INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Playing without a true quarterback in 2011 Colts’ wide receiver Reggie Wayne only mustered 75 receptions for 960 yards, his lowest output since 2003.  It broke a span of five straight seasons in which Wayne has tallied at least 1,145 yards receiving. The most impressive number he’s produced though may be the fact he’s started in all 16 games for Indy in each of the last nine seasons.

SCHEDULE
Indianapolis ranks dead in the middle on strength of schedule, but for a young team there are no easy opponents. Opening at Chicago isn’t a great scenario, but home matchups against Minnesota and Jacksonville followed by a bye week is a nice way for Luck and company to ease into things. Going against the Texans twice, the AFC East, and NFC North wasn’t the best of draws though.

STUD
The Colts lack a true fantasy stud, but Donald Brown has the best chance of anybody to come close to that this season. The multi-talented running back is capable of hitting the holes and breaking long plays and is a threat catching the ball out of the backfield. After showing doses of brilliance in 2011, he’s going to get most of the looks with Joseph Addai out of the mix and is providing great RB2 value in the middle rounds of drafts.

DUD
Had I written this preview a month ago I would have had Austin Collie under my sleeper category for sure as he was really developing nicely in the Colts’ new offense, but then the preseason concussion came. It is his fourth one. Though he’s insisting that he’s going to make back onto the football field soon, I’m not holding my breath. Avoid him altogether.

SLEEPER
Though I can’t endorse rookie Coby Fleener as reliable TE1 option right out of the gate, I am a bit enamored by his upside. He possesses great skill sets to be successful in this league and you can’t replace the time he’s had and the chemistry he has developed playing with Andrew Luck, his former teammate at Stanford.

NEW ADDITION
After an amazing decade plus run the Colts had with Peyton Manning, they now have the good fortune to replace him Andrew Luck as their starting quarterback. He may be the best QB to come out of college since Manning. Luck is ready to produce right now and he is going to fare better than most on banking on out of the gate. Look for plenty of garbage time points and near QB1 numbers in 2012.

POSITION BATTLE
Though I expect Brown to see the bulk of the workload it’s going to be interesting to see how Vick Ballard, Mewelde Moore and Delone Carter work into the mix. Expect Ballard to be used in short-yardage and perhaps goalline situations where Moore will be utilized more as a change-of-pace, third-down type of runner.

BENCH BUILDER
Donnie Avery isn’t a great talent, but Collie’s concussions flaring up and the team so thin at the position he could sneak into a WR2 role to start the season. He isn’t worth drafting in most leagues, but in deeper formats where a fifth or sixth receiver and beyond are placed on your roster he has some upside.

Fantasy Football, NFL 2012 nfl preview, indianapolis colts, reggie wayne, donald brown, austin collie, coby fleener, andrew luck, donnie avery

It’s Tuesday and that means it’s time to go to the waiver wire…

PICKUP OF WEEK
Kenny Britt (TEN) – He’s been on our report a couple times already this year, but in many leagues he remains a free agent. Hurry up though because he won’t be much longer.  The second-year wideout has now scored in three straight weeks and has a season-high 86 yards in Week 5.  There are favorable match-ups ahead.

QB
Josh Freeman (TB) – most-underrated QB in fantasy
Vince Young (TEN) – could be worth a spot start vs. JCK
Max Hall (ARZ) – Worth a stab in larger or keeper leagues

RB
Donald Brown (IND) – Back from injury just in time to fill in
Tashard Choice (DAL) – Due for a breakout

WR
Deion Brach (NE) – the reunion with Tom Brady is appealing
Danny Amendola (STL) – role will only grow with Mark Clayton out
Golden Tate (SEA) – with Branch out of the picture his role will increase
Robert Meachem (NO) – impatient owners may have let go of him too soon

TE
John Carlson (SEA) – a capable starter still out there in many leagues
Marcedes Lewis (JCK) – putting up consistent numbers
Andrew Quarless (GB) – filling in for Jermichael Finley in Green Bay

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, fantasy waiver pickups, kenny britt, donald brown, deion branch, tashard choice, john carlson

Entering 2009 there was plenty of fantasy buzz swirling around Colts’ rookie running back Donald Brown. The team invested a first-round pick on him and with questions surrounding Joseph Addai many owners invested heavily in Brown, spending an early mid-round pick on him.

Addai spoiled the fun turning in a very respectable season, amassing 1,164 total yards and 13 total touchdowns. In addition, a shoulder injury cost Brown five games and limited him for even more.

This year look for owners to go hard after Addai as he should command a second-to-fourth round pick in most leagues, and rightfully so.

However, Brown could provide great value in later rounds. Expect him to play a much larger part and with Addai in a contract year, the second-year runner is more likely the long-term option.

Touches will be the key to success, but if something happens to where Addai struggles or gets hurt look for Brown to emerge.

Even with a healthy Addai, Brown could produce good enough numbers to be a trusty flex play in larger leagues.

He’ll likely be around in the mid-rounds come draft night and will deliver more upside than most taken at that point of the draft. His value goes up even higher in keeper formats.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, 2010 fantasy football sleepers, indianapolis colts, donald brown, joseph addai

Fantasy Football fantasysportsgirl, fantasy advice, indianapolis colts, peyton manning, joseph addai, donald brown, reggie wayne, anthony gonzalez, dallas clark

Here's my first fantasy take on this year's NFL Draft (all info based on non-keeper leagues for 2009 only)...

QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford (DET) - Going to the Lions didn't help Stafford. Throwing to Calvin Johnson will, however. I don't anticipate Daunte Culpepper as being too much of a hurdle and Stafford's strong arm and accurate passing make him appealing. Still, the Lions went 0-16 last year and I don't care if it is Dan Marino coming in as a rookie, I'm going to recommend him only as a free agent pick-up until further notice.

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) - Of the rookie QB's, Sanchez has the most appeal to me. It is not as much as his talent or ability, rather the enviroment he is in. Like Stafford, there isn't much veteran competition for him to compete with. Unlike Stafford he was drafted by a playoff-caliber football team. I would take a late-round flyer on him if I have a solid QB1 already in the fold.

Josh Freeman (TB) - Freeman declared himself the best at the position in his draft class, but he has to prove it before I am ready to agree. Expect Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown to battle for the job early, but Freeman will take advantage if he ever gets a shot. Of the three listed here, he has the least fantasy value at this point heading into next year.

RUNNING BACK
Knowshown Moreno (DEN) - Being the first rookie RB taken doesn't always guarantee instant success. Moreno will be closer to Adrian Peterson than he will be Darren McFadden. Going to Denver is a great fit for the dynamic playmaker. There is a ton of depth in the Broncos' backfield, but anticipate Moreno getting the bulk of the load early in the season. I'm not ready to tab him a RB1, but he is nice pick as a RB2 with great upside.

Donald Brown (IND) - The Colts wanted Brown and didn't waste anytime going after when he was there near the end of the first round. With Dominic Rhodes out of the picture and Addai injury prone, Brown will be good for 10+ touches per game in one of the league's best offenses. That number goes up if Addai goes down. He's not a lock for playing time early though, so he should only be considered as a backup initially. A nice find in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft.

Beanie Wells (ARI) - Playing in a good offense won't be the problem, though I am still not convinced that Arizona possesses that great of a run-blocking line. There is also second-year running back Tim Hightower to consider. I look for the two of them to approach a 50/50 split by season's end. There is some durability concern with Wells and I still would much rather have Hightower at this point.

LeSean McCoy (PHI) - I love what the Eagles did in the draft and McCoy is a big reason why. He's the perfect fit in the offense and with the team wanting to ease Westrbook's worlkoad he's going to have a great chance to prove himself early and often. With him falling to Round 2 he will likely provide more value this coming August in your draft and outside of Moreno has just as much upside of any rookie back long-term.

Shonn Green (NYJ) - I like him as my "darkhorse pick". He scored 14 touchdowns in finals six games last year at Iowa and with the Thomas Jones' contract talks souring, Green's future in the Jets' backfield may take off sooner than others think. He's a guy to stash away in the back of your mind and steal on draft day.

**COMING SOON: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends**

Fantasy Football nfl draft, lions, jets, bucs, matthew stafford, mark sanchez, josh freeman, broncos, colts, cardinals, eagles, knowshown moreno, donald brown, beanie wells, lesean mccoy, shonn green

The Bengals had a pretty busy off-season. One of the key moves undoubtedly was re-signing running back Cedric Benson to a two-year, $7 million contract.

A first-round pick in 2005 for the Bears, Benson ran for 747 yards on 214 carries (3.5 ypc) and 2 TD's in 12 games for the Bengals. He took over as the starter mid-season for Chris Perry and turned in three 100-yard games over the team's last eight games in '08.

Re-signing him gave the team a bit of flexbility with how they approached the position elswhere in free agency and in the upcoming draft, but it did not meet that the Bengals wouldn't still need to add some backfield depth.

Benson has some risk associated with him, but at 26 you would hope he could be a key cog in the offense for the length of the contact.

The team did find a potetnial gem on waivers this week, when they picked up Gary Russell after he was cut from the Steelers. He ran for five touchdowns in 15 games with the World Champions last year at 5-11, 215 pounds in more than capable of spelling Benson.

Perry and Kenny Watson have shown what they can do and whether the Bengals are ready to admit it or not, neither player is the answer. James Johnson is also a dark horse after a hot finish last year, but remains to be a bit of a stretch. If the Bengals are serious about improving they will write off this cast of characters and add a playmaker in the draft.

The team needs to have a more reliable back and a better pass-catching threat out of the backfield for Bob Bratkowski's offense to work efficiently and that player is not on their roster. That translates into the team adding someone else to the mix in the draft, but not out of necessity.

There are a handufl of nice prospects that could be had in Rounds 2-4, including the following players.

LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh, 5-11, 210)
McCoy is a big play waiting to happen. He has tremendous feet and is very shifty. He has excellent quickness and can change direction with ease, often leaving defenders standing still. He combines that quickness and elusiveness with excellent long range speed, and once he hits a seam, he is off to the races.

Donald Brown (Connecticut, 5-10, 210)
Brown was the nation’s leading rusher with 2,083 rushing yards and 18 TDs.  He even ended the season with an impressive 261 yards rushing against Buffalo in the International Bowl.  He possesses great instincts, patience, and shows great techniques in multiple areas.  He is very dangerous in the open and can make big plays.

Rashad Jennings (Liberty, 6-1,230)
Jennings is an intriguing blend of size and speed. He has a great frame, carrying the necessary bulk and strength to carry the football between the tackles. He isn’t a true power back, as he has the agility to make the first defender miss and the speed to get to the corner and break off big runs. Jennings has also been very involved in the passing game with 48 career receptions.

Andre Brown (NC State, 6-foot, 224)
Brown has good size, and has the ability to carry the ball between the tackles. He shows good initial quickness, and the ability to cutback and make the first defender miss. He is at his best running between the tackles and picking up yardage after contact.

Javon Ringer (Michigan State, 5-9, 205)
Ringer has some similarities to Maurice Jones-Drew of Jacksonville, although he isn’t as gifted across the board. He is short but stocky and has excellent quickness. Some teams are going to be concerned with the workload he had in college and his lack of standout measurables, but Ringer can play.

*Bio info from FootballsFuture.com

GETSPORTSRADIO.COM: Daily Dose

NFL bengals, nfl draft, cedric benson, gary russell, chris perry, kenny watson, james johnson, lesean mccoy, donald brown, rashad jennings, andre brown, javon ringer

With just a few weeks left in the college football season, its really time to start the Heisman consideration. Yes, its been talked about all season, but now most players have had the chance to play in big time games. To me, that's what should define the Heisman winner. Can you put up big numbers all season? And even more so, can you put up solid numbers in games against tough/ranked opponents?

Here are my top five (dominated by QBs) complete with their stats from their last game and season stats along with an explanation as to why I have them ranked where they are.

1. Graham Harrell (QB - Texas Tech) - Last game vs. Texas: 36/53, 474 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. Season stats: 3,621 yards, 36 total TDs (6 rushing), 5 INTs, 70.7% completion rate. Harrell looked amazing on Saturday night against Texas. He made precision passes and his game-winning pass to Michael Crabtree was just ridiculous. The slogan in Red Raider nation is, "Guns up!" Harrell, no doubt, is a gun-slinger but the touch he puts on the ball and the placement he has on his passes are, in my opinion, the best in the country. He has a tough stretch in his next two games against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. If he can continue to put up these solid numbers in those two games, even if Texas Tech were to stumble and lose, he should be, in my opinion, the top vote getter in the country.
   
2. Michael Crabtree (WR - Texas Tech) - Last game vs. Texas: 10 rec, 127 yards, 1 TD. Season stats: 70 rec, 921 yards, 15 TDs. His game-winning catch against Texas this week alone puts him in the Heisman talk I feel. But his solid numbers for the season should get him more consideration than they currently are. He's not a flashy receiver, but he's without a doubt the best in the country at his position. He'll get the recognition he deserves after the game he had against Texas, but I doubt he'll move up into anyone's top three, and here I have him at No. 2. I'll admit, I may be ranking him a little too high considering the guys that I have behind him, but to me, he embodies exactly what the winner of the Heisman Trophy should be.
   
3. Sam Bradford (QB - Oklahoma) - Last game vs. Nebraska: 19/27, 311 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT. Season stats: 3,086 yards, 37 total TDs (3 rushing), 6 INTs, 68% completion rate. To say Bradford lit up the Nebraska defense on Saturday would be an understatement. Even in Oklahoma's only loss of the season, to Texas, he still threw for 387 yards and 5 TDs. He's only had two games this season where he threw for less than 300 yards and has thrown for over 400 yards twice, almost three times as he threw for 395 yards against Cincinnati. If Oklahoma can somehow run the table and win the Big 12 title, I could definitely see him winning the Heisman over a few other QBs within the same conference.
   
4. Colt McCoy (QB - Texas): Last game vs. Texas Tech - 20/34, 294 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT. Season stats - 2,579 yards, 30 total TDs (7 rushing), 5 INTs, 79% completion rate. McCoy is without a doubt one of the best players in the country. I could easily swap him and Harrell in my rankings, but after this last week's game, I think a No. 4 ranking fits. He's had a tough stretch of games in his last four having to face Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. McCoy has fared well though in those games, throwing for 1299 yards (almost half his season total), 7 TDs and just 2 INTs. Even if Texas had beaten Texas Tech, I think I'd still have McCoy here at No. 4, maybe No. 2 because that would mean Crabtree didn't have that game-winning catch.
   
5. Tim Tebow (QB - Florida) - Last game vs. Georgia: 10/13, 154 yards, 5 total TDs (3 rushing). Season stats: 1,569 passing yards, 14 TDs, 2 INTs, 266 rushing yards, 8 TDs. The reinging Heisman winner isn't putting up jaw-dropping numbers by any means, but he is efficient and I wouldn't want any other QB in the country to run my goaline offense, that's for sure. The Gators have been lighting up the scoreboard lately, thanks in large part to Tebow.

On the bubble: Chase Daniel (QB - Missouri), Knowshown Moreno (RB - Georgia), Donald Brown (RB - UCONN), Javon Ringer (RB - Michigan State), and Kendall Hunter (RB - Oklahoma State)

College Football heisman, graham harrell, michael crabtree, sam bradford, colt mccoy, tim tebow, chase daniel, knowshon moreno, donald brown, javon ringer, kendall hunter

The Cincinnati Bearcats (5-2, 1-1 BIG EAST) came into this weekend having never lost to the UCONN Huskies (6-2, 2-1 BIG EAST). So much for that. The Huskies ran all over the Bearcats with the leading rusher in the country, Donald Brown, on their way to a 40-16 victory Saturday afternoon. The Huskies came into the game on a two-game losing streak. The Bearcats were riding a four-game winning streak. Both of those came to a halt and the Huskies kept their home winning streak in tack, now standing at eleven.

It was supposed to be the return of Tony Pike to a team that needed a boost from the position. While redshirt freshman Chazz Anderson did a decent job stepping in for Pike, the Bearcats definitely needed someone a little more understanding of the offense. By halftime, head coach Brian Kelly had seen enough of Pike (10-for-27, 136 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) to determine he either wasn't ready to play or he needed someone with a little more elusiveness to combat the swarming Huskies' defense. Pike took a seat when the second half started and Anderson entered the game. Anderson  (9-for-20, 123 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs) didn't manage much better than Pike though, and the main reason for that could have been because the Bearcats ran the ball a total of SEVEN times in the game.

Coach Kelly likes to run the spread offense and has the talent to do so, he cannot forget about the running game. And for some reason that's exactly what happened this week. While the final score makes the game look like a beat-down, that wasn't necessarily the case. Up until late in the game the Bearcats were only down seven and rather than run the ball to keep drives moving, Kelly decided to put the game on the arm of Anderson. He ended up throwing two picks, one of which was taken back for a pick-six. Running the ball a total of seven times in any game spells disaster, especially when you have one QB returning from an injury and another that's still learning how to adjust to the competition at the collegiate level.

Running backs Jacob Ramsey and John Goebel ran the ball for a total of 49 yards. That's an average of seven yards per carry. That's well above where you'd like your running back(s) to average per carry. If there's one thing that can be said negatively about Kelly, its that he falls in love with the passing game a little too much, no matter where the game stands. Had he ran the ball more, the passing game would have opened up more. Both Pike and Anderson dealt with pressure from the Huskies' defense all game long, causing them to either throw bad passes or throw the ball away, or on four occasions, take a sack. With the running game keeping the defense honest and at bay a little more, things could have worked more in the Bearcats favor, especially in the fourth quarter.

On the flip side, the Huskies ran the ball 29 times with their workhorse, Brown. The Bearcats' defense did a good job of keeping Brown in check most of the game, holding him to under 100 yards halfway through the fourth quarter. But the Huskies know where their bread is buttered and never went away from Brown or the running game. Just when it looked like Brown would be held under 100 yards for the first time this season, he busted a 53-yard run. He would end the game with 150 yards on the ground and a couple of scores.

The Huskies were starting their third QB of the season in this game in Cody Endres. He did a decent job, going 18-for-42 for 196 yards. He didn't have to do much though because the Huskies stuck with their running game and Brown, unlike the Bearcats. In the end the Bearcats were beaten at their own game with turning the ball over six times, one on a kickoff return in the third quarter by Mardy Gilyard that completely changed the complexion of the game. At that point the score was 20-16. The Bearcats held the Huskies to a field goal after the fumble, but the momentum was clearly with the home team and stayed that way all the way through the fourth quarter.

Even with this loss, the Bearcats are not out of the hunt for the BIG EAST crown. Their chances took a big hit, especially considering their schedule ahead starting with a game at home against South Florida this coming Thursday night on ESPN. After the USF game, the 'Cats travel to play West Virginia and Louisville and then return home for games against Pittsburgh and Syracuse to wrap up BIG EAST play. Their last game of the season is a non-conference game at Hawaii. If the Bearcats want to have any chance of winning the BIG EAST and getting a BCS bid, they will need to run the ball more. They're supposed to get their season starting QB, Dustin Grutza (broken leg), back for this week's game against USF. In order to protect him and allow him to settle in, Kelly is going to have to control the ball and keep it on the ground more than he did against the Huskies.

College Football cincinnati bearcats, uconn huskies, donald brown, tony pike, chazz anderson, brian kelly, jacob ramsey, john goebel, cody endres, mardy gilyard, dustin grutza

The Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) take their show on the road this week for their first conference road game. The opponent, the Connecticut Huskies (5-2, 1-1 BIG EAST). This marks the fifth meeting between the two teams. To this point, the Huskies have not been successful against the Bearcats as they have not come away with a win against them yet. The last time these two teams met was November 10th of last year at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats took that game 27-3.

Both the Bearcats and the Huskies have had a difficult time keeping a quarterback healthy. The Huskies have had to play three different QBs this year while the Bearcats have one up on them with having played four. While the most recent starter for the Bearcats, Chazz Anderson, has played admirably (wins over Marshall and Rutgers), especially for a redshirt freshman, the team needs a veteran signal caller behind center if they want to succeed down the stretch. They take one step in the right direction in that area this week when Tony Pike returns. He has been missed the last two games since breaking his arm against Akron. Pike was playing in place of season starter, Dustin Grutza, who went down in the Oklahoma game with a broken leg. He's slated to return when the Bearcats take on South Florida next Thursday night.

Pike's return will provide more stability to a high powered offense. Head coach Brian Kelly will be able to open up the playbook more this week, which should see wideouts Mardy Gilyard and Dominick Goodman more involved in the action. The next receiving touchdown for Goodman would be his 21st and tie him with Jim O'Brien for UC's all-time leader. The Bearcats two headed running game of Jacob Ramsey and John Goebel will help Pike settle back into the offense.

The Huskies come into this game having lost their last two contests. Most recently they suffered a surprising loss to a downed Rutgers team, 12-10 in Piscataway, NJ. One thing on the Huskies side is they have the fifth longest home winning streak in the country at 10 games currently. The player to watch when UCONN has the ball is their junior running back, Donald Brown. He leads the nation in yards per game with 167.7. If the Bearcats can keep him in check, it could be a long day for the Huskies. Look for defensive end, Connor Barwin, to be focused on shutting down the run game as well as getting at the quarterback. He leads the BIG EAST with six sacks, which also has him tied for 10th in the nation.

At the end of September the Huskies entered the AP Top 25. While their stay didn't last long, they're still a dangerous team, especially coming off a loss. If the Bearcats can come away with a win, and do so in impressive fashion on the road, they would move to 6-1 and very well could jump up into the Top 25 depending on what happens with those teams that are currently ranked and playing this week.

The game kicks off Saturday at noon. It can be seen on Channel 12 locally or on the BIG EAST Network if available in your area.

College Football cincinnati bearcats, connecticut huskies, chazz anderson, tony pike, dustin grutza, brian kelly, mardy gilyard, dominick goodman, jacob ramsey, john goebel, donald brown, connor barwin