Preseason Update: Breakdowns and Breakouts During the Preseason

The preseason is over and alas, the regular season kicks off in one day. What occurred over the past four weeks will have a huge impact on fantasy statistics in 2008. For instance, Ryan Torain will not be totting the rock in Denver and Rudi Johnson will only see himself on the playing field if he plays Madden 2009 with his pals, until Detroit sent Tatum packing and took a chance with Rudi. Here is a small list of players who were injured or had breakout performances in the preseason and may carryover to the regular season.

Injuries

Ryan Torain, DEN- A broken elbow will keep him sidelined for the majority of the 2008 season. This time on the sideline will affect his rookie learning curve and allow Selvin Young to prove his worth, decreasing Torain's productivity in the late season.

Bobby Engram, SEA- Engram is predicted to miss two to five weeks of the regular season with a cracked shoulder. By this time, Burleson will be the number one man in Seattle and Branch may be easing his way back into the lineup. If this is the case, Engram's value as a fantasy receiver will plummet about as fast as the stock market.

Rudi Johnson, DET- Rudi was fired by the Bengals, only to sign a contract with the Detroit Lions, sending Tatum Bell home for the season to spend some time with his family. Just to get even, Tatum Bell stole his luggage as he was leaving the practice facility. You are probably wondering why I am talking about this stupid stuff so much. The answer is because his fantasy impact is not worth talking about right. Check back in a few weeks and if Kevin Smith succeeds, do not even bother checking back then.

Shawne Merriman, SD- He is ignoring for doctors and his mother, deciding to play the 2008 season and opt out of surgery. Assuming he gets injured, this will significantly affect the Charger's pass rush, which will in turn decrease their interceptions. If he is healthy, they will continue to flourish on the west coast.

Osi Umenyiora, NYG- Out for the year with an ACL tear and Strahan likes retirement too much to lend a helping hand. He had an impressive year in 2008 so the Giants will miss his presence on the line. The Giant's should drop in the defensive rankings and if you take them, make sure it is in a later round.

Breakout Performers

DeSean Jackson, PHI- Jackson is a big time sleeper in fantasy football this year. He showed signs of promise in the preseason, and injuries to Curtis and Brown should land him a starting spot in Philly. He caught 16 passes in the preseason, totalling 189 yards and going for six on a punt return. You will be satisfied taking him with a late round pick in all drafts.

Calvin Johnson, DET- Johnson finished the preseason with 9 grabs for 170 yards and one touchdown. He is opposite of Roy Williams, which means he will get the teams number two CB, which is always a plus when on offense. Johnson will have a great year in Detroit even with the departure of Mike Martz to San Francisco.

DeAngelo Williams, CAR- Williams rushed for 188 yards and three scores during the preseason. The most impressive thing is that he did this all while his starting job was in limbo. This strong performance should give him the nod on Sunday, but remember Jonathon Stewart will take some carries away. Williams averaged five yards per carry in 2007, so if he continues this trend, losing a few carries to Stewart would not be a big deal.

Rashard Mendenhall, PIT- Mendenhall is another rookie running back that earned a spot on a roster in 2008. He rushed for 222 yards in the preseason and Tomlin announced that he would serve as the short yardage back, which will increase his goal line carries if he stops fumbling the pigskin. If he fumbles early in the season, his role could be reduced, so keep an eye on this situation. Currently he is nothing more than a reserve, but if Parker suffers an injury, he will have an immediate impact.

Matt Schaub, HOU- Schaub completed 33 of 48 for 382 yards and three touchdowns, all while managing to throw zero interceptions. He will be a great sleeper candidate if Andre Johnson can stay healthy and Kevin Walter can maintain his high level of production. Owen Daniel will lend a helping hand and Slaton coming out of the backfield should increase Schaub's numbers in 2008.

Preseason Update: Breakouts And Breakdowns From Week 2

The second week of preseason has come and gone, requiring an in depth look at the injuries and breakout performances from the weekend. As I mentioned in the first preseason article, a repetition of high performances will warrant your attention, even if the performance occurred during the preseason. Some of the players you will recognize from the first article, others will be new to the list. Continue to monitor these players to determine if they deserve a spot on your roster come week one.

Injuries

Jonathan Stewart; CAR, RB: Perhaps more injured than his toe is his expectation that he will be the starter for the Panthers at the start of the 2008 season. After missing the first preseason game, Stewart ran for three yards on four carries in the second preseason game. While Stewart has failed to perform, DeAngelo Williams has capitalized on every opportunity he has been given, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns. Look for Williams to replace Stewart as the starter, barring any setbacks during the remainder of the preseason of course.

Chad Johnson; CIN, WR: CJ injured his should after landing awkwardly on it during the second preseason game against the Lions. This injury is the latest for the already injured Cincinnati offense. Chad Johnson loves to be on the injury report, so unless the team indicates that the shoulder injury is serious, continue to view him as a low-end #1 option. Look for Chad Johnson to establish himself as the #1 receiver in Cincy after being outperformed by Housh in 2007.

Rudi Johnson; CIN, RB: Deja vu or what? Last season we saw Rudi Johnson miss a lot of time, only to come back during a game and average below ten carries. This made it very difficult for owners even if he was handcuffed with his backup. This type of injury generally does not improve over the course of the season, so monitor the injury status of Johnson before drafting him as a #2 running back. The last thing fantasy owners want to see is a running back on the injury report week in and week out.

Tarvaris Jackson; MIN, QB: Jackson recently sprained his MCL, adding to a plethora of injuries he has suffered while in the NFL. Injured or not, Jackson is a terrible fantasy option and if you planned on using him as your #1 in 2008, you can also plan on having the worst record in your league. Save him for the lone Vikings fan in your league and snag a better option with a late round selection.

Breakout Performances

Calvin Johnson; DET, WR: Calvin put on a clinic in week two of the preseason, catching every pass attempted by John Kitna, resulting in three catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. Calvin is a great number two option in Detroit and may lead the team in receiving yards. Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson serve as one of the best receiver tandems in the league. Look for both of them to benefit from the presence of the other and have a great campaign in 2008.

Brandon Marshall; DEN, WR: Marshall caught six passes for 59 yards, including a three yard score against the Cowboys. Although he is a great receiver, he is to stubborn to keep his mouth shut and avoid suspension. Marshall will be one of the best receivers in the league after he returns from his three game suspension, assuming his appeal is unsuccessful. Marshall is a great #1 fantasy receiver and should be drafted as a top 10 receiver. If you take him early, be sure to draft reserves with favorable matchups to fill the void while he serves his suspension.

Matt Schaub; HOU, QB: A perennial trip to the injury report from Andre Johnson and the lack of another option at receiver has prevented Matt Schaub from becoming a #1 quarterback. The emergence of Kevin Walter and Owen Daniel might allow Schaub to produce the way he is expected. Matt Schaub was 14/16 for 187 yards and two touchdown scores. Walter and Daniel will help Schaub emerge as a great sleeper option in 2008.

Ray Rice; BAL, RB: There is a new rookie in town looking to make an impact this year and the name is not McFadden or Johnson. After the knee injury to McGahee, Rice has excelled in every area of the game. The second preseason game for Rice resulted in eight carries for 77 yards, three receptions for 17 yards and a rushing touchdown. If McGahee struggles after the procedure as he did while in Buffalo, look for Rice to have a significant impact among fantasy rookies. The only problem now is finding a way to convince my league that I didn't mean to pick McGahee in the second round. Looks like I am stuck so I am grabbing Rice while he is still on the wire!

Michael Turner; ATL, RB: I am aware that Turner has speed and I am aware that he has instinct, but 113 yards on four carries against one of the better defenses in the league is ridiculous. The man did it in San Diego but everyone assumed that his success was the product of other defenses thinking pass since LT was out, leaving Turner space to run. Not the case. Although Atlanta will be playing from behind a lot this year, Turner should succeed as the main man in Atlanta. Give the "Burner" a chance and draft him somewhere in rounds three or four this summer.

Preseason Update: Injuries And Updates From Week 1

Nothing is worse in fantasy football than learning a player you drafted before the regular season received a substantial injury that will require that player to miss some of the regular season. Fortunately, aside from injuries, the preseason also helps you determine what players may breakout during the year. Although a breakout performance may be nothing more than a average day against another team's third-string defense, consistently repeating such performances may indicate they deserve a spot on your roster. I am not saying that you should lay it all on the line to get these players, but I am saying you should pay attention to them to see if their high performance continues. The following is a list of the big injuries and breakouts that every fantasy owner should know about from preseason week one.

Injuries

Willis McGahee, BAL, RB: McGahee will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair his knee and should miss the remainder of the preseason. The bad news everyone knows is that McGahee has a history of knee problems since the national championship game against Ohio State. The bad news most owners do not know is that he had this same procedure in the past, followed by a decline in production during that season with the Bills. If you have McGahee, look into picking up Ray Rice if this continues to give McGahee trouble.

Bobby Engram, SEA, WR: Engram is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a cracked shoulder. This is not a set timetable for his return, but while he is out you can expect that Nate Burleson and John Carlson will receive a lot more attention on offense. This could be good or bad depending on the performance of Matt Hasselback with such limited options on offense.

Steve Smith, CAR, WR: After going UFC style on his own teammate, the opposition decided to return the favor. Smith received a concussion in the preseason opener after catching a pass good for 19 yards. Although the concussion will not force him to miss any time, this is another thing the team is concerned with in the preseason, in addition to fighting his own teammate and facing a suspension for his actions.

Ryan Torain, DEN, RB: I predicted he would be a sleeper in Denver and his recent injury assures he will be "sleeping" somewhere. Torain broke a bone in his elbow, which will force him to miss three months after undergoing surgery. If he is able to make it back in the middle of the season, monitor the runningback situation in Denver and look to snag Torain off the waiver wire.

Breakout Performances

DeAngelo Williams, CAR, RB: Williams took advantage of every opportunity he was given in the first preseason game. After Jonathan Stewart was forced to miss the first game due to an injury to his toe, Williams carried the ball nine times for 55 yards, adding two touchdowns in the effort. This is a very positive sign for Carolina, meaning Williams will get many more options to prove he should still be the starter during the regular season.

Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB: It is amazing how quickly a franchise can forget a man who threw for 61,655 yards and 442 touchdowns in 16 seasons! It is also amazing how quickly they will remember him if Rodgers can't follow up his performance in the first preseason game with a similar performance. Rodgers went 9/15 for 117 yards, connecting with James Jones for a 30-yard score and setting up a field goal in the first quarter. Although this was the Bengals, Rodgers showed some signs that he did learn something from the great Brett Favre. Monitor this situation and if he continues to play well, Rodgers may be a solid #2 quarterback worthy of a late round pick in fantasy drafts.

Calvin Johnson, DET, WR: Roy Williams has played in every regular season game one time in his career, missing at least four games in every other year. With that being said, Williams and Johnson make a good 1-2 punch at the receiver position. After posting 78 yards on 4 catches in his first preseason game, look for Johnson to continue to shine in 2008. With the inconsistent health of Williams, Johnson may find himself in the #1 receiver position in Detroit during the year.

Ben Utecht, CIN, TE: Hidden in the shadows of Dallas Clark while in Indy, Ben Utecht is now in a high powered offense with another great quarterback in control. Utecht scored a touchdown on four catches good for 34 yards in the preseason opener against Green Bay. With the departure of Chris Henry, look for Utecht to establish himself as the third passing options in Cincinnati's pass friendly offense.