For you history buffs, we will archive every article penned by the Shark Team in 2008. As each week is finished, we will move the content to this page so you can reminisce about the good old days ... like week 1.
Still drafting late? Just looking to research some past articles? Anything that was on the main page the last few months has moved into our archive. You can find them at: http://www.fantasysharks.com/archives/archive2008pre.htm
During the season, as weeks move by, the articles from the past week will also be moved to the 2008 archive. You can find the link on the left hand section of the main page.
Football season is here, and even though the Thursday night game between the Giants and Redskins was far from exciting, there's still plenty to look forward to this Sunday. Who will step up in Philly? Will Ricky Williams continue his comeback? Can Peyton perform with a rookie under center? And will somebody please sign Shaun Alexander already?! Plus the Shark Attack takes a look at a few key injuries, and hear me speak out on rookie running backs this week.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 5, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
Welcome back to another season of IDP madness here at The Hive! Its that time of year again! WHOOOOOOOOO!! If you don't know who to start and who to leave on the pine in your IDP league this week, you are in the right place!!
Games to Watch - Week 1 Chris Dolfi and Tom Braun, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 4, 2008
It’s a new season, and the guys use their near flawless ability to point you in the direction of the three games you absolutely, positively cannot miss this opening weekend.
They also manage to talk about Team Handball, fishing trips, and the Rat Pack.
They even squeeze The Riddler, Clinton Portis, Keith Urban, and Usher all in the same paragraph!
So check out this week’s ‘Games to Watch’ from two of the most talented writers in this article, Dolfi and Braun.
Vinnie is back for another NFL Season although someone else is behind the bag. So a few things have changed. Like picking a home team, as well as a road team, is the norm for this article. Full of excitement over the long-awaited arrival of another NFL season, though, Vinnie's staking double the claim this week!
Infallible as he may seem, LaDainian Tomlinson will turn 30 before next year‘s draft. So, although LT made the overall number one pick in the past few years’ drafts fairly simple, and for now, he remains as safe and potent as any option. As he approaches the big three-o, we have to wonder if he will still have what it takes to remain the undisputed number one option next season. Because it’s never too early to prepare for 2009, let’s examine five potential players who could dethrone LT as king of next season’s drafting class.
For a team that has been in playoff contention each of the last two seasons, is loaded with youth, and upgraded all of their weaknesses this offseason, no one seems to believe in the Bills in 2008. I'm going to tell you why they'd be wrong...
Exactly one day every year, I wake up, walk outside to do whatever it is I’m going to do that day, and it just hits me like a ton of bricks. I’ve lived in Texas all my life, and if you’ve ever been through a summer in central or south Texas, you know how incredibly hot and humid it can get. But today, on this glorious Wednesday, the 3rd of September 2008, everything changed.
Well the preseason is over, and a lot of you have already drafted many times and may have one last draft before the season starts. I’m just going to throw out some general thoughts on some of the players and teams this year. I am going to eat crow on some of my earlier picks, and admit I may have been wrong. I watched pretty much every preseason game that was played, especially taking note of the third one since that is the so-called “dress rehearsal” for the regular season. A lot of these thoughts are based on those games. I’ll go by divisions and make comments on each team, picking how they will finish along with some bust and breakout fantasy players. I know the old saying about opinions ..... but here in the pigpen we all stink, and we love it!
It’s harvest time, the best time of the year in my book. It’s time to reap the fruits of your labors, specifically all the work you put into drafting a competitive fantasy team. These are the players I considered to be low-hanging fruit and drafted them more than once in my five leagues (three re-draft, two keeper/dynasty).
NOTE: Above you will find the player projections by division/team. For a listing by position, use the Player Projections blue tab above. Also, don't forget to try out our Interactive Projections Tool as well as your personalized FantasySharks Lineup Coach TM
Welcome to Week 1 of the 2008 Start/Bench List. Here's hoping this article assists you in your weekly managerial decisions that can make or break your Sunday afternoon. This list will include a handful of players at each skill position that has either a very favorable matchup or a matchup to avoid. Not every player at every skill position will be listed every week. Instead of a watered-down version of predicting each player's performance, this list will focus on a select group of players whose chances to succeed or fail are increased based on their opponent of the week.
It’s September here in New York City, which has commuters gathering towards the oncoming train for that funky yet cooling and somehow comforting breeze, tennis fans from around the world gathering in Queens to watch the tennis elite, and Mets fans gathering in bars to get good and wasted should the team find a way to blow it again. It’s also about the right time to lay out some predictions for this coming season, and recapping some things you may have missed this offseason.
J.T. O'Who? Why are some intrigued with the seemingly competent, yet virtually unknown O’Sullivan? Any quarterback that has played in Martz’s system has been extremely productive. Are we going to witness the emergence of another star quarterback? Is O’Sullivan a viable option for your fantasy team, or is he too much of a risk?
Scenario: Rashard Mendenhall comes into the huddle after Willie Parker
just rattled off a 35 yard gainer and needs a quick breather.
Mendenhall hits the line - and the ball pops out. Then what? Every guy
in the NFL knows that he has had trouble holding onto the ball, if you
don't think every defensive coordinator has his guys go for the strip
each and every time on Mendenhall, you're nuts. The Steelers miss
Jerome Bettis, they discovered that they need that occassional guy that
will come in and shake things up and that's what they hope Mendenhall
will bring but fumbling, for how they want to use him, is as big a
no-no as you can get. Watch this one closely but Willie Parker
will be good to go and will leave a lot of guys kicking themselves for
not drafting him as everyone in the league had a chance, several times...
Will Peyton Manning be ready? Should fantasy owners be concerned with the Redskins porous pre-season offensive production? Will Ahman Green be able to carry the load, or will he get some help from a few inexperienced friends?
The Survivor Pool article is back for 2008! As you remember from 2007, the first week of the season is the toughest week of the year. You do not know what to expect from most teams. Come check out who I think are your best choices this week and what trendy pick you should avoid.
Back from a vacation that did include a victorious Week 1. Unfortunately, my liver wasn't so lucky. Some quick storylines to ponder as part of your pre-game research.
Will iron man Tomlinson play this week? Is Jamaal Charles getting more touches in week 2? How many offensive linemen will it take to destroy the Jaguars' potent rushing attack? What's really up with Vince Young? Does Jeff Garcia truly deserve to be benched? How many injuries will it take to bring the Saints down? How will two receivers who have a combined nine NFL receptions fare this week as the Seahawks starters? Plus, see the latest injury breakdown of key players, find out what Terrell Owens said about a former teammate and hear me speak out on Tony Romo's girl.
The Hive - Week 2 Gary Chamberlain, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 12, 2008
Welcome back to The Hive! Dont know who to start this week? Drafted Angelo Crowell or Shawne Merriman? Dont know who Zach Diles is? Well come on in, you are in the right place!
The loss of Marques Colston may sound crippling for the Saints but they will weather the storm just fine thanks to David Patten. Patten is no Colston but Drew Brees is going to learn to rely on David Patten's crisp route running and soft hands and the bond will build.
Week 2 Brad Gillespie, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 12, 2008
Injuries, favorable and unfavorable matchups, it's all about the wideouts in here.
Games to Watch - Week 2 Chris Dolfi and Tom Braun, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 12, 2008
One week down, and a season of ‘Games to Watch’ to go!
The guys set their sights on three more ‘can’t miss’ games this week, and nail them, but can’t avoid collateral damage to such subjects as Larry King, tarot cards, Schoolhouse Rock, and the Paramus Mall.
So before you tell your buddy to PBR you PDQ, check out the ‘Games to Watch’ this week – it’s an instant classic.
I know I’m an IDP guy around here, but I need to make a punter comment this week. What in the world was
Seattle punter Ryan Plackemeier trying to do on
Buffalo’s Roscoe Parrish TD return last Sunday?
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 12, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
Setting out to
highlight a home team and a road team this week, I noticed a few games
in which the odds seem too skewed in favor of the team hosting. These
are too good to pass up!
The Steelers at home in Week 1 did not disappoint, unlike other AFC front-runners such as the Colts and Chargers (and almost the Patriots). As you can see from this past week, it proves yet again that Week 1 is the toughest week of the season. Survive and advance. But who for week number two?
It
may take a few months for a rose plant to grow, but you may have to wait three
years for a Bronco quarterback to flourish under Coach Mike Shanahan. But, this week’s Broncos game showed that the
wait is often worthwhile, and the results are just as breathtaking
WR Targets Brad Gillespie, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 11, 2008
Interested in who's getting the attempted targets for Week 1? See the breakdown here!
Now that everyone is familiar with their league's waiver wire policy thanks to the mad scramble to pick up Matt Cassel, let's reiterate the importance of team depth. It's not only the Tom Brady owners that should be picking up Cassel. You never know when your team will suffer the same fate as the Brady owners in your league. Perform your due diligence and attack the waiver wire with the same intensity that you brought to draft day.
The Tom Brady situation in New England is a clear illustration of the differences between NFL football and fantasy football. In the NFL, it isn't cost effective to have two top quarterbacks on the same roster. Teams that have a star at quarterback like New England, Dallas and Indianapolis can't afford to spend a lot of money on a decent backup. But for the fantasy owner like ourselves, not only can we have two or more decent quarterbacks on our roster, it is a must if we want to win a championship.
The guys are back for 2008 - running down the top 3 players at each position for the week, how they think they'll do this week, and the top headlines of the past week. It's a dose of fantasy info mixed with a dash of fun.
One isn’t a trend, so you have to be careful in looking at performances in the opening week. This also means I can’t call this a weekly segment, so here are some numerical observations in the first and as-yet only installment of the potentially weekly Notable Numbers.
There really is nothing like the excitement of the NFL's opening week. I am going to review the most important fantasy implications of the week's outcomes and tell you some things you will definitely need to know going forward.
Much like NFL teams leave points on the field by coming up
just short of scoring on a given play, fantasy teams suffer similar fates when players
come up short on the field. These fantasy
points left on the field are important to realize because it shows the amount of
points a particular player had the potential to score. The focus here will be on near-TDs from
inside the redzone concerning fantasy-relevant players, but will also include
some missed opportunities from outside the redzone as well.
Just like the stock market, NFL players' production goes up and down. After one week of play, many players performed at their highest level while others did not play up to their potential. Injuries greatly affected Week 1 and that played a large part in this week's On the Rise, On the Fall.
Jake Delhomme, QB, Panthers: No Steve Smith, no problem for Delhomme in Week 1. There were some questions regarding the health of Delhomme entering the season after he underwent surgery last year. He answered some of those questions Sunday, leading the Panthers to a hard-fought road victory in
San Diego without one of the best receivers in the game, Steve Smith.
Welcome everyone to the first regular season installment to the 2008 Rookie Report. Each week during the regular season, the report will cover trends, news items and analysis of notable performances by the NFL’s 2008 Rookie Class to assist in your pursuit of dynasty championship gold.
Losing a fantasy stud like New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is a huge blow to your fantasy team. What are you going to do now?
Week One in Review Steve Rudy Jr., Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 9, 2008
Welcome to the Week in Review column on FantasySharks.com in which I will be discussing the previous week’s NFL action. This article highlights the best and worst performers of the week, along with a waiver and shocker of the week. So strap yourself in and enjoy the season.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 8, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
Bye-Bye Brady Matt Price, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 8, 2008
Hear that? It’s the sound of me eating my words. Last month, I wrote an
article that explained why ‘history’ shouldn’t be used as a reason to
discount Tom Brady’s chances for another monster season. Well, Brady is done for the year (man, it feels weird to be writing that sentence). In the fantasy community, Tom will be lumped in with Manning, Marino
and Warner; he’ll be seen as a victim of the 40+ TD hangover.
Surprise performances and the cries of … “Down goes Brady!
Down Goes Brady!” … still resonate over Week 1 from the crowd observing on HD televisions and regular televisions everywhere in
America
Week 3
Week Three in Review Steve Rudy, Jr., Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 23, 2008
Welcome to the Week in Review column on FantasySharks.com in which I will be discussing the previous week’s NFL action. This article highlights the best and worst performers of the week, along with some other vital fantasy advice and information. So strap yourself in and enjoy the season.
How does Ronnie Brown
rush for 4 touchdowns against the New England defense? That is just
insane. New England was probably the #1 defensive play this weekend.
After losing to the Dolphins 38-13, I’ve decided that Tom Brady
should be the MVP this season. You heard me, he’s finished the season
7-of-11 for 76 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions and a QB
rating of 83.9, but should be MVP. If an MVP is judged by the effect he
has on his team then there is no doubt that Brady is worthy. The loss of Brady has had two huge effects on the Patriots. The first is that it has turned Randy Moss into the Oakland Raider version of Randy Moss.
Fools Gold? Matt Price, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 22, 2008
The big showdown between Denver and New Orleans lived up to the hype... well, sort of. The Saints brought their 'A' game, but Denver reverted back to their 2007 identity - only Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall had an impact.
What's in store for Steven Jackson? Will Joey Galloway play in week three? What is Steve Smith's mindset coming back from suspension? Is Anquan Boldin's contract situation a distraction in the desert? Is Kerry Collins ready to take the Titans to the next level? Plus, find out who's on the list of injuries, see who tops the team defensive stats and hear me speak out on the Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers comparisons.
Week 3 Matchups Brad Gillespie, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 20, 2008
A look at some favorable and unfavorable matchups for the wideouts in week 3.
The Panthers are 2-0, they are getting star WR Steve Smith back and they're going up against a Vikings team that is 0-2 that has Gus Frerotte
starting at QB. Cake walk Carolina right? Not so fast. There are a few
factors that are going to present obstacles for the Panthers.
There are 11 winless teams in the NFL, which means there are countless amount of fantasy owners that have started 0-2. Take this week to get your team back on track. There are two wide receivers that receive the Golden Mug Award for Week 2..
Games to Watch - Week 3 Chris Dolfi and Tom Braun, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 19, 2008
This week the guys bring you a set of NFL blockbuster triplets for your viewing enjoyment, running down the best three match-ups of the weekend.
Not only do they run-down football’s best, but they manage to talk about Doublemint Gum, gemology, deep fryers, unattractive people, and inhalers. So get the facts, fun, and final word on this week’s ‘Games to Watch’.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 19, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
Saying goodbye isn’t always easy. Even when the writing is on the wall, circumstances may leave you feeling ambivalent. Consider, for instance, folding Big Slick before the flop or telling your good-looking-yet-crazy girlfriend to hit the road. Nevertheless, in
fantasy football, whether it’s a big name player past his prime or just
a guy that looks like he will never live up to the hype, you have to
know when it’s time to cut your losses and say “buh-bye.” This season,
don’t let your team be dragged down by dead weight! Here are five big
name players that are wasting space on your bench:
Have you ever wondered what fantasy owners would discuss at a support group meeting? In his latest installment of In The Spotlight, Matt Wilson uses a pretend meeting of a Randy Moss owners support group to give us his lighter-side take on Moss' Brady-less fantasy value for the rest of 2008.
Some people cried 'Super Bowl' preseason, others shouted 'bust.' One of the offseason's most talked about teams was the Browns and the opinions on how they'd do couldn't have varied much more than they did. Well, we're two weeks deep and the writing on the wall is getting to bet a bit more clear ...
Starting this week, I want to share with you some of my obvious and not so obvious observations of the NFL.
While I claim to know some things, the reality is I know nothing so this information is to be used for entertainment purposes only.
The New York Giants came back from an 0-2 (and a bad Joe Gibbs call away from an 0-3) start to win the Super Bowl. While nobody wants to be 0-2, it is nowhere near the end of the world. However, the track needs to get righted immediately. Here are three teams that don't need to press the panic button at this point ...
The guys are back for 2008. Running down the top 3 players at each position for the week, how they think they'll do this week, and the top headlines of the past week. It's a dose of fantasy info mixed with a dash of fun.
I broke a rule by taking a road team last week, but it was the only game I felt confident in taking. It proved so as
Seattle could not beat
San Francisco at home, which knocked out a good amount of people in pools.
The Corner of Knowledge comes to you today with a message of hope. Sure your team may be 0-2 and littered with injured or underachieving stars, but let David Spade and Pauly Shore serve as examples of why you should never give up.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 17, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
First the Chargers and the Broncos light up the scoreboard on Sunday only to be followed by 78 points of awesomeness on Monday night. What a great weekend to play fantasy football. Look for more fireworks in week three as Indy,
Green Bay,
Detroit,
Denver and
New Orleans all attack the friendly skies torturing secondaries across the country.
This week I'm going to take a look at Eddie Royal, the Week 1 waiver wire gem. What can you expect from this guy now that you've seem him operate with Brandon Marshall in the lineup? Look inside to find out.
Welcome everyone to the second regular season installment to the 2008 Rookie Report. Each week during the regular season, the report will cover trends, news items and analysis of notable performances by the NFL’s 2008 Rookie Class to assist in your pursuit of dynasty championship gold.
This weekend was a weird one for the NFL, with deliberately dropped balls in Dallas, horrible blown calls in Denver, and in St. Louis a left-handed pass from Eli to avoid a sack and a Torry Holt touchdown catch on his back. We can’t see all the plays though, so here are this week’s Notable Numbers.
The waiver wire is a difficult place to manage. One one hand, you don't want to react too much to one week's worth of stats. On the other hand, you want to be one step ahead of the other teams in your league and grab the hot player a week before he becomes white hot.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 15, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com !!
Welcome to Week 2 of “On the Rise, On the Fall.” Throughout the season, I will discuss players whose stock is rising and others who are not having the same luck. Like I said last week, we are still early in the year so do not panic yet.
Week Two in Review Steve Rudy, Jr., Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 15, 2008
Welcome to the Week in Review column on FantasySharks.com in which I will be discussing the previous week’s NFL action. This article highlights the best and worst performers of the week, along with some other vital fantasy advice and information. So strap yourself in and enjoy the season.
Week 2 was filled with big comebacks, huge fantasy scores, bad referee calls and unexpected bye weeks. I will sort out for you what you need to know and what you might not want to blink an eye at. Best information on the internet right here.
Welcome back to The Hive! The bye weeks are upon us, and many IDP studs are going to be relaxing this Sunday. The Hive will give you some tips on who to plug in your IDP lineups this week!
Week 4 Matchups Brad Gillespie, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 26, 2008
A look at some favorable and unfavorable matchups for the wide receivers in week 4.
Donovan McNabb is going to have a field day on Sunday night throwing
the ball to any and every one. The Top 5 fantasy QB's of Week 4? Drum
roll please. At No. 5, Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, who's that
Jessica Simpson looking cheerleader down there? At No. 4, Carson Palmer
of the Cincinnati Bengals, think he bought Housh a Rolex after last
week? At No. 3, Jason Campbell of the Washington Redskins, just too
many weapons and most are on his fantasy team. At No. 2, Drew Brees of
the New Orleans Saints. Look, he's just good. And topping our countdown
for Week 4 [In my best Casey Kasum voice] is Donovan McNabb from the
Philadelphia Eagles. He just flat out rocks.
Games to Watch - Week 4 Chris Dolfi and Tom Braun, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 26, 2008
The guys take a shot at the top three games of the weekend, and they hit you with two defensive struggles and an old fashioned shootout. They keep things fun and interesting by mixing this weekend’s best football with a dose of pop culture that includes moody magicians, the SuperFriends, and hunting down the Golden Ox, in spite of their legal council’s advice.
After watching Brett Favre struggle in games against the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers, are you ready to boot him off your fantasy team? Matt Wilson tells us whether you should keep No. 4 around for the long haul.
Season Targets Brad Gillespie, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Sep 26, 2008
A look at the wide receivers and tight ends intended targets for the season.
New England's 21 straight regular season wins - Done.
Miami’s road losing streak – Done.
My Survivor pool season – Done.
It looks as if no thing is a sure thing when the 12 ½ point favorite Patriots got completely demolished by Ronnie Brown and the Fish. But for those not burned by New England last week, check out your Week 4 options ...
Another week of my obvious and not so obvious observations of the NFL. While I claim to know some things, the reality is I know nothing so this information is to be used for entertainment purposes only.
Side Lines Tom Braun and Chris Dolfi, Fantasy Football Staff Writers Sep 26, 2008
Braun and Dolfi try and put a smile on your face with a new 'sport-toon' every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - only on FantasySharks.com!
... or a scapegoat for the Jets to clean house when the free agent spending spree doesn't work. I'm going to tell you why the Jets' 1-2 start is less schedule related and more an accurate reflection of how this team just isn't any good.
Vinnie leaves something to be desired in Week 1, thrives in Week 2 and then bombs in Week 3. From the pattern forming, here, it's safe to say Week 4 bodes well for Vinnie's picks.
Just when the Miami Dolphins start rolling and the New England Patriots start struggling, along comes the bye weeks to stop the momentum in both directions. Be on the lookout for bye week specials (and players to avoid) listed below to assist those of you looking for a one-week replacement.
Welcome everyone to the third regular season installment to the 2008 Rookie Report. Each week during the regular season, the report will cover trends, news items and analysis of notable performances by the NFL’s 2008 Rookie Class to assist in your pursuit of dynasty championship gold.
The guys are back for 2008 - running down the top 3 players at each position for the week, how they think they'll do this week, and the top headlines of the past week. It's a dose of fantasy info mixed with a dash of fun.
Injuries continue to mount around the NFL, and this is about the time that teams start to make changes based on poor performance. Quite a few teams are looking to make a move at the quarterback position, be vigilant and make sure you are covered, especially with the bye weeks now in full swing.
Welcome to Week 3 of “On the Rise, On the Fall.” Throughout the season, I will discuss players whose stock is rising and others who are not having the same luck. I will avoid naming the obvious studs - Drew Brees, Brian Westbrook, etc - and will keep to players whose performance was not as foreseeable. We are still early in the season, but now some players who were on the fall that we thought would rebound, may not be getting up anytime soon.
Three weeks of the fantasy season has passed by in the blink of an eye. Hopefully you didn't miss anything important. It is okay though if you did, because I am here to tell you what you need to know.
Oh my! Things have to be wrong with the world when the
USA comes out victorious in The Ryder Cup. Markets must go down! The Patriots lose to the Dolphins! In short we have cats & dogs in communal harmony.
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