Three Sleeper Fantasy Wide Receivers

Three Underrated Wide Receivers To Consider On The Waiver Wire

[Editor's Note: Yes, the format is screwy and I am trying to fix it, it was the format it was given to me in. This is a guest article from fanduel.com, please welcome them with open arms like you have all the contributors.]

Everyone already knows about the top players at every position in fantasy football. The Calvin Johnsons and Larry Fitzgeralds of the world will be gone pretty early. However, there are a lot of value picks to consider later on in the draft. All three of these players are low risk, high reward types that can be picked up to check out the first few weeks of the season. On paper, all are poised to provide a lot more value than their current fantasy football draft slog suggests.

Brian Quick. Any wide receiver with the hands, speed and size (6’5”) of Brian Quick is worth a solid look. After staring at Appalachian State, he has yet to really find his groove in the NFL. He showed some signs in 2011, but 2012 looks to be that true make or break season. With the St. Louis Rams in need of offense, and their young quarterback Sam Bradford completely healthy, all signs point to Quick getting that shot to impress.

Santana Moss. Remember him? It’s easy to write off Moss as a wide receiver who is a step slow now that he is 33 years of age. The best way to add a little pep to the step of a wide receiver though is to pair him with a guy like Robert Griffin III. This type of rookie-veteran combo could very well be a great option for the Washington Redskins. Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis look to be the top two receiving options for the Redskins currently, but it’s easy to see Moss slip in there and get plenty of opportunities to succeed as well.

Titus Young. As mentioned above, everyone knows all about the ability of Calvin Johnson. Teams will be focuses on doing whatever necessary to shut him down during games. Naturally, that means other weapons will get open looks throughout the game. Enter Titus Young. The second year wide receiver should become a much more reliable option for Matthew Stafford as he has now had an entire season to get used to the NFL schedule. After a slow start, Young was still able to get 647 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Expect those numbers to go up more as long as both him and Megatron stay healthy. He is a great option to take and he should be available in the middle rounds of drafts.

This guest article was written by the football people at Fanduel.com, the place to go to play free daily fantasy football games or Fantasy Football For Cash

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Monday Night Football 2020

By Sonny Prier

George Carlin rode a phone booth into my bedroom last night. The doors opened and he burst forth with a sense of urgency and authority. I told him that this was two-thirds of my dreams come true. He scowled and shook his head. I dejectedly slunk out of bed and put on some pants.

Next time, my pet.

"Sonny, the future of the NFL is a shambles. The sport will soon enter an age of darkness from which it will never recover. Its decline must be stopped now before the momentum grows too great. I entrust this to you."

Future George Carlin passes me a future iPod. I immediately decide to sell it on eBay and retire early.

"Don't sell this on eBay."

Shit.

George steps back into the booth. As the doors close he shouts back,
"Only your blog can save the future, Sonny. Please! Protect us from ourselves!"

With an audible pop, he's gone.

Guess I can eBay it after listening...

"Play Future George Carlin's warning", I command. Future iPod Siri complies. Out come the sounds of an NFL broadcast. It's already underway. For the sake of humanity I grab my laptop and begin to transcribe...


Mike Tirico: ...rom the shotgun. Empty backfield. Puts it up for Burrell who almost makes a spectacular catch. That one sailed on Stafford, and it went just off Burrell's fingertips. But let's check the flags.

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: There are two fouls against the defense. Illegal motion, shifting before the snap, number 52. That penalty is declined. Pass inconvenience, number 37. This penalty is accepted. The ball will be placed at the spot of the foul. First down.

Mike Tirico: Shields is still arguing the call. He might have a point. There sure wasn't a lot there, Jon.

Jon Gruden: Not at all, but Cyborg Ed Hochuli has confirmed that there are fingerprints on Burrell's jersey. If there were ever two things that don't lie, they're physical evidence and cyborgs.

Dennis Miller: Nebuchadnezzar res ipsa loquitur!

Jon Gruden: Thank you, Dennis.

Mike Tirico: Stafford lines up in the shotgun at the 20. Empty backfield. Takes his time... and fires a bullet past Johnson. Not a good throw at all. It'll be 2nd and 10 depending on the flags.

Jon Gruden: Lawrence Guy came across early.

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Delayed Offside, number 91, defense. 5 yard penalty. A foul shot will be assessed as the pass attempt was a scoring chance.

Jon Gruden: Just a silly mistake by Guy. He didn't even get to "two Mississippi" before rushing, let alone three. The officials will see that every time. There's no excuse for it, especially on this end of the field.

Mike Tirico: Dimke comes onto the field for the penalty kick. He's uncharacteristically missed his last two... but easily puts this one through, and the Lions take a 74 - 60 lead. Let's check the flags.

Jon Gruden: I don't think there are any.

Mike Tirico: ... oh... well... uh...

<20 seconds of dead air>

Dennis Miller: Actus reus hypoplastic!

Jon Gruden: Thank you, Dennis.

Mike Tirico: Stafford and the Lions offense retake the field for a 1st and 5 on the Green Bay 15. Shotgun formation. Empty backfield. Stafford lobs one down the left sideline and it's picked off again! Stafford telegraphed another one, and Otis Merrill read it perfectly. Schwartz immediately throws out the blue flag. Not a difficult decision by the Lions coach here.

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Los Angeles has elected to use their 3rd mulligan. We will replay 1st down.

Jon Gruden: No surprise that one was picked off, Mike. Merrill leads the conference in overturned turnovers, and he's now personally burned through all of L.A.'s mulligans. It's time for Stafford to stop testing Merrill. He's already passed.

Mike Tirico: And Stafford's passes have failed.

Jon Gruden: <forced laughter>

Mike Tirico: We'll see how he responds here from the shotgun, as the Lions line up from the 15 again. Empty backfield. Stafford takes the snap and buries a laser in Johnson's chest! Touchdown Los Angeles, as Stafford finally puts one on target! Boy that sure had some heat on it.

Jon Gruden: I tell you, Mike, tha...

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Illegal jumping, number 90, defense. That penalty is declined.

Jon Gruden: ... that's w...

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Illegal formation, defense. Double coverage in the endzone. That penalty is declined.

Jon Gruden: ... what we've b...

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Failure to Tebow, number 81, offense. That 10 yard penalty will be assessed on the ensuing drive.

Jon Gruden: ... been lookin...

Dennis Miller: INTERRUPTUS MAXIMUS!

Jon Gruden: ...

Mike Tirico: Thank you, Dennis. Meanwhile, the Packers, now down 81-60, take over at their own 40. Here's Rodgers from the shotgun with an empty backfield. He rolls out to his left and heaves a rainbow to no one in particular. The jump ball is swatted harmlessly away by number 32 of the defense. Let's check the flags.

Cyborg Ed Hochuli: Swatting, defense, number 32. The ball will be placed at the spot of the foul. First down Green Bay.

Mike Tirico: A reminder for those of you watching from home tonight... attendance here is officially under 30,000 so the 4th quarter will be blacked out. We will stay with you live from the booth, however, as this week the NFL has graciously allowed us to broadcast audio and re-enact the plays with sock puppets. Here's Aaron Rodgers from the shotgun at the Los Angeles 6 yard line. Empty backfield...

2012 NFL Draft "All Bust" List Part 3

By:  Bobby Shores

If you have read the 2011 "All Bust" List plus the first two parts (here and here) of the 2012 list (and if you haven't then do it now....please) then you already know what I am doing here, but just in case... The list focuses on picks that generated a lot of pre-draft and post draft buzz that I do not believe will live up to expectations. Particularly early to mid round picks, the first few parts of this list focused more on mid and late round picks, now it's time to get down to the first rounders.

About to get blown up...again

Riley Reiff-OT-Lions - It's not that I think Reiff will be a bad NFL Player, I just don't think he will be a good Left Tackle, I see him as a Right Tackle at best, and a Guard at worst. I did not even see him as a first round pick as he lacks the strength needed (especially with the punch) and has a narrow base and sloppy footwork which really shows when he's in pass protection.

His lack of strength and sloppy pass protection technique was highlighted in the Insight Bowl this past year when he was repeatedly blown up in pass protection by multiple Oklahoma rushers. He has all the intagibles and was a championship wrestler which is why I think he will find a position and be an average player, much like Robert Gallery. As a left tackle in a passing league, on a team that passes as much as the Lions, no chance (sorry @Hail2MI).

Michael Brockers-DL-Rams - Another player that scared me when listening to the rumors that the Cowboys were locked in on him at #14. Brockers is another defensive lineman that reminds me of Marcus Spears (not because of the LSU connection) as just a space eating defensive end in a 3-4 defense.

Brockers couldn't get to the QB

What he does bring to the table is a high motor, even if he is being double teamed he fought until the whistle. Much like Barron above, what keeps him from being worth a high first round pick is his lack of pass rush ability in a pass first league. In college he was routinely replaced on passing downs, while LSU has a lot of linemen that will be in the NFL, if he couldn't stay on the field in college for passing downs, what makes you think that he will be effective on 3rd down at the NFL level?

What does intrigue me about Brockers though is his age and physical talents, and that high motor which is common of guys that have a strong work ethic which he is rumored to have. At only 22 and still getting used to his big athletic body (he arrived at LSU as a linebacker), I think his ceiling is much higher than most draft prospects. His inexperience and seemingly high ceiling would be a MAJOR positive on most teams, but it kind of scares me since he was drafted by the Rams.

Regardless of the coach and general manager combination, the Rams have failed at developing defensive lineman (and offensive lineman but that's another article). Don't forget that much like the Chiefs they have wasted many picks (though not as many high picks) on defensive lineman the last few years; like Chris Long (as the #2 overall pick has been a disappointment but not a bust), Hall Davis, Eugene Sims, George Selvie, Darell Scott, Adam Carriker, Claude Wroten, Anthony Hargrove, Jimmy Kennedy....you get the picture....

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Deal or No Deal - Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins

By:  Bobby Shores

One of the biggest story lines so far during this OTA season is what is going to happen with former first round draft pick Mike Jenkins, you know the incumbent starting cornerback that was put on the trade block after the Cowboys picked Morris Claiborne #6 overall, and then once no team offered a high enough pick during the draft Jenkins has now become an important part of the future of the Dallas Cowboys, to paraphrase Jones.

So why is Jenkins staying away from the Cowboys "voluntary" off-season activities? Well for starters they key word is "voluntary", which according to dictionary.com means:

•  "done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice

In layman's terms that means he is not required to show up. Jenkins's agent Drew Rosenhaus has already informed Jones that he will be there for the mandatory sessions, probably because players can get fined up to $10,000 each day which for a player making "only" about $1 million this year could add up quickly. Which brings me to my next point....

Jenkins is unahppy with his contract and feels slighted that he is still playing on his rookie deal signed when he was drafted in 2008 and that the Cowboys have taken care of Orlando Scandrick by signing him to a 5-year $27 million extension with $10 million guaranteed, and he was taken 4 rounds later (calculator out....yep he was taken in the 5th round) in that same draft. He is also upset because ANOTHER 2007 5th round draft pick, Brandon Carr, just signed a 5-year $50.1 million contract with $25.5 million guaranteed, the richest contract signed by any free agent defensive back in 2012. And what does Jenkins have that NEITHER of these two corners the Cowboys have richly rewarded this past year have? A Pro Bowl to their name, that's right, Mike Jenkins was named to the Pro Bowl back in 2010.

Mo Claiborne(24) & Brandon Carr(39)

Even though Jones says that Jenkins is going to be a part of the Cowboys future, and is saying that nothing a team can offer will be worth what he is worth to the team, the reality of NFL Economics says that this will be the last year Jenkins is a member of the Cowboys, barring an injury and a highly unlikely 2013 franchise tag. Teams can't afford to devote that much money to one position.

While there are plenty of teams out there that could greatly improve with the addition of Jenkins, and a couple of those teams (Lions and Colts) supposedly making offers for him, the fact is he is more valuable to America's Team than most anything they would give for him. Think about it this way, Jenkins played almost the 2011 season injured, from a busted shoulder (that required major surgery), to lingering knee, hamstring and neck injuries and won't be ready to resume practicing until training camp at the earliest. So any team that trades for him will be taking a risk that he won't be ready to go, will play as well as he has at times when healthy and can pick up a new defense on an accelerated schedule. 

So what is that worth, in terms of a draft pick? Probably a 5th round pick that maybe goes up to a 4th round pick depending on playing time. Well guess what happens if the Cowboys let him walk next off-season? They most likely get a 3rd round compensatory pick.

Besides the compensatory pick, what is Jenkins value to the Cowboys? Remember last year, when the Cowboys secondary was regularly torched by opponents due to injury and ineffectiveness? I believe it was the Jets game when Terence Newman was out, Jenkins was out, Scandrick rolled an ankle and the 2 corners were Alan Ball and Bryan McCann with Barry Church coming in on the Nickel package. You forgot about that, didn't you? In my opinion, having 4 corners capable of starting is a luxury, it's a luxury the Cowboys can afford and should take advantage of this year, especially if you can find a way to get them all on the field at once (remember my article a while back about the declining value of NFL Safety's....read it now).

So taking all this into account the starting point for me to even consider trading Jenkins is a 2nd and 5th round pick. Even then I wouldn't talk about it unless another cornerback (my money is on Mario Butler) steps up during training camp while other teams suffer crippling injuries and/or realize that their hopes for a playoff run are unreachable without another starting corner.

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