The Nominees for this year’s 2008 National League Rookie of the Year Award are:

Chicago Cubs C Geovany Soto

Cincinnati Reds SP Edison Volquez

Cincinnati Reds OF Jay Bruce

Chicago Cubs OF Kosuke Fukudome

Cincinnati Reds OF Joey Votto  

Honorable Mention Cincinnati Reds SP Edison Volquez

Volquez was once slated to be in the running for the National League Cy Young award, but has fallen off in the last few months. Volquez is 16-5, with a 3.22 ERA and 192 K’s. Volquez has had an outstanding season in his first full season with the Reds, and will anchor the team’s rotation for years to come.

Volquez will forever be mention in the same breath as Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton. Volquez and Hamilton were traded for each other last offseason. While Hamilton has put up close to MVP numbers this season, Volquez had held his own and the Reds are not regretting making that trade at all.  Perhaps if he hadn’t fallen off towards the end of the season, Volquez would be running away with this award. However, consistency is what takes this award and this season, there has been one man steadier than the rest.

And the winner is…

Chicago Cubs C Geovany Soto  

Soto has done so many things well this season. From timely hitting, to handling a very diverse pitching staff, Soto is a big reason why the Cubbies are the cream of the crop in the National League. Soto is hitting .281 with 21 HR’s and 81 RBI’s to go along with a .502 slugging percentage. Soto has also thrown out 27% of base runners this season, which ranks 8th in the Major Leagues.

The most intriguing way Soto has affected the Cubs is by how he has handeled the pitchign staff. The Cubs team ERA this season is 3.81, 4th in the Major Leagues, and 2nd in the National League. He has had to deal with the acquisition of Rich Harden and helping him adjust to the National League. Kerry Wood began his reclamation as the teams closer, and Soto has helped him have a successful season, despite Wood being injured recently. Soto has handled the bat, and the pitchers, well enough for him to win the National League ROY award, and it will probably be the first of many other honors Soto will earn throughout his career.

The Nominees for this year’s American League Rookie of the Year Award are:

Tampa Bay Rays 3B Evan Longoria

Chicago White Sox OF/2B Alexei Ramirez

Oakland Athletics RP Brad Ziegler

Detroit Tigers SP Armando Galarraga

Boston Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury

Honorable Mention Oakland Athletics RP Brad Ziegler

39 Innings, thats the amount of time Zielger went without giving up a single run. In 52 IP this season, Zielger has only given up 3 earned runs, and has recorded 9 saves since becoming the closer after Houston Street got injured. Ziegler’s odd side-armed delivery confuses hitters from both sides of the plate. In almost any other year, Ziegler would have a legitimate shot at winning the ROY award. Unfortunately, there is one fellow rookie who has outperformed everyone else.  

And the winner is…….

Tampa Bay Rays 3B Evan Longoria

Evan Longoria was predicted to be the top rookie in this year’s class, and he hasn’t disappointed one bit. Despite missing most of August and the beginning of September, Longoria has shown his range of abilities, whether he’s at the plate, or in the field. Longoria is hitting .281, with 22 HR’s and 74 RBI’s, to go along with 7 Stolen bases. He has played exceptional defense, displaying a cannon for an arm over in the hot corner. In addition, he has brought life to a franchise that had been dead for years.

The Tampa Rays are going to make the playoffs this year for the first time in the franchise’s short history. While Longoria isn’t the only cause for the Rays success, he is one of the main contributing factors to this historic turnaround. Longoria is going to help keep the Rays competetive for years to come and will most likely be an MVP candidate in the near future.

Bernard Pollard never thought he would be the talk of week 1 at the start of the 2008 football season. Though it was Pollard who helped end reigning MVP Tom Brady’s season, incidentally tearing his ACL and most likely having to miss the rest of this season. This is some of the most shocking news ever to come out of a week 1 game. The Patriots, who were believed to be able to cruise into another Super Bowl, are now going to struggle to find an offensive rhythm. 

What does this mean for the rest of the AFC East? It means that this may be the only year in the next 3 or 4 seasons that the division may be up for grabs (Except for the Dolphins).While Matt Cassel filled in decently for Brady, The Pats were clearly not the same team that they were last year. Randy Moss had zero catches in the 2nd half, which should never happen for 2 simple reasons. Firstly, Moss is too good to not be thrown to enough that he doesn’t come down with 1 ball, and secondly, the longer he doesn’t get the ball, the more likely he may open that massive mouth of his, causing some unneccessary drama in Foxborough.

Outside of Massechussetts, the buzz around both upstate and lower New York is getting louder and louder by the hour. Both the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are ready to try and knock the Patriots off of their unnaturally high pedestal. The Jets and Bills are coming off of week 1 wins, and the Jets will get to test the new look Pats next week in the Meadowlands.

While the Jets looked shaky in their 20-14 victory over the Fins, they still had some very bright moments. Brett Favre threw a beautiful touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery to set the tone for the Jets offense. When was the last time you saw the Jets air it out as much as yesterday? It was exciting to see a diff type of play calling, and not the usual 5 yard passes to the running backs or the tight ends. One negative that was noticeable during the game was the lack of timing and chemistry between Favre and Laveranues Coles. Hopefully, in the upcoming weeks, that will change.

The Bills, on the other hand, looked dominant against a solid Seattle Seahawks team. In their 34-10 victory, the Bills shutdown both the rushing and passing offense of the Seahawks and even controlled the special teams matchup. Roscoe Parrish had a punt return for a TD which was one of the best returns you may see all year, and Brian Moorman threw a TD pass on a fake Field Goal. Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards both looked solid and the Bills may be the favorites in the AFC East to beat the Patriots for the top spot in the division.

While the injury to Brady is a very sad event for NFL fans who love watching him throw strikes to Moss and Wes Welker, it is a blessing for Jets and Bills fans. While no one should ever wish injury upon another player, this injury in particular opens the door for some competition not only in the AFC East, but in the entire conference. Many Pats fans will be mourning the loss of their All-World Quarterback, and they should, but they can’t deny that the season will be more exciting for them and that they are heading into a season of the unknown.

Baseball was on the verge of a player’s strike, There appeared to be a chance of peace in the Middle East, and Willam Clinton was inaugurated as President of the United States. These events all that occured in the year 1993, the last full season of baseball in which the New York Yankees missed the postseason. It appears that the Yanks will miss this season’s playoffs and will be taking an extended vacation for the first time in over a decade.

In his first season as manager, Joe Girardi has had a lot to deal with. Injuries to staff aces Chien Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain, as well as disappointing performances from pitching prospects Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, have really set the Yankees pitching back a year or so. Girardi is not to blame for the Yankees shortcomings this season and has done well in dealing with all of the issues the team has faced this season.

While over in Queens, the Mets are playing the best baseball they have played all year, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers. Yankees fans across the borough of Manhattan have been relatively quiet once they are engaged in conversation about their beloved Yanks, and they have good reason to be so. It is very strange to observe the shift in the relationship between Yankees and Mets fans. After the Subway Series, Mets fans were afraid to take the TriBorough to be seen amongst the pinstripe faithfuls. Oh how times have changed in the new millenium…

The Yankees being apart of October baseball has been so rudimentary over the last 14 years that it’s hard to imagine a playoff series without them. There won’t be any constant attention on A-Rod and each At Bat he gets in the postseason. Derek Jeter won’t be able to make a game saving play, or get a leadoff single to start a Yankee rally in the 9th inning. Mariano Rivera isn’t going to be closing out the last game of a series in dominating fashion as usual. And as far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Sure, it will be upsetting to miss A-Rod throwing his bat down after striking out with runners in scoring position, but I can wait til next year to see that. But is it possible that there may not be a playoff apperance next year for the Yankees also? Are we seeing a shift in power, not only in the AL East, but also in the city of New York? 

As a college student in one of the greatest cities in the world, it is easy to see how people’s reactions and emotions fluxuate as a baseball season goes along. At the start of the year, Mets fans were still getting over last year’s debacle and Yankees fans were excited about seeing Joba and company in action. Yankees fans were throwing out bold predictions, while Mets fans were patiently waiting for their team to reach their full potential, and were tired of watching the soap opera with Omar Minaya and Willie Randolph. Mets fans were quiet about Johan Santana, and his shaky start and how he would pitch down the stretch. At the trade deadline, the Yanks made noise, while the Mets sat still.

That brings us to today, where the tides have turned, and possibly may stay this way for quite some time. Even walking to class is a new experience. People who would love nothing more than to talk to me for hours about baseball, now say they don’t have time to talk or just don’t want to talk about it. Even radio shows are now swarmed with more Mets callers and listeners, while Yankees fans turn their radio’s off. The question I pose is, Do I really want to live in a world like this? Sure, it has its perks, but something about it just doesn’t feel right.

Getting what you want could be a very scary thing. Sometimes, you realize that what you wanted the entire time isn’t what was going to make you happy. On occasion, it’s the thing that you hate the most that gets you out of bed everday. Perhaps you need that villain, that Darth Vader to your Luke Skywalker, to make you feel complete. I’ll enjoy this Yankees playoff hiatues for now, but 5 years down the road, I wonder how I will feel about it then.

The last 2 weeks in Major League Baseball have been extremely busy. As the trade deadline passed, many deals were made that are going to impact the outcome of playoff races from the American League East, to the National League West. Not only do these moves affect your favorite, or even your least favorite, teams, but they also will have a dramatic effect on the performance of your fantasy baseball teams. Let’s look at some of the trades that took place and how they can either improve, or devalue, your fantasy baseball team.

The Boston Red Sox send OF Manny Ramirez to the Los Angelos Dodgers and OF Brandon Moss and RP Craig Hansen to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pittsburgh Pirates send OF Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox. The Lost Angelos Dodgers send 3B Andy Laroche and P Bryan Morris to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Obviously, the biggest two players in this deal are Ramirez and Bay. Since both players have been dealt, their production has increased immensely to the 2 weeks before the trade was made. In 10 games with the Dodgers, Ramirez is hitting a whopping .475 with 4 HR, 13 RBI, and 9 runs scored. Except Ramirez to continue to hit with his new found motivation in the form of an NL West title. (Oh, and a 25 mil a year contract after the season from the Yankees) On the other hand, Jason Bay most likely won’t continue his tear as the new left fielder in Boston. In his 10 games, he is hitting .326 with 1 HR, 8 RBI, and 12 runs  scored. In his last couple of contests however, Bay has slowed down. Don’t expect comparable numbers to Manny from Bay, and look for his average to plateau at around the .280 mark, but he should continue to score runs with the amount of depth that red sox lineup.

On the Pittsburgh side of the trade, none of these players are going to have an immense fantasy impact right away. In a keeper league, try and keep Andy Laroche, who could have a breakout season next year. Brandon Moss has struggled so far in Pittsburgh hitting .196, but expect that to go up, just not that much. Keep an eye on Hansen, because if John Grabow or Tyler Yates struggle within the next couple weeks in that closer role, Hasen, who has pitched decently, could take some saves away from them.

Los Angelos Angels of Anaheim trade 1B Casey Kotchman and SP Steven Marek to the Atlanta Braves for 1B Mark Teixeira.

For the 2nd year in a row, one of the best 2nd half fantasy baseball players moves to a contending playoff team. Teixeira was put in a great situation in LA, hitting next to the likes of Vladamir Guerrero and Garret Anderson. So far in the month of August, Tex is hitting .344 with 2 HR, 8 RBI, and 9 runs scored. His power numbers should go up as he gets used to the same old pitchers he used to face in Texas. Guerrero’s numbers have also went up in August, hitting .406, 3 HR, and 9 RBI. Anderson is following a hot July with a good August and Torii Hunter is also benefitting from Tex prescense in the lineup. With a hitter friendly schedule the rest of the way, look for these guys, along with Howie Kendrick, to have a great last 6 weeks of the year.

New York Yankees trade RP Kyle Farnsworth to the Detroit Tigers for C Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez

Even though is a small trade involving only 2 players, it has had an affect on many others. Farnsworth had about zero fantasy value on the Yankees and lets say on a scale from 1-10, he has about a 4 value now on the Tigers. Fernando Rodney has taken the closer role, but has been  very shaky in doing so. Manager Jimmy Leyland has also said that Joel Zumaya could  get a shot at closing some games if Rodney continues to be inconsistent. Both have been given chances and have struggled and if these problems continue, Farnsworth would be the closer by default. Also, Brandon Inge is now the everyday catcher for the Tigers. Inge, however, has not taken to the role, hitting .161 and failing to drive in runs.

In New York, Ivan Rodriguez is getting perhaps his last chance to win a World Series, though he is not taking advantage of it. In August, pudge is hitting a measly .222 in a stacked lineup that should supply him with plenty of fastballs to dump into the gaps. With only 1 RBI, Pudge isn’t doing any better than incumbent catcher Jose Molina. While the Yanks may be on their last gasp in terms of a playoff berth, look for Pudge’s numbers to improve as he adjusts to playing in New York, which if you ask A-Rod, is no easy task. Though if he continues to struggle, Molina could wind up getting more playing time.

Cincinnati Reds trade OF Adam Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks for SP Dallas Buck and 2 prospects to be named later

And this is the reponse to the Manny Ramirez trade by the D’backs. Dunn brings a world of power to the limited D’backs offense, and will try and fend off the Dodgers out west with his sweet stroke. Dunn brings 32 HR and 74 RBI to the desert, along with his .233 average and .373 OBP. Dunn will either be rounding the bases, walking to first, or walking back to the dugout in about 65% of his AB’s. Even though he has played in a very hitter friendly park, Dunn’s homers are tape measure shots and his power should not be affected by the new ballpark he is going to call home. Though with more important at bats coming his way, Dunn could see more walks, because teams will want to be beat by the rest of that D’backs lineup. Look for more RBI chances from the likes of Conner Jackson, Chad Tracy, and Mark Reynolds.

A popular slogan used by coaches and managers throughout history is, “Defense wins championships.” In fantasy football, defense doesn’t make or break your season, but it does play a significant role in helping your team make the playoffs. The better fantasy defenses can be equivalent to even the top RB’s, which shows that they do make an important impact and should not be disregarded.  When drafting a defense, there are several things an owner has to be aware of. Schedules, Special Teams Units, and age are 3 things that must be taken into account when drafting a defense.

Here are the top 15 defenses for the 2008 fantasy football season:

1. Minnesota Vikings

2. San Diego Chargers

3. New England Patriots

4. Chicago Bears

5. Pittsburgh Steelers 

6. New York Giants

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

8. Dallas Cowboys

9. Green Bay Packers

10. Indianapolis Colts

11. Baltimore Ravens

12. Seattle Seahawks

13. Tennessee Titans

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

15. Denver Broncos 

Last year, the Minnesota Vikings were 2nd only to the Chargers defense last season. With the addition of DE Jarod Allen,the Vikings bolstered a pass rush that struggled at times last season. But where Minnesota’s D really stands out are in two areas, stopping the run, and scoring TDs. Minnesota makes opponents one-dimensional, forcing them to throw the football. With the addition of Allen and the progress LB Chad Greenway made last season, look for the Vikings to be even better this year and eclipse last year’s 38 sack total.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Chargers return as a top fantasy defense. CB Antonio Cromartie impressed everyone last year with his hands and his speed, picking off 10 passes and scoring 2 defensive touchdowns. Linebacks Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman are two of the best pass-rushing outside linebackers in the league and helped the Chargers get to 42 sacks last season, even though Merriman missed 4 games due to suspension. It will be hard for the Chargers to garner 30 INTs again this season but they should have a very solid season on the defensive side of the ball.

Two more defenses that should have better years than last season are the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers underperformed last year from a fantasy standpoint. S Troy Polamalu played through injury and it affected his performance. Though, even with all of its struggles, the Steelers found 2 players who could emerge this season. LB Jerome Harrison is 30 years old and shouldn’t have had a career year last season. With 8.5 sacks and 7 forced fumbles, Harrison got stronger as the season went along and should have an even better year this year. On the other side of the field, LB Lamar Woodley also had some of his own moments. While he only put up 4 sacks, Woodley put constant pressure on the quarterback when he played and will seem like a steal in the 2nd round of last year’s draft. Though still very raw, Woodley has a lot to improve on but under defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau, he has one of the best mentors in the game. 

The Dallas Cowboys return all of their starters from last years defense, and then a bit more. Controversial CB Adam “Don’t call me Pacman” Jones can play a big role in both the defense and the special teams. Dallas’s special teams units have struggled recently and the possible addition of Jones, who is awaiting reinstatement, would help them out immensely. Another addition this off-season was MLB Zach Thomas. While Thomas is at the end of his potential Hall of Fame career, he is still making tackles left and right. Reports out of Cowboys camp is that he has the most tackles during practice on a daily basis. Rookie CD Michael Jenkins is going to see reps with the 1st team defense due to a groin injury to Pro Bowl CB Terrance Newman.  Jenkins will play most of the year in nickel and dime package but is a big upgrade over Nathan Jones and Jacque Reeves. The only major issue regarding the Cowboys defense is S Roy Williams. This has been a tumultuous off-season for Williams, who even admitted to being afraid of one on one coverage during an interview. He’s been called out by teammates and has had talks with coaches regarding his fear. Theteam plans on using CB Anthony Henry in certain situations, and against better Tight Ends. It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys adjust to certain offensive sets and to see if Williams really takes a seat on certain downs.

Defense to Watch:

Oakland Raiders- This is a very very young defense. Rookie S Michael Huff was drafted to stop the run and prevent the deep ball, two things that killed the Raiders last season. Pro Bowl CB Deangelo Hall left Atlanta to become the shut down guy for this up and coming franchise. Hall will team up with Nnamdi Asomugha, Gibril Wilson, and Huff to make up one of the tougher secondaries in the league. DE Kalimba Edwards was brought in to create depth along a line that struggles against the run. The key of this defensive group will be the linebacking corps. Robert Thomas, Kirk Morrison, and Thomas Howard have had bright spots throughout their playing days in Oakland but are extremely inconsistent. Perhaps with better players around them, they will perform on a higher level. Oakland also faces a light schedule in terms of offensive production. With games against the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Raves, Kansas City Chiefs (2), Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Bucs, Buffalo Bills, and the streaky Houston Texans, the Raiders will have 9 games against the bottom half of the league in terms offense.

The Tight End position in football is one of the more underrated spots in a fantasy football team. Over the past few years, top tier TE’s have been putting up Wide Receiver type numbers. It may be worth it to draft a top 5 TE over a WR who’s rated in the 20-25 area of his position. It is also important to grab one of the better TE’s because there is a lack of depth at this position. Last year, the number 6 ranked TE had 53 more fantasy points (According to Yahoo! Sports scoring system) than the number 7 ranked TE.

Here are the top 15 TE for the 2008 fantasy season:

1. Antonio Gates SD

2. Jason Witten DAL

3. Tony Gonzalez KC

4. Kellen Winslow CLE

5. Dallas Clark IND

6. Chris Cooley WSH

7. Jeremy Shockey NO

8. Heath Miller PIT

9. Todd Heap BAL

10. Vernon Davis SF

11. Owen Daniels HOU

12. Benjamin Watson NE

13. Alge Crumpler TEN

14. Tony Scheffler DEN

15. Greg Olsen CHI

Antonio Gates will retake his number 1 Tight End spot from Jason Whitten with an outstanding season this year. Gates, who played injured last year, finished 3rd in TE fantasy points and though is still fighting through that same toe injury, is primed to have a big year and help his Chargers make it to the Super Bowl. The one danger here is that as of right now, Gates is on the PUP List (Physically Unable to Perform) which means if they don’t take him off of it before the season starts, he will be forced to sit out the first 6 games. Personally, I don’t see Gates missing that much time and according to reports, he is working with trainers and is very optimistic he will play the season opener.

The first 6 players on this list are all worthy of a higher draft choice, even considering a healthy Gates in the last 3rd round of your drafts. Jeremy Shockey is a mystery. His fantasy production has been as high as the number 2 ranked TE, all the way down to number 13 in recent years. With a change of scenery, Shockey will have a good season and perhaps even vault himself into the top 6 of the TE list. Another interesting TE that can have a top 6 type year is Todd Heap. Heap has had healthy issues and that has led to his statistics taking a drastic drop, especially last season. Hopefully he can be the safety net for young QBS Troy Smith and Joe Flacco and get back to his 2005-2006 production.

Look for a solid season for Titans TE Alge Crumpler. Titans QB Vince Young has struggled with his passing efficiency since he began his career. The Titans didn’t upgrade their WR group because they believed Crumpler fit the style of play for the team and their young quarterback. Young will lean on Crumpler because it is the first time he has had a proven veteran catching passes for him and Crumpler is very good at creating space with his body and finding open spots in a defense.

Here are 3 Tight Ends to look at this season:

Zach Miller OAK- An  Arizona St. grad, Miller was a 2nd round pick in 2007 by the Raiders and as he got more playing time, he garnered more attention from fantasy owners looking for a fill-in TE. His last game of the year was an 8 catch 84 yd day and he should perform better with more experience this year. With JaMarcus Russel, Darren McFadden, and Javon Walker getting most of the attention by the bay, look for Miller to sneak in with some nice games of his own and can be worth picking to be a starting TE for the entire season.

L.J. Smith PHI- L.J. had one of the more disappointing seasons for a fantasy TE last year. He came in with a lot of expectations but injury and a lack of looks his way by Donovan Mcnabb hurt his statistics. Mcnabb developed a lot of chemistry with WR Kevin Curtis, but his other receivers didn’t perform as well as predicted. As teams will start to shade safeties and linebackers over to Curtis, Smith should see more holes in the defense and can use his athleticism to stretch the field. Don’t expect a great year from L.J., but look to see respectable statistics that could put him back in the top 15 TE rankings by the end of the year.

Kevin Boss NYG/Dustin Keller NYJ- Now I know these are technically 2 people but just give me a break it’s a fantasy football article. Boss moves into the starting job and all reports out of Giants camp so far is that he is catching everything thrown his way. In his last game of the regular season vs. NE last year, Boss had 4 catches along with 50 yds and a TD. The Giants need to use the TE occasionally to be successful and look for Boss to have an adequate season. As for the other team that plays in that stadium, rookie TE Dusin Keller is going to fight with Chris Baker for playing time. It will be very important for Keller to have a good training camp and preseason and to develop a relationship with starting (For now) QB Chad Pennington. Keller has the ability to do well in the Jets offensive system but he needs the snaps to get used to the speed of the NFL game.

As each day goes by, we are getting closer and closer to the rosters expanding and baseball teams calling up players from the minor leagues. August is a crucial month in that teams begin to call up guys with much more potential than their lesser teammates. Josh Hamilton was called up as a member of the Cincinnati Reds and played a big role not only for their team, but for some lucky fantasy owners across the country. Other than guys that I have previously mentioned (Francisco Liriano and David Price), here are 2 guys who should be called up within the month and have a positive fantasy impact.

Gio Gonzalez SP OAK- WIth Oakland seemingly refusing to try and contend this year by trading Joe Blanton and possibly Huston Street, watch Billy Beane call up Gio within the next week or so. In 115 IP, Gio has racked up 119 K’s. While his ERA is a bit high, he struggled at the beginning of the year and has been on a tear lately. His biggest issue are control problems but he has nasty stuff and has been tough to get hits off of. Look for Gio to start against weaker teams as well, even as early as this week against the Royals.

Matthew Laporta CLE OF- The crown jewel of the C.C. Sabathia trade, Laporta will be called up to show GM Mark Shapiro exactly what he got for his hefty lefty. In AA ball with Milwaukee, Laporta was batting .288, with 20 HR and 66 RBI. He has gotten off to a slow start with the Cleveland minor league team, but expect that to change quickly. A key stat about this guy is that he takes walks. With Milwaukee’s AA team, he had an On Base Percentage of .402, very impressive considering his Batting Average was below .300. Laporta can help your fantasy team across the board besides for steals and should make an impact as soon as he is called up.

There are other options, rather than banking on prospects, that one can take in making their fantasy baseball  team better. It is at the point where certain categories should be disregarded. For instance, in a rotisserie league, if you are already near the bottom in ERA and around the middle of the pack in strikeouts, load up on strikeout pitchers. Look at pitchers such as Jonathan Sanchez or Ian Snell, guys who have struggled this year but have above average strikeout numbers. Snell has really struggled this year after a solid 2007, but expect a resurgence from him towards the end of the year as 2 of his last 3 starts have been solid.

The waiver wire is a great place to find these category fillers. Pitchers such as Braden Looper, Kenny Rogers, and Kyle Kendrick are available in many leagues and can help you pile on wins because they play for above .500 teams. Also, keep tabs on teams set-up men and team decisions to make changes in the bullpen. The Detroit Tigers just named Fernando Rodney their new closer, which skyrockets his value, and drops Todd Jones’s down like the Dow Jones. Check on Jon Rauch in Arizona, and see if Brandon Lyon can hold on to his closer role, or choke with a talent like Rauch waiting in the wings.

On the hitting side, there are plenty of solid options on the waiver wire to shore up some holes that your team may have. Denard Span of the Minnesota Twins has been very good since becoming the leadoff guy. While he won’t get you any power numbers, Spam will get on base, steal a couple, and score some runs for your ball club. With Joe Crede on the DL, look out for Josh Fields. He was called up on Friday and will play both 3B and OF. Fields was projected to start at some point this season, but Crede has been so good that he hasn’t seen the majors until friday. Fields is a power guy and can grab you some HR and RBI very quickly.

Over the past few football seasons, so many different wide receivers have either come out of nowhere, or had a severe drop in their expected production. While there is a class of wide receivers in the game today that do what they are expected to, there are so many others whose numbers fluctuate from year to year.

Here are the top 50 WR’s in fantasy football:

1. Randy Moss NE

2. Terrell Owens DAL

3. Steve Smith CAR

4. Reggie Wayne IND

5. Braylon Edwards CLE

6. Andre Johnson HOU

7. Marques Colston NO

8. Torry Holt STL

9. T.J. Houshmanzadeh CIN

10. Larry Fitzgerald ARZ

11. Anquan Boldin ARZ

12. Wes Welker NE

13. Brandon Marshall DEN

14. Plaxico Burress NYG

15. Chad Johnson CIN

16. Marvin Harrison IND

17. Roy Williams DET

18. Lee Evans BUF

19. Santonio Holmes PIT

20. Chris Chambers SD

21. Kevin Curtis PHI

22. Greg Jennings GB

23. Calvin Johnson DET

24. Roddy White ATL

25. Javon Walker OAK

26. Jerricho Cotchery NYJ

27. Bobby Engram SEA

28. Dwayne Bowe KC

29. Joey Galloway TB

30. Hines Ward PIT

31. Laveranues Coles NYJ

32. Derrick Mason BAL

33. Jerry Porter JAX

34. Donald Driver GB

35. Santana Moss WSH

36. Bernard Berrian MIN

37. Patrick Crayton DAL

38. Anthony Gonzalez IND

39. Donte’ Stallworth CLE

40. Reggie Brown PHI

41. Nate Burleson SEA

42. Isaac Bruce SF

43. Drew Bennett STL

44. Reggie Williams JAX

45. Roydell Williams TEN

46. Ted Ginn Jr. MIA

47. D.J. Hackett CAR

48. David Patten/Robert Meachem NO

49. Kevin Walter HOU

50. Devin Hester CHI

Though another record-breaking season is probably not on the horizon, expect Randy Moss to put up staggering numbers again, as the loss of Dante’ Stallworth (who will be a viable option in Cleveland) means Brady must throw to Moss and Wes Welker even more. 

Panthers WR Steve Smith is not listed on too many analysts top 3 in WR. I have him here because i think this will be the year things finally click on offense in Carolina. Jake Delhomme has been throwing well and seems to be recovered from Tommy John surgery. The O-line has always been solid in Carolina and with Jonathan Stewart and Deangelo Williams in the backfield, there should be some punch in the running game.

2 receivers have seen changes in personnel that will benefit their performance. Marques Colston has seen the addition of TE Jeremy Shockey, that will help him stay away from double teams. Colston got off to a slow start last season and then was the number 1 fantasy receiver in the last 9 weeks of the year. Expect much of the same, perhaps even more from Colston with Shockey helping him out. Also, Bills receiver Lee Evans received some help with a change in the coaching staff. Bills Offensive Coordinator Turk Schonert has made it clear he wants to get the ball into the hands of Evans. Towards the end of the year, Evans and QB Trent Edwards, created an on-field connection, resulting in some good games for Evans. In addition, rookie WR James Hardy can show his talent and take some double teams away from Evans. It seems even in a division with the defending AFC champion Patriots, the Bills have a lot of swagger for a .500 team.

2 other receivers likely to see a drop in their production are both Green Bay Packers wideouts Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Brett Favre loved throwing to these guys and won’t be around to do that anymore. It’s time for Aaron Rodgers to show what he is made of over a full season and I am not confident he will produce too much. Rodgers will most likely lean more on RB Ryan Grant for support and that may cause for some more touches to go his way, as opposed to Jennings and Driver. 

Here are 3 receivers to watch in the upcoming season:

Devin Hester CHI- Hester is number 50 on my list and I can see him really shining as a receiver this season. Hester’s speed makes him one of the scariest players on the field, no matter the situation. With no real QB in Chicago, there may be some desperate times, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Especially if Rex Grossman wins the QB battle, look for a lot of deep passes to go Hester’s way. In the off-season, he has worked on his route running and his hands and has formed a relationship with both quarterbacks. Keep an eye on Hester and try to snag him as your last receiver.

Jerry Porter JAX- 2 things come to mind when I hear the name Jerry Porter; Loads of talent, tons of issues. Porter was so unhappy in Oakland that he didn’t even try to play in games. Does that remind you of anyone? (Hint: It rhymes with Candy Toss) Porter goes to a team with an efficient QB in David Garrard who can throw the ball to Porter in any way. With the explosive running game in Jacksonville keeping defenses honest, look for a happy Porter to help both his team and fantasy teams across the country.

Terry Glenn DAL-Now it could be possible that Glenn doesn’t even get a chance to start this season, but here is why you should keep track of him. Jerry Jones doesn’t want to let Glenn play until he has an insurance clause on Glenn’s knee so that if something goes wrong, Glenn doesn’t make all of his money. At this point, Glenn has refused to sign anything but if in danger of not getting the chance to play in Dallas this season. If he signs that release, Glenn could return to his 2006-2007 form, which would put him in the top 50 WR easily. Keep track of the Glenn situation in Dallas and if he starts to get into workouts and such, grab him when you can.

Running back has been labeled the most important position in the history of fantasy football, and quite frankly, it is. Never have you seen a fantasy football squad with the likes of Travis Minor and J.J. Arrington manning the backfield. This year’s running back class is stacked with both familiar and fresh talent.

Here are the Top 25 Running Backs for the upcoming fantasy football season:

1. LaDainian Tomlinson SD 

2. Adrian Peterson MIN

3. Brian Westbrook PHI

4. Joseph Addai IND

5. Steven Jackson STL

6. Marshawn Lynch BUF

7. Marion Barber III DAL

8. Frank Gore SF

9. Ryan Grant GB

10. Ronnie Brown MIA

11. Clinton Portis WSH

12. Larry Johnson KC

13. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX

14. Brandon Jacobs NYG

15. Willis Mcgahee BAL

16. Reggie Bush NO

17. Jamal Lewis CLE

18. Laurence Maroney NE

19. Michael Turner ATL

20. Thomas Jones NYJ

21. Willie Parker PIT

22. Earnest Graham TB

23. Darren Mcfadden OAK

24. Matt Forte CHI

25. Fred Taylor JAX

Well now you know my answer to the biggest debate in fantasy football this season, LT or AP? I go with LT because of what he has done over the past few seasons and the certainty his name brings to your team. Tomlinson is probably the 2nd best receiving running back behind Westbrook, and finds the end zone more than anyone else. Heck, LT will even throw you a TD this season. AP is a great running back and if i have the number 2 pick on my fantasy draft I know that he is going to be mine. But he hasn’t earned the right to take over that number 1 spot from Tomlinson, even if Peterson thinks he already has.

At the end of the top 10 I have Ryan Grant and Ronnie Brown. WIth Brett Favre out of Lambeau, Aaron Rodgers will be leaning on Grant all season long, whether it be running the ball or dumping it off to him. Expect Grant to see a lot more touches near the red zone because of the lack of trust in Rodgers not to turn the ball over on that part of the field. Ronnie Brown was one of the best running backs before he got hurt last year. In fact, Brown was the number 1 ranked RB on Yahoo! for quite some time. This season, Brown says he feels healthy and he’s running behind a better offensive line with 1st overall NFL Draft pick Jake Long leading the way. And if Bill Parcells has any say in it, Brown will be getting a lot of red zone carries, so that comeback story Ricky WIlliams can focus on beating down the clock late in games. (Also, can we really expect Ricky Williams to not have some sort of relapse at some point. You know, wake up late for practice once or twice, forget his helmet when going into a game, one of those could happen).

At number 16 i put Saints RB Reggie Bush. This is a bit of a reach because of how loaded the Saints ground-game is this year with Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas. I have some Reggie Bush bias in me because of his jaw-dropping ability he displayed in college and somewhat in the pros, but i wouldn’t be shocked to see Bush either have a breakout year, or be relegated to mop up duty. This may be the year Bush needs to step up on New Orleans, especially if Pierre Thomas has a solid season. Try and get your hands on 2 of these 3 running backs if you are going to take any of them.

Two more players I want to talk about are Willie Parker and rookie Matt Forte. Parker has put up solid numbers throughout his career and in The Steel City, there should be more handoffs than Home Runs over at PNC Ballpark. Though Parker may be sharing with rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall has really impressed Steeler coaches with his ability and combination of speed and power, perfect for the Steelers offense. Expect a dip in touches for Parker and take Mendenhall late in your draft. Matt Forte has been put into a solid situation in Chicago. The Bears have no real answer at QB and we could see another season of the Rex Grossman Show. Forte will get the touches, it’s just a matter of what he can do with them. The O-Line in Chicago is solid, but aging, but an inspired Forte can rejuvenate some magic in The Windy City.

Here are 3 players who may surprise you:

Jonathan Stewart CAR- Carolina Panther running backs have always disappointed their fantasy owners in the past couple of years. Stewart, rated by some as the 2nd best running back of this year’s draft class, brings versatilely to John Fox’s offense. Stewart is a very good receiving back and can burst through a hole better than any of his predecessors in Carolina. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him finish the season as a top 20 running back on a Panthers team contending for a division title.

Julius Jones SEA- Written off by many in Dallas, Jones (who was replaced by Felix Jones, who should be owned by Marion Barber owners across the world) brings very good speed as a replacement to former MVP and Madden cover model Shaun Alexander. Jones can handle a lot of carries and is playing for an offense that better suits his running style. Jones likes to run downhill and sneak through the O-linemen, unlike in Dallas where they pound the ball inside behind the guards. Jones has been complaining for the last few years that he hasn’t been able to run like he wants to, and this year he will get his chance to show us what he means exactly.

Kevin Smith DET- The pride of the University of Central Florida, Smith is one of the best running backs in the history of college football, statistically. He takes over in Detroit, where they have vowed to start having a more balanced offensive attack. Smith almost broke the total yards record in college with Central Florida and wowed scouts with his speed and ability to break tackles. Smith is surrounded by a lot of talent in Detroit and has been given a great chance to succeed and show his skills to the stubborn Lion’s fans. Let’s just hope they treat Smith better than they treat their owner.