Fantasy Focus: Week 14

As you gear up for this weekend’s upcoming games by realigning your fantasy rosters to optimize matchups, let’s take a quick look back at last week’s studs. (Note: Points listed are directly from the First and Goal Fantasy League and may not represent point totals in your individual leagues)

QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints — Brees is having a great year. There is no getting around that fact. In Week 14, Brees completed 31 of 40 passes for 296 yards and 3 TDs. His 23 fantasy points were the highest in the NFL amongst quarterbacks. The only thing that might slow him down? The Saints not concerning themselves with a perfect record and benching Brees to keep him healthy for a playoff run. Of course even from the bench Brees would probably find a way to score at least 15 fantasy points.

*Fantasy Stud of the Week*
RB: Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans — Is anyone surprised by this man anymore? He has quite simply been dominating fantasy football this season, and Week 14 was no exception. Johnson rushed for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns and added 69 receiving yards and another touchdown for 35 total fantasy points. This was the fourth time just this season that Johnson has had 35+ points. On a non-fantasy note, Johnson is just 374 rushing yards shy of the 2,000-yards mark, easily attainable for such an explosive back.

WR: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles — Showing some of the flash that made him a prime rookie last season, Jackson caught 6 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown and added 83 returns yards and another touchdown, not bad for a kid coming off a concusion the week before. His 33 fantasy points were highest amongst receivers in Week 14. On the season, Jackson is just 53 receiving yards away from breaking the 1,000-yard mark.

TE: Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts — Proving once again that he is an upper-tier tight end, Clark reeled in 5 receptions for 43 yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns in Week 14. The performance also helped Clark break his own team tight end records for receptions (82) and yards (902).

K: Rob Bironas, Tennessee Titans — In another perfect kicking performance, Bironas drilled all 4 of his field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder, and connected on all 5 of his PATs. His 19 fantasy points were tops for a kicker in Week 14 and made a huge difference in my own 2-point fantasy victory.

D/ST: San Francisco 49ers — Going up against one of the most potent offenses, the 49ers defense clearly showed up to play in Week 14. The Niners allowed just 9 points and recorded 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, a blocked kick and a staggering 5 fumble recoveries. The unit’s 24 fantasy points showed why a good defense is just as important as a good offense.

ROOKIE: Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants — Getting the starting nod over fellow rising star Mario Manningham, Nicks capitalized on the opportunity by catching 4 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. His 17 fantasy points were highest in the league amongst NFL rookies in Week 14. Despite the overall solid performance, Nicks may want to brush up on his receiving skills as he dropped several key passes late in the game.

Check back next week for another edition of Fantasy Focus as we recognize the week’s best fantasy performers. Best of luck to you in your respective fantasy football leagues!

Note: To quickly view all of my Fantasy Focus posts, simply click the Fantasy Focus banner at the top of any such post!

Fantasy Focus: Week 13

As you gear up for this weekend’s upcoming games by realigning your fantasy rosters to optimize matchups, let’s take a quick look back at last week’s studs. (Note: Points listed are directly from the First and Goal Fantasy League and may not represent point totals in your individual leagues)

QB: Bruce Gradkowski, Oakland Raiders — WHO?!? In a league full of superstar quarterbacks, Gradkowski is certainly not in the limelight often. Hell, he wasn’t even the starter on his own team. But when your team is looking for an answer to deal with JaMarcus Russell’s complete lack of effectiveness and you have a performance like Gradkowski did on Sunday, people are going to start taking notice of you. Gradkowski completed 20 of 33 passes for 308 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Raiders over defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh. Tacking on 20 yards rushing, Gradkowski finished the day with 26 fantasy points. It may not have helped many fantasy owners as Gradkowski is owned in VERY few leagues, but he might prove valuable in coming weeks (remember that nobody named Austin Miles a few weeks back who is now a starting stud?).

RB: Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants — In one of the quietest games for a running back featured in the Fantasy Focus, Jacobs only delivered 39 rushing yards and 1 reception. Big deal, right? Except that 1 reception was a 74-yard touchdown and his 39 rushing yards were enough to find the endzone a second time. All in all, Jacobs accumulated 22 fantasy points, enough to top all other running backs in Week 13.

*Fantasy Stud of the Week*
WR: Devin Thomas, Washington Redskins — Thomas had the best game of his career in Week 13. Reeling in 7 receptions for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, Thomas showed he could be developing into a solid receiver. He also racked up 159 return yards, giving him 29 total fantasy points. In a week of surprising performances, the young Thomas grabbed Fantasy Stud of the Week honors and could be a threat to do so again in the future, even if not this season.

TE: Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers — Yet another player with sub-superstar status to be honored this week is Finley, who led the Packers to victory on Monday night over the Ravens. His career high 7 receptions for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns were the difference in the 27-14 game. Compiling 19 fantasy points, Finley almost surely helped some fantasy teams to victory as well, although not many as Finley is not considered to be a premier tight end and is not owned in well over half of all fantasy leagues. Perhaps after Week 13, he will get some more attention moving forward.

K: Garrett Hartley, New Orleans Saints — In one of the best games of the week, Hartley was the hero for the still unbeaten Saints. Hartley connected on 4 of 5 field goals (only missing a 58-yarder at the end of regulation), including the game winner in overtime. He also added 3 PATs for a total of 15 fantasy points. Technically in a tie with Matt Prater (recognized in Week 12), Hartley gets our nod for hitting more field goals (Prater had 5 PATs) and for winning the game.

D/ST: Carolina Panthers — A team in the midst of an season that has seen their offense implode with turnovers more often than not, the Panthers reversed the role in Week 13. The defensive unit tallied 5 interceptions to go along with 2 sacks and only 6 allowed points. By accumulating 19 fantasy points, the Panthers were the league’s best defensive unit in Week 13.

ROOKIE: Louis Murphy, Oakland Raiders — It just wouldn’t seem right to have a top rookie name honored in a week that showcased quiet and possibly rising stars. Fortunately, Murphy also matches that criteria. While his rookie comrad Darius Heyward-Bey is receiving most of the attention in Oakland, Murphy had a very solid performance in Week 13. Murphy caught 4 passes for 128 yards (a ridiculous 32.0-yard average) and 2 touchdowns. What’s even more impressive? His entire stat line was populated during Oakland’s amazing fourth-quarter comeback. His 24 fantasy points were best in the league amongst rookies.

Check back next week for another edition of Fantasy Focus as we recognize the week’s best fantasy performers. Best of luck to you in your respective fantasy football leagues!

Note: To quickly view all of my Fantasy Focus posts, simply click the Fantasy Focus banner at the top of any such post!

Fantasy Focus: Week 12

As you gear up for this weekend’s upcoming games by realigning your fantasy rosters to optimize matchups, let’s take a quick look back at last week’s studs. (Note: Points listed are directly from the First and Goal Fantasy League and may not represent point totals in your individual leagues)

*Fantasy Stud of the Week*
QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints — In one of the most highly anticipated games of the season, Brees and the Saints proved they are legitimate and (hopefully) we are seeing the beginning of the end for the Patriots ride as an “elite” team. Brees once again completely dominated a defense, this time throwing for 371 yards and 5 touchdowns while completing more than 75% of his passes. Although he did record -1 rushing yard on the night, that hardly detracts from his stellar performance. When all was said and done, Brees ended up with 37 fantasy points, 11 more than any other player, earning him Fantasy Stud of the Week honors for the second time this season.

RB: Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills — Possibly taking the starting RB position away for a second time this season, Jackson is proving to be a strong fantasy performer. In Week 12, Jackson rushed for 73 and 2 touchdowns, caught 5 passes for 43 yards, and added 61 return yards to boot. His 26-point fantasy outing was best amongst running backs in the league.

WR: Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers — Driver is once again putting together a very solid year, and his performance in Week 12 had no small effect on that effort. Catching 7 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, Driver accumulated 20 fantasy points. While technically a three-way tie for best receiver, Driver got our nod because Miles Austin has already been recognized twice this season and Percy Harvin, also a multiple honoree, is being recognized as the week’s top rookie.

TE: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers — Like Donald Driver, Gates is also having yet another great year. While not a fantasy stud every week, Gates has the potential to explode in any given week. In Week 12, Gates hauled in 7 receptions for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 23 fantasy points were best in the league amongst tight ends in Week 12.

K: Matt Prater, Denver Broncos — A relative unknown to many fantasy team owners, Prater proved he deserves a bit more attention moving forward. Prater connected on all four of his field goal attempts, including one from 40+ yards out, and added two PATs for 15 fantasy points. In a league that seems to thrive on irony, Prater was the league’s top kicker the same week longtime Bronco Jason Elam was released from the Falcons.

D/ST: New York Jets — Despite their offensive woes this season, the Jets showed they can take control of a game on the defensive side of the ball. Facing a seemingly hapless Panthers team, the Jets allowed just 6 points while recording 3 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 1 touchdown. Their 24-point fantasy week was best amongst defenses in Week 12.

ROOKIE: Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings — Harvin continues to make a strong case for ROY honors. Having already proved to be a more than capable kick returner, Harvin is now showing what he can do as a true receiver. Harvin reeled in 6 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown while adding 45 rushing yards on just two carries. His 20-point performance placed him in a three-way tie for best WR in the league while putting him ahead of all other rookies in Week 12.

Check back next week for another edition of Fantasy Focus as we recognize the week’s best fantasy performers. Best of luck to you in your respective fantasy football leagues!

Note: To quickly view all of my Fantasy Focus posts, simply click the Fantasy Focus banner at the top of any such post!

Brief Thoughts

Deep Thoughts would be far more entertaining, I realize, but for now, you just get brief thoughts. While I was between tasks, I quick checked my facebook home page and saw this update image:

Click image for a slightly larger view

This is a new image released for the highly anticipated 2009 SP Authentic. I have two “brief thoughts” on this image:

1) A new Emmitt card. Autographed. Cool.

2) Emmitt himself is almost completely hidden by some fake patch. Interesting.

That is all.

What? I said it would be brief.

Fantasy Focus: Week 10

As you gear up for this weekend’s upcoming games by realigning your fantasy rosters to optimize matchups, let’s take a quick look back at last week’s studs. (Note: Points listed are directly from the First and Goal Fantasy League and may not represent point totals in your individual leagues)

QB: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts — In a game in which many had high expectations of Manning, he delivered in a big way. Completing 28 of 44 passes, Manning amassed 327 yards, thrusting himself into the league leader position for yards and putting him on pace to break Dan Marino’s single season passing record. Tacking on 4 touchdown tosses, Manning finished the day with 26 fantasy points, despite two interceptions. After many near misses, Manning was finally the top QB in Week 10.

*Fantasy Stud of the Week*
RB: Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans — Another week, another ridiculous performance from Johnson. In Week 10, Johnson accumulated 132 yards rushing, 100 yards receiving, and 2 rushing touchdowns. His 35 fantasy points marks the third time he has totaled 35+ points this season, as well as the third time he has received Fantasy Stud of the Week honors. There is a very high probability that Johnson will be the season’s overal Fantasy Stud.

WR: Randy Moss, New England Patriots — Just like Peyton Manning, Moss lived up to his hype in one of the season’s most anticipated games. Moss reeled in 9 receptions for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. The strong performance was Moss’s fifth 100+ yard game and he currently leads all receivers with 891 yards. His 29 fantasy points in Week 10 were tops amongst wide receivers.

TE: Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles — In an overall underwhelming week for tight ends, Celek provided a bit of spark. Catching 6 passes for 47 yards and 1 touchdown, Celek finished the day with 10 points. While technically in a tie with Kellen Winslow, we gave Celek the nod for his touchdown, a stat rewarded in any fantasy format.

K: Connor Barth, Tamba Bay Buccaneers — On paper, Barth had a pretty good day. Kicking three fields and adding on 2 PATs is a pretty solid performance. Until you consider one thing, all three of his field goals were 50+ yards out. While some PKs were struggling beyond 35 yards, this guy was nailing 50+ yarders. His 17 points were the best amongst kickers in Week 10.

D/ST: Baltimore Ravens — Traditionally a defensive powerhouse (at least in recent memory), the Ravens defense held true to form in Week 10. Pitching a shutout as well as recording 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a touchdown, the Ravens scored 24 fantasy points, better than most offensive players last week.

ROOKIE: Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals — In what may have been a breakout performance for Wells, he racked up 85 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards while finding paydirt twice (both from the ground attack). Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt refuses to name Wells the starter over Tim Hightower, but he has to be getting closer to making the call. Wells is slowly becoming a solid running back and, given improvements in the receiving and blocking game, could be a future fantasy stud.

Check back next week for another edition of Fantasy Focus as we recognize the week’s best fantasy performers. Best of luck to you in your respective fantasy football leagues!

Note: To quickly view all of my Fantasy Focus posts, simply click the Fantasy Focus banner at the top of any such post!

Pull of a Lifetime

I have written in several posts about my return to the hobby in mid-2008 and the subsequent buying binge I went on, which reached an expensive climax right around Christmas. As my first run through the Hobby resulted in me buying lots of mid-to-late 90s retail wax and a few singles from my local hobby shops, I was blown away with the vast quantity of game used swatch cards and autographed cards available in every box. When I left the Hobby, jersey cards were just beginning to be inserted and autographs were extremely rare parallels. Every hobby box I ripped through contained more and more hits and I became more and more excited. The ultimate (pun intended) was the two boxes of 2007 Ultimate Collection football I purchased. Each box only contained 16 cards (4 per pack), but almost every card featured pieces of jersey and/or autographs. While opening my second box, carefully examining each card, I was completely dumbfounded when I flipped over this beauty:

Click image for a full sized scan

This gem is an autographed Adrian Peterson Ultimate Collection rookie card gold parallel #20/25. As a guy who once got really excited to pull a basic insert card of Michael Jordan or Emmitt Smith (like UD Choice Starquest), you can imagine the level of excitement this pull created. I immediatly dug out the 1″ Lucite screw down holder I had purchased years ago in case I ever pulled a really valuable card. I figured this card fit that bill. At the time, I still depended on Beckett’s online price guides. When I looked this card up, the excitement level kicked up a notch when I saw a $1,000 book value attached to the card. In my current knowledge, I realize how trivial book values are and know I probably could not actually get $1,000 for the card, but it is still an amazing pull.

So now, just like a lot of the other cards occupying space in my home office, I have to ask myself what I should do with it. Should I list it on eBay to capitalize on Peterson’s currently very high popularity and to help recapture a good chunk of change I dropped on wax last year? Do I try to track down a die-hard Peterson collector and negotiate a sales price or high profile trade? Or do I simply hold onto it and either hope his stock only continues to soar higher or tuck it away to always remind myself of the greatest pull of my life (so far)?

If you had pulled this card, what would you do with it? If you wanted this card, how much would you pay for it?