Let's take a look at some of the biggest movers in free agency from a fantasy football perspective:

DONE DEALS
RB Reggie Bush (Lions) – Detroit is the perfect landing spot for Bush and his fantasy owners alike. The team promised him the “full-time” gig which means he’s likely to be the guy on all three downs. That doesn’t bode well for Mikel Leshoure, who along with his 3.7 ypc will now likely be reduced to short-yardage and goal line work. Bush’s arrival should only help Matthew Stafford produce even bigger numbers at the quarterback position and also help to free up Calvin Johnson a bit in the offense.

RB Rashard Mendenhall (Cardinals) – Mendenhall reunites with Bruce Arians, who was the Steelers’ offensive coordinator during Mendenhall’s most productive seasons. At 25 and year fully removed from ACL surgery Mendenhall surely has room to return as a feature back. The Cardinals parted ways with Beanie Wells earlier so that leaves Mendenhall and former first-round pick Ryan Williams as the team’s top two options out of the backfield. Arians prefers a workhorse running back so expect one to emerge for the bulk of carries. Early on that bet is Mendenhall.

RB Shonn Greene (Titans) – The Titans struggled badly at the goal line a year ago and they’re hoping Greene can serve as a nice compliment to Chris Johnson. Greene is a sure bet to vulture TD’s from Johnson, who struggled to find the end zone as is. Hopefully it will also motivate Johnson and help him avoid the early-season struggles he’s become accustomed to.  Regardless of who is running the ball for Tennessee, the Titans will need better play. Johnson remains inside our top 15 (unchanged) at running back to whereas Greene will be a RB4 or RB5 at best.

WR Wes Welker (Broncos) – In one of the most surprising moves thus far Welker winds up in Denver with Peyton Manning. While I initially was prepared to drop Welker (currently No. 15 in wide receiver rankings) if he were unable to stick with the Patriots, this move makes me rethink the action. The Broncos already boast two stud wideouts on the outside, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, and will now slide Welker into the slot to replace Brandon Stokley. The targets are likely to drop, but in the end Welker should wind up a solid WR2 with added value in PPR formats.

WR Danny Amendola (Patriots) – New England wasted no time in announcing Amendola as Welker’s replacement. Five years younger, Amendola has often been referred to in fantasy circles as a poor man’s Wes Welker. Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel is familiar with Amendola from his days in St. Louis. It will be hard to imagine Amendola matching Welker’s production right out of the gate. The bigger concern for owners is his durability. Amendola has missed 22 games over the past four seasons, including 15 contests during the 2011 season and five a year ago. Consider him a WR3 worthy a mid-round pick in upcoming fantasy drafts.

WR Donnie Avery (Chiefs) – Avery is coming off his career-best season after catching 60 balls for 781 yards a year ago for the Colts. The problem is his catch efficiency.  To get to those 60 receptions it took 124 targets. The speedster has been criticized at times for his fundamentals, but he will help aid in the Chiefs’ offense as a deep threat. With Dwyane Bowe in the fold and Dexter McCluster and his versatility also in the mix, Andy Reid is going to have options for Alex Smith. Avery’s departure from Indy only enhances the value of young receiver TY Hilton.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Steven Jackson – Reports continue to suggest that the Packers and Jackson are nearing a deal, but each day that goes on it seems less likely. The Packers would be a great fit and Jackson would help Green Bay in both the running and passing game. The Falcons were originally expected to be hot and heavy on Jackson, but the news on Tony Gonzalez returning and his $7 million price tag likely hampered their chances.

RB Mike Goodson – Goodson visited the Bengals on Wednesday, but left town without a deal. He’s now reportedly on his way to New York to meet with the Jets. Goodson would be a nice compliment with BenJarvus Green-Ellis in Cincinnati and would split time with Bilal Powell in New York. In either case he would be worth a later pick in draft as a decent reserve option. He’s unlikely to get a gig where he would be the team’s primary ball carrier.

WR Greg Jennings – The high price tag Jennings is requesting as slowed interest in him. The Packers had a $10 million/per year deal on the table, but the veteran was holding out hope for an even bigger payday and now is likely going to get less with the receiver market defining itself better with each passing day. He has a visit scheduled to Minnesota, who is one of the league’s thinnest teams at the position.  Jennings is on the decline and a move from Aaron Rodgers to Christian Ponder would not help his fantasy value.

WR Brandon Gibson – Gibson has several teams interested in his services. The Jets, Dolphins and Titans appear to be the teams competing for his services. Landing in Miami would likely be the best for his fantasy value. Regardless, Gibson is bench fodder at best.

QB Matt Cassel – While he’s still a member of the Chiefs it’s only a matter of time before Cassel is cut. In the weak quarterback market there will be suitors for Cassel. The Vikings make a ton of sense to ensure themselves with Ponder. Arizona and Buffalo also have a need.

Fantasy Football, NFL fantasy advice, 2013 nfl offseason, free agency, reggie bush, rashard mendenhall, shonn greene, wes welker, danny amendola, donnie avery

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest movers in free agency from a fantasy football perspective:

DONE DEALS
WR Mike Wallace (Dolphins): It didn’t take long for Wallace to find a new home and the Dolphins broke the bank to land the much-needed playmaker receiver. Wallace put up some eye-popping performances at time during Pittsburgh, but he’s still pretty much a one-dimensional receiver. He’ll also take a downgrade at quarterback going from Ben Roethlisberger to Ryan Tannehill.  Wallace will likely be overpriced in this summer’s fantasy drafts. He is a top 25 receiver, but mostly a low-end WR2/high-end WR3.

TE Martellus Bennett (Bears): Free agency started at 4PM Eastern and by 4:05 the news broke of Bennett reaching a deal with the Bears.  Bennett has always had the potential and finally started to show it last year, his only season with the Giants. Bennett reached career highs in 2012 as he finished with 626 yards and five touchdowns on 55 receptions. In Chicago, he could quickly become Jay Cutler’s No. 2 receiving target behind wide receiver Brandon Marshall. He remains a low TE1 candidate worthy of a mid-to-late round pick.

TE Jared Cook (Rams): With it looking more likely that the Rams will not retain neither Danny Amendola nor Brandon Gibson, the team moved quickly to find someone to work out the slot and stretch the field. Cook fits the bill. He has always had the potential to be great player, but was often underutilized by the Titans.  He will have plenty of chances to rack up targets from Sam Bradford in St. Louis. His fantasy value certainly goes up with the move, but owners should still view his as a high-end TE2 for now.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Steven Jackson – The biggest prize in free agency, at least from a fantasy standpoint, is running back Steven Jackson. Many reports on Tuesday suggested that the Packers are the front runners to land the veteran’s services. The Falcons and Broncos also have been reported as teams with interest. Jackson’s value is on the rise if he lands in any one of these spots.

RB Reggie Bush – Bush visited Detroit late Tuesday night and the Lions have made no secret of their interest in landing the free agent running back. In fact, rumors suggest that the Lions are dangling the “full time” running back job to him.  Bush would be a great fit for the Lions, but I was initially envisioning a 1-2 punch of him and Mikel Leshoure. Now it appears that Leshoure and incumbent Joique Bell will both take a hit in their 2013 fantasy value if Bush signs.

RB Rashard Mendenhall – While Miami seemed liked a logical spot a couple of days ago, it appears that the Broncos and Cardinals are now the front-runners to land Mendenhall. Given the right opportunity the 25-year old could still have some gas left in the tank to be productive.

WR Wes Welker – Welker and his agent have broken off their talks with the Patriots as the two sides remain far apart on money. The next step is going to be to test the free agent waters. The problem is that is a lukewarm market for a player that many around the league feel is more a product of the system rather than a premier talent. His fantasy stock will go down if he winds up anywhere that is not New England.

WR Danny Amendola – One of the hot names out there, Amendola is being mentioned as a possible fit with the Ravens, Titans, Vikings and even the Patriots. He reportedly had narrowed the list to two teams late Tuesday. Amendola has fantasy upside, especially in PPR formats, but he needs to prove he can stay healthy before he can be fully trusted.

OTHER HEADLINES
Gonzalez Delaying Retirement – Tony Gonzalez has informed the Falcons that he will come back for one more season. After catching 93 balls for 930 yards and eight scores a year ago, there’s no question that the future Hall of Famer has plenty left in the tank. Consider him a top-tier fantasy starting option in 2013. His return also spells good things for Matt Ryan and his continued development.

Bills Cut Fitzpartick – It came as little surprise that Buffalo released Ryan Fitzpatrick before paying him $3 million owed. It leaves Tavaris Jackson atop the team’s depth chart for now. Expect to Buffalo to add to the position in both April’s draft and perhaps before free agency comes to an end.

Raiders Release DHB – Former first-round pick Derrius Heyward-Bey was cut by the Raiders as free agency kicked off.  He’s shown some flashes over the past two seasons, but the production didn’t match the $10 million cap hit Oakland was due to take or his $7.7 million salary.  DHB could be a late-round filler for wide receiver depth if he finds a new home that makes sense, but his value remains low.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, 2013 nfl offseason, free agency, mike wallace, martellus bennett, jared cook, steven jackson, reggie bush, wes welker, tony gonzalez

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

Every week I’ll address some topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

Mikel Leshoure
Owners of Mikel Leshoure are still waiting for the Lions’ running back to matchup his Week 3 numbers when he debuted with 100 yards rushing and a touchdown coming off his three-game suspension.  They didn’t get it on Sunday. Still, Leshoure did manage 4.7 yards per carry and looked good hitting the holes. His final numbers were diminished by the fact Detroit was forced to play catch up. He totaled 70 yards on 15 carries and added two receptions for 24 yards.  With Jahvid Best ruled out for the rest of the year, expect Leshoure to stay in the Lions’ lead back role for the duration.

Michael Turner
Sunday was the first time all season that the Falcons’ offense has looked out of whack and with the passing game struggling Michael Turner was ineffective on the ground. He finished with only 33 yards on 11 attempts and did not find the end zone. He also had one catch for six yards. Turner clearly has lost step and is sharing carries with Jacquizz Rodgers yet he still possesses value. Rodgers has shown he’s not capable of handling a large workload and that leaves the team with no other options. Turner will have some disappointments, but he remains a low-end RB2 option for most teams.

Torrey Smith
For the second consecutive week Torrey Smith left fantasy owners disappointed. He was only targeted four times for the second straight Sunday and finished with 24 yards and two receptions. After pulling in 12 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns in a two-week span earlier in the season, Smith has followed it up with five catches for 62 yards and no scores over his last two. While he displays tremendous ability and great potential Smith is going to be streaky so adjust accordingly.

Wes Welker
Even with Aaron Hernandez back in the mix Wes Welker remained very relevant in the Patriots’ passing attack in Week 6’s loss at Seattle.  He led the team with 14 targets and finished with 10 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown.  Much has happened over the past month and it appears clear that Bill Belichick has gotten over his grudge towards Welker and realized that the wideout gives him his best chance to win.  Owners that were savvy enough to go after him while his stock was down are reaping the rewards now.  Expect Welker to continue to produce an elite level, particularly in PPR formats.

Brian Hartline
After bursting onto the fantasy scene over the first month or so of the season, Brian Hartline delivered a fantasy dud on Sunday as he went without a single catch.  Hartline, who was blanketed most of the day by the Rams’ Cortland Finnegan, did not even receive a single target in the game. If you take away his blowup game where he caught 12 balls, Hartline is only averaging 3.5 receptions per game. He remains a matchup play at best and should be viewed as receiver outside of the top 25 at the position.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Matt Schaub, Stevan Ridley, Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree, Jermichael Finley

BIGGEST SURPRISES
--Josh Freeman, Russell Wilson, Shonn Greene, Denarius Moore, Anthony Fasano

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, monday qb, mikel leshoure, michael turner, torrey smith, wes welker, brian hartline

Every week I’ll address some topics that have my head spinning after Sunday’s action:

Matthew Stafford
Through two weeks of football Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford has thrown for only two interceptions while being picked off four times. The 49ers flustered him much of the game in Week 2, leaving him to finish with 230 yards and touchdown. Last year he had seven touchdowns and two interceptions at this point of the season. He’ll have a chance to get on track in Week 3 as the Titans pay a visit to Ford Field. Continue to ride Stafford as he is due for a turnaround.

Trent Richardson
Nervous owners that invested an early pick on Trent Richardson got some relief on Sunday by Richardson’s breakout performance against the Bengals. The rookie showed no signs of being bothered from minor knee surgery this preseason. His 19 carry for 39 yard effort was quickly forgotten as Richardson exploded for 109 yards on 19 touches, including a 32-yard TD run. He also caught four balls for 36 yards and a score despite being relieved on third downs by Chris Ogbonnaya. Richardson displayed great burst and the ability to break tackles. He’s a solid RB2 option with upside.

Larry Fitzgerald
For the second straight week Larry Fitzgerald disappointed fantasy owners by coming up with just one catch for four yards in the Cardinals’ stunning upset of the Patriots. There’s no questioning Fitzgerald’s talent, but the lack of a quarterback to get the ball to him is starting to catch up in his fantasy production. Following Sunday’s dismal performance Fitzgerald has now been held to 65 yards or less and 0 TD’s in five of his last seven games dating back to 2011.

Wes Welker
Few players disappointed owners in Week 1 more than Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker as he finished with just three catches for 14 yards on five targets. That trend changed on Sunday, particularly after starting tight end Aaron Hernandez left with an ankle injury. The veteran wideout was targeted 11 times, pulling in five balls for 95 yards. It was interesting to see that Julian Edelman started over Welker. New England will look to Welker more involved moving forward to help compensate for Hernandez’s absence.

Antonio Brown
Wide receiver Antonio Brown has yet to get 80 yards or a TD in either of the Steelers’ first two games. Owners shouldn’t be too concerned though. Brown has still led the team in targets in each contest and now has been targeted 18 times in two games. He has parlayed 11 of those targets in receptions and has 153 yards through two weeks.  Entering his magical third season, Brown is poised for a monster year and because of the low numbers early on could be a prime buy-low candidate.  Three of Pittsburgh’s next four games are on the road – at OAK, Bye, PHI, at TEN, and at CIN, but against some favorable matchups.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
--Tony Romo, Jamal Charles, Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden, Larry Fitzgerald, Dez Bryant

BIGGEST SURPRISES
--Sam Bradford, Pierre Thomas, Danny Amendola, Donnie Avery, Dante Rosario

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, monday qb, matthew stafford, trent richardson, larry fitzgerald, wes welker, antonio brown

QB Game Ball - Tom Brady, New England - 25/35, 258 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
It seems like there has not been much talk about the Patriots this pre-season. But after the hurt they put on the Bengals on Sunday, people may just start chatting again about the best team of the last decade. Brady certainly has not missed a beat as he tore apart what was an excellent Cincinnati defense a year ago. He hooked up with seven different receivers with Wes Welker emerging as the star.

QB Honorable Mention - Peyton Manning, Indianapolis - 40/57, 433 yards, 3 TD (great numbers except for the '1' in the loss column.)

RB Game Ball - Arian Foster, Houston - 33 carries, 233 yards, 3 TD
The Texans have had a revolving door at the running back position since their inception. This pre-season has not been an exception with Foster battling Steve Slaton for carries. But the second year back may have just secured his job for a while. This was a big win for Houston and a lot of it came on the shoulders, and legs, of Foster.

RB Honorable Mention - Matt Forte, Chicago - 17 carries, 50 yards, 7 catches, 151 yards, 2 TD (anyone remember what Marshall Faulk did when Mike Martz was his offensive coordinator?)

WR Game Ball - Mark Clayton, St. Louis - 10 catches, 119 yards
A week ago Clayton was traded from a contending team, the Ravens, to a team that won four games last year and is starting a rookie QB. So what does he do in his first game? He has a career day. The Rams may not actually win many more than the four games they won last year, but they are going to get better as the season progresses. And Clayton may just be the guy for the young Sam Bradford. He's sure to be on the 'most-added' list this week.

WR Honorable Mention - Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati - 12 catches, 159 yards, 1 TD (may need T.O. to put up similar numbers in same game for the Bengals to win.)

The Game Used Sock Award - Alex Smith, San Francisco - 26/45, 225 yards, 0 TD, 2 Int
The 49ers enter the season as one of the hot picks in the NFL. The NFC West seems to be weak and San Fran looks to be on the rise. Apparently no one told all of that to the Seahawks. Smith looked bad in Seattle on Sunday. Sure the running game never got going as Frank Gore had just 38 yards on 17 carries. But Smith runs the offense and this offense only mustered two field goals against a team that is supposedly rebuilding. Sure, it's only week one and Niners, and Smith, will rebound. But now he has to do it wearing nasty, sweaty game-worn socks.

Stinky Sock Honorable Mention - Michael Turner - 19 carries, 42 yards (sure, it was against the Steelers but still....)

Fantasy Football, NFL tom brady, peyton manning, arian foster, matt forte, mark clayton, chad ochocinco, alex smith, frank gore, wes welker

Fantasy owners are praying Wes Welker's knee will hold up. This guy wrote a song about it:

Fantasy Football, Just For Fun humor, wes welker, song to wes welker knee

Winning NFL picks, odds and power rankings all from our friends at Doc's Sports Service.

****

I already posted some of my QB and RB candidates to be busts this year. Here are a couple wide receivers who might disappoint fantasy owners:

Steve Smith (CAR) – While the New York Giants version flourished and has a great outlook for 2010, the Carolina version has been in a freefall and has several things working against him. He's coming off a broken arm which he injured against little kids in his youth camp (this is an omen). Matt Moore is his quarterback, which might be an upgrade over the aging Jake Delhomme, but is still not enough of a positive for Smith, whose streak of 1,000 yard seasons ended last year. The Panthers are a run-first team which means Smith won't be a big factor and when he is, he's likely to get double coverage. The time has passed when Steve Smith is a WR1 for any fantasy team, and with all these factors, he might not even be a WR2. When you draft a Steve Smith this year, make sure it's the one from the New York Giants.

Vincent Jackson (SD) – You would think that a #1 receiver on a championship-caliber team would make a player a top tier selection. But, VJax (yeah, I'll stop that) is going to serve a three-game suspension to start the year. You could live with that and plan accordingly, but Jackson is also in the middle of an ugly contract dispute, having refused to sign his one-year tender. He's threatening to sit out the year, and while I doubt that will happen, Jackson simply cannot be counted as an elite WR. Now, he could fall in the bargain bin in your draft and would still be worthy of a WR2-level selection.

Wes Welker (NE) – Normally Welker can be counted on as a top 10 receiver. In PPR leagues, he's an absolute stud. However, he's coming off a Week 17 ACL tear which really hurt the Patriots in the playoffs. Welker has already started practicing in training camp and vows to play in Week 1. But, I'm not convinced. This is all Patriot games. I think, in the end, Welker will start the year on the PUP list. And, even if he doesn't, he won't have the speed and burst necessary to perform at a high level. For this reason, I'm passing on Welker. Unless he proves to be the bionic man, he can't be the receiver he was last year and therefore can't be counted on as a stud fantasy WR.

Follow me on Twitter at dafantasygeek or find me on Facebook.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, fantasy busts, 2010 wide receiver busts, steve smith, vincent jackson, wes welker

When you take a good look at the numbers Wes Welker has put over the past few years, you quickly realize his value to the Patriots and fantasy owners alike. However, with it becoming more evident that the veteran will begin the season on the PUP list the fantasy value of his backup Julian Edelman is beginning to soar.

When Welker went down last year Edelman emerged right out of the gate. In two games last year when the former Kent State quarterback stepped in for the team’s leading receiver he combined for 18 catches for 201 yards, effectively becoming Welker in the offense.

Edelman’s value is directly linked to the health of Welker, but he’s worth a late-round stab in nearly any format and should be valued even higher in PPR formats.

Monitor Welker's status leading up to your draft or auction, but if he misses the first six games I say that both he and Edelman are worth mid-round picks.

Fantasy Football fantasy advice, 2010 fantasy sleepers, new england patriots, julian edelman, wes welker

LYNCH REMAINS IN BUFFALO
Bills’ running back Marshawn Lynch remains in Buffalo despite the team drafting C.J. Spiller with their first-round pick and constant rumors suggesting the team will deal the disgruntled running back. Seattle has been the team that has expressed the most interest, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests that Lynch will not be dealt…MORE

BENSON WANTS EXTENSION
The Dayton Daily News reports that representatives for running back Cedric Benson have approached the Bengals about a potential contract extension.  The 27-year old posted career numbers for the team in 2009 after signing a two-year deal last off-season…MORE

WELKER HEADED TO PUP LIST?
Injured Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker is making nice progress in his recovery from ACL and shoulder surgeries, but he may not be ready for the start of the season. Beat reporter Mike Reis predicts that Welker will open training camp on the PUP list and likely remain on it for the first six games of the season…MORE

BULGER DRAWING INTEREST
The Cardinals, Bears and Panthers are reportedly amongst the teams interested in signing free-agent quarterback Marc Bulger. The former Rams’ starter could re-unite with former head coach Mike Martz in Chicago, but he would likely have the best chance to start in Arizona…MORE

SAINTS, REDSKINS STRIKE DEAL
The Saints traded restricted free agent left tackle Jammal Brown to the Redskins in exchange for a conditional third-round pick over the weekend. Brown has made the Pro Bowl twice in his four years in the league and immediately helps upgrade a weak Redskins’ offensive line…MORE

NFL marshawn lynch, cedric benson, wes welker, marc bulger, jamaal brown