Fantasy Football: Running Back Team-by-Team Breakdown

by John and Chris Huffstetler

Philadelphia Eagles everything RB LaSean McCoy

With most fantasy drafts quickly approaching, hopeful fantasy owners are searching for the next breakout Running Back to lead their team to the title. Unfortunately, the RB situation on most NFL teams becomes more muddled each season as the dreaded "running back by committee" situation permeates throughout the league. In order to help you unravel these RB controversies, we will break down every team's RB situation to help you determine which players will emerge and bring in major points this fantasy season.

NFC

East

Washington Redskins- John H.- We'll start our breakdown with the most difficult team to predict in the NFL. I get the feeling Mike Shanahan himself doesn't know who will start at RB for his teams 5 minutes before kickoff. He is notorious for employing the "hot hand" strategy and playing whoever is breaking the big runs at that moment. Tim Hightower, Roy Helu, and Evan Royster all have an opportunity to contribute in any given week, and, therefore, none of them should be drafted. You will just end up frustrated all year. Draft?- No one

CMH:  While this is a muddled backfield, we can still find value in this situation.  Helu is not the guy to draft.  While his stock is plummeting, it still hasn't plummeted enough from that lofty 5th round ADP.  Royster has been starting this preseason, but he lacks burst and he doesn't seem like he will end up being the guy.  Which brings us to Tim Hightower, the Incumbent.  I like Hightower to get the nod whenever he gets back to form, probably week 1 or 2.  The Shanahan's seem to like him, and he has more experience than the rest of the backfield combined.  Draft Hightower in the late rounds.

Philadelphia Eagles- John H.- We quickly go from the most difficult situation to the easiest to predict. Nothing Philly has done this offseason indicates anything but a overwhelming number of carries for LeSean McCoy once again this year. He is a solid workhorse that should not last past #3 in any draft (I would take him #1 overall myself). My only concern is that McCoy did have 321 touches last year, which is an indicator for a potential backslide the following year. I will take the risk at #1 though. Draft?- LeSean McCoy

CMH:  The #1 running back last year, and there's no reason to think he won't do it again.  He's definitely worth the #1 pick, and don't let him slip past #4.

Giants rookie phenom David Wilson

NY Giants- John H.- The RB situation is interesting this year for the "deserving" Super Bowl Champs. They lose pointless power back Brandon Jacobs, while adding in talented rookie David Wilson to complement Ahmad Bradshaw. Wilson showed a big play capability from the moment he set foot on campus at Virginia Tech and flourished even in their stilted, mediocre offense. Bradshaw's foot is an injury disaster waiting to happen and should be avoided at all costs in any fantasy draft. Because of Wilson's obvious talent and Bradshaw's injury concerns, Wilson is a strong draft sleeper to garner a large number of carries for a strong rushing offense. Draft?- David Wilson

CMH:  As much as I hate the Giants, this is one of my favorite backfields in the league.  A lot of talent and a lot of potential for some draft day steals.  David Wilson is a must-grab in the mid-to-late rounds of your draft.  He is explosive and will compete for carries immediately.  DJ Ware is also talented, but it's hard to see where he will fit in with Bradshaw and Wilson in the picture.  Bradshaw will be good this year, and if you draft him in that 4/5 round range, you will probably get exactly what you paid for.  Draft Wilson and Bradshaw here.

Dallas Cowboys- John H.- The 2011 Cowboys backfield was completely unclear entering the season. This year's squad has an obvious #1 in DeMarco Murray and #2 in Felix Jones. Murray showed has big-play capabilities last year late in the season when he earned the starting job. His fractured ankle from late last season is completely meaningless, and he will have a huge season. Helping his cause is the addition of strong veteran FB Lawrence Vickers, who is one of the best in the league. Draft?- DeMarco Murray

CMH: Murray is undervalued this year.  He's definitely worth a second-round pick, and may end up having first-round value.  Draft him.  Everyone else in the backfield is worthless.

North

Detroit Lions- John H.- How many injuries can one team have at RB? The Lions lost their top two in Mikel LeShoure and Jahvid Best for the year early last season and had to rely on off-the-street FA Kevin Smith to lead them on the ground into the playoffs. Heading into this season, Best still hasn't been cleared to play and is a complete unknown for the season. LeShoure, meanwhile, is ready to take the reigns, having suffered his torn ACL before the regular season even began last year. He will miss the first two games of the season, but by week 3, he should be getting 70% of the carries (if Best remains uncleared). Kevin Smith will be the beneficiary once again if both players remain unhealthy. This situation is still quite muddled, but both LeShoure and Smith are worth mid-to-late rounds speculation with the Lions potent offense. Best just can't be trusted. Draft?- Mikel LeShoure or Kevin Smith (if the time is right)

CMH:  Avoid this backfield.  LeShoure has yet to be healthy during his brief stint in the NFL, Kevin Smith is simply not that good, and who knows when Jahvid Best will be back and what his workload will be.  Too many question marks.

Minnesota Vikings- John H.- Adrian Peterson is still a supreme talent and will be the feature of the offense when he returns from his injury, but don't expect the same AD, especially in the first 8 weeks of the year. He will be a second half fantasy value. His draft position is about where he should be selected because of the injury questions. Draft?- Adrian Peterson

CMH:  His quick rehabilitation of the ACL injury just goes to show how much of a freak of nature this guy is.  He's going in the 2nd, but spice things up and pick him in the late-first/early-second.  You won't regret it.

Green Bay Packers- John H.- I'm not even going to bother with this one. No one on the Packers is worth considering. Draft?- No one

CMH:  Benson may have the most value now, but I'm still not even sure if he's worth drafting.

New Bears RB Michael Bush

Chicago Bears- John H.- I've never been a huge fan of Matt Forte since his collegiate days. He wasn't impressive at Tulane and he's shown in the NFL the ability to get exactly what the offensive line gives him and rarely more; however, talent doesn't matter in fantasy. It's all about opportunity, and Forte will get plenty of opportunities. The addition of Michael Bush will replace the carries of Marion Barber, but the main worry with the addition of Bush is his goal line ability. Bush could "Vulture" (god, I hate that term) Forte's goal line carries and rack up some TD's as he has in the past for the Raiders. Draft?- No one but Forte isn't a terrible pick

CMH: I was big on Forte this year before the Michael Bush signing.  Then, before preseason started, I was still high on him, just not as high.  Now, after watching two games, Forte will have trouble finding the endzone all year.  While he will still have tons of touches on the ground and through the air, it's extremely frustrating as a fantasy owner to have Michael Bush taking all your goal line carries.  Since I can't stand it, I'm avoiding this situation.

South

Atlanta Falcons- John H.- Michael Turner has been the feature back in Atlanta since he joined the via free agency back in '08. Turner showed signs last year of a severe lack of burst, making his "burner" nickname more ironic than accurate. He still, however, rushed for 1340 yards and scored 11 TD's on the ground. This season should mark a greater decline off of his strong numbers since joining the Falcons. Quizz Rodgers should also take some of the workload, as he is too talented to keep on the bench. Neither player is worth taking however, as Turner has no value where he will be drafted, but he will also most likely remain healthy most of the year giving no one else an opportunity. Draft?- No One

CMH:  I'm avoiding Turner, but I do like 'Quizz' this year.  Mike Smith has said throughout camp that he sees Rodgers as a 3-down back.  That sounds like the early indications of a RB controversy to me.  It doesn't hurt to invest a late-round pick in Rodgers, especially in deeper leagues.

New Orleans Saints- John H.- Once again, the Saints enter the season with a crowded backfield, leaving few options for fantasy owners. Mark Ingram could have a good season, but it is hard to tell if he will get any more carries than Pierre Thomas, or if they will split touches like last year. The only possible RB to draft, as a result, is Darren Sproles. Sproles finished last year with 86 receptions, and he still has tremendous value in a PPR league, despite the crowded nature of the backfield. Thomas and Ingram will be inconsistent from week to week, which is a recipe for disaster in fantasy leagues. Draft?- Darren Sproles in a PPR or 1/2 PPR

CMH:  Draft Sproles.  That's for sure.  Even if you aren't in a PPR league, he will still have value, just not 3rd round value.  After that, it's cloudy in New Orleans.  I'm a Mark Ingram hater, but I think he will have a good year this year.  He will take over as the feature back in New Orleans, for whatever that's worth.  He definitely has some late-round value.

Enigmatic Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount

Tampa Bay Bucs- John H.- This offseason, the Bucs added marginally talented, but versatile Boise St. back Doug Martin to complement LeGarrette Blount. Martin's avg draft position has been much higher than Blount's so far this year, which shows the perception of most people is that Martin will get the bulk of the carries. After all, first year head coach Greg Schiano did spend his first ever draft choice to select Martin. That says exactly what Schiano thinks of him. There is a track record, however, of rookie RB's that are expected to start disappointing in their first year because of the pressure (see Ryan Mathews and Daniel Thomas). The situation here should be more of a split than most people believe, with Martin handling the passing downs and Blount handling the rushing downs and the goal line situations. There is some definite value in taking Blount late year, and not much in taking Martin early. Draft?- LeGarrette Blount

CMH:  I like Blount's value this year, but all reports have indicated that Doug Martin is absolutely dominating the Bucs camp, and Schiano even said himself that Martin is "doing virtually everything right."  The more I think about it, the more I would steer clear of this backfield situation.  Both of these backs are talented, but both of them could potentially fall short of expectations this year.

Carolina Panthers- John H.- If it's even possible, the Panthers backfield is even more complicated than last year. They add bruising everything back Mike Tolbert from San Diego to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, giving them a deep and talented backfield. There is no way to draft any player, however, as the breakdown should be about even between Williams and Stewart with a few carries for Tolbert sprinkled in. Draft?- No One

CMH:  I like Jonathan Stewart more than most do this year.  Newton will be running less this year, and somebody will have to punch the ball into the endzone.  Stewart is the man for the job.  Look for 12 TDs from him, putting him in that RB2/RB3 range.

West

Niners rookie LaMichael James is the truth. Don't listen to CMH.

San Francisco 49ers- John H.- The Niners backfield is suddenly quite crowded for Frank Gore. This past offseason, they added Brandon Jacobs via free agency and LaMichael James in the draft to join Gore and Kendall Hunter. There is NO WAY that Gore will be able to come close to his production from even last season. Harbaugh brought these other backs in for a reason, and it appears like the Niners will be using the Saints model of RB-by-committee based on situation. The only player worth drafting is LaMichael James on a late flier because he's just too talented to keep on the sideline (think Darren Sproles). Draft?- LaMichael James

CMH: While James is supremely talented, he is currently sitting 4th on the depth chart, so it'll be tough for him to see the field.  All reports out of the Niners camp have praised Kendall Hunter's performance thus far, and I think he is the RB to grab in the late rounds here.  Avoid Gore like the plague, but feel free to grab Hunter in the later rounds.

Marshawn Lynch aka Beast Mode

Seattle Seahawks- John H.- Beast mode will be in full effect again this year in Seattle. The Seahawks did add a Lynch clone in Robert Turbin through the draft, but Turbin will mainly just spell Lynch when he is tired. He offers nothing different in terms of a skill set than Lynch, which means Lynch will still; receive a large majority of the snaps. Draft?- Marshawn Lynch

CMH: Marshawn is a solid second round pick.  Grab him if you can, sit back, and get your Skittles ready.



St. Louis Rams- John H.- Unlike Lynch's situation in Seattle, Jackson has a legitimate new added threat to his touches in 2nd rd pick Isaiah Pead. Pead is a prototype change-of-pace back in the NFL with the ability to take some carries and catch a large volume of passes out of the backfield. St. Louis, however, added 3 OL (including to projected starters) and can only improve upon their terrible offensive line play from last season. Consequently, they should improve offensively across the board under Jeff Fisher and Jackson's numbers should increase despite the increased competition. Draft?- Steven Jackson

CMH: Steven Jackson will be a workhorse this year, and Pead will be a nice change of pace.  Nothing new here--draft Steven Jackson in the 3rd like you have the past 8 years.

Arizona Cardinals- John H.- Ryan Williams and Beanie Wells will both receive a large number of carries this year. Do not get fooled by Beanie's success last year after Williams went down for the season. This was designed to be a split-carry backfield, and it will be for as long as these two remain healthy this season. There is some value in drafting Williams of you get him late, but Wells should be avoided at all costs. Draft?- Ryan Williams late

CMH: Ryan Williams has some great late-round value, and Beanie should get a higher percentage of the red zone touches.  Whoever stays healthy will have the better year, so draft Ryan Williams here.

AFC

East

New England Patriots- John H.- Another year, another crowded backfield in New England. Stevan Ridley is the most likely candidate to receive the majority of the carries, but Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Joseph Addai, and now Jeff Demps could all receive touches out of the backfield as well. Someone needs to replace, BJGE's 181 carries from last year, however, and Ridley is the strongest every-down back. Still, I would wait to see who emerges in the regular season and pass on everyone in the draft. Draft?- No One

CMH: Pass-happy offense.  5 guys competing for carries.  Not exacly your favorite fantasy situation.  Reports from camp are that Ridley is back to his old fumbling ways, and the coaches are now starting to favor Vereen.  Regardless, neither is worth drafting.  Aaron Hernandez might be the best ball-carrier on this team.

Buffalo Bills- John H.- The only thing keeping CJ Spiller from being a star in this league is Chan Gailey. All due respect to Fred Jackson, but Spiller is too talented to keep on the bench. Both players should get ample touches this season, since Buffalo uses their RB's in the passing game frequently (78 combined catches). Gailey has also floated the idea of using Spiller more frequently as a slot receiver. Once all of the feature backs (Lynch, Jackson, Murray, McFadden, etc.) are taken, Jackson is worth taking. Spiller has major value later in the draft. Draft?- Fred Jackson or CJ Spiller

CMH: Both of these guys are being underrated during draft day.  They will both be big fantasy factors for where they are being picked, so feel free to reach for both of them in your respective drafts.

Awful Jets feature back Shonn Greene

New York Jets- John H.- Anticipate Shonn Greene getting a decided majority of carries again this year, but Joe McKnight and Tim Tebow will get their names called as well in the rushing game. Of all the clear feature backs in the league, Shonn Greene is by far the worst one in terms of talent and fantasy value. He won't blow anyone away with his stats this year, but he will get at least 250 touches this year barring injury. If the choice is between Greene, Jonathan Stewart, Roy Helu, and Reggie Bush (3 players getting selected ahead of him on average according to ESPN stats), there is no question you should select Greene because of his extra opportunities. Draft?- Shonn Greene

CMH: Shonn Greene is awful, and it doesn't make sense why the Jets are fully invested in him as their running back.  I wouldn't pick him ahead of Bush, especially in PPR formats, and I'd be hesitant to take him over Jonathan Stewart, despite his heavy workload.  If you do select Shonn Greene, keep an eye out for Bilal Powell, a name you may not have heard before.  He is already getting the third-down reps with the first team, and I fully expect him to eat away at Greene's carries as the season progresses.  Right now, however, Powell is not worth a look, and Greene isn't either.

Sidenote: The Jets will be one of the worst teams in the league this year.

Miami Dolphins- John H.- With the Dolphins likely downgrading at QB and starting rookie Ryan Tannehill, more pressure will be put on the running game to perform at a high level. Bush and Thomas essentially split carries last year (Bush with 216 and Thomas with 165 with a few games out injured), but Bush added 43 catches in the passing game. This year should be more of the same with these two getting a relatively even split of touches; however, the Dolphins also added rookie Lamar Miller, who could steal a few carries from both of them. Teams questioned Miller's maturity level and NFL readiness prior to the draft slipping him down to the 4th round, so I would expect Miller to play limited snaps in his first season or two. Thomas is the back here with the greatest upside because he will be drafted late and could end up getting a majority of carries, including goal line touches. Draft?- Daniel Thomas

CMH: Bush in PPR formats; Thomas in standard scoring formats.  Bush may have better stats in both respects, but Thomas will be more valuable in standard leagues.  They are both worth a look on draft day.

North

Baltimore Ravens- Ray Rice should be a top 3 draft pick. Rock solid. Draft?- Ray Rice

CMH: Rice is a stud. Feel free to draft him #1.

Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall following his injury last season

Pittsburgh Steelers- The recent news that Rashard Mendenhall might be ready for play early in the regular season has changed the Steelers backfield situation dramatically. Isaac Redman looked like he would be a solid sleeper pick in the middle rounds of the draft, but with Mendenhall's potential return midway through the regular season, Redman's stock takes a small hit. I still think he's worth taking and question how ready Mendenhall will be even when he returns to the field. Mendenhall shouldn't be drafted because before he's ready to play, it's likely that you will need an extra roster spot and release him. Draft? Isaac Redman

CMH: Here's one where I'm going to have to completely disagree.  I see Redman as one of the most overrated fantasy options this year.  He has limited burst and he's already banged up this preseason.  With the news that Mendenhall may be ready after the Week 4 bye, that only proves my point even more.  Not to mention, Jonathan Dwyer will be pushing both of them for carries throughout the season, as he's come into camp in the "best shape of his life."  Your guess is as good as mine as to who will eventually get the bulk of the carries in this offense, and whoever it is--they are worth a late-round pick.  But steer clear of Redman in the middle rounds, as Mendenhall and Dwyer are being drafted much later, and I like both of them more.

Cincinnati Bengals- John H.- BenJarvus Green-Ellis comes to town as the likely starter to replace the remarkably average Cedric Benson. Cincy has a strong offensive line (although better in pass protection than run blocking), and any RB will produce more than Benson's 3.9 ypc last season. This gives BJGE tremendous value if he were to get a decided majority of the carries. The problem is that Marvin Lewis has said he will split carries with Bernard Scott. Overall, they should produce better numbers, but neither player is worth drafting given the situation. Draft?- No One

CMH: Probably the least sexy backfield in the league right now.  If you want some average numbers, Green-Ellis is an average draft pick.  Double-digit touchdowns and 800 yards seems about right for him.  Scott has little fantasy value.  I'd steer clear of both, but Green-Ellis will be better.

Browns rookie RB Trent Richardson

Cleveland Browns- John H.- Despite Trent Richardson's preseason injury concerns, he remains a viable fantasy option. The Browns will need to run the ball effectively if they plan on starting Brandon Weeden at QB this season. Richardson will get a large bulk of those carries because the other options (Hardesty and Ogbonnaya) are definite downgrades. If neither player could unseat a struggling and injured Peyton Hillis last season, they won't be able to gain carries against a talent like Trent Richardson. Draft?- Trent Richardson

CMH: By no means am I buying into this Cleveland offense, but Trent Richardson will have a solid year running the football.  He's not worth a 2nd/3rd round pick after his injury, however.  He needs a lot of touches in this unproven offense to rack up fantasy points, and the Browns are sure to ease him in after the injury.  Also, Hardesty has run well this preseason, taking some of the pressure off the coaching staff to use Richardson.  By the end of the year, he may be a legitimate RB1, but for now, I see Richardson as a low-end RB2 with upside.

South

Houston Texans- John H.- With their 2nd ranked rushing offense, the Texans approached having two 1,000 yard rushers last season. Arian Foster is an obvious top 3 draft pick (although I would draft McCoy and Rice ahead of him), but the question is whether Ben Tate is worth selecting in the mid-rounds. No. Back-ups can never be consistent scorers in fantasy, and drafting a player hoping that a player gets injured is incredibly foolish (why drafting "handcuffs" is one of the dumbest strategies in fantasy football). Draft? Arian Foster

CMH: Don't let Foster slip past you in your draft.  If he's available, you should pick him, no matter where you're picking.  Look for Foster to stay healthy this year, making Ben Tate worthless.

Jags holdout RB Maurice Jones-Drew

Jacksonville Jaguars- John H.- Because of the MJD contract holdout, this would be the one legitimate situation to "handcuff" the starter if you chose to draft him. With MJD's draft position continuing to drop as his holdout continues, he is gaining value in the late-first/early-second round, but drafting Rashad Jennings (the clear replacement and a solid player in his own right) late in the draft would be a smart idea here. Draft?- MJD but get Rashad Jennings late also if you do

CMH: With Jones-Drew's holdout, I worry about his fantasy value this year.  He's usually a sure-fire top-5 RB, but running backs have a history of performing very poorly after holdouts.  Even though all reports say that Jones-Drew will be back by Week 1, I don't think he has the same first round value.  If you can get him in the second, however, it's a steal.  Jennings makes sense as a late-round grab, whether you have MJD or not, and he's looked great in preseason.  Draft MJD and Jennings.

Indianapolis Colts- John H.- Everyone is terrible and no one knows who will start. Draft?- No one

CMH: The team is horrendous and they have a committee of running backs.  Stay away and stop waiting for Donald Brown to have his "breakout year."

Tennessee Titans- John H.-After getting lazy last year during his holdout and missing most of training camp, Chris Johnson had a disappointing season. With Johnson's YPC down to 4.0 last year, Kenny Britt's injury, and the dreadful play of Matt Hasselbeck, the Titans offense struggles to point points on the board. With Britt returning healthy at some point early this season and Jake Locker taking over at QB (hopefully for the Titans sake), the passing game should improve and open up space for Johnson. Johnson will have a dramatically better season and is absolutely worth a 1st round pick. Draft?- Chris Johnson

CMH:  Considering you can find him on the board at 8 or 9, CJ is the most valuable pick in this year's fantasy draft.  He's my favorite to finish the season with the most fantasy points for RB's, especially if Locker gets the nod as starter and we see more of a 'Run and Gun' offense in Nashville.  Johnson ran well against Tampa last week, and he has added 20 pounds to his frame.  With a full training camp under his belt, we should see CJ in midseason form by Week 1.

West

Denver Broncos- John H.- With the change at QB from Tim Tebow to Peyton Manning, the Broncos will certainly shift to a more pass-oriented attack, and will not approach leading the league in rushing as they did last year. The Broncos also add in supremely talented little-known rookie Ronnie Hillman, who has the potential to take over as the starter at any point this season. Major draft bust Knowshon Moreno also returns from injury hoping to revamp his disappointing career. All three of these factors will precipitate a major drop in production from Willis McGahee this season, making him undraftable. With the potential for Hillman to garner major carries this season and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, he is worth a late-round speculative pick if you have the patience to hold onto him for a few weeks. Draft?- Ronnie Hillman

CMH: Ronnie Hillman is a talented player, but he's had no time to prove himself this training camp between injuries, and he's currently listed as the third RB in Denver.  While I could see Hillman eventually working his way into a timeshare by the end of the year, this is still McGahee's backfield.  He's worth a late-round pick.  Knowshon Moreno is a fantasy non-factor, currently sitting at fourth on the depth chart.  Steer clear.

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews

San Diego Chargers- John H.- Ironically, the injury to Ryan Mathews has dramatically improved his potential value in fantasy drafts. A broken collarbone is a much faster and easier injury for a RB to recover from than a tendon or joint injury. Mathews could even be ready by week 1, yet his draft stock has slide to late 3rd/early 4th round. Putting the injury aside, the Chargers lost goal line back Mike Tolbert in free agency, and Mathews should get significantly more carries in the red zone. Additionally, there is not one other quality RB on the roster. The Chargers have the thinnest backfield in the league, and Mathews will get a large majority of the carries whenever he returns to the field. Draft?- Ryan Mathews

CMH: Until Mathews proves to me that he can stay healthy, I won't draft him again.  He has top-5 RB value this year, but I just can't trust him.  Having said that, draft him anywhere after the first round, but steer clear of him in the first round, where he was going before the injury.

Oakland Raiders- John H.- The question for Darren McFadden has been, and always will be, his health. When fully healthy, few in the league are more talented than Run DMC, and if he remains healthy this season, this could be his best year yet from a fantasy perspective because of the departure of goal line beast Michael Bush. DMC should get more goal line carries than ever before with the two main backups being smaller, more versatile backs in Mike Goodson and Taiwan Jones. Drafting him is a gamble, but it is a gamble I'm willing to take. Draft?- Darren McFadden

CMH:  Out of all the elite fantasy running backs, McFadden has the lowest floor, but he may also have the highest ceiling.  If he stays healthy, he will finish as a top-4 back this season.  Draft him late in the first round.

KC Chiefs- John H.- The problem with the Chiefs backfield this year is that they are too talented and deep. Jamal Charles, Peyton Hillis, and Dexter McCluster are all unique talents deserving of 200 touches this year, but there is only one ball. Jamal Charles should clearly be the feature back getting the bulk of the carries, but his 2nd round draft grade might be too high considering his injury issues and the competition for carries. McCluster, on the other hand, should get a number of touches in the passing game with a now healthy Matt Cassel. With his late round grade, he could be a steal this season. Draft?- Dexter McCluster and consider Jamal Charles in the 3rd round because of his supreme talent

CMH: A crowded backfield in KC, but still a valuable fantasy situation.  McCluster has value in PPR formats, but I'd steer clear in standard leagues.  Hillis will be a touchdown vulture, and he should average 15-18 touches a game.  I like his value in the 9th round or later.  Charles should also see 15-18 touches a game, and drafting him in the late second/early third seems like a no brainer.  He will break some huge runs this year.  Draft? Charles/Hillis.

Please follow us on Twitter @11on11sports

Overall Olympic Medals from an Incredibly Biased Perspective

The Olympics are broken down into two separate weeks for me.  Week 1 is owned by swimming and gymnastics, and week 2 is all about team sports and track events.  My overall medals are based on which athletes dominated their weeks and caught my attention.  This is incredibly biased because it is affected by what I actually watched during the Olympics (otherwise known as you can expect mostly USA athletes in this column.) .  So, without further ado we go to the medal ceremony.

WEEK 1

Honorable Mention: Ryan Lochte, Ye Shiwen, and Aly Raisman

Aly wonders if McKayla is impressed with how gold tastes?

Worth mentioning are Ryan Lochte, who for one night was anointed as the greatest swimmer on earth, and then came crashing back down to just one of the greatest.  Seeing the fall in popularity of Lochte was stunning.  After that 400 IM on the first night of the Olympics it seemed Lochte was poised to go on an epic run, but when he screwed up the Lezak relay repeat and failed to dominate all of his events, he quickly fell out of the spotlight.  He still managed to get two golds and five total medals so in my opinion it was a pretty damn good olympics.  Honorary mention also goes to Ye Shiwen or as she's more commonly known in 'Merica "that 16 year old Chinese who's been doping."  I have no idea whether she actually was on steroids, but let's just say if I really thought she could best Michael Phelps last 100 meters in the 400 IM she would probably be winning a medal in this column.  Either way she had a great performance, and all the debate surrounding her made the Olympics all the more exciting.  Finally, honorable mention goes to Aly Raisman, who helped the modern day fab five win the all-around team gold, and individually took home a bronze on the balance beam and gold on the floor routine.  Of the fab five Raisman had the best performance in the individual events, and being the captain of the team was also very impressive (even if McKayla is not impressed).

BRONZE MEDAL: Gabby Douglas

Anyone else get dizzy looking at this picture?

Douglas was the star of the fab five's team all-around finals, and then the next day took home the individual all-around, which is the biggest honor in Olympic gymnastics.  Gabby did falter after that though failing to place on both the uneven bars and the balance beam.  Though Gabby underwhelmed on the individual events she still was the star of the fab five, and a transcendent gymnast being black in a mostly white sport.  At 4-11 with a big smile Gabby seemed incredibly happy to be at the olympics, but still poised and confident in her abilities.  Watching all the gymnasts is always incredible, but Gabby was the most impressive of them all and truly a joy to watch.

SILVER MEDAL: Missy Franklin

I wonder if she "Missy" America in London?

At only seventeen years old Franklin put together an incredible Olympics.  In seven events she placed fifth 100m freestyle, fourth in the 200m freestyle, third in the 4x100 team freestyle relay, first in the 100m backstroke, first and olympic record in the 4x200 team freestyle relay, first and world record in the 200m backstroke, and first with a world record in the 4x100 team medley relay.  Overall she had five medals, four golds, one olympic record, and two world records.  It was a epic performance by Franklin, and she went about it all with a fantastic attitude.  With her giant feet and 6-1 body Franklin seems to be the female version of star swimmer Michael Phelps.  The American media has fallen in love with her because of her homegrown American way of life, and are impressed that she has turned down prize money and sponsorships in order to maintain collegiate eligibility.  What I'm happy about is that instead of competing for the Canadian squad (she has dual-citizenship) she chose to represent the US and bring us home some more gold.

GOLD MEDAL: Michael Phelps

I can never recognize swimmers while they're swimming

When Michael Phelps barely qualified for the 400m IM and then placed 4th in the individual relay people were shocked.  In his next two events Phelps had two silvers, one of which came in the revenge of the French in the 4x100m freestyle relay.  After earning the two silvers, people decided Phelps was still very good, he just wasn't what he used to be.  At this point I thought that Michael Phelps' 2012 Olympics would be similar to Jordan's Washington Wizards comeback.  It shows us that he's still good, and can compete at a high level despite taking so much time off.  However it disappoints us because it shows that Phelps/Jordan is nothing but a human.  I was wrong.  In his next four events, 4x200m freestyle relay, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 4x100 medley relay Phelps ran the table.  He ended the 2012 Olympics with six medals, and four golds, but also 22 Olympic career medals and 18 gold medals.  Simply put, Phelps cemented his status as the greatest swimmer of all time.  Instead of reminding me of the Jordan Wizards comeback, it reminded me of Jordan's comeback from his "baseball career."  Jordan like Phelps started out slow with a loss to the Orlando Magic in the 1995 playoffs, but picked it up afterwards to prove that he was the greatest of all time at his respective sport.

WEEK 2

Honorable Mention: Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh, Yohan Blake, and Mo Farah/Jessica Ennis

PEEK-A-BOO!!!!!!!!!!

The dynamic duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh went undefeated in route to their third straight 2-on-2 Olympic beach volleyball gold.  In the finals Treanor and Walsh played a great match against fellow Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy and earned gold in a dominating performance. Treanor and Walsh's ability to perform in the clutch with incredible consistency separated them from the field in what was probably their last Olympics.  Yohan Blake helped the Jamaicans to a gold in their world record setting 4x100m relay, and got individual silver's in both the 100m and 200m.  If there was no Usain Bolt in the world, Blake would have swept the board in sprinting track events while setting some records (remember there is no Bolt in this world).  It is sad for Blake though because he will forever be in the shadow of the 6-4 Bolt.  Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis were the stars for the host country in Britain.  Jess as the Brits call her won gold in the 800m Heptathlon while becoming adored by her English fans, and Mo Farah won golds in both the 5,000m and 10,000m long distance runs.

BRONZE MEDAL: Allyson Felix

Just like a waving flag, and then it goes, and then it goes back

In four events Felix won three golds, and helped set a world record.  In the 200m and the 4x400m relay Felix won gold for team USA.  The Women's track team also set a world record in the 4x100m relay with help from Felix and fellow track star Carmelita Jeter.  The 4x100m relay was an incredible performance by the US women as they shattered the Germans world record from 1985 by 0.55 seconds.  It may not seem like that much, but in track and field more than half a second is an eternity.  After getting silver medals in her last Olympics, Felix was probably overjoyed to come up with "not 1...not 2...(how did I know I would talk about Lebron at some point this article, oh yeah, because I write it) but 3 gold medals.

SILVER MEDAL: USA Women's Soccer Team

It looks like she forgot the flag she was supposed to be holding

The US women's soccer team got revenge against a Japan team that had beaten them in the World Cup final by defeating them to earn a gold in the 2012 Olympics.  With Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, and the fiery Abby Wambach, the US team fought for the gold.  It was not easy, and the 4-3 123rd minute victory over Canada after two overtimes by Alex Morgan was one of the greatest moments of the Olympics.  Abby Wambach chewed out the referee in order to give them extra time when Morgan scored the amazing goal to win it.  In the finals Carli Lloyd scored two goals in route to the 2-1 victory over Japan.  It was a difficult run for the team, but with Wambach's leadership they never stopped fighting and came home with a well deserved gold.

GOLD MEDAL: Usain Bolt

He's pointing at his home country of Mars

The country of Jamaica had four gold medals.  The legend of Usain Bolt had three.  In Bolt's last six Olympic events he has won six golds, and set two world records and an olympic record.  There were some questions coming in to this Olympics after Yohan Blake had beat Bolt in Jamaican qualifiers, but a doubter cannot be heard after what he did this Olympics.  Bolt proved once again that he is the greatest and the fastest sprinter of all time, not to mention one of the greatest showmen among athletes.  With all his pre-race dances and post-race poses Bolt ran like lightning to a 100m, 200m, and 4x100m gold victory.  In the 100m Bolt was in the middle of the pack at the midway point in the race, but switched into another gear and zoomed to the finish and a Olympic record (yes he does own the World record).  Well actually he slowed up just a bit at the finish by spreading his arms wide and coming as close to flying as any human has ever done.  In the 200m Bolt slowed down at the finish to turn his head and put a finger to his lips to shush the crowd.  In the 4x100m Bolt's end of race display was post-poned till next time as he ran hard to give the Jamaicans a new world record.  Like Phelps Bolt used the 2012 London Olympics to affirm his status as the greatest ever at what he does.  Phelps is the greatest swimmer ever, and Bolt is the greatest sprinter ever.

Please follow us on Twitter @11on11sports

Immediate reaction to the Dwight Howard to the Lakers deal

by John Huffstetler

LA Lakers acquire Dwight Howard

Denver Nuggets acquire Andre Iguodala

Philadelphia 76ers acquire Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson

Orlando Magic acquire Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Moe Harkless, Nikola Vucevic, and 3 PROTECTED (key word) 1st round picks (One from each team)

Reaction: 3 winners and 1 one big loser in this trade.

LA Lakers: Big Winner. When you have the opportunity to acquire a player the caliber of Dwight Howard, you get the trade done. Credit the Lakers for having the persistence to make this beneficial trade work. Earlier this past season when speculation grew that Howard might be traded, I speculated about where Howard might land, arguing that the Lakers and Bulls had the best chance to get him. The Lakers seemed likely then because they had the best trade-able asset among all the potential teams at the time in Andrew Bynum. As it turns out, Bynum was a huge part of this trade (even though the Magic somehow found it unnecessary themselves to acquire him). The Lakers saw how much better Howard makes them than Bynum and they only had to give up Bynum in order to acquire him. They are now the CLEAR team to beat in the NBA because they added the best Center and Point Guard in the league this offseason to an already solid playoff team. Brilliant move. Grade: A+

Philadelphia 76ers: Another winner. The Sixers squeaked into the playoffs last year after a terrible second half of the season only to benefit from injuries to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and steal a first round win over a far superior Bulls team. Their offseason had been quiet and puzzling so far. They let Louis Williams walk but sign Nick Young and Kwame Brown? There was a definite hole in the middle as well after they amnestied Elton Brand, but this move immediately upgrades their lineup. Iguodala was a strong player for the Sixers (and will continue to be for the Nuggets), but the Sixers have players to give minutes in the backcourt that can defend and rebound near Iguodala's level. They did not, however, have a decent second option in the post opposite Spencer Hawes. They lost some production at SF, but gain huge production in the post, as they now have two legitimate seven-footers to start night in and night out. Jason Richardson is not worth mentioning because he is an overpaid, inefficient player. He alone drops this grade down from an A. Grade: B+

Denver Nuggets: Another winner. This was a savvy move by the Nuggets and GM Kiki Vandeweghe. It was inarguable last year that the Nuggets had the deepest team in the NBA; however, that depth hurt them late in the season after Wilson Chandler returned from China because there simply weren't enough minutes for everyone. A team with depth like the Nuggets needs to use that depth to upgrade the caliber of players in the starting lineup. Afflalo is a fine player, but Iguodala is an obvious upgrade. He will start at the SG spot and Gallinari will continue to play the SF position. The only other player that the Nuggets had to give up is the black hole, Al Harrington. He is overpaid, shoots poor shots, and rebounds terribly for a Power Forward. Plus, the Nuggets are anxious to give more minutes in the post to Kenneth Faried, JaVale McGee, and Timofey Mozgov. His departure is a great example of addition by subtraction. Back to Iguodala, he fits well with this squad Nuggets in several important ways: 1) He runs the floor well and likes to play in transition, which matches perfectly with the Nuggets up and down style, 2) He offers them versatility in being able to start at the 2 or the play the 3 when Gallinari sits or is injured (which seems to be happening frequently), and 3) He is an elite defender who can cover the litany of Western Conference two guards that can light up the scoreboard. Denver is not a top 3 team out West, but they're not far off after this trade. Grade: A

Orlando Magic: Disgraceful. You have to protect your assets as a professional sports franchise. If you're lucky enough to get a player of Dwight Howard's ability, do whatever it takes to keep him. If you can't keep him, get as close to EQUAL VALUE in return as possible. The Magic gave up a top 5 player and in return get Afflalo (granted, he is a decent player), 3 protected draft picks (as in not lottery picks), 2 nobodies, and one of the worst well-known players in the league in Al Harrington. THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO EQUAL VALUE. They could have just traded for Andrew Bynum. The Lakers were obviously willing to let him go. They didn't want him (but they wanted Al Harrington?). They could have just waited. They had the best player in the trade. Why not just wait and try to build a bigger market for Howard? Why rush if you're going to get NOTHING in return? They have just made themselves irrelevant for at least the next 5 years, and they didn't have to. Just look at the Nuggets who I just praised for their part in the deal. They had to trade Carmelo Anthony in 2011, and it was clear that Melo wanted out of Denver. In return, they received Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, Raymond Felton and a few draft picks; as a result, they didn't miss a beat. Their team was probably even stronger after the trade. Newsflash, Carmelo isn't even good! Howard is ten times the player that Melo is. To get so little in return for such a dynamic player is a complete and utter disgrace, and a slap in the face to every Magic fan. Grade: F-------------------


Please follow us on Twitter @11on11sports

College Football Week One Marquee Matchups- Part Two

by John Huffstetler

Saturday September 1^st

Auburn vs. Clemson (in Atlanta, GA)

This rematch of last year’s 38-24 Clemson victory at home in week 3 pits two teams hoping and expecting improved play on the defensive side of the ball this season. Last season, Auburn struggled to stop the run against a litany of strong SEC rushing squads allowing 189 yards rushing per game (up from 109 ypg in their National Championship season). In their first 3 games last season, they allowed 227 to Utah St., 333 to Miss St., and 238 to Clemson in three rather poor outings as they were fortunate to beat both Utah St and Miss St. at home before travelling to Clemson and losing by two td’s. As the season wore on, their defense did show improvements stopping the run, including limiting Florida to just 66 yards on the ground. They will look to continue this improvement with 9 defensive starters returning this season, including their entire defensive line.

Clemson’s major issue last year (as was witnessed in their bowl game thrashing against a mediocre West Virgina squad) was their inability to make stops on defense as well. They allowed almost 30 points per game and 177 yards per game rushing on the ground including a laughable (against ACC competition) 4.4 yards per carry allowed (their worst total by far under Sweeney). Although they lose 3 starters along the defensive line, their rushing stats should improve dramatically. In fact, the loss of three underperforming lineman could pave the way for some younger, hungrier players to jump in and key a turnaround. Clemson’s rush defense should also improve because of their elite, national-caliber linebacking corps littered with depth and young talent (watch out for OLB Tony Steward this year as a potential sleeper defensive POY in the ACC).

Even with potential improvement on the defensive side for both teams, look for some fireworks in the first game of the season, as both Sweeney and Chizik will have several trick plays and gimmicks ready. This matchup will come down to QB play, with Tahj Boyd leading Clemson against an inexperienced Auburn group most likely lead by highly touted but completely unproven Kiehl Frazier (pictured above) at the helm. Clemson should be able to bring pressure from the LB’s and force Frazier (or Moseley or both) into some poor decisions leading to some cheap Clemson points. Boyd, on the other hand, will play a steady game and find his WR’s consistently throughout the game. The suspension of WR Sammy Watkins (pictured to the left) will certainly hurt Clemson's chances, but they still have enough firepower to win this opening game. Clemson 31 Auburn 27

Michigan vs. Alabama (in Dallas, TX)

The problem for any team hoping to challenge the top two teams from last year in Alabama and LSU is that they're both still loaded with talent. Even worse, they both return 4 starters on the offensive line (Alabama- 95 career starts and LSU- 104), historically a strong indicator for success from one year to the next. Alabama's offense should be stronger this year with the only major losses coming at RB in Trent Richardson and WR in Marquis Maze, both of which will be easily replaced with young, talented players to spare at both positions. The questions arise this year defensively for the Crimson Tide with 5 elite players making the jump to the NFL. Undoubtedly, there is still talent on the defensive side and several new players will showcase their NFL-caliber talent, but will they match last years 3.3 yards per play allowed? No. Impossible. There will be a major drop from the clear #1 defense statistically to a well-above average defense. With 3 starters to replace in the secondary, look for the drop defensively to occur with certain teams able to pass the ball with success that just wasn't possible last year.

Michigan enters this season with a remarkably similar team to last year in terms of make-up. The difference this time around for the Wolverines is that this is the second year under Head Coach Brady Hoke, which is traditionally a sign for improvement. They have several skill position players returning who can make game-changing plays, led by Heisman-caliber QB Denard Robinson. The offensive line returns largely in tact with the major exception of Rimington Award winning C David Molk, who keyed the success of the line last season. Ricky Barnum is expected to fill his large shoes in 2012 and his production will go a long way to determining the line's success as a whole this year. Defensively, the LB corps and DB's should be stronger than last year with basically every key component back. The largest question mark for the 2012 Wolverines is on the defensive line. They must replace 3 starters on the D-line including DE Ryan Van Bergen and all-everything DT Mike Martin. Michigan must find some bigs who can stop the run and free up their athletic LB's to make plays if they want to match last season's defensive numbers. Now a Senior, formerly very highly-touted DT Will Campbell is a major candidate to finally emerge and replace Martin's heavy production.

Consequently, this matchup will come down to how well Michigan will be able to stop the Alabama rushing attack. If Bama can control the ground and, as a result, the clock, Michigan has shown the penchant under Denard Robinson for pressing and trying to make plays that aren't there when they've been off the field for extended periods of time. If Michigan can stop new RB Eddie Lacy and the rest of the Bama rushing attack and find success against this young Bama secondary, they have a chance to pull the upset. Alabama has too much talent for this Michigan squad, however, and Denard isn't the type of QB that can find success vertically to exploit this young Bama secondary (watch Bama week 3 at Arkansas for that issue to emerge in a potential Ark upset). Expect a tighter game than the 12-point line would indicate but a Bama win. Alabama 27 Michigan 20


Please follow us on Twitter @11on11sports

Redskins Release First Depth Chart

The Redskins released their first depth chart yesterday with less than 72 hours until the RGIII era begins against the Bills in the first preseason game.  Not too many surprises, but glaring holes in the OL.  Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about most of this roster, but I have always believed that behind quarterback, offensive and defensive line are the most important positions in football. Control the line of scrimmage like the Patriots and Giants do and you will consistently be contenders.

Here's the depth chart with commentary to follow:

Offense
WR - Santana Moss - Leonard Hankerson, Josh Morgan
LT - Trent Williams - Tom Compton, Jordan Black
LG - Kory Lichtensteiger - Maurice Hurt, Josh LeRibeus
C - Will Montgomery - Eric Cook
RG - Chris Chester - Adam Gettis
RT - Jammal Brown - Tyler Polumbus, Willie Smith
TE - Fred Davis - Chris Cooley, Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen
WR - Pierre Garcon - Anthony Armstrong, Brandon Banks
FB - Darrel Young - Chris Cooley
RB - Tim Hightower - Evan Royster, Roy Helu, Alfred Morris
QB - Robert Griffin III - Rex Grossman, Kirk Cousins

Defense
DE - Adam Carriker - Kedrick Golston, Doug Worthington
NT - Barry Cofield - Chris Neild, Chris Baker, Delvin Johnson
DE - Stephen Bowen - Jarvis Jenkins, Darrion Scott
OLB - Ryan Kerrigan - Chris Wilson, Markus White
ILB - London Fletcher - Lorenzo Alexander, Donnell Holt
ILB - Perry Riley - Bryan Kehl, Keenan Robinson
OLB - Brian Orakpo - Rob Jackson, Brian McNally
CB - DeAngelo Hall - Cedric Griffin, Richard Crawford
S - Brandon Meriwether - Reed Doughty
S - Madieu Williams - DeJon Gomes, Tanard Jackson
CB - Josh Wilson - Kevin Barnes, Brandyn Thompson

Special
K - Graham Gano - Neil Rackers
P - Sav Rocca
KR - Brandon Banks - Aldrick Robinson, Anthony Armstrong
PR - Brandon Banks - Aldrick Robinson, Anthony Armstrong

Offense

1) Let's start with the wide receivers. I love everything I've read about Santana Moss this offseason. EVERYTHING. One of my all-time favorite Redskins came back rejuvenated.  The early word towards the end of last season was that he was at risk of being cut, and then the Redskins go out and sign two receivers in free agency. But look who's at the top of the depth chart.  I'm very excited to see a 33 year old Santana Moss this year. My personal opinion is that he has a lot left in the tank.

Pierre Garcon, from everything I've heard has looked great; reports indicate that Hankerson has shown tremendous growth from last year; Anthony Armostrong showing up on the second string is, I believe, a result of Morgan not having too much camp time so far.  By the start of the season, we will see Hankerson and Morgan battling for 3/4.  We will often see Moss playing out of the slot in 3 and 4 receiver packages too.

I like the receivers, but am not head over heels for this group; however, if Hankerson really has improved as much as I'm reading, and Garcon plays up to his dollar amount then this is a scary group of receivers that will really ease RGIII into his first year.

2) The TE's. Fred Davis was a stud until he and Williams decided to be Cheech and Chong last year¹.  With Davis back to form and the help of a rejuvenated receiving corps, his productivity should only increase. Maybe he'll get less touches and targets, but he'll have more space and get less attention.

Add a healthy Chris Cooley to the mix - Shanahan confirms this - who has slimmed down like Santana moss and converted receiver Niles Paul, and it looks like the Redskins have some serious pass-catching options at TE.  Logan Paulsen is a good run-blocker, but not good enough and probably gets cut.

I'm worried they may still cut Cooley because of his cap number.  I understand it's a lot to pay for a number 2 tight end, but he's been a pro-bowler, is a fan-favorite, and we've seen what he can do when healthy.  Multiple TE's can work very well (see: Patriots, New England) and I see TE as a huge strength for this offense, and generally as a great friend to QBs.

3) The OL is not exciting me whatsoever. It's the same group that was dismal last year, allowing 41 sacks, 108 QB hits, and paving the way for a measly 100 ypg.  Granted, Trent Williams was suspended 4 games, but they were lackluster before that (and he wasn't looking top-5 pick caliber either). Two guards were drafted, and with Chester being carted off today and Lichtensteiger hurt, they'll see a lot of time on Thursday.  I've read that Gettis looks pretty good (Big Ten lineman, go figure) and LeRibeus is consistently being pushed into the backfield (but at least he's funny!).

Jammal Brown, a former pro-bowler has been hurt since he came to the Skins.  He's hurt now.

I want to give Shanahan the benefit of the doubt and say, "He does it with a different kind of lineman and a different scheme.  These guys aren't prototypical NFLers, but they're prototypical Shanahan lineman."  I want to say that, but I really don't have the confidence in this group.  They haven't proven they can protect the quarterback, they haven't proven they can block the zone scheme, they haven't proven they can stay healthy, and they new guys haven't been showing too much in practice.  I hope I'm wrong, but if this group doesn't perform than RGIII won't even have an opportunity to get the ball to his playmaker TE's and WR's.

4) RGII. The. Second. Coming. Can't wait to watch this man play at a high level for 15 years and hoist several Lombardi Trophies in the B&G.  BUT, for now he's a rookie. We'll see on Thursday how well he's grasping the playbook so far.  This will be our first indication of what he's capable of this year. Cam Newton was great all preseason last year.

5) I personally think that this running back group is awesome. Three guys who have proven they can run the ball over 100 yards.  Roy Helu was an animal last year, has looked great in the preseason, and starts the year as the third guy.  Hightower looked great in the preseason last year, and it was unfortunate that he didn't get to finish out the year.  Evan Royster was a treat last year - there were no expectations, and he really performed at a high level. A guy I really like is the rookie, Alfred Morris.  I love how he runs, and he's a great change up from the other guys.  Will we keep 4 tailbacks? I doubt it, but I hope so.

I hope the unit can stay healthy.  If so, it's the NFL's best trio of tailbacks. Shanahan certainly has a way with backs, so I consider the RB position a potent strength on offense for the Skins.

Defense

1) The DL was OK last year, but they get another year in the system and Jarvis Jenkins. I like the 6-man rotation we have at the DE and NT positions.  I think they will perform better than last year and that Jenkins will add a dynamic level that was missing last year.

2) I love the Linebackers on this team.  I love Perry Riley inside. He only started 8 games last year, but he wound up with 66 tackles. Now he's got a full offseason to prepare for a full season. He will shine this year next to the unwavering and ageless London Fletcher. Both were steals, Riley in the draft and Fletcher in free agency.

Kerrigan, stud. Orakpo, Stud. Kerrigan will only get stronger in year two. Orakpo has been named to multiple pro-bowls and calls tons of attention, but I'd frankly like to see him wreak a lot more havoc.  That said, I think this is one of the strongest pass-rushing duos in the league, and they will be for a long time. The reserves here are all great spot contributors. Markus White, Chris Wilson, and Rob Jackson are assets when they're on the field.  Great starters with very solid depth at linebacker. Inside reserve Lorenzo Alexander can do no wrong in my book, and is a stellar special teamer.

3) The concern for this defense is the Defensive Backfield. Raheem Morris has a challenge in front of him. If this unit is successful, it will really be a testament to him.  Josh Wilson and DeAngelo Hall are back at the corner spots.  Your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not Kevin Barnes shows up this year after a tough season last year, or Cedric Griffin is a good fit in the Nickel or Dime.

The safeties are completely retooled. Landry and Otogwe never played, so I do consider this unit upgraded from last year's Daughty and Gomes combo.  Gomes was very solid in his rookie season, though. And, statistically, Doughty was great against the run.  The new faces are former pro-bowler Brandon Meriweather, veteran Madieu Williams, and local bad-boy Tanard Jackson.  It looks like a band of misfits, but they have all performed at very high-levels in this league...and not too long ago either.  This could work out great, but it could fail miserably. It's on Raheem and my fingers are crossed. Worst case scenario: the safeties are upgraded from last year.

One thing on defense that the Redskins have to do better is force turnovers.  3-4 defenses are designed to get to the quarterback and force turnovers. The Redskins got to the Quarterback, but they weren't abel to take the ball away. If they are able to do that this year, then they will be a completely different animal.

Special Teams

1) Graham Gano has been winning the kicking battle against Neil Rackers thus far.  This is so frustrating as a Redskins fan.  Gano's been terrible for us.  He'll occasionally make an incredible kick, but then he misses easy ones and game winners.

There's no doubt he has the leg and raw talent, but Rackers has a track record for being consistent and effective.  The flip side is that the Redskins keep getting kickers who suck for us and then end up being great with other teams: David Akers, Shaun Suisham, Nick Novak.

That said, Rackers has always kicked in a dome, and 5 of Gano's 10 misses last year were blocks.  We'll see.

Overall

I'm very excited to see this team hit the field for the first time.  RGIII is electric and he has weapons. It's a matter of that o-line coming together and keeping his jersey clean while opening holes for the backs. They are the lynchpin of this offense. Which sucks, because I'm not that confident in this unit, though I'm hopeful.

The defense is ready to make the jump from solid to great this year.  They can get to the quarterback, and the front seven is top ten in the NFL.  The Linebackers are insanely good, and Jarvis Jenkins is a welcome addition to the front seven.  No matter how you look at it, the safeties are improved this year, and the third corner will be better (better play from Barnes and/or Cedric Griffin stepping into that role).  Wilson and Hall were good, and with help they'll be better.  The big difference for this defense will be taking the ball away.  If they can do that effectively, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

The Skins have a fighting chance in a lot of divisions, but the NFC East has 3 Super Bowl contenders in it.  The Skins are going to finish last in the East with anywhere from 6-8 wins.  The future, however, is promising.  Though this season won't result in a championship run, it's an important developmental season. A lot of the pieces are in place. Two more years and Shanahan and Bruce will have built a perenial contender.  Now let's hope Snyder can see that and have some patience to let the whole thing come together.

Follow me on Twitter: @HuffStetLer

---------------------------------------------------------

1 That's a whole different topic, but guys, if you're lucky you have a 10 year career, can you at least show a little bit of restraint and hold off that long?  It's pathetic how pro athletes can get arrested, fail drug tests, and drive drunk and keep their jobs unlike anyone else in America. Michael Vick was in prison for committing a serious federal offense, and now he's a redemption story and one of the highest-paid players in the league. Kenny Britt has been arrested EIGHT TIMES since joining the NFL. How is that possible??

College Football Week One Marquee Matchups- Part One

by John Huffstetler

Unbelievably, we're just 5 weeks away from College Football season, and 11-on-11 Sports will be comprehensively covering everything College Football from opening week through the National Championship game. In order to whet our collective College Football appetites, here is an early look at the week one marquee matchups:

Thursday August 30th

South Carolina at Vandy- The Gamecocks enter this season with National Title aspirations and another fantastic squad returning. In Connor Shaw, Spurrier has finally stabilized the tenuous QB position, and All-American caliber RB Marcus Lattimore returns from his late season injury. With these two players returning and a potentially stronger offensive line, the offense should improve over their 5.58 yards per play performance last year (59th in nation). The defense lost two key players in big-play LB Melvin Ingram and shut-down CB Stephon Gilmore, but return several highly-touted recruits, including 2011 #1 Recruit DE Jadaveon Clowney. If the pass defense can survive the loss of three starters in the secondary, the Gamecocks defense should be strong as well because to their front seven is loaded with talent.

South Carolina, however, enters a tough spot in the first week of the season against an improved and more experienced Vanderbilt team on the road. Vandy returns 15 starters from a surprisingly competitive squad last season who gave several ranked high-profile teams tight games late in the season. Vandy lost by 5 to UGA, 3 to Ark, 5 at Fla, and 6 in OT at Tenn. They had 4 net close losses last year, which is a strong indicator of improvement for the following season (91.4% have same or better record next year). They return dual-threat QB Jordan Rodgers (Aaron's little bro) and All-SEC RB Zac Stacy to lead an offense that gained dramatically more yards once Rodgers took over mid-season. In last years meeting in Columbia, South Carolina held Vandy to just 77 yards en route to a 21-3 victory in their 4th game of the year; however, this game was prior to Rodgers' entrance in the starting lineup. This year's contest should be tighter with an intense crowd supporting the Commodores on the season's opening night. South Carolina should have enough to win in this difficult spot, but an upset is surely possible. SC 24 Vandy 14

Friday August 31st

Boise St. at Michigan St.- Boise's schedule is once again laughable this year, and this might be the only chance for the entire nation to avoid the ridiculous "they deserve a chance at the national title" nonsense. Both teams' most critical off-season question is how to replace their campus legend QB's in Kellen Moore and Kirk Cousins, respectively. With both teams starting inexperienced QB's, their ability to control the ball on the ground will prove vital. Michigan St. returns starting RB Le'veon Bell and 5 starting offensive lineman (if you count Blake Treadwell who was lost to injury after just 3 starts), while Boise must replace versatile 1st round draft choice RB Doug Martin and two starting offensive lineman from last season. Boise also returns just 2 starters on defense, while the Spartans return 8, including one of the best LB corps in the country. With the majority of their roster in tact from last year (other than major losses at QB and DT), Michigan St. should slaughter this much less experienced 2012 Boise St. squad. Michigan St. 31 Boise St. 13

Week One Part Two (coming soon) includes: Michigan vs. Alabama and  Clemson vs. Auburn


Please follow us on Twitter @11on11sports

It's About Damn Time

As a surprisingly raucous Miami crowd chants "MVP..MVP..MVP..." Stuart Scott asks Lebron James, "Given everything you've been through, with the clock at triple zero's. What's the first thing that ran through your mind?"
Lebron pauses a second, shakes his head in a "I can't believe this happening" type of way, and says "It's about damn time."
It is about damn time that Lebron gets a championship, it is about damn time Lebron silences the haters, it is about damn time Lebron James lifts and 1,000 lbs weight off his shoulders. Those are the not the only things it's about damn time for, looking forward to the future and reflecting on the present (is that even possible) I list a couple things that it's about damn time for.
It's about damn time... Erik Spolestra gets off the hot seat: In the midst of all the post game celebrations and interviews, second to only the King, Coach Spo looked the most relieved. With the title or bust expectations placed on his head Spolestra was in a tough situation. Do I think he was a fantastic coach throughout the playoffs? No, and I don't think an argument can be made otherwise. However, Pat Riley's prodigy was able to escape the criticism and in the biggest upset of the finals other than Mike Miller, Shane Battier, and Norris Cole knocking down trey after trey Spolestra out-coached Scott Brooks. I would say that Spolestra submitted the best coaching series of his career, and his ability to put the right people in at the right times was truly uncanny. Lebron wasn't the only one to exceed expectations in the clutch, and Erik Spolestra earned his job as the 2013 Miami Heat coach. Which leads me to someone on the other end of the spectrum...
It's about damn time... Scott Brooks loses his job: This summer Thunder GM Sam Presti and majority owner Clay Bennet will have to decide whether to resign coach Scott Brooks to a new deal. After his absolutely awful performance in the finals and his very questionable handling of the San Antonio series I think it is clear the Thunder should look for a new face. Brooks routinely put James Harden on Lebron even though Lebron has at least three inches, 30 pounds, nine inches of vertical, and is considerably faster. Brooks did this in order to keep Kevin Durant out of foul trouble, but he persisted with it into much of a elimination game without ever realizing the consequences. It was a solid strategy to put someone besides KD on Lebron, but why would that guy be Harden? Thabo Sefolosha is a defensive specialist who also matches up with Lebron much better than Harden. If not Thabo I would have rather Brooks put Serge Ibaka on Lebron than Harden because he physically matches up better, and has a good defensive pedigree unlike Harden. If Brooks had put Thabo on Lebron then Westbrook would've guarded Wade (who he matches up well with), and either Durant, Harden or Fisher on Chalmers. By putting Thabo on Lebron Brooks has to make a decision between going big with Kendrick Perkins and Ibaka, putting Harden on Chalmers, or putting Fisher on Chalmers. Sure Thabo was excruciatingly bad on offense in his limited touches, but if he had kept that up then I would have liked to see Brooks at least try Ibaka on James. Besides his matchup problems defensively Brooks had plenty of guffaws on the offensive end. Most importantly was the simplicity of OKC's offense. I imagine coach Brooks drawing up their plays on a clipboard, Harden isolation, Westbrook isolation, Durant isolation high/low post up, Harden pick-and-roll, Westbrook pick-and-roll, Durant right side pin-down screen for iso or quick jumper, and fast break. That is it, and I don't think any other play was ever actually run. These are not bad plays, it is just that a competent coach should have a little more variety, and he should pick his spots better. I don't know if it is Brooks fault or the players, but consistently their were situations when Durant would have a hot hand and Brooks would run a Westbrook high screen. Or even worse when either Durant or Westbrook would demand the ball, and James Harden would wave them off to jack up a bad shot off a pick and roll. Finally, what was most frustrating was his rotation. In the third quarter of Game 3 Brooks let the game slip away by keeping both Durant and Westbrook on the bench as the Heat made a storming comeback and took the lead. In other times throughout the series he would keep James Harden in even though he couldn't make a shot and Derek Fisher seemed like a better option (yes James, I hate to break it to you, you sucked that much.). He would also play people for extended stretches and not mix it up enough causing fatigue, and a lack of challenges for the Miami Heat to cope with. An example of the last complaint is when Brooks would go at least half a quarter without Serge Ibaka touching the floor. Six minutes plus of Nick Collison and Perkins? In the championship? Not spacing the floor at all for your all-star perimeter players? Geez Scotty, it's not that hard. Some might argue that firing Brooks would cause problems among such a tight knit team, but one man won't have that problem. Enter Phil Jackson. He coached Jordan, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe, and Kwame Brown. No one else can put that on their resume. In all seriousness he would be perfect for the Thunder. The triangle would work well at times to give teams a different look from all the one-on-one basketball the Thunder currently employ, and he would be able to manage the touches of three stars who deserve them (that's right James, your getting a second chance. You had a absolutely horrendous finals, but instead of diverting a paragraph to you I will take shots at you throughout the column. Kinda like you taking iso threes and impossible layups whenever your team was in a big moment. But I am giving you a second chance, I've seen you perform beautifully at times and Game 4 against Dallas tapes are begging for me not to neglect you.). I mean isn't this the perfect job for a coach who is not willing to go anywhere but a good situation, and is in the hall of fame for his ability to manage great talents and great teams. I mean c'mon sometimes things are too simple.
It's about damn time... we saw the full potential of the Miami Heat: When three all-stars, two of the top five players in the world, the reigning MVP, and Juwan Howard took their talents to South Beach we expected big things. Last night the epitome of what the "not one, not two, not three..." thing was all about was realized. The Heat played like the Spurs, only if Lebron was Tony Parker, and Matt Bonner on steroids was having the best night of his career (to further the comparison Wade was Ginobili, Bosh was Duncan, Battier Stephen Jackson, Chalmers Gary Neal, Haslem Kawhi Leonard, Norris Cole Danny Green, and Juwan Howard most definitely the guy selling beer in the stands. I'm sorry I couldn't find Ronny Turiaf, and James Jones comparison but Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter were too important to be either of them.). The Heat passed the ball beautifully, Wade and Bosh played very solid all-star level games, Lebron put in an all-time great closeout performance, and most importantly the role players were fantastic. I mean if I told you that Miller, Battier, and Chalmers combined to score the same amount as Bosh and Wade combined (44 if you were wondering. I'm sure no one was wondering but I still felt like putting that in there.) you would either think it was a Heat blowout or a Heat collapse, and due to Bosh's injury and Wade's up and down play I think you would lean toward collapse. In order for the Heat to reach their full potential I think the above listed needs to happen, Wade and Bosh both need to play well, Lebron needs to be incredible (defense, rebounding, passing, and scoring.), role players need to make open threes, everyone needs to give a shit, and their defense has to be swarming. If the Heat did that they would unlock their full potential, last night's defense I wouldn't describe as swarming, but for much of the first half and for a stretch in the third quarter it could be described that way. Throughout this series and the whole playoffs the Heat had been inching closer and closer to that, and last night it was achieved. At first it was tough to watch because I wanted the Thunder to win, and I really wanted to see a competitive series. However, as the game went on I gradually accepted the Heat as champions, and I was able to appreciate the beautiful basketball being played.
It's about damn time... Kevin Durant tries to be selfish: In last night's game there were pivotal moments when KD tried to do to much (specifically when in the third quarter the Thunder cut it to five, got a rebound, and KD lost the ball in transition ending a Thunder run and starting a Miami one.). At the same time though it was fun to watch Durant really demand the ball, and not seem to care if he pleased his teammates. Durant was the only one who put in a good performance last night, and if the rest of the team had stepped up we might be looking back on how great Durant was. I don't actually want Durant to always be selfish on offense, what makes this team work, and what makes him so special is his unselfishness. Durant though can get a quality shot at will, and having him demand the ball sometimes is a good thing. Hopefully Durant will review the tape, and learn how he can balance demanding the ball while not trying to do to much and committing turnovers. Knowing his work ethic and desire to improve I'm sure KD will keep improving in this area.
It's about damn time... we appreciate what makes sports special: I'm sure by now everyone who didn't watch the game has seen the video of Lebron's celebrating at the end. Watching the sheer joy and happiness on Lebron's face reminds me of why we care about sports. Sports are not just a game, nothing that is just a game can bring contentment like that. Games make people happy, Lebron was fulfilled. There two completely different feelings, and this is what makes us care so much. The highs and lows of following a sport, or playing a sport are unlike anything else. Because the lows are so painful it makes the highs that much sweeter. Lebron didn't care about all the negative attention he has received from the media. Lebron didn't care that he was a King, "the chosen one", a 3 time MVP, what Lebron cared about was that he was a NBA champion. Another thing that makes team sports so great is that winning with a group of guys that you connect with makes it all the more better. Lebron didn't just succeed, he succeeded with some of his best friends right by his side. After the game I was in awe, partially because of the great basketball I had just witnessed from the Heat, and partly because of everything I just wrote about. I called up my best friend after the post-game stuff and just gushed all my thoughts about the game into the phone (I'm sorry for not letting you talk much, I was overwhelmed.). After that I stood in the shower for probably fifteen minutes just soaking in (no pun intended) everything. Watching Lebron be so happy made me happy and made me reflect on sports. It was so amazing to see the amount of emotion he had, and it brought out a ton in myself. Being so overcome myself I can only imagine the feeling Lebron had. Last year I was a Lebron hater, this season I was amazed at his first couple months but then disappointed and upset with his last few. In the playoffs it all came together for me and him. Marv Albert's famous call, "Lebron James with no regard for human life" wasn't true. Lebron cared a lot about others, but last night he was happy with himself. Lebron James was content and fulfilled. It's about damn time.