What Went Right

The Steelers had plenty of mystery with Mike Tomlin taking over for longtime head coach Bill Cowher. Early on, Tomlin stayed conservative and threatened to run Willie Parker every play. That probably wouldn’t have worked out, and Ben Roethlisberger used Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, and Heath Miller equally well to finish in the top eight of any scoring system. Parker, meanwhile, did account for 1,300 rushing yards, which is great for yardage-heavy leagues.

What Went Wrong

While Parker’s yardage totals were spot on, the touchdowns weren’t. He managed just two trips into the endzone, which is really quite an astonishing feat. Najeh Davenport stole five touchdowns, but Parker might have been dealing with an injury as well. Ward was definitely dealing with nagging injuries, but his production decline was still troubling. His yards per reception of 10.3 was the lowest of his career and almost a full three yards behind his 2006 number.

Off-season Outlook

The Steelers didn’t make too much of a splash in free agency, as signing running back Mewelde Moore was the biggest offensive acquisition. In other words, there’s nothing to see here.

Draft Recap

Fantasy owners have plenty to applaud or decry (depending on your situation) with the Steeler draft. In the first round, they took arguably the best back not named Darren in Rashard Mendenhall. For those of us that have Parker in dynasty leagues, we’re less than thrilled. Mendenhall, at the least, will be a more talented touchdown hawk than Davenport was last year. If he gets a shot at double-digit carries per game, he could steal the starting gig. In redraft leagues, he’s one of the most important handcuffs. Pittsburgh also took a top college producer at wide out. Limas Sweed flashed great talent at Texas when he was healthy. Unfortunately, he didn’t spend a lot of time being healthy. If he did, he probably would have been a first round selection. In this offense, he’ll have time to grow as a professional.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - Some of us had Roethlisberger pegged as a fantasy starter quite a while ago. Ahem. If the Steeler defense just let opposing teams score some points, Roethlisberger could probably be a top performer. Unfortunately, he will have only one half to throw the ball consistently in some games.

Running Backs - Your guess is as good as ours. Parker spent the offseason recovering from his injuries and even if he does maintain the starting gig, Mendenhall will cut into his carries. Right now, you have to draft both just in case one emerges as the clear cut starter. If you could only take one, you still have to lean to Parker. That being said, dynasty leaguers shouldn’t wait long to scoop up Mendenhall. In fact, he is probably second on our rookie board right now. His long-term value in the running heaven that is Pittsburgh is off the charts.

Wide Receivers - Despite only playing 13 games, Holmes managed almost 950 yards on a measly 52 receptions. He is undoubtedly one of the best deep threats the NFL has right now. If he plays 16 games, he’s a lock for over 1,100 yards and should approach ten scores. That being said, because he’s a home run hitter, he will have some worthless games for you. In fact, five of his 13 games fell into the worthless category (under 60 yards and no scores) for us. On the other side of the field, the second spot is something of a question mark. Ward is still there and will certainly retain the “starter” moniker. That being said, his production dipped alarmingly, and others will have a chance to get more looks. Sweed might get there eventually, but Nate Washington played well in stretches last season and might repeat some of that success early in 2008.

Tight Ends - Heath Miller should always do a little better than he does. His 566 yards and seven scores last year were pretty good, but he had seven games with two or fewer receptions. That shouldn’t happen.

Defense/Special Teams - We’re really not experts on defense. In fact, we can’t even name more than a few Steeler defenders without checking the web. That being said, we’re confident this group will be one of the top fantasy performers this season. They always are. And we hate them for it, unless we happen to have a Pittsburgh back running well. Other than that, fantasy football would be better off without the Steeler defense.

June 23rd, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: 3 Comments

What Went Right

Oh, it was mostly good for the Browns in 2007. The passing offense, with Derek Anderson, Kellen Winslow, and Braylon Edwards, went absolutely bananas. Anderson was the most surprising top performer since he wasn’t a starter until Week Two. In fact, his taking the reigns from Charlie Frye was about the most frightening prospect for fantasy owners. Okay, Frye maintaining the starting gig would have been scarier. Still, Anderson came out of nowhere to lead Edwards and Winslow to more than 1,100 receiving yards each. Oh, and Jamal Lewis ran for 1,300 yards and nine scores. We have no idea how that happened. Perhaps he was trying to outrun the law again.

What Went Wrong

Really, trying to find a negative aspect to the Browns’ fantasy performers is tough, and anything said will sound nitpicky. Obviously, the defense was, well, crappy. But that’s good for the offense. Anderson got 527 attempts and most of those came with the Browns needing to put up huge point totals. Also, we’re talking about defense? Please. The Browns were a fantasy goldmine in 2007. Hell, even Phil Dawson was a beast. Phil Dawson!

Off-Season Outlook

The Browns’ front office didn’t do too much to the offense, which is a good thing, we guess. The brass did bring in wide out Dónte Stallworth to compliment Edwards on the other side. Stallworth was his usual inconsistent self, and his injury prone label didn’t really change at all. Still, having another weapon that defenses have to at least pay attention to can’t hurt. Other than that, the only other big offensive news was the cutting of LeCharles Bentley. If Bentley played at all with the team, it might have been a more worrisome issue.

Draft Recap

Umm, since the Browns didn’t even have a first-day selection, we can just bypass this section, right? No? You want a random, yet hysterical video? Okay, try this.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - Anderson was lights-out for fantasy owners last year, except for a couple points. First of all, he struggled over the last part of the season. This isn’t a deal-breaker exactly, but his last three games featured more interceptions than touchdowns. Maybe this because of the fault of cold-weather games, or maybe the league started to figure him out a bit. It’s probably one of those glass-half-empty things. The other red flag was his completion percentage. It wasn’t good. In fact, Tavaris Jackson beat him in this category. Ultimately, it was Anderson’s first season as a starter, and if a highly-touted first year guy (say, Brady Quinn) had that kind of year, we’d be calling him the next Manning.

Running Backs - Lewis was re-signed and he will get the carries as long as he’s healthy. Unfortunately, we refuse to believe whatever happened last season was true. It had to be a mirage. The Lewis we remember was slower than Eddie George and had fewer moves than Ron Dayne. Sorry, Dawg Pound, we don’t see nine scores for Lewis this season.

Wide Receivers - Edwards was possessed last season. Normally, 16 receiving touchdowns would be good enough to lead the league. Unfortunately, a certain wide out in New England was doing a little better. Still, Edwards should be a top three receiver in every scoring system. Stallworth is an okay second backup, as he will have a couple big games during the right matchup.

Tight Ends - Winslow, perhaps against the odds, has been one of the more consistent elite tight ends for the last couple seasons. He seems to be a lock for over 1,000 yards and five or six scores if healthy.

Defense/Special Teams - One of the reasons the Browns didn’t have any real draft picks this season is because they brought in Shaun Rogers, who will be expected to make a big splash on the defensive line. That would be great, as long as he doesn’t do too much to keep Cleveland in low-scoring games. Also, Josh Cribbs — try no returning kicks for scores this season! You are a fantasy thief, and no one likes you!

June 21st, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, Derek Jones, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: No Comments

What Went Right

Okay, Brian Westbrook has, somewhat quietly, become a top back. And for point per reception leagues, he is essentially Jesus. Wait. There’s already a Jesus…a Purple one, at that. Okay, Westbrook would then be Moses. Yes, that sounds about right, especially for a Philly-based team. Anyway, Moses totaled over 2,100 yards from scrimmage and added double digit touchdowns. Just imagine if the Eagles felt comfortable giving him 300 carries. Just looking at the statistics, it looks like Kevin Curtis had a nice fantasy campaign with over 1,100 yards. Unfortunately, he was actually way too uneven to really help owners. In fact, his best game, a 221-yard, three-touchdown explosion against Detroit, accounted for half of his scores and about a fifth of his total yardage.

What Went Wrong

Let us count the ways. The Eagle offense could not find a rhythm in the first eight games of the season. Outside of a 56-point outburst against the awful Lion defense, the Eagles scored 13, 12, 3, 16 (twice), 23 and 17 points in the other seven games. Donovan McNabb got hurt again, which ushered in the less-than-captivating A.J. Feeley. Despite a second-half rally that featured a near win against the Pats and a 10-6 win at Dallas, Philly showed its age.

Off-season Outlook

The Eagles tried to improve their secondary by bringing in former Pat Asante Samuel (by the way, here’s hoping he can pull down interceptions unlike the one he did not grab during New York’s final drive in the Super Bowl). In the process, the team may have to dump one of its starting corners from a season ago (probably Lito Sheppard). The team also made wise moves by severing ties with Jevon Kearse and Takeo Spikes.

Draft Recap

The Eagles, who are allergic to first round picks, decided to once again trade down and make a couple of second-round selections. Trevor Laws, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame, will go into Philly’s vast lineman rotation. The more interesting pick was California wide out DeSean Jackson. He will have a chance to gain playing time with the offense and as a return man. The move helps Westbrook as well, as he won’t have to worry at all about returning punts.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - If McNabb is in the lineup, the offense is potentially one of the best in the NFC. However, if McNabb’s health woes continue (he has suffered an injury in the last three seasons) the Eagles become a mediocre unit even with Westbrook in the lineup. McNabb still has the ability without question, but his health is a major concern once more. Having productive receivers other than “Downtown†Reggie Brown would be helpful.

Running Backs - As mentioned above, there’s no worries here, at least, no worries as long as Westbrook is healthy. The diminutive back has had some bumps and bruises, which is why the team tends to have him on a pretty low carry count. Basically, the Eagles much prefer to see him at 15 carries than 25 totes. While that can be frustrating for fantasy owners, it has helped Westy play in 29 of the team’s last 32 games. We will take it.

Wide Receivers - Jackson has been brought in, but rookie wide outs like him — guys that rely on speed and route running — tend to take a couple years to really pick up the NFL game. That leaves quite a pickle with the Philly receiving corps. Curtis is probably still the number one, we guess. Brown could still take that crown with a strong season, but essentially, the Eagles are probably in the same dire straits that they were last year.

Tight Ends - For some reason, L.J. Smith is still on the team. He’s got the worst hands of, well, any NFL player, including lineman and defensive players, that we’ve ever seen. But he is a good route runner, especially in finding soft spots in zones. So he and McNabb do have a decent rapport, and Smith will have his customary big games every so often. Still, because he is good for at least three or four dropped touchdowns per year, he shouldn’t be anything more than a deep tight end option.

Defense/Special Teams - A once top-flight fantasy unit is no longer. The Eagles were a minus eight in the giveaway/takeaway department last year. They didn’t force many turnovers; hence, a lack of defensive touchdowns. Jackson should do a decent job in the return game since he’s already being compared to Devin Hester. That’s pretty good. Anyway, the Eagles are a middle of the pack defense/special teams unit.

May 24th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, Derek Jones, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: 5 Comments

We’re back with the second half of our rookie report. You can see our AFC report here.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys - The big news on draft day for Dallas was the selection of Arkansas running back Felix Jones. Every fantasy owner should have groaned with the selection, because it negatively affects Marion Barber and ensures that Jones won’t be nearly as valuable as he would have been elsewhere. The Cowboys also nabbed Georgia Tech back Tashard Choice, who could have been a deep sleeper with other teams. Here, he’s third on the depth chart.

New York Giants - The Super Bowl champion Giants waited until the third round to select an offensive player. Mario Manningham adds depth to a receiving corps that features the aging Amani Toomer, but do not expect big things. Apparently, the Giants dig quarterbacks from the SEC. Eli Manning, Jared Lorenzen and fellow Wildcat Andre Woodson all played in the conference. Manning obviously doesn’t need to worry about Woodson’s selection. Lorenzen, who was shocked at the Woodson pick, is another story. Woodson will compete for the back-up job.

Philadelphia Eagles - The only skill player Philly added through the draft was California wide out DeSean Jackson. Jackson will need time to grow as an NFL receiver, but he’ll surely show some flashes along the way this season. Actually, his biggest early impact should come on special teams, where he stands to make a few big returns. If your league awards points for return yardage, he’s a sneaky spot starter option.

Washington Redskins - Lacking significant pass catching threats, the Redskins grabbed two receivers in two of the first three rounds. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly should add playmaking ability to a rather average group. Under new head coach Jim Zorn expect the Redskins to run a lot, but these receivers help the passing game. A bad performance in the combine and a poor Sugar Bowl landed quarterback Colt Brennan in the draft’s sixth round. He will not contribute.

NFC North

Chicago Bears - With the Bears’ defense in a bit of turmoil, (where are you Brian!?) Chicago rolled the dice by selecting offensive players with its first three selections. Chris Williams, an offensive tackle from Vanderbilt, will be expected to anchor the Bears’ line. Matt Forte, a second-round half back from Tulane, is my pick for “rookie runner in the best situation.” He should beat out Cedric Benson for the starting job by, oh, Week Two. Finally, another Vanderbilt stand out, wide receiver Early Bennett, fell to Chicago in round three. He will have some adjustment issues, especially with the physical NFL corners, so don’t expect too much this season.

Detroit Lions - Understandably, Detroit focused most of its attention on its porous defense. However, the Lions did not neglect their mediocre running game, grabbing Central Florida running back Kevin Smith in the third round. Keep an eye on him as he may compete for time with starter Tatum Bell. Not to shy away from their recent roots, the Lions picked up Wake Forest receiver Kenneth Moore. Don’t expect him to be a fantasy factor.

Green Bay Packers - Green Bay didn’t possess a first round selection, but it did spend two second round picks on offensive players. Jordy Nelson, of Kansas State, adds another wide receiver weapon for new starter Aaron Rodgers. Of course, Rodgers will have some pressure on himself with the other second round selection, Louisville’s Brian Brohm. The Packer offense could be very good for fantasy owners or very disappointing, so the two rookies have a chance to make some kind of impact. It’s just very hard to know if they’ll have a chance to.

Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota strayed from concentrating on offense in the draft, which is shocking considering how average it is offensively with one notable exception at running back. The Vikings selected USC quarterback John David Booty, who probably will not see significant time on the field unless Tavaris Jackson goes belly up. The Vikings lack strong receivers and Jaymar Jackson in the sixth round is not the answer.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons - Everybody knows the biggest selection for the Falcons was Matt Ryan. Mel Kiper and ESPN made sure of that. He will probably step in as a starter at some point, but don’t expect it to happen too soon. Even if he is named a starter early on, his fantasy impact will be minimal. Obviously, Ryan is more of a dynasty league prospect. The Falcons also spent an early pick on Louisville wide out Harry Douglas. He’s a smaller receiver, but that fits with the team. Roddy White clearly will attract attention, but Douglas should make plays out of the slot. The Falcons aren’t quite as good as the Patriots (surprise), so Douglas’ fantasy value isn’t very high. Still, he’s worth keeping an eye on in dynasty leagues.

Carolina Panthers - Carolina struggled with its offensive and defensive line play last season, so the club focused its draft there instead of on the skill positions. However, Carolina used its first round pick on running back Jonathan Stewart. He’ll join DeAngelo Williams in the backfield to form a solid one-two punch. Stewart should be one of the more productive rookie backs. Louisville tight end Gary Barnidge was productive in college, but slid to the fifth round.

New Orleans Saints - The Saints already have a potent offense so they wisely spent their higher picks on defensive players, therefore there’s not much to mention here. Since we have a down moment, I’d like to point out there’s a new kind of scary ant in Texas. I’m very afraid (even if they do taste like raspberries).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Appalachian State receiver Dexter Jackson adds speed and youth to Tampa’s offense. The Bucs don’t throw the ball around a la the ’07 Patriots, so his production will not be overwhelming. The Bucs seemingly have ten quarterbacks on their roster, hence, Josh Johnson, a fifth round selection, has his work cut out for him. Nonetheless, with Jeff Garcia heading into the twilight of his career, stocking up is not a bad idea.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals - The Cardinals, who probably should have drafted one of the highly touted running backs, decided to go defense first and then took LSU wide out Early Doucet. In addition to having a kickass name, Doucet is my pick for best rookie receiver. He has similar size to Anquan Boldin, is active after the catch, and showed a natural instinct for going over the middle. Obviously, he will find the looks tough to come by with Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald around, but both of those guys have had injury issues. If one goes down, Doucet could be a big surprise.

San Francisco 49ers - The ‘Niners went with one skill player, which makes little sense considering how badly the offense played last season and that they brought in Mike Martz as the new offensive coordinator. Receiver Josh Morgan has speed, but will not make a major impact offensively. He may be more of a significant factor on special teams. Looking towards 2008, the combo of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson will not get it done. The ‘Niners should have looked at receivers earlier than the sixth round.

Seattle Seahawks - The Seahawk offense under Mike Holmgren has never really utilized the tight end position, so that might explain why they used a second round selection on Notre Dame tight end John Carlson. He wasn’t a dominating performer in school, but he is adept at receiving and blocking, and was one of the few tight ends in the draft that showed competence at both of those skills. He’s not worth worrying about, however, unless he can string together some effective games.

St. Louis Rams - St. Louis addressed needs on the defensive side of the ball in the first round, then countered in the second by drafting two receivers including Donnie Avery, whom impressed head coach Scott Linehan with his speed. Keenan Burton is also a burner and will be a welcome addition to the Ram passing attack. Torry Holt cannot do it forever and bolstering the group should give it new life.

May 21st, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, Derek Jones, Draft report, FOOTBALL . Author: Derek Jones . Comments: 11 Comments

Don’t worry…we haven’t forgetton about the team capsules. We’re going to get back to them after we take a look at the offensive rookies. But for now, let’s check in on the NFL Draft and review some names you need to know heading into the 2008 season.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills - The Bills only spent two of their top five picks on offense, and the only one of those who has potential to make a fantasy impact is second round wide out James Hardy. Hardy played college ball at that noted football powerhouse Indiana and comes into the league with a number of question marks. The most significant issue is whether he is big enough. He is 6’ 5†but was under 200 pounds in school. Hardy is obviously bulking up, but a certain amount of weight room work remains. Another matter is his off the field issues, which include domestic abuse charges. Expect Hardy to show some flashes this season, but unless you’re in a dynasty league, he’s not worth drafting.

Miami Dolphins - Miami’s biggest offensive addition came with the arrival of tackle Jake Long, who will help an underwhelming offensive line. Chad Henne will compete for the starting quarterback job with vets John Beck and Josh McCown. Sixth round pick, running back Jalen Parmele, may be utilized as a fullback, while Lex Hilliard is another big body that has promise but is not likely to be a contributing factor to the Miami running game.

New England Patriots - The Patriots did absolutely nothing to help their offense, but after scoring 55 points a game (or whatever absurd total they put up), I suppose they get a pass. Oh, they did draft San Diego State quarterback Kevin O’Connell in the third round. But that makes sense, because Tom Brady probably only has another five or six years in the starting role. Yeah.

New York Jets - The Jets added some spice to their quarterback situation by drafting Erik Ainge, however, he will not be an immediate answer at quarterback. Tight end Dustin Keller may be a nice pass catching tight end, while receiver Marcus Henry has a chance to press for a roster spot.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens - The big news was, of course, the Ravens’ selection of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco in round one. Flacco will take over for Kyle Boller, and the smart money would be on that happening at some point this season. Flacco isn’t exactly the most mobile of quarterbacks, so offensive line play is very important. Unfortunately, the Ravens have an over-the-hill offensive line and they only picked up fourth rounder David Hale from Weber State to boost that group. Unfortunately, Flacco could find himself in a tough spot when he does take over.

The Ravens also took Rutgers running back Ray Rice, although he’d be lucky to get more than five carries a game this year. Willis McGahee remains the workhorse there. Finally, Baltimore spent a fourth round pick on New Mexico wide out Marcus Smith. Smith is a prospect that dynasty leaguers should watch carefully. The Ravens aren’t exactly loaded at that position and if he shows flashes, Smith could be starting sooner than expected.

Cincinnati Bengals - What happens when a team’s star receiver becomes disgruntled? The employer goes out and drafts three more pass catchers. Jerome Simpson has the best chance to make an immediate impact as the Bengals try to fill Chris Henry’s spot. Andre Caldwell and Mario Urritia will compete at receiver as well. Caldwell is more NFL ready than Urritia. Villanova tight end Matt Sherry performed well in workouts, but the Bengals do not focus on his position with their offense.

Cleveland Browns - The only selection that you or I care about is Martin Rucker, a tight end from Missouri. Rucker won’t really, you know, block, but most of the top receiving tight ends don’t. Unfortunately, the Browns already have one receiving tight end in Kellen Winslow, so the ceiling is relatively low for Rucker. Still, Winslow has had health issues, so keep Rucker in mind if Winslow finds time to get on his motorcycle again.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Rashard Mendenhall adds a potential threat in the backfield and will at worst serve as a backup to Willie Parker at running back. If Parker is slow to return from a broken leg, Mendenhall could be one of the best fantasy rookies. Receiver Limas Sweed is another receiving option for Ben Roethlisberger and will offer up big plays in the Steel City. Quarterback Dennis Dixon is a project that should not be considered a fantasy option.

AFC South

Houston Texans - The Texans made a couple of offensive selections early in their draft. The first was Virginia Tech offensive tackle Duane Brown. The second was West Virginia running back Steve Slaton. Both should get plenty of playing time as early as Week One, assuming the two can get over their intense school rivalry. WVU and VT are rivals, right? Anyway, Slaton doesn’t have a ton of competition for carries, so if he shows any success at all, the job should be his to lose.

Indianapolis Colts - Indy loves its tight ends. Jacob Tamme may be a potential backup for Dallas Clark, who seemingly always gets injured. Tom Santi is another pass catching option who will try to replace Ben Utecht. Michigan’s Mike Hart will have a chance to compete for a job with the Indy’s lack of running back depth. Keep an eye on Mount Union product Pierre Garcon. Garcon dominated at Division III with game-breaking speed and may just latch on as a fourth or fifth receiver.

Jacksonville Jaguars - There’s nothing to see here. The only pick the Jaguars made for the offense was a seventh round running back. Jacksonville has plenty of offensive talent, so this isn’t too surprising. It still would have been nice to bolster the offensive line, but the Jags didn’t consult fantasy owners.

Tennessee Titans - First round pick Chris Johnson is a change of pace running back who offers tremendous speed. He’ll be used in a Reggie Bush role, running and receiving. Johnson, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine with a 4.2, could be a fantasy threat down the road. Receiver Lavelle Hawkins is not the game-breaking threat that the Titans need, while tight end Craig Stevens is best known for his blocking.

AFC West

Denver Broncos - Interestingly, the Broncos’ top draft pick, offensive tackle Ryan Clady, was a Bronco in college as well. I am pretty sure that factored into the decision for the Denver brass. Clady, who is comfortable being a horse, is a nice addition to a group that was trying to get by on reputation, not talent, last season. This helps the Broncos’ starting back, whoever the hell that might be.

Also, with Brandon Marshall’s 2008 status iffy, the Broncos used their second round pick to grab wide receiver Eddie Royal from Virginia Tech. Now, I don’t like Royal at all. He never had a ton of success in school and seemed to be more of a “combine†guy, but he does have talent. It’s a matter of whether that will come out in the NFL. Don’t draft him unless Marshall is definitely sidelined.

Kansas City Chiefs - Jamaal Charles is likely to replace Kolby Smith as Larry Johnson’s replacement. Johnson is coming off an injury and due to his well-documented heavy workload, he may be hard pressed to stay healthy. Charles could be the beneficiary of Johnson’s overuse. Tight end Brad Cottam is poised to be Tony Gonzalez’s backup, while receiver Will Franklin possesses good speed and size that might help a mediocre receiving corps.

Oakland Raiders - Well, there was the whole Darren McFadden selection. There’s really not much more that can be said about that. Every expert has chimed in, but essentially, he’ll get the chance to succeed in the league. If McFadden makes the most of his carries, he’ll get more of them. If not, there are plenty of interesting guys who will steal some. Other than McFadden, the Raiders took wide out Arman Shields. The Richmond product is in a good situation with a young quarterback and terrible competition for playing time. If he develops a rapport with JaMarcus Russell, there’s no reason he can’t develop into a spot starter at some point in his career.

San Diego Chargers - Remember the name Marcus Thomas. Drafted out of the fifth round from Texas-El Paso, he could be used to spell LaDainian Tomlinson with Michael Turner out of the picture. He has to fend off a competitive backfield siuation behind Tomlinson, though. Fullback Jacob Lester was the only other skill player selected, but he’ll be asked to fill the void left by Lorenzo Neal’s retirement.

May 13th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, Derek Jones, Draft report, FOOTBALL . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: 14 Comments