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Opening Time: Who is Cory Luebke? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: September 2, 2010, 4:05 pm] We're back to a full slate of games on Friday with 30 starters to choose from. Only 29 are listed on our grid below; when the Marlins make a decision on who will replace Ricky Nolasco, we'll add to the ranks. Cory Luebke of San Diego is someone you'll want to scout and consider in deeper leagues. The Padres need to figure out a September rotation plan with so many of their young starters getting near scary inning counts, and Luekbe has been solid in Triple-A this year (2.97 ERA, 1.023 WHIP, 2.59 K/BB). Sure, he's a little old for the level at 25, but that doesn't mean he can't be successful in the pitcher-coddling NL West. To the grid: 1. Clay Buchholz (CWS) – Red Sox lucky they never shipped him. 2. Jered Weaver (@Oak) – You love him in a roomy park. 3. Gio Gonzalez (LAA) – He might even be the ace here someday, honest. 4. Daniel Hudson (Hou) – Sorry it went down like this, Chicago. 5. Matt Garza (@Bal) – He's gotten his stuff back over last month. 6. Cole Hamels (Mil) – Some runs and support from the mates would be nice. 7. Brandon Morrow (@NYY) – A cruel place to make his final start of 2010. 8. Jaime Garcia (Cin) – No signs of fatigue yet. 9. Zack Greinke (Det) – The Tigers no longer scare anyone. 10. Brett Myers (@Ari) – The most underrated pitcher in the NL. 11. John Danks (@Bos) – Wrong time for a slump, wrong park for a slump. 12. Bronson Arroyo (@StL) – Hope the fly balls stay in the park. 13. Chad Billingsley (SF) – He he an ace or just a fantasy tease? 14. R.A. Dickey (@ChC) – Knuckler in Wrigley, I'm a touch nervous. 15. Nick Blackburn (Tex) – At least it's the warmth of home. 16. Luke French (Cle) – In Safeco against a modest opponent. 17. Cory Luebke (Col) – Can he work his way into September plans? 18. Randy Wells (NYM) – Really just a No. 4 or No. 5 starter. 19. Derek Holland (@Min) – A shame they can't keep him healthy. 20. Livan Hernand First Down: Overlooked Huggins primed to strut stuff in Tampa [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: September 2, 2010, 10:21 am] Follow the Noise on Twitter. Your questions, commments and verbal jabs are strongly encouraged Paging through the NFL’s historical record, numerous undrafted players have left an indelible mark on the game. Past overachievers Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, Priest Holmes and Rod Smith forged legendary careers. Today, previously overlooked players Ryan Grant, Tony Romo, Wes Welker, Pierre Thomas and, hot commodity, Arian Foster are following in their footsteps. The ultimate beneficiaries of unpredictable circumstances, their rags-to-riches stories have captivated fanatics and mystified scouts for years. Tampa underdog Kareem Huggins is the latest example. Though he showcased unique skills during a Pro Day exhibition two years ago, the little known product failed to attract a suitor, an almost unfathomable outcome when considering he once logged a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash (Watch it here). Durability concerns stemming from a high ankle sprain suffered as a college senior forced many teams to turn a blind eye. To evaluators, a slender, undersized back from a small private college on Long Island, Hofstra, simply couldn’t handle the demanding rigors of the NFL. Despite the unappealing label, the diminutive back remained stedfast to achieving his lifelong dream. His undeterred nature and deep spirituality kept the flame alive. The following season Huggins, healed and even more determined from the year-long layoff, worked out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Raheem Morris’ eery connection to the New Jersey product compelled the head coach to give the kid another chance. Both were born in Irvington and leaned on football to escape the street vices of nearby Newark, eventually earning degrees from the same university, Hofstra, a school notorious for producing unheralded pro talents (e.g. Marques Colston and Wayne Chrebet). The tryout proved successful. Although relegated mostly to practice squad duty, Huggins finally made an NFL team. Call it a divine de Juggernaut Index No. 5: The Baltimore Ravens [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: September 1, 2010, 4:40 pm] The Juggernaut Index is our annual ranking of NFL teams for fantasy purposes. Repeat: FOR FANTASY PURPOSES. This is not an NFL power ranking. We're reviewing each team's projected fantasy contributions — that's it.When you look at the year-end numbers, you might assume that the 2009 Baltimore Ravens were purely a running football team. They finished seventh in the league in rush attempts and fifth in rushing yards. Even when the Ravens threw, it was often an extended handoff — Ray Rice led the team in receptions (78) and he led all NFL running backs in targets (101). But early in the 2009 season, Baltimore actually featured a high-scoring, multi-dimensional offense. The team threw the ball frequently, and not just to Rice. Joe Flacco opened with a 307-yard passing performance in a win over the Chiefs, going 26-for-43 with three touchdowns. He attempted 47 passes in Week 4 at New England, then 43 in Week 6 at Minnesota. Flacco topped 300 yards in three of his first six games, and he entered the Week 7 bye with 10 TD passes, on-pace for 27. However, after the break, the Birds were grounded. Rice emerged as an absolute star, and Flacco never attempted more than 36 passes in any game the rest of the way. He put the ball in the air just 10 times in Baltimore's Wild Card win against the Patriots, completing only four throws.We've since learned that Flacco was limited by leg and hip issues late in the year … “If you actually saw those injuries and saw the amount of rehab and everything it took for him to get ready to play on Sunday, people would be amazed at his performance,” [coordinator Cam] Cameron said.… so perhaps we need to forgive his mid-year decline, and begin to appreciate what the 25-year-old quarterback has already achieved. Flacco has thrown for 6,584 yards in his first two seasons, the fifth-highest total in league history. He's also led his team to back-to-back playoff appearances and three road playoff wins. Flacco ha Opening Time: Jhoulys Chacin, Thursday's special [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: September 1, 2010, 2:08 pm] It's a limited Thursday slate, with just six games on the sandlots. Let's see if we can find you some short-investment winners. Jhoulys Chacin looks like he best streamable arm. He's owned in just 10 percent of Yahoo leagues, he's at home, and I'll be stunned if the Rockies don't do something against Joe Blanton. Even if Chacin can't score us a victory, he's got decent strikeout upside (20 whiffs over his last 19 innings). Thursday's Probably Starters 1. CC Sabathia (OAK) – Large and in charge2. Tim Hudson (NYM) – Modern statheads are skeptical, but this has gone on five months now. 3. Johan Santana (@ATL) – Just one win here in five starts, despite 2.57 ERA.4. Scott Baker (DET) – Like most Twins, his best comes at home (where ERA is 1.38 lower) 5. Justin Verlander (@MIN) – Still has that foul-ball problem; the pitches add up so quickly. 6. Jhoulys Chacin (PHI) – Come chase a win with us. 7. Doug Fister (CLE) – Bloom has come off the rose in second half, but this matchup is non-threatening. 8. Dallas Braden (at NYY) – You and No. 13 will have lots to talk about.9. Daisuke Matsuzaka (@BAL) – He's been dead to me for over a year. 10. Brad Bergesen (BOS) – He's been more than useful of late (2.72, 0.99) but opponent a concern. 11. Josh Tomlin (@SEA) – He crash-landed in August (5.48, 1.65, just nine strikeouts). 12. Joe Blanton (@COL) – This is the worst possible spot for him, a fly-baller in Coors. Now that you're armed up, let's take a look at the recent happenings on the diamond.• Neil Walker's ownership level stays tame because he's on the Pirates (basically off the grid), but why shouldn't you want a multi-position guy with a good batting slot? He rapped out a homer and four hits in Tuesday's keg-tapper, putting the finish on a .306 August (with 14 runs, 22 RBIs). He's pretty much the same thing as Omar Infante (albeit you get two less positions), but there's a major difference in ownersh First Down: Sorry Beanie backers, Hightower isn't going away [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: September 1, 2010, 11:36 am] Follow the Noise on Twitter. Your questions, commments and verbal jabs are strongly encouraged. With summer winding down, temperatures across much of the country have started to cool. However, in the cactus-dotted valley of Southern Arizona, the mercury continues to climb. There controversial pigskin clashes, not meteorological effects, are responsible for the thermometer spike. The undecided battle between Derek Anderson and Matt Leinart may be the hottest topic to conventional football fans, but to the fantasy faithful the workload split between Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells is significantly steamier. Beanie backers should feel stuffy. The bruising product from Ohio State entered training camp with a sense of entitlement. Understandably, expectations were high. After he averaged 106.3 total yards per game and crossed the chalk in each of his fantasy playoff contests a season ago, the starting job was supposed to be presented to him on a silver platter. What a difference four weeks can make. More weenie than meanie, Beanie has grossly underachieved this preseason. Pesky gnat Tim Hightower has outplayed, outgained and outhustled the former top pick in nearly every facet of the game. His standout effort last Saturday in Chicago is a prime example (Watch highlights here). Though Wells has shown some improvements across the board, he continues to struggle executing the little things. Blitz recognition is still a work in progress. Passes have slipped through fingers. Crippling fumbles have occurred. Ken Whisenhunt has demanded versatility. Beanie simply hasn’t delivered it. Despite his bone-crushing power, vicious stiff-arm and superior pedigree, Wells remains firmly planted in the No. 2 spot on the team’s RB depth chart. To Beanie believers, Hightower is the clueless ex-girlfriend who keeps drunk-dialing during the midnight hour in the hopes of rekindling a flatlined romance. He’s completely annoying. Don’t expect the pestilent ru Opening Time: The stream police live inside of your head [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 31, 2010, 11:34 am] We're on the eve of September, so it's basically winning time on the fantasy sandlots. You've got streaming needs for Wednesday and I've got answers. Since it's impossible to know for sure who's available in your league and who isn't, I'll just handicap the entire Wednesday field and you can mix and match as you please.After we go through the Islands in the Stream, we'll take a look back at Monday night's action and some of the current aches and pains. Wednesday's Probable Starters 1. Jon Lester (@Bal): Not in top form lately, but still great chance at a win.2. Mat Latos (@Ari): Last month: 1.69, 0.94, 37 Ks. 3. Clayton Kershaw (Phi): Strikeouts guaranteed, becoming more efficient. 4. Roy Oswalt (@LAD): Just 3-1 in six PHI starts despite 2.18, 0.97 numbers.5. David Price (Tor): He's owned Toronto in 2010 (three wins, 1 ER).6. Tommy Hanson (NYM): Only 17 Ks in last five turns. 7. Francisco Liriano (Det): Better at home (2.72, 1.16) than road (4.16, 1.37).8. Ubaldo Jimenez (@SF Strikeouts still there, but 4.01 ERA since break. 9. Tim Lincecum (Col): Flip your own coin, shake your own 8-ball.10. Max Scherzer (@Min): Breakthrough is legit but he's an underdog here.11. Tommy Hunter (@KC): Nothing special but the matchup is right.12. Johnny Cueto (Mil): A paper cup in a hurricaneinconsistent.13. Mike Pelfrey (@Atl): Strong results over last month, but no strikeouts. 14. Brett Anderson (@NYY): At least it's not a day game, but still, dangerous spot.15. Barry Enright (SD): Another ERA master without true dominance. 16. Tom Gorzelanny (Pit): Erratic second half, but up against NL's worst offense.17. A.J. Burnett (Oak): Doing all he can to lose rotation spot.18. Shaun Marcum (@TB): ERA is artificially high in second half. 19. Jason Vargas (LAA): Likes the home cooking (2.48, 1.19, seven wins).20. Chris Volstad (Was): Might be a good late-round sleeper for 2011.21. Trevor Bell (@Sea): Has 5.1 scoreless innings against SEA this year. 22. James McDonald (@ChC): Good strikeout p First Down: Steven Jackson should be placed on a pedestal [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 31, 2010, 11:27 am] Follow the Noise on Twitter. Your questions, commments and verbal jabs are strongly encouraged. Within the fantasy community St. Louis’ Steven Jackson is unequivocally the virtual sport’s most polarizing figure. Despite steady contributions over five consecutive seasons, fanatics either adore or deplore him. Due to his hefty Round 1 price tag there really isn’t any middle ground. Essentially, he’s Terrell Owens with a pinch of Kobe Bryant rolled in Tim Lincecum’s favorite ‘airplane’ paper puffed by Glenn Beck. Division over his true worth (or lackthereof) is an unfair and undeserved consequence. Pouring over Jackson’s historical record it’s hard to discredit his on-field accomplishments. His per year average since 2005 is unmistakably RB1 material – 52 receptions, 1,627 total yards and nine touchdowns. His sterling skill set, relentlessness and bullnose toughness have routinely steamrolled opponents. Without question no rusher works and plays harder. If Darren McFadden owned one-sixteenth the determination and zeal of Jackson, he would be a perennial first-round fantasy selection. Uncontrollable circumstances, not a lack of talent, are responsible for the Jackson schism. St. Louis’ humiliating play over the past several seasons has greatly hindered the two-time All-Pro’s reputation as a dependable roster cornerstone. When upright and adequately protected, which was rare, Marc Bulger was able to keep defenses occasionally honest. However, when the signal caller was sidelined disastrous stopgaps Gus Frerotte, Brock Berlin, Keith Null and Kyle Boller did little to prevent stacked boxes. The passing game remained stagnant, generating few red zone opportunities for the bulldozing back. Last year, Jackson totaled only one more attempt inside the 10 than Darren Sproles and the same number of touchdowns as fossilized Fred Taylor (4). Despite the obstacles, Jackson has courageously trucked al Juggernaut Index No. 6: The San Diego Chargers [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 30, 2010, 6:26 pm] The Juggernaut Index is our annual ranking of NFL teams for fantasy purposes. Repeat: FOR FANTASY PURPOSES. This is not an NFL power ranking. We're reviewing each team's projected fantasy contributions — that's it. Even if holdout wide receiver Vincent Jackson never reports, the San Diego offense is going to be awfully good. Let's start there. Given the depth and talent in the Chargers' receiving corps, it's not hard to understand why the team is unwilling to give Jackson a $50 million deal. Sure, he's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but he's also coming off back-to-back DUI arrests. He's been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the 2010 season for violations of the league's personal conduct policy. On top of that, San Diego has placed Jackson on the roster exempt list, initiating a three-game suspension that begins when he signs and reports. Here's where it gets tricky: Because Jackson cannot report to the team while serving his league-mandated suspension, he'll need to sign by Sept. 4 in order to avoid the additional three-game penalty imposed by the Chargers. If he were to report today — which seems galactically unlikely, but you never know — then he could serve the suspensions concurrently. If Jackson fails to agree to his lowball one-year tender by the roster cut-down date, then he's guaranteed to miss at least six games. He recently told NFL Network's Jason La Canfora that he's willing to sit out the entire year if necessary, so six games is beginning to look like a best-case scenario (although a trade to a receiver-needy team like Minnesota wouldn't hurt). Thus, drafting Jackson in a fantasy league is a bit of a dice-roll. Do it late, if you're planning to do it at all. Don't be the guy who selects V-Jax in Round 3 because you're relying on a cheat sheet from a magazine — those things should really have expiration dates.OK, now that Jackson's situation has been covered, let's shift gears and discuss pla Tip Drill: The Pianow Manifesto [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 30, 2010, 5:08 pm] A bunch of random thoughts, some about football, some not. If you don't like random-thought columns, head over to the next whiskey bar – I'll understand. If you're in the mood for a column about nothing, settle in and read on.• The commissioner should always drink for free.• Quarterback sacks have less to do with the offensive line (and more to do with the quarterback) than is commonly held. Sure, some jailbreaks are unavoidable, but it's no accident that the most experienced signal callers also get sacked very infrequently. The corollary to this: the running game is more about the offensive line than is commonly held.• Ed and Steve Sabol should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and it's a travesty they're not already.• Consider opinions from everyone you respect, but make your own final decisions, and be accountable for them.• When in doubt, take the points.• Never go grocery shopping when you're really hungry.• With all due respect to Mike Tirico (I'm a big fan), NBC's Sunday Night telecast is the best-produced stand-alone game we see all week. It's really not close at all.• Pick your arrival time to the airport and then move it up 30 minutes. Traveling is stressful enough on its own without turning it into a game of beat the clock.• Set your lineup as late as possible every week; anywhere in the final 60 minutes before kickoff works best. There's no reason to make decisions early in the week based on incomplete information.• Let a decent chunk of the day play out before you even think of checking the score of your fantasy game. No one wins a game in the first hour. Sit back, sip something, try to enjoy yourself. Keep your eyes on the TV more than the computer.• The Sporting News ranked the NFL's head coaches from 1-32 in the current issue, and I don't have a major bone to pick with the entire list. Well played, men. (And for what it's worth, TSN has lapped Sports Illustr First Down: Now do you believe in Arian Foster's greatness? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 30, 2010, 10:50 am] Follow the Noise on Twitter. Your questions, commments and verbal jabs are strongly encouraged. • For those sick of the Noise spewing endless hyperbole about Foster, grab a bucket. Against allegedly one of the stiffest defenses in the NFC, Dallas, the fast-rising fantasy talent dimmed the Stars totaling 126 yards (6.1 ypc) on 22 touches (See highlights here). The undrafted back may not possess the natural talents of an Adrian Peterson or even a Donald Brown, but he’s an ideal fit in the Texans one-cut-and-go system. Consistent productivity will be the norm, not the exception. It’s well-known we serenade Foster’s photo with Jodeci songs each night before turning in. We’ve been on the Foster bandwagon since late last year when it was occupied by yours truly and the rusher’s mother. But, speaking objectively, it’s not lunacy he could be a top 10 RB come season’s end. Nonbelievers who claim “It’s the preseason!!!” are obtuse to the truth. Houston’s underrated offensive line and vertical game are outstanding. And the third-year back has limited competition for carries. Steve Slaton, who suffered a concussion on Saturday, is barely a threat. Our ballsy projections from four weeks ago, may be too light. At this point, the Noise would rather own Foster (57.0 ADP, RB24) ahead of Shonn Greene, Steven Jackson, Rashard Mendenhall and DeAngelo Williams. His end season numbers could exceed Slaton’s from 2008 (1,659 total yards, 10 TDs). Jahvid Best has company in the race for the 2010 Ray Rice Award. Go ahead, say it: “You’re (expletive) insane.” • Still knockin’ da boots in H-Town, Jacoby Jones verified Kubiak’s statement early last week the Texans currently boast three starting wide receivers. The Lane product hauled in five passes for 63 yards, including a 24-yard scoring strike from Matt Schaub. Clearly, Jones is a superior talent compared to greaseman Quick Fantasy Spin: Manny Ramirez heads to the White Sox [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 29, 2010, 10:23 pm] According to multiple reports, the Dodgers have agreed to send Manny Ramirez to the White Sox in exchange for … well, for the right to not pay him $4.3 million. Not a bad exchange for a fourth-place team that's 10 games back in the standings. The fantasy spin here is easy: Everyone wins, except for the stiffs who've served as designated hitters for Chicago. The White Sox have upgraded a lineup spot that's been an absolute sinkhole for them all season. Manny will presumably be the full-time DH in one of baseball's most homer-friendly environments. (Though not when his calf aches, or when he's feeling claustrophobic, or when he's sleepy, or when it's a day game following a night game). This is clearly a nice move for him. At this point in the season, this is really a max-bid event in A.L.-only leagues. If you don't do it, someone else will. Scott Podsednik gets to keep the left-field gig in Los Angeles, a huge relief for his owners. His useful fantasy campaign continues uninterrupted. Here's hoping Manny can at least sell some tickets in Chicago, even if he can't lift the Sox past the Twins by himself. It's kinda ridiculous that, as of this writing, there are still lower-level seats available to the Sept. 14-16 series with Minnesota. Stay engaged, south side. Help arrives this week.---Photo via AP Images Tip Drill: All About the Auction [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 29, 2010, 4:48 pm] A fantasy draft is like checkers, a fantasy auction is like chess. You've heard the comparison a thousand times by now. Rather than beat down that same point, let's head to the chessboard and get you ready.There's no one specific right way to successfully navigate an auction, and every league has its own nuances and unique flavor to it. That disclaimer out of the way, this is basically how I do it: The Opening Rounds: You're basically looking to do two key things here: drain your opponents of money (hopefully buying players you don't want anyway), and gain information).Your early nominations will often be big-ticket players that you don't want to roster this year. It's also wise to go to a position you've already covered; if you wind up snagging Drew Brees, any other Top 10 quarterback would be a good name to toss out. As for gaining information, that's the more subtle part of the first hour or so. Track what positions are getting bid on more or less aggressively than you expected. Compare the prices of similar players who are already gone. See if you can pick up on any habits of your opponents. Do they chase the players they go after? Do they stick with late bidding if they're pushed a lot? Do they only bid on players they seem to want? How do they handle confrontational bids? I don't have a set strategy as to how much bidding I want to do in the first third of an auction. I'll scoop up decent values if I see them. If the room seems like it's in a spending frenzy (this usually happens in leagues with a lot of new auction players), I'll tend to hold back. If it's a more-experienced group, you have to be ready to at least price enforce in the early part of the proceedings. There's no formula at play here - at least not for me; I don't believe in letting an algorithm pick my roster. I'm basically trusting my gut feel and my experience. I know a lot of owners who think it's clever to try to steal a cheap sleeper in the early part of the exercise. In my experiences, tha Mini-Rundown: Michael Pineda, shut down but not forgotten [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 29, 2010, 11:05 am] Known as the George Donner of fantasy primers, the Mini-Rundown is like a smaller, less-useful version of the Weekly Rundown. Sound awesome? Well then keep reading. Please note that matchups are subject to change due to injuries, weather and managerial whim. For a brief moment back in July, following baseball's annual Cliff Lee mega-trade, we thought Seattle might call up 21-year-old pitching prospect Michael Pineda to join the rotation. At the time, the 6-foot-5 right-hander was coming off a dominant 10-strikeout performance for Tacoma, his Triple-A ERA was 2.37, and he was actually scheduled to pitch on the day the Lee deal went down.But the promotion never happened, and now it sounds like Pineda will be shelved for the remainder of the season — no doubt a wise move by the Mariners. There's a service time issue to consider and there's also the matter of his year-to-date workload. He's thrown 139.1 innings across two levels this season, after elbow trouble limited him to 47.1 IP in 2009. Here's general manager Jack Zduriencik's spin on the Pineda shutdown, via MLB.com: "The simple reason is because of innings," said Zduriencik, who added that the Mariners had a plan from the beginning of the year to limit Pineda to between 140 and 150 innings this year. "Our decision is that we think this is a prized product of ours and a guy we want to protect."[…]"We obviously think a lot of him," Zduriencik said. "We think this guy has a chance to be a quality starter at the Major League level, and we think it's going to happen soon."So again, there's no issues here — nothing physically wrong with him at all. It's just strictly an innings issue, and again, we figure the best thing to do for our best future and his best future is to stop it right now."Pineda has struggled in his last two starts (16 hits in 8.0 IP), so it appears his employer is pulling the plug at the right time. Zduriencik indicated that Pineda wou Juggernaut Index No. 7: The Houston Texans [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 28, 2010, 10:36 am] The Juggernaut Index is our annual ranking of NFL teams for fantasy purposes. Repeat: FOR FANTASY PURPOSES. This is not an NFL power ranking. We're reviewing each team's projected fantasy contributions — that's it.Tex, you had to know it was coming… If last season proved nothing else about the Houston Texans, let's hope you're at least convinced that this team has a legitimate star at quarterback, the sort of passer who can lead an elite offense. In 2009, Matt Schaub posted the sixth-highest passing yardage total in NFL history. The only quarterbacks who've thrown for more than 4,770 yards in a single season are Dan Marino, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Dan Fouts. That's a pretty good list of passers, and Schaub's name is next. Last year he also established new career highs in completion percentage (67.9), yards per attempt (8.2) and passing touchdowns (29). As far as I'm concerned, it's settled law: Schaub is great. He's an early-round fantasy asset, a guy you need to select among the top six quarterbacks on draft day. And please, stop calling the guy "injury prone." When he's actually missed time due to injury in the past, it's generally been the result of a late, cheap hit that was penalized and/or fined. (Jared Allen, Drayton Florence and Albert Haynesworth were the offending pass rushers). These have not been freak injuries; they don't raise any questions about Schaub's durability. In fact, he played all 16 games last season, and he returned to the field in Week 13 after dislocating his non-throwing shoulder. Schaub is certainly tough enough for your imaginary football team. Draft and enjoy. Andre Johnson is also clearly good enough for any roster, although you probably won't have the opportunity to draft him unless you have a top-seven selection. When the first tier of running backs is off the board, Johnson is the clear play. He's coming off back-to-back 100-catch, 1,500-yard seasons, and he's led the NFL in receiving ya Exhibitionist: Christopher Ivory, preseason film star [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 28, 2010, 8:48 am] To be perfectly honest, Christopher Ivory was just a name on a depth chart to me prior to Friday's preseason game between the Saints and Chargers. And then he did this. Click that link. Watch the tape. That's unbelievable. Here, I'll link it again, just to give you a second chance. You will not see a better individual play made by any skill player this preseason. On that 76-yard touchdown reception, Ivory either side-stepped, stiff-armed, outran or bulldozed every member of the San Diego defense. OK, sure, he was facing defenders who are buried on the depth chart themselves, but still, that was a ridiculous play. If Ivory hadn't already made the Saints, he definitely secured a roster spot on Friday. That was his second TD of the preseason; he's now gained 217 total yards on 38 touches. And to be perfectly honest for the second time in this blog post — an unusual display of honesty around here — I have no idea what to do with Ivory for fantasy purposes. When a guy flashes ability like that, and he's connected to one of the NFL's elite offenses, you like to add him somewhere in your fantasy portfolio. I'm looking for spots in deeper formats. Of course that preseason score may have been the peak of Ivory's football life. Things like that happen all the time. He had as unimpressive a collegiate career as you can imagine — check out Ivory's Washington State football bio. Ick. He was fired by the Cougars, then finished up at Division II Tiffin University, which, if I'm not mistaken, is actually a culinary institute that specializes in desserts. But we know the Saints have a history of turning undrafted players (Pierre Thomas) and late-round picks (Marques Colston) into fantasy stars. We also know that Sean Payton prefers a deep rotation of running backs. And we further know that at 6-foot-0 and 222 pounds, Ivory has Mike Bell-like dimensions. Just keep him on the fantasy radar, and assign him new coordinates on the sleeper grid. ---Photo via US Pr Closing Time: The day the music died [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 28, 2010, 7:53 am] Casual Friday rules. Settle in, settlor. • It doesn't matter what team you pull for or where you are in the roto standings; any day we hear "Stephen Strasburg headed for Tommy John surgery" is a bad day. We'll try to stay as positive as we can be on this one; the franchise pitcher is still just 22, the surgical procedure is remarkably successful these days, rehab times keep shrinking. But that doesn't remove the sting from the gut, does it? The general roto takeaway from this bears repeating – when you're in a keeper league or dynasty format, hitting is the way to go. The doctors say Strasburg's elbow injury probably came from one isolated pitch, not a collection of work and stress, and that underscores just how dangerous the pitching game can be. Stick with the continuity part of the sandlot, the men in the batter's box. • I've been waiting all summer to do a Tim Lincecum/Dazed and Confused appreciation day, but the kid with the surfer cut isn't making the assignment any easier. It's been six weeks since we had a dominant, trademark start from Lincecum (one run or less), and he's been flat-out bad in August (7.82 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, .311 BAA) despite a decent strikeout rate (27 in 25.1 IP). Thirteen walks this month have been part of the problem, but it's also a stunner to see Lincecum's strikes be so hittable. He's allowed five homers this month, including a three-run jack to Adam LaRoche on Friday night. Is anyone out there considering a one-week Timmy-free zone (he's at home against Colorado next week), or is that just crazy talk given where the strikeout rate is? • What the heck do we do with Arizona's Barry Enright? He's pretty much been a quality start machine, including seven scoreless innings at San Francisco on Friday, and obviously a 2.44 ERA plays in any format. But his mediocre strikeout/walk rate (39 whiffs, 22 walks) makes you wonder about possible trouble ahead, and he's only collected 18 strikeouts in his last seven start Court Report: Welcome Back [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 28, 2010, 1:26 am] Yes, the long wait is over and fantasy basketball is back for the 2010-11 season. For a rundown of some of the new features, head on over to Yahoo! Help. Among the notables are auction drafts, FAAB budgets, an expanded mock draft lobby, daily-today transactions, "compare my team" functionality, and the expansion from four to eight teams per Yahoo! ID. There is an updated Big(ger) Board currently available for your consumption, and our first set of roto position ranks will debut shortly. Some questions for you, the commenter, to get the conversation going as we start on our way towards drafts that count: who will be the biggest bust? the best true "sleeper"? who will play more games, Yao Ming or Greg Oden? and what will the season-ending ranks be for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh? -----Photo via Getty Images ADP Progress Report: Peyton Manning leads QB charge [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 27, 2010, 10:07 am] Each Friday the ADP snapshot below, similar in appearance to the monthly reports we were issued by Mrs. Fernandez in second grade, will highlight the movers and shakers over the past week from data compiled by Mock Draft Central. Satisfactory check-pluses in courteousness, self-control and neatness are not required. However, mom may withhold MoonPie money if a strong effort to improve isn't made.Key: LW ADP=Last week average draft positionTW ADP=This week average draft position--Image courtesy of US Presswire Closing Time: Mad Max Scherzer, untouchable in the dome [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 27, 2010, 5:43 am] It was a nice idea while it lasted, the idea of Max Scherzer being a sneaky little value at the 2011 table. But lately he's doing all he can to wreck any possible screen, and it looks like we'll have to pay a handsome price if he want him going forward.Scherzer was dominant in his Thursday turn at Toronto, allowing just a solo homer over eight sparkling innings (6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K). He's been a little more efficient in recent starts, getting deeper into games, getting better chances at wins. And his second-half stats leap off the page at you (1.98 ERA, .213 BAA, 54 strikeouts in 59 innings). Scherzer certainly passes the eye test. He's got the build (6-3, 225 pounds), a heater that averages 93, a put-away slider and a dramatically-improved change. He's also a keen student of the game, a player that's well versed in modern stats and what makes a pitcher effective. If the Tigers can keep this guy healthy in the next few years – that's the big concern, given his somewhat-violent mechanics – we're looking at a future All-Star for sure. Say we were drafting our 2011 rosters right now. Would you take Scherzer over the Oakland trinity? How would Scherzer slot in Boston's rotation? Scherzer or Cole Hamels? Scherzer or Ryan Dempster? While you're working on your own personal shuffle-up-and-project, here are a few other current stories around the fantasy landscape. • There are a lot of crooked numbers in Jonathon Niese's line from Thursday (5.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R), but let's not kill the lefty over one bad turn. He also had eight strikeouts in the stint, and he gave us 10 useful turns in his previous 11 appearances. You like him for the solid ground-ball rate (around 50 percent), and he's also pushed his K/9 over seven this year. There's absolutely no reason not to dial him up at Atlanta next week. • Has Ian Desmond forced his way onto your roster yet? He's over the thumb issue that held him back a few games ago, and the Nats apparently want to give him some Juggernaut Index No. 8: The Minnesota Vikings [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: August 26, 2010, 11:50 am] If Brett Favre only knew then what he knows now, perhaps he would re-retire. Or re-re-re-retire, if that's more accurate. Not sure. It's tough to chart the finish to No. 4's career.In any case, Favre's receiving corps in Minnesota is not what we thought it would be. We've had to call an audible on the Juggernaut schedule, in fact, because this team needed to be downgraded. The Vikings weren't originally on the calendar this week (or next), but Sidney Rice's hip surgery has a trickle-down effect. For starters, Rice himself needs to plummet down your cheat sheet. In smaller leagues, he's off the board entirely. Rice recently had surgery to address a hip injury he suffered in the NFC title game — the injury failed to heal during the offseason, then worsened during camp. Here are the essential details, straight from Rice's blog. In the best-case scenario, he'll miss half the season. In the worst-case scenario, he'll be on the shelf until the Tarvaris Jackson era begins. Either way, Rice clearly can't help you this September or October. The man caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight TDs last year in a breakout campaign, so this is a significant fantasy event. If you've already drafted Rice, then the first and most important piece of advice we can give you is this: Don't panic. Repeat: Do not panic. It's not necessary to make a desperation trade in August; no one needs to massively overhaul their lineup before Week 1. If you're in a competitive league, then other managers are no doubt coming at you with lopsided trade offers that involve various low-ceiling wideouts — and you might actually be considering such deals, because you're overwhelmed by Rice regret. But remember, useful wide receivers will be available early in the season via the free agent pool. Be aggressive in your waiver claims and FAAB bids. In football leagues, a significant percentage of the ownable talent at this position — even the elite talent — will go undrafted. This |