While I didn't do this on my blog I still wanted to review my predictions for the 2007 fantasy football season. It was a mixed review:Best WR: Terrell Owens- Not Steve Smith! T.O. will be the best WR in the league. This year, with Parcells out, T.O. will have his best season since his first year with the Eagles. I expect a minimum 14 TD’s.
Grade: A-. First, no one in their right mind would have predicted Randy Moss to score an NFL record 23 TDs. That counts as the minus part of the A. I predicted TO to score a minimum 14 TDs and he scored 15 TDs without playing the last game due to an ankle injury. In fact, he was 95 yards and a TD from having his best season ever which I firmly believe he would have gotten had he played the last game of the season. He did finish as the second best WR in fantasy overall scoring. Steve Smith was nowhere in sight.
This year’s Marques Colston: James Jones WR/Packers- First, I want to confess something. Last year I am the person who picked up Colston before the season began. Although, I did see some talent there, I only picked him up because he qualified as a TE in Yahoo! scoring. I thought I could play someone who got WR looks at the TE position. I never intended on playing him at WR. I never thought he would produce those kinds of numbers as a rookie. Now back to Jones. Regardless of how the Donald Driver injury plays out or where he is on the depth chart, Jones is going to make an impact. I’m not saying to expect Colston type numbers, I’m saying Jones is a guy who was an unknown and will make a fantasy impact, just like Colston did.
Grade: D. I was looking OK on this pick after the first 8 weeks of the season. Jones was making a name for himself but tailed off the second half of the season. All I predicted would be he would be a relevant contributor to the fantasy format and he was (in the first 8 games) and wasn't (in that last 8 games). Not the best prediction here but moving on.
Best TE other than Antonio Gates: Chris Cooley- I think Cooley is coming into his own. Last year, there were 4 TE’s that scored 6 or more TD’s after week 5. Gates and Crumpler had 7 each, Shockey and Cooley had 6 scores. Want another stat. Cooley has had 3 years in a row where he’s scored at least 6 TD’s. Only two other TE’s in the league can claim that. That’s Gates and Shockey. This year, for the first time in his career, there’s a little stability at QB with the Redskins. Campbell is no Peyton or Carson, but he is reliable. Shockey is high on this list as well. In fact, if it wasn’t for some injury concerns and the erratic play of little Manning, Shockey would be the clear cut number 2. Another person you could argue for the number 2 spot (some experts do have him number 2) is V. Davis. I can see why, but has Davis really done anything yet? He has loads of potential and he may get there, but how many former NFL players have had that label? I’ll take a guy who has proven that he can produce.
Grade: C. Well I didn't exactly knock this out of the park. Cooley did have a career year. He did have 786 yards and 8 TDs, both career bests, and good for 5th in ESPN leagues. Of course no one would have predicted Jason Witten to be the best TE in the league OVER Gates in 2007. Meanwhile, the highly drafted TE Vernon Davis finished 14th and Shockey finished 11th (missing the final 2 games with injury). I'd say I did good but not great in that prediction.
Best RB who wasn’t drafted (or rated) in the top 5: Laurence Maroney- Some of you already know my feelings on Maroney. Maroney just excites me. By season’s end, Maroney will be considered a top 5 pick for next year’s draft. NE is not a passing team. They are a balanced team. Did you know that the Patriots scored 20 rushing TD’s last year? Dillon had 13 and Maroney had 6. If old, broken down Corey Dillon can score 13 TD’s in a part time role, how many TD’s will Maroney score as the lone back in that offense? I say 15 at the minimum. I saw one ESPN expert say that he has concerns with Maroney’s tackle-breaking ability. He had Maroney ranked near the bottom of the second round. What?!!! Maroney bulldozes people and runs like a train! He’s fast, elusive, and powerful. If any of you saw Maroney run at the University of Minnesota and in a part time role, run with the Patriots last year, you’d agree with me. As long as that shoulder stays intact, you can book Maroney as a top 5 pick in the 2008 draft.
Grade: D and B: Before you you go postal on my grading here please let me explain. Maroney, scoring wise, finsihed 24th among fantasy RBs despite missing 3 games with an injury. While I'll admit he didn't put up the numbers I thought he would, I refuse to say he's not as talented as I said he was. People are seeing what Maroney can do if given the opportunity by the way he's played during the playoffs. He's been given the ball over the past month including the playoffs and produced like a number 1 fantasy back.
Maroney's rookie numbers were 175 carries for 745 and 6 TDs. That's a 4.3 average. This year, Maroney's numbers where 185 carries for 835 yds and 6 TDs. That's a 4.5 average. He actually had a better season than his rookie year. The thing I didn't factor in is how much the addition of Moss and Welker would factor in to how many carries Maroney would get.
The last five games (including the playoffs) Maroney has averaged 21 carries for 110 yard and a TD a game. That's a 5.2 average. As I stated in my very first blog topic, it's also about opportunities. Granted, that doesn't help you much with your fantasy team now but it's still a legitimate argument. You CAN'T predict coaches. I can only predict players. Maroney is the real deal. Don't be surprised if he is the Super Bowl MVP.
Grade: A-. First, no one in their right mind would have predicted Randy Moss to score an NFL record 23 TDs. That counts as the minus part of the A. I predicted TO to score a minimum 14 TDs and he scored 15 TDs without playing the last game due to an ankle injury. In fact, he was 95 yards and a TD from having his best season ever which I firmly believe he would have gotten had he played the last game of the season. He did finish as the second best WR in fantasy overall scoring. Steve Smith was nowhere in sight.
This year’s Marques Colston: James Jones WR/Packers- First, I want to confess something. Last year I am the person who picked up Colston before the season began. Although, I did see some talent there, I only picked him up because he qualified as a TE in Yahoo! scoring. I thought I could play someone who got WR looks at the TE position. I never intended on playing him at WR. I never thought he would produce those kinds of numbers as a rookie. Now back to Jones. Regardless of how the Donald Driver injury plays out or where he is on the depth chart, Jones is going to make an impact. I’m not saying to expect Colston type numbers, I’m saying Jones is a guy who was an unknown and will make a fantasy impact, just like Colston did.
Grade: D. I was looking OK on this pick after the first 8 weeks of the season. Jones was making a name for himself but tailed off the second half of the season. All I predicted would be he would be a relevant contributor to the fantasy format and he was (in the first 8 games) and wasn't (in that last 8 games). Not the best prediction here but moving on.
Best TE other than Antonio Gates: Chris Cooley- I think Cooley is coming into his own. Last year, there were 4 TE’s that scored 6 or more TD’s after week 5. Gates and Crumpler had 7 each, Shockey and Cooley had 6 scores. Want another stat. Cooley has had 3 years in a row where he’s scored at least 6 TD’s. Only two other TE’s in the league can claim that. That’s Gates and Shockey. This year, for the first time in his career, there’s a little stability at QB with the Redskins. Campbell is no Peyton or Carson, but he is reliable. Shockey is high on this list as well. In fact, if it wasn’t for some injury concerns and the erratic play of little Manning, Shockey would be the clear cut number 2. Another person you could argue for the number 2 spot (some experts do have him number 2) is V. Davis. I can see why, but has Davis really done anything yet? He has loads of potential and he may get there, but how many former NFL players have had that label? I’ll take a guy who has proven that he can produce.
Grade: C. Well I didn't exactly knock this out of the park. Cooley did have a career year. He did have 786 yards and 8 TDs, both career bests, and good for 5th in ESPN leagues. Of course no one would have predicted Jason Witten to be the best TE in the league OVER Gates in 2007. Meanwhile, the highly drafted TE Vernon Davis finished 14th and Shockey finished 11th (missing the final 2 games with injury). I'd say I did good but not great in that prediction.
Best RB who wasn’t drafted (or rated) in the top 5: Laurence Maroney- Some of you already know my feelings on Maroney. Maroney just excites me. By season’s end, Maroney will be considered a top 5 pick for next year’s draft. NE is not a passing team. They are a balanced team. Did you know that the Patriots scored 20 rushing TD’s last year? Dillon had 13 and Maroney had 6. If old, broken down Corey Dillon can score 13 TD’s in a part time role, how many TD’s will Maroney score as the lone back in that offense? I say 15 at the minimum. I saw one ESPN expert say that he has concerns with Maroney’s tackle-breaking ability. He had Maroney ranked near the bottom of the second round. What?!!! Maroney bulldozes people and runs like a train! He’s fast, elusive, and powerful. If any of you saw Maroney run at the University of Minnesota and in a part time role, run with the Patriots last year, you’d agree with me. As long as that shoulder stays intact, you can book Maroney as a top 5 pick in the 2008 draft.
Grade: D and B: Before you you go postal on my grading here please let me explain. Maroney, scoring wise, finsihed 24th among fantasy RBs despite missing 3 games with an injury. While I'll admit he didn't put up the numbers I thought he would, I refuse to say he's not as talented as I said he was. People are seeing what Maroney can do if given the opportunity by the way he's played during the playoffs. He's been given the ball over the past month including the playoffs and produced like a number 1 fantasy back.
Maroney's rookie numbers were 175 carries for 745 and 6 TDs. That's a 4.3 average. This year, Maroney's numbers where 185 carries for 835 yds and 6 TDs. That's a 4.5 average. He actually had a better season than his rookie year. The thing I didn't factor in is how much the addition of Moss and Welker would factor in to how many carries Maroney would get.
The last five games (including the playoffs) Maroney has averaged 21 carries for 110 yard and a TD a game. That's a 5.2 average. As I stated in my very first blog topic, it's also about opportunities. Granted, that doesn't help you much with your fantasy team now but it's still a legitimate argument. You CAN'T predict coaches. I can only predict players. Maroney is the real deal. Don't be surprised if he is the Super Bowl MVP.
1 comment:
Maroney huh. Super Bowl MVP? That's a reach. We'll see.
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