For the last three years the Michael Vick hype has been over the top. Way over the top! We've heard what a great player he is, how valuable to his team he his, and even what a great QB he is. It looks like the "experts" are finally realizing that Michael Vick is an illusion.
Take a look at the Fantasy Football draft lists posted on every web site and you will see how far Vick's football image has fallen. For the past few years Vick has been THE most over-rated player in Fantasy Football and possibly in all of Pro Football. No experienced, knowledgeable FFL owner outside of Atlanta would start him, and most (like me) wouldn't even draft him. The experts on the web have now figured it out, too.
I can't find Vick in a Top 10 QB list, and I have seen a couple top 100 lists that don't have him listed. Why? Because he can't throw the football. Period. Peerless Price thrived in Buffalo as the #2 receiver. He hasn't done well since becoming Vick's #1. Did Price suddenly go bad? Not likely. Alge Crumpler thrived under Vick last year, but it's only because he was never very far away from Vick. The only way Vick goes downfield successfully is by running.
Can Vick be a great Fantasy player? I don't think so. Unless he gets moved to Running Back. As a QB he will never be in the top 10 until he learns to stay in the pocket and pick teams apart. And that's not going to happen any time soon.
UPDATE: OK, I spoke too soon. CBS Sportsline and Fantasy Tailgate both project Vick very high. One expert even has Vick at #2. People may disagree with my evaluation of Vick, but I would really love to be in a league filled with people who rank Michael Vick above Daunte Culpepper. In my league last year that was a 140+ point advantage!
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Fantasy Football: Time to Start Gearing Up
The first football preview magazines have hit the book shelves, and that can only mean one thing; Fantasy Football draft prep time is here. In just a couple of weeks the first games will be played and we'll get our first look at this year's version of the NFL.
The magazines and websites are all helpful, but seeing the players and the teams in preseason is a must. It's been hard to do that, though, until this year. The NFL Network is going to air all pre-season games that are not nationally televised on other networks.
We will finally have the opportunity to see the draft picks, free agent pick ups, and all the new players each team has. It is also a good chance to see how new coaches will approach the game. This is good news for us FFLers!
The magazines and websites are all helpful, but seeing the players and the teams in preseason is a must. It's been hard to do that, though, until this year. The NFL Network is going to air all pre-season games that are not nationally televised on other networks.
We will finally have the opportunity to see the draft picks, free agent pick ups, and all the new players each team has. It is also a good chance to see how new coaches will approach the game. This is good news for us FFLers!
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Jerry Rice Joins Broncos; A Few Thoughts
Jerry Rice is now a Bronco and I, for one, think it's great. He will bring class and maturity to the organization and be a great role model for Ashley Lelie and the other young receivers. And a good dose of the Jerry Rice work ethic can only be good for the team.
Rice's first day brought up a couple of items. Rice will wear #19, and he showed nothing but class in not making an issue of getting his familiar #80, which currently belongs to Rod Smith.
Rice also said he thought he would adjust to the altitude in a couple of days. As someone born and raised in the mountains of Colorado, I can tell you that Jerry might be in for a bit of a surprise. It is better for visiting athletes to get into town the day before and get out right after a big game. The altitude still has an affect, but it is actually less in the first couple of days than it is later. Rice will feel the altitude more on Friday and Monday than on Tuesday and Wednesday. But I digress.
Everyone seems to be worried about Rice's legacy. This probably isn't news to anyone outside the media, but Rice's legacy was locked up a long time ago. If he is happy playing the game he loves in a diminished role, then good for him. I hope I can be doing the things I love 5 years after people say I'm too old! Nothing would be greater than to see Rice get one more playoff victory or, dare we dream, one more Super Bowl TD!
I think Dave, at Dave's Football Blog, summed it up best for those media people worried about Rice's legacy:
"Shut up! How would you like it if your bosses thought you were too old to do your job and pushed you into early retirement? Let the man play. He'll be the first to know when he can't get open anymore. He's earned it, and he'll always have more catches than any of you lame media naysayers. What have you people ever caught, anyway, besides a cold and a cab?"
Rice's first day brought up a couple of items. Rice will wear #19, and he showed nothing but class in not making an issue of getting his familiar #80, which currently belongs to Rod Smith.
Rice also said he thought he would adjust to the altitude in a couple of days. As someone born and raised in the mountains of Colorado, I can tell you that Jerry might be in for a bit of a surprise. It is better for visiting athletes to get into town the day before and get out right after a big game. The altitude still has an affect, but it is actually less in the first couple of days than it is later. Rice will feel the altitude more on Friday and Monday than on Tuesday and Wednesday. But I digress.
Everyone seems to be worried about Rice's legacy. This probably isn't news to anyone outside the media, but Rice's legacy was locked up a long time ago. If he is happy playing the game he loves in a diminished role, then good for him. I hope I can be doing the things I love 5 years after people say I'm too old! Nothing would be greater than to see Rice get one more playoff victory or, dare we dream, one more Super Bowl TD!
I think Dave, at Dave's Football Blog, summed it up best for those media people worried about Rice's legacy:
"Shut up! How would you like it if your bosses thought you were too old to do your job and pushed you into early retirement? Let the man play. He'll be the first to know when he can't get open anymore. He's earned it, and he'll always have more catches than any of you lame media naysayers. What have you people ever caught, anyway, besides a cold and a cab?"
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