Fantasy Football GM's

I never used to get excited about the football season until about August, but after winning my first money league last year and getting much more involved in the trash talking, I’m looking forward to it already. With June here and August right around the corner I thought I would compile a short list of fantasy football insiders, experts and enthusiasts on twitter to help keep you informed and also included a bonus top 10 NFL players on twitter:

1. @fantasycrowd1- An awesome new site positioning themselves as the facebook of fantasy sports. Create a profile, update your status, read the blogs, make a comment, create a league, talk trash with other fantasy players of your caliber, get a draft kit…pretty much everything you need in one spot if you’re a fantasy sports enthusiast.

2. @daverichard, Dave Richard- NFL stat predictor and talent evaluator for cbssportsline.com. One of the best around, you can check out his columns here http://www.cbssports.com/columns/writers/richard and he is also featured in weekly fantasy football videos.

3. @fftoolbox- One of my favorite fantasy football websites. They have tons of free features on their site like 3rd year receivers, running backs +29, strength of schedule and much more. I’d highly recommend their site and following them on twitter.

4. @ffcalculator- Gives updated average draft positions weekly with data from thousands of drafts and color-coded so it’s easy to read. They also have a Lineup Calculator to find who to start/sit, analyze trades, and find free agents with. Instantly see if a trade will improve or hurt your team. Check out their blog for more info http://fantasyfootballcalculator.com/blog/.

5. @ffootball Hourly updates about everything from 09’ team outlooks, to who’s missing OTA’s, to who is trying the wildcat offense and even a glimpse of Michael Vick’s new life…yeah they’re on top of things.

6. @draftsharks- Fantasy Football Leaders Since 1999. Free weekly start/sit, pick-up/drop and weekly rankings. Timely updates on NFL headlines and player news along with a handy fantasy football forum.

7. @ff101- beginning their 5th season of Fantasy Football 101 this August on www.sportsradio1450.com. They’ll bring you injury updates, who to play and who not play, as well as their studs, duds and sleepers every Saturday morning at 8:05am.

8. @vote4parag- a self-proclaimed “average guy” however has proven himself to be very knowledgeable and definitely worth a follow. Check out his comment on the first ever twitter fantasy mock draft http://tr.im/mS5Z.

9. @mikepera- Owner and Creator of FantasyDraftTools.com. A tool that helps league commissioners organize their draft much easier. Fantasy Football, Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Hockey Draft Tool / Cheatsheet.

10. @familyfantasy- Fantasy sports are very popular nowadays and this site caters to kids and grown-ups that would like to enjoy fantasy sports in a family atmosphere. Their fantasy leagues are designed to be simple to use and provide endless opportunities for kids and grownups to spend time together and build stronger, healthier relationships.

By the way, if you haven’t tried twitter yet you are really missing out in my humble opinion. One can really find a wealth of useful up-to-date information, entertaining material and make connections with many others that you otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to. Here are my top 10 NFL players that use twitter and their twitter profile names. Oh and don’t forget to follow me too @daveseidl ;):

1. Larry Fitzgerald @lfitzgerald11

2. Terrell Owens @terrellowens81

3. Matt Forte @chitownforte22

4. Steve Slaton @thadoubles

5. Steven Jackson @sj39

6. Shawne Merriman @shawnemerriman

7. Mark Sanchez @mark_sanchez

8. Matt Hasselbeck @matthewhass008

9. Chris Cooley @thecooleyzone

10. Champ Bailey @champbailey

Hey Everybody,

Just wanted to give you a brief intro about me. My goal is simply to provide useful information and help you guys and gals enjoy your fantasy sports more.

I'm really honored to have been hired to be the senior writer for fantasycrowd.com recently. The owner came across this blog when I signed up for a profile there, like my writing here and offered me a position a couple days later. I feel very lucky that I get write about something I'm so passionate about. When I first started this blog I just wanted to make a few posts and see what happened, so I apologize that I never really introduced myself to those who don't know me.

I'm a 27-year-old fantasy sports enthusiast originally from Detroit and now living in Chicago. As the "About me" section says; Yes, I am a Lions fan, and yes it does suck. Anyways, I graduated from Oakland University in 2006 with a major in communications and minor in marketing. I’ve been working in sales since 2003 and am currently a web consultant for Web Works.

I’ve been playing fantasy sports for about five years now, but like to think that I picked up on it relatively quickly. I won the first free league I ever joined on ESPN when I had Steve Smith and OchoCinco in their primes and was hooked ever since. I won my first money league championship last year in the IDP (individual defensive player) league I’ve been in for three years now. It was a thriller, I ended up winning on one of the last plays of the season when the Bears blocked Mason Crosby’s kick.

My claim to fame in my fantasy career so far has been my waiver wire pickups. Last year I got Kurt Warner the day he was announced the started and well…we all know how well he played in 08’. I really like to study the wire each week and am not afraid to make a bold pickup or two, of course that means you have to be willing to drop somebody on your current team and I have a neat little weekly feature in mind just for this situation…stay tuned. I took so much heat from it one year that I mockingly named my team “The Waiver Wire Legends”. Granted the key is to pick well enough in your draft you won’t have to worry about the waiver wire so much, but my feeling is you can never have enough good players and even if you’re not using them at least nobody else can.

I also go by “Detroit Dave” in many of my leagues now. I would only really consider myself a fantasy football specialist but am pretty well versed in baseball, basketball, college football, college basketball and golf as well.

I’ve been playing real sports ever since I can remember. My first love was baseball, and then moved to basketball, then golf and now football. I played a mean two-bag in high school baseball until I broke my ankle my junior year. I also made for a good 6-7th man off the bench in basketball during my first two years, known for my 3-point shooting but just didn’t have the stamina or desire to play on the varsity level. I was the player of the year for my high school golf team in 2000 and also have a hole-in-one to my credit.

I certainly can’t take credit for the massive amounts of knowledge, stats and otherwise useless information (if it weren’t for fantasy sports) I’ve accumulated over the years. I’ve been blessed with a great group of sports nuts around me from friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors.

I wouldn’t feel right about this article without mentioning my mentor is sports, Al Giroux. Originally from Canada and my neighbor for many years, Al and I have watched just about every Detroit sporting event this decade and attended many of them as well. He really opened my eyes to the role that coaches and refs have in different sports along with how much injuries and psyches can make a difference in a player or teams success. Without a doubt the most knowledgeable sports fan I know. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know feel free to ask or follow me on twitter. I welcome all feedback and look forward to interacting with everybody soon!

Some call them sleepers, others may call them value picks…I like to refer to them as “good looks”. Like in basketball when a player makes a good pass, they say “good look”. In other words, players worth taking a good look at. Always lookin’ out for you, here are some good looks to keep in mind for your 2009 fantasy draft:

1. Matt Forte- Almost everybody has Adrian Peterson going first, but what about second? Well, on April 3, 2009 Matt Forte went from being a fantasy stud, to serious consideration for this spot when the Bears acquired not only Jay Cutler but also massive OT Orlando Pace. Jay Cutler’s arm will open up the field for Forte and if Pace can stay healthy, watch out for a monster year from the second year back.

2. Michael Turner- the NIU product and former LT backup took the fantasy world by storm last year. Add Tony Gonzalez and give Matt Ryan another year under his belt and the sky is the limit. Absolute tree trunks for legs, a tackler’s worst nightmare and a good look at the two or three spot.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew (MJD)- I wouldn’t put him in the AP, Forte, Turner class just yet, but worth a good look in the mid first round. With Taylor off to New England and the Jags investing early picks on the o-line (Eugene Monroe, Eben Britton), this sneaky little running back has the potential to carry a team, especially in a PPR league.

4. Calvin Johnson- Ever heard of the third year receiver theory? Call me a homer but Daunte Culpepper is 30 pounds lighter and reunited with his former offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. The Lions new offense is set up for vertical passing…Think Randy Moss circa 2000. In case you were wondering, 15 TD’s over 1400 yards. Of course, it is a risky pick because if they get off to a bad start again they could be forced to play the rookie Stafford. But on the bright side, they should be trailing in many games, thus forced to throw the ball more. There should be a run on top tier receivers in the second round, and CJ is a good look there.

5. Pierre Thomas- Don’t forget about the PT Cruiser. A back getting goaline touches in one the leagues most potent offenses. He was a pleasant surprise for many who took a chance on him off the waiver wire late 2008. Runs and catches well, and proved to be a very effective compliment to Reggie Bush. Expect him to pick up where he left off and an excellent look in the third round.

6. Chris “Beanie” Wells- This guy couldn't have come into a better situation. I've heard him compared to the one and only Jim Brown, so his potential is through the roof. Although Wells is not a perfect fit for the Cardinals system because they run a lot of spread offense, he will have many holes to run through and he attacks the line of scrimmage very well. He should have many opportunities to score in the potent Arizona offense. Injury questions are the only down side here, but worth a good look in the early mid rounds 4-6.

7. Felix Jones- Only played in 6 games last year, but worth a look in rounds 6-8. Although Dallas has a well-balanced offense even without T.O. I expect the run and Felix Jones to get more involved. I love Marion Barber but I have a hunch that his violent running style could keep him out of some games this year, opening the door for Felix and his explosive speed. An especially good look for Barber owners to handcuff their investment in the Cowboy backfield.

8. Greg Olsen- word on the street is that Olsen and Cutler have good chemistry already. Cutler’s main tight end in Denver Tony Scheffler was involved quite a bit and with Chicago’s lack of quality wide receiver’s I would expect many targets and good numbers from Olsen this year. Check out what he had to say on his blog about Cutler http://tr.im/lX8A. Many people will have him as their fourth tight end on the board but I think his numbers will be more worthy of being the first or second tight end taken, thus creating a good look in the mid rounds.

9. Carson Palmer- a risky pick coming off an injury and losing a great possession receiver like Houshmanzadeh. Many gm’s will sleep on him because of this, however the Bengals picked up some intriguing new weapons in the draft for him. Massive OT Andre Smith protecting him should bode well for his production along with finally having a pass-catching TE in Chase Coffman. Coffman won the Mackey Award last season as college football’s top tight end and the Bengals picked him 98th overall in the third round. Look for Palmer to provide great value in rounds 10 and lower.

10. Bernard Berrian- Favre comeback or not, the Minnesota offense will be improved with the addition of Percy Harvin and OT Phil Loadholt. Berrian would have downfield opportunities if they put me in their backfield but defenses will obviously key in on Peterson, Harvin provides another distraction and before you know it double B is in the end zone. A decent two, strong number three receiver with potential to be even more if Favre comes back. Good look in rounds 7-9.

Hope you enjoyed the article. Let us know what you think, spread the word, or follow us on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fantasycrowd1 or http://www.twitter.com/daveseidl.

Even though the media was talking about Favre's return last summer at nauseum, I was still surprised that he came back. After the Jets released him recently and he reportedly met with Vikings head coach Brad Childress this week, many people are predicting another Brett Favre comeback. I wanted to make sure that I was prepared this year, so I have compiled a short list of the effect he would have on the fantasy football season this year if he did decide to comeback again and play for the Minnesota Vikings.

It should be noted that he probably will need surgery on his bicep in order to return but he has ample time to take care of that if he chooses and also that he has said in interviews that he is confident he has played his last game in the NFL. However, if you recall he originally wanted to go to Minnesota last year because of his relationship with Brad Childress and this would give him the opportunity to stick it to the Packers twice a year, who he didn't exactly have the greatest of endings with. Oh yeah, and he has only said about 8 times now that he will retire. All things considered, I think he will return next year and will have a good chance to not only have a successful season but a significant impact on fantasy football. Here are some fantasy football tips and advice on how to handle the situation:

• Being a Lions fan I have watched Brett carve up the Detroit defense many a times. However, it's no secret that he tends to throw a lot of picks. I love his gun-slinger mentality, however your fantasy opponents may also love the points he loses you as well. My feeling towards Brett in regards to my fantasy team has always been to try to get the skilled players around him, but not Brett himself for that reason. Sure you can probably get some good value for him in the later rounds but let somebody else draft him in the mid rounds because of his name if they want to. He does make other players around him better, but often at the expense of his own statistics.

• Particularly this year, I believe that you will benefit the most by having Bernard Berrian on your team. Defenses will obviously key in on Peterson, leaving the speedy Berrian many opportunities downfield. He even posted some decent stats last year without having a quarterback that throws a good deep ball, imagine what would happen with Favre throwing to him.
  

• I would expect Adrian Peterson's stats to increase even more this year with the Vikings investing in other offensive talent to surround him in the early rounds of this year's draft. We know he loves to throw to the tight end so Vincante Shianchoe is an obvious beneficiary as well, along with Percy Harvin. Don't count Percy out just because he's a rookie, remember how quickly Favre developed a rapport with Greg Jennings?

• Upgrade other players in the NFC North division a bit simply because Favre ( and Cutler) will make this a higher scoring division. So players like Aaron Rodgers, Calvin Johnson and Matt Forte will have more opportunities to put up points and thus should be moved up on your boards accordingly.

• I would expect the Packers defense to be fired up to play him, especially at Lambeau. I would also think that they would have a pretty good idea of his tendencies and how to defense him well. So, be sure to see if the Packers defense is available for this game, who might not be a bad defense anyways with the addition of rookies B. J. Raji and Clay Matthews.
  

• I probably don't have to tell you this, but the Lions defense would not be a good pickup for this game, or any other games for that matter.
  

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The 2009 NFL draft is over and I have targeted my top five impact rookies for next year along with a couple bonus picks and a sleeper. Of course, to be drafted in the NFL a player has to be extremely talented, however their background and the situation that they inherit has a lot to do with how much of an impact they can have in their rookie campaign. Here are my top five rookies to keep your eye on in your fantasy draft this year:

1. Knowshon Moreno RB Denver Broncos- One of the most explosive players in the draft this year, Moreno should be given every opportunity to succeed in Denver after not being able to keep running backs healthy last year. One of the few every down backs nowadays, Knowshon can do it all. He is very durable and will be especially valuable in point per reception leagues because he can catch the ball well. The Broncos offense features a very good receiver group lead by Brandon Marshall, will now be quarterbacked by Kyle Orton who proved to be more than servicable last year and a very good young offensive tackle in Ryan Clady, so he should be able to make many plays in Denver. Fantasy players have long been frustrated with picking Denver running backs because Mike Shannahan would always have somebody come out of nowhere to gain 1,000 yards, so it should be very interesting to watch Denver with a feature back this year.

2. Chris "Beanie" Wells RB Arizona Cardinals- This guy couldn't have come into a better situation and the Cardinals couldn't have asked for anything more with the second to last pick in the first round. I've heard him compared to the one and only Jim Brown, so his potential is through the roof. Although Wells is not a perfect fit for their system because they run a lot of spread offense, he will have many holes to run through and he attacks the line of scrimmage very well. He should also have many opportunities to score with the potent passing attack of Arizona driving the ball down the field often. The only drawback to Beanie and the only reason he wasn't drafted higher is because of his injuries and inability to overcome them quickly. However, if he can stay healthy I think Chris can make a big impact in his rookie year and for many years to come.

3. Jeremy Maclin WR Philadelphia Eagles- After seeing what Donovan McNabb did with DeSean Jackson last year, it would be no surprise to see Maclin contribute immediately with the Eagles. Much has been made about Eagles receivers before and after the departure of Terrell Owens and its no secret that this has been a position of need for years in Philadelphia. Although they have always had some decent #2 and mostly #3 receivers, it was awesome to see what McNabb could do with a receiver as talented as Jackson and I beleive Maclin is just as talented if not more. In fact, DeSean Jackson wasn't drafted until the second round 49th overall and Maclin was the 19th overall pick this year. McNabb should be able to spread the ball around even more this year and I would expect Maclin to receive a good number of those opportunities.

4. Michael Crabtree WR San Francisco 49ers- Crabtree didn't get the fortune of coming into a great offensive system but his talent is too much to overlook. The quarterback situation could definitely be improved but Crabtree's strong hands and incredible speed will still be able to post some good numbers, especially if the 49ers are playing from behind like usual. He should get many targets and has the potential to make many big plays. Crabtree is probably a better long-term pick in keeper leagues this year, however he should still make a good mid to late round pick is normal leagues as well.

5. Percy Harvin WR Minnesota Vikings- A high-risk high-reward pick drawing comparisons to Reggie Bush and Steve Smith. With defenses keying on Adrian Petersen look for Minnesota to utilize Harvin in some end-around and gadget plays in order to open things up. This should make the Vikings more dynamic and much harder for teams to prepare for. Harvin is definitely worth a late-round flier but might go undrafted so look for him to be a hot waiver wire pickup as well (especially if they're playing the Lions).

Bonus: Hakeem Nicks WR New York Giants- Hicks will be coming in to replace Plaxico Burress and give Eli Manning a new big target to throw to. He has been knocked for his lack of speed and work ethic but catches just about everything thrown to him and is good after the catch as well. You might remember his awesome performance in the Tar Heels bowl game last year and his behind the back catch, in case you forgot check out this youtube video:



Bonus IDP: Aaron Curry LB Seattle Seahawks- If you play in an individual defensive player (IDP) league like I do, be sure to keep your eye on Aaron Curry. He is a tackling machine that will also get some sacks and interceptions. I admittely have a man-crush on him already and really wish the Lions would have taken him. If you are not familiar with his work I suggest you take a look here:



Sleeper: Mark Sanchez QB New York Jets- The Jets knew he was their man after working him out and he seems to be a real good fit here. Of course you don't want to count on a rookie qb but might turn into a hot waiver wire pickup if he shows he can handle the pressure early. Coming from USC he is not really a sleeper but I think Sanchez will be able to handle the media pressure in New York and might perform much better than most might expect from a rookie. The solid offensive line and running game along with his experience at USC should allow him to make a pretty smooth transition to the NFL I think and could turn some heads even in his rookie year.

P.S.- What the hell were the Raiders thinking about when they drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey?

Well, the Lions fans tried to get the organization to draft Aaron Curry by chanting his name at the unveiling of the lions new logo earlier this week, but it wasn't enough to change their minds. Matthew Stafford was signed by the Detroit Lions yesterday for a six-year contract that could include up to $78 million and $41.7 guaranteed money.

I wanted to post my thoughts about the scenario since I am a Lions fan and quite knowledgable about the situation. Personally, I think Curry would have been a much better pick because of his obvious talent but also because of his leadership skills and the amount of money he was willing to sign for. They had a historically bad defense last year, and finding somebody like Curry that could fly around the field and make tackles everywhere like he has shown the ability to do, would be very valuable. They have a huge whole in the middle of their defense that he could have filled and would have also provided some much needed leadership. Every scout and draft expert that I listened to raved about his outstanding character, leadership abilities, and he was widely regarded as the safest pick in the draft. Plus, he was willing to sign for $10 million less than Stafford.

When your team doesn't win a game the whole season last year, you need to pick get your team morale up asap. Curry would have provided the best chance to improve your team now and also change your team culture for the future. Detroit's suffering economy and poor play recently has made it tough for them to fill the seats, which would make even more sense to pick Curry who would have taken less money. I'm sure they wanted to get a new face for their franchise but it doesn't always have to be a quarterback, Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher have been the faces of their successful franchises for years now. I just don't trust the Lions front office with this decision.

While I'm not always a proponent of making the safe pick, the amount of money invested here leaves no room for error. I understand that quarterback is the most important position on a team, however the top defensive teams consistently make the playoffs and that is where teams can get the best value in the early rounds along with offensive tackles. Bill Parcells is the perfect example of a general manager who drafts defense and offensive tackle (i.e DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Jake Long, Ty Law, Teddy Bruschi, James Farrior, Pepper Johnson). The NFL is very unpredictable and thus makes it realistic for teams to turn around their fortunes if they have the right people making personnel decisions. The Miami Dolphins went from 1-15 to the playoffs last year and many other teams like Atlanta and Arizona have been able to turn their franchises around recently.

I'm sure many other Lions fans like myself are hoping they can make a similar turnaround, however it seems with this draft pick that the re-building process will take even longer now. If they draft defense the rest of the way they may be able to justify this pick but it looks like they will have to get pretty lucky to have quality defensive players on the board with their other pick in the first round (#20) and their high second-rounder.

From a fantasy perspective this move shouldn't have much of an impact this year since Stafford is likely to sit for at least half of his rookie season barring any injuries to Daunte Culpepper. However, Calvin Johnson's numbers could even improve much more if Stafford ends up living up to his potential of having a rocket-arm and the Lions find somebody to protect him.

I'll be back after the draft to analyze the rest of the picks, enjoy!

So TO is officially out of Dallas after reports for weeks that he might be released. If Dallas can't stand you TO, Oakland might be the only team left. The only team that might be able to take on his selfishness is the class of the league the New England Patriots, who were able to keep Randy Moss in check for the last couple years. The only other team that might be desperate enough to pick him up; you guessed it, the worst team ever 0-16 Detroit Lions. Hey, they are known for coveting receivers and building their team totally backwards, you never know.

Not many other free agent signings that will affect fantasy football much in my opinion. Some major defensive pickups were made. Obviously Albert Hansworth going to Washington the biggest of them. This will make it even tougher on all NFC East offenses, which was already one of the best in the league. Albert Hayneworth's presence will make it harder for running backs like Marion Barber, Brandon Jacobs and Brian Westbrook to get in the end zone. Bart Scott also reunited with former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan in New York with the Jets, Brian Dawkins went to the Broncos and Ray Lewis re-signed with the Ravens.

My prized waiver wire pickup last year Kurt Warner visited San Francisco but ultimately decided to re-sign with Arizona. I think this was a good move for Kurt since he doesn't have many years left and the talent in Arizona at the receiver positition is amazing. Matt Cassell was traded to Kansas City. We'll see how he performs with a less talented surrounding cast and offensive line, however he did show a canny ability to scramble last year.

The Cleveland Browns got rid of their problem player as well Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Bucs. The Bucs released pretty much every player I know on their team and then traded for a notorious cancer in the locker room, so we'll see how their team chemistry plays out, but Winslow certainly has an opportunity to be the star there if he stays healthy.

We'll see how the rest of the free agent period plays out but next up is the 2009 NFL Draft. I'll be back after the draft to assess the effects from fantasy side of things. Here a look at the the draft order:

1. Lions
2. Rams
3. Chiefs
4. Seahawks
5. Browns
6. Cincinnati
7. Oakland
8. Jacksonville
9. Green Bay
10. San Francisco
11. Buffalo
12. Denver
13. Washington
14. New Orleans
15. Houston
16. San Diego
17. New York Jets
18. Denver
19. Tampa
20. Detroit
21. Philadelphia
22. Minnesota
23. New England
24. Atlanta
25. Miami
26. Baltimore
27. Indianapolis
28. Philadelphia
29. New York Giants
30. Tennessee
31. Arizona
32. Pittsburgh