limited practice

Status: One starter, no major impact. This game is going to go one of two ways: 1) Favre will steamroll over his former team and continue to pick away at that giant chip on his shoulder; or 2) it will be a high-scoring close one with the winner (most likely the Vikings) slightly edging it out. Either way, not a great fantasy situation.

Minnesota Vikings (v. Green Bay)
*E.J. Henderson(LB) Knee Questionable, did not practice
Jimmy Kennedy(DT) Not injury related Questionable, did not practice
*Ben Leber(LB) Calf Limited practice. Questionable
*Karl Paymah(CB) Quadriceps Questionable, limited practice
***Antoine Winfield(CB) Foot Questionable, did not practice

Status: The Vikings’ secondary got exposed last week and the Steelers just steamrolled over the Vikings. With the loss of Winfield (who deserve three stars because he’s that important) things just got easier for Aaron Rodgers to prove himself against his former teammate. As I said above, the Vikings most likely will win this one, but it will come as a result of Favre’s ability to score, not the defense’s play.


New York Giants (v. Philadelphia)
Michael Boley(LB) Knee Questionable, did not practice
Chris Canty(DT) Calf Questionable, did not practice
*Antonio Pierce(LB) Hamstring Questionable, did not practice
Aaron Ross(CB) Hamstring Questionable, did not practice

Status: On starter, no major impact. Common sense would tell you that starting the Giants is a no brainer this week, but its just not that simple. The Giant’s have not been living up to their “defensive monsters” reputation the past two weeks in losses to both the Cardinals and Saints. Philly, with their pass focused offense will play them tough, as always, just as natural enemies should. This game could be real close.

New York Jets (v. Miami)
*Shaun Ellis(DE) Knee, ankle Questionable, limited practice
*David Harris(LB) Wrist Probable, full practice
*Bart Scott(LB) Knee Questionable, limited practic
Lito Sheppard(CB) Quadricep Questionable, did not practice

*Donald Strickland(CB) Ankle Probable, full practice
*Bryan Thomas(LB) Wrist Probable, full practice

Status: If I were a Jets fan this list of injuries would make me want to vomit, especially against the legendary Wildcat offense that no one can seem to shut up about. Well I guess there is good reason for that, last time the Jets played Miami (week 5) the Jets score -5 points and were just embarrassed. Make sure you keep that in mind when adjusting your lineup. (Hint Hint: Adjust your lineup)


Philadelphia Eagles (v. New York Giants)
Victor Abiamiri(DE) Knee Out
Darren Howard(DE) Ankle, calf Questionable, did not practice
*Akeem Jordan(LB) Hip Probable, full practice
Dimitri Patterson(CB) Quadricep, hand Questionable, did not practice

Status: See Giants analysis.


Finally, Happy Halloween all, I hope your fantasy scores aren’t too scary!

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury and Update

SLEEPERS

Eagles (v. Buccaneers): Already a solid defensive unit, the Eagles are coming off a bye week and should be well rested and ready for action. The Buccaneers however, are 0-4 and starting a rookie quarterback in front of a hostile Philadelphia crowd. (They pelted Santa Claus with snowballs for no reason…Santa Claus… that’s just plain mean) Look for Philadelphia to have a solid week against the meager Bucs. On a side note: I am aware the Eagles are not a sleeper per se, but they aren’t owned in 100% of ESPN leagues, so just consider this my reminder to check you FA lists.

Redskins (v. Panthers): Carolina has been a fantasy owners dream this season as every team who has played them has walked away happy (Eagles-35pts, Falcons-7pts and Cowboys-19pts (ESPN scoring)) If the Redskins take advantage of this weak offense and Delhomme’s high turnover rate, the Redskins could post high numbers this week.

Bills (v. Cleveland): Cleveland showed some life last week but I think that has more to do with Cincy playing down to Cleveland’s level and not vice versa. Despite the brief spark, the Browns have been offensively inept thus far and while they’ve resolved their quarterback controversy, that’s about the only issue they’ve solved this season. However, please take note that I only recommend picking up the Bills if you are stuck in a bye week or way unfavorable matchup scenario as the Bills, while having the potential to produce offensively (see week 1), also have a tendency to “suck”. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t find another word that echoed my sentiments more eloquently)

INJURIES

*Denotes Starter

Baltimore Ravens (v. Cincinnati)
*Tavares Gooden (LB) Shoulder/head, Probable, full practice
*Jarret Johnson (LB) Shoulder, Questionable, did not practice
*Ed Reed (S) Knee, Probable, full practice

Impact: I don’t even know why they list players who are “probable” and have participated in full practice all week on the injury report. Alright, I do know why; they have to. Anyway, my point is that Gooden and Reed will likely be on the field on Sunday so the only concern here is the potential loss of Johnson, which, if you’ve read any of my prior posts, you would know that I generally state would be no big deal seeing as he is the only defensive starter possibly out at the moment. As such, go with the Ravens this week against the Bengals because although the Bengals have played well against Green Bay and Pittsburgh, they were exposed last week against the Browns and the Ravens don’t have fourth quarter collapses like the Steelers to take advantage of.

Dallas Cowboys (v. Kansas City)
Gerald Sensabaugh(S) Thumb, Questionable, did not practice
Mike Hamlin(S) Wrist, Questionable, did not practice
Curtis Johnson(LB) Hamstring, Questionable, did not practice

Impact: Non-starters, no significant impact

New England Patriots (v. Denver)
*Jerod Mayo(LB) Knee, Questionable, limited practice
James Sanders (S) Shoulder, Questionable, limited practice
*Shawn Springs(CB) Knee, Questionable, limited practice
*Vince Wilfork (NT) Ankle, Questionable, limited practice

Impact: The Patriots always have a solid supporting cast waiting in the wings to takeover for any injury, however, I’m not sure I would start even a fully healthy Patriots defense this week against Denver. While I’m yet to be completely sold on Denver, who is 4-0 against the Bengals, Browns, Raiders and Cowboys, I’m not going to underestimate them at Mile High Stadium against an inconsistent Patriots defense.

New York Giants (v. Oakland)
*Michael Boley Knee, Out
Bryan Kehl(LB) Finger, Questionable, did not practice
Chris Canty(DT) Calf, Questionable, did not practice
Aaron Ross(CB) Hamstring, Questionable, did not practice
Clint Sintim(LB) Groin, Probable, full practice
Dave Tollefson(DE) Illness, Questionable, did not practice
*Justin Tuck(DE) Shoulder, Probable, full practice

Impact: Boley is out, but fortunately the Giants already know how to work around his absence due to his first week suspension. The Giant’s are a no brainer to start this week as they facing the not-so-mighty Oakland Raiders who in the last two weeks only managed to score a combined total of 9 points against Denver and Houston.

New York Jets (v. Miami)
*Lito Sheppard(DB) Quadricep, Missed Week 4 at New Orleans
Donald Strickland(DB) Ankle, Missed Week 4 at New Orleans

Impact: It’s hard to analyze without a status being listed however, I’m just going to restate my belief that the loss of one starter won’t severely damage a defense. Although Miami is 1-3 on the season this far, this matchup has me a little nervous for the Jets for some reason that I can’t exactly pinpoint. Maybe it’s the fact that the Dolphins kept it close with the Colts and obliterated the Bills, maybe it’s the Monday night factor, or maybe it’s just that I’m incredibly sick as I’m writing this and I’m mixing up my queasiness with uneasiness.

Philadelphia Eagles (v. Tampa Bay)
Quintin Demps(S) Hamstring, Probable, full practice
Dimitri Patterson(CB) Hand, Probable, full practice
Ellis Hobbs(CB) Illness ,Probable, full practice

Impact: Non-starters, no significant impact.

Pittsburgh Steelers (v. Detroit)
*Troy Polamalu(DB) Knee, Questionable , limited practice
Andre Frazier (LB) Shoulder, Questionable, did not practice

Impact: Word on the street is that Polamalu might be back this week which would be a huge boost for the Steelers’ defense which has been having some fourth quarter issues as of late. (By “fourth quarter issues” I mean “doing everything just short of not taking the field to allow the other team to score.”) Nevertheless, this week the Steelers will be facing Detroit which shouldn’t pose as too much a challenge for them

Tennessee Titans (v. Indianapolis)
Colin Allred(LB) Shoulder, Questionable, did not practice
*Keith Bulluck Knee, Questionable, Limited Practice
*Cortland Finnegan(CB) Hamstring, Questionable, Limited Practice
Vincent Fuller (S) Forearm, Questionable, did not practice
Jason Jones(DT) Shoulder, Questionable, did not practice
Stanford Keglar (LB) Hamstring, Questionable, limited practice

Impact: I don’t know why I keep listing the Titans as a top defense this year; they’ve been far too unpredictable and completely unreliable. This theme will continue into Week 5 against Indy, when 6’5 230lb quarterback with a laser-rocket arm, Peyton Manning will exploit all the weaknesses the Titans have revealed so far this season. DO NOT START.

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury & Impact Week 4

SLEEPERS

49’s (v. Rams): I hate to keep picking on the Rams but until they demonstrate that they are anything but offensively inept, I’m going to consider anyone playing against them as a solid pick. However, this selection isn’t solely based on the Rams horrendous play, the 49’s have turned in solid performances in the first three weeks of the season against much tougher opponents and only seem to be getting better.

Bengals (v. Browns): With a solid scores against the Vikings and Packers as well as a man-handling of the Steelers under their belt, the Bengals are proving to be a force to be reckoned with this season. Conversely, the Browns are embroiled in a quarterback controversy focused on figuring out with which quarterback, Quinn or Anderson, do the Browns suck less. This really shouldn’t be a challenge for Cincy.

INJURIES AND IMPACT

*Denotes Starter

Baltimore Ravens
Justin Bannan(DT)Knee-Questionable, Limited practice.
*Tavares Gooden(LB)Shoulder& head- Questionable, Limited practice.
*Jarret Johnson(LB)Shoulder-Questionable, Limited practice
*Ray Lewis(LB)Head –Questionable, Limited practice
*Trevor Pryce(DT)Sick-Questionable, Did not practice.

Impact: While the Patriots have yet to find their usual swagger this season, they should not be taken lightly. Tom Brady & Co. still have all the weapons to make a fantasy defense owner weep and one of these weeks things are going to start clicking for them again. So, if I owned the Baltimore Defense this week, I would be a little weary, especially given that my three starting linebackers are listed as questionable. Keep your eye on this situation, if Gooden, Johnson and Lewis are not upgraded by Sunday morning, you might want to consider picking up one of the sleeper defenses listed above.

Dallas Cowboys
Michael Hamlin (S)Wrist- Questionable, Did not practice.
Curtis Johnson(LB)Hamstring- Questionable, Did not practice.
*DeMarcus Ware(LB)Neck- Probable
Jason Williams(LB)Ankle-Probable

Impact: The only starter listed is classified as probable so, no major impact.

Denver Broncos
Spencer Larsen(LB) Shoulder - Questionable, Did not practice.

Impact: No major impact

New England Patriots
Darius Butler (CB)Thigh- Questionable, Limited practice
*Jerod Mayo(LB)Knee - Questionable, Did not practice (Has missed past two games)
*Shawn Springs(CB)Knee- Questionable, Limited practice.
*Vince Wilfork(DT)Ankle - Questionable, Did not practice
Jonathan Wilhite(CB)Groin- Questionable, Limited practice
Mike Wright(DT)Shoulder- Questionable, Limited practice

Impact: I’m going to skip the actual impact part of this analysis and just advise you not to start the Patriot’s Defense this week. The Patriots Defense, though respectable, has yet to assert themselves as the top tier defense we expect them to be, while the Ravens Offense has seemingly abandoned the low scoring, win it with defense mentality of the AFC North. (Granted two of their wins came against KC and Cleveland) Given their performances thus far this season, this week’s matchup between the Patriots and Ravens is shaping up to be a much closer and much more of a shootout than would normally be expected and this does not bode well for fantasy defense owners.

New Orleans Saints
*Kendrick Clancy(DT) –Knee-Questionable, Did not practice.
Bobby McCray(DE)-Back- Questionable, Did not practice.

Impact: No major impact

New York Giants
Chris Canty (DT)-Calf-Questionable, did not practice
Kevin Dockery (CB)- Hamstring-Questionable,Limited practice
Aaron Ross (CB)-Hamstring-Questionable, Limited practice
Clint Sintim(LB)-Groin-Questionable, Limited practice
*Justin Tuck (DE)-Shoulder-Questionable,Did not practice

Impact: Tuck is a key player, but given the strength of the Giant’s Defense and the not-so-hot performance of the Chiefs thus far, the absence of Tuck won’t be a major impact on the overall performance of the Defense.

New York Jets
*Darrelle Revis (CB)-Hamstring-Probable
Larry Izzo (LB)-Hamstring- Questionable, did not practice
*Kris Jenkins(DT)-Groin- Probable
*Jim Leonhard(S)Knee-Questionable, did not practice
Sione Pouha(DT)Ankle-Probable
*Kerry Rhodes(S) Knee-Questionable, limited practice
*Lito Sheppard(CB)-Quadricep-Questionable, did not practice
Donald Strickland(CB)-Ankle-Questionable, did not practice
Calvin Pace(LB) Suspension

Impact: Holy secondary issues! Let’s see, both starting safeties, a starting cornerback and a second-string cornerback who would be filling in, are all listed as questionable. And, just to sprinkle on a little more fun, the other starting cornerback is listed as probable and one of the team’s top linebackers is still suspended. This seems like the perfect scenario for the Jets to face the top fantasy scoring quarterback with one of the best passing offenses in the league.( If you’re not picking up on the sarcasm please re-read the previous sentence substituting “the perfect” with “a horrendous”. ) Ok, enough of the doom and gloom because in reality, the majority, if not all of these players will see the field this week. However, this doesn’t mean you should be waiting this one out before deciding to go with another defense Sunday morning. Given the Saints ability to put up big numbers and offensive dominance this season thus far, even at their healthiest, I would be extremely nervous about starting the Jets this week against New Orleans.

Pittsburgh Steelers
*Troy Polamalu (S):Knee-Questionable, Did not practice.

Impact: Usually I would say that the loss of one starter on a solid defense is, while unfavorable, not a major deal. However, without Troy in the lineup the Steelers Defense has been struggling, especially in the secondary. While these woes can’t be completely attributed to the absence of the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” (note: he’s Samoan, not Hawaiian), the Steelers definitely feel the loss of a player who, in the few minutes he played in the first game of the season, substantiated his status of a five-time Pro-Bowler.

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injury and Impact

Sleeper Picks

Green Bay (v. Cincinnati): Ok, so not a “sleeper” per se as they are hailed as one of the better defenses this year, however, according to ESPN.com, the Packers Defense is available in roughly one-third of fantasy leagues hosted by the site. The Packers looked great last week, picking up four interceptions against Chicago. Look for this new 3-4 defense to run all over the struggling Cincinnati offense in Week 2.

Redskins (v. St. Louis): I don’t mean to pick on the Rams, but it’s hard to when they’re that bad. The Rams were shut out last week as stars Avery and Jackson were limited to 54 yards and 67 yards total respectively, and that was against Seattle. So, just imagine what Haynesworth and the Redskins are going to do to this lackluster offense.



Baltimore Ravens
Tavares Gooden (LB): Knee injury but list as probable as he has participated in full practice
Ed Reed(S): Participated in limited practice due to a concussion and is questionable this week against SanDiego.
Terrell Suggs(LB): Concussion, Questionable, has not practiced as of Thursday
Tom Zbikowski (S): Like Suggs, also suffering from a concussion which has held him out of practice.

Impact: After a not so impressive showing against Kansas City, the Baltimore Ravens need to come back big this week against San Diego, who itself has a much stronger offense than Kansas City. However, this feat just became significantly more difficult with the injuries to Gooden, Reed, Suggs and Zbikowski. Assuming that Gooden will play, the absence of Suggs (starting Right OLB) is still a detriment to the linebacking core. Additionally, a pair of concussions to both Reed and his backup Zbikowski, could leave a gaping hole in the secondary. My prediction: Although this defense certainly cannot be referred to as “bad”, the poor fantasy performance last week against a weaker team in conjunction with these key injuries makes me believe that Baltimore just won’t have what it takes to score big this week.

Dallas Cowboys
Michael Hamlin(S): Questionable- Injury to wrist has held Hamlin out of practice
Curtis Johnson (LB): Probable- Participated fully in practice despite hamstring injury
Gerald Sensabaugh (S): Probable-Chest injury but not severe enough to impact ability to practice fully

Jason Williams(LB): Questionable- Held out of practice due to ankle injury

Impact: No significant impact. Owners don’t have much to worry about as the only starter reported as injured is safety Gerald Sensabaugh who is listed as Probable and has participated in unlimited practices.

Denver Broncos
Champ Bailey(DB):Ankle- Questionable (Did not Practice)
Josh Barrett(DB): Shoulder- Questionable (Limited Practice)
Brian Dawkins(DB) : Hand- Questionable(Did not Practice)
Spencer Larsen(LB) : Shoulder- Questionable (Did not Practice)

Impact: Bad news: With both Bailey and Dawkins injured, the Broncos will be playing with a compromised secondary if both players sit-out. Good news: They are playing Cleveland is run-happy and even bad at that. Broncos will do well as they will keep Cleveland to a low score.

Green Bay Packers
Atari Bigby(S): Knee-Out
Will Blackmon(CB): Quad injury – Probable (Full Practice)
B.J. Raji (DT): Ankle- Probable (Full practice)

Impact: Starting strong safety Atari Bigby is out but Aaron Rouse should be an adequate filler for this game against a weak Bengals offense.

Minnesota Vikings
Heath Farwell (LB): Hamstring – Questionable (Limited Practice)
Erin Henderson (LB): Calf injury – Questionable (Did Not Practice)

Impact: Non-starters, no significant impact

New England Patriots
Jerod Mayo (LB): Knee- Questionable (Did not practice)
Rob Ninkovich(LB): Calf – Questionable (Limited practice)
Myron Pryor (DT):Calf– Questionable (Limited practice)
Adalius Thomas(LB): Foot– Questionable (Limited practice)
Terrence Wheatley(CB): Knee– Questionable (Limited practice)

Impact: The only noteworthy injury here is that that to the only starter listed: Adalius Thomas. However, even that injury isn’t a monumental detriment to the Pats Defense as the Patriots have previously dealt with the absence of Thomas as he played in only nine games last year (registering 34 tackles and 5 sacks). If Thomas sits out, which is 50/50 at this point, nine year veteran Derrick Burgess, formerly of the Raiders, will be ready to step-in and the surrounding cast of the Patriots D will compensate for any difference in production.

New York Giants
Michael Boley (LB): Hip– Questionable (Limited Practice)
Chris Canty (DT): Calf– Questionable (Limited Practice)
Kevin Dockery (CB): Hamstring – Questionable (Limited Practice)
Michael Johnson (S): Shoulder– Questionable (Did not practice)
Kenny Phillips (S): Knee – Questionable (Did not practice)
Aaron Ross (CB): Hamstring – Questionable (Did not practice)
Clint Sintim (LB): Groin– Questionable (Limited Practice)

Impact: Starters listed: Boley, Johnson and Phillips. While these three are listed as questionable and may very well play, if all three men sit out this could be trouble for the Giants Defense, especially in the secondary as both starting strong safety and free safety would be out. If this occurs, look for Romo to drop back and challenge their replacements, C.C. Brown and Steve Cargile, instead of trying to wade through the Giants’ dominate front seven.

New York Jets
Mike DeVito (DE): Hamstring- Probable (Full Practice
Kris Jenkins (DT): Back– Questionable (Limited Practice)
Sione Pouha (DT): Ankle – Questionable (Limited Practice)
Bryan Thomas (LB): Ankle– Probable (Full Practice)
Calvin Pace (LB) Suspension, minimum four weeks, eligible to return week 5 against Miami

Impact: Listed as Probable, it’s a pretty safe bet that Bryan Thomas will be on the field this week. However, fantasy owners will want to check out this situation Sunday morning as the absence of Thomas could result in a severely weakened linebacking core up against one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. More specifically, Thomas’s backup, Vernon Gholston is already filling in for the suspended Calvin Pace, which in itself is a big loss, so, if Thomas sits out, either Craig Kobel or Margues Murrell (both 3rd Stringers) will be tapped to play OLB. Thus, the Jets would be starting Bart Scott, a rookie and a third stringer against Tom Brady & Co.. In addition to that mess, both Kris Jenkins (a four-time Pro-Bowler) and his backup Sione Pouha are also listed as questionable. My prediction: The Jets have all the tools to mount a stand against the Patriots, but this should be a close battle and I do not foresee the Jets D turning in a high fantasy score. Despite last week’s performance, or perhaps because of it and the motivation it has provided, the Patriots still have a very dangerous offense. Be sure to check the status of Thomas and Jenkins Sunday morning, because if they’re out, you might not want to start this defense.

Philadelphia Eagles
Quintin Demps (S): Hamstring- Questionable (Did not practice)
Joe Mays (LB): Shoulder- Questionable (Did not practice)

Impact: Non-starters, no significant impact.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Tyrone Carter(S): Did not practice for reasons not related to injury
Troy Polamalu (S): Knee - Questionable (Did not practice)
Aaron Smith(DE): Same situation at Tyrone Carter
Lawrence Timmons (LB): Ankle- Probable

Impact: The loss of Polamalu certainly takes away an important spark from the secondary, especially if the player who is to take over for him, Carter, is also out. However, that situation is unclear and this ambiguity extends also to the case of Smith. On a brighter note, the Steelers should be getting back Timmons, whose speed and explosiveness will only strengthen this already dominate group of linebackers. Over all, although the loss of Polamalu stings, it’s not enough to knock the Steelers out of the top tier of defenses and they should very well against the struggling Chicago offense (Note: Cutler threw four picks last week against Green Bay)

Tennessee Titans
David Thornton(LB): Knee Questionable (Did not practice)

Impact: The possible loss of one starter will not be slowing down this defense.

Defensive Corner: Sleepers, Injuries & Impact

Sleeper Picks of the Week:

- Seattle (vs. Rams): Seattle wasn’t great last year but the Rams were worse going 2-14 and coming in dead last in the NFC West. Sadly, this season looks only marginally better for the Rams. While adapting to new coach Steve Spagnuolo, the Rams must deal with a lingering pinkie injury (broken pinkie) to quarterback Marc Bulger, who missed the last three preseason games and only this past week began taking direct snaps again. In addition, the majority of the Rams WR core ( Donnie Avery, Derek Stanley, Keenan Burton and Laurent Robinson) remains unproven with only Avery breaking 200 yards in the 2008 season. If Seattle can contain the only two true threats on the team, WR Avery and RB Steven Jackson, Seattle’s generally decent defense will put up respectable fantasy points making them one of the top sleeper picks of the week.

-Saints (v. Lion): The Saints have a respectable defense and they’re playing Detroit this week, no further explanation necessary. In fact, at this time I’m just going to put it out there that if you didn’t pick up a good defense in your draft and/or your defense has a bye-week, whoever is playing the Lions that week will probably be a good fantasy pick.


Injury Update and Impact

REDSKINS
Albert Haynesworth (DL): Although still suffering from a lingering stomach condition, Haynesworth is probable for action this week.
Carlos Rogers (DB)- Calf- Questionable for game against Ravens
London Fletcher (LB)- Foot- Probable for Ravens matchup

Impact: Listed as “probable” both Fletcher and Haynesworth should be all set to play this week so the only question mark would be Carlos Rogers. However, even if Rogers, who is a starting cornerback, were to sit out, the Redskins wouldn’t feel too much off a drop off in the secondary as Rogers’ backup, Fred Smoot, turned in comparable stats with 54 tackles and 1 interception to Rogers’ 56 tackels and 2 interceptions last season.


CHARGERS
Jacques Cesaire (DL)-Calf - Questionable
Kevin Burnett (LB)- Neck- Questionable

Impact: Both starters, if both Cesaire and Burnett sit out this week, the Chargers lose valuable experience at both LB and DE and but five year veteran Travis Johnson and Tim Dobbins, who had 57 tackles last year, will be there to fill the void.

EAGLES
Dimitri Patterson (DB)Ankle- Questionable


Impact: No significant impact

JETS
Shaun Ellis (DL) Suspension- Minimum 1 week suspension
Calvin Pace (LB) Suspension- Suspended a minimum of four games. Eligible for return for week 5 matchup against Miami

Impact: Well this isn’t good. Both Ellis and Pace are key players on the Jets Defense and the loss of either of them impacts the team negatively, let alone both. Beginning with Ellis, as one of the most tenured players on the team, he brings both experience and excellence to the Jets Defense as evidenced by the fact he was name Jets Defensive Player of the Game twice last season. As for Pace, the Jets are now without a staple in their linebacking core as Pace who started all 16 games last season and recorded 67 tackles (12 for a loss), 7 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries, is gone for at least four games. Although the Jets claim that Mike DeVito and Vernon Gholston will be set to fill in for the duo, the Jets Defense will definitely lose a step this week, however they remain a fantasy defense worthy of starting.

GIANTS
Michael Boley (LB)-Suspension for at least first game of the season
Chris Canty(LB) Hamstring- Questionable
Aaron Ross (DB)Hamstring - Questionable

Impact: Canty and Ross should be ready to go this week (see my explanation of “questionable” under the Green Bay analysis) however, Boley is definitely out for a minimum of one week for violating league personal conduct rules during an incident in which he became “too physical” with his wife in 2008. Surely, the Giants would love to have a player who made 73 tackles and 1 interception last year on hand to play, but this stacked defense will surely be more than fine without him.

VIKINGS
Erin Henderson (LB) Leg- Questionable

Impact: Non-starter, no major impact. (Note: this is not starting middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, but OLB Erin Henderson.)

PACKERS
Clay Matthews (LB) Hamstring -Questionable
B.J. Raji (DL)Ankle- Questionable
Aaron Rouse (DB) Hamstring- Questionable
Brandon Underwood (DB) Neck -Questionable
Atari Bigby (DB)Thumb- Questionable

Impact: There are a lot of names here, so I must address this. First off, let me just point out that “questionable” usually means “he’s playing but I’m covering my ass just in case,” so most of these guys will probably be ready to go in week one. However, just for arguments sake, if all of these players were to somehow be too injured to play this week, the Packer’s defense would feel a little sting but nothing unmanageable. If this scenario were to unfold, the biggest impact would be felt in the secondary with both strong safeties (Bigby and Rouse) sitting out. However, with the remaining injuries being sustained by second and third stringesr, there will be no real detriment to the defense with the injuries to Underwood, Raji and Matthew; that is, unless Johnny Jolly, Ryan Pickett, Brady Poppinga, Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush all go down. And if that were to happen, I would be investing my entire checking account in the Powerball drawing that night.

COWBOYS
Curtis Johnson (DL) Hamstring- Probable
Alan Ball (DB)Concussion -Probable
Mike Hamlin (DB)Arm- Out
Jason Williams (LB) Ankle- Out

Impact: All second stringers, no imminent impact.

BEARS
Israel Idonije (DL)Hamstring- Questionable
Nick Roach (LB) Undisclosed- Questionable
Charles Tillman (DB)Back- Questionable

Impact: Non-starts, no significant impact

Defensive Corner: Injury & Impact

Injury is many things: unexpected, seemingly unavoidable, and hard to watch (the Theismann injury still makes me nauseous), but most importantly injuries have the potential to alter a team's season and therefore command attention from fantasy team owners. So without anything further, here is a list of injuries and their impact on the defenses worthy of being drafted this season:

Baltimore Ravens

Ed Reed

(S): Reed did not practice on Tuesday due to a nerve impingment.
Terrell Suggs (LB): Suffered a heel injury earlier this week but according to the Baltimore Sun, was scheduled to play in the Raven’s preseason finale against the Falcons on Thursday.
Samari Rolle (CB): Will start the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform List and will be out for at least six weeks due to a neck injury.
Ray Lewis (LB): Spotted sporting a wrapped elbow and forearm in the second half of last Saturday’s preseason game against the Panthers.

Impact: The Raven’s defense is going through a major transition this year and one of the keys to its success will be to create stability and a sense of familiarity on the field. So it doesn’t bring much comfort to see four of the most experienced and several of the most recognizable, impact players on the defense listed on the injury report prior to the start of the regular season. However, Baltimore fans and fantasy owners should not fret. In reality, aside from the injury to Samari Rolle, these injuries are not serious and any reservations the Baltimore organization may have about playing Suggs or Reed this week are more likely due precaution than the presence of an actual debilitating injury. In addition, the loss of Samari Rolle really isn’t anything new to the Ravens D : In 2007 Rolle only played a grand total of six games due to a shoulder injury and diagnosis of epilepsy and last season Rolle missed six games with a neck injury. As such the Ravens have prepared themselves for a loss at this position with the recent addition Domonique Foxworth as well as last year’s pickup in Fabian Washington. In all, given the trivial nature of the injuries to Suggs, Lewis and Reed in conjunction with the distant proximity from the start of the regular season and the ability to replace Rolle, I don’t really see any red flags in regards to either drafting or starting this defense; in fact I highly suggest you do.

New York Giants:

Antonio Pierce (LB): Foot injury but partook in individual workouts and limited team drills earlier this week.
Osi Umenyiora (DE): No technical “injury” but perhaps a big case of the cry-babies. Umenyiora stormed out of practice on Monday for which he later apologized.
Chris Canty (DE): Hamstring injury but was back in team drills early this week.
Michael Boley (LB): Hip injury but, like Canty, was also back in action early this week.

Impact: Like that of the Ravens, the list of names on this injury report are just the ones necessary to send chills down the spine of a fantasy owner, however, also like the Ravens, these injuries are not serious enough to raise any red flags. This is evidenced by the quick return to practice of these players. While there may be some alarm about injuries this early in the season, well, technically preseason, again I chalk any limitations in practice and play up to precaution and what I like to call the “breaking in” process (when bodies are adjusting back to full on contact) that is the preseason. In actuality the only “injury” listed here that concerns me is the behavior of Umenyiora. Although he is a star of the defense and the likelihood of him being benched is almost nothing, given the success of the Giant’s D last year without him, Umenyiora doesn’t have the clout necessary to become a locker room distraction without represecussion.

Washington Redskins:

Albert Haynesworth

(DT): Haynesworth was out earlier this week with a stomach ailment as at the time of this piece remained sidelined.

Impact: Haynesworth was the big name acquisition of the free agency period this year and his loss would certainly be have big implication on the morale of, not only the team, but the Redskin fans. However, unless he has contracted a case of H1N1 and is secretly an infant, pregnant woman or elderly individual, Haynesworth should bounce back in time to wreak havoc on the field by the start of the regular season.

Sidenote: Coach Jim Zorn, as per ESPN.com, is reportedly concerned that CB Carlos Rogers has missed too much of the preseason with a calf injury to be sufficiently prepared for the regular season but nothing concrete has been decided at the moment.


Pittsburgh Steelers:

Lawrence Timmons (LB): Timmons is hurt… again, but this time with an ankle injury. Although the Steelers have reported that X-ray’s have been negative, Timmons is listed as questionable for the opener against Tennessee.

Impact: Although his speed would be an added advantage the defense, the Steelers linebacking core is strong enough that Timmons absence will not make too big of an impact. ( On a purely personal note, this just adds fuel to my annoyance with the fact that Timmons was selected over LB Paul Posluszny (Bills) in the 2007 Draft.)


OTHER INJURIES

Miami Dolphins: Matt Roth (DE): May or may not be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List.

Houston Texans: Euguene Wilson: Suffering from a cheap shot…er, I mean knee injury resulting from an illegal block thrown by Brett Favre. Wilson was reportedly “okay” following Monday’s game so this won’t be causing problems with the status of the Texan’s D.

Tennessee Titans: No major injuries sustained last week but instead the Titans got back three players ( DE Jason Jones, S Vincent Fuller and LB Stephen Tulloch) from injury.

The Breakdown: The Top Fantasy Football Defenses

With much focus placed on securing quality QBs, RBs and WRs, a quality fantasy football Defense is often underrated in pre-draft consideration. Truth is, while procuring a top defense is not your first priority in drafting, it should be kept in mind that a defense’s performance can make or break several games throughout the season. When evenly matched against an opponent in other aspects, a dominant defense can garner you the points necessary to claim victory, while a defensive collapse that actually produces negative points can negate the positive work done by other players and snatch a win away. (Trust me, I’ve seen it happen more than once.) So, without anything further, here is a look at the top fantasy defenses for the 2009 season:

1. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: A perennial powerhouse, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is poised to, once again, rank among the top defensive units in the NFL. In fact, I project them to be THE top defense this season. Led by linebackers James Harrison and James Farrior, as well as safeties Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu, the Steelers Defense limited opponents to an average of 237.2 yards per game and a paltry 13.9 points per game in the 2008 season, ranking No. 1 in the NFL in both categories; and with no major moves in the off-season, do not expect much deviation from that type of production this year. Additionally, with little off-season movement, Coordinator Dick LeBeau is free to concentrate on improving, not repairing or assimilating to, his defensive unit. Specifically, LeBeau will be focusing on a way to incorporate LB Lawrence Timmons in a way to maximize his speed and explosiveness which could make the Pittsburgh D even more dangerous than it already is. Still not convinced? Just remember that FF Defenses earn more points for lower scoring games and the Steelers play in the AFC North, which is essentially the NFL equivalent to the Big 10 when it comes to frequency of high-scoring games. And, if that weren’t enough, the Steelers’ strength of schedule ranks 29/32 this upcoming season. (Keep in mind they dominated last year with one of the league's toughest schedules)

2. NEW YORK GIANTS: The Giants ranked #10 in Defensive Fantasy points last season but things are looking up. To begin, Giants fans should be breathing a sigh of relief with news that they will be getting back two of their defensive leaders: Antonio Pierce (95 tackles, 72 solo and 2 sacks) will not be indicted for his involvement with Plaxico Burress’s shannanigans, and two-time Pro-Bowler and Giants Record Holder for most sacks in a game (6),DE Osi Umenyiora, who sat out the 2008 season, will return from injury. As if the return of these two weren’t enough, the Giants also picked up DE Chris Canty who last year had a career high 37 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 deflected passes, DT Rocky Bernard and LB Michael Boley during the off-season. Throw in DE Justin Tuck, who alone had 12 and 10 sacks in the past two seasons respectively and you have one monster unit. As long as there is no major fallout with new Defensive Coordinatory Bill Sheridan, who has stated that he will not make any major changes to the defensive scheme, fantasy owners can expect great numbers from the Giants Defense in 2009.

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3. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Like the Steelers, the Ravens have a slight advantage in the low-scoring AFC North and a favorable strength of schedule (28/32), but unlike the Steelers, the Ravens will have to grapple with instability caused by off-season movement this year. In addition to losing defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, the mastermind of the “organized chaos” which characterizes the Ravens defense, the Ravens will also have to deal with the losses of key players Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, Corey Ivy and Chris McAlister. While these departures are detrimental to last year’s No. 1 fantasy defense, the Ravens prevented a major hemorrhaging by resigning perennial Pro-Bowler and team leader Ray Lewis, whose overt confidence and swagger seemingly drive the Baltimore Defense. In addition to Lewis, the Ravens also signed cornerbacks Chris Carr and Dominique Foxworth to immediately fill voids created by free agency and added depth in drafting Paul Kruger (DE) and Jason Phillips (ILB). As I’ve noted previously, although Foxworth comes to Baltimore unaccompanied by impressive stats or notoriety, he has been praised by Jim Harbaugh as “a top flight corner and a top-flight corner in the Ravens mold.” In all, the Baltimore Defense should slip a bit this year, but when you fall slightly from a No. 1 spot you’re still considered a fantasy top pick.

4. TENNESSEE TITANS: But they don't have Albert Haynesworth! How will they ever succeed? Everyone needs to calm down about the loss of Haynesworth. Yes, he is an incredible player, truly a disruptive monster on the field, but he is only one person and it took more than Haynesworth alone for the Titans to have the fourth highest scoring defensive unit of the 2008 fantasy season and Tennessee will return 10 of last year’s 11 starters. Notable returners include members of the secondary Cortland Finnegan, Michael Griffin, and Chris Hope who last season combined for 16 interceptions as well as LBs Keithe Bulluck and Stephen Tullock who had 98 and 84 tackles last year respectively, and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. Overall, sophomore DE Jason Jones and DT Tony Brown should take some of the sting out of losing Haynesworth and the Titans will continue to be a top fantasy defense.

#5 - Minnesota Vikings
#6 - New York Jets

The Case of Michael Vick

On Friday, whilst peacefully reviewing work documents, I received, what I consider to be, some of the most disturbing news of my relatively short life: the office secretary irately announced that her very good friend, who works for a Pittsburgh Cab Company, just texted her “we just dropped M. Vick off at Steelers facility” (sic). Knowing that our secretary is not one to B.S., immediately, all present members of my office darted into the common area shouting incoherent slews of obscenities, grumbles and words I can’t describe as belonging to the English language. After a few hours to calm down, during which office staff drifted in and out of the common area to profess their disgust with the alleged situation and debate the veracity of the text, we began to wonder, if maybe, just maybe, there would be any upside to our beloved team, or any team for that matter, acquiring one of the most unpopular sports figures at the moment.

The Case for Michael Vick:
1. He has served his time: Michael Vick has undoubtedly served his time, well, at least the time that was assessed as being a sufficient punishment by a court of law. While many, including myself, view his punishment as inadequate for the crimes he committed, Vick has no further obligation to society, and, like other one-time criminals, should be allowed to resume his professional career and put the incident behind him. Or, as Coach Mike Tomlin put it, "I thought the basis of our country was built on second chances and redemption. This guy pays his debt to society and he's reinstated by [NFL] commissioner [Roger] Goodell, he deserves an opportunity to right some of the things he has done wrong." (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/around_the_nfl/post/Tomlin-Vick-has-paid-debt-to-society?urn=nfl,150597).

2. Talent: Before his incarceration, Vick was a premiere athlete who made three Pro-Bowl appearances in six seasons and commanded a contract worth $130 million over 10 years. While he might not be the best quarterback, Vick made up for any shortcomings with raw athletic talent, specifically his speed and evasiveness. Although Vick will most likely have a good bit of rust to shake off, the price any team willing to take him will pay will be an immense bargain in comparison to his pre-incarceration earnings potential. Further, like T.O., Vick will recognize this year as a make-or-break year and will have tremendous motivation to not only give it everything he has to prove himself worthwhile as a PR risk, but also to walk the proverbial “straightened arrow” to avoid any additional public unrest. These factors combined make Vick a very solid backup quarterback with potential to either transition to a starting position or be a valuable bargaining chip in future trade negotiations.

The Case Against Michael Vick:
1. PR Nightmare: Do I really need to run through this? We’re all aware of the issues that acquiring a convicted felon will bring to a team, especially a felon who orchestrated and profited from the torture of animals over a lengthy period of time: PETA will protest and the franchise could alienate their dog-loving fans. But aside from this, any team which takes Vick will have to do some serious damage control for signing a convicted felon at all (absent the animal-related aspect). In recent years, the media has directed much attention to the legal woes surrounding professional athletes and the NFL has come under fire for condoning such behavior in the name of winning. How could a team possibly rebut this accusation while acquiring Vick? In continuing to accept questionable athletes into its ranks, the NFL, and particularly the team which takes him, runs a great risk of being viewed as “dirty” or “dirtier”, which could be off-putting to fans, especially families. So, the question is, “is Vick worth the PR nightmare which will ensue?”

2. Time Away Impact on Skills: Aside from character issues, there are many questions regarding Vick’s ability to play. Michael Vick has missed the past two NFL seasons and, unlike an injured star or a benchwarmer, this time was spent in a federal penitentiary, not running drills and honing skills. This begs the question of just how much rust does Vick have to shake off before being able to compete at a level that would justify a team acquiring him? Moreover, how will this athlete, who has always been the face of his franchise, adjust to his non-preferential treatment? If after several months the humility Vick has acquired throughout the past two years begins to wear thin, and Vick falls back into his egocentric ways, Vick could prove to be a distraction to his teammates.

Fab Four of Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks Edition

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when fantasy football season is so close your insides start to tingle with excitement and anticipation, yet, just far off enough to make any final decisions regarding player rankings premature; so much can happen between now and draft day. But while it’s too early to solidify a plan of attack for your league(s)’s draft (wait until a week before your draft ) it’s a great idea to keep track of how things stand to prevent becoming overwhelmed at the last minute. With that in mind, here is a list of the top quarterbacks to draft this fantasy football season as it currently stands.

1. Drew Brees- As last year’s top fantasy quarterback, Brees is my, and seemingly the whole of the fantasy community’s pick for #1 quarterback this season. While Brees doesn’t exude the glitz and glamour of his follow quarterbacks ( he doesn’t have a slew of national endorsements, nor does he have a new supermodel wife) what Brees does have is far more valuable: a career on the upswing, consistency and the ability to throw deep and accurate. Since his acquisition by the Saints in 2006, Brees has thrown for more than 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns per season. ( 2006: 4418 yds/26 TD; 2007: 4423 yds/28 TD; and 2008: 5069 yds/ 34 TD) But, even prior to this, since 2003 to be exact, Brees’ yards per season has been increasingly at a steady rate. This progression, paired with the return of healthier targets in Reggie Bush and Marques Colston, sets Brees up for another high producing season.

2. Peyton Manning- Manning is in my top 5 because, well, how could you not put Peyton in your top 5. What other quarterback is so well versed in dissecting defenses and so trusted by his organization that he actually usurps one of the primary functions of an offensive coordinator /coach and calls plays as he sees fit. Manning is the type of player who can make something out of nothing; he is a master of putting together scoring drives from the most adverse situations. (Yes, I’m gushing, and no, I’m not a Colts fan) Just take a look at last season. Despite a rough start, knee injury and overall lackluster year for the Colts, Manning still threw for 27 touchdowns, 4002 yards and garnered his third NFL MVP award. While some may worry about the departure of Marvin Harrison, a perennial favorite target, I wouldn’t have concern.... at all. To be honest, Harrison hasn’t done much fantasy wise as of late and Manning still has Reggie Wayne as a target. In any case, Peyton Manning is a top fantasy quarterback because he is, in a word, clutch, and in fantasy football, clutch is what you aim for.

3. Philip Rivers- Also in a career upswing, as last year’s No. 3 overall highest FF scoring quarterback, Philip Rivers threw for an impressive 4009 yds/43 T.D., a significant increase from 3152 yds/21 T.D. in 2007. But more importantly, Rivers finally established in himself ‘08 not only as a top quarterback, but the focal point of the Chargers’ Offense. With LaDainian Tomlinson’s production on the wane, the Chargers will become increasingly more dependent on Rivers to lead the offense. If Rivers continues to connect with Vincent Jackson and if Antonio Gates stays healthy, you can expect an even better season out of Rivers this year.

4. Tom Brady- For all of those still experiencing flashbacks and other assorted symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to last season’s Brady catastrophe, why don’t you take a moment before carrying forth with this analysis. Ok, we all good? Alright, let’s get on with it. A lot of people aren’t too sure what to make of Brady this year; on one hand he’s a key player recovering from a season ending injury with almost a full year of rust to shake off, but on the other he’s freaking Tom Brady, and as much as it hurts me to say it, if there’s one person who could come back from injury better than before, its him. Still, if you’re still concerned, consider the following: Brady is not a scrambler. Much of the concern regarding an ACL/MCL injury is the agility of the player following recovery. However, with Brady this won’t be a major concern. Why? Because Brady is not a scrambler by nature nor will his team force him to become one. Brady is blessed with one of the most talent-rich teams in the entire NFL; his O-Line holds defenders long enough for him to make plays and his receivers find ways to get open. Because of this, (and strict post throw contact penalties), Brady will be able, for the most part, to drop back and pass without much juking or twisting, decreasing the likelihood of rupturing last year’s injury. Still not convinced? Keep in mind how willing the Patriots were to depart with their #1 backup for next-to-nothing, this shows the confidence the organization has in both the progress of Brady’s healing and his ability to bounce back.

Alternates: Kurt Warner, Tony Romo