Philly Just Got Very Competitive, Lands Nnamdi Asomugha

And ‘Poof!’, just like that the Philadelphia Eagles became a Super Bowl contender.

The highest touted free agent of the season had to wait all summer for the lockout to finish but former Oakland Raider Nnamdi Asomugha now has a home and it’s not the Jets. Or the Cowboys. It’s the Eagles and I bet you’re as surprised as me to hear that.

The biggest reason Nnamdi signed with the Eagles, who have been tremendously busy in the last few days, is by drafting Kevin Kolb a few years back. By unloading their backup QB to Arizona the Eagles were able to steal the Cards talented Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

By sealing up one side of the backfield the Eagles no doubt made it tempting for Nnamdi to be part of one of the most talented defensive combos we have seen in years. The Eagles were already playoff ready. Now they’re just scary.

Now that leaves the Eagles CB Asante Samuel in a crowded backfield that might end up with Philly trying to unload the a $5 million-a-year nickle corner. We’ll have to wait and see over the next week or two to see whether the Eagles will keep the expensive third wheel or try to swing him to another team.

And while they were at it the Eagles finalized a one-year contract with two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Vince Young in their attempt to make VY their next reclamation project. They believe that if they can take an immature Michael Vick and turn him back into a Pro Bowler than VY can be saved as well.

The main problem is that Vick grew up while in prison and VY has never shown signs of maturity. He hasn’t had to face his ‘manhood’ yet and it will be interesting to see if the Eagles can change him. My guess is no because one year is not enough. VY needs to grow up and use his talent while he’s in his prime. Me thinks his mind is going to be late to this party.

Comedian Rob Riggle Tries Out For Seahawks

I personally can’t wait for the video for this. Rob Riggle, a correspondent for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” has been exchanging some interesting Tweets with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

It would appear that Riggle has been really working out on his XBox with Madden and is ready to try out for the team.  If that’s the case, I’m ready as well coach.

After some banter and persuading it appears that Riggle did indeed show up at the Seahawks camp and get to work.  Pete Carroll took this epic pic of Riggle trying to catch a ball but it comes off like he’s a bit scared of it.

Carroll’s caption is epic, too.  He could be a writer for “The Daily Show.”

I’ve seen better hands on a clock… And did they arrest the guy who stole your calves?

Oh well, there’s always next year.  Back to you, Jon.

NFL Cut Day, Who Got A Pinkslip?

Busy, busy day in the NFL yesterday as the fallout of the first day to cut players hit a few teams hard. Several under performers and high $ contract players were released as expected with a few surprises.

• Haynesworth is now a Patriot, in exchange for a fifth round pick and what could be the return of Bill Belichick’s ‘genius’ hat. Despite the personal problems of Haynseworth, the Pats pick him up with plenty of years left in the tank and most of his $100 mill contract paid by the ‘Skins including all the guaranteed stuff. That means if Fat Albert doesn’t work out in Bahston than it’s really not much of a loss and me thinks that the Pats will find a way to channel the inner anger of the last 2 years in D.C. to make Al a great lineman again.

• Chad Ochocinco traded to New England. The Pats continue to surprise us not by landing Ochocinco but by getting Bengals owner Mike Brown to actually get off his cheap ass and trade someone. I’m not saying Mike Brown’s out of touch but it’s a little mean that the Pats traded their 8th round picks for the next 3 years for Ocho.

• Reggie Bush to the Dolphins. For all those people that used the term “I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” shame on you. Dang. I just used it. Shame on me. Good pickup by the Dolphins but something tells me that if Bush can’t make it in Sean Payton’s system then there’s not much hope.

• McNabb traded to Vikings. Who’s Mike Shanahan going to pick on this year? Al to N.E. and now McNabb to Minny? The Skins better sign Vince Young or it’s going to be a dull year in D.C.

• Kevin Kolb traded to the Cardinals, signs huge extension. Whoever is Kolb’s agent is a fucking genius. This guy has landed another $60+ mill to what the Eagles have already paid him and he’s only played 7 games in 4 years. Well played, sir.

• Vince Young gets cut by the Titans. Look for him to sign with Applebee’s near the Titans stadium as a server, you know, until things pick up although it has been reported that Corporate may want him to help out in one of their Philly locations.

• Hasselbeck to the Titans. Will he grow a hobo beard like Kerry Collins now?

• Sidney Rice heads to Seattle for a shrewd pickup by the ‘Hawks.

• Tarvaris Jackson heads to Seattle for a not-so-shrewd pickup by the ‘Hawks.

• Matt Leinart stays in Houston like it’s the Witness Relocation Program to collect paychecks. He had the chance to go to Seattle but probably isn’t good enough to get past Tarvaris Jackson. Sad, isn’t it?

Today is Trim-The-Fat Day in the NFL

One good thing about the NFL Lockout, other than the lack of Brett Favre rumors, is that the NFL Free Agency, Training Camps and miscellaneous transactions are all boiled down to a very short period.

On Friday the teams can start to sign free agents and even though they have to wait until that day, that hasn’t stopped several players from already getting deals ‘ready’ for Friday.  It’s kinda like the NCAA’s National Signing Day which is different but fun.

Today we have the cut day. It’s where teams look carefully over their roster and payroll and figure out who stays and who goes. Unless you’re Bengals owner Mike Brown. In that case you don’t spend money or cut people like Carson Palmer because Palmer wants out and he’s as good as a terrorist.

Carson Palmer, Terrorist

And we don’t negotiate with terrorists!

Here’s a look at some of the money that’s expected to be trimmed off today.

Kevin Kolb. It’s not everyday you get to see someone so touted with so little experience dominate the headlines. But Kolb’s the man everyone’s talking about but no one can afford. Except the Cardinals who are expected to ship some talent and picks to Philly for their next QB of the future. No, that’s not Derek Anderson, who will leave the team to focus on his one-man Broadway show, ‘The Funny Man.’

Willis McGahee. The aging running back finally lives up to those predictions that he wouldn’t last in the NFL after that brutal knee injury in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. While they’re at it, the Ravens send pink slips to the always injured yet productive Derrick Mason, that white guy Kelly Gregg and Todd Heap, who if he were as healthy as he was popular in Baltimore he’d still be playing.

Donovan McNabb. The Redskins have had enough of beating up on Donovan and are expected to trade him to Minnesota for a case of Red Bull and an autographed picture of Prince. Don’t worry, they’ll keep Haynesworth around to pick on.

Jake Delhomme, The Cleveland Browns will probably cut the old man loose and what’s surprising is that Jake was scheduled to make almost $5.4 million this year. Understandable, since that’s a lot of dough for a guy who played 5 games and threw 7 INT’s last year. Jake stated he would like to go back to NFL Europe to wind down his career but I haven’t the heart to tell him that league folded a few years back.

Vince Young. The Titans have been over VY’s immature antics for awhile now and stated late last season that he would not only be out as a starter, but out of the locker room. So grab some Purple Drank and sit back and watch as no teams line up to trade for him. Maybe the Redskins can sign him to give someone for Mike Shanahan to mock during the season now that McNabb’s headed to Minny.

Kyle Orton. More of a trade here as the Broncos aren’t willing to keep the huge salary for Orton on their books. Orton will once again be traded to a bad team where everyone will say ‘he’s a nice guy’ and

Reggie Bush. The Saints have silently pointed out that Bush is no longer the stud in town. I believe the meeting with the management went something like this when Mark Ingram came into the room. Bush might end up in Miami which is such a great place for a socialite like Reggie to lay low for awhile and focus on football.

Cowboys will let loose the horrible Roy Williams and decent, but pricey, running back Marion Barber. Dez Bryant has already volunteered to carry Williams pads out to the parking lot for him.

Giants to let loose Shaun O’Hara. Slated to make $3,45 million next year, or $500,000 per game actually played in, this move helps move the Giants closer to the cap and one step closer to signing Plaxico back. C’mon, who doesn’t want that?

Will the Jets let go Braylon Edwards? The most humbled and skilled receiver out there? Who will drop those 3rd down passes now?

Geaux Tigers! LSU Brews Their Own Beer!

 

LSU is looking for new opportunities to generate revenue for the university and they have tapped into a great idea with their private line of beers.

Tin Roof beers, which are handcrafted in Baton Rouge, are teaming up with the flagship Louisiana State University to bring fans their very own brew.  Night games in Death Valley are about to get even more rowdy (if that’s possible) as Tiger fans now have even more reason to kick back a cold one.

The SEC has banned drinking inside stadiums and as a student of the SEC I can say they have been very effective.  I don’t think I ever saw a game sober since most people either get blasted before the game while tailgating or just sneak in some alcohol.  Or some did both.

Either way it wasn’t that big of a deal.  But I can just imagine back then hitting the tailgating with some beer emblazoned with the team logo.  I can also imagine a few of my friends chucking the beer cans at rival players so maybe it is a good thing the booze is banned inside the stadium.

Now I can just imagine how long it will take for some drunk player to try to use the excuse he was only drinking school beer to try to get out of an NCAA secondary violation.

It’s really a fantastic idea by LSU and I can only imagine many schools will be looking at this idea as a huge source of revenue.

Tin Roof Brewing Co. and Mockler Beverage will be working with a recipe created by LSU’s own food science department, with the school finalizing logos and labels for the new brew. An LSU spokesman said he hopes to have the beer “on store shelves by fall.”

Beer is banned inside all SEC stadiums and most college football venues so presumably LSU brew will compete with Abita and a plethora of lite beers as the staple beverage at Death Valley tailgates.
[via CBS Sports]

Free Agent Tarvaris Jackson Reportedly To Seahawks, Hasselbeck Out?

It’s an interesting move for the Seattle Seahawks but not out of the blue. Reports from Seattle are stating that Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson will sign with the team on Friday, the first day free agents are allowed to ink deals with the new CBA.

That leaves the issue of bringing back veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck for one more year hanging out there in the wind and it seems that the writing is on the wall for the 35-year old former Pro Bowler to look for work elsewhere.

Rumors of Hasselbeck to the Titans and a couple of other teams, including Minnesota, have surfaced over the last few weeks as we near the end of the Lockout. As one Seahawk fan put it, if the ‘Hawks wanted him back you would have him already. Instead, rumors of Seattle pursuing Kevin Kolb of Philadelphia ran amok during the NFL Lockout rather than the team wanting to resign Hasselbeck.

The move is interesting because it helps clear up a lot in the QB free agent market.  We now will see just how interested the Arizona Cardinals are in Kevin Kolb. The Eagles are wanting a lot of talent or draft picks for their high-priced backup to Michael Vick and it appears that the Cards are willing to take the bait.

The ‘Hawks were in the running but reportedly didn’t want to ship bunch of picks including a first-round pick to Philly. Signing Jackson is a cheap alternative until next year when better QBs will be on the maket.

After two frustrating seasons serving as Brett Favre’s backup in Minnesota, QB Tarvaris Jackson is headed to the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent signee, the Seattle Times reported (confirming an earlier report on KJR-Radio). Terms of the agreement are not known.

Jackson reunites with former Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who left Minnesota in January and signed a two-year contract with Seattle to join Pete Carroll’s staff. Bevell is familiar with Jackson’s talent and also his shortcomings. Used sporadically as a fill-in for an injured Favre, Jackson was wildly inconsistent. The Vikings’ second-round pick in 2006, Jackson started 20 games for Minnesota, peaking in a 2008 game against the Arizona Cardinals in which he completed 11 of 17 passes for 163 yards and four touchdowns. He flopped in the Vikings’ home playoff loss to the Eagles, however, and then-coach Brad Childress made the move to acquire Favre.
[via Fox Sports]

And I can’t blame them. Seattle bet pretty big on backup Charlie ‘Chuckin’ Whitehurst to be around for a few years as Hasselbeck’s backup when they beat out Arizona for the rights to the former Charger third-stringer.

Even though Chucky has yet to prove himself, the ‘Hawks were not comfortable heading into the new season without some proven talent.  The gave out some $$$ and draft picks for Whitehurst and to spend big on another unproven talent in Kolb is a high price to pay

On the table are Kolb, Carson Palmer and Kyle Orton from Denver. All are expensive guys to land and Pete Carroll may be gambling on next years draft for his next signal caller.

Palmer, a former Trojan like Carroll, chose to retire rather than play for the Bengals and the Bengals seem content on proving their point by hurting their team by letting Palmer go without compensation. They could get a lot from Palmer in return but would rather stick their own head up their ass and lose out to prove a point.  Genius. No wonder they haven’t been to the Super Bowl in over 20 years.

But the day Mike Brown does something smart in Cincy is going to be a crazy day for Bengal fans. They won’t know what to do with themselves.

Also out at the moment, but don’t be surprised if he shows up in Seattle, is former Trojan Matt Leinart. The former first round pick is bouncing around out there on the bench and may try to make a comeback in Seattle with his former coach like wide receiver Mike Williams did last year.

Personally, I put Leinart and Jackson in the same mold.  Both are unproven talent that I don’t expect to see in a Pro Bowl anytime soon but I wish them luck. They deserve another shot.

Hasselbeck, on the other hand, has a few more options than Kolb.  There’s no huge price tag with him and he can sign anywhere that a team wants a proven leader.  The bad side is he’s 35-years old and has not played a full season since 2008.  His back has been an issue and the candle is starting to flicker on this former 6th round draft pick by the Packers.

The Titans seem his best option right now as they are looking to unload Vince Young and go with Washington Huskie Jake Locker, a rookie.  Tennessee is needing to replace their QB spot after stating Vince is out and Kerry Collins retired.  Should they want to insert another old vet in the lineup, Hasselbeck is a great option.

The 49ers, another option for him, are out after recently reporting to agree to a deal with their former 1st-round bust, Alex Smith.

Former St. Louis Ram Marc Bulger is still out there as well but I can’t gauge who’s interested in him right now. He could end up with the Titans, leaving Hasselbeck in the dust wondering why the called ID on his phone has a Buffalo area code.

There is a small chance Hasselbeck signs up again with the Seahawks for one more year. It’s a small chance that I don’t expect but it would be interesting to see him compete with the kids for a job.  Matt was offered a contract back in March but reportedly wanted to test the waters in free agency.  Come Friday, that deal with the ‘Hawks may not be there at all for him to even consider.

For now I foresee the ‘Hawks going with Whitehurst, Jackson and possibly Leinart into the next season.  The three of them might be good enough for Seattle to get to a winning record this season and we all know that anything above .500 is good enough for the playoffs in the NFC West.

2011 Top Ten Fantasy Football Running Backs

It’s time to consider which stud will back your Fantasy Football QB on your fantasy team. Your backfield will cement your team throughout the league so draft wisely. You will need a combination of yards plus red zone TD’s to beat those other punks in your league. Here’s a breakdown of the Top Ten Fantasy Football Running Backs.

10. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

McFadden finally showed his potential last year with 5.2 yards per carry and 1664 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

He’s explosive and versatile which made him one of the best running backs in the NCAA while at Arkansas. However, it took 3 years to show it in the NFL and being on the Raiders doesn’t help. The revolving door of coaching and QB’s makes it hard for anyone to get into a rhythm in Oaktown.

Michael Bush will still grab carries from McFadden which hurt his draft stock but there’s no denying that McFadden is the stud here. The biggest knock on Darren is his health as the guy has missed a handful of games each season in the league. He will also have to prove he is strong enough to be the go-to guy in the red zone as Bush makes most of his TD’s there.

But with his contract year coming up I expect McFadden to work out the kinks and turn it up a notch. If not he might just disappear back into the fog and not be a factor in next years draft.

A healthy Darren McFadden should get you 1,300 yards, 10 TD’s and 500 yards receiving.

9. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mendenhall’s numbers don’t jump out but the fact he’s a red zone monster is reason to bet on him. Last year Mendenhall scored 13 TDs, despite QB Ben Roethlisberger out for a suspension and an offensive line that suffered injuries.

Mendenhall is a physical running back with power and speed and surprisingly good hands out of the backfield that have yet to be fully utilized. When this kid gets the ball he can move and the Steelers need to utilize his receiving skills more out of the backfield this year. Having an improved and healthy O-line and reliable QB position only helps heading into the season.

Mendenhall is nearing a contract year so expect more output from this workhorse. And one of the bonuses of being on a winning machine like the Steelers is all the parts look and perform better. I expect Rashard to come out with another solid year and possibly notch career numbers.

A healthy Rashard Mendenhall should get you 1,300 yards, 15 TD’s and 300 yards receiving.

8. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

Michael Turner is the Falcons’ workhorse who led the league with 334 carries, with a league-high 68 times in the red zone. His 1,300+ yards and 12 TD’s last year might propel him to the top 5 but unfortunately he doesn’t catch many balls out of the backfield.

Turner has yet to break the 100 yard barrier for any season catching the ball and that drops the talented back down a lot on this list. The Falcons are geared more toward using him solely as a runner but one has to wonder how much more of a threat he’d be catching a few more balls during the year.

It’s not like the Falcons do not use him. Turner led the league in red-zone rushes, inside-the-10 rushes and goal-line rushes and the Falcons are a great team that should be just as good, in not better, this year.

A healthy Michael Turner should get you 1,400 yards, 12 TD’s and 90 yards receiving.

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

MJD is coming off offseason knee surgery and should continue to see heavy work as a runner and a receiver. The Jags have an underrated O Line and help the compact Jones-Drew in short yardage situations. Trying to tackle the “Pocket Hercules” is no easy task and it helps that led the league with 21.4 carries per game.

In the open, MJD is a strong runner with break away speed. Jones-Drew still managed 299 carries in 14 games last year, hampered by a knee injury, but will have to face competition in the backfield.

The Jag have two young backs behind Jones-Drew in Rashad Jennings and Deji Karim that will leach yards off of MJD. Despite that I can’t imagine the Jags rolling with MJD as much as they can since he’s a proven winner. Keep in mind the knee injuries but know if this guy is healthy he will be a top 3 running back by all indications.

A healthy Maurice Jones-Drew should get you 1,400 yards, 16 TD’s and 500 yards receiving.

6. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice is one of the league’s best pass-catching back but can handle a heavy workload. Last season Rice notched 307 carries and 63 catches for an impressive 1,776 yards from scrimmage.

The Ravens have split up red zone carries with Willis McGahee who might not come back.  That’s a plus for the Ravens offensive that is improving.

The Ravens want to run but will need the O-Line to step up and make that happen. In that case look for Rice to be a huge threat near the goal line.

Rice is a tough guy to bring down and I see the Ravens utilizing his skills this year to bump themselves deep into the playoffs.

Like so many players on this list Rice heads into a contract year and is one of the most underpaid players on any of these lists. Rice has averaged 119.3 yards per game for the last two seasons but will only earn $550,000 this contract year.  If anyone in the league wanted a banner year to get paid it will be this guy.

A healthy Ray Rice should get you 1,300 yards, 10 TD’s and 700 yards receiving.

5. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

As the Eagles and Michael Vick continue to mature one of the most promising running backs stands in their backfield. LeSean McCoy got only 207 carries last year, but cracked 1,000 yards and scored 7 TD’s.

He also led all running backs with 78 receptions as well as being on the field for 837 snaps, which is third among running backs.

Basically, he’s a big part of the offensive and will be deployed even more this year as a runner and receiver.

The possibility of McCoy being a red zone monster are scary as this guy is on the cusp of being a fantasy beast and make the manager that drafted him a winner in the league.

A healthy LeSean McCoy should get you 1,200 yards, 12 TD’s and 600-700 yards receiving.

4. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Although he didn’t have a horrible year last season, CJ settled back into his 2008 numbers of around 1,300 yards rushing. He’s only been in the league for 3 years so it’s still hard to gauge what we’ll be getting from him this year.

The 2009 season saw CJ blow up the league with 2,006 yards rushing and 16 TD’s.

But it’s the 2008 and 2010 seasons that stand out as eerily similar. In those years he ran for 1228 yards in 2008 and 1364 yards in 2010, with an average of 81.9/yards (2008) and 85.3 (2010) for 9 TD’s (2008) and 11 TD’s (2010). He also caught 260 yards in 2008 and 245 yards in 2010. Across the board the numbers for those two years are the same and the year.

So while a lot of managers are gambling on CJ repeating his 2009 numbers, I’m going the safe route and say he’s going to be producing numbers similar to his 2008 and 2010 seasons on a team with a new coach, new offensive strategy, an empty QB position and a questionable receiver corps.

The Titans offense is going to have a long season and the possibility of CJ holding out for a bigger contract doesn’t help ease managers worries. Defenses may stack the line against the Titans knowing the team has a passing problem but CJ has proven he can handle that.

Not 2,006 yards handling of the situation but a solid 1,300 yards solution.

A healthy Chris Johnson should get you 1,300 yards, 10 TD’s and 500 yards receiving.

3. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

A lot of people are going to slide CJ in this slot (if not higher) but I’m going to take a gamble and call Jamaal Charles my dark horse for running back picks. Charles competed with Arian Foster last year for the best running back in the AFC and the Chiefs should continue the bombardment of Jamaal Charles this year.

Last season Charles averaged a freaky 6.4/yards a gain. Only Jim Brown ever averaged more yards per carry in a full season. But he only tallied 5 TD’s, very disappointing for any RB. He’s as explosive and talented as CJ but plays on a much better team.

The Chiefs have a chance to be a playoff threat this year and that depends on the running game. To get past the Chargers in the AFC West, the Chiefs need to get Charles rolling into the endzone. Jamaal will have to compete with Thomas Jones for yards again this year but head coach Todd Haley seems content with making Charles their featured back. As long as that’s the case look for Jamaal to be in contention for the best RB in the league again this season.

A healthy Jamaal Charles should get you 1,400 yards, 10 TD’s and 500 yards receiving.

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Peterson’s numbers declined for the second year in a row which knocks him back a few spots. A new coach and a new QB will dictate how Peterson does this year and right now that’s a bit of a question mark.

Peterson is a bruising runner who still has the speed. Coupled with nice receiving skills, it’s hard not to draft this guy. He’s on a bad team with no proven QB so expect Peterson to grab some huge numbers until the QB spot solidifies. As an manager you might want someone with more receiving yards but overall there’s very few RB’s in the game as reliable as Peterson with 52 TD’s in his four seasons.

And being a contract year for Peterson, I expect the big guy to really open up the throttle this year.

A healthy Adrian Peterson should get you 1,300 yards, 12 TD’s and 400 yards receiving.

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Most people will be flocking toward Foster for his huge numbers last year and some will be hesitant that a one-year wonder will not repeat.

For the most part it looks like Foster will be the go-to guy for the Texans this year and if he only does 75% of what he did last year he’s still one of the best in the league.

And last year he ran for 1616 yards at 101 yards a game with a huge 4.9/yards a carry and 16 TD’s.

Slightly impressive, to say the least. Except for the 4.9/yards a carry, all of those stats led the league last year. He’s a red zone beast and look for him to produce huge numbers again this year.

A healthy Arian Foster should get you 1,500 yards, 15 TD’s and 500 yards receiving.

The NFL Lockout Is Over!

The NFL Lockout is officially over. It’s hard to put into words the joy and happiness I had when the word came down there would be football this season. To help illustrate my feelings, mainly dancing and sighs of relief, here are some animated gifs showing off my various reactions.

OK, admittedly that last one was after I danced around the room for awhile and just needed to refuel with some Cheese Puffs.

2011 Top Ten Fantasy Football Quarterbacks

The NFL Lockout is all but over and the time to dust off your fantasy football notes.  The Lockout has hobbled us a bit as players have not been able to sign or be traded while the players and owners discuss a new CBA.

With only a handful of weeks left until preseason we will get a quick scramble of players signing and traded while camps start up.  Then we hit preseason and if there was ever a year I would recommend your fantasy team drafting as close to opening day than this is the year.

With that in mind it’s time to consider the most important stud on your fantasy team, the quarterback.  This is the guy who will represent your team while you’re bragging in the bar to your friends and anyone that listens that you’re leading your league.  Here’s a breakdown of the Top Ten Fantasy Football Quarterbacks.

10. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’ve admittedly have never been a huge Ben Roethlisberger fan but I like his consistency. Well, that’s when he’s not doing something stupid to be on IR or suspended.

But like Michael Vick over in Philly there are signs of maturity here in Pennsylvania. Big Ben needs to get his head out of his ass and be a better person/teammate and no one in the league needs to shape up more than him.

But despite his immaturity, Ben has led the team to a crazy 3 Super Bowls. That’s solid. Some might argue the defense had a slight hand in that and I will agree. The Steelers are a winning machine and Ben is just a part of that, although a key part.

So the good thing is that if Big Ben is healthy and in the lineup you can expect decent numbers and Ben will benefit from being on one of the best teams in the league. Numbers wise, not so much. Ben wins but doesn’t toss huge numbers like Drew Brees or Peyton Manning but don’t underestimate the big guy. He can still get the ball downfield.

A healthy (and unsuspended) Ben should get you 3,200 yards passing with 20 TD’s and 12 INT’s.

9. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are piecing together a great, great team and with the draft day trade for Alabama receiver Julio Jones the Falcons believe that their Super Bowl fate is sooner rather than later and will involve the passing game.

That’s good news for the fantasy managers that end up with Ryan. He’s kind of a darkhorse at this moment but he’s solid and efficient.

The downside is he’s young and still learning but with the addition of Jones to a squad with the talented Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez you can expect the passing game to kick it up a level this year.  Michael Turner and the running game help keep Ryan on the field and if all these players stay healthy than the Falcons are going to be putting up some mad numbers this season.

A healthy Ryan should get you 4,000 yards passing, 28 TD’s and 10 INT’s.

8. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans

The biggest knock on Schuab is not his skills.

The guy can toss balls like no ones business and his 1.6 passing TD’s per game last year illustrate that. His 8.0+ yards-per-attempt are crazy good and you could do a lot worse than pick Schaub.

The issue belongs to the offensive strategy of the team. Despite being coached by John Elway’s former backup, the Texans and head coach Gary Kubiak struggle a bit and unless the team can step up to the next level, the best years or Schaub may be right now.

A healthy Schaub should get you 4,300 yards passing, 25 TD’s and 14 INT’s.

7. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

Romo missed most of the 2010 season with a broken collarbone and could be a good sleeper QB for you in any league. The Cowboys are heading into 2011 with their new-ish coach, Jason Garrett, who was Romo’s offensive coordinator.

The two have yet to really work as a combo on the field as coach/QB and I expect great things from them.

Romo has great talent to work with in Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Miles Austin and if the team can cobble a decent running game together the Cowboys are going to be good offensively.

For me the trick is that Romo has to step up to that next level and become more efficient. He still panics and is prompt to throw too many INT’s but puts up strong numbers yearly. His yards-per-attempt are one of the best in the league.

A healthy Romo should get you 4,000 yards passing, 28 TD’s and 15 INT’s.

6. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

The Pats are efficient, I’ll give them that. Last year Brady went nuts with a 36-4 TD/INT ratio that still is boggling to look at. Brady last year found his stride that went off track due to a horrific knee injury in 2008-09.

The year before that Brady put up similar numbers as he did in 2010, which were career highs at the time.

The inconsistency of the Patriots leaves Brady’s numbers up and down like the stock market and always make Brady a gamble if there are any of the top 5 on this list available.

But if the Pats can keep their offense in the same range as the last two seasons you can expect a healthy Brady to get you 4,000 yards passing, 30 TD’s and 10 INTs.

5. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Efficient and pass happy, Rivers is one of those guys whose numbers just get better each year even though his team doesn’t.

The Chargers sometimes have great receivers and we’ll have to see what they cobble together this year.

Last year the squad had their top 3 players miss a combined 22 out of 28 games yet Rivers tossed career high numbers.

The numbers might take a hit this year as the receiver squad is reliable but may lose some key parts and the Chargers try to establish more of a run game as the Chargers continue to try and replace the lost LaDainian Tomlinson.

A healthy Rivers should get you 4,400 yards, 30 TD’s and 12 INTs.

4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Two seasons ago Drew Brees was the hottest QB in the league as he led his Saints to their first ever Super Bowl with a win.

His numbers went down slightly last year as the Saints struggled with a late season surge to get into the playoffs but met a Seahawks team determined to reach .500.

I don’t think last year should bother you about Brees. Sure he threw an ugly 22 INT’s but think about the running game the Saints had last year. It really wasn’t there. And a knee sprain didn’t help but the Saints have added some talent in the back field and I expect Brees to bounce back nicely.

A healthy Brees should get you 4,300 yards passing, 30 TD’s and 18 INTs.

3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

The master of efficiency is getting up there in years but even a hobbled Manning is better than most QBs out there. First take note that Peyton is coming off surgery in the offseason that seems to be taking a long time to heal.

After having neck surgery earlier this summer, Manning is still healing and may miss some training camps but is expected to be ready by season opening.

That might mean a rusty start for the 35-year old veteran but it won’t take long for him to get back in sync.

Peyton threw for a crazy career-high 679 times last year, 108 more times than his next highest level. But that only accounted for 200 more passing yards and the same number of TD’s at 33.

Most of that had to do with the Colts not being able to keep a healthy WR squad on the field and Peyton being out of sync with his new kids. Hopefully, they will fix that and Peyton can go back to throwing more efficiently and be more productive in the red zone. If nothing else, Manning is the most reliable QB out there for my money. If you want a solid QB to feed TDs and get yards

A healthy Peyton Manning should get you 4,500 yards passing, 30 TD’s and 15 INT’s.

2. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

For me, Vick has always been a gamble as his accuracy has always been an issue. But as Vick continues to mature in Philly it will be hard to find a more complete package. He can run or pass for a TD and being on the pass-happy Eagles teams doesn’t hurt.

But be weary and have a good backup handy as Vick is getting older and still running around. That means injuries here and there. But as long as Vick continues to work on his QB skills that might not be an issue. The accuracy thing I mentioned earlier is a huge knock on Michael but he seems to be understanding how important that is to his play.

Last year Vick notched his first 100+ QB rating (100.2, he never got above 82 in ATL) and pass completion percentage at 62.6. He never got into the 60′s in his previous seasons. Two years ago I would say avoid Vick like the plague but he’s come a long way to being a legit fantasy QB.

A healthy Vick should get you around 3,200 passing yards, 25 TD’s and around 10 INT’s. But he will also add around 600+ yards rushing with another 5 or so TD’s.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Rogers may be the top quarterback in the league in both fantasy and real-life purposes.

Although he threw less passes last year than Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, he was extremely efficient. In fact, last year he put up slightly smaller numbers than the previous two seasons but marched his team all the way to the Super Bowl.

Do keep an eye out as Rodgers has suffered a few concussions over the years. He’s a tough guy who doesn’t mind running but as the Packers continue to get better he’ll likely spend more time in the pocket and less scrambling around.

I expect Rodgers to continue his streak of greatness and as a manager that has had him for the past 2 seasons, I’ve not been disappointed with his performance at all.

A healthy Rodgers should get you about 4,000 yards passing, almost 30 TD’s and around 10 INT’s.

Prep For Your Fantasy Draft, Deal to End NFL Lockout Reached

Just a quick note for the weekend as the only real news in the world of football was dealing with the NFL Lockout. The players had the weekend to look a the deal proposed by the owners and move to end the lockout as soon as Wednesday.

The NFL Players Association and the league’s owners have reached agreement on the remaining points needed in their 10-year labor deal, sources from both sides said.

Despite the fact the new agreement will require a majority vote from the players, that part of the deal between the two sides is considered a formality, according to sources.

The NFLPA is making plans for a major press conference Monday. But first the player reps’ executive committee is scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., on Sunday so they can vote Monday.

After the vote by the players we will get a fun time as trades and free agency starts up as well as training camp. That limited window of all elements will combine into a huge frenzy of player movement that will be fun to watch.

So start dusting off your fantasy football draft status, it looks like it’s ‘Go’ time.

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