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| AFC West |
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AFC West - Insights Intelligence |
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AFC Intelligence Reports |
NFC Intelligence Reports |
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AFC East - BUF, MIA, NEP, NYJ
AFC South - HOU, IND, JAX, TEN
AFC North - BAL, CIN, CLE, PIT
AFC West - DEN, KAN, OAK, SD |
NFC East - DAL, NYG, PHI, WAS
NFC South - ATL, CAR, NO, TB
NFC North - CHI, DET, GB, MIN
NFC West - ARZ, STL, SF, SEA |
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Insights Intelligence is a free product of Fantasy Insights. Our writers submit their reports on a voluntary basis each week and, although we strive to post updated reports for every team each week, reports may not always get updated before the Thursday deadline.
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| Denver Broncos |
By: Mark Lawton
Updated: 1/2/2010
Please access our Premium Products for the Denver Broncos Team Capsule, Player Rankings/Statistics, Crystal Ball Projections, Fantasy Recommendations and much more.
Last Week:
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Denver played a decent game against the Eagles but game up just short. Orton had a nice day w/ 3 TDs but the running game and Marshall struggled.
Last Week's Result: Denver 27 - Philadelphia 30
Prediction: Denver 27 - Philadelphia 30
Not bad eh?
This Week:
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Denver is playing to continue its season and they need a little help on top of a win. The good thing is they will not know where they stand at 4pm so there's no worry about starters getting rested. Marshall is out and Royal is questionable so Orton will have to rely on Gaffney and Stokley this week. That means Denver could struggle to move the ball and will have to rely on a big defensive performance. In the end, it looks like a repeat of last year's collapse with Denver on vacation in January.
Prediction: Denver 17 KC 24
Rumors:
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Injuries:
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PLAYER INJURY STATUS
Brandon Marshall Hamstring Out
Daniel Graham Knee Questionable
Eddie Royal Head Questionable
Correll Buckhalter Ankle Probable
Brian Dawkins Knee Probable
Renaldo Hill Ankle Probable
Spencer Larsen Hamstring Probable
Ty Law Hamstring Probable
Darrell Reid Knee Probable
Position Analysis:
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QUARTERBACKS: Orton will be without his #1 WR this week and possibly without Royal too. For this reason, leave him on the bench.
Weekly Projections: Orton - 200 yards, 1 TD.
RUNNING BACKS: Moreno could have a decent day as Denver relies on the run and dump passes. Buckhalter could also see an increase in carries but don't expect monster days from either.
Weekly Projections: Moreno - 90 yards, 1 TD. Buckhalter - 60 yards, 0 TD.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Marshall is OUT. Royal is iffy. Look for Gaffney to take over the #1 spot and Lloyd to be a possession guy. Both are high risk plays this week.
Weekly Projections: Gaffney- 70 yards, 1 TD. Lloyd- 40 yards, 0 TD.
TIGHT ENDS: Graham is also questionable so if you HAVE to play a Denver TE, use Scheffler and look for 3 or 4 catches for 35 yards.
PLACE KICKER: Matt Prater was perfect again last week and could be serviceable in a pinch against KC.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: Denver's D was decent last week as they found a way to pressure the QB. This is the only way they will come out on top this week (getting to KC's Cassel). Look for a couple sacks and a couple turnovers. If they can manage a score, they may have a shot.
Good luck and see you next year.
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| Kansas City Chiefs |
By: Dan Rose
Updated: 8/30/2010
Please access our Premium Products for the Kansas City Chiefs Team Capsule, Player Rankings/Statistics, Crystal Ball Projections, Fantasy Recommendations and much more.
Last Week:
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Pre-season Game #3 -- Eagles 20, Chiefs 17: Yeah, it's only pre-season, but when your 3rd/4th string defense lets the 3rd/4th string offense of your opponent go the length of the field in about a minute and a half with no time outs to score the winning touchdown, it still hurts.
On the positive side, the first string defense played a terrific game. Certainly it was one of the better ones they've played in a couple of years. Five sacks, 1 interception and holding Philly to less than 200 yards of offense until that last unfortunate touchdown drive, is something the team can hang their hats on.
Offensively, it was the same old/same old Chiefs with a mind-numbingly slow start to the game, costly turnovers practically handing the opponent multiple scoring opportunities, and a passing game that resembles a high school team more than a pro team. I give them credit for the fact that they took advantage of the two critical mistakes Philly made to score touchdowns, but this team has one more week to get this malaise out of their system.
This Week:
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The Chiefs close out the preseason by hosting the red-hot Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead on Thursday night.
Rumors:
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Nothing that will affect your fantasy draft.
Injuries:
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Nothing that should affect your fantasy draft. RB Jamaal Charles suffered a minor arm injury in the Philly game but it is not considered serious at all and he will be fine for the Packer game.
Position Analysis:
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2010 PREVIEW:
QUARTERBACKS: Matt Cassel suffered from receivers that couldn't catch (50 dropped passes led the league by far); a line that couldn't pass block (42 sacks in 2009 after being sacked 47 times in 2008 at New England - whew!); and until Jamaal Charles took over at starter, a laughably bad running game. Plus, it was his first season in Kansas City and there was the pressure of him becoming the face of the franchise. When head coach Todd Haley fired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey a week before the season started, you just knew that Cassel was going to struggle.
This season, Cassel is in his second year so he should take a step forward at QB. He has a new coordinator with a couple of Super Bowl rings on his fingers (Charlie Weis), a much-improved running game with Charles and newcomers Thomas Jones and rookie Dexter McCluster, and better receivers that can hopefully hang onto the ball. Cassel isn't a #1 fantasy starter yet, but he will be an excellent #2 that you might be able to spot-start depending on Cassel's match-up that week.
2010 Projection: 3,400 yards, 23 passing TDs, 13 ints, 60% completion.
RUNNING BACKS: Jamaal Charles looks to continue his remarkable second half, but unlike last year, he's not completely alone. The Chiefs jumped all over former Jets running back Thomas Jones when New York released him. Jones was #3 in the NFL last season with over 1,400 yards rushing and, even at the age of 32, still has something left in the tank. Charles and Jones will undoubtedly share carries this season, but Charles has the most upside.
Haley hasn't tipped his hand on how he will use the two when the season starts -- and Jones is even listed as the #1 back on the depth chart -- but I'll be shocked if Charles doesn't get 250+ carries while Jones totals about 200. Jones will get the ball on the goal line for any "-and goal" runs, so that should be worth an extra three touchdowns on his side of the ledger. Charles is a late first-round fantasy draft pick and if he falls into the second round, he'll be a steal. Jones is a low-end #3 fantasy back.
2010 Projections: Charles - 1,650 total yards, 50 receptions, 9 touchdowns; Jones - 1,000 total yards, 20 receptions, 12 touchdowns.
WIDE RECEIVERS: It's no secret that Dwayne Bowe has been a disappointment since he was drafted. Statistically, he's been OK, but his immature play on the field has hampered his production. Kansas City fans have noticed a "new" Bowe in training camp this season and Todd Haley has gone out of his way to praise Bowe throughout training camp for both on- and off-field dedication to getting better. Remember, Haley is the one coach that Cardinal superstar Larry Fitzgerald gives credit to for making him work harder than he knew that he could and his ascension to the top of the NFL fantasy charts. So if Haley is praising Bowe, we have to take him at his word.
Chris Chambers reinvigorated his career with the Chiefs after being cut loose by the Chargers last October. It's not even an argument to say that Chambers was the best receiver on the team the moment he stepped onto the field. He begins this season firmly entrenched as the #2 WR on the team behind Bowe, but it won't be a shock whatsoever to see Chambers get superior stats in a handful of games.
Finally, there's a third fantasy option that you all need to grab on your draft day, and that is rookie RB/WR Dexter McCluster. The speedster out of Mississippi was grabbed early in the second round of the NFL draft by the Chiefs even though there were more than a few good offensive linemen and linebackers still available. At the time, Chiefs fans were somewhat outraged that the team would take McCluster over a much more critical "need" position. However, now that the season is about to begin and everyone has seen McCluster on the field, no one questions the decision. McCluster is a game-changer both running and catching the ball, and there's a chance he'll be returning kicks too. He'll have at least one or two returns for touchdowns this year if he can beat out fellow rookie, CB Javier Arenas, for the job.
Draft Bowe as a high-end 3rd fantasy receiver, Chambers as a #4, and McCluster might be a late-round steal for your flex position.
Projection: Bowe - 70 catches, 1,000 yards, 6 touchdowns; Chambers - 60 catches, 850 yards, 7 touchdowns; McCluster - 40 catches, 35 rushes, 900 total yards, 5 touchdowns.
TIGHT ENDS: It's still a weird feeling to NOT recommend a Chiefs tight end (we miss you, Tony Gonzalez!), but the Chiefs do not have a tight end you should waste a fantasy draft pick over. If you want a deep, deep sleeper, keep an eye on your waiver wire for rookie Tony Moeaki. If he can stay healthy, he may be a decent #2 fantasy TE during the second half of the season.
PLACE KICKER: Ryan Succop will be a top-10 fantasy kicker this year. You WILL be able to draft him in your last round unless you have Chiefs fans in your league. The Chiefs will still have some problems finishing off drives for touchdowns and I don't think Haley will leave too many points off the board with this defense.
Projection: 35 FG attempted, 32 made, 3-4 50+ yards, 34-34 XPs
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: Here's your classic NFL fantasy Catch-22 situation. The defense will be improved, but they'll be lucky to get better than the 20th-ranked unit in the league. And that still isn't good. However, with the additions of rookie returners Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster, this team will be light-years ahead of where they were last year on special teams. They might just be the most improved special teams unit in the league this year. Both Arenas and McCluster have the skill to take every ball they touch to the house for a touchdown. So, I absolutely cannot recommend drafting the Chiefs as a D/ST for the defensive side of the ball, but they will have success on the ST side.
Check out my Chiefs columns for Examiner.com at http://www.examiner.com/kansas-city-chiefs-in-kansas-city/dan-rose
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| Oakland Raiders |
By: Jim Marquardt
Updated: 8/24/2010
Please access our Premium Products for the Oakland Raiders Team Capsule, Player Rankings/Statistics, Crystal Ball Projections, Fantasy Recommendations and much more.
Last Week:
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Raiders @ Chicago Bears The drumbeat of the pre season moves on with the Raiders beating the Bears 32-14 in Chicago. Jason Campbell threw 5 straight completions in the opening drive and ended up with 170 yards passing. He still has yet to throw a TD pass. The Raiders defense gave up a long run to Matt Forte. Mike Huff was shaken out of his shoes on the 89 run looking fairly silly on the play.
This Week:
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San Francisco @ Raiders The 49ers come to town on Saturday night. The quarterbacks and both offenses will again be the main focus.
Rumors:
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The Raiders over time are the most private team in the NFL. Their team seems pretty set right now in most positions except for RB. Everyone seems to be excited about the season but the offense is still the main problem.
Injuries:
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The NFL doesn't list injuries in preseason. But of note, McFadden and Derrius Heyward-Bey will be back for much needed work.
Position Analysis:
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QUARTERBACKS:
Jason Campbell will play the first half possibly.
PROJECTION: 100 yards passing, 0 TD's
RUNNING BACKS:
Darren McFadden will see playing time.
PROJECTION: McFadden 30 yards 10 yards receiving, 0 TD's. Bush 20 yards Rushing, 0 TD's; Bennett; 35 yards rushing 15 yards receiving 1 TD
WIDE RECEIVERS:
Louis Murphy and Zach Miller are the only really reliable WR that can stay healthy. Heyward-Bey will see time but I see him doing nothing.
PROJECTION: Murphy 30 yards 0 TD, Miller 30 yards 0 TD
TIGHT ENDS:
Zach Miller will be the focus this year for Oakland.
PROJECTION: 30 yards 0 TD's.
PLACE KICKER:
Janikowski will have 3 FG and maybe 1 PAT
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS:
This will be a defensive struggle. Both teams lack a great QB and there wont be many TD's.
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| San Diego Chargers |
By: Open Position
Updated: 6/9/2010
Please access our Premium Products for the San Diego Chargers Team Capsule, Player Rankings/Statistics, Crystal Ball Projections, Fantasy Recommendations and much more.
Last Week:
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Chargers: 42 Titans: 17
The Christmas day game proved to be another walk in the park for the unstoppable charge. With this festive win the Chargers have clinched the number two seed in the AFC winning them the much needed bye in the playoffs. With the loss, Tennessee has dropped out of the playoff hunt. The Chargers haven't lost a game since week six, and they are looking to keep up their momentum and consistent play into the playoff.
This Week:
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With the two seed clinched don't expect to see the starters play all game. The final match up against Washington bodes well for the Chargers. Look for them to build an early lead and coast through the second half of the game. This is going to give fantasy points a hit so be weary if you plan to start Chargers players, especially if they have any injury or ailment.
Rumors:
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none
Injuries:
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Any injured players will get two weeks rest, so the team should be in good shape coming into their first playoff game.
Position Analysis:
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QUARTERBACKS:
Phillip Rivers-
Rivers will definitely start the game, and try to put up points early so the starters can rest. But either way, points or no points, I see Backup QB Volek coming into the game and cutting Rivers' effort short.
RUNNING BACKS:
LT will also be in the game while there is some competition so he may get a touchdown early. Other running backs are going to have a big wee, as they try and let Tomlinson rest and prepare for the playoffs. Don't expect Sproles to have another huge week, but he is worth consideration in this match up.
WIDE RECEIVERS:
I think Jackson will get passes throughout the game. I don't see him leaving the game early like other stars. He is the only one worth a look this week.
TIGHT ENDS:
Antonio Gates-
I think Gates is going to be the player that gets the Chargers an early lead. Put him in and hope for the best. While it may not be a huge scoring week he should haul in an early TD.
PLACE KICKER:
Nate Kaeding-
Both the most accurate NFL kicker ever, and the leagues point leader. With backups in he should get more chances at long field goals and less extra points.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS:
The defense has several banged up players so coach Turner may try to protect his defensive stars by playing backups. On the other hand Washington does not have a very strong offense. It is a coin toss, but I think they are a good bet.
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