NFL Football - 2012 Season Thread

[Al B. Sure!]

Dilfer assessing QB's always makes me laugh.

Steve Young does it, great. Dilfer...


Forget Cutler. Another QB getting hyped to death is Matt Ryan. Peter King claimed he'll throw for 5000 yards this year. His average draft position in fantasy leagues keeps climbing:



Jaguar is apparently all-in on the hype.

I'm just not so sure. Why do we think now, after four years of being basically a glorified game manager who completely falls apart in critical games, Ryan will suddenly ascend to the level of Brees and Brady? I mean granted he's still young and granted Brady and Brees were older than Ryan when they took their games to the next level but the expectations for Ryan seem a little high.

I don't see Atlanta abandoning the run and their defense is solid enough that Ryan won't have to throw all over the field and inflate his stats.

[Donegeal]

Julio Jones's stock is going (way) up and Ryan is getting a bump from that.

[-Jrabbit]

More important is that Atlanta has a new offensive coordinator, thus a new philosophy.
They plan to go no-huddle as one of their base packages, which always means more throwing.

In two preseason games, Atlanta has run 100 pass plays and only 39 rushes.

[Al B. Sure!]

It's interesting that Baltimore is also doing the no huddle. Flacco and Ryan have had such similar careers.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I don't see Atlanta abandoning the run

I see you haven't been following the Falcons lately .

[snoopy369]

I think if you look at Michael Turner's ADP you'll see that basically everybody in fantasy thinks ATL is abandoning the run. Even for a committee back he's pretty darn far down for someone who was a top ten back not long ago. He took a fall that looks like what Antonio Gates would if Mike Martz became the SD OC, and without any obvious injury problems.

[-Jrabbit]

I predict Turner will go public as a very unhappy camper around Week 4.
He's not a passing game weapon, and has already been spouting "I need my touches" rhetoric.

[snoopy369]

Well, they can always get an extra football and give it to him on the sideline so he can touch it all he wants.

[SlowwHand]

Ryan Tannehill was named the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback Monday for the team's season-opener at the Houston Texans.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp1...-1-starting-qb

[snoopy369]

Glad to know they finally admitted the obvious (that he was their only choice when Garrard went down.

[MRT144]

I think if you look at Michael Turner's ADP you'll see that basically everybody in fantasy thinks ATL is abandoning the run. Even for a committee back he's pretty darn far down for someone who was a top ten back not long ago. He took a fall that looks like what Antonio Gates would if Mike Martz became the SD OC, and without any obvious injury problems.

I think part of that reflects that he's 31 and has been consistently getting tons of carries each year and that he also is a non factor at all on recieving. He's had something like 51 career receptions. McCoy had almost that amount last year alone.

[snoopy369]

Nonetheless he regularly scored fantasy points over the last several years, and he didn't start for a few years (behind LT) so he isn't quite like a 31 year old RB. If the Falcons were still run-first, he'd still be a big factor in fantasy. Their likely pass-first offense is why he's being relegated to near-irrelevance.

[MRT144]

You'd have to be a fool not to pass it to white or julio. (and Gonzo)

[snoopy369]

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/fo...sionsfalconswr

I suppose Julio could have a Desean Jackson type year and outpace White, but White is the safe bet. He will have his usual 100 ish catches and bazillion yards, and plenty of TDs. Julio might end up with a handful of long bomb TDs, but that's not a recipe for success in fantasy year to year.

[SlowwHand]

I had Julio Jones last year and he did OK.


The Tennessee Titans will start quarterback Jake Locker in their Sept. 9 season opener against the New England Patriots.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp1...er-starting-qb

[snoopy369]

Oh, he'll do okay no doubt. But Roddy White is a top-5 WR; ESPN seems to be suggesting that either Julio Jones is also a top-5 WR, or Roddy will drop back significantly. Both are ludicrous.

[-Jrabbit]

Both are ludicrous.

Both suggestions?

Or both receivers?

[snoopy369]

The idea that Julio Jones is a top-5 WR (or should be projected as one, at least), and the idea that Roddy White is no longer a top 5 WR (again, or should be projected as one at least).

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I think it's possible that Jones surpasses White. Not in catches, but I wouldn't be surprised by yards or touchdowns - partially because White will demand so much attention from defenses. At least, that's why I drafted him where I did in IDP (which I'm sure most people thought was nuts).

[-Jrabbit]

snoop -- I did know what you meant. Just thought the syntax was amusing.

If the total number of passes thrown by Atlanta goes up by, say, 5-6 per game, it's possible that both WRs will be top-10, with Roddy doing the possession work and Julio chasing deeper balls. But my guess is that a lot of those added attempts are safety valves and checkdowns, with touches moving from Turner to Jacquizz and Snelling.

[Al B. Sure!]

snoop -- I did know what you meant. Just thought the syntax was amusing.

If the total number of passes thrown by Atlanta goes up by, say, 5-6 per game, it's possible that both WRs will be top-10, with Roddy doing the possession work and Julio chasing deeper balls. But my guess is that a lot of those added attempts are safety valves and checkdowns, with touches moving from Turner to Jacquizz and Snelling.

Matt Ryan threw 35.4 attempts per game last year, 10th among QB's.

This is the crux of the matter. Do we really think he's going to throw 40+ times a game?

Last year, only Brees and Stafford threw 40+ times a game.

This is why the hype on Ryan has gone a little too far. The expectations require Brees-like volume.

I know how the Falcons are playing in the preseason but OC Dirk Koetter came from Jacksonville, where he was the OC since 2007. Jacksonville

[Al B. Sure!]

I'm of course assuming Ryan won't have a giant uptick in yards per attempt. Last year's 7.4 was the highest since his rookie year, so I don't necessarily see room for as much improvement.

[MRT144]

You gonna draft in DST?

[Al B. Sure!]

This custom Madden cover is making the rounds:

[ColdWizard]

Apparently Witten won't need surgery.

[SlowwHand]

I'm fine with him waiting until Week 2, or Week 3.

[snoopy369]

Sweet, got a $2 bargain in my auction keeper league!

[Al B. Sure!]

Colts' Irsay says a 'serious' trade is in the works.

MJD to Indy?

[MRT144]

Colts' Irsay says a 'serious' trade is in the works.

MJD to Indy?

HOLY ****, THATD BE CRAZY.

[Sava]

da bears