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User Mock Draft - 3

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 8:27:17 EDT

Every year during the preseason I take part in mock drafts with users. I post on Twitter @jameyeisenberg the day I will be doing the mock draft, and then I let you know the draft room location on my Facebook page at Jamey Eisenberg, CBSSports.com. If you would like to draft with me, follow me on those two sites.

What I like to do is draft with you guys and talk about different players and see your strategies. It's a fun exercise for me, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

For this mock draft, we did a 12-team league with a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, K, DST and Flex (RB/WR) with five reserve spots. I drafted at No. 5 overall, and my strategy was to take Chris Johnson and build my team that way. But that got thrown off when Jamaal Charles fell to me at No. 5. It then got even better when Michael Vick was there in Round 2. I'm thrilled with my running backs with Charles, Mark Ingram, DeAngelo Williams and Javon Ringer, but I had to reach a little at wide receiver after Reggie Wayne with Chad Ochocinco, Pierre Garcon, Lee Evans and Nate Burleson. And since wide receiver was a little weak, I went early on tight end in Jermichael Finley.

User Mock Draft - 2

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 8:21:34 EDT

What I like to do is draft with you guys and talk about different players and see your strategies. It's a fun exercise for me, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

For this mock draft, we did a 12-team league with a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, K, DST and Flex (RB/WR) with five reserve spots. I drafted at No. 12 overall, and my strategy was to take the two best receivers on the board, which I did with Calvin Johnson and Roddy White. I then went heavy on running back with my next four picks in Jahvid Best, Shonn Greene, Tim Hightower and Ryan Mathews, who I consider a steal in Round 6. You can see how the rest of my team filled out, but I like this squad a lot, especially getting Matthew Stafford in Round 7, Jimmy Graham in Round 8 and Javon Ringer in Round 10.

User Mock Draft - 1

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:52:30 EDT

What I like to do is draft with you guys and talk about different players and see your strategies. It's a fun exercise for me, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

For this mock draft, we did a 12-team league with a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, K, DST and Flex (RB/WR) with five reserve spots. I drafted at No. 1 overall, and my strategy was to take the No. 1 running back in Arian Foster and then two elite receivers in Mike Wallace and Vincent Jackson. You can see how the rest of my team filled out, but I like this squad a lot, especially getting Matt Ryan in Round 6, Mike Tolbert in Round 7 and Jimmy Graham in Round 10.

Training during the lockout

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:00:15 EDT

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – The NFL lockout has left players working out on their own this offseason without the guidance of coaches. Most teams have organized player-only minicamps, but that's not enough to be ready once training camp starts.

That's where Tony Villani comes in. He has his NFL guys ready to go.

You might not know who Villani is unless you're a regular reader of this blog. We first introduced you to Villani last year around this time.

Villani is the founder of XPE Sports, which stands for Xtreme Performance Enhancement. It is a training program designed for NFL players, and it's based in South Florida.

Fantasy Football Draft

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:45:40 EDT

I took part in a Fantasy Football draft Tuesday night with analysts from other sites and radio stations, including Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who hosts a Fantasy Football show on Sirius.

While I can't reveal all the picks for the entire draft, here is my roster and comments. It is a 12-team league, non-PPR, with passing touchdowns worth four points. Our starting lineup is QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, K, DST and seven reserves for a 16-round draft.

I had the No. 5 overall pick.

Round 1. Chris Johnson - He's a no-brainer at No. 5 overall. I was thinking Ray Rice going into the draft, but I was glad to see my No. 3 overall pick fall to me there.

Jared Allen helping soliders and Vikings

Wed, 04 May 2011 21:01:18 EDT

Like most Americans, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen had to be proud of what took place this week with the death of terrorist Osama bin Laden. Allen is a strong military supporter.

On June 18, Allen will host his second annual charity golf tournament called Night Ops II to raise money for his foundation, Homes for Wounded Warriors. The tournament, located in Scottsdale, Ariz., consists of nine holes of day golf and nine holes of night golf. This includes battlefield themed competitions for prizes, and United States Marine Drill Sergeants are stationed at every tee box giving orders to the “recruits.”

“It’s a crazy tournament,” Allen said in a recent phone interview.

Allen is proud of his foundation and the work they have done in a short time. Homes for Wounded Warriors work with soldiers injured in service to help make their lives easier when they return home.

Boldin using offseason to improve

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:54:26 EDT

Anquan Boldin is looking forward to a busy summer, lockout or not. The Ravens wide receiver has a lot on his plate and plenty to accomplish.

First off is his annual charity function, Q-Fest, which is celebrating its seventh year to benefit the Anquan Boldin Foundation. Boldin established the foundation to help improve after-school programs in his hometown of Pahokee, Fla. His eventual goal is to build a community center for kids of all ages.

Q-Fest is a three-day event beginning April 14 with a charity golf tournament played at PGA National, which is home to the Honda Classic, a celebrity basketball game at Boldin’s alma mater at Pahokee High and a kid’s day at the park. Boldin’s peers always lend a helping hand, and this year’s guest list includes NFL stars like Ed Reed, Ray Rice, Tim Tebow, Darrelle Revis, Brandon Marshall, Devin Hester and Pierre Garcon, among others.

Where will Ronnie Brown play in 2011?

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 1:20:38 EDT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Ronnie Brown enjoys giving back to the community. The running back likes to lend a helping hand to kids whenever he can.

He created The Ronnie Brown Project, which is a comprehensive program consisting of specific initiatives designed to address critical issues and challenges faced by the youth of South Florida on a daily basis. One of his programs is 23 Ways to Stop Youth Violence, which is an anti-violence campaign aimed at middle school and high school students

Last week, I caught up with Brown at a park for a football camp to support the Jason Taylor Foundation. Taylor and Brown were helping to instruct about 150 kids ages 7-14 doing a variety of drills.

“It’s exciting,” Brown said. “To come out here and give your time back, it means so much to the kids. When I was a little kid, I never had a camp to go to. I think it’s pretty good to give these guys a chance to come out here and exercise and utilize their time in a positive way.”

Kellen Winslow excited for 2011

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 0:00:38 EDT

Kellen Winslow is expecting a big year in 2011, and he has a good reason to be optimistic. He finally has a franchise quarterback throwing him passes.

Winslow was impressed with how Josh Freeman played in 2010 when Tampa Bay was one of the surprise teams in the NFL since the Bucs went 10-6 and nearly made the playoffs. He said in a recent phone interview that Freeman can be even better in 2011 – and so will the Bucs.

"Josh made it look real easy," Winslow said."He puts the time in to be successful. He's so calm out there on the field, and we know who our leader is out there. The sky's the limit for him."

Freeman had a breakout year in his second season with 3,451 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions and 364 rushing yards. We consider Freeman a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback heading into 2011, and you won't get any argument from Winslow on this status.

Owen Daniels is back

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:37:09 EDT

Now that Owen Daniels is staying with the Texans he can continue to work on his dream. On the field that means trying to win a Super Bowl. Off the field it means trying to make a difference.

Daniels, who signed a four-year, $22 million contract extension Thursday, runs the Owen Daniels' Catch a Dream Foundation. The mission of the foundation, which was started in Houston in 2010, is to provide opportunities, support and resources to children and families in need.

His latest project, Owen's Locker, is designed to enrich the lives of chronically and critically ill children by providing them and their families access to a variety of electronics and games to help pass time during treatment and recovery. He has set up this program at the Texas Children's Hospital with the goal of expanding to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital later this year and Houston Shriners in 2012.

Lauren Shehadi poem

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:06:27 EST

This was a poem Lauren Shehadi wrote for our Fantasy Football Update podcast on Thursday.

By Lauren Shehadi

Fantasy Football, we miss you so.

Jamey wants to talk about last season, I say dude, no.

The value for Brandon Lloyd in 2011

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 1:49:45 EST

Friday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: What are your thoughts on Brandon Lloyd in 2011?

We'll start with your responses ...

@collinjc775 I thank him for my '10 Victory but HC and QB situation tell me to avoid until late rounds when he'll be some1 elses headache

@Ross_Spargur I would't draft him any earlier than sixth round. Can't trust him at all and would hate to have an early pick go to waste

Rebound running backs

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 4:43:25 EST

Thursday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: Who has the better chance for a rebound year out of Shonn Greene, Beanie Wells, DeAngelo Williams and Ryan Grant?

In my 2011 rankings, I have them ranked in this order: Grant at No. 21, Williams at No. 24, Greene at No. 25 and Wells at No. 36. Grant likely won't move up much with the emergence of James Starks, but Williams and Greene could pass him depending on their situation. Wells also could improve his value, but he will remain a No. 3 Fantasy running back.

For Williams, if he signs with a team as a starter (Miami is a possibility if Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams leave) his value could improve. But if he returns to Carolina or follows John Fox to Denver then his value is limited, and you also have to worry about injury concerns following the past two years. As for Greene, hopefully his latest playoff run can help him in 2011 where he failed in 2010. LaDainian Tomlinson is likely to remain a factor with the Jets, but Greene should take control of the No. 1 job and play well behind that offensive line.

Round 6 and 7 of our mock draft

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:30:16 EST

Wednesday's Twitter post @jameyeisenberg: Grade these #fantasyfootball picks. In Round 6 and 7 I selected Jimmy Graham and Steve Johnson.

In our first 2011 mock draft, I went with Graham in Round 6 and Johnson in Round 7. My draft thus far is Round 1-Arian Foster, Round 2-Tom Brady, Round 3-LeGarrette Blount, Round 4-Wes Welker and Round 5-Vincent Jackson. Graham is my starting tight end, and Johnson, for now, is my flex option.

There were a handful of running backs I considered here: Pierre Thomas, Fred Jackson, Brandon Jacobs, Mike Tolbert and Beanie Wells. And I also looked at some other receivers in Sidney Rice, James Jones and Deion Branch. I passed on Branch because I didn't want to load up on all Patriots.

As we discussed in the previous blog entry, I see plenty of upside in Graham and consider him a great Fantasy tight end in 2011. As for Johnson, he did score 10 touchdowns this past season with 82 catches for 1,073 yards. Can he do that again? Probably not, but he's still worth drafting as a No. 3 Fantasy wide receiver.

When is a good time to draft a tight end?

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:33:23 EDT

Tuesday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: What round will draft a tight end and give me your Top 5 list?

As you can see by my rankings, the Top 5 is Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, Jason Witten, Jermichael Finley and Vernon Davis. You probably won't find many differences in the Top 5 elsewhere, but after that is where it gets interesting.

I expect Owen Daniels to bounce back strong as long as he returns to Houston as a free agent, and Rob Gronkowski should play well again in his second year with the Patriots. I also like Jimmy Graham as a huge sleeper, and Zach Miller and Brandon Pettigrew also have plenty of upside.

After that, we're talking about the veteran guys of Tony Gonzalez, Kellen Winslow and Chris Cooley. I'd stay away from Marcedes Lewis because 2010 was a fluke with all the touchdowns. And don't be surprised if Brent Celek has a rebound year with the Eagles after getting a full offseason with Michael Vick.

Did Cutler ruin the Bears?

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:28:48 EST

Monday's #fantasyfootball question @jameyeisenberg: Are there any #Bears you would draft in 2011 besides Matt Forte?

Here's my weekly playoff column looking at Jay Cutler, which you can read by clicking here. I consider him a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback, and there's no format where I would want him as a starter. And this has nothing to do with knee-gate.

After Cutler, I would only take the current guys with a late-round pick, and that includes Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett, Devin Hester and Greg Olsen. They should all be considered reserves and are not worth drafting as starters in the majority of leagues.

Robbie Gould is OK, and the DST still has value as a starting option. But the Bears, aside from Forte as a starter in all leagues, don't have much Fantasy appeal in 2011.

Four options as backup quarterbacks

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:39:08 EST

Here was Wednesday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: Which of these quarterbacks has the most upside in 2011? Tim Tebow, Matthew Stafford, Matt Cassel or Sam Bradford

In our 2011 rankings, my order is Stafford, Tebow, Cassel and Bradford. Based on your responses, many of you think Bradford should be drafted first with the addition of Josh McDaniels as the new offensive coordinator.

@tattsnscars13 Stafford if he can stay healthy, then Bradford

@mattcassel44 Matt Cassel

Do you still trust Brandon Marshall?

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:07:39 EST

Here was Tuesday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: Where do you rank Brandon Marshall in 2011 given the lack of a quality QB and a new OC in Miami?

In our 2011 rankings, I have Marshall ranked No. 12. He might move up a couple of spots if the Dolphins upgrade over quarterback Chad Henne, but the hiring of Brian Daboll as the offensive coordinator did little to help Marshall's value. Daboll's last job was as the offensive coordinator in Cleveland, and we know the Browns didn't exactly have a dynamic passing attack.

I view Marshall as a safe No. 2 Fantasy wide receiver. You can make a case that Marques Colston and Wes Welker are better veterans given their situation and quarterbacks, and Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin and Kenny Britt have more upside. And if Vincent Jackson stays in San Diego or signs somewhere with a premier quarterback, he would also be better than Marshall. Those are just a few comparisons.

What is Tony Romo's Fantasy value for 2011?

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 6:33:27 EST

Here was Monday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg: Do you still trust Tony Romo as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback?

In our 2011 rankings, I have Romo ranked No. 8 behind Aaron Rodgers, Michael Vick, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Matt Schaub. And in our first mock draft for 2011, Romo went in Round 3, ahead of Schaub.

He'll be considered somewhat of a risk for Fantasy owners since he only appeared in six games before suffering a broken left clavicle this past season, and before he got hurt he had 1,605 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. But if you project his stats over a full season he would have finished with 4,280 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

The upside for Romo is great. You can probably draft him later than Round 3, and last year he didn't have a lot of time to work with rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant, who finally got healthy from nagging ankle, hip and hamstring injuries right when Romo went down. With Miles Austin and Jason Witten still playing well, and Jason Garrett now the full-time head coach, Romo should shine this year. He is a definite No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues.

LeGarrette Blount's Fantasy value in 2011 is ...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:20:34 EST

We're in the middle of our first 2011 Fantasy Football mock draft, and I like the way my team has started. Some of you, however, disagree with my third-round pick.

I went Arian Foster at No. 1 overall, and in the second round I took Tom Brady. In Round 3, I was hoping Calvin Johnson or Roddy White would fall to me, but both went in Round 2 after Andre Johnson as the top three receivers. That left me looking at a second running back.

On my draft list, the best player was Tampa Bay running back LeGarrette Blount. He proved his worth in half a season in 2010, and he should run well again in 2011 as the featured running back for the Bucs. He has a good offensive line, plenty of talent around him with Josh Freeman, Mike Williams and Kellen Winslow and a favorable schedule next year.

MJD still a first-round pick?

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:28:31 EST

Thursday's Twitter question @jameyeisenberg ...

Do you still trust Maurice Jones-Drew with a first-round pick in 2011?

I have him ranked No. 5 in my first edition of our 2011 rankings, but there are concerns with Jones-Drew for next season. He is coming off knee surgery, and the Jaguars might consider giving more carries to Rashad Jennings to save his wear and tear.

Now, this isn't to suggest passing on Jones-Drew altogether. Far from it. I would gladly take Jones-Drew at No. 5 overall, but some of you would pass on him until Round 2. But keep in mind he's still the featured player on offense, works at the goal line and catches passes. He also plays in one of the worst divisions in the NFL in the AFC South.

The No. 1 Fantasy Football QB in 2011 is ...

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:17:28 EST

OK, so this is something you're going to see a lot from me over the next few weeks. I'll be asking questions via Twitter @jameyeisenberg and posting the results here.

Today's question: Who should be the No. 1 #fantasyfootball QB drafted in 2011?

The choices, for the most part, included Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. There was one recommendation for Bubby Brister, which I left out. And your responses were ...

@MattyLib Vick is obviously very tempting. I like Rodgers as well.

Where should Reggie Bush go?

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:16:03 EST

Reggie Bush talked about his future Tuesday, and the possibility New Orleans could ask him to restructure his contract. That could lead to Bush leaving the Saints.

I posed this question on Twitter @jameyeisenberg: Where would Reggie Bush have the most #fantasyfootball value in 2011?

Here were some of the responses ...

@streamertyer On someone else's fantasy roster.

Catching up with Deuce McAllister

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:55:53 EST

Deuce McAllister is rooting for the Saints to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The Saints wish McAllister could help them get there.

New Orleans enters Saturday’s playoff opener at Seattle without its top two running backs in Chris Ivory (foot) and Pierre Thomas (ankle), who were both placed on injured reserve. Reggie Bush is now the featured option in the backfield, but he missed most of the season with a broken leg. The Saints will also rely on Julius Jones, but losing Ivory and Thomas will hurt.

“It’s definitely tough,” said McAllister, who spent 10 seasons with the Saints. “It’s an unfortunate situation. You hate to see that happen.”

McAllister, who is currently an analyst for CBS College Sports, is counting on Bush to play well in the postseason. He said along with Bush and Jones, the Saints could also give increased carries to fullback Heath Evans. But McAllister said this is Bush’s time to shine.

Week 17 review

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:27:03 EST

Here is our weekly review from Start 'Em and Sit 'Em from Week 17.

How we did in Week 17 ...

Starts that made us look good

Player - Fantasy Points Projected - Fantasy Points Actual - Start Percentage

Week 17 extended sleepers

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 0:46:52 EST

Every week I'll dive into some sleepers beyond what we write in Start 'Em and Sit 'Em to help some of you in deeper leagues. Some weeks will have more guys than others, but this should be helpful for those owners in 14- and 16-team leagues.

QUARTERBACK

Kevin Kolb (vs. DAL): Michael Vick (quad) is expected to miss this game, which means Kolb will return as the starter for the Eagles. He should be at his best since he could be auditioning for a job next season. If he plays well, another team in need of a quarterback could entice the Eagles in a trade since it’s clear Vick is the starter in Philadelphia in 2011. He has a favorable matchup against the Cowboys, who are tied with the Texans for the most touchdowns allowed to opposing quarterbacks with 34.

Week 16 extended sleepers

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:13:12 EST

QUARTERBACK

Rex Grossman (at JAC): Grossman had one of the best Fantasy performances of the season last week at Dallas with 322 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions for 34 Fantasy points. He has the chance for another quality outing this week against the Jaguars, who have allowed 26 passing touchdowns on the season, including seven in the past five weeks. There have been nine quarterbacks to throw multiple touchdowns against Jacksonville, and Grossman should make it 10. He has a firm grasp of this offense with his time with Kyle Shanahan last year in Houston, and he’s worth using as a starter in deeper leagues for this week.

Week 15 extended sleepers

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:00:24 EST

QUARTERBACK

Jason Campbell (vs. DEN): Campbell played great in a favorable matchup in Week 14 at Jacksonville with 324 passing yards and two touchdowns and has at least 19 Fantasy points in his past two games against San Diego and the Jaguars. Campbell also had 21 Fantasy points at Denver in Week 7. The Broncos have shut down Cassel and John Skelton the past two games, but Denver has allowed seven quarterbacks to score multiple touchdowns this season. Campbell is doing a great job getting the ball to his playmakers, and Zach Miller (foot) finally looked healthy against the Jaguars, which is a great sign.

Week 14 extended sleepers

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:46:37 EST

QUARTERBACK

David Garrard (vs. OAK): I’m going to trust Dave Richard on this one and mention Garrard as a sleeper. I think what you’ll get out of him is similar production to last week when he had 126 passing yards with a rushing touchdown against Tennessee. The difference is he could also throw a touchdown pass here with Oakland making the trip to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. ET start and being sluggish. A lot will depend on the health of Mike Sims-Walker (ankle), but the Jaguars are going to rely on Maurice Jones-Drew to carry the offense, which is why you should be realistic with your expectations for Garrard this week.

Amendola helps Rams in quest for NFC West title

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 0:28:34 EST

The Rams haven’t been to the playoffs since 2004, but that could change this season. Not many people expected that to happen with a rookie quarterback, a second-year head coach and lots of questions on both sides of the ball at various positions.

But here we are in Week 13 with the Rams in a fight for the NFC West title. They benefit from playing in the worst division in the NFL, but they also have shown plenty of talent, something Fantasy owners have realized as well.

One of those talented players is wide receiver Danny Amendola, who is proud of what the Rams have accomplished thus far and excited for the chance to play in the postseason. He hopes St. Louis can win the division, and he’s ready for a key game Sunday at Arizona.