2009 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers (April Update)

Welcome to our 2009 edition of Fantasy Football’s Wide Receivers Rankings. Updated as of Mar. 30, 2009.

Please note that we will be updating these rankings monthly and that they are of the seasonal/redraft leagues variety.

Since our first release of the wide receivers rankings a couple of major moves took place. Terrell Owens signed with the Buffalo Bills and T.J. Houshmandzadeh moved to Seattle. Roy Williams now claims the top receiver position in Dallas and could be a sleeper.

Anquan Boldin is still an Arizona Cardinal, but there is speculation that he could be traded on draft day. Depending on where he goes if traded, his value will be affected.
Chad Ocho Cinco is in a position similar of Boldin in Cincinnati as the team will likely decide his fate on draft day.

Laveranues Coles replaces Houshmandzadeh in Cincinnati leaving the door to fantasy stardom open for Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey. However, Brett Favre’s retirement leaves the Jets with a pair of unproven QBs in Kellen Clemens and Brent Ratliff.

Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison were released by their teams and are currently free agents. We will rank them again as soon as they find a new home that could use their skills properly.

Lastly, Brandon Marshall may face his annual four-game suspension to begin the season, and Jay Cutler may find a new team soon. If one or both of those scenario happen, Marshall’s value takes a grand negative hit.

Do we have a new No. 1 in this updated release, or is Andre’ Johnson still our top wideout? Where does Terrell Owens rank now?

1. Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) – We first released our 2009 rankings on Jan. 14 before Larry Fitzgerald had arguably the best postseason of any wide receiver in NFL history. Then we didn’t bother to put him at No. 1 until we knew if Warner would be back.

Warner resigned and Fitzgerald moves into our top position. He had 96 catches for 1,431 yards and a league-leading 12 touchdowns. He is officially the best receiver in the NFL and fantasy football.

2. Andre’ Johnson (Texans) – If the Texans were a playoff contender you would hear more about him. He led the NFL with 115 receptions and 1,575 yards last season. The only area he needs to improve on is touchdowns. That will happen if the Texans can improve their line and keep Matt Schaub healthy.

3. Calvin Johnson (Lions) – He’d be No. 1 on our list if he played with a decent fantasy quarterback. How he led the NFL with 12 touchdown receptions and had the most catches over 40 yards with that cast of quarterbacks is beyond us. He’s Andre Johnson on a cellar dwelling team…

Full rankings >>>

Four Reasons the Cleveland Browns Should Keep Braylon Edwards

The Browns are in a tough situation with Braylon Edwards, but there are four reasons why they should keep him.  However, to buy into this post at all, I’m assuming that you’ll agree Braylon is one of the top 32 wide receivers in the league.

If you don’t agree with that,  please remember that in 2007 he finished 21st in receptions, second in touchdown receptions, seventh in yards, and seventh in yards per catch.

I’m not going to deny that last year was a down year, but that may have a lot to do with a load of offensive line injuries, and four games combined played by third and fourth string QBs.  

Also, even great receivers (shown in reason number 4), have bad seasons. Simply put, Braylon’s numbers in 2007 weren’t all his fault.

Arizona Cardinals 2009: A Pre-Draft Offseason Recap

Now that free agency has slowed, it’s time to take a look at where the Arizona Cardinals stand prior to the 2009 draft.

As expected of a team which made a Super Bowl appearance the year before, the team has remained largely the same and is hoping to capitalize on the cohesion and experience of their current players.

But hey, who couldn’t use a little help, right? Let’s start by recapping the Cards’ offseason transactions.

 

Coaching Changes

The most significant changes to the Arizona Cardinals this offseason have come in the form of coaching changes.

Less than a week after losing the heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cardinals fired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast after a season in which the team gave up too many points and fell apart on the final drive of the most important game in the team’s history.

Although the defense played well during the Cardinal’s playoff run, they finished the regular season ranked 22nd against the pass, 16th against the run, and 19th in overall defense giving up 331.5 yards per game.

2008 offensive coordinator, Todd Haley was named the new head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs leaving Arizona with two huge coaching vacancies.

Arizona promoted linebacker coach Bill Davis to defensive coordinator after 17 NFL seasons as an assistant.  Receivers coach Mike Miller was promoted to passing game coordinator and assistant head coach Russ Grimm to running game coordinator but Ken Whisenhunt will still call the shots for the Cardinals offense in 2009.

 

Who’s Out

The organization parted ways with CB Eric Green who quickly found a home in Miami competing for the starting job opposite Will Allen. Green was initially the starter in 2008 but lost time to talented rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Roderick Hood down the stretch.

Antonio Smith cashed in by signing a five year $35 million contract with the Houston Texans. The team also lost KR/RB J.J. Arrington who went to get lost on the depth charts in Denver and also lost linebackers Matt Stewart and Monty Beisel to the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs respectively.

 

Who’s In

Undoubtedly, the biggest acquisition for the Cardinals this offseason was bringing in former Pittsburgh Steeler cornerback, Bryant McFadden, signing the free agent to a two-year, $10 million contract. 

McFadden is expected to compete with Roderick Hood for the starting position opposite of first round draft pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The combination of McFadden, Hood, Rogers-Cromartie, and Ralph Brown will provide a slight improvement over 2008’s cornerback crew that saw its trouble in nickel and dime situations, with the most significant improvement coming in the form of experience for rising star DRC.

Other additions this offseason include: Anthony Becht an experienced tight end from St. Louis, added DL depth signing Rodney Leslie (NYG), deep snapper Mike Leach (DEN), added to a thin RB crew with addition Jason Wright (CLE), singed safety Keith Lewis (SF), and added backup help on the OL in the form of practice squad center Donovan Raiola (SEA).

Who’s Back

Kurt Warner resigned with the club…THANK GOD! With Kurt Warner at the helm, AZ seems posed for another playoff push and possibly another fantastic post season performance in 2009. 

The Cards placed the Franchise Tag on linebacker Karlos Dansby, arguably the organization’s greatest asset and brought back DE Bertrand Berry on a one-year, $1 million agreement.  Berry took a paycutt in 2007 to stay with the team after tearing both of his triceps in the seasons before.

Other players resigned: Elton Brown (OG), Clark Haggans (LB), Leonard Pope (TE), Gabe Watson (DL), Ben Graham (P), Ralph Brown (CB), and Brian St. Pierre (QB).

Lingering Questions

The organization still has some issues to sort out.  With the draft approaching, many speculate that the Card’s will select a running back with their first round pick and give declining Edgerrin James his walking papers.

That move would save the club $5 million in cap space in 2009. 

Experts are also skeptical about the return of Anquan Boldin because of the compensation he will demand and the probability of an ugly holdout come training camp. Analysts suggest teams such as the Eagles, Titans, or New York Giants would love to get their hands on the Pro Bowl receiver.

In my opinion, as stated in my last article “Why the Cards Can’t Part Ways with Anquan Boldin”, Arizona must find a way to convince Boldin to play if they want to repeat in the NFC West.

The front office promised both Adrian Wilson and Karlos Dansby that they would work on contract extensions in the offseason but talks have yet to take place.

 

Free Agents Still on the Market

Since every team could use some help, here are some free agents still on the market that could have an excellent impact for the Cards in 2009. Torry Holt is the biggest name available and probably the most talented free agent left. 

In my opinion, the organization should focus on bringing back No. 81; he’s younger, more talented, and has been with the organization his entire career making him popular among the diehards in AZ.

One free agent that would provide an upgrade to the defense is veteran and perennial Pro Bowler Derrick Brooks. He would bring experience, discipline, leadership, and an upgrade over outside linebacker Chike Okeafor and give depth to a thin group of linebackers.

Jason Taylor is still on the market, but I would rather see Calais Campbell and Travis LaBoy competing for the starting position in Antonio Smith’s absence.

Calais Campbell, drafted last year in the second round, is expected to produce for the organization in the long term and could benefit greatly from the opportunity to play a larger role in the defense.

 

What to Expect in 2009

With much of the same crew intact, fans should expect to see another good year from the Cards. The offensive line will determine whether the offense takes a more balanced approach next season. 

Things didn’t really click for the running game until the playoffs when someone must have informed the OL there is this thing called run blocking, and it is probably a good idea to learn how to do it. 

Steve Breaston should continue playing a larger role in the offense, but things get tricky if Boldin finds a new home. DRC should be an exciting player to watch as he grows with time and experience.

Arizona fans are hoping to see the opportunistic playoff defense to show up anchored by Pro Bowler Adrian Wilson, Gerald Hayes, and Karlos Dansby.

The time for the Cardinals to make another push for a championship is now. Kurt Warner has proven himself more than capable of leading the team through the regular season, playing at a Pro Bowl level, and performing in big games having put up one of the best performances in Super Bowl history. 

The Cards have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL so I feel they should make the Anquan Bolding resigning a priority and take advantage of a weak NFC West.

I would have like to see the club bring in some more talent on the defensive side of the ball but there weren’t many players in free agency that provided that opportunity. All in all, you can’t blame an organization for keeping a Super Bowl roster intact and I see no reason why the Arizona Cardinals won’t repeat as NFC West Champions in 2009.

A Firm Double-Standard Established Within The Debates Between Manning and Brady

Within the never-ending debate between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, a double standard has been created that prevents both players from being judged by the same criteria.

Perhaps that is why the debate continues to rage on.

While one player is the beneficiary of reasonable common sense, the other is held to a stricter standard in an effort to assure the attempted establishment of his inferiority.

After having taken part in countless Manning vs. Brady debates, a few things have become abundantly clear.

Although both sides rarely tend to see eye to eye, it is perfectly acceptable to apply various forms of logic when analyzing Brady’s career, while very similar forms of logic are often attacked when used in Manning’s defense.

Case in point:

Team Support

Tom Brady has not managed to attain the same level of statistical production as Peyton Manning.

One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when recognizing this vital aspect of comparative analysis is to be inclined to think that the lower statistical production is a result of Brady’s inability to produce at Manning’s level.

However, with further evaluation one can quickly understand that circumstance plays a vital role in the production of any player.

Quality of competition, team location, and offensive/defensive/special teams support all have roles in how productive a quarterback can be.

The most common of Brady’s defenses would be the argument that he has played with less talented receivers for the majority of his career.

This argument is based in logic for sure. It’s also reasonable in my view to assume that his production may have been greater had he been the beneficiary of greater support.

Yet for some reason, it’s become perfectly acceptable to make reasonable assumptions—so long as it favors Brady.

On the other hand, similar reasonable conclusions can be made in Manning’s case.

For the majority of his career, Manning has played with mediocre to poor defensive talent on the other side of the ball. It is my opinion that defense is just as valuable as offense when it comes to winning football games.

Logically, the less support you have in this department is going to result less opportunities to win football games.

So while it has become universally accepted to believe that Brady would have been more productive with better offensive support, it has been steadily ignored to make the logical assumption that Manning would have won more games with better defensive support.

Often when this train of thought is proposed, it is often disregarded with the “you just never know” viewpoint established.

Because when one makes logical assumptions that favor Manning’s legacy, it becomes all too easy to attack this thought process as “unrealistic what if’s.”

When one makes logical assumptions to favor Brady’s legacy, it’s a matter of “common sense.”

Another example can be found in offensive line support.

Many have reached the reasonable conclusion that Tom Brady would have played better in Super Bowl XLII had he received better protection.

At the same time, it’s logical to assume that the Patriots would have won the game had this aspect of their performance been better.

Obviously both Tom Brady and the Patriots as a whole would have done better had Brady not been sacked five times.

I’d be the first person to point out that this is a very reasonable assumption, therefore I don’t fault Brady for losing Super Bowl XLII.

On the other hand, it has not become universally accepted to point out that the Colts might have won their 2005 Divisional playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers had Peyton Manning not been sacked five times himself.

It becomes “throwing your team under the bus” to point out what happened to Manning but “common sense” to point out what happened to Brady.

Another example would be if you flashback to 2007 and look at what both Manning and Brady did against the exact same San Diego Chargers football team in the post-season.

 

Peyton Manning: 33 of 48 for 402 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 97.7

Tom Brady: 22 of 33 for 209 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 66.3

 

Still, Peyton Manning takes the heat for being a choker when his team loses 28-24, while Tom Brady simply cannot ever be labeled a choker so long as his team wins.

The fact is that if the rest of Brady’s team did not support him as well as they did, Brady would have lost just as Manning did. At the same time, Peyton Manning lost his game despite playing better than Brady against the exact same team.

Is any of this supposed to change anyone’s mind?

Of course not.

The Manning supporters will continue to back Manning while the Brady supporters will continue to support Brady.

What has become clear, however, is the fact that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are held to different standards.

Undrafted Superstars: Pittsburgh’s Commitment to Developing Players

Big games pivot on big plays. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent Super Bowl appearances were no exception. 

Of the group of guys making critical plays for Pittsburgh, four were undrafted free-agents.  

Powerful and determined athletes such as James Harrison and Fast Willie Parker went from names on a depth chart, to headliners. Add bankable kicker Jeff Reed to the mix, and a logic emerges as to why the Steelers don’t overpay for free agents.  

Pittsburgh develops players.

Both Harrison and Parker showed flashes of greatness in college, but were missing some skills necessary to be one hundred percent effective in their respective roles. Excellent coaching enabled these guys to be ready to step in.  

Both Harrison and Parker were ready to land their opportunities when they each turned out great performances in, the otherwise “meaningless”, last game of the season at Buffalo in ’04.

Jeff Reed got his break for the Steelers after stepping in to replace injured kicker Todd Peterson. Reed seized the opportunity, and his solid accuracy drove the Steelers to keep him, and release Peterson.  

RB Gary Russell’s transition was also one that featured an undervalued player’s determination to make his mark.

The first touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII was scored by Russell. The touchdown wasn’t glamorous, but it was significant. Russell managed to do what the team had failed to do so many times throughout the season, punch in a four yard run on a “3rd-and-goal”.  

Sticking with Russell gave the Steelers the opportunity address areas that were in need of reinforcement.  

That choice paid off.

The Steelers cemented a reputation for spotting and acquiring their own talent after drafting Hall of Famers Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster in 1974. 

Today’s team continues the tradition of building through brilliant draft choices. The commitment to building a team from the ground up makes it possible for the team to avoid overspending when looking to fill in the blanks left by exiting personnel.

Every year there are some Pittsburgh players that are able to get bigger deals with other NFL Franchises. These players are missed, but their production rarely rises much higher once they are gone.  

Frequently, the departure of an established veteran makes room for a heavyweight waiting to happen.

Every year we also see teams that cannot make use of the most proficient players.  Outstanding coaches and scouts can see both where potential lies, and when it has been reached.  

Key veterans must be retained in order to mentor those lacking experience, and to lead the team. A balance is completed when a few guys like Roethlisberger, Polamalu and, hopefully, Harrison receive the contracts that they definitely earned.

The Steelers are a well managed organization. Their belief in identifying and developing individuals has kept a steady stream of talent moving through their franchise, even after the advent of free agency.  

Last year’s Super Bowl is yet another reminder of how the team stayed true to their roots, and provided opportunities for previously lesser known men to become champions.

Redskins Fans Play the Blame Game With Jason Campbell

There has been a strange trend swirling around the Redskins’ fan base recently.

It seems, in order to deal with the failures of the organization, a scapegoat must be found. The target—QB Jason Campbell.

Campbell gets any and every negative thing about him magnified and used as reason to call for his head. If you read the comments on message boards and such, the ‘Skins’ 2-6 finish in 2008 was completely his fault.

Now, this is not to say that better QB play is not a necessary—it is. However, what ails this team is not Jason Campbell.

There have been cries to go and get Jay Cutler, but is Cutler good enough to offset a right tackle who gets pushed back into the QB’s face?

There have even been cries to start Todd Collins. If Collins is so good, why hasn’t he ever started anywhere unless there was an injury involved?

Will getting rid of Campbell change the fact that there is very little quality depth at any position on this team?

Lets be real, people. The problems with this team are deeply rooted in how it is run. This is an NFL team, not a microchip company, and having the biggest wallet does you no good if you don’t know what to spend it on.

The biggest problem, in my opinion, is that this organization has not had a real “Football Guy” running things since Charlie Casserly was fired.

Vinny Cerratto is a joke throughout the league. Sure he has hit on a few draft picks like Sean Taylor (R.I.P) & Laron Landry, but Ray Charles could hit on a top-10 pick.

This idea of constantly restructuring contracts has this team anchored to players like Jon Jansen, who was a beast in his day, but the wheels are gone and they can’t afford to cut him.

Is that Jason Campbell’s fault?

We have had to depend on fifth-round draft picks and aging vets to man the most important areas of our team—the offensive and defensive line. They recently have had to re-sign Renaldo Wynn and Philip Daniels, players in their mid-to-upper 30’s, one of which was let go two seasons ago.

People want to blame owner Dan Snyder, but the only thing I blame him for—which likely covers most of the issues—is that he has not realized that Cerratto is not the man to run this franchise.

Case closed.

So be careful what you ask for, ‘Skins fans. A change at QB will likely mean a change in coaching, again. If you don’t have patience for what we have now, just imagine with no real replacement where we will be without Campbell.

 

Evaluating the NFL’s Most Overrated and Underrated Players on Offense

This is a topic that people constantly debate about. Is Terrel Owens overrated? Is Matt Hasselbeck underrated? What makes a player overrated or underrated?

Fullbacks are a dying breed and anyone who thinks a fullback is overrated or underrated is out of their mind. They’re not used nearly as much as they used to be, so judging them is unfair. Writing about fullbacks is also very boring, so to save me time and you pointless reading, I’ll forget about them.

Here’s a list of players who are overrated and underrated at their respective positions.

 

QUARTERBACK

Most Overrated: Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers)

GASP! Go ahead and start the boo chants all you die hard Ben fans! The fact is, this guy has benefited from the best defense in the NFL since his arrival. He had one great season in 2007, but other than that, he’s done mediocre.

“Andy, he has two Super Bowl rings! Go die.” Well, then I say so did Jim Plunkett. Never heard of him, huh? He won two Super Bowls for the Oakland Raiders, but posted a career rating of 67.5 and had 164 touchdowns to 198 interceptions.

This past season was Big Ben’s first full season, too. It only took him five years to accomplish that feat. He fumbled the ball 14 times last season and has been sacked a whopping 192 times in his career.

He takes too long to find his target. After a certain amount of time, any wide receiver can get open. If JaMarcus Russell had this offensive line and set of receivers, they’d have similar results.

He manages the clock in the fourth quarter, but the other three quarters are horrendous. If he can learn to get rid of the ball quicker, he could easily become an elite.

HONORABLE MENTION: Kerry Collins (Tennessee Titans)

An 80.2 quarterback rating? How did he make the Pro Bowl? His team was good, but he was not. He is a good candidate for the Hall of Fame, but his numbers last season don’t jump out as even average. Please get off this guys back. He’s a backup now and Jeff Fisher doesn’t realize it.

 

Most Underrated: Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)

Yes, Brett Favre’s replacement gets no respect. He was overshadowed too long and people dont’ care. The fact is, this guy came out of the gate and filled some of the biggest shoes ever. He faced tremendous amounts of pressure and performed well.

As a Minnesota Vikings’ fan, this is hard putting a rival quarterback on this list. He really is something special though. In his first year as a full time starter, Rodgers completed over 63.6 percent of his passes for an amazing 4,038 yards and a touchdown to interception ratio of 28/13. Those are MVP worthy numbers.

He’s a top five quarterback that nobody has heard of. The only negative thing I can say about this guy is he fails to perform well in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line. If he improves his field general skills, he can easily become an MVP.

HONORABLE MENTION: Matt Schaub (Houston Texans)

He doesn’t get recognition because Peyton Manning is in the same division. The fact is, this guy will make you pay if you don’t respect him. He’s got some deadly weapons on offense and will prove to the NFL why the Texans traded for him a couple years back.

 

MYTHBUSTER: Matt Hasselbeck is overrated.

Sorry guys and gals, but when this guy is healthy, he is as deadly as they come. He’s suffered from a terrible offensive line the past few years and has never had a great receiver to throw to.

All the great quarterbacks have a Pro Bowl receiver except this guy. Peyton has Reggie Wayne, Tom has Randy Moss, and Kurt Warner has Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Matt has done the most with the least. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Matt should have a break out year in 2009.

Running Back

Most Overrated: Larry Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs)

Since his break out season in 2005, people haven’t heard much from him. He compiled back to back 1700 yard seasons, but that’s easy to do when in the second season you carry the ball an unprecedented 416 times.

He’s got a huge attitude problem and is always in trouble with the law. He thinks he’s God’s gift to the NFL. Sorry Larry, but your fans are getting tired of your antics. With a future star in Jamaal Charles in the wings, you better shape up real quick.

In the last two seasons, Johnson has played in only 20 games. In those 20 games, he’s barely managed to average four yards per carry. That yards per carry average is simply that, average.

Throw down a whopping nine total touchdowns over the past two seasons and you’ve got the equivalent of Rashaan Salaam’s rookie season in 1995. That’s good company, huh?

HONORABLE MENTION: LenDale White (Tennessee Titans)

This guy has benefited from a certain rookie who carried him to the goal line all last season. He’s faster than some guys think, but he’s still very slow. He hasn’t averaged over four yards per carry in any of his three seasons.

He also can’t catch a ball to save his life. If it wasn’t for Chris Johnson, this guy would be nothing.

 

Most Underrated: Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings)

No, I’m just messing with you. My pick is Steve Slaton of the Houston Texans.

With all the talk about Andre Johnson and Mario Williams, this guy was lost in what was probably the best season for a rookie running back in 2008. Yes, even better than Chris Johnson. I would have had no problem if this guy would have won the Rookie of the Year award.

Slaton quietly pounced his way to over a thousand yards rushing and had a very impressive 50 receptions for 377 yards. His combination of size and speed makes him a slightly smaller LaDainian Tomlinson. He could very well be the next Brian Westbrook. The only difference is Slaton will get more carries than Westbrook could imagine.

This guy is still a rookie, but his name is forgotten because he plays for the “terrible” Houston Texans. I believe next season, the Texans could be a surprise team making a deep playoff run. They have the tools necessary, and Slaton is a key part to making it all happen.

HONORABLE MENTION: Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles)

Like it or not, he is the best all around running back in the game. He has a little trouble staying healthy, but given any more than three yards of space and this guy will make you pay. Just look what he did to the Vikings in the playoffs last season.

One play from this guy will break you in two. He is a model citizen and should be a no brainer for the Hall of Fame when he retires.

 

Mythbuster: Willie Parker is a top five running back in the NFL.

Now Steeler fans are really going to be pissed. The fact is, this guy can hardly rush for 4.5 yard per carry and has only one full season without an injury. Pair that with an overwhelming seven touchdowns in the last two seasons and…Shazaam! Please try to tell me you don’t honestly believe that is top five material.

Oh, and there’s that part where when he gets touched, he falls down. This guy is speed and speed only. He doesn’t have great balance and doesn’t have the vision to take a step to the next level. I’m sorry, but I don’t even think Willie is a top 15 back right now.

Wide Receiver

Most Overrated: Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills)

No surprise here for many NFL fans. His attitude alone can put him on this list, but adding how many balls he drops is just topping on the cake. He led the league in dropped balls last season despite still putting up decent numbers.

Is he worth having on a team? He’s good the first season, but after that is when the problems occur. He destroyed Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, and Tony Romo. It’ll be tough to do the same in Buffalo with a relative no namer at the quarterback position.

He has been nicknamed TO not for his name, but for “team obliterator” for a reason.

Over his career, it’s safe to say that nearly all his quarterbacks could eventually make the Hall of Fame. It’ll be interesting to see how things in Buffalo go with a very young Trent Edwards.

HONORABLE MENTION: It’s pretty hard to name another an give a good argument, so I’ll leave it at that. Names come up like T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Greg Jennings, but you can make a good argument for each of them not to be on this list.

 

Most Underrated: Derrick Mason (Baltimore Ravens)

This guy wanted me to tell you, “I don’t get respect!” He’ll never say it to the public eye though. He is as quiet as they come. He’s put up very good numbers with some not so great quarterbacks.

He’s very small at 5’10” and 190 pounds, but he packs a punch. He’s been very durable, not missing a game since 2002 and has played through several injuries along the way. He makes catches he has no business making. He is a strong mentor and would improve any team in need of his services.

He has 790 receptions for 10,061 yards and 52 touchdowns. Those are somewhat comparable to Michael Irvin’s Hall of Fame numbers, but he probably won’t find his name called into Canton any time soon. Maybe if he got into drugs and was accused of sexual abuse, then he might get in, right?

HONORABLE MENTION: Andre Johnson (Houston Texans)

There are a few names that could go here and I would encourage people to give me some names! Perhaps none are more deserving than this guy though.

I know there are already a couple Texans on here. This guy would have been No. 1 on my underrated list had he not finally started getting the recognition he deserves. His numbers speak for themselves. With a healthy quarterback, he could end up being one of the best in game.

He’s proved he has the hands and will etch his name to the Pro Bowl roster every year.

 

Mythbuster: Roddy White is overrated.

Someone please explain this one to me. He had no quarterback last year, but still managed 83 receptions and over 1200 yards and six touchdowns. This year, he had a rookie quarterback and slightly improved in every statistical category.

This guy will only get better. With Michael Turner gaining respect, the running game will be closely watched leaving White to duplicate his numbers year after year.

Tight End

Most Overrated: Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts)

Again, I’m sorry, but this guy has a Hall of Fame quarterback and only one good year to show for it. He has never played a full season. He’s another one of those big tight ends who can only catch. I can’t stand when people mention his name as the best tight end in this era.

He has no blocking skills to help out his running back, but does an okay job protecting his quarterback. The drive from his legs isn’t there to make him an effective run blocker. It’s sad to say, but the day of the blocking tight end is over.

 

HONORABLE MENTION:Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers)

Let’s face it, this guy didn’t deserve to be a first-round pick three years ago. He hasn’t put up anywhere near good numbers and can’t seem to stay healthy. When he is healthy, his heart isn’t in the game causing him to get sent home early.

He could live up to expectations as a receiver, but not as a blocker. He can’t find anyone to block and if he does, they get away too easily. Let’s face it. He’s a big wide receiver who doesn’t give an all out effort on every play. There’s nothing else to add here.

 

Most Underrated: Chris Cooley (Washington Redskins)

He does a little fullback and halfback to go with his tremendous catching abilities. Over his short five year career, he’s averaged 60 receptions for nearly 700 yards and six touchdowns. He’s also never missed a single game.

Unlike his AFC counterpart in Clark, this guy can block. He’s helped Clinton Portis to become one of the best running backs in the game. Cooley is fast, strong, and has great hands. He is the perfect tight end for a passing era, yet has all the abilities to be great run blocker.

HONORABLE MENTION: Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears)

He’s been in the league for two years now, but still hasn’t started more than half his games. As a backup tight end last season, he caught 54 passes for 574 yards and five touchdowns. He’s got amazing hands and helped block for Matt Forte.

This guy is so underrated that even his coach Lovie Smith is scared to start him on a regular basis. I hope he goes to a team that appreciates him more. Chicago fans know about his skill, but for some reason, the coaches don’t see it.

 

Mythbuster: Visanthe Shiancoe will never be a good tight end.

He proved all last season and the first two games this season that it was a strong possibility. He was widely known as the worst catching tight end in the game, but suddenly came out of nowhere and caught seven touchdown passes for the Vikings.

He finally showed Minnesota the potential he has and could end up being a legitimate threat on the offensive side of the ball next season. He’s only other knock is being very slooooooooow. Hopefully some good strength and conditioning coaching can help that a little.

Offensive Line

Most Overrated: Jacksonville Jaguars

They came into the 2008 season with high expectations. The result, allowing their quarterback to be sacked over 40 times which was good for third in the NFL.

Their rushing attack, which was believed to be top three in the league, was just barely good enough for the number 18 spot in the NFL. That’s a huge upset compared to the number two spot they claimed a year ago.

 

Most Underrated: Atlanta Falcons

Easily one of the biggest surprises in the NFL last season was the emergence of the Atlanta Falcons. They don’t have a single Pro Bowler on their offensive line, but gave up only 17 sacks and boasted the league’s second best rushing attack. That’s pretty good for having a bunch of overachievers on their line! They get an A+ for their fabulous performance in 2008.

 

Well, there you have it. A list of the NFL’s most outrageous rankings. Coming soon will be the defensive side of the ball!

Jacksonville Jaguars Preseason Schedule Announced

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a fairly typical line up for preseason games this year.

Week 1: Jacksonville at Miami
Week 2: Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
Week 3: Jacksonville at Philadelphia
Week 4: Washington at Jacksonville

The usual suspects are on the line up. Miami, Tampa Bay, Washington. We played those three teams last year during the preseason. However, there is one fairly interesting one. That is, if you can consider anything being interesting in the preseason. The Jaguars will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in week three of the preseason.

Obviously, there are a lot of issues brought up about preseason, mostly centered around it being a glorified practice. However, I like it. You get to see guys fight for third string spots, never to hear their name again. There are so many stories that come about because of preseason.

After all, maybe we can take failed secondary player William James and leave him in Philadelphia where he started. Now that would be a story I would be in favor of.

NFL Mock Draft, 11-20

Here is who I think will be drafted in the first round from picks 11 to 20. The player I suspect will be drafted along with what I think that teams record I think will be in 2009 are on each slide.
11. Buffalo Bills
12. Denver Broncos
13. Washington Redskins
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Houston Texans
16. San Diego Chargers
17. New York Jets
18. Chicago Bears
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas)

Why Winning the Super Bowl Is Overrated

Ever since the Super Bowl ended this year I cannot stop thinking about how overrated winning the Super Bowl is. I know that in sports the emphasis is always placed on winning championships, but I think in the NFL there is far too much emphasis placed on the Super Bowl. Placing all the importance on the postseason tournament isn’t going to give you the best team when there is a one-and-done format like the NFL’s.

Because of the playoff system winning the Super Bowl doesn’t mean you’re the best team, it just means you got hot, or lucky, at the right time. Teams can put on tremendous performances all season, loose one game, and all of a sudden they’re not the best team in the NFL.

Obvious case in point here would be the 2007 Patriots; it’s hard for me to believe that many people really felt that the Giants winning the Super Bowl meant New York had the best team that season. The Giants were the Super Bowl champs that year, but there was no question that the Patriots were the NFL’s best team.

I don’t think that this was the only case of the best team not winning the Super Bowl. In ’98, when the Vikings were red hot, the game we needed in the Super Bowl was Vikings vs. Broncos, but that game was killed by a lucky Falcons win. The Patriots first Super Bowl win over the Rams is another example.

I’m not sure if Kurt Warner should go into the Hall of Fame, but the talk going into the game all week was that if he wins, he’s a lock. I could understand the argument, two Super Bowl championships, a Super Bowl MVP or two, and third Super Bowl appearance with some sick regular season numbers.

Sounds like a HOF resume to me, but my problem with it is that he did his part, he led the team downfield, and got the Cards the lead. That should have put the stamp on his Hall of Fame career, right? But then Roethlisberger leads the Steelers down field, makes some amazing plays, and now Kurt’s out of the Hall of Fame for something that happened while he was on the sidelines? That doesn’t seem right.

Thinking about the Cardinals possibly winning the Super Bowl from the flip side of things, would that have meant the Cardinals were actually the best team in the NFL last season?

Now, don’t get me wrong, winning a championship should count for something, but I’m just not sure that it should count for everything, as it seems to in the minds of many. Call me crazy, but I think what teams do in the regular season and consistency is more important than winning the tournament at the end and that it should be recognized more.

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