I continue to breakdown the Rookie Class of 2009 from a fantasy prospective...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fantasy Rookie Podcast | First Take (QB/RB)

WIDE RECEIVER
Michael Crabtree (SF) - When he slipped past the Raiders I was thinking he caught a break from a fantasy standpoint. However, landing in San Francisco without a quarterback and in an offense that under Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye is likely to be a run-heavy, ball-control team didn't help his cause. The top talent hands down, but he slides down my list a bit.

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) - My favorite mix of talent and opportunity of any receiver in the draft. Maclin has the ability to makes plays and will be a nice fit opposite of last year's rookie wideout DeSean Jackson in Philly. Donovan McNabb will be chomping at the bit to get Maclin in his line-up and owners will be too soon enough.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK) - I still am tyring to figure out what in the world Al Davis was smoking on draft day, but that is another blog post altogether. Heyward-Bey has explosiveness and the ability to make plays. His success will depend greatly on JeMarcus Russell and the QB situation in Oakland. I am going to stay clear of any Raiders' wideouts for now.

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) - With Plaxico Burress officially done as a Giant, Nicks will be asked to step into the mix right off the bat. He has the potential to be a solid a WR3 or WR4 for fantasy owners long-term, but I just don't see it happening very quickly, making him better as a long-term option.

Percy Harvin (MIN) - The former Gator is a high-risk, high-reward type of player. The Vikings' quarterback situation is a mess, but I still expect Harvin to enjoy some success right out of the gate. He is going to turn in some huge games and some duds too as consistency will be what holds his fantasy value down.

Juaquin Iglesias (CHI) - With Jay Cutler now in Chicago the team needs to build a solid stable of receivers. Iglesias is a nice start and will have a chance to earn playing time right off the bat. If he can work his way into the Bears' starting lineup early on he has the potential to be the biggest sleeper pick of the bunch.

TIGHT END
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) - Easily the most talented of the tight ends in the draft. If there was any questions surrounding him it would be the fact he plays for the Lions and has history of character issues. Still, he should produce good enough to be a fantasy factor right off the bat.

Chase Coffman (CIN) - He is the Division I record holder for career receptions by a tight end and will be a natural fit in the Bengals' passing attack sans T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Coffman will quickly become a favorite target of Carson Palmer, particularly in the red zone.

Richard Quinn (DEN) - Quinn fits more of the "blocking tight end" bill and finds himself in a cluttered depth chart in Denver. He could surprise early in fantasy football if he ensures a bigger role. His value is higher in keeper leagues though as he likely will go undrafted in most year-to-year formats.

Jared Cook (TEN) - The "tweener" is a nice fit for the Titans' scheme and should get playing time immediately. Tight ends have generally favored well in the Titans over the past decade plus. If he can unseat the aging veteran Alge Crumpler, Cook could produced quick dividends.

IDP ROOKIE RANKINGS
1. DT B.J. Raji (GB)
2. LB Aaron Curry (SEA)
3. LB James Laurinaitis (STL)
4. DE Brian Orakpo (WAS)
5. LB Brian Cushing (HOU)
6. S Patrick Chung (NE)
7. LB Clay Matthews (GB)
8. LB Ray Muauluga (CIN)
9. DE Aaron Maybin (BUF)
10. S Louis Delmas (DET)
11. DE Everett Brown (CAR)
12. LB Clint Sintim (NYG)

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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**

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The 2009 NFL Draft is less than a week away and to this point we have seen little movement on the trade front.

The Bills did move All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters in fear that he would holdout. The Eagles, who had two first round picks, were able to benefit and now have solidified the most important position on the line.

The question remains will the Cardinals do the same with wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who wants to be paid in the same ballpark as teammate Larry Fitzgerald. The reality of the matter is though that Arizona is not prepared to tie up that kind of money at one position.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com wrote this weekend that he expects to see Boldin get traded.

"The Cardinals put it out there Wednesday that they received calls from teams inquiring about Boldin. Why the rush to let that information out? They want to make a move before the draft, if they make a move at all," Prisco wrote.

"So where does he go? Many speculate Philadelphia or to the Giants. But here's one to strongly consider: Jacksonville. The Jaguars have discussed a trade with the Cardinals and they are in the market for a receiver."

With Boldin on the block as well as Cleveland wideout Braylon Edwards, the market is drying up for the Bengals' Ocho Cinco. It is going to be an interesting week ahead.

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There has been talk that the Eagles may be interested in talking with the Bengals about wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco, namely on ESPN.com's Michael Smith blog. Smith speculation does make some sense.

Philadelphia has two first round picks and it's no secert that franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb has long coveted a true No. 1 wideout.

Eagles beat writer Les Bowen wrote about the very subject extenisvely today on his blog and definitely was quick to point out this merely speculation. However, in the end he did admit to seeing a scenario where there could be some meat to the talks.

"They have indicated that if a premier wideout became available, they'd want to kick the tires. But they made it very clear they were not going to be adding (presumably prison-bound) Plaxico Burress, when the Giants released him last week. Chad/Ocho has a long and colorful history," Bowen writes. "He's 31 years old. He certainly wouldn't command the kind of ransom the Cards would get, say, for Anquan Boldin. But if I'm the Eagles, I'd probably be interested, at a price that wouldn't include either of those first-round picks Michael Smith mentioned."

Ocho Cinco clearly doesn't want to be here and I am thinking more and more every day that he may be out of here by time the dust settles from the NFL Draft later this month.

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Let's check out some of the latest headlines from around the league...

HOUSMANDZADEH INTERESTED IN PHILLY (from Philadelphia Inquirer)
Pending free agent wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had some interesting things to say about the Eagles yesterday during an interview with Mike Missanelli on ESPN 950. Houshmandzadeh, considered the top free-agent receiver on the market, said he could potentially be interested in playing in Philadelphia. "If the Eagles are interested in me, let's put it like this. If they'll be interested in me, I'll be interested in them," he said when asked if the Eagles would be his top choice...MORE

PATS READY TO TAG CASSEL (from Boston Globe)
The question no longer seems to be if the Patriots will designate quarterback Matt Cassel their franchise player, but when. It could come as early as today. NFL teams can use the franchise tag - which helps retain top players and limits a player's ability to fully experience free agency - on one player today through Feb. 19...MORE

JAMES ALREADY OUT IN ARIZONA (from ProFootballTalk.com)
In an interview on Dan Patrick’s radio show, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic and XTRA Sports 910 said in no uncertain terms that Cardinals running back Edgerrin James is already gone. Bickley said that James didn’t return to Arizona with the team, and that he fully expects James not to be back in 2009. James is entering the final year of his contract, at a base salary of $5 million...MORE

CABLE OFFICIALLY RAIDERS' COACH, FINALLY (from Sacramento Bee)
The method wasn't conventional. Interview for head coach of the Raiders. Recruit assistant coaches. Then watch those assistant coaches get hired before you. But that's how Tom Cable became the 17th head coach of the Raiders. Cable was introduced at the team's training facility Wednesday after "interim" was removed from his title Tuesday...MORE

GONZO WILLING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN KC (from FoxSports.com)
In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com, Gonzalez said that a Yahoo.com story published Wednesday morning misrepresented his stance toward the organization. Gonzalez said he is amenable to returning for a 13th NFL season in Kansas City and won't know whether he will ask for a trade until seeing what personnel and coaching moves the franchise makes this offseason...MORE

NO REUNION FOR REEVES, COWBOYS (from San Antonio Express-News)
There will be no reunion for Dan Reeves and the Dallas Cowboys. Reeves, 65, who played and coached for the Cowboys, had been at the team's facility this week in anticipation of joining the organization in some capacity. But the team said Wednesday night that wasn't happening...MORE

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Super Bowl XLIII is set and the Steelers and Cardinals are headed for Tampa. Before we get to breaking down the big game let's look back to some final takes from Championship Weekend...

*Kurt Warner probably was already headed to Canton, but the two-time NFL MVP locked it up his four-touchdown effort against the Eagles to send the Cards to their first Super Bowl appearence.

*The Eagles live by the blitz, and they die by the blitz. The Cards set the tone for the game on their first drive and rolled on to one of the more impressive halfs of the season.

*When you start breaking Jerry Rice's records you know that you are having a good day. Larry Fitzgerald broked the Hall of Famer's mark for single-game receiving yards as he caught 9 balls for 152 yards and 3 TD's. I said it two weeks ago and will say it again...Fitzgerald is the best receiver in the NFL.

*Where did Brian Westbrook go? Once again he was not a factor in the game as he managed just 45 yards on 12 carries. He only caught two balls for 26 yards and was once again held out of the end zone. You have to find a way to get that guy invovled.

*The Cardinals' defense continues to go overllooked, but it is there play that has been the difference for the Cards in this improbable run. Arizona has a +9 turnover ratio in this post-season and that is the reason they are headed to Tampa.

*How about former LaSalle Lancer and Cincinnati Bearcat Brent Celek. The Eagles' tight end emerged in the playoffs as a key part of the Eagles' offense and topped off a great post-season by catching 10 balls for 83 yards and 2 TD's.

*Will Andy Reid ever win the big game?

*Who said you can't beat a team three times in one year? Kudos to the Ravens for a great year, but the Steelers are just a better and more polished team.

*Man I was stuck taking Joe Flacco in my fantasy game this week (had to save Big Ben for Super Bowl and already used NFC QB's). I would have better off putting my self in the line-up. Three picks nearly put him with negative points.

*The play made on the Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes scoring strike was unbelievable. Roethlisberer somehow avoided the sack and then Holmes became the human juke-box, making defenders miss. For his size it's hard to find a more agile QB than Big Ben.

*Willis McGahee got JACKED UP!  That hit he took was tenacious, but clean. Not a bad game for McGahee though. He did score both of the Ravens' touchdowns.

*Pittsburgh has the best homefield advantage in football.

*Props out the AFC North, they represented the division well.

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Three more freakin' games, that's all we have left of the NFL in 2008. This weekend's slate looks nothing like I predicted in the NFC, but I pretty much nailed it in the AFC. Either way it makes for an interesting  Sunday of football. Here's how I see the games unfolding this weekend:

PHILADELPHIA (9-7) at ARIZONA (9-6-1) - Eagles favored by 4
Outlook: For the thrird straight week it's hard to find anybody that wants to pick the Cardinals, but they just keep finding ways to win. In my mind they've already beaten two teams that are just as good as Philly.

The Eagles are riding high, but outside of drilliing an overrated and unfocused Cowboys' team to get into the playoffs, outlasting a Tavaris Jackson-led Vikings' squad, and a Giants' offense that failed to find an idenity what have the Eagles done? All that's right, they tied the freakin' Bengals, got drilled by the Ravens, and blew a must-win game late in the year to a weak Redskins' team.

Arizona looked terrible down the stretch of the regular season, but post-season surge of the defense and the committment to get a running game going has breathed life into the Cardinals at the perfect time. They looked impressive against Atlanta and shut down Michael Turner. Then they went to Carolina and did something eight other teams couldn't do this year as they beat the Panthers. And not just beat them, but drill them.

The Eagles jumped out to a 21-0 lead before rolling the Cards on Thanksgiving Night, but this time its in Arizona and believe it or not I am going to think that makes a difference.

My Pick: CARDS 24, EAGLES 20

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, Brian Westbrook, Edgerrin James, Tim Hightower, Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, David Akers, Neil Rackers; DON'T PLAY - Correll Buckhalter, Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith, Eagles DEF, Cardinals DEF

BALTIMORE (11-5) at PITTSBURGH (12-4) - Steelers favored by 6
Outlook: The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens twice this season and beating a team three times in one season is a tough task, but it's not unheard off. Just ask the 1999 Jaguars, they went 14-2 before with both losses coming to the Titans, then they lost to Tennessee in the playoffs. It happens. Baltimore has had quite a run to get this point, but they look tired. They haven't had a bye since Week 2 and the veterans on the defense have played at such a high level I think that could hurt them.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is enjoying fresh life in the running game as Fast Willie Parker finally gets to 100%. His speed to the outside could present problems for the Ravens, who are likely to be without linebacker Terrell Suggs. Ben Roethlisberger is going to be playing looser than Joe Flacco, but that could lead into turnovers. To me that is the key to this game. If Baltimore is going to have a chance they will need to limit Big Ben and capitalize on mistakes. I don't see the Steelers, who have the best homefield advantage in the league, making too many mistakes though.

My Pick: STEELERS 20, RAVENS 13

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, LeRon McClain, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, Derrick Mason, Heath Miller, Jeff Reed, Matt Stover, Steelers DEF, Ravens DEF; DON'T PLAY -Willis McGahee, Mewelde Moore, Mark Clayton, Nate Washington, Todd Heap

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The conference championship games are set, but before we turn the page to next week's big showdown, I had to sound off on some final takes from the divisional rounds...

*The Ravens continued to live up to the hype I've been giving them, but the Titans really shot themselves in the foot. They can blame the refs all they want about the blown call on a blatant delay of game, yet they still can not deny the fact that despite 391 total yards of offense costly turnovers and penalaties sealed their fate. It's amazing that the Titans kept it as close as they did even though they turned the ball over three times to the Ravens' zero.

*Joe Flacco once again did enough to help his team won the game. Another game without a pick or a sack. Consider that the Ravens managed just 50 yards rushing and the rookie's 161 passing yards seem pretty impressive.

*The game could have been a different story had Chris Johnson not suffered an ankle injury midway through the second quarter. He left the game with 72 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.  The Ravens were struggling to find an answer for the rookie.

*I still can't get over the thumping Arizona handed Carolina. The Panthers had two weeks to prepare, were 8-0 at home, and a double-digit favorite. Take nothing away from Arizona, but that is the biggest egg laid by a higher-seeded team in this round in recent memory. 

*Larry Fitzgerald continues to show me that he is the best receiver in football and right now the Cardinals look smart for giving him the money they deserved. He accounted for 75% of the team's 220 receiving yards, finishing with 8 receptions for 166 yards and a TD.

*The Eagles beat the Giants for the second time this season in their house. New York did not look like Super Bowl champs today and really have not looked as good since troubled wideout Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg and shot the Giants' chances for a repeat.

*Andy Reid outcoached Tom Coughlin on Sunday and it started with the coin flip. Coughlin opted not play the wind game and took the ball right off the bat. It didn't seem bad when Ahmad Bradshaw ran his longest return of the season back. However, Eli Manning couldn't get on track throwing into the fierce breezes early in the game and it was even worse in the fourth quarter when the team was forced to come from two scores down.

*Brian Westbrook was not a factor in this game. He had 20 touches, yet he only mustered 46 total yards and did not score. The Giants owned him, but they couldn't translate that into a victory.

*It figures Willie Parker finally gets healthy after my fantasy season is over. Two touchdowns and 146 yards on the ground shows that Fast Willie is finally nearing 100%.

*Pittsburgh officially has the best homefield advantage in football.

*Phillip Rivers' season may be over, but it wasn't because of his play. He finished with 308 yards and three scoring strikes against a very good secondary and while under intense pressure. Rivers has arrived as one of the league's elite passers.

*As a Bengals' fan I hate the Steelers and Ravens. Stil, I was rooting for both this weekend. Sure, money had something to do with (bet on both). I would rather have our division do good than have it look like chumps. Clearly, these our the two best defenses in the league and now they meet next Sunday for a third time this year.

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Man each week the NFL season draws closer to an end, and each week the depression kicks in a little more. Still, there are some great games on tap this weekend and I am going to try to enjoy them to the fullest. Let's take a look each game as I tell you how I see things unfolding and give you my picks.

BALTIMORE (12-5) at TENNESSEE (13-3) - Titans favored by 3
Outlook: The Titans won the Week 5 meeting 13-10 in Baltimore and this one promises to be another slugfest. Baltimore comes into the game off an impressive opening-round victory and seem to be clicking on all cylinders. In the Week 5 meeting the Ravens controlled the clock and limited Tennessee to 47 yards rushing. Tennessee will need more effective running the ball this time around. Ravens' QB Joe Flacco threw two picks in the first meeting, but hasn't been turning the ball over as much of late. The two teams are extremely similar statisically in PaYd per game, RuYd per game, points scored, points allowed, give-aways, and take-aways. The game could easily come down to which team can put points on the board with their defense of special teams.

My Pick: Ravens 20, Titans 16...The one underdog I like to win straight up this week.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Chris Johnson, LeRon McClain, Derrick Mason, Bo Scaife, Rob Bironas, Matt Stover, Ravens DEF, Titans DEF; DON'T PLAY - Joe Flacco, Kerry Collins, LenDale White, Any Titans' WR, Todd Heap.

ARIZONA (10-7) at CAROLINA (12-4) - Panthers favored by 10
Outlook: Talk about two teams that are completely different, the Cardinals and Panthers have gotten to this point in completely different manners. The Panthers have a top-notched running game and an above average defense. The Cardinals boast the league's most prolific passing attack, but struggle to move the ball on the ground and has played inconsistent this year on defense. The game is in Carolina and that could be the difference. Arizona is just 3-5 away from the friendly confines of the desert and and the Panthers are a perfect 8-0 at Bank of America Stadium. Kurt Warner has passed for twice as many TD's as Jake Delhomme (30:15), but Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower collectively were nearly outproduced by the Panthers' No. 2 running back Jonathan Stewart on the ground (913 yards to 836 yards). DeAngelo Williams finished thrid in the NFL in rushing with 1515 yards.

My Pick: Carolina 31, Arizona 20...The Cards will have some success on offense, but will not be able to stop the run this week.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Jake Delhomme, Kurt Warner, DeAngelo Williams, Edgerrin James, Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, Anquan Boldin (game-time decision), Mushin Muhammad, John Kasay, Neil Rackers; DON'T PLAY - Tim Hightower, Stephen Spach, Donte Rosario, Panthers DEF, Cardinals DEF.

PHILADELPHIA (10-6-1) at NY GIANTS (13-3) - Giants favored by 4.5
Outlook: I am still trying to figure out the Eagles even got this point. It wasn't too long ago I went and watched them tie the Bengals. Much has happened since then and the Eagles have won 4 of their last 5 games to get to this point. The Giants are the defending champs and come into the game well rested. While the Eagles finished the season red hot, the Giants were a bit sluggish down the stretch as they dealt with problems on and off the field. The two teams split in their head-to-head match-ups with Philly, winning 20-14 in Week 14 at the Meadowlands. Eli Manning has looked rough down the stretch (only averaging 153 PaYd per game w/out Plaxico). The G-Men will enjoy a healthy return of Brandon Jacobs.

My Pick: Giants 20, Eagles 14...the rubber match should be a good one, but I still like the champs coming off two weeks of rest.

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Domenik Hixon, Kevin Boss, Brent Celek, Eagles DEF, David Akers, John Carney; DON'T PLAY - Eli Manning, Correll Buckhalter, Amani Toomer, Giants DEF.

SAN DIEGO (9-8) at PITTSBURGH (12-4) - Steelers favored by 6
Outlook: A little over a month ago I pegged the Chargers as the most overrated team and declared Norv Turner one of the worst coaches in the league. It's amazing what five straight wins can do for job somebody's job security. Behind the Pro Bowl caliber play of Phillip Rivers and the speedy Darren Sproles San Diego has caught a bolt of lightning. Pittsburgh's defense is as good as ever and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continues to find ways to win. The Steelers' ground attack has been disappointing, but it hasn't matter much as they've continue to beat good team after good team. They have the best homefield advantage of any team in the playoffs and that could make the difference here. San Diego lost at Pittsburhg in Week 11 in the first 11-10 game in NFL history.

My Pick: Pittsburgh 21, Chargers 14...as much as I hate them the Steelers are my Super Bowl pick right now and I am sticking with it!

Fantasy Clicks: PLAY - Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Heath Miller, Steelers; DON'T PLAY - Phillip Rivers, Darren Sproles (fear the Steelers' D), LaDainian Tomlinson (hurt), Chris Chambers, Chargers DEF, Nate Kaeding, Jeff Reed.

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Some parting shots from the first weekend of the NFL playoffs:

*I forgot what is was like to watch commericals during NFL games, oh how I already miss the NFL Ticket and the Red Zone Channel

*Matt Ryan had a great season and has single-handedly turned out the fortunes of the Falcons' franchise, but stopping RB Michael Turner is still the key to beating Atlanta. The Cardinals' defense suprisingly held him to 42 yards on 18 carries. For the record Ryan finished the game 26 of 40 for 199 yards and 2 TD's, but he also threw two big picks.

*Larry Fitzgerald is the best receiver in the NFL...period. The TD catch he made was amazing, but it is just one of many he had during the season.

*The Colts can't win playoff games without a running game. Joseph Addai only mustered 44 yards on 16 carries. Running the football is a must in winning come playoff time.

*L.T. is done. I don't see him ever returning to his former self. Do you think the Chargers would like to have Michael Turner back now?

*Darren Sproles is the man - and was a stellar sleeper pick in my playoff fantasy football lineup! He produced the third most total yards in playoff history, including 105 yards rushing on 23 carries and 2 TD's!

*How did Phillip Rivers miss the Pro Bowl?

*The Ravens were my sleeper pick of all of the wildcard teams. Their defense is nearly as good as their 2000 unit that won the Super Bowl. Their running game can wear any team down and rookie quartberback Joe Flacco is much better than Trent Dilfer. Can you say Super Bowl? Let's not get too carried away yet, but it wouldn't suprise if it happened.

*Flacco became the third rookie QB to win their first post-season start. Everybody knows Ben Roethlisberger did it, but I completely forgot about Shaun King (Tampa Bay 2001), where did he go?

*Chad Pennington had a great season and certainly deserved his second Comeback Player of the Year award, but on Sunday he remembered that he indeed was Chad Pennington.

*If the Vikings are serious about winning they cannot go in to next season with Tavaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte as their quarterbacks.

*It's hard to believe that a little more than a month ago the Eagles actually benched Donovan McNabb. Expect both him and head coach Andy Reid to return to Philly in '09.

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