We Were Right About, We Were Wrong About

Week 9 was a crazy one, as a few struggling superstars bounced back and had great games, while other guys who were on a roll, just couldn’t keep it up. Second year WRs like Detroit’s Calvin Johnson and Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe continued to be consistent fantasy options, and look like the future studs of the position. Read more

The Top Fantasy IDPs

Each and every year, a plethora of fantasy football owners decide to partake in an IDP league for the first time. Let me tell you, while it’s exciting to leave behind the boring world of team defense and add six new starting line-up positions, it definitely opens up a whole new realm of research that needs to happen for each and every one of the new owners. Read more

Understanding The IDP Picture

Year in and year out, fantasy football owners that play in individual defensive player formats, are tempted to take high-priced linebackers in the mid-rounds of their drafts, to ensure some point production. This is not the smartest way to win an IDP league, however, and can be especially difficult for IDP beginners to grasp. Read more

Busy Week Capped Off By Ocho’s Return…

Whether or not Ocho Cinco’s recent appearance at Bengals mini-camp was just a token visit for show, the fact of the matter is that he showed up. This gives his fantasy owners much more trade leverage when trying to deal him this off-season, because - at least for now - it looks like he’ll be back with the Bengals in 2008. Normally, this would have been plenty of headline grabbing news for one week during the NFL off-season, but the release of Cedric Benson and the retirement of Michael Strahan and Jonathan Ogden also impacted the landscape of fantasy football heading into 2008. Read more

Strahan & Benson Out - Tuck & Forte In

Yesterday was a huge news day in the NFL, just another example of why there is no offseason. Giants DE Michael Strahan actually made a freaking decision and decided to call it a career at the age of 36, and a former fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft named Cedric Benson was released by the Chicago Bears, after three disappointing seasons and two arrests in the span of 30 days. Yeah, these stories are interesting, but what fantasy owners really want to know is - what happens now that these guys are gone? Read more

Fantasy Impact: Michael Strahan Retires…

Well, according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, Giants 36 year old DE Michael Strahan has made up his mind and will announce his retirement from the NFL soon, electing to “ride off into the sunset” after a Super Bowl victory.

Now that Strahan appears to be gone - and we say “appears” because it’s not official yet - fourth year 25 year old DE Justin Tuck will take his starting spot opposite Osi Umenyiora. Tuck had a breakout season in 2007, racking up 65 total tackles and 10 sacks as the Giants third DE/DT. Now that Tuck will have a starting role, we expect him to be a top three fantasy defensive lineman. Umenyiora won’t lose any value, due to the fact that Tuck should demand just as much attention as Strahan did.

Also, keep an eye on SLB Mathias Kiwanuka, who will likely double as the Giants’ third DE in 2008, and if your league scores him as a DL, he’ll have bonus value.

Michael Strahan To Retire…

ESPN’s John Clayton has reported that many people close to the Giants organization and to Giants DE Michael Strahan think that he’ll retire before training camp.

Wow. If he did it before training camp, that’d be nice timing. We could then actually properly evaluate the fantasy impact prior to drafts - and there would be serious fantasy impact.

Justin Tuck would likely become a top three DE, bar none, while Mathias Kiwanuka would rotate from SLB and DE, but potentially be scored as a DE in fantasy leagues, which would help his value.

Giants IDP Update…

Word is that third year LB Gerris Wilkinson is the favorite to start at WLB in Steve Spagnulo’s defense after the departure of Kawika Mitchell. Wilkinson won’t be much a fantasy prospect, but he may contribute enough to be a bye-week fill in for owners in deep leagues.

There’s also been some talk from the Giants organization regarding what will happen to Mathias Kiwanuka if Michael Strahan retires. There’s a good chance he’ll at least split time between LB and DE, but possibly even more to DE full time.

We’d guess that Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck would start, with Kiwanuka playing the third end pass rusher role.

Report: Michael Strahan To Retire…

Word is that Giants DE Michael Strahan will hang it up after leading the G-Men to a Super Bowl victory this past season.

Giants LB Antonio Pierce recently told media he believes Strahan will hang it up. If this is the case, expect Justin Tuck to start opposite Osi Umenyiora in 2008, with Mathias Kiwanuka moving back to a third DE role. Really, the Strahan saga will continue until the end of training camp - don’t expect an announcement any time soon.

IDP King - Individual Defensive Player Update

It’s February, I know, but it’s never too early to start studying your individual defensive players. There is seemingly constant turnover at the top of the IDP scoring column every season. Players like Trent Cole, Mario Williams and Elvis Dumervil made their first appearances at the top of defensive line rankings in 2007, while the dominant linebackers included rookies Jon Beason, Patrick Willis and David Harris. Young D-Backs Chris Harris, Leigh Bodden and even Antonio Cromartie really made names for themselves last season as well, prompting IDPers to really pay attention in leagues that require starters at defensive back. Let’s take a look at the top tier players on the defensive side of the ball prior to the NFL free agency period. Be sure to check back for plenty more IDP King updates throughout the 2008 offseason. Read more