FB: 2011 Patriot Division Preview: Jammers Slacking? Slackers Jamming? Tardiness & Poll Says 'Yes' To Both
By now, 2 a.m. on the official opening day of the NFL, the Sunday Slackers have quite possibly set the record for most “refresh” buttons hit in a 24-hour period.Parker had to have looked at the JFL preview schedule last Friday and saw his division slated to be published last. He’s been anxious ever since.
Then came the day. Wednesday. The day he finds out where his fellow fantasy owners have selected his team to finish. Could it be first? Nah, couldn’t be. The Jammers have won the division every year.
Three o’clock rolls around, and still no preview.
“It’s OK,” Parker says to himself as he hits the refresh button twice, “Jimmy works till 5.”
It’s 6 p.m., and the refresh button has been clicked twice more. “Maybe it’s the Internet connection?” he ponders.
Still, hours go by and there’s no preview.
It’s 11 p.m. and anxiety has turned into fear.
“Is Jimmy OK? It’s not like him to do something like this. Maybe he lost the preseason poll and he’s bitter?”
Midnight passes. Deadline missed. And Parker goes to sleep, wondering if he’ll see a preview when he wakes up. Maybe, it was all just a bad nightmare. He’ll wake up and it will be Wednesday again.
Well, I know it’s late, but here it is Parker, and congratulations; you won the preseason poll.
With 23 points and five first-place votes, the Slackers have been selected to win a division title he has wanted so bad. Now, he just has to back the voters with a great fantasy season.
The Jammers were right behind him with 21 points and four first-place votes — the tightest race in the preseason polls. Jaw Attack did not get much love, garnering only 10 points. A lot of that has to do with the performance he had last season, I’m sure, but I believe he’ll do a little better than what the preseason poll has, despite trading Big Ben away.
This division is a toss-up. All three teams have good QBs; the Jawz and Jammers have excellent wideout corps; and the Slackers has a great RB crew. It’s safe to say the best wideouts reside in the Patriot Division. Mix these teams and you get Greg Jennings, Roddy White, Larry Fitzgerald and DeSean Jackson — none of whom are on the Slackers.
I personally have this division finishing with the Jammers in first, the Jawz second and in contention for the Wild Card, and the Slackers third. (Right about now, the Slackers are starting to believe the whole “bitter” story above.)
Well, to be honest, the preview was late because I was at the Phillies game tonight, leaving work at 5 to head straight there; and the night before, I was up till 4:30 a.m. because of a paranormal investigation.
I apologize for its lateness, and I promise, it won’t happen again.
Just like I promise that I won’t let the Slackers beat me this season.
That’s right. I’m going Vince Young on you. The Dream Team is coming (despite being picked second).
1. Sunday Slackers
2010 Record: 4-9
Career Record : 13-26
Playoff Record (Appearances): 0-1 (1)
Quarterbacks ★★★★½
Drew Brees had 4,620 yards and 33 touchdowns last season; you know, just his norm. Still, he had 22 interceptions in what was considered a bit of a down year for the Saints. New Orleans appears to be adding more focus to its run game, so it will be interesting to see what that does for Brees.Nevertheless, Brees is a top-tier QB in fantasy and he will do just fine for the Slackers.
And if there is a need for a backup, Donovan McNabb in Minnesota isn’t a bad choice. I’m, of course, a big fan of McNabb’s and I don’t think he’s finished. Of course, he doesn’t have any stud WRs, as has been the story for most of his career, so he’ll have to scrap his way to success. Fortunately, Brees will allow the Slackers to not have to worry about it.
Running Backs ★★★★½
There were some questions to why the Slackers traded back to get a guy that he could have drafted with his No. 1 overall pick.
The fact was, he didn’t have a RB on the roster he wanted to keep, so he grabbed Rice while he could, preserving the chance to get another back later in the first round. He did just that, selecting Matt Forte with the No. 11 pick in the draft. He later added Felix Jones, who like Rice and Forte, had more than 1,200 all-purpose yards last season.
That trio will be huge for the Slackers, and not just because of their rushing totals, but because they all can play a role in the passing game. Rice had 63 catches for 556 yards; Forte had 51 for 547; and Jones had 48 for 450. The Slackers will certainly earn extra points through the points-per-receptions.
And if that weren’t enough, Bernard Scott was a nice pickup because of the guy in front of him. Benson can’t seem to stay out of trouble and Scott is a Benson suspension away from being the starting back.
Earnest Graham will likely spoil behind LeGarrette Blount in Tampa, but still, it’s worth having Blount’s backup.
Wideouts ★★☆☆☆
It’s a good thing the Slackers’ RBs can catch, because his WRs can’t. In fact, the trio of aforementioned backs all had more catches last season than all but two of his wideouts.
The only WRs who had more than the backs were Santana Moss, who had 93, and Deion Branch, who had 61.
Both of those guys do not jump out as top tier wideouts, but Moss at least had 1,115 yards. Both Branch and Moss had six TDs.
I do not see figures like that for either of those wideouts this season, but there are two other WRs on this team that I like.
Malcolm Floyd was limited with injuries last season and if healthy, he should have some good games, especially with Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates opening up some passing lanes for him. Floyd could easily get more than 1,000 yards and 10 TDs. I see Jackson, Floyd and Gates all going over 1,000 this season.
Jordy Nelson is another WR I like. He’s no Greg Jennings, but Nelson has 45 catches for 582 lasts season and I could see him getting more involved with the offense this year.
The rest are a bunch of question marks. A.J. Green is a rookie on a bad team, Earl Bennett is worthless and Steve Smith (PHI) is out for a while. Smith, however, could be a great pickup for the midseason.
Tight Ends ★★★★☆
Jermichael Finley should start every week for the Slackers. But he’s still got some nagging injuries. If he’s healthy, Finley will catch 8-10 TDs and about 800 yards. And with what I just said about WRs, this would be a big lift.
Team Outlook
This team will be Brees, the three backs, Floyd and Moss, Finley on a weekly basis. That will win games, and according to the poll, it will win the division. I’m just not completely sold that the Slackers have enough to get there. I feel like they’re one piece short.
But that piece could emerge and prove me wrong.
I have the Slackers finishing behind the Jawz Attack, which is third. Then again, I’m a bit biased when it comes to this division.
2. Jimmy Jammers
2010 Record: 10-5
Career Record : 52-23
Playoff Record (Appearances): 6-4 (5)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Chad Henne and Carson Palmer. That’s a lot of QBs.
The Jammers snagged Carson Palmer just in case he comes back from the world of retirement and because he’s on the “did not report” list, he’s consider out and eligible for the IR. So, the Jammers added Chad Henne as an extra insurance. You can never be satisfied at QB when you don’t have Aaron Rodgers and Phillip Rivers — two quarterbacks who the Jammers once had and let go.
Ryan was the starter last season, leading the Jammers back to the Super Bowl, but this season, a healthy Stafford should take most of the snaps for the Jammers. In two games last season, Stafford put up 35.5 and 31.1 points. But as stated, that was just two games in a 16-game season. Stafford has yet to have a complete season, but he vows that this will be the year. If it is, it could be a great grab for the Jammers.
If not, it’s back to Matt Ryan who had 3,705 yards and 28 TDs last season. Ryan should have similar numbers and could wind up starting for the Jammers if Stafford falters.
Henne has a very slim chance of starting, and Palmer is an even longer shot.
Running Backs ★★★☆☆
Admittedly, this is the Jammers weakest position, but still there’s potential. Ryan Mathews had a rough 2010, filled with injuries and disappointment. When he got healthy in Week 14, he started to put up some numbers, scoring five of his seven TDs, including a three-TD game against the Broncos where he rushed for 120 yards. If he could continue that in 2011, he’ll prove to be worth the 14th overall draft pick.If not, the Jammers will be relying on a few questionable backs.
First, there’s the new duo in Miami, Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas. If the Dolphins do what they say they’re going to do, and that’s give Bush the rock a lot. I’m sure you’ll all believe it when you see it, but I think that he could have a decent season. Still, on paper, it’s not enough to help this RB corps.
Others on the roster are Darren Sproles and Brandon Tate, backups who could play a role if backs in front of them go down. Big ifs, though.
Wideouts ★★★★★
I don’t think there’s much exaggeration or bias with this.
The Jammers have the best WR corps in the JFL, on paper of course. With three 1,000-yard WRs in Greg Jennings (1,265), Larry Fitzgerald (1,137) and Brandon Marshall (1,014), the Jammers should be a tough team to beat when these guys have been games.
Jennings was the best of the three last season, scoring 12 TDs; but Fitzgerald and Marshall both have the ability to post double-digit TDs. Fitzgerald was plagued by poor QB play last season, yet he still scored six TDs and had 90 catches. Kevin Kolb will get him the ball and Fitzgerald will be a more viable fantasy player in 2011.
I’m also high on Brandon Marshall, who had a rough season last year, despite still making 86 receptions. Only three of those were for TDs and a lot of that was because Henne was gun-shy. He missed multiple opportunities to hit the home run with Marshall, and coaches spent the offseason pointing that out to Henne. In the preseason, it seems that Henne listened.
The Jammers also drafted Julio Jones who could be a big WR for the Falcons. Atlanta went all out to get him and they plan to get him the ball He could easily fit in as a fourth wideout on this stacked squad.
Antonio Brown, a deep threat for Roethlisberger, and Michael Crabtree, are sleepers for the Jammers, and not bad ones at all.
Tight Ends ★★★★☆
The Jammers drafted two tight ends and both are already gone. Targeted before the draft was Brandon Pettigrew, but Houserville snagged him one round before the Jammers could get him. So it was onto Moeaki and Evan Moore. Well, Moeaki went on the IR and Moore was a casualty after Houserville decided to let Pettigrew go.
So, the Jammers brought in Pettigrew, who had 71 catches for 722 yards and four TDs. He could fight for some playing time, but it will be tough with all these WRs.
Team Outlook
The Jammers will need at least one of his running backs to become an efficient starter if he expects to go anywhere. If two show up, well, it might just be Super Bowl No. 5 for the Jammers.
Not that he can brag about it. A 1-3 record in Super Bowls is only one better than the Buffalo Bills. And we all know how many poor kids in villages in Africa think the Bills are the NFL’s all-time greatest team.
For the Jammers to get back and win a Super Bowl, it will take some big point totals from the wideouts and the right decisions at quarterback all season.
Also at stake, according to the preseason poll, is the Jammers five straight division titles, a JFL record. The Jammers will definitely contend for the division, but how far the team goes after that is up in the air, especially with a strong Fear and Loathing looming.
3. Jawz Attack
2010 Record: 4-9
Career Record : 4-9
Playoff Record (Appearances): 0-0 (0)
Quarterbacks ★★★★★
*** UPDATE. Jawz just traded away Big Ben for Kevin Kolb, again, the night of the preview, so I’m not changing it at the 12th hour. Besides, I talk more about Josh Freeman. ****Jawz traded away Matt Ryan last season and went with Derek Anderson for a bit until Ben Roethlisberger came in and threw for 3,200 yards and 17 TDs in his shortened season.
Big Ben is back for the Attack in 2011, and joining him is a much better QB than Derek Anderson — and that man is Josh Freeman.
Freeman is going to be a stud, and I personally wanted to draft him, but I already had Matt Ryan and with the two sharing the bye week, I couldn’t justify it. Still, there was a strong part of me that wanted to draft him anyway.
And I should of because now my division rival has him. Freeman will be the QB for the Attack for a long time. He had 3,451 yards and 25 TDs last season as a rookie. Only six interceptions showed how great of a season he really had. I expect nearly 4,000 yards passing and upward to 30 TDs from Freeman.
With Big Ben likely to put up big numbers, too, I believe the Attack will have a trade chip heading into Week 5 or 6.
Running Backs ★★½☆☆
If Big Ben becomes a trade chip, I know what roster spot the Attack will look to bolster, and that is running back.
Maurice Jones-Drew has been battling injuries and there’s a big question to whether or not he’ll hold up for 2011. If he does, one thing is for sure: The Attack won’t have to worry about Rashard Jennings anymore, now that he’s on the IR. This could get MJD a few more goal line carries. His TDs were down last season and it’s tough to say where they will be this year. I expect him to at least get 10 total TDs, rushing and receiving.
Where his help will come from, that is a mystery.
Joseph Addai only had 495 yards last season, and Fred Jackson had a decent season with 927 yards, but I see him splitting more carries with C.J. Spiller this season.
With Addai and Jackson’s success questionable, it’s onto Montario Hardesty, who missed all of last season allowing Peyton Hillis to emerge and take his spot, and Javon Ringer, who was in line for a starting gig before the Titans gave into Chris Johnson’s financial demands.
So, let the trade market open up.
Wideouts ★★★★★
Ah, and all of a sudden, Jawz can feel better again.
His wideout situation is much better than his RB situation.
With his first pick in the draft, he grabbed Roddy White, and in an offseason trade, he picked up DeSean Jackson, giving him a sweet 1-2 punch at wideout.
In all likelihood, he’ll start a WR in the RB/WR slot so that means Percy Harvin, Mike Thomas and Danny Amendola will all battle to get that spot. All three had more than 100 targets last season and they will continue to get looks from the respective QBs. Harvin should benefit from McNabb in Minnesota and we could see the kind of season that DeSean Jackson had when McNabb was throwing to him. … That would mean Attack has two DeSeans. … Not bad.
Amendola has similar speed and ability, and Bradford will help him better his totals of 85 catches, 689 yards and three TDs this season.
… And then he goes and trades for Wes Welker, giving him several short, speedy, sure-handed wideouts to go with Roddy White.
Devin Hester also is on the roster, but I cannot see a way where he gets more than a few starts on this roster.
Tight Ends ★★★☆☆
Jimmy Graham came on later in the season, becoming a target of Brees, but it wasn’t on a very consistent basis. There’s a chance that could pick up, and perhaps Graham earns a spot in the WR/TE flex, but I still believe that Jawz will use four WRs each week.
Team Outlook
I imagine the concern at RB, combined with his poor performance last season, is why the preseason poll did not work in the Attack’s favor. But I say, don’t be fooled. All it takes is one good move to sure up the RB situation and then all of sudden, the Attack has a complete roster.
Even still, I feel Josh Freeman and the combination of four wideouts will give the Attack a chance to win each week.
And besides, the Slackers went 0-2 against him last season. I see the Attack moving to 4-0 against the Slackers, which will be the difference between second and third place in the Patriot Division.
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