New York Giants
Predicted Record: 10-6
Playoff Seed: 4
Key Player: Tiki Barber, One could have easily made a case for Tiki Barber being the leagues most valuable player last season. With the brutal Giant schedule Tiki is again going to need to be stellar in order for the Giants to again take home the division crown.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Jeremy Shockey, A top 5 tight end, and arguably the second best tight end option behind Antonio Gates. If you can eye him down in the 5th round than he could be a very good selection as he is one of Eli's favorite red zone targets.
Why the Record: I think the Giants are going to have a very similar season to 2005 where they often struggle on the road but dominate at home. I have them winning 7 games at home and only 3 on the road including a victory at home over big bro Peyton in the week 1 NBC showcase clash. The Gigantes have an epic schedule which could easily be classified as the leagues most difficult but the comfort level the Eli has at home and a healthy linebacking core will lead the Giants to another division crown.
Projected Wins: IND, @PHI, WAS, HOU, CHI, @TEN, DAL, PHI, NO, @WAS
Projected Losses: @SEA, @ATL, @DAL, TB, @JAX, @CAR
Dallas Cowboys
Predicted Record: 9-7
Playoff Seed: 6
Key Player: Drew Bledsoe, Many would think TO but Bledsoe to me is the key to the Cowboys success this year. You know TO is going to act like a whinny weasel at some point in time during the season and it will be up to Drew to not take his BS.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Julius Jones, Similar to KJ of Detroit, JJ was terrific in his rookie campaign and not so much last season. He seems to be picked in the mid to early 3rd round in every draft and could become an epic bust if he does not perform and is replaced in the starting lineup by Marion Barber which is a distinct possibility.
Why the Record: I expect the Cowboys to have an up and down season in which they barely sneak into the playoffs. The TO experience is already a roller-coaster ride and while their defense looks terrific thus far in the preseason the Cowboys do have a very difficult schedule. And you Drew is good for atleast one or two 4th quarter collapses.
Projected Wins: WAS, @PHI, HOU, NYG, @ARI, IND, NO, PHI, DET
Projected Losses: @JAX, @TEN, @CAR, @WAS, TB, @NYG, @ATL
Washington Redskins
Predicted Record: 7-9
Key Player: Mark Brunell, As an older QB he played very well last season and did a great job of feeding Santana and Cooley. This season he has been given another receiver option in Randle El, so it is foreseeable that he could put up good numbers yet again.
Fantasy Player to Eye: TJ Duckett, First off if you drafted Portis make sure you get Duckett in the later rounds or on the free agent wire if he's still there because a shoulder injury could create big problems mid season and if given the ball all the time Duckett could be productive. For right now I lean with Duckett more than Ladell Betts, based on past production.
Why the Record: I do not trust old man river Mark Brunell. He had a good season last year, but what can you expect from an old old veteran QB. In addition are you confident that he will stay healthy the full season and do you really trust Jason Campbell as his backup, I didn't think so. The injury to Portis also puts a hampering on their 2006 prospects.
Projected Wins: MIN, TEN, DAL, @PHI, CAR, ATL, @NO
Projected Losses: @DAL, @HOU, JAX, @NYG, @IND, @TB, PHI, @STL, NYG
Philadelphia Eagles
Predicted Record: 4-12
Key Player: Brian Westbrook, He needs to be healthy, he needs to assert himself as at minimum an average in between the tackles back in addition to his great abilities on the edges. The addition of Stallworth is nice but if Westbrook goes down or is even banged up than they will have a limited rushing attack and Donovan will be wishing that TO was back around.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Donte Stallworth, Lets see if what kind of TO impersonation Donte Stallworth can pull off. He goes from splitting the #1 role with Joe Horn to being the most talented and probable #1 target for McNabb. In addition Stallworth is going incredibly late in most drafts and this is for a player that put up good numbers for a team last year that had a QB who had the accuracy of a five year old shooting a rifle while being tickled.
Why the Record: Their time has come and gone. Their two greatest offensive weapons were banged up all of last season and already Westbrook is struggling with injury. Their division is the strongest in the NFL, and the remainder of their schedule is just as difficult. Sorry Philly but you are the Sacramento Kings of the NFL, you were there for years and might have been the best team but you just couldn't get it done and now the door has slammed shut.
Projected Wins: @NO, JAX, CAR, @WAS,
Projected Losses: @HOU, NYG, @SF, GB, DAL, @TB, WAS, TEN, @IND, @NYG, @DAL, ATL
Predicted Record: 10-6
Playoff Seed: 4
Key Player: Tiki Barber, One could have easily made a case for Tiki Barber being the leagues most valuable player last season. With the brutal Giant schedule Tiki is again going to need to be stellar in order for the Giants to again take home the division crown.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Jeremy Shockey, A top 5 tight end, and arguably the second best tight end option behind Antonio Gates. If you can eye him down in the 5th round than he could be a very good selection as he is one of Eli's favorite red zone targets.
Why the Record: I think the Giants are going to have a very similar season to 2005 where they often struggle on the road but dominate at home. I have them winning 7 games at home and only 3 on the road including a victory at home over big bro Peyton in the week 1 NBC showcase clash. The Gigantes have an epic schedule which could easily be classified as the leagues most difficult but the comfort level the Eli has at home and a healthy linebacking core will lead the Giants to another division crown.
Projected Wins: IND, @PHI, WAS, HOU, CHI, @TEN, DAL, PHI, NO, @WAS
Projected Losses: @SEA, @ATL, @DAL, TB, @JAX, @CAR
Dallas Cowboys
Predicted Record: 9-7
Playoff Seed: 6
Key Player: Drew Bledsoe, Many would think TO but Bledsoe to me is the key to the Cowboys success this year. You know TO is going to act like a whinny weasel at some point in time during the season and it will be up to Drew to not take his BS.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Julius Jones, Similar to KJ of Detroit, JJ was terrific in his rookie campaign and not so much last season. He seems to be picked in the mid to early 3rd round in every draft and could become an epic bust if he does not perform and is replaced in the starting lineup by Marion Barber which is a distinct possibility.
Why the Record: I expect the Cowboys to have an up and down season in which they barely sneak into the playoffs. The TO experience is already a roller-coaster ride and while their defense looks terrific thus far in the preseason the Cowboys do have a very difficult schedule. And you Drew is good for atleast one or two 4th quarter collapses.
Projected Wins: WAS, @PHI, HOU, NYG, @ARI, IND, NO, PHI, DET
Projected Losses: @JAX, @TEN, @CAR, @WAS, TB, @NYG, @ATL
Washington Redskins
Predicted Record: 7-9
Key Player: Mark Brunell, As an older QB he played very well last season and did a great job of feeding Santana and Cooley. This season he has been given another receiver option in Randle El, so it is foreseeable that he could put up good numbers yet again.
Fantasy Player to Eye: TJ Duckett, First off if you drafted Portis make sure you get Duckett in the later rounds or on the free agent wire if he's still there because a shoulder injury could create big problems mid season and if given the ball all the time Duckett could be productive. For right now I lean with Duckett more than Ladell Betts, based on past production.
Why the Record: I do not trust old man river Mark Brunell. He had a good season last year, but what can you expect from an old old veteran QB. In addition are you confident that he will stay healthy the full season and do you really trust Jason Campbell as his backup, I didn't think so. The injury to Portis also puts a hampering on their 2006 prospects.
Projected Wins: MIN, TEN, DAL, @PHI, CAR, ATL, @NO
Projected Losses: @DAL, @HOU, JAX, @NYG, @IND, @TB, PHI, @STL, NYG
Philadelphia Eagles
Predicted Record: 4-12
Key Player: Brian Westbrook, He needs to be healthy, he needs to assert himself as at minimum an average in between the tackles back in addition to his great abilities on the edges. The addition of Stallworth is nice but if Westbrook goes down or is even banged up than they will have a limited rushing attack and Donovan will be wishing that TO was back around.
Fantasy Player to Eye: Donte Stallworth, Lets see if what kind of TO impersonation Donte Stallworth can pull off. He goes from splitting the #1 role with Joe Horn to being the most talented and probable #1 target for McNabb. In addition Stallworth is going incredibly late in most drafts and this is for a player that put up good numbers for a team last year that had a QB who had the accuracy of a five year old shooting a rifle while being tickled.
Why the Record: Their time has come and gone. Their two greatest offensive weapons were banged up all of last season and already Westbrook is struggling with injury. Their division is the strongest in the NFL, and the remainder of their schedule is just as difficult. Sorry Philly but you are the Sacramento Kings of the NFL, you were there for years and might have been the best team but you just couldn't get it done and now the door has slammed shut.
Projected Wins: @NO, JAX, CAR, @WAS,
Projected Losses: @HOU, NYG, @SF, GB, DAL, @TB, WAS, TEN, @IND, @NYG, @DAL, ATL
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