Something happened as we crossed the halfway point of the 2008 season. After weeks of scavenging for boring, low-impact bye-week and injury replacements, opportunities were served up on golden platters for Week 10. Brady Quinn, Ryan Torain and Jamaal Charles are just a few of the high-ceiling players getting their first chances to start, giving fantasy owners more meaningful transactions to ponder on a shortened week.

Quinn may be the next big thing in Cleveland. He may fall flat on his face and lose the job to Derek Anderson once again. The unknown is exciting and sure to draw attention from owners in most leagues, likely making him the object of most of their affection. He has a strong matchup against Denver on Thursday, but only three days to prepare for his first career start. Read more »

Short-term versus long-term thinking is the theme for free agents this week. Whose bandwagon do you hop on with expectations for future results, and whose best days are behind them? Blips on the radar are a dime a dozen in fantasy football, so we must consider all factors to predict who’s here to stay.

The big question for those seeking wide receiver help is, Ted Ginn Jr. or Donnie Avery with a waiver wire pick? Really, you can’t wrong with either one of these guys, but if you ask us, we like Ginn Jr.’s chances to out-produce Avery. The reason? Experience and learning on past mistakes. Read more »

Seven Weeks down; ten to go. And the NFL class of 2008 is making its presence felt on Sundays (and Mondays for that matter). Big Week 7 performances from Chris Johnson and Matt Forte showed the fantasy world that these first year guys mean business.

John Carlson caught one for a score for the second straight game and Darren McFadden is still vying to touch the ball in Oakland. The Rams offense woke up in Week 7’s upset over Dallasm which could translate into good numbers for Donnie Avery, while the Jets demise to the Raiders in OT may mean it’s time to give up on Dustin Keller for the rest of ‘08. Read more »

Big names have big matchups this week, so huge performances by running backs could mark Week 3 of NFL action. On the flip side, some other top performers - Adrian Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ryan Grant and Darren McFadden - enter the weekend as question marks while they nurse injuries, making for a stark contrast between certainty and uncertainty.

Frank Gore, Michael Turner and Brandon Jacobs fall under the category of “sure things” because of their stature and soft matchups. Tomlinson tops the list of “unsure things” with a sprained toe, making him a scary must-start at home against the Jets. Steven Jackson is shortly down the same list, not because of injury, but because of how poorly he and the Rams have played so far. Read more »

Most people who play fantasy football realize that, to some degree, they have a problem with addiction. The signs are abundantly clear - round-the-clock obsession, poor performance at work, a void in their family lives - but still, fantasy football keeps a tight grip on them. And that’s OK, to a point.

I’ve heard that admitting to a problem is the first step in the road to recovery. But, like an alcoholic who just can’t say no to a cocktail, I have no interest in discovering what the second recovery step is like. Again, within reason, fantasy football obsession is harmless fun that can be taken a couple of steps too far. Read more »

In fantasy, a sleeper is comprised of equal parts talent and opportunity. Some of fantasy owners’ biggest frustrations happen when young talent wastes away while veterans serve as mediocre starters. Before the season begins, it’s important to assess when and where the opportunities could come, and who’s in line to receive them.

Among those with the most immediate chance to prove himself as a fantasy contributor is Eagles rookie wideout DeSean Jackson. The Eagles’ already-thin group of receivers got even thinner when it was announced that Kevin Curtis could miss nearly half the season with a sports hernia surgery. Fellow rookie Ray Rice and Steve Slaton could also gets early opportunities because of injuries. Read more »

As is usually the case, it hasn’t taken long for the values of this year’s crop of rookies to change. Injuries and preseason performances can quickly place a first-year player on the rising or falling lists, perhaps as we overreact to their first NFL action. We’ll take a quick look at seven players whose stock is on the rise in their respective training camps.

Familiar names at familiar positions highlight a short list of could-be fantasy contributors. Just three of the seven we mention were first round picks in June, and just two - Buffalo WR James Hardy and Atlanta QB Matt Ryan - were not running backs. In terms of reality to fantasy drafts, we get further proof that situations and early opportunities dictate success more than talent does. Read more »

As the start of the dreaded pre-season games looms closer and closer, fantasy owners are getting the first few indications on which players have come out of camp looking impressive which ones have been lacking.

Tradition dictates that at least one fantasy star per year will have his season ruined by a pre-season injury. But, beyond that, there are plenty of players who right now only factor in as bits and pieces on a fantasy bench, but could very well turn out to be the difference between the consolation bracket and gunning for the league championship. There are also trades to be dealt with, and there have been some very big ones as of late. Read more »

One of the more exciting parts of preseason fantasy football, rookie evaluations can either make a quick impact on teams or fall flat on their faces as wasted draft picks. More often than not, the latter proves true, but if we learned one thing from Adrian Peterson’s 2007 romp, it’s that we should certainly believe that big results are possible.

Some overreaction is all but guaranteed in the post-A.P. Era, and most of it will center around Oakland physical specimen Darren McFadden. Owners everywhere are still sore about the fact that they passed on Peterson at nearly the same draft position (mid-3rd round) and will be damned if they make the same mistake. Problem is, odds are slim and none that McFadden’s arrival has half the impact of Peterson’s. Read more »