Tag Archive for fantasy football

Fantasy Football: Ranking the Top 15 Tight Ends Entering 2012

August 2, 2012 Fantasy Football One comment
gronkowski-spike

Here’s yet another installment to our fantasy football section of projecting the top players at each position and their projected fantasy point total.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the top 15 tight ends entering the 2012 fantasy football season.

(Note that we’re using standard scoring when we project the fantasy point totals)

1. Rob Gronkowski—196 points

2. Jimmy Graham—191 points

3. Vernon Davis—152 points

4. Jason Witten—150 points

5. Antonio Gates—139 points

6. Aaron Hernandez—136 points

7. Jermichael Finley—125 points

8. Fred Davis—112 points

9. Jacob Tamme—109 points

10. Tony Gonzalez—97 points

11. Brent Celek—95 points

12. Owen Daniels—93 points

13. Brandon Pettigrew—90 points

14. Dustin Keller—85 points

15. Coby Fleener—79 points

Fantasy Football: Ranking the Top 25 Wide Receivers Entering 2012

July 25, 2012 Fantasy Football 2 comments
Andre Johnson

Fantasy football is just right around the corner, and it’s time to start gearing yourself up for your fantasy draft.

With that being said, I would like for you to stay tuned to Lazlo’s Closet, as we’ll be presenting positional rankings each and every week—and then ultimately a complete draft big board for your fantasy draft.

Without a further ado, here are the top 25 fantasy wide receivers entering 2012.

*Note: Stats are being projected with standard scoring*

1. Calvin Johnson—Projected Points: 229

2. Larry Fitzgerald—Projected Points: 191

3. Andre Johnson—Projected Points: 180

4. Roddy White—Projected Points: 175

5. Wes Welker—Projected Points: 170

6. Greg Jennings—Projected Points: 169

7. Mike Wallace—Projected Points: 166

8. A.J. Green—Projected Points: 165

9. Julio Jones—Projected Points: 165

10. Hakeem Nicks—Projected Points: 163

11. Jordy Nelson—Projected Points: 162

12. Victor Cruz—Projected Points: 159

13. Brandon Marshall—Projected Points: 158

14. Dez Bryant—Projected Points: 157

15. Steve Smith—Projected Points: 155

16. Marques Colston—Projected Points: 150

17. Brandon Lloyd—Projected Points: 147

18. Vincent Jackson—Projected Points: 147

19. Miles Austin—Projected Points: 146

20. Jeremy Maclin—Projected Points: 145

21. Percy Harvin—Projected Points: 145

22. Dwayne Bowe—Projected Points: 143

23. Stevie Johnson—Projected Points: 142

24. Antonio Brown—Projected Points: 138

25. DeSean Jackson—Projected Points: 134

Ranking the Top 10 Fantasy Running Backs Entering 2012

July 18, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL No comments
lynch

The running back position has continually dominated the fantasy football world. It has proved to be one of the most valuable positions on your fantasy roster—if not the most important.

We have seen running backs like LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson completely carry their fantasy owners to a titles, despite having a team that wasn’t all that impressive.

Granted, some might make an argument that the quarterback position is more important in the NFL’s current pass-heavy league, but it’s a double-edged sword. You could certainly say that running backs are more valuable due to the fact that there aren’t too many running backs that get the majority of the carries or even get as many carries as running backs did five years ago.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the top 10 fantasy running backs entering 2012.

(Note: The fantasy stats used are based on standard scoring.)

 

10. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

I truly believe that DeMarco Murray can continue his dominance from 2011.

Murray jumped onto the scene this past season, running for a stellar 897 yards in just 13 games while punching in two touchdowns and averaging a phenomenal 5.5 yards per carry.

I would assume that Murray will be getting the bulk of the carries with the Dallas Cowboys, as he definitely outplayed Felix Jones.

Heading into 2012, I could see Murray easily racking up 1,300-plus rushing yards while coming close to 10 rushing touchdowns and being a top fantasy running back option.

 

9. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

As long as Darren McFadden can stay healthy, he can be one of the most productive options at the running back position.

2011 was yet another injury-plagued season for Run DMC, but he still managed to produce in the seven weeks that he was available.

McFadden finished with an average of 15.3 points per week, but simply failed to finish the season healthy.

If we had faith in McFadden to stay healthy throughout an entire 16-game season, then he’d be ranked much higher than he is right now.

 

8. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

As long as Ryan Mathews can continue his development as an NFL running back and find a way to stay healthy, then he’ll be quite the option for fantasy football in 2012.

In 14 games this past season with the San Diego Chargers, Mathews produced solid numbers, running for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns while reeling in 50 passes for 455 yards and scoring a total of six touchdowns.

With Mike Tolbert now a member of the Carolina Panthers, I see Mathews getting more chances on the goal line, which should result in around 10 total touchdowns in 2012.

 

7. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson is no longer CJ2K. He was arguably a bust in 2011.

Johnson ran for just 1,047 yards in 16 games for the Tennessee Titans, scoring four rushing touchdowns while recording 57 receptions for 418 receiving yards.

2011 was definitely a down year for Johnson and hopefully he can bounce back and show why he was once known as CJ2K.

 

6. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

Take a look at the Jacksonville Jaguars roster—there’s little-to-no talent on the offensive side of the ball aside from Maurice Jones-Drew.

With that being said, all of the offensive production that Jacksonville will be getting in 2012 will likely be coming out of MJD.

However, there is one concern with Jones-Drew—his playing status, as there have been reports of him holding out deep into training camp for a new contract.

 

5. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

Marshawn Lynch is probably one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL—if not the most underrated.

Lynch had a solid season in 2011 for the Seattle Seahawks, running for 1,416 yards from scrimmage while scoring a total of 13 touchdowns.

Entering 2012, I project Lynch with 1,300-plus rushing yards and at least 10 touchdowns for the Seahawks.

 

4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Now that Matt Forte is under contract with the Chicago Bears, fantasy owners will have no problem investing one of their top picks on him.

Forte proved to be an elite option for fantasy football in 2011, running for 997 yards and three touchdowns and catching 52 passes for 490 yards and one touchdown. He did sprain his MCL and missed the final four games of the season.

Forte averaged 14.4 points per game in 2011 and I figure fantasy owners should be able to rely on that average heading into this season.

 

3. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

There’s no question that Ray Rice is one of the NFL’s top running backs as well as one of the top fantasy options.

Rice has always offered solid production for rushing yards, but he has consistently gotten better at being a threat in the passing game. He caught 76 passes for 704 yards and three touchdowns in 2011.

Rice is definitely the Baltimore Ravens’ best offensive player and has been the team’s top player for production.

 

2. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

As of right now, there is no one better at being a dual-threat running back than LeSean McCoy.

McCoy had a stellar 2011 campaign, averaging an incredible 17.5 points per week. That doesn’t take into account how valuable he would be in a points-per-reception league.

There’s no question that McCoy is a solid running back, but he’s just as danger as a receiver, seeing an average of four targets per game.

Heading into 2012, I’m expecting 1,300 rushing yards, 18 total touchdowns and 50 receptions for 350 yards.

 

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans

With Adrian Peterson recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, that makes Arian Foster the most dominant running back in the NFL. There is no one playing the running back position as well as Foster has been over the past few seasons.

Foster comes into 2012 with an average of 1,420 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons while scoring a combined 30 touchdowns—you simply cannot get much better than that.

Foster should have another monster season this season with the Houston Texans. I project him running for 1,500 rushing yards, 17 total touchdowns while snagging 50 passes for 550 yards.

If you have the first pick in your fantasy draft, you should definitely think about using it on ArianFoster.

Ranking the Top 10 Fantasy Quarterbacks Entering 2012

July 14, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL No comments
eli

Over the years, running back has evolved as the most important position in fantasy football—but now I am a true believer in that the quarterback is the most important position.

Granted, you can make an argument about running backs being more valuable as there are so few running backs who aren’t in a running back-by-committee, but just take a look at what the NFL has turned into—a pass-heavy league.

If you have an elite quarterback, then chances are you’re going to do very well in your fantasy league.

With that being said, here are the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks entering 2012.

Read more

Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub Reportedly Cleared to Practice

July 13, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL No comments
schaub

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub is finally able to work out after missing the last six weeks of the 2011 regular season, the postseason and OTAs after recovering from Lisfranc surgery on his foot.

Paul Kuharsky of ESPN is now reporting that Schaub has been cleared to practice with the Texans once training camp starts at the end of this month.

Schaub tore his meniscus back in Week 10 last season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth fell on his leg.

Schaub finished 2011 tossing 15 touchdowns to only six interceptions, and accumulated 2,479 yards for a 96.8 quarterback rating.

With Schaub being placed on injured reserve, the Texans manged to rally off three straight wins as they clinched the AFC South crown and postseason berth—all while being quarterbacked by third-string rookie T.J. Yates.

Houston currently stands as one of the conference favorites for the AFC in 2012, and Schaub being cleared to practice at the start of training camp is definitely good news for Houston’s offense, which will be able to be in sync on day one.

Fantasy Football 2012 First-Round Mock Draft Version 1.0

July 11, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL 2 comments
megatron

Hey fantasy football owners, did you know that fantasy football is right around the corner?

It’s mid-July, so all of you better start preparing for your league’s drafts, which are only a month away.

With that being said, let’s take a look at how I feel a draft should go this NFL season. This mock draft is based on a 12-team league with your typical scoring. Rosters consist of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one flex, one kicker and one defense.

 

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB

I realize that running backs have proven to be the most valuable position when it comes to fantasy football, but there’s no secret that the NFL is turning into an extremely pass-heavy league.

By taking that into consideration, there are few teams that throw the ball as often, and as effectively, as the Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Rodgers put up monster numbers in 2011, as he tossed a whopping 45 touchdowns while accumulating 4,643 yards.

I wouldn’t expect Rogers to be as dominant as he was this past season, but I think it’s safe to expect 40-plus touchdowns and 4,500-plus passing yards out of him.

 

2. Arian Foster, RB

With Adrian Peterson recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, there’s no running back more dominant than Arian Foster.

Foster has proven to be one of the NFL’s top rushers over the past few seasons, as he racked up 1,616 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns in 2010 and 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011. But the production doesn’t stop there.

Foster has also proven to be a dual-threat running back, as he’s caught 50-plus passes in each of the last two seasons while scoring two receiving touchdowns in each.

I figure Foster to be the top fantasy running back in 2012.

 

3. LeSean McCoy, RB

With Arian Foster off the boards, that leaves the third overall pick going to running back LeSeanMcCoy.

Like Foster, McCoy is a dual-threat running back. However, he is a bit superior to Foster as a receiver and isn’t too far behind as a rusher.

McCoy scored 20 total touchdowns in 2011 for the Philadelphia Eagles while accumulating 1,624 yards from scrimmage.

 

4. Tom Brady, QB

With the top two running backs off the board as well as the top quarterback, the best available player right now is New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Like a fine wine, Brady only gets better with age.

Brady threw for 39 touchdowns and a whopping 5,235 passing yards in 2011—which is the second most in NFL history.

New England reloaded with talent on the offensive side the ball this offseason by adding wide receivers Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney and Donte’ Stallworth.

It wouldn’t be too much to expect 40-plus touchdowns and close to 5,000 passing yards out of TB12.

 

5. Ray Rice, RB

In my eyes, I believe that Ray Rice has been a bit overshadowed over the past few seasons and is very underrated.

Rice continues to put up dominating numbers, as he’s run for 1,200-plus yards in each of the last three seasons while continuing to emerge as one of the NFL’s top receiving running backs.

With Rice entering the prime of his career, having him on your fantasy team would be a wise decision.

 

6. Calvin Johnson, WR

It would be unfair to expect the same production out of Calvin Johnson that he produced a year ago, but I’m going to be expecting it as a fantasy owner.

Johnson recorded 96 receptions for 1,681 yards and an impressive 16 touchdowns in 2011.

All in all, there is no wide receiver in the NFL as dominant as Johnson is right now.

 

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

Assuming that Maurice Jones-Drew doesn’t hold out, he’s the best available player here.

Pocket Hercules continues to put up dominating stats, as he ran for 1,606 yards in 2011 while punching in eight touchdowns and reeling in 43 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns.

With the Jaguars always lacking talent on the offensive side of the ball, there’s no doubt that Jones-Drew will be their No. 1 source for production—and he should be your team’s top player.

 

8. Matt Forte, RB

Much like Maurice Jones-Drew, as long as Matt Forte doesn’t hold out then he’s going to be quite the fantasy option.

Forte had an incredible 2011 season going until he sprained his MCL. He ran for 997 yards and three touchdowns while catching 52 passes for 490 yards and one touchdown in just 12 games.

If Forte can resume that level of play and play a full 16-game season, then he’s going to be an incredible fantasy running back.

 

9. Chris Johnson, RB

Chris Johnson had a rather down year in 2011 with the Tennessee Titans, as he ran for only 1,047 yards and four touchdowns.

I would assume that CJ2K will revert back to his old ways in 2012, as he certainly has the talent to do so—and his track record proves that he can be an elite running back.

If Johnson can produce like he’s capable of, then he would be an absolute steal at ninth overall.

 

10. Ryan Mathews, RB

Many of you probably have Ryan Mathews higher up on your draft board than I do, but I just don’t really have too much confidence in him. But at this point of the draft, you have to take him at 10th overall.

Mathews has yet to prove that he can play a full NFL season without injuries. However, he did show signs of being an elite running back in 2011, running for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.

If Mathews can stay healthy, then he could be a top-tier fantasy running back.

 

11. Cam Newton, QB

As a fantasy quarterback, I love Cam Newton—there’s no one more exciting than him.

Newton proved that he can play at the NFL level in 2011. He set the NFL record for a rookie quarterback, passing for 4,051 yards while throwing 21 touchdowns—but the production doesn’t end there.

Newton almost acted as an option running back to many fantasy owners in 2011, as he ran for 706 yards and punched in an incredible 14 touchdowns.

With Newton having a full offseason to continue his development as an NFL quarterback, I can only assume that he’s going to have one remarkable season in 2012.

 

12. Drew Brees, QB

You might think that Drew Brees is incredibly low—but I have him here for a rightful reason.

What’s that reason? Bountygate.

Bountygate has turned the New Orleans Saints to shreds, and I find it hard to believe that the Saints will be able to overcome all of that adversity in 2012—which includes not having their head coach, Sean Payton, for the entire season.

With Payton not calling the offensive plays, there is a fair reason to believe that Brees’ production might slip a bit in 2012.

Who Should You Select with the First Overall Pick in Your Fantasy Football Draft?

July 5, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL No comments
mega

Alright fantasy football owners, let’s just play a hypothetical game for a second. Just imagine you’re lucky enough to have the first overall pick in your fantasy league.

Your brain is probably on the verge of overheating right now, as you’re pondering on who you should take? With all that pressure being placed on your shoulders, you have to make a decision—and this is going to affect not only your fantasy team, but the entire league.

In that spirit, let’s take a look at some players that you should consider drafting first overall if you’re privileged to have the No. 1 pick in your fantasy league.

 

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Well no surprise here: The reigning Most Valuable Player. If you ask me, this should be an obvious choice for you if you’re sitting there with the first overall pick.

Rodgers threw for a whopping 4,643 yards this past season for the Green Bay Packers while completing an incredible 68.3 percent of his passes. Oh and how could I forget? Rodgers threw an absurd amount of touchdowns—45 to be exact.

I highly doubt Rodgers will be able to repeat his historic 2011 season, but he’s definitely going to come close to it.

The Packers have virtually the same exact offense from a year ago, which means Rodgers is a shoo-in to throw for 35-plus touchdowns and 4,500-plus thousand yards.

 

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Tom Brady is like a fine wine, he only gets better with age.

Brady had yet another phenomenal season in 2011 with the New England Patriots as he recorded the second-most passing yards in a single season, 5235, while tossing 39 touchdowns.

With the rise of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, the continued production out ofWes Welker and now the new addition of Brandon Lloyd—there’s no doubt in my mind that TB12 is going to be able to not only repeat his stellar 2011 season, but he’s only going to improve on it.

 

Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans

Arian Foster is as good as it gets for running backs in the NFL entering 2012.

Foster continues to prove he’s an elite running back; he ran for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns this past season as well as recording 53 receptions for a career-high 617 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Forget about Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson on the Houston Texans, Foster is the main man for that team’s offense. He is the juice that keeps the Texans’ offensive attack pumping, and he could also be the juice that keeps your fantasy team winning.

 

LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Entering 2012, LeSean McCoy is the NFL’s most lethal dual-threat running back.

McCoy is a guaranteed 1,000 yards rushing and is definitely a guarantee for production in the passing game.

This past season for the Philadelphia Eagles, McCoy ran for 1,309 yards and 17 touchdowns, as well as snagging 48 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns; that’s 20 total touchdowns out of your running back. You can’t get much better than that.

 

Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

Picking a wide receiver first overall? It might seem a little crazy, but not when it’s Megatron himself, Calvin Johnson.

Johnson was simply unstoppable at the wide receiver position in 2011, as he reeled in 96 receptions for 1,681 yards and an incredible 16 touchdowns.

With quarterback Matthew Stafford and Johnson continuing to grow together as one of the NFL’s most dominant duos, I most definitely see Johnson producing similar stats this upcoming season.

And for all you points-per-reception players out there, Johnson’s 96 receptions to go along with his 16 touchdowns were just an absurd amount of points, right? This wide receiver is more valuable than you think.

 

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

This selection would likely be one of the more risky decision for the first overall pick, as there’s a chance he has a sophomore slump, but he continues to develop as an NFL quarterback, then drafting Cam Newton first overall would be a genius decision.

Newton couldn’t have had a better rookie season as he threw for an NFL rookie record of 4,051 passing yards while tossing 21 touchdowns. Not to mention that Newton is a dual-threat quarterback, as he acts as an additional running back to your roster. He accumulated 706 yards as well as punching in 14 scores last year.

So all in all, Newton scored 35 total touchdowns while passing for 4,000-plus yards and rushing for 700-plus yards. You can’t get much better than that.

Assuming that Newton stays on track with his development, he’s only going to be an even more lethal fantasy player in 2012.

 

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice might not produce points in the flashiest manner, but he’s always racking up rushing yards, touchdowns and even receiving yards. Rice simply does it all for the Baltimore Ravens and for all the fortunate fantasy owners out there.

Rice ran for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2011, but was even more impressive as a receiver, catching 76 passes for 704 yards while scoring three touchdowns.

You rarely see a running back not only carry your team as a rusher but could also be your fantasy team’s top receiver.

 

Drew Brees, QB New Orleans Saints

Drafting Drew Brees first overall kind of scares me in a way. For starters, he’s not even under contract with the New Orleans Saints, as well as being a member of franchise that is in a complete disarray due to the bounty scandal.

However, Brees is definitely a sure shot for production, as he is now the NFL’s single season passing leader after his epic 5,476 passing yards last year.

With all the other players available, I just wouldn’t touch Brees with the first overall pick.

The Top Dual-Threat Quarterbacks for Fantasy Football 2012

July 3, 2012 Fantasy Football, NFL No comments
cam

When it comes to fantasy football, there is nothing better than having a quarterback on your roster who can not only throw the ball but also run the ball. Having that luxury is such a huge bonus for a fantasy owner, as it’s almost like having an extra running back—which can make up for the lack of running back production on your fantasy team, or it even could be a little extra production to just overwhelm your opponent. Read more