One thing we know for sure in the NFL is that anything can happen at any time. In the AFC alone there are only 2 teams with winning records. It may appear like mediocrity rules, but from a fantasy perspective it means that anything can happen. Here’s this week’s Game Balls.

QB
Aaron Rodgers, GB, 338 yards, 6 TDs – I’d be remiss if I left Rodgers off this list, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mentioned that two of my teams played against Rodgers (of which I still somehow still won both games). One owner foolishly got too cute and benched Rodgers, and missed out on his 6 TD performance. Despite his struggles, Rodgers is still an elite quarterback, and silenced everyone by showing why you cannot bench him ­– EVER – for any reason, regardless of the matchup.

Robert Griffin III, WAS, 182 passing yards, 1 TD, 138 rushing yards, 2 rush TDs – Back off a concussion, RG3 showed no ill effects of his injury as he was second this week in rushing. His owners hopefully started him, and enjoyed a huge payoff. RG3 is a fantasy stud and must start, every week.

Honorable mention: Russell Wilson, SEA, 293 yards, 3 TDs – Another comeback from the Seattle rookie. This might’ve been his best week yet, and silenced any of his critics (like me) to prove he’s definitely fantasy relevant.

RB
Shonn Greene, NYJ, 161 rushing yards 3 TDs – Really? That’s what most of us asked when we saw this stat line. The same Shonn Greene who was left for dead and sits on the waiver wire in 40% of leagues. Yes, that Shonn Greene. If you started him, you’re either all-knowing or desperate, and deserve a shout out. Hit me up on Twitter @fantasy_geek and I’ll give you your proper shout out if you started Greene this week on purpose.

Chris Johnson, TEN, 91 rushing yards, 4 catches for 23 yards – There were better performances from other running backs, but since I’ve been hard on CJnoK, I wanted to praise him when it’s deserving. On Thursday night, in what looked like an avoid-at-all-costs matchup against Pittsburgh, Johnson racked up double digit fantasy points. He’s off my used sock list, and I’m moving him back to weekly starter, but I do so very cautiously.

Honorable mention: Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG, 116 yards, 1 TD – Bradshaw ran with authority against a stout 49ers defense. He even found the end zone.

WR
Jordy Nelson, GB, 9 catches, 121 yards, 3 TDs – Finally Nelson went off, and went off huge. Nelson was a force in Green Bay’s destruction of Houston Sunday night. He caught 9 balls and scored three times for his first multi-TD game of the year.

Wes Welker, NE, 10 catches, 138 yards, 1 TD – Here’s the Wes Welker of the past. 10 catches make him a PPR stud, as always. The touchdown makes him a stud at all levels.

Honorable mention: Vincent Jackson, TB, 4 catches for 66 yards, 2 TDs – Vjax is definitely fantasy relevant again. He’s a guy who is a borderline WR1 at this point and definitely a WR2.

TE
Kyle Rudolph, MIN, 6 catches 56 yards, 1 TD, 2 pt. conversion – Everyone who’s followed me on Twitter or read me here knows my man love for Rudolph. Rudolph owners have had a hard time committing to starting him every week, but the local boy is showing why you really have to think twice now before benching the Viking tight end.

Jermaine Gresham, CIN, 3 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD – Gresham always showed flashes of talent, but has thus far underperformed. Sunday, against the Browns, the Bengals tight end went off for a long TD catch. Here’s to hoping for many more weeks like this from Gresham.

Honorable mention: Aaron Hernandez, NE, 6 catches for 30, 1 TD – Back from an injury, Hernadez immediately becomes a top 4 tight end again from here on out.

GAME-USED SOCK AWARD
Michael Turner, ATL, 11 rushes for 33 yards – Turner was entering this week having scored at least one TD in the last three games. He was facing the 24^th ranked rush defense in the Oakland Raiders. And this is what you do? 11 rushes for 33 yards? Really? So, for this stinker of a performance, please accept this game used sock award for your pathetic performance this week and how you’ve let down any of your owners who considered you a must-start this week. Boo and hiss!

Follow Jimmy Dinsmore, and get fantasy advice, on Twitter @fantasy_geek

Fantasy Football game balls, week 6, aaron rodgers, wes welker, jordy nelson, chris johnson

Through the season's first four weeks which of these fantasy passers have disappointed owners the most?

Fantasy Football fantasy polls, fantasy vote, disappointing quarterbacks, aaron rodgers, matthew stafford, michael vick, phillip rivers

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Packers are a one-dimensional offense. Last year they were third in the NFL in yards per game with 405.1 YPG. And they averaged 307.8 YPG passing. As such, they ranked 28th in the NFL in rushing with less than 100 YPG every game. Expect similar output this year, and therefore, avoid any and all Packer running backs for your fantasy squad. And conversely, there are many receivers that are fantasy worthy, as well as the most prolific fantasy scorer, Aaron Rodgers.

SCHEDULE
The Packers are blessed with one of the easiest schedules in the NFL. According to Vegas, they have the second easiest schedule in the entire NFL. That’s almost unfair for a team that is so close to another championship. .

STUD
Jordy Nelson was the best fantasy wide receiver on the Packers last year. Yes, better than Greg Jennings, who did miss some time with injuries. Nelson has 68 catches for 1,263 yards and 15 TDs to Jennings 67 for 949 and only 9 TDs. Nelson is a top 15 fantasy WR and has become one of the most dangerous weapons for Aaron Rodgers. I expect similar output from him this season.

DUDS
As I mentioned, avoid all Green Bay running backs and James Starks is no exception. He scored one touchdown last year. ONE! The situation is so bad that the Packers signed Cedric Benson and it’s looking more likely that he’ll start Game 1 for the Pack. Despite his history, Benson is no more a viable option than Starks, so avoid him too.

SLEEPER
Randall Cobb is a hot name in fantasy. Some experts expect big things from Cobb, who was second in the NFL in kickoff return average. If your league rewards individual players for special teams yards or points, elevate Cobb further on your list. As a receiver, Cobb is on the up. He had 375 yards last year on 25 catches. Not impressive numbers, but his touches are expected to increase this year, and Cobb is the type that can take it to the house any time the football is in his hands.

NEW ADDITIONS
Outside of signing Cedric Benson, the Packers did almost nothing in free agency. Their rookie draft was focused on shoring up their defense, with their first six rookie picks devoted to defense. Probably not a bad strategy for a team that is one of the best offensively. Benson cannot be trusted to contribute to your fantasy squad and should only be looked at as an emergency option or bye week fill-in.

POSITION BATTLE
The only thing to monitor is where James Jones will fall on the depth chart. He’s obviously behind Nelson and Jennings, but he’ll battle it out with Cobb for passes and touches. There should be enough to go around. Jones managed 38 catches for 635 yards and 7 TDs last year, so he does have fantasy relevance. But, see how he looks in preseason, and how much on the up Cobb is, because some of Jones’ production could be diminished with that. Otherwise, Jones even has fantasy value for your squad.

BENCH BUILDER
Even though he’s old, Donald Driver still could serve as worst-case scenario, bench builder for a fantasy squad, especially in deeper leagues. Though not guaranteed to make the squad, Driver reworked his contract, and is a fan favorite, so expect the veteran to be back again. Driver had 6 touchdowns last year even though his production and catches are dropping. No reason to think that you couldn’t catch lightning in a bottle with Driver. If you are in a smaller league, Driver won’t be worth a stash, but in deeper leagues, why not look for the veteran as depth? He’s still a favorite target of Rodgers.

Fantasy Football, NFL 2012 nfl preview, green bay packers, aaron rodgers, cedric benson, james starks, greg jennings, jordy nelson, randall cobb

We take a deep look at fantasy quarterbacks with the season appoaching:

DRAFTING STRATEGY
--Consistency is key
As always, knowing your scoring is key. Some leagues reward heavily for QB yards and touchdowns and that will alter your rankings a bit for sure. No position is tougher to get a read on in fantasy than the quarterback position. I always recommend drafting in tiers, but it is most important to do so at quarterback. In 12-team leagues Tier 1 quarterbacks will go in Round 1 and early in to Round 2 and be gone by Round 3. The Second Tier will follow suit and likely be swallowed up by the end of the third or fourth round.  If you can’t get one of the players in the top 6 – Rodgers, Vick, Brees, Manning, Brady, Rivers - you are better off waiting a grabbing two passers in the mid round. Getting an elite quarterback ensures you weekly production with the potential of multiple breakout weeks. Going without one of them will likely lead to line-up headaches.


CREAM OF THE CROP
--Aaron Rodgers: Had it not been for problems with concussions, there’s no telling how many fantasy points Rodgers would have put up in 2010. He still finished as a top fantasy producer without much of a running game. If he stays healthy he could approach the 40-TD mark.

--Michael Vick: He has the potential to throw for 30 TD’s and run for 10-12. Injuries are a concern, but his talent with the talent around him he is likely going to be a first round pick in most leagues.

--Drew Brees: He didn’t finish as a top five fantasy quarterback last season despite a career high in passing attempts and an NFL-best completion percentage. The real hindrance on his fantasy value was his 24 turnovers. Look for a bounce back in the year ahead, but don’t reach too high.


OVERHYPED
--Joe Flacco: I like his arm and makeup, but Flacco simply doesn’t get the pass attempts necessary to be an elite fantasy performer inside the Ravens offense. The team did add some pieces in the passing game, but Flacco is better looked at a strong QB2 candidate rather than a weekly option as a starter.

--Matt Cassell: Cassell is being viewed to high by most sites out there. He took advantage of the second easiest schedule for fantasy QB’s last season to finish as a top 12 option at the postion, but don’t bank on him being there this time. The Chiefs schedule is brutal and with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis no longer in the picture I expect a dip back.

--Donovan McNabb: It appears as McNabb’s situation got better moving from Washington to Minnesota, but I’m not touching him. With the Vikings investing heavily and overdrafting Christian Ponder with the 12th pick in April’s draft and McNabb’s fading skill set trouble could be ahead. Add to it Sidney Rice leaving the team and an aging o-line and no thanks.


UNDERVALUED
--Matthew Stafford: He has the skills, weapons and offensive system to be one of fantasy’s best options at quarterback this season, but after only playing 13 games over the past two seasons he simply needs to stay healthy.

--Josh Freeman: He’s not a sexy option and won’t have many 300+ yard, 3-TD games, but he is consistent. Freeman only threw 6 picks a year ago with 25 TD passes. He takes care of the ball and makes for a nice-low end fantasy QB 1 with upside.

--Kevin Kolb: The early reviews are positive on the Cardinals new starter. He has two things in Arizona that he didn’t have in Philly – job security and Larry Fitzgerald. He has a chance to be a top 10 QB, who will likely be around deep in to mid-rounds of drafts.


KEEP YOUR EYES ON THIS
--COLTS: Peyton Manning (Neck Injury) – Following neck surgery Manning will miss most of the preseason, but expects to be ready for Week 1. The concern has caused him to slip a bit in early drafts. There are some concerns here as Manning relies heavily on timing. Still, he’s as safe of a pick as they come. The fact he’s falling only means some owner will get him with great value.

--BRONCOS: Kyle Orton vs. Tim Tebow – Few owners are giving the Broncos’ battle at quarterback much thought. Perhaps they should.  Orton appears to have a lock on the job for now as new head coach John Fox has no allegiance to Tebow. Orton is a serviceable option and makes a great QB2 in the late rounds. However, Tebow put up monster fantasy days when given the shot and could be stashed as well.

--PANTHERS: Cam Newton vs. Jimmy Claussen – This one seems like a no-brainer. Cam Newton is easily the best playmaker on the Panthers’ team and should be given the job out of the gate. In keeper formats Newton has decent value, but even in redraft leagues he could be worth stashing late on draft day. I am playing the wait-and-see approach here though.

GSI QB RANKINGS

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, fantasy quarterbacks, draft strategy, aaron rodgers, michael vick, drew brees

As I begin to prepare my first official 2011 fantasy football rankings, I reflect on the 2010 fantasy season:

2011 TOP FIVE
--Aaron Rodgers: The passing yards (4,468) and touchdowns (34) are there, but his ability to pick up rushing numbers is hugely overlooked as he finished with 373 yards and five scores on the ground. That element of his game makes him my No. 1 pick at the position.

--Peyton Manning: For the fourth time in five years the Colts’ quarterback surpassed the 30-touchdown plateau while throwing for a career-high 4,925 yards. Injuries hampered the Colts’ badly, but Manning still proved fantasy worthy and perhaps the safest pick.

--Phillip Rivers: He set a career high in passing yards for the third straight season and emerged as an elite fantasy option. The 13 interceptions were a bit higher than we are used to seeing but when you consider all of the weapons that he was missing you have to really appreciate his 2010 effort.

--Drew Brees:  It’s hard to believe that Brees actually set a career-high this past season with 35 passing touchdowns. His 5,024 passing yards were the second most of his career.  His 22 interceptions were way too many, but there’s no reason not to keep him as a tier one fantasy option moving forward.

--Tom Brady: After a record streak of 335 passes without an interception and passing for 36 touchdowns with only four picks during the regular season, Brady reminded all fantasy owners that he can carry a team. Add to the fact he averaged 299 yards per game and consistency was king.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GET
--Michael Vick: Huge upside, big games, but with big injury risk
--Matt Ryan: Steady, but very few breakout games
--Ben Roethlisberger: He wins games, but doesn’t post huge fantasy numbers
--Tony Romo: Big numbers in pass-happy system; not dependable
--Eli Manning: Capable of big days, but hard to figure when they’ll come
--Jay Cutler: Decent yards and TD totals with a ton of turnovers

ON THE RISE
--Josh Freeman: The nucleus of a talented, young and exciting Bucs’ offense
--Mark Sanchez: Highly underrated with room to grow on talented team
--Sam Bradford: A stunning effort as a rookie suggests bigger things to comes

WAIT AND SEE
--Joe Flacco: Didn’t take a step to the next level even with newly added weapons
--Matt Schaub: Burned many owners as he took a back seat to Arian Foster
--Matt Cassell: Fool’s gold. Shined at times, but will find it tough to repeat in 2011

FADING FAST
--Carson Palmer: Threats of retirement shows how badly he needs a change of scenery
--Donovan McNabb: Ages every second. Skills are declining and needs to find a good fit
--Chad Henne: Proved he is not the long-term answer in Miami

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, 2011 fantasy qb rankings, aaron rodgers, peyton manning, phillip rivers, drew brees, tom brady, michael vick

Super Bowl XLV is in the books. Here are some final thoughts…

*Aaron Rodgers – The Brett Favre monkey is officially off Aaron Rodgers’ back. He capped off one of the most impressive post-season clips in NFL history by throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns on 25 of 39 passing to lead Green Bay to a 31-25 win over Pittsburgh and earned Super Bowl MVP honors in the process. The victory finally allows Rodgers to step out of Brett Favre’s shadow and should allow the Packers’ bitter fans to get over the divorce and welcome the now-retired (or at least we think) Favre.

*Big Ben Blows It – As impressive as Rodgers was in the game, Roethlisberger was not.  His two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown by Nick Collins, led to the Steelers finding themselves in a 21-3 first-half hole that proved to be too much to overcome. The two-time Super Bowl champ looked far from super and finished the game with 263 yards and one touchdown on 25-of-40 passing. With a chance to drive Pittsburgh for a game-winning touchdown, he misfired on three straight passes to seal the deal.

*Packers Ultimate Cinderella – Despite being decimated by injuries all season long, fighting off elimination with three straight wins to close the regular season, and being seeded No. 6 in the NFC playoff bracket, the Packers prevailed and beat the odds.  It wasn’t the New York Giants beating the 18-0 New England Patriots, but it was still impressive.

*Black Eyed Peas Rock – I’ve read and heard mixed reviews on the halftime show by the Black Eyed Peas, but count me as one that enjoyed it.  It was refreshing to see an act that actually reached the younger generation back on stage at the big game. Usher was a nice touch. The visual effects were great. The sound and mix could've been better, but overall I was pleased.

*Cameron Diaz can feed me popcorn – Alex Rodriguez is catching all kinds of flack after being caught on camera with his girlfriend, actress Cameron Diaz, feeding him popcorn. Let me go on the record firmly here, you can call me whatever you want but I would let Cameron Diaz feed my anything in front of anybody.

*Dude, Where’s My Seat? – Jerry Jones didn’t get his record attendance as he had hoped, but he is going to get sued. You’ve heard by now about the 400 fans that were left without seats after they bought $800 tickets. The seats that didn’t exist, or at least not after the temporary seats failed fire code. The league has offered a refund of triple the face value of the ticket as well as tickets and accommodations to next year’s Super Bowl. While that is a decent consolidation offering it won’t do Packers or Steelers fans any good unless their team returns.

*Doritos Boast Best Ads – Overall I was terribly disappointed with the Super Bowl commercials this year. I liked the Dog’s Revenge for the Doritos teasing spot and the House Sitter who brought back dogs ashes spots for the popular snack chip. Both ads finished in the top 5 in USA Today’s Ad Meter.

Just For Fun, NFL super bowl xlv, green bay packers, pittsburgh steelers, aaron rodgers, ben roethlisberger, black eyed peas, cameron diaz, alex rodriguez

Get your free football picks againt the spread and live football odds from our friends at Doc's Sports.

QB Game Ball – Aaron Rodgers, GB – 25/37 for 404 PaYd, 4 PaTD’s
A week after sitting out with a concussion, Rodgers returned to the lineup with a bang to reward fantasy owners that were fortunate enough to advance without him in Week 15. He torched the Giants’ D to the tune his best fantasy output of the season.

QB Honorable Mention – Josh Freeman, TB – 21/26 for 237 PaYd, 5 PaTD’s (The Bucs’ signal caller threw as many touchdowns as he did incompletions).

RB Game Ball – Jamal Charles, KC – 13 carries, 77 RuYd; 4 receptions, 40 ReYd, 2 ReTD’s
For the second straight season Charles has provided a nice fantasy playoff push for his owners. He averaged nearly six yards per carry while tallying 117 total yards and finding his way to the end zone twice on Championship Sunday. He is easily a top 10 pick in fantasy leagues in 2011.

RB Honorable Mention – Matt Forte, CHI – 19 carries, 113 RuYd, RuTD; 4 receptions for 56 yards (He had surprising production against stellar Jets’ rush D).

WR Game Ball – Jerome Simpson, CIN – 6 receptions, 124 ReYd, 2 ReTD’s
To say that Simpson had a career day is a gross understatement. The third-year wideout entered the game with exactly three career catches. With that in mind Simpson was not owned in nearly any fantasy leagues, much less in anybody’s lineup.

WR Honorable Mention – Dwayne Bowe, KC – 6 receptions, 153 ReYd, ReTD (Bowe scored his 15th touchdown in a nice bounce back game after a rough few weeks).

TE Game Ball – Kellen Winslow, TB – 7 receptions, 98 ReYd, 2 ReTD’s
Winslow only scored three touchdowns all year, but made two trips to the end zone in Week 16 as the Bucs passing game had its way versus the Seahawks.  His 98-yard output is also his best effort of the season and the seven receptions ties his year’s best mark.

TE Honorable Mention – Rob Gronkowski, NE – 4 receptions, 54 ReYd, 2 ReTD’s (Gronkowski benefited from Hernandez sitting out of the Pats’ tilt in Buffalo).

GAME-USED SOCK AWARD
Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ – 1 reception, 26 ReYd, 0 TD’s
It’s hard to get catches when you don’t get targets. Cardinals’ rookie John Skelton didn’t provide him his first target until after intermission and his first catch didn’t come until after the game’s final two-minute warning. It snapped a 97-game streak of games with multiple receptions that Fitzgerald was working on.

Stinky Sock Honorable Mention – Michael Turner, ATL – 17 carries, 48 RuYD, 1 FL (what a nightmare night Turner had, highlighted by his goalline fumble and pedestrian 2.8 yards per carry).

Fantasy Football, NFL aaron rodgers, josh freeman, jamal charles, matt forte, jerome simpson, dwayne bowe, kellen winslow, rob gronkowski, larry fitzgerald, michael turner

Kay Adams talks about the Aaron Rodgers' injury in this week's Fantasy 50...

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, kay adams, green bay packers, aaron rodgers

The annual GSI Mock Draft is rolling right along. Don't miss our takes and explanations and offer your take too...

RECAPS: Round One | Round Two | Round Three

ROUND FOUR
37. BROERING - QB D. McNabb (PHI)
38. SIMON - WR B. Marshall (DEN)
39. DINSMORE - RB R. Brown (MIA)
40. BRYANT - WR W. Welker (NE)
41. WETZEL - QB A. Rodgers (GB)
42. SCHMITT - RB C. Benson (CIN)
43. SIMS - TE J. Witten (DAL)
44. MURDICO - WR R. Williams (DAL)
45. ANSELMO - RB K. Smith (DET)
46. CLASGENS - RB R. Bush (NO)
47. FISCHER - RB J. Stewart (CAR)
48. HUMBERT - QB P. Rivers (SD)

POSITION BREAKDOWN: RB (5), QB (3), WR (3), TE (1)

MY PICK: Like many others in the league, the time to get my RB2 came in Round 4. This league is not a PPR league, so Reggie Bush loses some of his luster. However, he is still a nice grab with the 46th overall pick and a steady RB2 option with upside. Injuries have been a problem, but he's worth the risk here. One look at his numbers through the first seven games (two rushing TD's, three receiving TD's, and 660 total yards) last season though so his potential to be a solid starting option.

BEST VALUE PICK: Aaron Rodgers will be valued much higher this season than last and rightfully so after he had 10 multiple-touchdown games in '08. I don't put him in the same ballpark as the top three quarterbacks, but he definitely is nice value 18 picks after Tom Brady went and 19 picks following Peyton Manning.

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT: Count me as somebody that is not buying into the Roy Williams being an automatic replacement for Terrell Owens in Dallas. Of the three receivers selected within this round, he by far has the best chance to be a bust. He had problems adjusting mid-season in Dallas and suffered a foot injury down the stretch. The potential is there, but at this point I can find somebody that had more than seven touchdown catches over the past two years.

FINAL TAKE: This round was predictable. We saw our first tight end go off the board in Jason Witten (nice pick), five teams go with RB2 and a few quarterbacks and wideouts. In general, waiting on quarterback didn't prove too badly for the three owners that took signal callers here.

Fantasy Football gsi mock draft, mock fantasy football draft, mock draft, donovan mcnabb, brandon marshall, ronnie brown, wes welker, aaron rodgers, cedric benson, jason witten, roy williams, kevin smith, reggie bush, jonathan stewart, phillip rivers

There are few topics which truly hold equal amounts of interest and aversion.  Bruno.  Tryout week of American Idol.  That freecreditreport.com guy.

However, the one topic that sports fans have heard about daily for the past few weeks (months?) is king of them all.  Days of our Favre.  As predictable as the story line for this soap opera has been, we still tune in and act surprised.

Yesterday, Brett Favre announced a day before training camp is set to open in Mankato (or "the big city" as Laura Ingalls would call it) for the Minnesota Vikings, that he would not be joining them.  After his promised deadline (like those mean anything to Favre) of Friday passed, who would have guessed anything different would have happened?

When reading the news, I had conflicting emotions: I breathed a sigh of relief while still wishing he was suiting up in purple today.  There was relief in the sense that maybe, just maybe, we might be able to enjoy some training camp news without hearing anything about Favre.

The other side of me, though, wished he had the chance to prove the critics wrong, which would have ended up proving the critics right. 

It's like clockwork: every year Brett Favre retires, every year media outlets immediately doubt it, every year it encourages Favre to reconsider, every year he plays chicken with whatever team was written down on the one of 32 $100 bills he had in a hat.

"Hey, Minnesota, bitter rivals of my beloved Packers, I might want to play for you.  Say, what's the most you've ever lost on a coin toss?  I've been playing for 18 years, and now I'm here.  And it's either heads or tails.  And you have to say.  Call it."

When this happened last year with the Jets, it was sold as the missing piece for the Jets to win the Super Bowl.  "The Jets, inspired by neither Chad Pennington nor Kellen Clemens, acquired the charismatic leader they sorely needed to galvanize a revamped roster and make a run into the playoffs," says an ESPN report from the time of his signing last year.

Of course hindsight is 20/20, and we know that Favre started out strong and then flamed out in enough time for Eric Mangini to lose his job.  Surprised, were you?

This year it was the Vikings, and again Favre is painted into the saivor role, less so from the media as by the Vikings themselves.  If there were an approval rating for quarterbacks as there are for presidents, Favre's would drop daily.  More and more bloggers and mainstream media begin asking the right questions: does Favre really change that much?   Can he handle another season?  Wasn't the Jets' dissappointment enough of an indicator of what is bound to happen here?

And then, just as soon as Favre announced his, ahem, retirement, you can hear the Vikings front office conversation.

*silence*

"Um, do we have anymore quarterbacks on the roster?  OK, Tavaris Jackson, I've heard of him, not that great from what I hear. Sage Rosenfels?  Is he the guy I picked up on my fantasy team when Drew Brees was on his bye?  Didn't know we had him..."

There are many casualties to Favre's decision to just stick to Wrangler Jeans commercials.  Vikings fans who had already ponied up for their authentic #4 jerseys are out about $300.  Jackson and Rosenfels get to battle it out in camp, sure, but whoever comes out on top will be "the guy we had to settle for since mighty Brett can't be here."  It will take a lot of gumption on either player's part to summon up enough leadership to get past the doubt your own team has in your abilities.

But the greatest loss can be attributed to Favre himself.  He had every chance to walk away from Green Bay with the legacy of a champion, a quarterback with arguably the best career any quarterback has ever had giving everything he had in his final playoff loss.  Instead, he is remembered as the guy who couldn't make up his mind.  The guy who has held up NFC North teams two years in a row.  Green Bay was able to overcome it to get Aaron Rodgers on track, but it's questionable whether Minnesota will be able to.

It must be hard to know that you had more success than anyone in the league ever at your position, but don't have it anymore.  I'm not even sure Favre realizes this, but if this is indeed his final answer to the retirement question, he may not think so now, but he will thank himself years down the road when he realizes all he missed out on was an opportunity to look old.  To look more Jerry Rice and less Barry Sanders.  To be a walking trivia question (with what team did Favre have his last unmemorable and potentially embarrassing season) instead of entering Canton as the greatest quarterback of all time.

Enjoy retirement, Brett.  You are fortunate in this world to be able to enjoy it at all, much less with as much of your life ahead as you have.  Rest now, Brett, and we promise that although you will not be on the Sportscenter bottom scroll every day, we will remember you the way you deserve to be remembered.

NFL brett favre, retirement, minnesota vikings, green bay packers, new york jets, tavaris jackson, sage rosenfels, aaron rodgers