Who needs TO when you've got Miles Austin?

Remember all those people who wondered what the Dallas Cowboys would do without Terrell Owens? How would they function without their big-time receiver? How would Tony Romo fare without his go-to guy? Well, I guess they have their answer. Who needs Owens when you've got Miles Austin racking up yards and TD's like the '01-'02 version of Owens when he had over 1400 yds. and 16 TD's for the San Francisco 49ers? Now Owens is wallowing up in the Buffalo while Austin and the Cowboys are starting to make some noise in the NFC East.

But even with Owens departure this past off season, Austin's emergence as the #1 receiver in Dallas still required a Roy Williams injury to fully materialize. Coming in to the Week 5 match-up against the Kansas City Chiefs, Austin had a total of 5 receptions and 81 total receiving yards. Not exactly game-breaking stats. But then he's thrust into the spotlight and delivers a Cowboy record-setting day (10 receptions, 250 receiving yards, 2 TD's) and then follows that up with 6 receptions, 171 yards and 2 TD's against the Atlanta Falcons.

So...is Austin for real? Can we expect him to put up big numbers every week? It's probably too early to tell, but he's off to a good start. The real test will come once Williams gets healthy, because then Austin will have to prove that he can make things happen with fewer looks. But even if his stats do drop off a little bit the rest of the season, he's already making people think...Terrell who? Right now he's all the production without all the drama. It's almost enough to make Owens wish he hadn't left Dallas.

Fantasy Impact: Austin is obviously the better fantasy receiver right now. He plays for decent, sometimes explosive, offense in Dallas, he's only 25-years-old, and he's built like an NFL receiver at 6'3" & 215 lbs. Not only is Owens playing for an inept offense in Buffalo, but he's going on 36-years-old and looks noticeably slower than in the past. Miles is definitely a trade-worthy acquisition and I'd put him in the 2nd-tier of WR's just behind Roddy White, Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston.

Vernon Davis is finally putting is all together

After three underwhelming seasons, Vernon Davis is finally playing like one of the most physically gifted tight ends in the league. As the 6th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2006 draft, much was expected of the former Maryland Terrapins standout. His combination of size and speed was thought to be an unstoppable combination, but like most young players he struggled from the beginning. Learning the nuances of the pro game proved elusive and his rookie season amounted to just 20 receptions for 265 yards and 3 TD’s. His second season provided glimpses of growth (52 receptions, 509 yards, 4 TD’s), but still fell short of expectations. Then came a regression in his third season as he finished with only 31 receptions for 358 yards and 2 TD’s.

It would be easy to point the finger at Davis and say it’s entirely his fault and that if he had stronger character or a stronger work ethic that he would have had more success to this point, but I think that’s over-simplifying the issue. Davis has even admitted that he came into the league with a selfish attitude and a lot of brazen arrogance that probably got in the way of success early in his career. BUT he’s also played for some terrible San Francisco 49ers teams, played for four different offensive coordinators in as many years and two separate head coaches. Those aren’t exactly the best circumstances to adapt to the NFL game.

All of this brings us to this season, where Davis is finally putting it all together and finding success on and off the field. With Mike Singletary’s father-like discipline and encouragement, Davis has not only bought in to the team-first mentality, but has also started running better routes and catching TD passes (3 so far). With an offensive game plan designed to take advantage of his tremendous skill set, this could be the year that Davis finally establishes himself as a dynamic offensive weapon. Although just four weeks into the season, I’d say he’s well on his way.

Fantasy Impact: While not yet as consistent as other elite tight ends in the league (i.e. Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Dallas Clark), Davis has shown that he's worth a roster spot in most fantasy leagues. The fact that he's becoming a frequent red zone target of Shaun Hill bodes well for his production moving forward. With points coming from the TE position being unpredictable at best, taking a chance on a guy like Davis makes too much sense to ignore.

Draft Results - Downtown SJ League

With the start of the NFL season just around the corner, fantasy drafts are taking place all over the country. Having recently participated in two drafts of uniquely different formats, I wanted to share the results of the drafts, as well as my perspective of how the drafts went and any related draft strategy.

Here's a shout out to my compadres in the Downtown SJ League!

League Settings:

• Host Site: ESPN
• League Size: 8 Teams
• Roster: QB, RB, RB, WR/RB, WR, WR, TE, K, DEF, B, B, B, B, B, B, B
• Draft Type: Standard Snake Format (Offline)

Draft Results:

Round 1:

1. T. Brady (NE)
2. A. Peterson (MIN)
3. M. Jones-Drew (JAC)
4. M. Turner (ATL)
5. D. Brees (NO)
6. D. Williams (CAR)
7. P. Manning (IND)
8. M. Forte (CHI)

Looking at Round 1, what jumps out to me most is the fact that 3 Quarterback's went in the first 8 picks. Not only is this rare in standard 10-12 team leagues, but in an 8 team league it's almost unheardof. As a result of the mini-run on QB's, I had Adrian Peterson fall in my lap with the #2 pick.

Round 2:

9. C. Johnson (TEN)
10. S. Slaton (HOU)
11. D. McNabb (PHI)
12. L. Tomlinson (SD)
13. L. Fitzgerald (ARI)
14. A. Rodgers (GB)
15. C. Johnson (DET)
16. R. Moss (NE)

Another 2 QB's went off the board in Round 2, as well as the first Wide Receiver (Larry Fitzgerald) at pick #13. Having had the #2 overall pick, I wasn't sure what type of talent would be available when the snake got back around to me at #15, but I was pleasantly surprised to find Calvin Johnson still on the board. He's a big-time receiver who's coming into his "breakthrough" 3rd season in the league.

Round 3:

17. J. Cutler (CHI)
18. F. Gore (SF)
19. A. Johnson (HOU)
20. C. Portis (WAS)
21. T. Owens (BUF)
22. A. Boldin (ARI)
23. S. Smith (CAR)
24. G. Jennings (GB)

With Frank Gore still on the board at pick #18, I had to pull the trigger. I have him rated as the #2 overall running back coming into the season and I think he's going to put up big numbers. Round 3 also saw a run on WR's with 5 out of the last 6 picks being pass-catchers. Terrell Owens is probably the biggest stretch here, with his advancing age and the uncertain Buffalo offense.

Round 4:

25. R. White (ATL)
26. S. Jackson (STL)
27. M. Barber (DAL)
28. B. Westbrook (PHI)
29. B. Jacobs (NYG)
30. K. Smith (DET)
31. M. Colston (NO)
32. R. Grant (GB)

I like picking up Marques Colston in the Round 4, but the biggest steals have to be Steven Jackson and Brian Westbrook. To get that type of scoring potential in Round 4 is an amazing value. It's also interesting to see how far Marion Barber has fallen from last year when he was going in the mid to late first round in standard leagues.

Round 5:

33. R. Wayne (IND)
34. P. Rivers (SD)
35. R. Williams (DAL)
36. T. Gonzalez (ATL)
37. D. Bowe (KC)
38. A. Gates (SD)
39. B. Edwards (CLE)
40. R. Brown (MIA)

Round 5 is where I finally get my QB, drafting Philip Rivers at #34. In my mind he's just below Tom Brady and Drew Brees, so to get him 4 rounds later in the draft is a great value. Hopefully a healthy Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson will keep the San Diego offense firing on all cylanders all season long. Speaking of Gates, the top 2 Tight Ends came off the board with Tony Gonzalez going first at pick #36.

Round 6:

41. K. Warner (ATL)
42. P. Thomas (NO)
43. K Moreno (DEN)
44. J. Stewart (CAR)
45. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (SEA)
46. A. Gonzalez (IND)
47. J. Witten (DAL)
48. D. Hester (CHI)

Round 6 was my turn to draft a TE, going with Jason Witten at pick #47. With Terrell Owens now in Buffalo, Tony Romo will be relying even more heavily on Witten in the passing game. No real surprises in this round, other than maybe Devin Hester going a little sooner than I would expect.

Round 7:

49. K. Winslow (TB)

50. D. McFadden (OAK)

51. B. Roethlisberger (PIT)

52. M. Ryan (ATL)

53. S. Moss (WAS)

54. B. Berrian (MIN)

55. V. Davis (SF)

56. T. Romo (DAL)

Round 8:

57. D. Clark (IND)

58. M. Schaub (HOU)

59. M. Hasselbeck (SEA)

60. T. Edwards (BUF)

61. T. Jones (NYJ)

62. G. Olsen (CHI)

63. M. Lynch (BUF)

64. J. Addai (IND)

In Rounds 7 & 8, I was able to stock up at the Running Back position by taking Darren McFadden and Marshawn Lynch. McFadden has all the skills to have a breakout season in Oakland and I can afford to wait for Lynch to come back from his 3-game suspension. Vernon Davis is probably the only reach at pick # 55.

Round 9:

65. L. Johnson (KC)

66. B. Marshall (DEN)
67. D. Ward (TB)
68. W. Welker (NE)
69. D. Sproles (SD)
70. S. Holmes (PIT)
71. E. Royal (DEN)
72. V. Jackson (SD)

Round 10:

73. D. Jackson (PHI)

74. J. Nedney (SF)
75. L. White (TEN)
76. O. Daniels (HOU)
77. C. Ochocinco (CIN)
78. H. Ward (PIT)
79. R. Rice (BAL)
80. C. Benson (CIN)

Having already drafted Johnson and Colston, I felt pretty comfortable drafting Brandon Marshall in Round 9. I won't be relying on him early, but with all of his talent he could be a factor later in the season. With all of the positive buzz surrounding Ray Rice this preseason, I was also very surprised to find him still available at pick #79. With the way Baltimore likes to run the ball, he could have a very good season.

Round 11:

81. S. Gostkowski (NE)
82. F. Jones (DAL)
83. R. Mendenhall (PIT)
84. W. Parker (PIT)
85. Ravens D/ST
86. Giants D/ST
87. R. Bush (NO)
88. C. Wells (ARI)

Round 12:

89. D. Brown (IND)
90. 49ers D/ST
91. P. Harvin (MIN)
92. A. Bryant (TB)

93. C. Palmer (CIN)

94. Patriots D/ST

95. L. Evans (BUF)

96. Steelers D/ST

Another value pick with Felix Jones in Round 11. I could have gone with Rashard Mendenhall here because I think both guys have the potential to put up points this season, but I ended up going with Jones. Snagging Lee Evans at pick #95 is a nice value now that he'll be playing across from Terrell Owens. If Trent Edwards stays healthy, I like Evans' chances at a 1000 yd. season.

Round 13:

97. J. Cotchery (NYJ)

98. L. McCoy (PHI)

99. J. Lewis (CLE)

100. C. Cooley (WAS)

101. M. Crosby (GB)

102. D. Mason (BAL)

103. G. Coffee (SF)

104. J. Carlson (SEA)

Round 14:

105. K. Walter (HOU)

106. M. Crabtree (SF)

107. D. Akers (PHI)

108. L. Coles (CIN)

109. Titans D/ST

110. A. Bradshaw (NYG)

111. E. Manning (NYG)

112. J. Norwood (ATL)

Probably the biggest mistake of the draft for me was taking LeSean McCoy instead of Glen Coffee in Round 13. Nothing against McCoy, but having Coffee as insurance for Gore would have been the smart move here. Getting Eli Manning in Round 14 is also a nice value pick for a back-up QB. His receiving options are uncertain right now, but he's a proven leader and New York should still have an excellent ground game this year.

Round 15:

113. C. Taylor (MIN)

114. Eagles D/ST
115. T. Holt (JAC)

116. N. Kaeding (SD)

117. T. Choice (DAL)

118. M. Bush (OAK)

119. D. Avery (STL)

120. R. Longwell (MIN)

Round 16:

121. Vikings D/ST
122. J. Morgan (SF)
123. P. Crayton (DAL)
124. Z. Miller (OAK)
125. L. McClain (BAL)
126. K. Brown (HOU)
127. R. Bironas (TEN)
128. D. Driver (GB)

The last 2 rounds are roster fillers. I like the Philadelphia defense and Rob Bironas has one of the biggest legs in the league. Not a bad way to round out my team.

Overall I thought I came away with some absolute steals. From Peterson in Round 1 to Gore in Round 3 and Rivers in Round 5 to Rice in Round 9, I think my roster looks pretty formidable. Only time will tell.

Preseason Rankings: Running Back

The following series of posts will list the top 10 fantasy players at each skill position based on projected fantasy output for the upcoming 2009 season.

At the running back position the conversation starts and ends with Adrian Peterson. He's built for power and speed, and has stayed relatively healthy so far in his young career. After him, there's a group of really strong backs who all have something to prove. The guy who made the biggest jump last season was Michael Turner, who stepped in as the every-down back in Atlanta and simply ran wild. Known primarily for his speed, the versatile Turner held up all season under the grueling workload of being the every-down back for the first time in his career. Two rookies of a year ago, Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton, made the list due to their breakout seasons. I think they both have what it takes to stay there. I'm not as high on Maurice Jones-Drew as some of the "experts" because I don't think he can be an every-down back. Part of his strength the last few years has been returning kicks, working primarily in the red zone, and being the "change of pace" back. Now that it's just him in Jacksonville, he's got to prove that he's got the toughness to battle all season long. Pierre Thomas is my wildcard. After finishing strong last season, it'll be interesting to see how he fits in to the pass-happy New Orleans offense over the course of a full season.

1. Adrian Peterson (MIN)
2. Matt Forte (CHI)
3. Frank Gore (SF)
4. Chris Johnson (TEN)
5. Michael Turner (ATL)
6. LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)
7. Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX)
8. Ronnie Brown (MIA)
9. Steve Slaton (HOU)
10. Pierre Thomas (NO)

Fantasy Impact: It's a widely held belief that running backs are what win fantasy championships, but I'm one of the few who disagree with this strategy. Depending on the format of your league, I would say that having a single top running back is all you need. I'd take any one of the top 10 backs and then not take another RB until at least the 4th round. With the way the running game is evolving in the NFL, more than half of the teams will be splitting carries between at least two backs this season, and in some cases three (i.e. Baltimore with McGahee, Rice, McClain and New York with Jacobs, Ward, Bradshaw last season). Avoid the pressure to draft RB's back-to-back in the first and second round and you'll find yourself with some amazing players on the board.