Fantasy Football First Quarter Report Cards
Hello fantasy football fans! Well we are 4 weeks into this 2009 season and as you all know its one quarter of the way finished. So what do we do when things are a quarter over? Well we grade them. Yes here it is, all 32 teams starting position guys and some extra players who get bulk work and how they have faired so far. This is thee must have measuring stick for your fantasy team. If you have A-Grade players you should be moving along nicely. However if you have F-Graded players, perhaps its time to view your bench or the waiver wire. So read up, enjoy, and scold those who come home with a bad report card!
Quarterbacks:
The A Class:
Peyton Manning, Colts, 1336 yards 9 total TDs
Joe Flacco, Ravens, 1103 yards 8 total TDs
Drew Brees, Saints, 1031 yards 9 total TDs
The class of this group is Manning. We all know what Drew Brees has done, but you can always count on Manning to give you points every week.
The B Class:
Aaron Rodgers, Packers, 1098 yards 7 total TDs
Phillip Rivers, Chargers, 1245 yards 7 total TDs
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, 1193 yards 7 total TDs
Matt Schaub, Texans, 1047 yards 8 total TDs
Eli Manning, Giants, 1039 yards 8 total TDs
Jay Cutler, Bears, 901 yards 8 total TDs
Donovan McNabb, Eagles, 79 yards 3 total TDs
Brett Favre, Vikings, 837 yards 8 total TDs
The best of this group is a toughy, but im going with Eli Manning. His team is 4-0 so not only is he getting great stats, but his team is winning too. Some of these guys can reach A status with easy weeks coming up.
The C Class
Tom Brady, Patriots, 1129 yards 5 total TDs
David Garrard, Jaguars, 951 yards, 6 total TDs
Carson Palmer, Bengals, 845 yards 7 total TDs
Kurt Warner, Cardinals, 863 yards 4 total TDs
Shaun Hill, 49ers, 700 yards 5 total TDs
Matt Ryan, Falcons, 648 yards 5 total TDs
Seneca Wallace, Seahawks, 645 yards, 4 total TDs
Kyle Orton, Broncos, 906 yards, 5 total TDs
Of this class maybe Matt Ryan does not belong, but he could be a bit better. These guys do decent jobs of managing games,but for fantasy purposes they are mainly back-ups for you at this time.
The D Class (detention time for these guys)
Kerry Collins, Titans, 914 yards, 6 total TDs
Jason Campbell, Redskins, 963 yards, 6 total TDs
Trent Edwards, Bills, 790 yards 5 total TDs
Matt Cassel, Chiefs, 458 yards 5 total TDs
Tony Romo, Cowboys, 990 yards 5 total TDs
Matt Stafford, Lions, 894 yards, 3 TDs
Some of these guys stats may not be quite as bad as some C guys, but these guys have killed their teams, not to mention what they have done to fantasy owners. These guys are desperation or match-up friendly only guys.
The F Class (you should be ashamed if you own these guys!)
Jake Delhomme, Panthers, 601 yards 2 total TDs
JeMarcus Russell, Raiders, 506 yards 1 total TD
There is nothing nice or cute to say about these guys. If these guys are on your team you’re finished. I don’t see any light at the end of these tunnels, move on!
The following players draw incompletes until we see more:
Josh Johnson, Kyle Boller, Derek Anderson, Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne
Running Backs ( these grades are based on point-per catch leagues)
The A Class
Chris Johnson, Titans, 434 yards 2 TDS, 14 rec 117 yards 1 TD
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, 296 yards 5 TDs, 16 rec 97 yards
Adrian Peterson, Vikings, 412 yards 5 TDs, 8 rec 56 yards
Ronnie Brown, Dolphins, 369 yards 4 TDs, 6 rec 50 yards
This is the best of the class of the biggest fantasy position. Johnson needs his team to improve to keep up his numbers. Very few guys make the A Grade, and the pressure is on to maintain these spots.
The B Class
Willis McGahee, Ravens, 201 yards 5 TDs, 7 rec 54 yards 2 TDs
Fred Jackson, Bills, 333 yards 0 TDs, 18 rec 160 yards, 1 TD
Frank Gore, 49ers, 241 yards 3 TDs, 8 rec 57 yards, 1 TD
Kevin Smith, Lions, 234 yards 3 TDs, 16 rec 101 yards
Ray Rice, Ravens, 295 yards 1 TD, 16 rec 134 yards
Julius Jones, Seahawks, 251 yards 1 TD, 11 rec 65 yards, 2 TDs
Cedric Benson, Bengals, 367 yards 2 TDs, 6 rec 49 yards
Ricky Williams, Dolphins, 248 yards 2 TDs, 8 rec 62 yards 1 TD
Pierre Thomas, Saints, 212 yards 3 TDs, 5 rec 42 yards
This is an amzing group when you consider the names that are on it, and the names that are not. The Ravens boast 2 players on this list as their running attack carries a heavy load. Beware of injuries to Frank Gore, and to reduced time-share roles for guys like Rice, Fred Jackson, and Ricky Williams
The C Class
Joseph Addai, Colts, 183 yards 2 TDs, 16 rec 100 yards 1 TD
Marion Barber, Cowboys, 244 3 TDs, 4 rec 58 yards
Ryan Grant, Packers, 257 2 TDs, 9 rec 83 yards
Correll Buckhalter, Broncos, 267 yards 1 TD, 8 rec 96 yards
Steve Slaton, Texans, 192 yards 1 TD, 11 rec 121 yards 1 TD
Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers, 191 yards 1 TD, 12 rec 81 yards, 1 TD
DeAngelo Williams, Panthers, 180 yards 2 TDs, 9 rec 84 yards
Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers, 210 yards 2 TDs, 3 rec 39 yards
Thomas Jones, Jets, 229 yards 3 TDs, 2 rec 1 yard
Michael Turner, Falcons, 226 yards 2 TDs, 1 rec 5 yards
A group of guys loaded with talent that just aren’t getting it done. Guys like Slaton, D. Williams, and Marion Barber have been big disappointments to fantasy owners. However, these guys do have the stuff to turn it around and in 10-12 team leagues are more then serviceable.
The D Class
Matt Forte, Bears, 271 yards 1 TD, 13 rec 92 yards
Steven Jackson, Rams, 367 yards 0 TD, 12 rec 67 yards
Tim Hightower, Cardinals, 109 yards 1 TD, 20 rec 172 yards
Brandon Jacobs, Giants, 288 yards 1 TD, 3 rec 13 yards
Reggie Bush, Saints, 148 yards 1 TD, 14 rec 121 yards
Jerome Harrison, Browns, 181 yards, 14 rec 88 yards
Some of these names must be killing fantasy owners right now. Forte and Jacobs with just 1 TD? Stephen Jackson with zero? These are not late-round names here people. Some of these guys are first rounders and may be ready for some fantasy pine. Yes, it’s just the first quarter of the season but keep an eye on these underachievers.
The F Class
Clinton Portis, Redskins, 281 yards 0 TD 4 rec 25 yards
It would appear that Clinton Portis may have reached the end of the road. He has produced nothing and most fantasy owners are waiving him or benching him already. Man how quickly times change.
Incompletes go out too
Brian Westbrook, Knowshon Moreno, Darren McFadden,
Wide Receiver/ Tight End
Ok so I was going to get all lavish and do the grade system again, but this is such a dead-heated pile of guys all around the same that its a crap shoot right now. I gave out an A+ to Steve Smith of the Giants, and then an A to Reggie Wayne of the Colts. Outside of these guys, it has been a real hard first quarter to pin down great wideouts. Ok ,so you should have gotten Mike Sims-Walker and if you havent, you’re probably too late. The usual suspects still get your starts every week. Larry Fitgerald, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall etc, you start with confidence, and you play the matchup with anyone else. I did’nt cheat with the WR catagory, yet I just feel this is one you can all do yourselves for right now. In the half way report, we will be able to seperate the men from the boys!
I also found myself working hard on defense, but it’s also a game to game crap shoot. The obvious choices are there. The Steelers, The Ravens, The Giants etc are all handling their business but not until the mid way point do we know who truly merrits the good grades.
I will be back with you on Thursday with my Start Em/ Sit Em article and don’t forget to check out “Beat The Shark” every Friday at www.CamelClutchBlog.com!
If you’d like to hear anything else from me on topics or ideas I can be reached at phillyphan1971@yahoo.com
Happy Fantasy everyone!
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