Find Out Who Not To Count Out In 2008…

Many things happen in the off-season that can appear to negatively affect a player’s fantasy value. Injuries, trades, free-agent signings, position changes and draft picks are just a few examples. However, we all know that the biggest indicator of what’s real is what happens on the field. Check out who’s stock is rising or falling based on the first full weekend of NFL pre-season games. Read more

How Does AP Fall To 4th Overall?

This time of year is chalked full of expert mock drafts and fantasy leagues, and No-Offseason.com has been fortunate enough to participate in several recently. Fortunate in that we can use the information garnered in drafts to relay trends to our readers, to help them prepare to the fullest for the upcoming fantasy football season. We picked fourth in the recent FantasyFootballTrader.com Invitational, and we guarantee you’ll be surprised with who fell to us. Read more

Experts Draft: There’s Value In Round 5

Throughout our entire experts draft, I’ve been stressing the importance behind waiting until round five to take a quarterback. As you’ll see, there are plenty of top signal callers available at this point in our draft. However, QB isn’t the only position where value can be found, as Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe and Green Bay’s Greg Jennings are all top young WRs who flew off the board in round five. Read more

We Were Right About Smith & Jones

We know, we know - We Were Right About, We Were Wrong About about is reserved for the NFL season only, but when we report something and then several weeks later, guys like Adam Schefter from NFL Network report the same thing, it gives us a feeling of validation. In this case there are two reports this week that have surfaced. One is the development of Ravens QB Troy Smith and the increasing possibility that the Ravens have found a perfect fit and future starter in him. The other is that Mike Holmgren was totally bluffing when he said he’d use a running back committee with Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett. Read more

Julius Jones To Be A Featured Back…

We told you not to believe Mike Holmgren when he commented back in April about using a committee approach with Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett. Word today out of Seattle was that the Seahawks expect Jones to be a guy that can and will play in any number of offensive situations. They’re excited about his potential as a pass blocker, receiver, and power rusher.

Sounds like he’s a featured back to me. Sorry Mo Morris and T.J. Duckett, but Julius is the guy to own in Seattle - bar none.

Julius Owners: Don’t Believe Holmgren

Our sources aren’t buying into Mike Holmgren’s recent coach-speak about using a running back committee. Even though Julius Jones wasn’t spectacular by any means last season in Dallas, he is head and shoulders above Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett. Our sources believe that Holmgren is using the media to send a message to his running backs that in mid-May, nobody should take anything for granted. However, Jones will definitely be the starter, and see the rock 20-25 times a game, assuming he stays healthy. We also hear that Jones has worked extremely hard in pass protection, and improving his receiving skills this off-season. In other words, Maurice Morris is not a threat to his fantasy value. Read more

Seattle Seahawks Running Back Update…

Something weird is going on in Seattle right now, and we’re going to help you cut through the bull. Mike Holmgren is stirring up his guys by mentioning some sort of running back committee, saying that Julius Jones will split carries with Maurice Morris, and that T.J. Duckett won’t have a “short yardage” role. The media is eating right out of his hand right now.

Come on, people - seriously? Holmgren is totally messing with their heads. This is coach-speak and motivational foreplay. Jones will be the guy to win the job, and see 20 carries a game. You heard it here first.

Julius Jones To Split Carries?

Fifth year RB Julius Jones is expected to start for the Seattle Seahawks in 2008, but head coach Mike Holmgren recently mentioned the word “committee” when speaking to the media. T.J. Duckett is expected to pull some goal line duty, and Leonard Weaver and Maurice Morris will be on the team, but won’t play a huge role.

Sorry, but we’re going to have to give Julius Jones the big thumbs up from a sleeper fantasy perspective, despite what Holmgren says. Just because he’s part of a “committee,” doesn’t mean he’ll split carries. It just means he’ll be spelled occassionally.

Johnson, Bradley, Kearse, Jones Rising; Walker, Washington, Alexander Falling…

Rising - Bryant Johnson, 49ers WR - 26 year old 6′3″ WR Bryant Johnson signed a one-year deal with San Francisco. This could be just what the former first rounder needs to get his career in gear. He now goes from being one of the NFL’s most talented back-up WRs to being in one of the NFL’s most high powered passing offenses. He definitely could play the Roy Williams roll in Mike Martz’s offense. Read more

Rhodes Returns To Raiders

Surprisingly, the Raiders renegotiated Dominic Rhodes’ contract and he’ll return in 2008.  It’s becoming a stable in the backfield out there, and while Rhodes is likely their number three RB, it’s still not great news for owners of Justin Fargas and Michael Bush.

Julius Jones, Free Agent RB 
No-Offseason.com
Jones reportedly had great visits in both Detroit and Tennessee this week, and is expected to sign on the dotted line in one of those two spots soon.  Bryant Johnson is also expected to make a decision soon between Buffalo and Washington.

Trent Green, Free Agent QB
No-Offseason.com
The 36 year old Green has visited the Saints and the Rams this week.  He’s searching for a back-up job somewhere, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him re-join St. Louis.  Could Green Bay be an option?  We hear Quinn Gray is also in the running to become Aaron Rodgers’ back-up.

Kurt Warner, Cardinals QB
No-Offseason.com
Arizona is working on hammering out a deal that will keep Kurt Warner on the squad through at least the 2009 season and perhaps beyond.  They like the veteran and want to make sure he’s in place as a solid back-up to Matt Leinart.

Tank Williams, Patriots SS
No-Offseason.com
Wow, here’s a little blast from the past circa 2004.  The Patriots signed Tank Williams.  He’s now officially someone for IDP owners to monitor.  He may not play a huge role in New England’s D, but they’ve been known to ressurect the careers of older players.

D.J. Hackett, Free Agent WR
No-Offseason.com
There is a apparently a lot of concern floating around about Hackett’s durability.  He hasn’t had one free agent visit yet, let alone offer, and he may end up begging to return to Seattle on a one-year deal.

Raiders Ink Javon Walker…

The Raiders inked 29 year old Javon Walker to a six year deal worth $55 million, with $16 million guaranteed.  We have a strong feeling that no other team offered Walker even close to this amount of money, given his injury history. Listen, we really like Walker a lot, and we think he can bounce back from his knee trouble and be a productive fantasy WR once again.  However, we’re fifty-fifty on the Raiders actually being a good fit for him.  On the plus side, James Lofton is there now, and he can do some good things, and Walker is clearly the number one WR.  On the minus side, the Raiders have been a wasteland for wide receivers over the last several years with the likes of Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Doug Gabriel going there to waste away. Julius Jones, Free Agent RB 
No-Offseason.com
Fifth year RB Julius Jones visited the Lions, along with veteran LB Dan Morgan.  Niether of the players agreed to contracts, and we expect both of them to continue to test the waters a bit before landing.  In the end though, the Lions could be the best fit for both of them.

Warren Sapp, Former Raiders DL
No-Offseason.com
It’s a bit ironic that the day Brett Favre retired, Warren Sapp did as well.  Of course, Sapp was completely overshadowed by Favre, and Sapp has no fantasy relevance what-so-ever.

T.J. Duckett, Seahawks RB
No-Offseason.com
In an interesting move that could affect the landscape of the NFL Draft a bit, the Seahawks inked 26 year old RB T.J. Duckett to a five year deal.  Duckett could very easily steal plenty of work from Shaun Alexander in 2008, and he certainly makes Maurice Morris less relevant to fantasy owners.  Now that Seattle has three tailbacks, they’re very unlikely to draft one in April, despite the depth and strength of the incoming rookies at that position this season.

Travis LaBoy, Cardinals DE
No-Offseason.com
Arizona strengthened their defensive line by signing former Titans DE Travis LaBoy.