Lions Sign Rocky Boiman

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Update: Dave Birkett a Free Press Sports Writer is reporting that the Detroit Lions have signed Rocky Boiman as a back up middle LB. He played for the Steelers last year.

Fantasy Impact: This is only for depth. The Lions have a few injured linebackers. The Detroit Lions defense still will not be fantasy worthy.



Wait, some Americans actually dislike football?

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football-boring

Believe it or not, absolutely yes.

Despite the incessant and often annoying summer hype from ESPN and other media that whets all our appetites, I know folks who truly find the game oversaturated and dull.

Below is what a friend emailed me a few days back. A lot of it makes sense when you think about it logically, without emotion (or alcohol or gambling):
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NCAA College Football Week 1 TV Schedule and Point Spreads

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The Week 3 college football TV schedule and point spreads have been posted.

Holy crap…did the college football season sneak up on anyone else?

I mean, I knew that Ohio State and Marshall were playing on Thursday because KVB posted his preview about it yesterday, but for some reason it hadn’t dawned on me yet that there was a full slate of games this weekend.

After getting a few emails from people clamoring for the TV schedule and spreads, I realized I needed to get my ass in gear and get this posted. So my apologies for the delay, but without any further ado here is the college football TV schedule and point spreads for Week 1.

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Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com



Broncos cut Fargas

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Update: NFL.com is reporting that the Broncos released running back Justin Fargas Monday. Fargas spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Raiders, but was released in March after failing a physical due to a bad knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery that same month before landing with the Broncos, who had, and continue to have, an injury-riddled backfield. Fargas had 10 carries for 17 yards this preseason, but only had one carry in Sunday night’s game against the Steelers.

Fantasy Impact: The Denver running back I see benefiting the most from this move and, in fact, having the most fantasy value of all Broncos backs is rookie Lance Ball. Knowshon Moreno has not played at all in preseason as he is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury, which is never good at the beginning of the season for a RB who was just drafted in the 1st round last year. Moreno’s rookie season was somewhat underwhelming as well, as he rushed for a mere 947 yards at just 3.8 yards per carry, fumbling 4 times, and fading particularly down the stretch. Correll Buckhalter also has not played at all this preseason. Buckhalter has not touched the ball more than 150 times in any season of his career, yet still managed to fumble 3 times in ’09, and will be 31 in October. LenDale White produced less and less over his last couple years in Tennessee and will open the season by serving a four-game suspension. Ball, on the other hand, has carried the ball 21 times for 119 yards this preseason, has caught 5 passes for 39 yards and 1 TD, and has yet to fumble. You won’t regret picking Ball up off the waiver wire.



Broncos cut Fargas

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Update: NFL.com is reporting that the Broncos released running back Justin Fargas Monday. Fargas spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Raiders, but was released in March after failing a physical due to a bad knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery that same month before landing with the Broncos, who had, and continue to have, an injury-riddled backfield. Fargas had 10 carries for 17 yards this preseason, but only had one carry in Sunday night’s game against the Steelers.

Fantasy Impact: The Denver running back I see benefiting the most from this move and, in fact, having the most fantasy value of all Broncos backs is rookie Lance Ball. Knowshon Moreno has not played at all in preseason as he is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury, which is never good at the beginning of the season for a RB who was just drafted in the 1st round last year. Moreno’s rookie season was somewhat underwhelming as well, as he rushed for a mere 947 yards at just 3.8 yards per carry, fumbling 4 times, and fading particularly down the stretch. Correll Buckhalter also has not played at all this preseason. Buckhalter has not touched the ball more than 150 times in any season of his career, yet still managed to fumble 3 times in ’09, and will be 31 in October. LenDale White produced less and less over his last couple years in Tennessee and will open the season by serving a four-game suspension. Ball, on the other hand, has carried the ball 21 times for 119 yards this preseason, has caught 5 passes for 39 yards and 1 TD, and has yet to fumble. You won’t regret picking Ball up off the waiver wire.



Broncos cut Fargas

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Update: NFL.com is reporting that the Broncos released running back Justin Fargas Monday. Fargas spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Raiders, but was released in March after failing a physical due to a bad knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery that same month before landing with the Broncos, who had, and continue to have, an injury-riddled backfield. Fargas had 10 carries for 17 yards this preseason, but only had one carry in Sunday night’s game against the Steelers.

Fantasy Impact: The Denver running back I see benefiting the most from this move and, in fact, having the most fantasy value of all Broncos backs is rookie Lance Ball. Knowshon Moreno has not played at all in preseason as he is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury, which is never good at the beginning of the season for a RB who was just drafted in the 1st round last year. Moreno’s rookie season was somewhat underwhelming as well, as he rushed for a mere 947 yards at just 3.8 yards per carry, fumbling 4 times, and fading particularly down the stretch. Correll Buckhalter also has not played at all this preseason. Buckhalter has not touched the ball more than 150 times in any season of his career, yet still managed to fumble 3 times in ’09, and will be 31 in October. LenDale White produced less and less over his last couple years in Tennessee and will open the season by serving a four-game suspension. Ball, on the other hand, has carried the ball 21 times for 119 yards this preseason, has caught 5 passes for 39 yards and 1 TD, and has yet to fumble. You won’t regret picking Ball up off the waiver wire.



Don’t trade Calvin Johnson for Arian Foster (plus buy-low, sell-high advice)

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Christmas came on August 30th for me this year. Well, fantasy football Christmas did anyway.

Last night, right before I was ready to call it an evening, I got an automated email from my fantasy league informing me of a trade proposal. Figuring it was one of the typically ridiculous trade proposals people send (Kyle Orton/Kellen Winslow for Ray Rice!) I begrudgingly clicked on it so I could hit delete and clear it from my inbox.

But then I saw it. And it was beautiful.

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Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com



Fantasy Football Deeper Sleeper: RB Rashad Jennings of Jacksonville

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Your draft is complete, and like most everyone else you’re probably feeling pretty good about your team.  So it’s time to just sit back and wait for the regular season, right?

Wrong.

Do the names Miles Austin, Jamaal Charles, and Pierre Garcon mean anything to you?  All of these players were major fantasy contributors last year, and all were available in nearly every league before the season began.

Imagine if you could have identified these players before their value became obvious to everyone.  Here are three players who have the ability to have a huge impact this fantasy football season, and are most likely available on your waiver wire.

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Jamaal Jackson on track to start Week 1

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Update: Philly.com is reporting that Eagles center Jamaal Jackson took every repetition with the first-team offense Monday and appears to be on track to start on September 12 against the Packers, barring a setback. Said Jackson: “That’s my goal, but a lot can change from now and September 12. I’ll just play it by ear and get on my knees at night and pray to the good Lord because he got me here.” Head Coach Andy Reid pushed his starting center by having the team practice in full pads in 90-degree heat and putting Jackson through one-on-one drills against defensive tackles. Said Jackson: “I think I did pretty good. It was mostly power stuff to see if I could sit down on the bull. I handled that pretty well.”

Fantasy Impact: The prospect of having Jackson ready for Week 1, when they play a great defensive team like the Packers, is huge. Playing at home on September 12 is a good thing, because crowd noise won’t be a negative factor, but Jackson excels at making the proper line calls and in giving consistently receivable snaps; both areas in which backup Nick Cole struggled late last season in Philly’s final two games against the Cowboys. The Birds are also much better served having Cole in the lineup as a starting guard. Any way you cut it, Kevin Kolb will take far fewer hits and Lesean McCoy will find far more holes with Jackson on the field.



Jamaal Jackson on track to start Week 1

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Update: Philly.com is reporting that Eagles center Jamaal Jackson took every repetition with the first-team offense Monday and appears to be on track to start on September 12 against the Packers, barring a setback. Said Jackson: “That’s my goal, but a lot can change from now and September 12. I’ll just play it by ear and get on my knees at night and pray to the good Lord because he got me here.” Head Coach Andy Reid pushed his starting center by having the team practice in full pads in 90-degree heat and putting Jackson through one-on-one drills against defensive tackles. Said Jackson: “I think I did pretty good. It was mostly power stuff to see if I could sit down on the bull. I handled that pretty well.”

Fantasy Impact: The prospect of having Jackson ready for Week 1, when they play a great defensive team like the Packers, is huge. Playing at home on September 12 is a good thing, because crowd noise won’t be a negative factor, but Jackson excels at making the proper line calls and in giving consistently receivable snaps; both areas in which backup Nick Cole struggled late last season in Philly’s final two games against the Cowboys. The Birds are also much better served having Cole in the lineup as a starting guard. Any way you cut it, Kevin Kolb will take far fewer hits and Lesean McCoy will find far more holes with Jackson on the field.



Kelly gets injured in his first practice back

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Update: The Associated Press is reporting that Redskins wide receiver Malcolm Kelly pulled his left hamstring Monday, a major setback in his bid to make the opening day roster after missing all practices since the early days of training camp. Said head coach Mike Shanahan: “I don’t know the extent of it, but I know it’s not good.” Thursday’s preseason finale against the Cardinals was going to be Kelly’s last chance to show the coaching staff that they should keep him on the team. His absence from four weeks of practice and three preseason games has already hurt him immensely, and now he is a candidate for injured reserve.

Fantasy Impact: There are two ways to look at this. One would be to say that this will just mean more targets for Santana Moss, Devin Thomas, and Joey Galloway and the other would be to say that this is one receiver that Donovan McNabb has spent a big chunk of his offseason working out with and who Mike Shanahan had planned on having throughout the offseason, who most likely will not be with the Skins in 2010. Simply put, the Redskins need every athletic playmaker they can get. My prognosis is that either tight ends Chris Cooley and Fred Davis have huge seasons or it’s going to be a long year in the nation’s capital.



Crowder out with leg injury

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Update: The Associated Press is reporting that Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, who missed last season’s finale with a right foot injury, and has been sidelined since August 17 with an unspecified leg injury, was sent by the Dolphins for a second medical opinion Monday, according to head coach Tony Sparano. It is unclear whether or not the injury is related to last year’s foot problem and Sparano would not commit as to whether or not Crowder will be available for the season opener September 12 in Buffalo.

Fantasy Impact: Channing Crowder is one of the toughest, most hard-nosed defenders in the league and a true leader on that side of the ball. Much like the Bears defense after Brian Urlacher’s injury or the Steelers defense when Troy Polamalu got injured, the Dolphins defense becomes instantly weaker without Crowder in the lineup. Acquiring Karlos Dansby was a good move for the organization, but signing Dansby and then having Crowder get hurt is more of a lateral move than anything else. Furthermore, with the retirement of Jason Ferguson, and the loss of Joey Porter and Jason Taylor, it is important to have defensive leaders who are familiar with the Dolphin way and philosophies, so as to avoid locker room schisms. Crowder’s health is certainly an issue to monitor and stay tuned for updates on, because in Week 1, for example, I wouldn’t put it past C.J. Spiller, with the way he’s looked this preseason, or Trent Edwards, who many have been sleeping on for the past couple years, with Chan Gailey calling the shots, to go off on a Crowder-less Dolphin defense.



Ladies and gentlemen, youuuurrrr…Clevehago Indian Sox!

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kenny-lofton-white-sox-indians

While the Chicago Cubs receive most of my vitriol these days, during the mid-1990s to early-00s there was no franchise in baseball I abhorred more than the Cleveland Indians. There were two reasons for this.

First, the Indians were awesome then. You might recall that from 1995-2001 they never won fewer than 86 games and won the AL Central all but one of the those seasons (finishing 2nd the other). They made to World Series twice (’95, ’97, losing both) and reached the ALCS another time. The dominance of these Indians kept my White Sox from doing anything of significance other than our out-of-nowhere 2000 season.

The second reason I hated the Indians was a man named Frank Dorazio. Frank worked with my dad when I lived in West Lafayette and could actually watch every White Sox game, which is when I really became a die-hard. Unfortunately this coincided with the Indians’ run, and since I saw Frank often I could never escape his wrath. He was (and I assume still is) a big Indians fan and was never bashful about rubbing it in my face that the Indians always had the leg up on the White Sox.

I’m sure that Frank has watched in amusement over the past decade as, one by one, all of those former Indians from the mid-1990s have made their way to Chicago during the latter stages of their careers. The latest example is Manny Ramirez, who is expected to join the White Sox later today.

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Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com



Bengals Waived Rashad Jeanty

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Update: James Walker of ESPN is reporting that the Cincinnati Bengals released fifth year LB Rashad Jeanty in the "waived/failed physical" category. They also placed S Tom Nelson on the PUP list making him ineligible until week 7. This puts the Bengals at the mandatory 75-man roster limit.

Fantasy Impact: These players were only roster depth.



Bengals Waived Rashad Jeanty

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Update: James Walker of ESPN is reporting that the Cincinnati Bengals released fifth year LB Rashad Jeanty in the "waived/failed physical" category. They also placed S Tom Nelson on the PUP list making him ineligible until week 7. This puts the Bengals at the mandatory 75-man roster limit.

Fantasy Impact: These players were only roster depth.