The nay sayers said it wouldn’t happen, but Hunter is back with his next Chasing Favre column, this time breaking down the rosters after the 2011 TBFL Draft. He also makes his bold predictions about who will finish where at the end of the 2011 TBFL Season.
Before I proceed with what I will be calling a Post Draft Roster Review, I am proud to announce that the TBFL is moving into the social media realm. Follow us on Twitter, @TheTBFL. The Czar of Social Media (Me) has also created a private group on Facebook and I am looking for someone to be my co-host on The TBFL Today podcast. You’re damn skippy, you read that right, The TBFL Today podcast bitches. I have no idea what format the podcast will consist of, but we have to make this happen. If people have any ideas what the podcast should consist of throw them at me.
The next announcement is that the inaugural class of the TBFL Hall of Fame will be announced shortly. The TBFL Hall of Fame will not follow any real format or criteria for induction with the only caveat that the player must have been active from the TBFL creation in 1998 until now. No silly waiting period, if you are a TBFL Hall of Famer, you are in immediately. There may be some questionable inductees from time to time, but the aim is to truly make it a Hall of Fame, not a Hall of Very Good. The inaugural class is locked in, but feel free to make your case for any TBFL-era players.
Rather than a true draft review, I am going to look at this as more of a roster review heading into Week One of the 2011 TBFL Season.
Let the mockery begin.
Armed N Dangerous
As I stated in my keeper review, AnD is stacked at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford are joined by Andy Dalton and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dalton, the ginger from TCU, is in for a rough rookie season but to me is the best rookie QB available. AnD added a solid running back to their roster via a first round trade for Adrian Peterson. AP is joined by BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Toby Gerhart and Marion Barber. Green-Ellis is the only pure starter (for now) but there is solid depth for bye week coverage. AnD took my thoughts that tight ends should be a mandatory line-up position to heart and just about cornered the market on them. Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley, Brandon Pettigrew and Zach Miller are all stars and in a PPR league are very solid choices. Real intriguing options litter the AnD roster at WR with DeSean Jackson, Steve (CAR) Smith, Lee Evans and Steve Breaston. Evans and Breaston should benefit from new locations. In a move of little surprise, AnD takes the Packers defense but for some reason ignored Mason Crosby and ended up with SeaBass.
Bay Area Thrashers
The Team of the Decade looks strong and will battle AnD for the division title yet again while contending for an amazing 4th TBFL crown. Philip Rivers and Josh Freeman should be a very nice duo at QB and could potentially provide some tough decisions on a week-to-week basis. A huge assortment of RBs give Kevin plenty of options on a weekly basis. Frank Gore, Ryan Mathews, Jamaal Charles, Mike Tolbert, LeGarrette Blount, Dexter McCluster, Derrick Ward and Darren Sproles. All can and will produce. In something that is either genius or pure luck, Larry Fitzgerald falls into Thrashers’ lap. Fitz is coming off a down season, but should have never fallen to the second round. Chad Ochocinco, Mike Thomas, Pierre Garcon and Harry Douglas complete a potent WR corp and Jason Witten at TE is another solid veteran that will produce on a consistent basis. Nate Kaeding and the Cowboys complete the special teams and they are what they are.
Bubba Army
It is going to be a long season for the Army. The Army goes New York, New York with their quarterback selections. Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez will give solid points but the marquee QBs eluded the Army during the draft. In a huge head scratcher, $Cam Newton! I can’t even comment on this one. Shonn Greene is poised to have a breakout season with a loaded Jets roster. Fred Jackson, Brandon Jacobs, Javon Ringer, Danny Woodhead and Taiwan Jones do not instill a whole lot of faith in yours truly. The bright spot on the Bubba Army roster is definitely the depth at WR. Andre Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Mike Williams, Greg Little, Robert Meachem, Kevin Walter (again) and the Steal of the Draft Brian Hartline will give the Army nice options each week. The special teams of Alex Henery and New England Patriots are decent and should not end up as roster fodder.
Fudgie Whales
Joe Flacco and Kyle Orton provide a better than you think pair of QBs for Fudgie Whales. The Whales grabbed a nice one-two punch at running back with Michael Turner and Steven Jackson. Jonathan Stewart gives them a solid third back if a Rhino formation is needed. Jason Snelling and Montario Hardesty added some very nice sleeper depth. Santonio Holmes and Dez Bryant lead a very nice receiving corps that is stacked with Marques Colston, Nate Burleson, Davone Bess, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Mohamed Massaquoi and TE Greg Olsen. Consistent and reliable can describe the Whales special teams unit with Josh Brown and the San Diego Chargers. The Whales look to the be the lone playoff participant from the NFC West.
Hurricanes
My pre-draft favorites did what they needed to do and strengthened the roster with excellent additions. Sam Bradford and Michael Vick welcome Terrelle Pryor (?!?!?!) into the fold. Former East Carolina Pirate Chris Johnson was a stellar pick-up by the Hurricanes, who only need to worry that CJ28’s holdout could lead to a quick injury. Arian Foster gives the Hurricanes an elite pair of RBs. Joseph Addai, Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch and Isaac Redman give the Hurricanes some solid depth and Lynch could deliver a huge season. Quality WRs across the board for the Hurricanes. Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson are joined by Danny Amendola, Jacoby Ford, Antonio Brown, Antonio and TEs Vernon Davis and Jimmy Graham. Late addition Adam Vinatieri and the Pittsburgh Steelers continued to strengthen an already solid roster.
Husslers
The new kid on the block continues to cause me to scratch my head in disbelief. Despite reports that stated his neck injury was far worse than first indicated the Husslers brought in Peyton Manning and did nothing to cover themselves by selecting Chad Henne. One of the two additions that I really like is Matt Forte. Forte is in a now or never position and I get the feeling that it is now. Forte and Peyton Hillis should give the Husslers little to think about each week as they are must starts no matter what. Kahlil Bell, Roy Helu, Le’Ron McClain, C.J. Spiller and LaDainian Tomlinson are an odd bunch, but give the Husslers plenty of bye week coverage. Addition number two that I liked is Greg Jennings. Jennings is easily a top ten receiver and probably closer to top five, as long as Aaron Rodgers doesn’t screw Husslers over. Puzzled by the early addition of Julio Jones but it could also pay huge dividends. Veterans fill out the roster in the form of Santana Moss, Hines Ward and Jordy Nelson. I am highly intrigued by Dezmon Briscoe. Visanthe Shiancoe is a proven performer who should continue producing solid numbers due to the fact that he doesn’t have Tavaris Jackson as his QB. Epic kicker Stephen Gostkowski and the Philadelphia Eagles give Husslers a nice special teams set-up.
Money Inc.
Money Inc. goes completely homer with their special teams additions with Dan Carpenter and the Miami Dolphins. However, the homerism takes a backseat to the stellar selection of Drew Brees. Last year in the same spot Tom Brady fell into my lap and Money has another elite QB fall in their lap. Matt Cassel is a bye week starter and a bye week starter only. Late addition Blaine Gabbert could see action much sooner than expected. After Darren McFadden, third down backs plague the Money Inc. roster with Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams, Ronnie Brown, Michael Bush, Thomas Jones and Donald Brown. Plaxico Burress, Michael Crabtree, Bernand Berrian, Steve (PHI) Smith, Edmond Gates and TE Aaron Hernandez continue to baffle my review of the Money roster.
Playground Legends
The trend of causing me to take a deep breath and say “oh boy, this could get ugly” continues with Legends. Matt Schaub was a great addition to the Legends roster and gives Danny plenty of time to just sit on Colt McCoy and Jake Locker. Rashard Mendenhall and Knowshon Moreno should help Legends stay competitive but if either one goes down with an injury Mark Ingram, Ryan Grant, DeMarco Murray, Shane Vereen and Alex Green are significant drop-offs. I get a familiar feeling of just good enough to stay in games but not win many shows up in the Legends receiving corps with Lance Moore, Johnny Knox, Miles Austin, Mario Manningham and TE Kellen Winslow. The lone bright spot is Jordan Shipley. With Matt Bryant and the Baltimore Ravens, the Legends have a better than average special teams unit.
Runs N Throses
Shawn once again drafts fairly well and ensures that he should make the playoffs yet again. A QB combo of The Dreamiest Quarterback in the Universe, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan is simply ridiculous. I can’t see both guys finishing the season on the Throses roster but they have a better chance of doing that than Tim Tebow does. While it did not start this way, Throses ended up with LeSean McCoy. McCoy is a must start each week and he should be joined by Pierre Thomas. Daniel Thomas, Mikel Leshoure, Jacquizz Rodgers and Bernard Scott fill out the running backs on RnT’s roster. Personally, I like the gamble on Leshoure and Rodgers. The wide outs are lead by the best WR on the planet, Wes Welker. Welker, Roddy White, Jeremy Maclin, Earl Bennett, Emmanuel Sanders, Malcom Floyd and Eddie Royal should give RnT plenty of options each week. Judging by RnT’s special teams unit, Shawn is all-in on New Orleans with John Kasay and the Saints defense.
UO Grandmasters
Since I am still bitter about my 1999 Fantasy Bowl defeat I am not even commenting on UO’s roster. Let’s move along. Six points doesn’t sting 12 years later. Nope, not at all.
Warriors
Warriors added an intriguing combo at quarterback with Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb. Again, I am disappointed that The Sex Cannon Rex Grossman wasn’t kept and/or drafted. Despite having six running backs on the Warriors roster, only Ray Rice adds any real value. Tim Hightower and Ryan Torain should give Warriors one viable starting running back each week but your guess is as good as mine as to which one. Cedric Benson, Jerome Harrison and Ryan Williams complete the pedestrian set of tailbacks. As I said before lots of boom or bust potential exists within the Warriors roster, mainly at wide receiver. Can Kerry Collins be good enough to make Reggie Wayne a viable number one? Anquan Boldin and Mike Sims-Walker have good young QBs but are not first options at any point within their given offenses. Steve Johnson, Arrelious Benn, Roy Williams, Andre Roberts and TE Lance Kendricks finish out the assortment of go big or go home targets. A better than most special teams unit featuring Mason Crosby and the Jets defense.
X-Factor
I like X-Factor’s thought that one QB is all that is needed. Granted Ben Roethlisberger should be a top five quarterback this season but dude has a bye week at some point and the free agent wire doesn’t give me a ton of confidence. Based on the lack of running back depth it looks like a lot of Run ‘n’ Shoot for X-Factor. Chris Wells, from The Ohio State University, and Ahmad Bradshaw should be starters week in, week out but both are always one carry away from a benching. I like that X-Factor has got the Texans’ back-up running back market cornered with Ben Tate and Steve Slaton. It is now or never for the Texans and Tate could benefit from that. Delone Carter, James Starks and Tashard Choice do not instill lots of confidence in anyone. The lack of running back depth is certainly made up by the wide receiver crew. No one can argue with Megatron at all. Calvin Johnson, Hakeem Nicks, Percy Harvin, A.J. Green, Mike Wallace, Sidney Rice, Brian Robiskie and the fine Eric Decker complete an outstanding group. My guy, Jay Feely and a tough Detroit Lions defense should be a formidable special teams unit.
2011 Season Predictions
The TBFL is a four team race in this reporter’s eyes. Hurricanes, Bay Area Thrashers, Runs N Throses and Armed N Dangerous look to be the class of the league with X-Factor real close.
Predicted Finish Order:
Buccaneers Division
Hurricanes
Runs N Throses
X-Factor
Warriors
Storm Division
Bay Area Thrashers
Armed N Dangerous
Playground Legends
UO Grandmasters
NFC West
Fudgie Whales
Husslers
Bubba Army
Money Inc.
Bye Week: Hurricanes and Bay Area Thrashers
Wildcards: Fudgie Whales, Armed N Dangerous, Runs N Throses and X-Factor
Championship Game: Thrashers over Hurricanes