Entries Tagged 'NFL Draft' ↓

Though Radio City Music Hall has traditionally been the home of the NFL’s annual draft since 1965, New Orleans would like to shake things up a bit.

The proposal? Hosting the draft in different locales each year, similar to the way the Super Bowl is hosted in different stadiums each season.

But New Orleans would like to go above and beyond.

Entering the NFL being compared to the great Gale Sayers, Reggie Bush had a lot to live up to last season. And while he may not have been another Sayers, he did add a threatening aspect to the offense.

Despite being drafted as a running back, it’s difficult to categorize Bush. He can line up at wide receiver, in the backfield, or returning punts; but the best part is, he’s a threat to score on any given play in each of those roles.

Be it catching the football (he did that 88 times last season to rank 10th in the league) or carrying it out of the backfield (he scored 5 touchdowns on the ground in the Saints final five games of the season, despite carrying only 46 times), Bush is a player who can fill any role his team needs him to and do so effectively.

But does that make him worthy of your first round pick? Let’s dig a little deeper to find out.

If you’re a frequent reader of my blog, you’ll have noticed the updated-daily portion of this site’s sidebar. Aptly titled, the Mock Draft I am participating in is with some fellow bloggers, all of whom have a strong interest — and knowledge — regarding fantasy football.

Already, the first nine picks have come and gone with 7 running backs and 2 quarterbacks off the board. Ordinarily, you might not see 2 quarterbacks drafted within the first 9 picks of a draft, but this particular league (set up by The Hazean) awards six points for each passing touchdown. And given the nature of quarterbacks like Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning, six points per touchdown adds up very fast.

All this leaves me with the 10th pick.

Three notable quarterbacks have found themselves wearing different uniforms for the first time in years. Through trades, these quarterbacks have been shown the door by their teams.

While one wanted to say goodbye (Trent Green), another had his starting role eliminated and he’ll be starting back at square one, fighting for a starting spot with his new team (David Carr, featured in picture). But the latter’s departure opened the door for a third quarterback, Matt Schaub, who will, for the first time, be in a starting role that is his to lose.

Two of those players have been given a starting spot; the third has the potential to start at some point in the season, whether or not injury befalls the starter.

The question to ask at this point is, which, if any, do you I draft? Where do they fall among other starters?

With those two questions in mind, let’s see which of the three you should draft and which you should pass on.

When you walk into your fantasy football draft you should have a few things with you. The first is a notebook or something else to mark what — not the “who,” you should be more concerned with positions being drafted — others are drafting (I’m hoping to release a sweet tool that makes that easy; I use one, but I’m going to make it available to you soon).

You should also have handy a list of players, ranked — what you’re reading — and a sharpie to cross off those who are drafted.

Below is a list of who I believe the top 20 quarterbacks will be

I thought I’d let my readers know that I’m currently participating in a two round fantasy football mock draft, courtesy The Hazean. Here’s his breakdown:

12 bloggers have been selected to participate in The Hazean’s first annual fantasy football mock draft. The draft will take place through the month of July and up to the beginning of the NFL’s preseason schedule.

Here are the chosen ones:

1. The Hazean
2. Cheesesteaks & Stuff
3. Curveballs for Jesus
4. MWC Football
5. TINO Sports Page
6. The Extrapolater
7. FanProphet
8. Signal to Noise
9. Fr. Jim
10. Fantasy Football Librarian
11. Next Gen Pro Football
12. NFL Minute

Order:

First round

1. TINO Sports Page [July 1]
2. The Hazean [July 2]

No NFL rookie entered the draft in 2007 with more hype than Calvin Johnson. His uncanny combination of size and speed makes him a constant threat and someone who can stretch the field. He’s another Randy Moss or Terrell Owens — without the baggage.

And he was drafted by the Detroit Lions, a team with an improving offense that should make use of Johnson’s skills. Playing opposite Roy Williams should allow Johnson some room to work because both players are dangerous if left open.

He also has the added advantage of playing with a veteran quarterback, Jon Kitna. Kitna isn’t new to playing with talented, young receivers. Remember, in Cincinnati he threw passes to both Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, not to mention players who went “bust” like Peter Warrick.

But how much can Johnson really produce from a fantasy perspective?

The NFL Draft is long gone but the discussions surrounding it are definitely not. In part two of this three part series analyzing the debates, I’ll fill you in on some rookie running backs who have fantasy owners curious: Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Michael Bush, Chris Henry, and Brandon Jackson.

The NFL Draft is long gone but the discussions surrounding it are definitely not. In part one of this three part series analyzing the debates, I’ll fill you in on the three prominent rookie quarterbacks who have fantasy owners curious: JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, and Kevin Kolb.

Green Bay rookie Brandon Jackson was shot down along with his request to join his team for mandatory minicamps.