Four NFL Teams That Could Elevate Their Status in 2010

The upcoming 2010 season looks to be an exciting year in football. Every year a team or two rises from the levels of mediocrity or atrociousness and surprises the league and the fans by rising to the challenge and showing everyone that their team is better then previously believed. Let's look at a few teams that might surprise us in 2010:

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders went a mediocre 5 - 11 last year, largely in part due to the cancer that was JaMarcus Russell. Looking forward to 2010, Russell is gone, Oakland has a viable QB option in Jason Campbell, and rare promising season looms near. Their passing defense was top ten last year, and with the additions of rookie Rolando McClain and free agent John Henderson among others, the defense might continue taking steps in the right direction. As far as the offense is concerned, it was atrocious last year, though Jason Campbell's addition alone doubles its potential. His ability to properly lead this squad, have team mates trust in him, and actually complete passes put him leagues above his joke of a predecessor. Louis Murphy has emerged as a viable option for Campbell and Chaz Schilens shows flashes of the same talent. The key here is if Heyward-Bey can improve enough to be a part of this offense and help them succeed.

Detroit Lions

As a two win team, it's pretty easy to surpass the expectations of most fans. But now more then ever there is real hope for the Lions, as they are slowly amassing talented players. Matthew Stafford is still young, but he looks he will be a very capable QB once he gets all the odds and ends evened out. He has the fortune of having one of the best wide receivers in the league already on his team, and the addition of Nate Burleson will only add another viable option to the passing game. Also, in the run game, the Lions drafted Jahvid Best, one of the most talented running backs in the draft. Between Best and Kevin Smith, their backfield should look pretty good come start of the season. On the defensive side, the rookie Ndamukong Suh, a ferocious defensive tackle, and off season additions Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Dre Bly could help bolster the defense.

Seattle Seahawks

 Seattle gets on this list partially because they have such a weak division, that their ability to succeed is a little easier then most. As of late, they have not looked very promising. Hasselbeck is getting older, and it seems he will soon pass the torch to quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (if they have as much faith in him as we are led to believe). The offense has potential though with talented wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh already on the team and the additions of rookie WR Golden Tate and big offensive tackle Russell Okung to bolster the line. The addition of Safety Earl Thomas is a solid boost to the defensive unit.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have been up and down the past few seasons, but their level of talent remains very real. What will surprise people most is their ability to clash with and possibly win the division over a very good Jets team. The running back corp (when healthy) is one of the best in the league, made up of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams (they were 4th in the league rushing last year). They have the ability to be a run heavy offense and have great sucess this way. The biggest questions come from their passing game and defense. If Chad Henne can step up, continue to improve, and manage the game as well as Chad Pennington did recently, then this team can do great things. Luckily for Henne, Miami managed to snag one of the best wide receivers in the league in Brandon Marshall. This signing is HUGE for Miami's offense as it presents a go to guy and #1  big play WR for Henne right away. The defense is going to have to support them though (they were 22nd overall last year), and the rookie selection Jared Odrick and signing of Karlos Dansby should help their cause immensely.

Fantasy Picks for Week 1

Quarterback

Great Game Potential: Tom Brady

It seems the story of Tom Brady awards him some potential of a great game week in and week out, but following the year off due to injury it will be seen if he can reclaim his status as an elite quarterback, he seems fine and healthy so look for him to be the same old Brady in his dissection of Buffalo's defense.

Solid Pick: Philip Rivers

Rivers is a sure thing against the rival raiders in their week one debut. One of the best quarterback's in the league last year Rivers displayed immense efficiency and effectiveness in the passing game. Look for him to gain sufficient yards through the air in the game against this sub par Oakland team.

Sleeper: Matt Schaub

Matt Schaub will lead his Texans against the Jets in week one, bringing a talented offense against last year's 29th ranked passing defense. The Jets did upgrade their defense in the off season, but it will be interesting to see if it slows down the Texans or even if rookie starting QB Mark Sanchez's play puts pressure on the Jets own defense.

Running Back

Great Game Potential: Adrian Peterson

The 2008 league leader in rushing should be up for a great game against one of the worst defenses of 2008. The introduction of Brett Favre in no way should take away from Peterson's carries as he drives the offense. Look for him to break the 100 yard mark relatively early in the game

Solid Pick: Matt Forte

In the Bear's first game of the season they play the packers in a rival division game. The Packers run defense last year was a sup-par 26th in the league and we'll see what there switch to a 3-4 set does to their defense. Forte is an up and coming talented running back and should be in for a solid game as Jay Cutler eases in to his new home and receivers.

Sleeper: Le'Ron McClain

McClain had a breakout season last year rushing for over 900 yards as Baltimore started using him along with the aging Mcgahee in their run game. They face off against the Kansas City Chiefs with the 3rd worst run defense in the league in 2008. Don't look for Baltimore to make it more complicated then it needs to be, if the run game works, they are gonna keep at it, and McClain can certainly benefit from this.

Wide Receiver

Great Game Potential: Andre Johnson

Last time the Texans played the Jets, David Carr was playing quarterback for the Texans and Johnson still amassed just short of a 100 yards receiving in an unfortunate loss. Now with a healthy Matt Schaub back, Johnson is poised to generate even more offensive yards against a mediocre defense.

Solid Pick: Marques Colston

Colston is a talented wide receiver on of the best offenses in the league for the Saints. The first game of the season for New Orleans is against the former 0-16 Detroit Lions, and should allow them to put up some good statistics. Look for Colston to get targeted by Quarterback Drew Brees throughout the game and in the red zone. Last season when the Saints played the Lions, Colston caught two touchdown passes on the way to a resounding Saints victory.

Sleeper: Derrick Mason

Usually the Ravens are not thought of when one would talk about big name receivers or passing records, and that my be the overall truth. But come their week one game against the Kansas City Chiefs, their number one wide receiver Mason could be a good pick for fantasy owners with a little gambling on the mind. Mason did amass over 1000 yards last year, though the ravens style seems a little more inclined to run the ball.

Tight End

Great Game Potential: Jason Witten

T.O. is gone, the leading receiver on the cowboys got kicked out. That means Tony Romo is going to have to spread the ball around and find ways to make his offense work. Witten amassed just short of a thousand yards last season. Look for him to pinpoint Jason Witten constantly as the offense sets to balance itself in this first game of the season.

Solid Pick: Tony Gonzalez

Last year Gonzalez played on the Kansas City Chiefs and still gained over 1,000 yards. This year he starts on one of the most promising young offenses in the league with a second year quarterback showing real promise with Atlanta's offense. Gonzalez should be a problem for Miami and look for Matt Ryan to target his new TE throughout the game.

Sleeper: Visanthe Shiancoe

Shiancoe has shown he can play the tight end position at a high level, if he can keep the continuity of production flowing. With the addition of Brett Favre to the Vikings, the possibility of the passing game increasing stands valid. If Favre passes the ball well, look to Shiancoe to get some looks during the game as Favre gets more and more comfortable.

Defense

Great Game Potential: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings play their first game of the season against an offensively hapless Cleveland team with quarterback issues and lack of play makers. Look for the defense to take advantage of all the mistakes made by a uncoordinated Browns team.

Solid Pick: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens had the 2nd best defense in the year last year statistically and should be looking to a first game showcasing that talent. They open against Kansas City, a team with a new quarterback in Matt Cassel that might not be 100% come game day, and a team generally off balance. Look for them to mostly shut down the chiefs withering offense especially with pro bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez gone away to the Falcons.

Sleeper: San Diego Chargers

The Chargers did not have an all star defense last year but this week they play against the Oakland Raiders, and have the opportunity to push them around defensively because of Oakland's shortfalls on offense. Look for them to put pressure on the quarterback and force him to make throws.

Your Team Sucks; Random Tips For Fantasy Football

It's almost that time of the year again; football season is right around the corner, and hand in hand with football season comes the fabled fantasy football.

I am by no means a fantasy football god, I play several leagues a year for fun. And while I may not win every single league, I never cease to observe wild and wacky behavior by at least one player in every league. I don't have 10 easy ways to go undefeated in fantasy football, but for the average player I can bring some simple things to attention, things that as stupid as they are, I see every year in my casual leagues.

A player does not have to win games to be a viable fantasy option:

Calvin Johnson is arguably one of the top 3 best WR's in the league and plays on the worst team in the league, the (0-16) Detroit Lions. The fact of the matter is, even though the Lions are horrid and their QB talent nonexistent, Johnson is still freakishly good, to levels where it is just unfair. In fantasy football (how some people can not grasp this is beyond me) it does not matter if they EVER win. What matters is that Johnson puts up huge numbers.

Johnson's 2008 Stats:1,331 Rec Yds (5th), 12 TDs (Tied for 1st), 7 plays for 40+ yds (tied for 2nd), 21 plays for 20+ Yds (tied for 2nd)


The Draft Dilemma:

All right I understand that you love your football team (a lot) ,and we'll say that team is the Miami Dolphins. And lets say you were oh so excited when the Dolphins drafted Pat White this year, and you could envision the godly stats he could muster up in the fancy pants wildcat formation. You just wanted him so bad you used your first round pick on him so no one else could steal him away from you, then proceeded to fill the rest of your offense with Miami players. Now whether I do or don't believe anyone on the Miami Roster is worth drafting, more prominent issues with this phenomenal drafting scheme are startlingly apparent. First of all, I may be all for sleeper picks and taking a risk once and a while, but you do make such a choice in the first round, bypassing solid top-ten players in just about every position. If Pat White, a backup QB devoted to trick plays is even worth drafting in any round, its certainly not till the later rounds, the first few should be devoted to a solid RB, QB, and WR. Second of all, it's downright senseless to fill your roster with players on the same team. Come bye week when your whole offense is sitting on the bench, you'll regret it. With these poor drafting techniques, your team will suck, plain and simple.

The Bench

The bench of your fantasy football team can be a very important aspect if you use it efficiently and wisely. You'll want to fill the bench with players that will fortify your starters in a number of ways. From Injuries; If your starting QB gets injured, it will help if you have a decent QB on the bench to switch into a starting role. For Bye Weeks; when one of your player(s) is off because of a bye, having another talented player to easily fill into the spot will keep you from trudging the waiver wire at the last minute. For Match Ups; Even talented players have trouble with some match ups. Lets say you have a good starting WR but he's playing against a top ranked pass defense this week, it might be better to switch a decent WR off the bench that is going against a better match up. Adjusting your lineup week by week based on match ups can be a good way to get the most from your whole team.

Complete teams win leagues

If you play Fantasy Football, you should know this simple idea. Teams that are solid and complete, win games, and win leagues. A few star players can not carry the weight and put up the points that a solid team can. For example, last season in one of my leagues I owned the best running back corp of any team in the league. I had Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner and Steve Slaton, a combination that was a rarity to acquire. I usually did well from week to week and a lot of the success came from them. But when I got to the playoffs, I lost in the first round, simply because the team I played was more well rounded, more complete, and as a whole put up more points.



Five sure ways to know your fantasy football team will suck:

5. You passed on Tom Brady because you just don't like him, picked a 5th RB instead and are now stuck with Trent Edwards.

4. Your bench is full of "sleeper" picks like Matt Leinart, Matt Jones, Tatum Bell, and Jim Sorgi.

3. Your whole offense is on the same NFL team, hooray for the bye week!

2. You drafted Ted Ginn Jr first overall, and like the dolphins management that year, you don't really know what your doing.

1. You drafted any of the QBs from Cleveland.

The Price Is (not) Right: Rookie Contracts In The NFL Are Absurd

If anything at all in the National Football League needs to be fixed (and fixed fast), its the absurdity of just drafted and signed, fresh from college, rookie football players.

It is absolutely mind blowing that every year, teams will hand over unorthodox amounts of money to a person who has not yet played a snap in the NFL. Even more ridiculous that they will gave large portions of it it guaranteed money!

Let me fill you in on an example of this preposterous idea; Last year, the Detroit Lions had the number 1 pick in the draft (for that perfect season), and they chose and signed rookie quarter back Matthew Stafford. He was the top ranked QB in the draft, so it makes perfect sense that the rebuilding Lions would choose him first overall. But all "Sense" is thrown out the damn window when you hand a rookie player a six year contract worth around 70 million dollars with 40 million guaranteed.

Think about that for a second, think about how much money he's getting before he's even anything, not attended a single practice, or took a snap in a single game, completed a single pass, nothing. Yes, he was a standout in college, but does that justify awarding him a big fat pay day on the hope that he will make that transition to professional football and do just as well? The answer is no, players that show talent and accomplish things should get the big money, not the rookies.

This year Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White held out for a week of training camp to gain a contract extension that he felt he had earned. The past two years he put up over 1,200 and 1,300 yards respectively, and was 4th in receiving yards last year. He has shown how talented he can be over the past two years, and was rewarded with a six year 50 million dollar contract with 18.6 million guaranteed.

Matthew Stafford, who has not even played in the NFL yet, received overall 22 more million then White for a 6 year contract, with 23.1 million more guaranteed then him. Can you not see how very wrong this is? I'm not saying Stafford can not come into the league and make the kind of plays that deserve that much money, but he should not receive it until he can prove it.

If those examples don't put this injustice into perspective, maybe the next one will. I'm sure a lot of you remember Ryan Leaf? In case you don't, here's the lowdown:

In the 1998 draft, the two top players were promising star quarter backs. Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf were college stars and high valued draft picks. The Indianapolis Colts with the 1st overall pick, chose Peyton Manning, and the San Diego Chargers chose Ryan Leaf with the second. Both were signed to large rookie salaries as to be expected from such high caliber players.

Peyton Manning went on to break numerous rookie, and season records, win three MVP awards, win the Superbowl and Superbowl MVP, among other accomplishments. There's no doubt in any one's mind that Manning is worth the money he's paid. He's a great example of what you can get for your money, but not a common one.

Ryan Leaf was viewed as possibly a better QB then Manning when drafted, and was signed to one of the biggest contracts ever by a rookie at that time. After being signed Leaf was quoted as saying:

"I'm looking forward to a 15 year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl, and a parade through downtown San Diego."

I'm sure the Chargers still have nightmares about him, given the fact that the supposedly legendary Leaf's NFL career only lasted four miserable pathetic years, and was widely viewed as the biggest bust in NFL history.

This sums up perfectly just why rookie players do not deserve big contracts. The risk-reward is ridiculous and its unfair to veterans and players in the NFL that prove their talent and get paid less then the kids straight out of college. It just does not make an ounce of sense.

What needs to happen, is the league needs to put in place a rookie salary cap like in the NBA. If I ran the league, I would go as far as to make rookie contract details limited to one-two year, and 10 million dollars. After the first year, the team can choose to extend the contract the desired amount of time, and associated pay increase. Then the "lets throw 50 mil in their pockets and pray they don't suck" mentality can actually become a much more rational method, rewarding accomplishments and not hopes and prayers.