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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The 2009 NFL regular season is a quarter of the way through. After four weeks we are starting to see the contenders separate from the pretenders. Today is report card day for the NFC. Let.s take a look at some teams on the Dean.s List and some teams who are worthy of a big fat “F” for fail.

There are several different components I take into account in grading the teams. The first is overall won/lose record. The second is quality of competition and how teams played up or down to their competition. Third, are these teams over or under achieving based on pre season projections and analysis? Fourth, I take into account coaching and how well teams have been prepared and whether any coaches have made decisions that won or lost games. Fifth, overall individual efforts from team players are definitely taken into consideration in both positive and negative grades. With that said, let.s hand out the NFL First Quarter Report Cards for the NFC.

Dean.s List -

New York Giants

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Here are the latest news and notes to help you decide your Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 4. Check out all of the latest injury news from around the league that will impact your Fantasy Football Week 4!

The Jets are sitting two corners, start your Saints! -NJ.com.

Kevin Smith says he WILL play Sunday. His coach says he won’t. Handle with care. – Mlive.com.

Ahmad Bradshaw was back in practice, yet still walking around in a boot. – Rotoworld.com.

L.T. will be p.t. on Sunday night. – Sports.yahoo.com.

Is Jay Cutler finally a start ‘em fantasy quarterback? – Fantasynews.com.

Domenik Hixon is out against the Bucs. – ProFootballTalk.com.

Surprise surprise, Willie Parker to miss Sunday’s game. – Post-gazette.com.

Aaron Ross is out, not that anyone owns a Bucs receiver these days. – Nydailynews.com.

Start the Cadillac! Derrick Ward to miss Sunday’s game. – Pewterreport.com.

Like you needed another reason to start your receivers against the Texans. CB Jacques Reeves is out Sunday. – Chron.com.

Mark Sanchez thrives, as Beanie Wells is labeled an early bust. – Sports.yahoo.com.

Start Glen Coffee if you got him! The 49ers aren’t going to change a thing about their running attack – Mercurynews.com.

The Dolphins want to air it out. – BostonHerald.com.

Don’t count on Matt Hasselbeck for Week 4. – AP.

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The NFL will officially wrap up the first quarter of the 2009 regular season this weekend. The big news thus far of the season is a changing of the guard. The Super Bowl teams are under .500 and falling hard. Early favorites like the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys have struggled. To top it off, a quarterback who had to fight for a starting spot last year in college is the darling of the NFL. This is quite the NFL season!

A year ago at this time the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers looked unstoppable. In 2009 neither team has been able to win one game. The rhetoric is, “Neither 0-3 team is as bad as record.” As a great man once said, “You are what you are.” I am so tired of the excuses by NFL analysts and journalists. These are two teams 0-3 for a lot of reasons and one of them isn’t bad breaks.

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The NFL 2009 season is moving along as Week 3 is already upon us. It looks like a much different season as usual than the previous season. We are already seeing new powerhouses, new fantasy football studs, and some offenses are starting to come alive. It is now that you will truly begin to see who the contenders and pretenders are.

Either Mark Sanchez is the next coming of God in New York or someone has played a cruel joke on Jets fans. This kid is for real. I was convinced in the Titans game he was for real no matter what happened last week. He didn’t put up huge numbers, but once again he was money on third down. Give me a quarterback who can keep cool under that kind of pressure than a fantasy football hero who chokes in the big one or as I like to call it, a “Romo.”

When will people start to wake up and realize that Tony Romo is not an elite quarterback? This kid was anointed as a great quarterback the first time he started for the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, he will give you 300-plus against teams like Tampa Bay every September. However, he not only chokes in the post season but he chokes in the regular season. I don’t know what is so surprising about last week. Does anyone remember how his season ended last year in Philadelphia?

The Jets are once again in the spotlight this week. The Tennessee Titans come to New York/Jersey in what has to be the AFC Game of the Week. The Titans started last season 10-0 and were sure locks to get to the AFC title game. Oh how things can change in one season (just ask Dolphins fans.) The Titans are now 0-2 and are done if they lose to the Jets. The way the schedule breaks down, the Titans are playing for their season in Week 3 on Sunday.

The Jets gave the Titans their first loss season. The Titans are obviously struggling without Hayneworth and a new defensive coordinator. The irony of it all is that the offense is playing much better thus far than they did last year. The Jets are in a tough position here. The Jets just came off of their Super Bowl beating the Patriots last week at home. This could be a bit of a letdown game for the team. That and the Titans desperation are pushing me towards the direction of a Titans win.

Fun NFL Week 3 Camelclutchblog.com Fact- No 0-3 NFL team has ever gone to the Super Bowl. It has been 11 years since any 0-3 NFL team has even made the playoffs.

Speaking of trap games, I am scared to death as an Eagles fan of the Kansas City Chiefs game coming to town. The 0-2 Chiefs come to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the 1-1 Eagles. The Eagles were embarrassed last week by the Saints at home. I can’t remember a home loss that bad since Indy came to town a few years back and Peyton torched us for four quarters. Matt Cassel isn’t torching anyone, but there aren’t too many weapons left to carry the flame for the Eagles either.

In addition to all of the injuries leading up to the regular season, the Eagles are faced with missing Brian Westbrook, Donovan cNabb, and DeSean Jackson. Yes, only the three most important offensive components to the team may not play. Kevin Kolb is likely to get the start once again in place of McNabb. Oh but don’t worry Philly fans, we get Michael Vick and the Wild Cat!

I see disaster written all over this game for the Eagles. There are just too many new players on offense that are bound to make mistakes. As for Vick, did anyone watch that Jets pre season game? Maybe Vick gets back to form by the end of the season, but his legs and his arm just aren’t there. Unless he swallowed the Michael Vick 2004 pill in the last three weeks, I can’t see anything being different in just a few weeks.

A fun game to watch this weekend will likely be the Indianapolis Colts vs. Arizona Cardinals. Peyton showed up everyone including his little brother’s Sunday heroics with his performance on Monday night. It’s one thing for Drew Brees to throw up 5 touchdowns every week, but it is another to do it coming from behind. Manning just makes it look so easy, including opening up the game last Monday with an 11-second, 1-play scoring drive. Manning put on a show in Miami and is bound to do the same thing in Arizona.

Arizona is 1-1 and the Cards far from the offensive machine that they were last year. There are grumblings about Fitzgerald being upset with Warner, Boldin is always crying, and their running game is once again in doubt. Kurt Warner just doesn’t seem like himself this year. Warner admitted not being 100% going into the season. Obviously he is still hurting on Sundays. Warner’s dinks and dunks aren’t going to be enough to get it done against the Colts. The Colts showed their weakness against the run Monday, but the Cardinals don’t have a strong enough running game to take advantage of it.

An interesting game to keep an eye on is the rival game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals showed me a lot last week by coming back after that heart breaker in Denver. Opening up on the road is never easy in the NFL. Playing your first two games in Denver and Green Bay is damn near torture. The Bengals came away 1-1 and have a chance to take a big step on Sunday against the Steelers.

The Steelers are a really hard team to read. Their rushing defense will probably be the best in the NFL this season. Yet, they had a real hard time stopping Jay Cutler in the air last week. They are playing arguably the best quarterback they have played all season. The Steelers are also going to see a re-born Cedric Benson who tore it up for 141 last week. The Steelers may be without safety Tyrone Carter in addition to Troy Polamalu this Sunday. If the Bengals are for real, they will show it this Sunday in their home-opener.

It must be Christmas, because I get the Dallas Cowboys in prime time for a second week in a row. The only thing better than watching Tony Romo choke is having all eyes on the game with no other games being played. The Cowboys Carnival is open for business once again on Monday as the Carolina Panthers come to town. I don’t think there is anybody else playing this weekend that has more pressure on them than Tony Romo or Wade Phillips.

The Panthers lost last week, but bounced back from a terrible opener against the Eagles. Jake Delhomme put up some numbers last week with 300-plus on the Falcons. Yet once again for Panthers fans, Jake throws a crucial interception on fourth down. DeAngelo Williams seems to be running fine, but their quarterback is killing them. The Panthers defense also played a part in the loss last week. The Falcons were able to convert two critical fourth down plays on the Carolina defense. This game on Monday night is purely a toss up.

Fantasy Fix - Ride the hot hand and keep Matt Schaub in the game. I panicked last week and cost myself about 30 points by sitting him. All reports indicate he is either fully or close to over the ankle injury. The Texans have the Jacksonville Jaguars who have one of the worst passing defenses in the league.

You saw what Dallas Clark did to the Miami defense on Monday night. Antonio Gates gets the same defense this Sunday. I know

Gates has started out slow, but you can’t ask for a better matchup to get your star tight end back on track.

Greg Jennings is another guy bound to have a great day on Sunday. Jason Campbell had opportunities against the Rams and so will Aaron Rogers. I see a big day out of that Packers offense specifically Jennings, Don Driver, and Aaron Rogers.

Fantasy Sleeper - There are some great sleeper wide receivers out there on the waiver wire. I tend to believe that Mario Manningham is more than a one-week wonder. The Giants are just waiting for one of their receivers to step up. Eli has been looking for that one guy to lock in since Burress left. Until he blows a big play, I believe that Manningham is that guy. On top of that, you couldn’t ask for a better matchup than the Tampa Bay defense.

If you are a gambler, I like Pierre Garcon on the Colts this Sunday. Peyton has a great matchup with the Arizona defense. Arizona is a team on the verge of an implosion if you read the Arizona papers. Manning is bound to have a big game and Garcon is likely to see some looks this Sunday.

Finally, I am loving me some Ricky Williams off of the waiver wire. Ricky isn’t a starter, but if you have L.T. or another back on the shelf and are desperate, Ricky isn’t a bad pickup. After watching that game Monday night, it is obvious that Ricky will get his touches.

He even looked more explosive at times than Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins are a pure running team and Williams is bound to have some breakout games this season. Keep him around if you have a spot.

Hey, I may have had Schaub wrong last week but I was right on Larry Johnson, Trent Edwards, Jeremy Shockey, and Joe Flacco.

I broke even last week with an overall 8-8 week on my picks. I am 20-12 overall on the season straight-up. Now for the Week 2 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

Washington Redskins at Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers at St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots
Tennessee Titans at NY Jets
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles
NY Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys Read the ESPN Fantasy Football Guide 2009 week to week for tips by clicking here.

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Your favorite NFL teams and players gone big – Fathead.com

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