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On the Rise: Brandon Jackson
2007-08-06 05:38:00
What better place to be in early August than Green Bay, Wisconsin, home a true American original, Green Bay Packers Training Camp? It is at once a unique and ethereal experience. Fans line the streets 10 deep to get a glimpse of their heroes. Strangers from Door County to the Dells meet and chew the fat, discussing topics as varied as where Brett Favre ranks among the all-time greats and if this just might be the year the Packers shock the world.And in the greatest ritual of all, Packers players, on their way back to Lambeau in between practices, borrow the bikes of neighborhood kids, pedalling them back to the locker room in full practice gear.So we armed Stevie the TJI intern with a late-model Huffy and sent him to Green Bay in search of some insight into the Packers' running back situation. And what a situation it is, with Vernand Morency, the projected number one, going down with a knee injury. Now highly touted rookie Brando n Jackson has the chance to shine. But just how good ...
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To Draft of Not to Draft: Daunte Culpepper
2007-08-04 18:49:00
Everyone loves an underdog. It's a statement that, despite our cynicism, we here at TJI Fantasy Sports cannot disagree with. So we turn our attention to perhaps the biggest underdog of the upcoming NFL season, Raiders QB Daunte Culpepper .We were really pulling for Daunte in Miami. He seemed to be the perfect fit for a team seeking an heir to one of the greatest of all time, Dan Marino. Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as Culpepper's injured knee kept him on IR for all but the first four games. Now, with almost two years between Culpepper and his last quality game, he's taking a shot at winning the job in Oakland.They wouldn't bring him in if he didn't have a shot, right? Josh McCown is certainly capable of keeping the QB's seat warm for 8 games before JaMarcus Russell is ready. Something is afoot in Raider Nation and TJI thinks that it's time to pull for Daunte once again. How great would it be to see #8 throwing TD bombs like it was 2004 again?While we agree that it would be t...
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Naysayers Nation: Detroit Lions Offense
2007-08-03 22:44:00
Welcome to a new feature here at This Just In Fantasy Sports, the Naysayers Nation . The Nation is the place where we take a nugget of popular opinion...and tear it to shreds. You see, some things, even though they are believed and promoted and spread by the masses, are simply untrue. So welcome all you doubters and haters to the Naysayers Nation...In our first installment, we take a look at the Detroit Lions offense, a squad many are touting as the second coming of the "Greatest Show on Turf." With puppetmaster and offensive mastermind Mike Martz pulling the strings, many experts say that the Lions' O will put up huge numbers like Martz's St. Louis teams did in the recent past. These folks are also touting Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, and rookie sensation Calvin Johnson as fantasy must-haves for 2007.We here at TJI have a slightly different take on the matter. We urge anyone caught up in the Lions offensive hysteria to crank it down a notch or two...or ten. An in-depth examination of ...
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Position Breakdown: Team Defense
2007-08-02 21:52:00
As we pour over emails and letters from around the globe, we find that quite a bit of attention is being paid to Team Defense (a.k.a. D/ST) this fantasy season. In the real world, we all know the mantra: "Defense wins championships." Blah, blah, blah. What we really care about is the fantasy world, where defense has been taken slightly less seriously.Until recently, that is. With the explosion onto the scene of defenses such as the Bears and Ravens, some fantasy owners have been able to count on solid point totals from their team defense on a regular basis. These two teams punish their opponents, racking up sacks, turnovers, and touchdowns. In 2006, a huge majority of league finalists had one of them on their roster. That fact has fantasy owners' attention. Defense is no longer that second red-headed-stepchild on your roster. (You're all by yourselves now, kickers.)With your draft day fast approaching, it's important that you pay attention to your defense. Making a smart choice c...
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Quarterback Conundrum: When to Draft a QB
2007-07-28 21:21:00
One of the most debated topics in fantasy football circles involves the drafting of quarterbacks. Everyone seems to have a differing opinion on this matter. Most hold fast to their philosophy, standing firm year after year. Others, although a group fewer in number, are more flexible, basing their opinion on that particular season's crop of quarterbacks. They, too, will have a game plan going into the draft and in nearly all cases will see it through to the end.What exactly are the schools of thought that these owners adhere to? Well, there are basically three:Grab a stud QB early, perhaps in rounds 1 or 2, but definitely by round 3. These owners will end up with players like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer, and Marc Bulger. Get some stud RBs and WRs first and then draft a QB in rounds 4, 5 or 6. Donovan McNabb, Matt Hassleback, Vince Young, and Jon Kitna will start for owners that choose this approach.Never draft a QB before round 7. These owners are content to...
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On the Rise: Jerious Norwood
2007-07-27 21:07:00
An injury was reported by the reeling Atlanta Falcons this week, and it could have a tremendous impact on your upcoming fantasy football draft. Warrick Dunn has undergone back surgery for a herniated disc and will be out at least 3-4 weeks. At best, he'll be ready for the Falcons' September 9 regular season game. However, since back surgery is never a minor procedure, be aware that Dunn could miss much more time than that.Meanwhile, second-year back Jerious Norwood will get the reps as the number one RB in training camp and will also start the team's preseason games. He has already vaulted over 25 spots on ESPN.com's overall rankings, and he should be moving up your cheat sheets, too.Here's why...as a rookie in 2006, on just 99 carries, Norwood racked up 633 yards. That's an impressive 6.4 yards per carry. He also caught 12 balls for over 100 yards and never lost a fumble. Norwood is explosive and lightning quick, and at 5'11'' 204 pounds, he has the frame to handle goal-...
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The Bust Report: Byron Leftwich
2007-07-26 02:00:00
Continuing in our series examining the biggest fantasy football busts of 2006, we take a look at underachieving Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich 's potential fantasy impact in 2007...Has there been an NFL quarterback in the last five years quite like Byron Leftwich? Every pre-season, it seems, he's labeled as a player on the verge of a breakthrough season. He has all the tools, they say. He's even had a fairly talented supporting cast around him--Jimmy Smith (until last year), speedster Reggie Williams, a hard-nose defense to keep him in games, and a back that can run the ball (and catch it) in Fred Taylor. Add in promising youngsters Maurice Jones-Drew and Matt Jones, and it's clear that his teammates are not holding him back, it's his body.We all remember the clip of his Marshall University teammates carrying a hobbled Leftwich to the line of scrimmage so he could lead the Thundering Herd to victory. Those images made us think of him as the ultimate competitor, willing to withstand e...
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On the Horizon: NFL Training Camp
2007-07-24 02:53:00
There's a reason you started salivating when you read the title of this post. You're a diehard fantasy football fanatic. It's okay to admit it. And you're practically foaming at the mouth right now because if Training Camp is on the horizon, then the opening kick-off must be right around the corner. And with the opening kick-off comes the start of the most meaningful 14-16 weeks of your dreary, miserable life...fantasy football season. Just kidding. Kind of.This Just In Fantasy Sports is here to guide you through the camps and get you ready for the start of the season. We will guide you along the way, separate the wheat from the chaff, and get you the answers to the questions that are most important to you. During Training Camp, our faithful staff of correspondents nearly triples their workload, with some working up to 5 or 6 hours a day. Don't worry, they've been pretty much sleeping constantly since the Pro Bowl ended, they can handle it. (The fact that the nightlife here in...
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From the Mailroom...Cadillac Man
2007-07-22 15:25:00
Xavier from Gulfport, Mississippi writes...Cadillac Williams is a mid-third round pick in the mock drafts I've been participating in. How will he do this year?Well, Xavier, we have to admit, Carnell is a risky pick this year. In 2005, he made fantasy owners look brilliant with his 1,178 rushing yards. He also took it to the house 6 times and proved to be a valuable option at RB2. However, it must be said that he put up his best numbers in the first two-thirds of the season, seeming to wear down after week 12.And then 2006 happened, or in Cadillac's case, didn't happen. Owners drafted him early in the second round, and some even reached and grabbed him at the end of the first round. A mere 798 yards later, and those owners were kicking themselves following a wasted season.Offensive line problems might be to blame, and the Bucs have worked to upgrade the line this off-season. But as they enter training camp, a lot of uncertainty is in the air. There are question marks at QB...
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Mock Draft Mania
2007-07-19 05:30:00
For the true fantasy football fanatic, what can be more exciting and informative than a good old fashioned mock draft? The mock draft helps you get a feel for what other people are thinking and helps you adjust your draft strategy accordingly. It also gives you an idea of what you can expect to be available at certain picks. Clueless on what drafting 11th out of 12 will give you? Try a mock draft. At the very least, they can provide an hour's worth of entertainment.The mock draft is a best enjoyed with a group of pals, and can be particularly valuable if conducted with people you'll be actually drafting against in your league. It's even more fun when it's completed through a series of secretly passed notes during a boring staff meeting! But, if you aren't able to get 12 people together to pull this off, you can always read about various mock drafts conducted by experts or websites. Check out the 2-round mock draft put together by The Hazean, a fantasy football blog. They ...
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Breaking the Habit: Michael Vick
2007-07-18 13:05:00
The Joey Harrington era might have begun in Atlanta. Michael Vick was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury, charged with competitive dogfighting. And while Vick's future in the NFL is certainly in doubt, there is no denying the fact that not since Enron have we seen a stock plummet such as Vick's has.And this just might be a good thing for fantasy owners. With this cloud of uncertainty hanging over Vick, those of us who are addicted to owning Vick in our leagues might finally get a chance to break the habit.Every year around this time, countless owners start repeating the following mantra: "I will not draft Vick. I will not draft Vick..." Over the course of his career, he has been all but certain to burn any fantasy team he touches. And yet people kept drafting him. Something about the potential of it all was just too hard to resist. The blinding speed, the cannon of an arm, the ablility to go off statistically at any time."It's like having an extra running back," they woul...
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The Bust Report: LaMont Jordan
2007-07-17 13:05:00
The Bust Report is a series dedicated to the biggest busts of 2006. We'll examine what brought about their fall from grace, and predict what might happen in 2007. Has this player's value been damaged irreparably? Or can they now be considered a sleeper? This week, The Bus t Report takes a look at LaMont Jordan . Jordan burst onto the scene as a starter in Oakland in 2005. In that year, he racked up 1,025 rushing yards and 9 rushing scores. These stats were nice. Not amazing in any way, but nice. It was his 70 receptions for 593 yards and two more TDs that made him an even more attractive pick-up for fantasy owners.In anticipation of an improved 2006 season, Jordan was became a late-first-round pick in many leagues. At worst, he was a second round pick, predicted to be a solid second option at the running back position. However, the bottom fell out for Jordan and his team, and after suffering an injury, he started only 9 games. And in those 9 games, he was less than stellar, ...
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Free Fantasy Football Analysis for your League
2007-07-16 05:36:00
Picture it...Week 7 of the NFL season and your fantasy football team is at a crossroads. You're 3-3 and the next few weeks will make or break your playoff chances. You've scoured all the websites trying to get an edge. Who to start? Who to bench? What free agents to pick up? These questions all nag at you and you can't find the answers. You're thinking, "What I need is an independent contractor. Someone who can answer fantasy football questions on an individual basis, not some 'expert' who gets 10,000 emails a day, doesn't know me from Adam Jones and never writes me back."This just in...TJI Fantasy Sports is here to provide you with exactly that service. We are pleased to offer objective, insightful, and educated analysis and advice for your league. That's right. Contract with TJI to cover your league. In addition to the in-depth coverage you get on our blog, we will be on call to provide individualized tips and advice. We will answer emails from all your league's members o...
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DWI--Drafting With Intelligence
2007-07-15 05:11:00
Just as the editors at TJI were putting the final touches on a feature article about Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers, a shocking headline came across the TJI ticker...Chris Chambers has been booked in Charlotte, NC for Driving While Impaired. According to the AP, in addition to DWI, Chambers was charged with speeding and reckless driving. According to some TJI staffers, several profanity-laced tirades were immediately spewed forth by a number of editors.The article, you see, was a finely crafted piece singing the praises of Chambers and encouraging all our readers to draft him. We were expecting him to put up big numbers in 2007 and we devoted 13 paragraphs to extolling his many virtues. We can't confirm this yet, but Chambers just might have been tipping a few back last night in celebration of the publication of this terrific article.Now, were this the old NFL, our first reaction would be "Who cares?" Getting arrested and having charges pressed were ho-hum, rites of pa...
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From the Mailroom...What to do about Portis?
2007-07-14 15:48:00
Since we were founded in 1998, one thing has been a constant--our faithful group of readers and subscribers, week after week, flood our inbox with questions, comments, and pleas for help. They've never been afraid to share their point of view or to seek advice, and you shouldn't either. Got a question on who to draft? Drop us a line and we'll publish the best ones here on our site.This week, Mike from Salt Lake City asked: Should I stay away from Clinton Portis?Mike, Clinton was one of the biggest busts of the '06 season. Without a doubt, his injury ruined numerous squads' chances in their leagues. So when you try to assess his value, what you should do is throw out last year completely. Do not let it influence your decision.Instead, examine the years prior. You will find that Portis was one of the more dependable backs in football, never rushing for less than 1,300 yards. Now wouldn't you take 1,300 yards? We would.It's also vital to take a look at the Redskins' situation t...
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I Got LT! Now What?!?
2007-07-12 13:14:00
You've done your research, scouring every possible player rankings site you can find. You've got your cheat sheets at the ready. Your pulse quickens. The first of many tiny beads of perspiration begins to form on your forehead. You check the clock. It's time! You log in to the draft site and there it is, something you've never seen before. You've finally done it. You have the number one pick! Your screams of joy echo across your house and can be heard for miles. The draft clock barely starts before you make your first pick, the pick you are sure will make this year your year. You've done it. YOU GOT LT!And then it hits you...you have no idea what to do next. Only one thing is certain...you've got a long wait ahead of you. What's the price of drafting LT? A wait that seems like an eternity, because that #1 pick means you don't pick again until the end of the second round with pick #24 (in a 12-team league). You have to sit there and watch every top notch player get snatched ...

Position Breakdown--Top WR's
2007-07-11 06:03:00
When it comes to fantasy football and draft advice, everybody has a different Wide Receiver philosophy. Some say, grab them early. Others recommend waiting. Of course, it does depend on the type of league you're running in. Points-per-reception? TJI doesn't roll like that. So, the following tips are for leagues that shun that kind of craziness.We compiled a list of players that you'll want to target. We've left off the obvious choices--Johnson, Smith, Harrison, Holt, et al. Instead we focus on some names that aren't getting much attention. We think these studs will light up scoreboards this season. And if you follow our advice, you just might claim that championship trophy that's been eluding you for years.We're not going to bore you with a full list of 2007 Fantasy Player Rankings, but here's an in-depth look at five Wide Receivers TJI says you should covet...5. Lee Evans--An improved running game and an improving J.P. Losman should allow Evans to go off with greater freque...
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Postion Breakdown--Top RB's
2007-07-09 01:10:00
There seems to be two camps this year in the realm of fantasy football--those that think you should take Stephen Jackson #2 and those that think Larry Johnson belongs in that spot. We are going on the record with the following un-official stance:Unless you've snagged the #1 pick, or the person that did is an ignoramus, you don't have a snowball's chance in Hades of winning your league.Since that kind of take doesn't sell subscriptions, we're going to backpedal. Instead of giving up hope, we will provide you with some top RB's to consider that are outside the Top 5. Chances are, you won't be the lucky one to land LT, so you're going to have to be prepared. And even if you do, you're going to have to wait 22 picks before you get another pick. Either way, you need us more than you know.Here are our Top 5 non-Top 5 Running Backs:5. Laurence Maroney--IF he's healthy by training camp, think about getting this guy in the first round if you're stuck with picks 10-12. He will rewa...
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Position Breakdown--Top QB's
2007-07-08 15:07:00
Ok, here's what you can do...check out what the schlubs at the other so-called "expert" sites like Yahoo! and Sportsline have to say. Go ahead, spend a few hours combing through their research and analysis (we use those terms lightly). We're sure you have nothing better to do.Or, you can save a few lifetimes and read our summary of what all those morons will tell you about quarterbacks. Here it is, broken down into 2 easy points...1. Draft Peyton2. If possible, somehow draft him again.Wow! That was insightful, wasn't it? Thank goodness the experts are here to give us those nuggets of "wisdom." What ever would we do without them?Now if you are like us here at TJI and you found those points, at best, uninspiring, then we believe you should check out this week's series of columns. We're going to highlight sleepers at several positions that you might not have considered. Anyone can tell you to draft Peyton or Drew or Carson, but only TJI can tell you what to do when those guys are ...
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