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Flyer Fix...Troy Williamson

Nothing is quite as fun as a fantasy football flyer. Not the Philadelphia Flyers. Not the University of Dayton Flyers. Not anything.

Why are they so fun? Because they're so low-risk. But more than that, they're high reward. You'll probably end up cutting them. Big deal. But if they turn into quality back-ups, or even reliable starters, they could be the difference between a league title and finishing out of the money.

This week, the Flyer Fix turns it's eyes to new Jaguars WR Troy Williamson.

Why is Williamson a good pick-up as a fourth or fifth receiver? Here's our take:

1. Blazing speed--This guy can get down the field in a hurry.

2. A change of scenery--A fresh start with Jacksonville might be just what he needs to get over his struggles. As a first-round pick, Williamson was supposed to be the Vikings' next Randy Moss. All that pressure combined with being on some really bad teams led to some really bad seasons in Minneapolis.

3. A reliable QB--David Garrard is poised for a break out season. And he can sling it, a perfect complement to Williamson's speed. Troy never had this in Minnesota.

So feel free to target Troy Williamson late in your draft. If you're the type of owner that likes to draft 4 or 5 receivers, he just might be the guy for you.

Dot Dot Dot...NFL Training Camp Updates

Keeping up with all 32 Training Camps is a bit like keeping up with which models Tom Brady is hooking up with. It's extremely fun, but it can be a bit time consuming...
We've sent correspondents out to all the NFL camps and although we're a day tardy, we're here to provide you with all the camp news relevant to fantasy owners from the past week...
...Steven Jackson is really annoying fantasy owners who'll be drafting 3rd - 6th. He's still a holdout as of today. Of course, owners drafting 7th-12th are salivating at the prospect of him falling to them. Don't hold your breath folks. This is costing him $15 G's a day, it won't last much longer...
...It seems Chad Johnson is back to his old tricks. Spouting non sequiturs, taunts, and sarcasm (often simultaneously), his recent ESPN interview is something to behold. We're trying to be high on him here at TJI, but the thought of drafting him just makes our stomach churn.How does Carson Palmer sleep at night?...
...Speaking of unsettling for fantasy owners trying to prep for their drafts--there are lots of injuries cropping up already. Nothing major. So far...
...Receivers Joey Galloway, Anquan Boldin, and Plaxico Burress are all nicked up...
...Deuce McAllister may not be the answer to Reggie Bush's problems. He had to get an MRI last week. It came back negative. But it's not a good sign. If you were looking to draft him in the middle rounds and get production out of him...umm...
...Guess who came to camp fat and out of shape? Yep, Brandon Marshall. It seems driving drunk, beating women, and violating the league's conduct policy doesn't burn many calories...
...Oh, and don't forget about the reports that BMarsh could be suspended 4-8 games due to his trials (pun intended) and tribulations. That would be huge. Stay tuned...
...Stop laughing, Chris Henry...
...On a happier note, especially for owners trolling for fantasy value, Andre Johnson and Marvin Harrison have been participating in drills. They'll be taking it easy, but both should be ready for Week 1. Start talking to your friends about how worried you are about their health. Tell them how risky it would be to draft either one. Then, after their stock falls, draft them yourself!...
...Apparently there are concerns out of Miami about the quarterback position. File this under "SHOCKING" along with "You should stay in your basement during a tornado," "China's human rights record is horrendous," and "Amy Winehouse smokes crack."...
...And then there's Arizona, where Matt Leinart is one frat party raid away from the bench. Kurt Warner's robotic arm is well oiled, finely tuned, and waiting in the wings. This could be Leinart's last time getting a last chance at the starting gig, but we're still hoping for big things from him...
...Had your hopes set on a Laurence Maroney coming out party this season, did you? Our old friend LaMont Jordan might have something to say about that, now that he's signed with the Pats...
...Did you notice a huge sigh of relief emanating through the air last week? That was thousands of fantasy football keeper league owners when they heard Marshawn Lynch won't face a suspension...
...From the Tatum Bell Injury-Watch Department--nothing to report so far. Don't worry, though. There will be...
...And finally, it looks like the Brett Favre saga has reached an impasse. Or should we say, another impasse. Regardless of how this turns out, somebody is going to be really ticked. Not sure if it will be Aaron Rodgers, Chad Pennington, Jeff Garcia, or someone else. But it will be somebody...
...Notice we didn't mention Kyle Boller on that list of people that would be ticked. He'd probably be relieved if Favre joined the Ravens (as TJI has suggested). Then he could go back to the bench, where he (knows he) belongs...
...There you have it, another splendid recap of the last seven days of football news, filtered for fantasy football importance, of course. Remember to count on TJI for all your fantasy football needs, especially draft advice...
...Send us an email or leave a comment if you need insight on a particular player, or if you want us to break down your line-up. Please include your name and hometown with all correspondence...
...Check back with TJI later this week as we answer your emails, go digging for value at the RB and WR positions, and tell you why Brandon Jacobs will be a bust...

Blog Carnival...Fantasy Football Advice Galore

Welcome to our second installment of the TJI Blog Carnival. Last time, we toured some of our blogosphere pals to see what they had to say about the upcoming NFL season. Now that training camp is underway, posts are flying fast and furious out there. It's tough to keep up. TJI is here to help...

Sleeper Alert! Wide receivers are the latest to get attention at The Hazean (we were invited into The Hazean's bloggers' league, by the way. THANKS HAZE!).

Zoneblitz.com has its finger on the pulse of NFL training camp, bringing up-t0-the-minute reports on both the New England Patriots' newest RB and our beloved Carolina Panthers and their rookie RB.

Our good friends at Football Jabber always drive traffic to TJI. Check them out as they break down the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks of 2008.

As you probably already know, no one does research like the Fantasy Football Librarian. As if you needed more proof, here's her analysis (two years in the making, no less) of the "experts'" pre-season rankings. Man, she's thorough.

Larry Johnson is a tough one to figure out for fantasy football owners. The NFL Minute does a great job of breaking it down. Not only does this site provide top notch real NFL news and insight, but they analyze the fantasy football world with the best of them, too.

Tired of hearing about Brett Favre? Do yourself a Favor and read about Favre at the Fantasy Football Fools. They give some fresh insight that's worth your while.

Lots of different blogs just end up saying the same thing. Well, here's a blog, the Fantasy Football Geek Blog, that looks at unique topics that are critical to fantasy owners, like which site to use for hosting your league.

Some like sitting on the 50, some prefer sitting in the end zone. Whichever type you are, you'll enjoy this take on Favre (especially the photo) from The End Zone View. And while you're at their site, take the time to check out their weekly Training Camp Update. For those of you tired of scoring the net for camp updates, look no further!

Chad Johnson reported to Bengals' camp this week. TJI has more to say about this event, but West Coast Nonsense takes a look at whom you should draft...Chad or T.J.

The Caleb Campbell story is a unique one, to say the least and Signal to Noise covers it with aplomb.

The powerhouse blog Fantasy Football Goat brings you links to other great fantasy football sites. Hit them up and remind them not to forget TJI!

Need some Draft Day Advice? The Bruno Boys are among the best in the business. We aspire to be on their level some day.

Every so often, we stumble across a blog we've never seen before. This week, it's the Fantasy Football Bums. These guys are detail-oriented. Check them out. Tell them TJI sent you.
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There you have it...a complete rundown of some terrific fantasy football sites. Did we leave anyone off? Leave a comment so we can make sure we hook them up on the next go round. Until then, happy blogging.

Value City...More Fantasy Quarterbacks

The natives grew restless with our last "Value City" posting. We got tons of email about quarterbacks that we left our list of QBs with the highest fantasy "value."

It got us thinking...it seems the fantasy QB pool is pretty deep when it comes to value this year. It also seems like a shallow year for sure-fire Running Backs and Wide Receivers (more on these positions in future columns). Therefore, you could get your RBs and WRs early and wait to pull the trigger on your QB until the later rounds of your draft...IF you make the right picks.

And so, without further ado, dear readers, we bring you three more quarterbacks that you can draft in the later rounds who just might end up being quality starters for you during your quest for your league's title...

3. Jay Cutler
We were high on this guy last year, and he put up decent numbers. However, it was clear that he wore down as the season went on, and he did not finish strong. With his recent diabetes diagnosis and his efforts to regulate his blood sugar proving successful, Cutler is stronger than ever and primed to use his cannon of an arm to rack up even better numbers than in 2007. He can be had in the middle of your draft and will be a better than average starter for you throughout the season.

2. David Garrard
The Jaguars signal caller should show huge improvement now that he's had an entire off-season (as opposed to two weeks) to prepare for the demands of the starting QB position. He was lethally accurate last year, throwing only 3 INT all year. If newly acquired WRs Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson pan out, Garrard could be good for 25 TD. Keep an eye on Porter's injury (as well as the aches and pains of 2007 stand-out Reggie Williams). If Garrard starts the season with a full complement of receivers, he is certainly a player to target.

1. Jake Delhomme
He's high on all the "experts'" sleeper lists. All that publicity may mean you'll have to draft him a little higher than you want to. BUT, if you can get him as your back-up QB, you'll reap huge rewards. We need to go on the record at this point to acknowledge the fact that there's a huge Delhomme fan club here at TJI. We've been following him and pumping him up for years. That being said, all signs point to Delhomme putting it all together in '08. He's ready to go after Tommy John surgery. And with a healthy Steve Smith to throw it to, along with old buddy Muhsin Muhammed and new acquisition D.J. Hackett, he's got some talented wide-outs. Jake came out of the gates on fire before succumbing to injury. We see no reason for this not to be the case again in 2008. All the more reason for you to be sure to draft the best Ragin' Cajun to hit the NFL since Win Williams.

There you have it. Three more quarterbacks that could lead you to championship glory. We're still scouring our rankings sheets for running backs with value. Got any suggestions? Leave a comment or send an email. We'd love to hear what you think.

Photo Credit: Justin Keck 2006

Naysayers Nation...McFadden, Forte, Mendenhall, et al.

As training camps open and fantasy football drafts near, there's a group of running backs getting some major buzz...the rookies. And there's plenty of them. There's also plenty of fantasy owners clamoring for a piece of the rookie pie, desperate to find the next big thing.

We blame Adrian Peterson. Only slightly for complicating the number one pick in your fantasy draft. But mainly for making people think that rookies can make an impact. The citizens of the Naysayers Nation are here to tell you one thing...they can't.

Reason #1: History
Rookie RB "explosions" are rare. A look back shows us that to expect a repeat performance by another first year back would be unwise. By our account, Peterson is only one of three RBs to become a fantasy stud in their rookie season in the past ten years. (Can you name the other two? Keep reading.) And because of his 2007 "explosion," fantasy owners are scrambling to uncover the rookie gem of 2008.

Reason #2: Endurance
Rookie backs just can't hold up to the wear and tear of the 17 Week NFL season. Just look at Peterson. He missed some time with injury. And then tallied just over 140 yards in Weeks 14-17, critical playoff weeks for fantasy owners. 2008's other top rookie RB, Marshawn Lynch, also went down for three weeks late in the fantasy season. To counter this effect, coaches will be placing their rookie backs in the loathesome Running Back by Committee system.

Reason #3: The aforementioned RBBC
As we alluded to in reason 2, these rookies will all be sharing touches. Barring injuries, none will be looked to to carry the load, as both Peterson and Lynch were called upon to do in 2007. Take a look:

• High on Darren McFadden? He's got to share with Justin Fargas and possibly Michael Bush.
• Liking Jonathan Stewart's chances? He'll split time with De'Angelo Williams in Carolina.
• Matt Forte will carry the Bears offense, right? Not as long as Kevin Jones is there trying to win an '09 long-term deal.
• Sleeper pick Kevin Smith of the Lions might not get to shine with Tatum Bell sharing the workload.
• And if Reshard Mendenhall thinks the Steelers job is his, well Willie Parker will have something to say about that.
• And then there's others, like the Broncos' Ryan Torain, the Titans' Chris Johnson, the Cowboys' Felix Jones, and Houston's Steve Slaton. All with talent, none with the starting gig.

So, barring injury, none of these backs will top or match AD's 2007 stats. And if you're the kind of owner willing to bet your entire season on predicting an injury, we're starting a big money league that we'd like to invite you to.

Join us next time in the Naysayers Nation when we tear apart fantasy philosophies, deconstruct draft strategies, and demolish conventional opinions!

Note: We feel Edgerrin James and Clinton Portis were the only two RBs to have huge rookie seasons in the recent past. An argument could be made for Mike Anderson, too, we suppose. This article by Michael Fabiano helps prove it.

Value City...Quarterbacks Edition

Every fantasy football owner loves draft picks with high "value," picks made late in the draft that will put up solid numbers for your team all season. For example, a 10th round pick that performs like a 3rd rounder. Now that's value.

With injuries certain to impact your team, along with bye weeks, position battles, and the inevitable and dreaded flops, getting value out of your late round draft picks is key.

In this new feature, we look at players to target in the later rounds of your fantasy football draft. Players that will have you looking like a genius by mid-season.

Here are our top three quarterbacks with terrific value. Move them up on your cheatsheets and grab them as your back-up or third QBs. There's some risk involved, of course, (and it increases as you move up our list) but do you know what risky draft picks get you? League titles.

3. Matt Schaub
Coming off an injury in 2007, he's a QB that you can grab late in your draft. Others will have forgotten about him or be scared off by the presence of Texans back-up Sage Rosenfels. Fear not, this is Schaub's team. And he's got some terrific targets in Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels, as well as an up-and-coming Kevin Walter.

2. Matt Leinart
Lately, this guy has gotten more bad press than the Taliban. And don't forget the "battle" for the QB spot that will be taking place in Cardinals camp between him and Kurt Warner. Throw in a 2007 collar-bone injury and there's a lot of people in your league that won't touch Leinart with a ten foot pole. If only we could say the same for drunken party chicks. Of course, then this QB, who has two stud receivers to throw it to, an improving offensive line, and a solid running back to hand/throw it to, wouldn't be so far under the radar.

1. Vince Young
There were several (read: thousands) of fantasy owners whose seasons were ruined by Young in 2007. Why is that a beautiful thing? Because that translates into you being able to pick him up as your backup QB. And if your starter is someone like Donovan McNabb or Matt Hasselbeck, you're going to have a fantasy quarterback controversy on your hands by Week 5. You're wondering how that's possible, right? The answer is three-fold. First, there's new TE Alge Crumpler, sure to become VY's Go-To-Guy. Second, Norm Chow is gone, and he's taking his offensive scheme that doesn't capitalize on Young's strengths with him. Which leads us to the third thing, the two appendages attached to Vince's waist. Vince will use his legs more this year, helping you to rack up seemingly bonus fantasy points. We really see Vince Young having a ton of fantasy value this season.

These three sound like incredible reaches, we know. But remember, you're drafting them as back-ups, not starters. Of course, you'll be wanting to start them by midseason. All the more reason to target them in your draft.

Before we go, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention three QBs that, from a distance, appear to have some value. Be warned, fair readers, they do not. They are fantasy flops masquerading as undervalued players: Jon Kitna, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, and Jeff Garcia.

There you have it. Shocking stuff. Join us next time when we mine for fantasy gold in the Running Back department.