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)

Fantasy Football bears, 49ers, eagles, raiders, giants, vikings, lions, bengals, broncos, titans, packers, seahawks, rams, redksins, texans, patriots, bills, panthers, michael crabtree, jeremy maclin, darrius heyward-bey, hakeem nicks, percy harvin, brandon pettigrew, chase coffman, richard quinn, jared cook, b.j. raji, aaron curry, james laurinaitis, brian orakpo, brian cushing, patrick chung, clay matthews, ray muauluga, aaron maybin, louis delmas, everett brown, clint sintim, juaquin iglesias

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 Detroit Lions will make Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford the No. 1 overall pick in Saturday's NFL Draft after reportedly coming to terms with him on a six-year contract.

The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News reported Friday night the deal could reach $78 million, but $41.7 million of it is guaranteed.

Stafford was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2008 when he threw for 3,459 yards and a school-record 25 touchdowns, against 10 interceptions. He also established a new program record for total offense in a single season with 3,499 yards, his passing total ranking second all-time at Georgia.

He becomes the 17th quarterback to be selected with the draft's top spot since 1970, but picking them has not been an exact science. For every Peyton Manning, you have an Alex Smith. Here's the complete list:

2007 JaMarcus Russell (LSU) - OAK
2005 Alex Smith (Utah) - SF
2004 Eli Manning (Mississippi) - SD
2003 Carson Palmer (Southern Cal) - CIN
2002 David Carr (Fresno State) - HOU
2001 Michael Vick (Virginia Tech) - ATL
1999 Tim Couch (Kentucky) - CLE
1998 Peyton Manning (Tennessee) - IND
1993 Drew Bledsoe (Washington State) - NE
1990 Jeff George (Illinois) - IND
1989 Troy Aikman (UCLA) - DAL
1987 Vinny Testaverde (Miami) - TB
1983 John Elway (Stanford) - BAL (Colts)
1975 Steve Bartkowski (California) - ATL
1971 Jim Plunkett (Stanford) - NE
1970 Terry Bradshaw (Louisiana Tech) - PIT

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The Jay Cutler-Josh McDaniels drama is getting old in Denver. The two either need to kiss and make up or move on. Cutler is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game to say the least, but this whole thing is a bit childish.

Even worse is the fact that McDaniels is acting just as immature. If I am a Broncos' fan (and I am not), the team's new, young coach is on a very thin leash.

Cutler has not shown up for the team's voluntary workouts and McDaniels wants to meet without his agent.

According to the Denver Post, Cutler has been communicating with the coach via text message. I guess that is better than nothing, but still it's like two freakin' teenagers.

If something is going to shake down, it will before the draft.

Here are my picks for the best landing spots for Cutler should there be a trade...

1. NY Jets - Easily the team in biggest need.

2. Tampa Bay - OK, they could be worse off than the Jets. They could of have had in the 3-way trade for Matt Cassell to begin with.

3. Minnesota - Do you really think Sage Rosenfels is going to be the answer for the Vikings?

4. Detroit - They are sitting on the draft's top pick and desperate to win.

5. Chicago - Three words say it all...Kyle Freakin' Orton

MY TAKE: You don't trade a 25 year old franschise QB coming off a 4,500-yard Pro Bowl season under any circumstances, especially if he actually wants to play for your team as Cutler clearly had. While I think both deserve a fair share of the blame in the matter, I also think that owner Pat Bowlen deserves some criticism for his silence in the matter. He writes the check and at this point I think he needs to sit everyone down and work this out. Otherwise, Cutler is going to go all "T.O." on them.

NFL broncos, jay cutler, josh mcdaniels, pat bowlen, jets, bucs, buccaneers, vikings, lions, bears

When your team goes 0-16 there is only one way to go - UP! Still, I was a bit surprised when the Lions named Jim Schwartz as their new head coach. 

The 42-year-old Schwartz, who spent the past eight seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, replaces the dismissed Rod Marinelli and inherits a club that in 2008 became the first to lose every game since the NFL instituted a 16-game schedule in 1978.

The fact that the Lions went with an assistant over an experience head coach is a bit surprising given their recent history. Actually, they haven't been successful going either direction.

For every Marinelli, there is a John Harbaugh, a former assistant who has the Ravens playing in the AFC Championship game on Sunday in his first season at the helm.

Regardless of who the coach is the talent in Detroit is below par and Schwartz is going to have his hands full. Detroit has the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft though, not to mention the first and third-round picks from the Roy Williams trade to the Cowboys.

The Lions are 31-97 since 2001, have lost 17 straight games and 23 of 24 overall.

NFL lions, jim schwartz, rod marinelli

As is the case so many years, the first day of the off-season brought some firings...

BROWNS - Savage Fired; Crennel Next? (ESPN.com)
Browns Senior Vice President and General Manager Phil Savage was fired Sunday and, according to ESPN.com, team sources said that coach Romeo Crennel will also lose his job. After the Browns lost their final six games of the year, the team confirmed Savage's ouster. An official announcement on the GM and the coach is expected as early as today and no later than Tuesday. 

JETS - Mangini Let Go (ESPN.com)
Eric Mangini is out as head coach of the New York Jets, 1050 ESPN Radio and various other New York media outlets are reporting. Mangini and the Jets missed out on the playoffs after losing to Miami on Sunday. The Jets lost four of their last five games to finish 9-7. Jets' owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum will appear at a 10 a.m. ET news conference. Mangini is not expected to attend.

LIONS - 0-16 Costs Marinelli His Job (MLive.com)
The Detroit Lions' pursuit of at least one victory in 2009 will have to come without Rod Marinelli, who is out as coach, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports. The decision was made Monday morning. Marinelli, who has one year left on his contract, is 10-38 in three years of guiding the Lions – his first experience as head coach. Adam Schefter, of the NFL Network, reports that the Lions also dismissed most of Marinelli's coordinators and assistants.

NFL browns, jets, lions, romeo crennel, eric mangini, rod marinelli

Just a few observations from the final Sunday of NFL regular season action:

• DETROIT FIRST EVER TO GO 0-16 - The Lions did it! We finally have an 0-16 team. One year after we witnessed our first 16-0 team ever, we now have an 0-16 team as the Lions lost in Green Bay 31-21. The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. And Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and been outscored 551-281.
  
  
• PENNINGTON GETS LAST LAUGH - I am a big Brett Favre fan and I really do think that I saw him play his last game ever today. Still, I was rooting for Pennington to come back to the Meadowlands and claim the division title in front of the fans that were so happy to replace him with the future Hall of Famer to start the season. The bonus came with Miami's win also eliminating the Patriots from the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Tony Romo proves once again that he can't handle the pressure of a big game.
  
  
• COWBOYS SUFFFER WORST LOSS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY - After both the Bucs and Bears blew their chances to put pressure on the Cowboys, the Eagles learned just before the kickoff of their game that a win over Dallas would give them the NFC's final playoff berth. The Eagles embarassed the Dallas Cowboys, who I've said all year long is the league's most overrated team. They proved it on Sunday as they lost 44-6 with their season on the line.
  
  
• BLOWING IT DOWN THE STRETCH - If you look at the four teams that missed out on the playoffs on Sunday that at one point looked like a lock - the Cowboys, Bears, Bucs, and Jets - you see one consistent trend. Disappointing finishes. Over the last five weeks of the season the teams mentioned above went 6-14. Enough said. I don't think Lovie Smith or Jon Gruden are going anywhere, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the ax come down with any of these teams.
  
  
• RESTING STARTERS NOT A BAD IDEA - I am not a big fan of how it robs me of a good week of fantasy football, but you can't argue with coaches that sit their players with the playofs in hand. Mike Tomlin is wishing he would have pulled the plug on Ben Roethlisberger before he got knocked out of the game with a concussion. The look on Tomlin's face when his franchise quarterback was on the turf for nearly ten minutes said it all. Big Ben suffered a concussion and should be alright in two weeks when the Steelers next play.
  
  
• FALCONS, RAVENS RIDE THEIR ROOKIE QB'S - Nothing is more impressive than the 1-15 turnaroud Miami had to win the AFC East. Still, I couldn't end this blog post without mentioning how amazed I am that both Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco led the Falcons and Ravens to wildcard berths respectively. I didn't give either team much of a chance to compete this year, especially with rookie quarterbacks. I don't expect either team to go too deep into the playoffs, but I learned my lesson and won't take them for granted either. Both teams are very much capabale of beating their first round opponents next.

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One season after the Patriots went 16-0, the Lions have are nearing an equally remarkable accomplishment. If they lose this weekend at Green Bay (haven't won their since 1991), the Lions will become the first team in league history to fail to win a single game during the regular season. Pretty impressive. In fact, I think it is even more impressive than New England's accomplishment last season.

The Lions lost 42-7 to the Saints in their home finale on Sunday becoming the first 0-15 team in league history while managing to look as bad as they have all season. The Lions are the fourth team to start 0-13 or worse since 1976, when Tampa Bay infamously finished 0-14 as an expansion team. However, the 2007 Dolphins (0-13), 1986 Colts (0-13) and 1980 Saints (0-14) avoided the dubious distinction of being the first team to finish winless since the league lengthened the regular season in 1978. 

"Awful, embarrassing, we stunk, any bad adjective you can use," quarterback Dan Orlovsky said. "It's a daunting task (at Green Bay) and I'm sure everyone will be betting against us. We have to man up, and it's going to be difficult with the holiday, and treat this week very serious. Every guy in here needs to treat this game like it's the last game he's ever played, because it's embarrassing to be 0-16."

As bad as I think I have it as a Bengals' fan, I need to look no further than north to Detroit to realize that my team is nowhere near rock bottom.

The franchise has not won a playoff game since 1957. They've mustered two winning seasons in 13 years (ok, that's better than the Bengals' one in the last 18). The Lions are 40-101 this decade, which amounts to a depressing winning percentage of .284. How bad is it when you consider Wayne Fontes the best coach in the organization's history? Pretty freakin' bad.

With little to root for in Week 17, the Lions going 0-16 is worth talking about.

NFL lions, 0-16

Here's some notes on the Pro Bowl selections (from Rotoworld.com):

--The Jets led all teams with seven players (Brett Favre, Thomas Jones, Alan Faneca, Nick Mangold, Leon Washington, Kris Jenkins, Darrelle Revis). Favre makes it despite -- brace yourselves now -- leading the league with 17 picks.

--Giants' Kicker John Carney (44) is the oldest Pro Bowler ever.

--After sending eight players last year, only two New England Patriots made it (first-timers Wes Welker and Stephen Gostkowski).

--Tennessee's Chris Johnson was the only rookie selection.

--You may think Joey Porter is a mouthy knucklehead, but he and his AFC-leading 17.5 sacks deserved a spot, while Dolphins teammate…

--...Ronnie Brown simply didn't. 10 TDs (4 in that fluky 'Wildcat-gone-wild!' game) were nice, but he has only three 100-plus-yard games and only one other game topping even 70 yards. Steve Slaton, Marshawn Lynch and even LaDainian Tomlinson deserved it more.

--The Bengals, Jags, Rams and Lions had zero reps. Shocker.

--Notable snubs: Atlanta's John Abraham (3rd in sacks with 15), Philip Rivers (#1 in passer rating/tied for #1 with 28 TDs, and Cutler goes?), Matt Ryan (Eli?), DeAngelo Williams (1,229 yards/14 TDs and they choose Portis?), Calvin Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Chad Pennington (The Matt Ryan of the AFC…c'mon, Favre?). And Dallas Clark should have edged Antonio Gates.

COMPLETE PRO BOWL ROSTERS

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Just as the trade deadline was nearing, the Dallas Cowboys acquired free-agent-to-be wide receiver Roy Williams from the Detroit Lions. In exchange for the talented Williams the Cowboys gave up their 1st, 3rd, and 5th round picks in next year's draft.

The Cowboys are also trying to negotitate a long-term deal with Williams before completing the deal, according to ESPN.com.

Dallas is playing without starting quarterback Tony Romo (finger) for upto 4 weeks, but the addition of Williams should provide a boost to the passing game.

Expect to see his presence to take a few targets away from Terrell Owens and Jason Witten, but their overall production should not be effected too much. The real loser in this trade is likely to be Patrick Crayton, who will fall into more a reserve role with Williams in the picture.

For the Lions, with Williams gone and Jon Kitna placed on the I.R. on Tuesday, the offense is facing an up-hill battle. Outside of Calvin Johnson it is hard to find any fantasy value to get excited about in the Motor City. 

Fantasy Football, NFL cowboys, lions, roy williams, terrell owens, jason witten, patrick crayton, tony romo, brad johnson