Monday, September 17, 2007

Uh oh, guys to be worried about after wk 2

photoJust two weeks into the NFL season and some fantasy footgball owners are starting to worry, and for good reason. Some of the highest picks in the draft are starting to look like busts. Teams can't afford to miss with the second or third overall picks, and some teams might have just done that.

Steven Jackson, RB, Rams
Stats: 118 rushing yards, 39 receiving yards, 0 TD, 2 fumbles
Panic Meter: 5 out of 10
Reason for concern: The loss of left tackle Orlando Pace really hurts the consensus number two overall pick in the fantasy football draft. This doens't help QB Marc Bulger either. The Rams, usually a top ten offense, are ranked 18th and lead the league with five lost fumbles and just 29 total points.

Larry Johnson, RB, Chiefs
Stats: 98 rushing yards, 76 receiving yards, 0 TDs
Panic Meter: 6 out of 10
Reason for concern: The Chiefs look grounded on offense. The third overall pick in most drafts is the focus of opposing defenses giving LJ no room to run. The 28th ranked offense in the league have scored just one TD in two games under QB Damon Huard and are averaging just 13 points per game. TE Tony Gonzalez is also struggling to put up points.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins
Stats: 65 rushing yards, 76 receiving yards, 0 TDs
Panic Meter: 9 out of 10
Reason for concern: The Dolphins also look horrible on offense and have been the worst rushing team through two weeks averaging just 63.5 yards per game on the ground. Trent Green's four picks against the Cowboys don't help matters.

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints
Stats: 65 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, 0 TD
Panic Meter: 7 out of 10
Reason for concern: Is there a bigger surprise than the Saints lack of offense this year? Bush had a bad yards per carrry average last year and that was on a good offensive team.

Running back honorable mention:
Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars), Duece McAllister (Saints), Injured - Brandon Jacobs (Giants)

Drew Brees, QB, Saints
Stats: 452 passing yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, 1 Fumble
Panic Meter: 8 out of 10
Reason for concern: Did I mention something about the Saints offense? Last years passing leader was close to being the MVP last year, this year he has been anything but. Did New Orleans just over achieve last year?

Phillip Rivers, QB, Chargers
Stats: 369 passing yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, 2 Fumbles
Panic Meter: 4 out of 10
Reason for concern: Rivers lacks playmaking receivers, although he does have LT and Gates as options. Don't give up on Rivers just yet as he has faced tough defenses in Chicago and New England. LT and the ground game have struggled, tied for second worst in the league, which hasn't helped the young QB get going.

Alex Smith, QB, 49ers
Stats: 252 passing yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 2 Fumbles
Panic Meter: 6 out of 10
Reason for concern: Norv Turner left to coach the Chargers and seemed to take the niners passing offense with him. Their 31st ranked passing attack makes them just one of two teams to average under 100 passing yards per game.

JP Losman, QB, Bills
Stats: 251 passing yards, 0 TDs, a INTs
Panic Meter: 6 out of 10
Reason for concern: Dick Jaron's team has showed no offensive fire power at all. The Bills offense ended the 2006 season on a roll, a roll that is going uphill to start the 2007 season.

Steve McNair, QB, Ravens
Stats: 203 passing yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 3 Fumbles
Panic Meter: 7y out of 10
Reason for concern: McNair isn't getting any younger and the former co-MVP of the league has taken a lot of punishment over the years that might have caught up with him.

Lee Evans, WR, Bills
Stats: 22 receiving yards
Panic Meter: 5 out of 10
Reason for concern: JP Losman is floundering and the Buffalo passing game is ranked last in the league averaging just 96.5 yards-per-game.

Non-running back honorable mention:
QB Marc Bulger (Rams), WR Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), TE Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs), TE Alge Crumpler (Falcons), TE Vernon Davis (49ers), K Nate Keading (Chargers) Dolphins Defense, Giants Defense

Note: with the Eagles/Redskins game tonight I haven't listed any players from either team but many are on my watchlist after their opening week performance.

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