Quarterbacks: Week 16 Upgrades, Downgrades, Sleepers
Posted by Scott Pashley in SPIN News & Views 
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In this article we assume that you are starting your WR1s regardless of the matchup.
Each week we will analyze the defenses and provide our take on which Quarterbacks you should start and which should be benched based on matchups with stout run defenses, stubbed toes, potential weather problems, conduct code violations etc.
Follow the live interactive injury report that Rob Warner maintains up to game time to get the latest injury news with fantasy advice. The most important QB situation to watch is in Washington where it looks like RGIII is going get to beat up on sad Eagles secondary that should pay money back to the team and apologize to the fan base…seriously.
| PK | TEAM | PLAYER | NEEDS | BASE DEF | DEFENSE (Pass/Run) | OFFENSE (Pass/Run) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | JAX | Sam Montgomery, DE/OLB, LSU | DE-QB-CB-OL | 4-3 | 22 | 30 | 21 | 30 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida NEW COACHES: (HC) Gus Bradley , (OC) Jedd Fisch, (DC) Bob Babich TEAM NEED: Finding multiple difference makers on the D-Line is a high priority as the Jags ranked 30th against the run and had the fewest sacks (20) in the NFL this past season. Jeremy Mincey struggled, second-round rookie Andre Branch is not startable and Jason Babin is aging. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The leader of a stout LSU defense had 32 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks in 2012. KEY SIGNINGS: N/A KEY LOSSES: (DT) Terrance Knighton, (CB) Derek Cox, (LB) Daryl Smith. | ||||||||
| 34 | SF | Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida Intl | S-DT-WR-CB-TE | 3-4 | 6 | 10 | 27 | 3 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Margus Hunt, DT/DE, SMU NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Finding a replacement for S Dashon Goldson (signed with Tampa) should be addressed early in the draft. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Cyprien is an interchangeable, physical safety with range and aggression - sounds like an ideal fit for the Steel Curtain. He has solid size (6-foot, 217 pounds) and demonstrated solid skills against the run in college. Questions remain surrounding his speed (4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and the fact that he faced inferior competition could result in a slide to day 2. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Anquan Boldin, (DE) Glen Dorsey, (CB) Nnamdi Asomugha KEY LOSSES: (S) Dashon Goldson | ||||||||
| 35 | PHI | EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State | OL-QB-ILB-CB | 3-4 | 9 | 23 | 13 | 13 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan NEW COACHES: (HC)Chip Kelly, (OC) Pat Shurmur TEAM NEED: First year head coach Chip Kelly decided to keep Mike Vick but the soon to be 33 year old signal caller has not played a full season since 2006. Nick Foles has been rumored to be on the trade market as he doesn't possess the athleticism that Kelly requires at the QB position. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Kelly recruited Manuel at Oregon. The 6-4, 240 pounder has ideal size and mobility. Manuel completed 67% of his 897 career passes, and missed just one game due to injury. KEY SIGNINGS: (S) Kenny Philips, (LB) Connor Barwin, (CB) Bradley Fletcher, (CB) Cary Williams, (TE) James Casey, (DT) Iasaac Sopoaga KEY LOSSES: (CB) Nnamdi Asomugha, (CB) Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie, (DE) Daryl Tapp | ||||||||
| 36 | DET | Jonathan Banks, CB, Miss. State | OT-DE-CB-OLB | 4-3 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 23 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Dion Jordan, DE/LB, Oregon NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Detroit's secondary needs to add talent as injuries and lack of depth led to major pass defense issues (CB Chris Houston was smartly resigned). PLAYER ANALYSIS: Jordan is in the conversation as the best pass rusher in this class and his versatility (played defensive end and linebacker in college) has his stock on the rise as he's shown the ability to rush the passer and drop in coverage. KEY SIGNINGS: (RB) Reggie Bush, (CB) Chris Houston, (DE/LB) Jason Jones KEY LOSSES: (T) Gosder Cherilus, (DE) Cliff Avril, (DE) Lawrence Jackson | ||||||||
| 37 | CIN | Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame | LB-RB-S-RT | 4-3 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 18 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Bengals own this pick as part of the Carson Palmer trade. Manny Lawson is a free agent and Thomas Howard's knee injury makes LB another area of concern. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The ND senior has totaled 103 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, four passes broken up and seven interceptions. Teo' (6-2, 245) dated imaginary women had a disappointing combine which could lead to a draft day slide. KEY SIGNINGS: (DE) Michael Johnson, (CB) Adam Jones, (LB) Rey Maualuga, (LB) James Harrison KEY LOSSES: N/A | ||||||||
| 38 | ARI | Justin Pugh, OG, Syracuse | OT-OG-S-OLB-QB-RB | 3-4 | 5 | 28 | 28 | 32 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma NEW COACHES: (HC) Bruce Arians, (OC) Harold Goodwin, (DC) Todd Bowles TEAM NEED: Protection is major issue for whoever Arizona decides will be under center in 2013 as the Cardinals led the league in sacks allowed. Don't rule out multiple O-line picks on the first two days of the draft. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Pugh (6-5, 297) earned All-Big East honors in each of his three college seasons. He played LT in Syracuse's no-huddle system under new Bills head coach Doug Marrone. KEY SIGNINGS: (KR/WR) Josh Cribbs, (RB) Rashard Mendenhall KEY LOSSES: (RB) Beanie Wells, (SS) Adrian Wilson, (CB) Greg Toler | ||||||||
| 39 | NYJ | Zack Ertz, TE, Stanford | QB-OLB-OG-WR-S-CB | 3-4 | 2 | 26 | 30 | 12 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU and Jarvis Jones DE/LB, Georgia NEW COACHES: (OC) Marty Mornhinweg , (DC) Dennis Thurman TEAM NEED: Dustin Keller signed with division rival Miami. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Stanford senior (6-6, 252) led the Cardinal with 66 receptions for 837 yards and six touchdowns in 2012. KEY SIGNINGS: (RB) Mike Goodson KEY LOSSES: (CB) Darrelle Revis, (RB) Shonn Greene, (TE) Dustin Keller, (OG) Brandon Moore, (S) LaRon Landry, (G) Matt Slauson | ||||||||
| 40 | TEN | Damontre Moore, DE/LB, Texas A&M | S-CB-DL-TE | 4-3 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 21 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: The entire defense needs a face lift. The Titans 25th ranked run defense allowed 130 YPG. Adding pass rush and pass coverage talent will need to be addressed early and often this offseason. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Moore's 12.5 sacks placing him among the leaders in the nation and he leads the Aggie defense with 80 tackles. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder needs to add more weight to survive as an NFL defensive end. KEY SIGNINGS: (OG) Andy Levitre, (S) George Wilson, (RB) Shonn Greene KEY LOSSES: (TE) Jared Cook | ||||||||
| 41 | BUF | Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee | QB-LB-WR-OG | 3-4 | 10 | 31 | 25 | 6 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia NEW COACHES: (HC) Doug Maronne, (OC)Nathaniel Hackett, (DC) Mike Pettine TEAM NEED: Stevie Johnson needs a running mate. WR David Nelson signed with Cleveland and Donald Jones signed with the Pats. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Hunter regained his explosiveness following a 2011 knee injury. In 2012, he totaled 73 receptions for 1,083 yards and nine touchdowns. KEY SIGNINGS: (CB) Leodis McKelvin, (S) Jairus Byrd KEY LOSSES: (OG) Andy Levitre, (LB) Nick Barnett, (SS) George Wilson | ||||||||
| 42 | MIA | Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State | DE-OT-CB-TE | 4-3 | 27 | 13 | 26 | 17 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Former #1 overall pick Jake Long signed with St Louis. Rookie Jonathan Martin struggled early improved and will likely start 2013 on the blind side. A new right tackle is needed. PLAYER ANALYSIS: That native of Manchester , England played just one season of football at Florida State but his athleticism (former basketball player and boxer) has teams moving him up their boards. Watson(6-5, 315) played RT at FSU but most experts think he can transition to LT based on his long arms and solid footwork. He remains a raw prospect with just one season of D-1 under his belt but makes for a solid Round 2 lottery ticket. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Mike Wallace, (WR) Brian Hartline, (TE) Dustin Keller, (LB) Philip Wheeler, (LB) Darnell Ellerbe, (CB) Brent Grimes, (DT) Randy Starks KEY LOSSES: (RB) Reggie Bush, (CB) Sean Smith, (TE) Anthony Fasano, (T) Jake Long | ||||||||
| 43 | TB | DJ Hayden, CB , Houston | DT-DE-TE-CB | 4-3 | 32 | 1 | 10 | 15 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): No Pick NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Even with the Revis trade, the Bucs secondary could use another CB after they ranked dead last in pass defense in 2012 allowing 297 YPG. CB EJ Biggers signed with Washington and Eric Wright disappointed amid injuries and a suspension. PLAYER ANALYSIS: A bit smallish (5-11, 191) and coming off a life threatening illness - Hayden is a true wildcard in this draft. As a senior, he was hurt in a freak hit during practice and tore a large vein, the inferior vena cava, which carries blood from the lower half of the body back up to the heart. Before the injury, the senior played in nine games, and recorded eight pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns). Mike Mayock recently moved Hayden to his #1 CB - a true sign that his stock is on the rise after he was medically cleared. A solid value here as he's in the discussion as a late first rounder despite the medical red flags. KEY SIGNINGS: (CB) Darrelle Revis, (S) Dashon Goldson, KEY LOSSES: (DE) Michael Bennett, (CB) E.J. Biggers | ||||||||
| 44 | CAR | DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson | DT-OT-S-WR | 4-3 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 9 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri NEW COACHES: (OC) Mike Shula TEAM NEED: The Panthers need to find an upgrade from Brandon LaFell and Steve Smith will be 34 when this season kicks off. PLAYER ANALYSIS: In 2012, the 6-1, 200 pounder has 69 receptions for 1214 yards and 16 touchdowns (2nd in the nation). He had a streak of nine consecutive games with a TD entering the bowl game. KEY SIGNINGS: N/A KEY LOSSES: (CB) DJ Moore | ||||||||
| 45 | SD | Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas -Pine Bluff | OL-CB-ILB-OLB | 3-4 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 27 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina NEW COACHES: (HC)Mike McCoy , (OC) Ken Whisenhunt, (DC) John Pagano TEAM NEED: This O-Line needs a major overhaul. The Chargers released LT Jared Gaither and lost their best OG Louis Vazquez to Denver. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The Chargers miss out on the top left tackle talents and while they are part of a lot of trade talk and conjecture with only seven picks in this year's draft they don't have the ammo to move into the top 10 and get one of the top three tackles. They have their pick of the guard litter and while Chance Warmack is the more highly touted talent Jonathan Cooper is a better fit for new head coach McCoy's zone blocking scheme. KEY SIGNINGS: (CB) Derek Cox KEY LOSSES: (OG) Louis Vasquez, (LB) Shaun Phillips | ||||||||
| 46 | STL | Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama | WR, S, RB, OG, LB | 4-3 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 19 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama, Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia NEW COACHES: (DC) Tim Walton TEAM NEED: Steven Jackson is now in Atlanta and Richardson/Pead have not proven to be worthy of carrying a 15-20 carry workload. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The 5-10, 220 pound junior finished the 2012 season with 1,322 rushing yards on 204 carries (6.5 average) and 17 touchdowns and was named to the ALL-SEC First Team. Lacy is possibly the best player on the board and he'll once again run behind the load that is Chance Warmack. KEY SIGNINGS: (OT) Jake Long, (TE) Jared Cook, (DT) William Hayes KEY LOSSES: (RB) Steven Jackson, (WR) Danny Amendola, (CB) Bradley Fletcher | ||||||||
| 47 | DAL | Eric Reid, S, LSU | FS-G-S-WR | 3-4 | 19 | 22 | 3 | 31 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina NEW COACHES: (DC) Monte Kiffin TEAM NEED: Strong safety Barry Church is recovering from a torn his Achilles and Gerald Sensabaugh was released in March. Dallas signed veteran safety Will Allen (filled in for Steelers Polamalu in 2012). PLAYER ANALYSIS: Reid is a big (6'-2", 212lb) hard hitting centerfielder that should be an immediate upgrade to the Cowboy secondary. KEY SIGNINGS: (LB) Anthony Spencer KEY LOSSES: (LB) Victor Butler | ||||||||
| 48 | PIT | Robert Woods, WR, USC | WR-RB-DL-S-LB | 3-4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 26 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Despite matching the 1-year offer to Emmanuel Sanders, the Steelers need to replace Mike Wallace game breaking skills. TE Heath Miller is also likely to start the season on the PUP list after a late season ACL injury so Big Ben will be pining for additional weapons to get the Steelers back into the Playoffs. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The junior regressed in 2012 (73 receptions for 813 yards and 11 touchdowns) - just one 100 yard game. He's a day 1 prospect if he can return to his 2011 form (1,292 yards and 15 touchdowns on 111 receptions in 2011). KEY SIGNINGS: N/A KEY LOSSES: (WR) Mike Wallace, (RB) Rashard Mendenhall, (LB) James Harrison,(CB) Keenan Lewis | ||||||||
| 49 | NYG | Travis Fredrick, C, Wisconsin | CB, DE, LB, OL, TE | 4-3 | 28 | 25 | 12 | 14 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: LOT Will Beatty is an unrestricted free agent next year and will command top dollar. OT Sean Locklear is also an UFA in 2013. Reserve David Deihl ($7.1M for next year) hits free agency in 2014. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Frederick is labeled the best true center in this draft. He has good feet and is a solid drive blocker. KEY SIGNINGS: (TE) Brandon Myers, (OT) Will Beatty, (OG) Kevin Boothe, (DT) Cullen Jenkins, (DT) Mike Patterson KEY LOSSES: (DE)Osi Umenyiora, (TE) Martellus Bennett, (RB) Ahmad Bradshaw, (DT) Chris Canty . | ||||||||
| 50 | CHI | Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky | G-DT-CB-MLB-WR | 4-3 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 10 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia NEW COACHES: (HC) Marc Trestman, (OC) Aaron Kromer, (DC) Mel Tucker TEAM NEED: O-line upgrades are need to keep Jay Cutler upright. J'Marcus Webb struggled early, but improved as the season went along and will likely shift to RT following the signing of former Saint Jermon Bushrod. Roberto Garza has missed just two starts over the last seven seasons but the soon to be 34 year olds production has declined. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The 330 pound senior Wildcat plays with strength , leverage and athleticism and has been labeled by Mel Kiper as one of the most underrated prospects in this draft class at the OG position. KEY SIGNINGS: (TE) Martellus Bennett, (OT) Jermon Bushrod, (OG) Matt Slauson, (DT) Henry Melton KEY LOSSES: (DE) Isreal Idonije, (CB) D.J. Moore | ||||||||
| 51 | WAS | Kyle Long, OT/OG, Oregon | OL-DB-S-TE-LB-WR | 3-4 | 30 | 5 | 20 | 1 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): n/a NEW COACHES: Enter data TEAM NEED: The Redskins resigned LG Kory Lichtensteiger but an upgrade is needed. RT Jammal Brown has battled injuries and backup Tyler Polumbus is just that backup material at best. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The former baseball player (at Florida State) turned offensive lineman has solid lineage (father is Howie Long and his brother Chris Long is also on the Rams). He is a somewhat raw but has the versatility to play both guard and tackle at the next level. KEY SIGNINGS: (DE) Darryl Tapp, (CB) E.J. Biggers, (TE) Fred Davis KEY LOSSES: n/a | ||||||||
| 52 | MIN | Kevin Minter, LB, LSU | WR-LB-DT-CB | 4-3 | 24 | 11 | 31 | 2 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Corradelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee, Jamar Taylor, CB , Boise State NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Erin Henderson was smartly resigned but the Vikings let the pedestrian Jasper Brinkley walk (signed with Arizona). PLAYER ANALYSIS: Minter had a monster 2012 season, recording 130 tackles and 15 tackles for a loss at LSU. He's a middle linebacker that excels at finding the ball but the jury is out on his pass coverage skills which could result in a moderate draft day slide. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Greg Jennings, (QB) Matt Cassel, (T) Phil Loadholt, (FB) Jerome Felton KEY LOSSES: (WR) Percy Harvin, (OG) Geoff Schwartz | ||||||||
| 53 | CIN | Sharmarko Thomas, S, Syracuse | LB-RB-S-RT | 4-3 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 18 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama, Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Nate Clements shifted to safety in place of the ineffective Taylor Mays. Both Clements and Chris Crocker are aging (in their 30s) free agents. PLAYER ANALYSIS: In 2012 , Thomas started all 12 games at safety and finished the season as the team's top tackler with 84 stops. He also led the team with three forced fumbles and two interceptions. For his career, Thomas ranked 6th among Orange defensive backs with 259 total tackles. Despite lacking ideal size (5'9, 214), Thomas is one of the stronger Safeties in this class and is labeled as a big hitter. KEY SIGNINGS: (DE) Michael Johnson, (CB) Adam Jones, (LB) Rey Maualuga, (LB) James Harrison KEY LOSSES: N/A | ||||||||
| 54 | MIA | Alex Okafor, DE/LB, Texas | DE-OT-CB-TE | 4-3 | 27 | 13 | 26 | 17 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: Miami owns this pick as part of the Vontae Davis (with Indy). Cameron Wake was the only consistent pass-rushing threat on the Dolphins defense in 2012. PLAYER ANALYSIS: First Team All-Big 12 Conference selection in 2012 tied for fourth in the conference in forced fumbles, third in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Mike Wallace, (WR) Brian Hartline, (TE) Dustin Keller, (LB) Philip Wheeler, (LB) Darnell Ellerbe, (CB) Brent Grimes, (DT) Randy Starks KEY LOSSES: (RB) Reggie Bush, (CB) Sean Smith, (TE) Anthony Fasano, (T) Jake Long | ||||||||
| 55 | GB | Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss | OL-RB-S-TE | 3-4 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 20 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Other than Clay Mathews, the Packers LBs have been mediocre at best. Nick Perry battled injuries (missed 10 games in his rookie season) and showed minimal production when in uniform. PLAYER ANALYSIS: Collins excelled at the combine with a broad jump of 11'7", vertical jump of 41'6" and clocked a 4.64 forty. He's a long 6-3 with an arm length of 33 3/4. In two college seasons, he amassed 190 tackles, 39.5 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks. KEY SIGNINGS: N/A KEY LOSSES: (WR) Greg Jennings, (DB) Charles Woodson | ||||||||
| 56 | SEA | Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State | OL-LB-TE | 4-3 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 4 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): N/A NEW COACHES: Enter data TEAM NEED: The Preseason Super Bowl favorites don't have many holes to fill but an upgrade from TE Zach Miller (averaged just 30 catches during 2 seasons in Seattle with 3 total TDs) would make the Seahawk offense even more dynamic following the Percy Harvin addition. PLAYER ANALYSIS: In 2012, the 6-6, 250 pound junior led the Aztecs in catches (42), receiving yards (543) and touchdowns (six) and was named a semifinalist for the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end. He ran a 4.78 and 4.81-second 40-time and did 12 reps of 225 pounds cementing himself among the best TEs in this draft class. KEY SIGNINGS: N/A KEY LOSSES: N/A | ||||||||
| 57 | HOU | Kiko Alonso, ILB, Oregon | WR-ILB-RT-TE | 3-4 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 8 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Keenan Allen, WR, California NEW COACHES: N/A. TEAM NEED: ILB Bradie James has struggled opposite Brian Cushing. Rush linebacker Connor Barwin signed with Philadelphia. PLAYER ANALYSIS: In 2012,the senior 22-year-old linebacker racked up 81 tackles and four interceptions en route to All-Pac-12 Second Team honors. He remains one of the more versatile LBs in this class but injury concerns (missed all of 2010 with a knee injury) could raise red flags. His instincts and athleticism could allow Alonso to excel at inside LB at the next level. KEY SIGNINGS: (S) Ed Reed KEY LOSSES: (TE) James Casey, (LB) Connor Barwin | ||||||||
| 58 | DEN | Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin | MLB-RB-CB-OT | 4-3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 16 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State NEW COACHES: (OC) Adam Gase TEAM NEED: Willis Mcgahee has battled injuries and the 31 year old is owed a $2.5 million non guaranteed salary making him a potential cap casualty. Knowshon Moreno has proven to be unreliable (missed 20 games over past three seasons) and Ronnie Hillman is just a change of pace back. PLAYER ANALYSIS: He rushed for 1,830 yards as a senior, finished with 83 career touchdowns, an NCAA record, and 5,140 career rushing yards at Wisconsin. He has solid lead back size for the next level (5-foot-10 3/4, 210 pounds) but lacks game breaking speed (40-yard dash in 4.51 and 4.49 seconds at his Pro Day). KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Wes Welker, (OG) Louis Vasquez, (CB) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, (DT) Terrance Knighton, (OT) Ryan Clady KEY LOSSES: (DE) Elvis Dumervil, | ||||||||
| 59 | NE | Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut | WR-CB-S-OG | 4-3 | 29 | 9 | 4 | 7 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Kawann Short, DT, Purdue NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Despite resigning Aquib Talib , more depth is needed in the New England secondary. PLAYER ANALYSIS: The 6'1 189 pounder had a solid senior bowl and excelled in man coverage. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Danny Amendola, (SS) Adrian Wilson, (OT) Sebastian Volmer, (CB) Aqib Talib, (CB) Kyle Arrington KEY LOSSES: (WR) Wes Welker, . | ||||||||
| 60 | ATL | David Amerson, CB/S, North Carolina St. | DE-CB-RT-TE | 4-3 | 23 | 21 | 6 | 29 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Datone Jones, DE, UCLA NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Atlanta lost CB Brent Grimes to free agency (signed with Miami). PLAYER ANALYSIS: Amerson has the ball skills and football intelligence to play either Safety or CB at the NFL level. KEY SIGNINGS: (RB) Steven Jackson, (DE) Osi Umenyiora, (OT) Sam Baker, (S) William Moore, (TE) Tony Gonzalez KEY LOSSES: (CB) Brent Grines, John Abraham, (DT) Vance Walker, (CB) Dunta Robinson, (CB) Chris Owens | ||||||||
| 61 | SF | Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech | S-DT-WR-CB-TE | 3-4 | 6 | 10 | 27 | 3 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Margus Hunt, DT/DE, SMU, Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: The Anquan Boldin trade will bide the 49ers some time but finding a compliment to Michael Crabtree is need as AJ Jenkins showed major growing pains in his rookie season and Mario Manningham is recovering from ACL and PCL tears (potential candidate to be cut). PLAYER ANALYSIS: In 2012, the senior caught 104 passes for 1,392 yards and 13 touchdowns in 12 games. He averaged 13.4 yards per catch and 116 yards per game (4th in nation). Patton ranked fifth in the nation in receptions per game and touchdowns scored by wide receivers. He lacks elite size (6-0, 202) or speed but is a solid 2nd round value for WR needy teams. KEY SIGNINGS: (WR) Anquan Boldin, (DE) Glen Dorsey, (CB) Nnamdi Asomugha KEY LOSSES: (S) Dashon Goldson | ||||||||
| 62 | BAL | Jonathan Jenkins, DT, Georgia | ILB-NT-WR-OT | 3-4 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 11 |
1ST ROUND Pick (s): Matt Elam, S, Florida NEW COACHES: N/A TEAM NEED: Ravens could go best player on the board here and might look to add youth to the interior of the D-line. Haloti Ngata (29) will likely shift to NT after the Ravens signed DE/DTs Chris Canty (30 year old from NY Giants) and Marcus Spears (30 year old from Dallas). PLAYER ANALYSIS: The mountain of a man (6-4, 350) lacks interior pass rush skills but should prove to be a solid run stuffer (been compared to Packers BJ Raji). Jenkins started all 13 games in 2012 and was second among the Bulldogs defensive linemen with 50 tackles. KEY SIGNINGS: (DE) Elvis Dumervil, (DT) Chris Canty, (QB) Joe Flacco KEY LOSSES: (WR) Anquan Boldin, (S) Ed Reed, (LB) Ray Lewis, (CB) Cary Williams, (LB) Dannell Ellerbe, (DE) Paul Kruger | ||||||||
Quarterback Upgrades
Sam Bradford (vs. Buccaneers): Look, it’s championship week and hopefully you don’t need to start Sam Bradford but if the ‘you know what’ has hit the fan than the Rams up and down signal caller might help you out this week. Bradford has the amazing luck of facing the Bucs, a pleasure that a good high school QB could exploit. The Bucs are officially the most pitiful pass defense in the league and aside from the staggering amount of yards and a lack of effort matched only by the Eagles secondary they have allowed 27 passing TDs this year.
Season Ranking at Postition | Opponents Rank vs. Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to QB (Last 5 Games) | |
17th (216 fantasy points) | 10 | DEAD LAST (310.6 ypg) | 28 (32nd) |
Tony Romo (vs. Giants) – Romo may seem like a no-brainer if you haven’t been paying attention but as Romo owners can attest, he’s been disappointing for much of the year. Of late, however, he has actually not crapped the bed even the most critical, clutch moments. Little baby all grows up! Maybe. Our friends over at ProFootballFocus fantasy, the most accurate rankers in the fantasy football world this year, have Romo all the way up at #4 this week. That’s because he’s posting good numbers and faces a Giants defense that has been gashed for big fantasy points this year regularly. Last week they got slaughtered by Drew Brees and the problems don’t seem to be easy fixes. He’s a great play this week.
Season Ranking at Position | Opponents Rank vs. Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to QB (Last 5 Games) | |
11th (256 fantasy points) | 6 | 28th (254 ypg) | 23 (25th) |
Quarterback Downgrades
Josh Freeman (vs. Rams) – Freeman is used to having time. The Bucs have protected the passer as well as nearly anyone surrendering just 21 sacks but this week they face a tough pass that has 41 sacks. Freeman was replaced last week toward the end of an extremely embarrassing loss and the Bucs have clearly quit on both sides of the ball. The Rams revamped secondary is playing well. Over the past 5 weeks the Rams have given up the 3rd fewest fantasy points to QBs (15.3) in the league and on the season they’ve only allowed 14 passing touchdowns. Not what you want to hear of you have to start Freeman this week. He had a good run of high quality fantasy starts but it’s over.
Fantasy Points Last 4 Games | Opponents Rank vs Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to WR (Last 5 Games) | |
24,10,17,16,6 | 17 | 9th (214 ypg) | 15.3 (3rd) |
Matthew Stafford (vs. Falcons) – Stafford came into the season with huge fantasy expectations. He was poised to enter the elite with Brady and Brees and that hasn’t really happened. He’s performed well enough to a weekly must-start but certainly not top 3 or 4 as expected. Stafford not a guy that can or should bench this week, unless you are loaded at QB, but we do think you should temper your enthusiasm. The Falcons are coming into this week’s contest on a high after destroying Eli Manning and the Giants. They’ve been stingy when it comes to giving up points through the air with just 13 passing TDs allowed but they will give up yards. The question for Stafford is can he add TDs to the yards with his banged up WR corp. Over the last 7 games Stafford has just two performances with over 20 fantasy points and three with less than 13 fantasy points.
Season Rank at Position | FF Crystal Ball Aggregate Rank | Opponents Rank vs Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to WR (Last 5 Games) |
9th (259 fantasy points) | 10 | 17th (230 ypg) | 16.3 (5th) |
Quarterback Sleepers
Nick Foles (vs. Redskins): Foles is getting some weapons back this week. He’ll have Brent Celek and Lesean McCoy to help keep the Redskins defense honest and provide reliable targets. The fact that one of the best rushers in the NFL is returning to the field all but assures that Andy Reid will ignore the run – hence the reason Philly justifiably fans can’t wait for the door to hit him in his giant ass. The Redskins have been playing much better on both sides of the ball of late but they are still the 30th ranked D in net yards allowed passing and have surrendered 28 passing TDs. If the Eagles have any effort left in them (and that’s questionable) Foles can have a very good week.
Fantasy Points Last 4 Games | FF Crystal Ball Aggregate Rank | Opponents Rank vs. Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to WR (Season) |
5,14,31,10 | 22 | 3oth (285 ypg) | 24 (29th) |
Chad Henne (vs. Patriots)– This isn’t going to come as a shocker but the Patriots have trouble stopping the pass, maybe even when it’s the Jaguars passing against them. On the season only three teams are giving more passing yards and their 27 passing TDs allowed is nearly as bad. Henne has had great success against the Patriots in the recent past. In 3 of his last 4 matches against them he has thrown for over 300 yards. The last time he faced them (2011) he threw for 416 yards and added 2 TDs. The Jaguars will surely be playing from behind and airing it out as all 18 of their fans pull for them to make a game of it against the machine that is Tom Brady.
Fantasy Points Last 5 Games | Opponents Rank vs. Pass | Opponents Avg FF Pts to WR (last 5 games) | |
30,17,16,5,10 | 21 | 29th (270 ypg) | 23.1 (26th) |
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