I'm going to apologize now to Crystal Nikish.
She was happy to see the JFL trophy leave her living room, while at the same time, the Jammers was happy to be reunited with it.
But I don't foresee it staying in my house for long.
The Channel 4 News Team loaded up for 2012 and is my pick to win the Super Bowl. In my eyes, he's got a top-three QB, the best 1-2 punch at RB in the JFL and a strong receiving corps. He feasibly could make a run at the JFL record for wins in a season (14).
The preseason poll agrees as the News Team scored 24 points and seven first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Thieves came in second with 16 points and the Generals were in third with 14. Both the Thieves and the Generals had one first-place vote.
The poll is lopsided for the News Team, but that's because most everyone believes he'll win the division. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities that the Thieves or Generals contend for the division title late in the season.
Both have pretty good teams, and if it is true that the News Team has locked up the division on paper, I think the Thieves and the Generals will have a duel to the Wild Card berth.
1. Channel 4 News Team
2011 Record, Finish: 9-5, NFC West Champion, lost in NFC Championship
Career Record : 47-39 (.547)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 5-3 (4)
Quarterbacks ★★★★½
To get five stars, all the News Team had to do was draft a QB that could throw the ball. Instead, he drafted Tim Tebow.
Still, Aaron Rodgers will take care of 12 of 13 weeks during the regular season. There's not much I have to say about Rodgers, other than I don't expect the Packers to be as good as they have been. I actually think the Lions will finish first, followed by the Bears and then the Packers. Still, I think the Packers will be 9-7, 10-6 and potentially a second wild card into the playoffs — which mean big points for Rodgers.
But, what happens if Rodgers goes down? Well, Tebow gets the nod and little Ronnie learns a few new curse words on Sundays.
... And check that, the News Team just picked up Russell Wilson after I wrote that awesome QB capsule. I'd change it, but I want you all to enjoy it before I tell you to take that half-star and make it a full five stars.
Running Backs ★★★★★
Nick Nikish may have locked up the championship with the 10th pick in the 2012 draft. Selecting Jamaal Charles gives him the best running back duo in the JFL. Arian Foster continues to be in the top echelon of RBs, while Charles was there in 2010 before suffering an ACL injury in 2011. He's back and healthy, and I fully expect him to be a big threat for Kansas City.
Charles is a player I targeted and thought I might get at No. 12. When he dropped past seven, I really thought it was possible, but then, Nikish swooped in and took him — and I made my displeasure known at the live draft.
Nikish also stole a few other targets of mine, but I'll get to them in a few.
As for backup RBs, Nikish won't need many, but he's got a few decent handcuffs that could emerge and give him a three-RB set that is to die for. First, and most likely at this point to succeed is Rashad Jennings. With Maurice Jones-Drew sitting out and likely not joining the team any time soon, Jennings is a great back to have. He's talented and without MJD there, he'll get the chance to carry the load.
The News Team also snagged Isaac Redman, who will get extra carries while Rashard Mendenhall recovers from a knee injury, and Toby Gerhart, who could get a lot of carries if (1) Adrian Peterson is limited or (2) if Peterson re-injures himself after rushing back to the lineup from a December ACL tear.
Lastly, Reggie Bush's backup, Daniel Thomas, is chilling in the backseat.
Wideouts ★★★★☆
The stars are bright so bright and so numerous. It's like a Montana night sky.
There are another four stars here for WRs as the News Team has four awesome wideouts.
I think Brandon Marshall is going to have a huge season in Chicago, while Miles Austin and Jordy Nelson will be decent No. 2 fantasy WRs — some say Nelson will be the best fantasy wideout in 2012.
But the best pick of all may be Kenny Britt. He's a super star who can't stay out of trouble with the law and needs to come back strong from injury.
If he gets serious playing time in 2012 — he's suspended one game — Jake Locker will find him often for TDs. I was about to pull the trigger on this pick and the News Team snagged him away just like he did with Charles.
To think, had the News Team gotten to and won the Super Bowl in 2011, the Jammers would have Charles and Britt on his team. Instead, the News Team had to hand back the trophy and may be in position to claim it back in January.
Tight Ends ★★★★☆
Even the tight ends are a four. Hard to believe, I know, but this is where the last of the stolen targets come in. Jared Cook, a tight end for the Titans, is said to have Rob Gronkowski potential. If he has even three-quarters of the season Gronk had last year, this is a helluva pickup. Add in Coby Fleener, the Colts new tight end, and the News Team is set.
Team Outlook
What can I say? I'm jealous.
If I were to start from scratch, I'd have several of these players on my team. The News Team got off to a slow start last season, but I don't see that happening this year. He should cruise to a division title, a conference title and yet another Super Bowl title.
2. Chinese Organ Thieves
2011 Record, Finish: 4-8-1
Career Record : 45-37-1 (.548)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 2-3 (4)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
A couple years ago, it would have been nearly impossible to have both Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning on the same team.
In 2012, you could manage it in most fantasy drafts if you had.
Both have slipped in fantasy rankings — Rivers because of a sluggish 2011 season and Manning because of his injury that kept him out all last season.
The Thieves didn't let the poor performance prevent him from keeping Rivers, and after he stared at Manning on the draft board for five rounds, he decided it was time to make a move to shore up his QB position.
With both Rivers and Manning, the Thieves should be in good shape because both should come back from their forgettable 2011 seasons.
The Thieves also have Mark Sanchez, but I don't expect much out of Sanchez for 2012, so it's up to Rivers and Manning.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
Potentially, the Organ Thieves have one of the best backfields in the JFL.
Then again, he potentially could have the most devastated.
With the top two guys being Adrian Peterson and Trent Richardson, the fantasy projections are ridiculous. At the same time, both are bothered by knee injuries and both could miss considerable time if they've rushed back to the field.
That's why Steven Jackson may be a big piece to the puzzle, but he is getting to the age where RBs start to disappear. Jackson still had a decent 2011 season and there are no signs to think that his time is up, but it still would worry me if I was his owner.
The Thieves could be wondering the same thing, which is why younger backs David Wilson (Giants) and Robert Turbin (Seahawks) were drafted. Both were impressive during the preseason and could push for playing time in the regular season. From everything I've read on these two RBs, I have to say, I wish I would have read this before the draft. Both of these guys should have been on my target list and they were not. Big props to the Thieves for finding these great sleepers.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
I'm on the fence for a few of these wideouts. Part of me believes that Jeremy Maclin will have a breakout season, while the other part sees another 'so-so' season from him. The same goes for Malcolm Floyd and Nate Washington. I think both of those guys are in situations where they can be major receiving threats, yet I can easily make up reasons to why they will not be consistent enough to be a fantasy star.
Floyd enters the 2012 season without Vincent Jackson at his side and he'll be the primary target for Rivers, so there's definitely a chance for some big points there. Washington also is in a good situation with a new QB in Jake Locker taking over, and he looks really good in the preseason. I can see Washington having some good weeks for sure.
Devery Henderson, who had just two TDs in 2012 both coming in the first two weeks, is on the roster, along with Dwayne Harris, who has had a solid preseason with the Cowboys.
Tight Ends ★★★★★
Picking a tight end with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft is something we typically mock World of Noise for.
But Noise didn't do it and we can't mock the person who did.
Rob Gronkowski was the best out there in 2011 and he easily gives the Thieves a five-star rating. The Gronk scored 15 TDs during the JFL season — 17 in all — and he certainly is worthy of a first-round selection.
If he performs like he did last season, the Thieves will dominate the tight end position. Gronkowski averaged nearly seven more fantasy points per game than the No. 3 tight end in football last season. If you can average an extra seven points from one position weekly, it will make up for a poor week by someone else.
The Thieves should benefit from that.
Tight end Scott Chandler also is on the team, but I'm sure he's only there for one week, and when that bye week passes, he'll be on the waiver wire.
Team Outlook
Unlike the News Team, the Thieves are going to need a few things to happen to compete.
One, he needs either Manning or Rivers to be that elite fantasy starter. Two, he needs the top RBs to be healthy and ready to go. And three, he needs those receivers who were teetering on the fence for me to land on the side of success. If all three things happen, I think he'll compete with the News Team.
Otherwise, it's going to be a long fall.
3. Graybill's Generals
2011 Record, Finish: 6-8, Lost in NFC Wild Card
Career Record : 40-44 (.476)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 4-2 (3)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
No more Joe Flacco. Graybill finally gave up.
And I don't blame him. I almost did the same thing in the other league I'm in run by the Organ Thieves, but at the last second, I put Flacco back on my keeper list.
The Generals did not.
He made the trade in the offseason to grab Victor Cruz and keep him over Flacco, and in the first round of the draft, he selected Eli Manning. It was time to move on.
But I'm not so sure that is the case. I actually really like Flacco for this year. I know, I said the same thing last year and I was disappointed for most of the season, but I feel like he's on the cusp of doing some great things.
Nevertheless, it's Manning's turn. Manning ranked No. 6 in fantasy QBs last season and he should be close to that again. The Generals lost a few games last season because of his QB and that should not be a problem this year.
He also has Andy Dalton, who had a great rookie year, and Christian Ponder on his squad.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
When you have LeSean McCoy in your backfield, you don't need a lot of help in that department, which is good because the Generals barely gave him any.
Outside of McCoy, the Generals can roll out Beanie Wells, LeGarrette Blount and Ben Tate. Wells should see the majority of the carries in Arizona, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued him. He had only two big games last season and he had seven games where he scored less than 6.5 points. That's not want you wan from a No. 2 RB.
Blount looked like he was on a track toward fantasy stardom, but in steps rookie RB Doug Martin, who appears to be more talented than he. That means the number of carries for Blount should drop, especially around the goal line.
Lastly, there's Tate, who I thought was a great sleeper candidate for the 2011 season and continues to earn "sleeper" status in 2012. With Arian Foster piling up the touches and carries, it's not outrageous to think that he may begin to break down. Any injuries in Houston will open up a new era of running backs. Tate had six double-digit games last season, including a pair to start the season while Foster was hurt. He has the talent to be a big-time back, he just hasn't been able to get enough touches.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
I've already mentioned Victor Cruz, and we all know the potential he has for 2012. Add in the fact that the Generals have Eli Manning and there's a great opportunity for everyone's favorite: double points.
The Generals went young with a few other wideouts, drafting Jaguars rookie Justin Blackmon and Bears rookie Alshon Jeffrey. He also grabbed Denarius Moore, who had an OK rookie year overall for the Raiders last season, but it wasn't great from a fantasy standpoint. Understanding that there was a lockout that kept rookies from learning anything until August, we can maybe assume that an actual offseason will help double or even triple the number of big games Moore had as a rookie.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Remember reading about Gronkowski, and how I said he averaged nearly seven more fantasy points per week than the No. 3 tight end? Well, that No. 3 tight end is his teammate, Aaron Hernandez, who average 9.5 points per week. Hernandez is a great weapon to have and you could make a case that he'll score more points than Gronkowski in 2012. If that's the case, the Generals won big time picking him in the third round.
He also has Greg Olsen, who is a decent option at tight end in the Carolina offense. Hernandez will likely make the most starts for the Generals, but I could see a scenario that puts Olsen at the top of this depth chart.
Team Outlook
With the trio of Manning, McCoy and Cruz, there's no reason why the Generals can't compete for a playoff spot, I just don't know if he'll compete for a division title. The key will be having his best weeks when he faces the News Team.
She was happy to see the JFL trophy leave her living room, while at the same time, the Jammers was happy to be reunited with it.
But I don't foresee it staying in my house for long.
The Channel 4 News Team loaded up for 2012 and is my pick to win the Super Bowl. In my eyes, he's got a top-three QB, the best 1-2 punch at RB in the JFL and a strong receiving corps. He feasibly could make a run at the JFL record for wins in a season (14).
The preseason poll agrees as the News Team scored 24 points and seven first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Thieves came in second with 16 points and the Generals were in third with 14. Both the Thieves and the Generals had one first-place vote.
The poll is lopsided for the News Team, but that's because most everyone believes he'll win the division. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities that the Thieves or Generals contend for the division title late in the season.
Both have pretty good teams, and if it is true that the News Team has locked up the division on paper, I think the Thieves and the Generals will have a duel to the Wild Card berth.
2011 Record, Finish: 9-5, NFC West Champion, lost in NFC Championship
Career Record : 47-39 (.547)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 5-3 (4)
Quarterbacks ★★★★½
To get five stars, all the News Team had to do was draft a QB that could throw the ball. Instead, he drafted Tim Tebow.
Still, Aaron Rodgers will take care of 12 of 13 weeks during the regular season. There's not much I have to say about Rodgers, other than I don't expect the Packers to be as good as they have been. I actually think the Lions will finish first, followed by the Bears and then the Packers. Still, I think the Packers will be 9-7, 10-6 and potentially a second wild card into the playoffs — which mean big points for Rodgers.
But, what happens if Rodgers goes down? Well, Tebow gets the nod and little Ronnie learns a few new curse words on Sundays.
... And check that, the News Team just picked up Russell Wilson after I wrote that awesome QB capsule. I'd change it, but I want you all to enjoy it before I tell you to take that half-star and make it a full five stars.
Running Backs ★★★★★
Nick Nikish may have locked up the championship with the 10th pick in the 2012 draft. Selecting Jamaal Charles gives him the best running back duo in the JFL. Arian Foster continues to be in the top echelon of RBs, while Charles was there in 2010 before suffering an ACL injury in 2011. He's back and healthy, and I fully expect him to be a big threat for Kansas City.
Charles is a player I targeted and thought I might get at No. 12. When he dropped past seven, I really thought it was possible, but then, Nikish swooped in and took him — and I made my displeasure known at the live draft.
Nikish also stole a few other targets of mine, but I'll get to them in a few.
As for backup RBs, Nikish won't need many, but he's got a few decent handcuffs that could emerge and give him a three-RB set that is to die for. First, and most likely at this point to succeed is Rashad Jennings. With Maurice Jones-Drew sitting out and likely not joining the team any time soon, Jennings is a great back to have. He's talented and without MJD there, he'll get the chance to carry the load.
The News Team also snagged Isaac Redman, who will get extra carries while Rashard Mendenhall recovers from a knee injury, and Toby Gerhart, who could get a lot of carries if (1) Adrian Peterson is limited or (2) if Peterson re-injures himself after rushing back to the lineup from a December ACL tear.
Lastly, Reggie Bush's backup, Daniel Thomas, is chilling in the backseat.
Wideouts ★★★★☆
The stars are bright so bright and so numerous. It's like a Montana night sky.
There are another four stars here for WRs as the News Team has four awesome wideouts.
I think Brandon Marshall is going to have a huge season in Chicago, while Miles Austin and Jordy Nelson will be decent No. 2 fantasy WRs — some say Nelson will be the best fantasy wideout in 2012.
But the best pick of all may be Kenny Britt. He's a super star who can't stay out of trouble with the law and needs to come back strong from injury.
If he gets serious playing time in 2012 — he's suspended one game — Jake Locker will find him often for TDs. I was about to pull the trigger on this pick and the News Team snagged him away just like he did with Charles.
To think, had the News Team gotten to and won the Super Bowl in 2011, the Jammers would have Charles and Britt on his team. Instead, the News Team had to hand back the trophy and may be in position to claim it back in January.
Tight Ends ★★★★☆
Even the tight ends are a four. Hard to believe, I know, but this is where the last of the stolen targets come in. Jared Cook, a tight end for the Titans, is said to have Rob Gronkowski potential. If he has even three-quarters of the season Gronk had last year, this is a helluva pickup. Add in Coby Fleener, the Colts new tight end, and the News Team is set.
Team Outlook
What can I say? I'm jealous.
If I were to start from scratch, I'd have several of these players on my team. The News Team got off to a slow start last season, but I don't see that happening this year. He should cruise to a division title, a conference title and yet another Super Bowl title.
2011 Record, Finish: 4-8-1
Career Record : 45-37-1 (.548)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 2-3 (4)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
A couple years ago, it would have been nearly impossible to have both Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning on the same team.
In 2012, you could manage it in most fantasy drafts if you had.
Both have slipped in fantasy rankings — Rivers because of a sluggish 2011 season and Manning because of his injury that kept him out all last season.
The Thieves didn't let the poor performance prevent him from keeping Rivers, and after he stared at Manning on the draft board for five rounds, he decided it was time to make a move to shore up his QB position.
With both Rivers and Manning, the Thieves should be in good shape because both should come back from their forgettable 2011 seasons.
The Thieves also have Mark Sanchez, but I don't expect much out of Sanchez for 2012, so it's up to Rivers and Manning.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
Potentially, the Organ Thieves have one of the best backfields in the JFL.
Then again, he potentially could have the most devastated.
With the top two guys being Adrian Peterson and Trent Richardson, the fantasy projections are ridiculous. At the same time, both are bothered by knee injuries and both could miss considerable time if they've rushed back to the field.
That's why Steven Jackson may be a big piece to the puzzle, but he is getting to the age where RBs start to disappear. Jackson still had a decent 2011 season and there are no signs to think that his time is up, but it still would worry me if I was his owner.
The Thieves could be wondering the same thing, which is why younger backs David Wilson (Giants) and Robert Turbin (Seahawks) were drafted. Both were impressive during the preseason and could push for playing time in the regular season. From everything I've read on these two RBs, I have to say, I wish I would have read this before the draft. Both of these guys should have been on my target list and they were not. Big props to the Thieves for finding these great sleepers.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
I'm on the fence for a few of these wideouts. Part of me believes that Jeremy Maclin will have a breakout season, while the other part sees another 'so-so' season from him. The same goes for Malcolm Floyd and Nate Washington. I think both of those guys are in situations where they can be major receiving threats, yet I can easily make up reasons to why they will not be consistent enough to be a fantasy star.
Floyd enters the 2012 season without Vincent Jackson at his side and he'll be the primary target for Rivers, so there's definitely a chance for some big points there. Washington also is in a good situation with a new QB in Jake Locker taking over, and he looks really good in the preseason. I can see Washington having some good weeks for sure.
Devery Henderson, who had just two TDs in 2012 both coming in the first two weeks, is on the roster, along with Dwayne Harris, who has had a solid preseason with the Cowboys.
Tight Ends ★★★★★
Picking a tight end with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft is something we typically mock World of Noise for.
But Noise didn't do it and we can't mock the person who did.
Rob Gronkowski was the best out there in 2011 and he easily gives the Thieves a five-star rating. The Gronk scored 15 TDs during the JFL season — 17 in all — and he certainly is worthy of a first-round selection.
If he performs like he did last season, the Thieves will dominate the tight end position. Gronkowski averaged nearly seven more fantasy points per game than the No. 3 tight end in football last season. If you can average an extra seven points from one position weekly, it will make up for a poor week by someone else.
The Thieves should benefit from that.
Tight end Scott Chandler also is on the team, but I'm sure he's only there for one week, and when that bye week passes, he'll be on the waiver wire.
Team Outlook
Unlike the News Team, the Thieves are going to need a few things to happen to compete.
One, he needs either Manning or Rivers to be that elite fantasy starter. Two, he needs the top RBs to be healthy and ready to go. And three, he needs those receivers who were teetering on the fence for me to land on the side of success. If all three things happen, I think he'll compete with the News Team.
Otherwise, it's going to be a long fall.
2011 Record, Finish: 6-8, Lost in NFC Wild Card
Career Record : 40-44 (.476)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 4-2 (3)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
No more Joe Flacco. Graybill finally gave up.
And I don't blame him. I almost did the same thing in the other league I'm in run by the Organ Thieves, but at the last second, I put Flacco back on my keeper list.
The Generals did not.
He made the trade in the offseason to grab Victor Cruz and keep him over Flacco, and in the first round of the draft, he selected Eli Manning. It was time to move on.
But I'm not so sure that is the case. I actually really like Flacco for this year. I know, I said the same thing last year and I was disappointed for most of the season, but I feel like he's on the cusp of doing some great things.
Nevertheless, it's Manning's turn. Manning ranked No. 6 in fantasy QBs last season and he should be close to that again. The Generals lost a few games last season because of his QB and that should not be a problem this year.
He also has Andy Dalton, who had a great rookie year, and Christian Ponder on his squad.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
When you have LeSean McCoy in your backfield, you don't need a lot of help in that department, which is good because the Generals barely gave him any.
Outside of McCoy, the Generals can roll out Beanie Wells, LeGarrette Blount and Ben Tate. Wells should see the majority of the carries in Arizona, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued him. He had only two big games last season and he had seven games where he scored less than 6.5 points. That's not want you wan from a No. 2 RB.
Blount looked like he was on a track toward fantasy stardom, but in steps rookie RB Doug Martin, who appears to be more talented than he. That means the number of carries for Blount should drop, especially around the goal line.
Lastly, there's Tate, who I thought was a great sleeper candidate for the 2011 season and continues to earn "sleeper" status in 2012. With Arian Foster piling up the touches and carries, it's not outrageous to think that he may begin to break down. Any injuries in Houston will open up a new era of running backs. Tate had six double-digit games last season, including a pair to start the season while Foster was hurt. He has the talent to be a big-time back, he just hasn't been able to get enough touches.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
I've already mentioned Victor Cruz, and we all know the potential he has for 2012. Add in the fact that the Generals have Eli Manning and there's a great opportunity for everyone's favorite: double points.
The Generals went young with a few other wideouts, drafting Jaguars rookie Justin Blackmon and Bears rookie Alshon Jeffrey. He also grabbed Denarius Moore, who had an OK rookie year overall for the Raiders last season, but it wasn't great from a fantasy standpoint. Understanding that there was a lockout that kept rookies from learning anything until August, we can maybe assume that an actual offseason will help double or even triple the number of big games Moore had as a rookie.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Remember reading about Gronkowski, and how I said he averaged nearly seven more fantasy points per week than the No. 3 tight end? Well, that No. 3 tight end is his teammate, Aaron Hernandez, who average 9.5 points per week. Hernandez is a great weapon to have and you could make a case that he'll score more points than Gronkowski in 2012. If that's the case, the Generals won big time picking him in the third round.
He also has Greg Olsen, who is a decent option at tight end in the Carolina offense. Hernandez will likely make the most starts for the Generals, but I could see a scenario that puts Olsen at the top of this depth chart.
Team Outlook
With the trio of Manning, McCoy and Cruz, there's no reason why the Generals can't compete for a playoff spot, I just don't know if he'll compete for a division title. The key will be having his best weeks when he faces the News Team.
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