The Kicking Tee

The Grazianimal Starts The Season on the PUP List!!

A cold and an absurd work schedule conspired to put the 52X on the shelf week 1. I had to watch the Manning Bowl through binoculars from my crash pad in Ridgewood. Looks like Eli needs some Cajun seasonin’!
Week 1 in Fantasy is always a blast as all the boys that everybody eyeballed for months and snagged in drafts finally play some ball that counts. Many questions that bedeviled owners across the land get answered in Week 1 and some new ones rear their ugly head. Lets try to get some figurin’ done.
T.O. sat in training camp and seemingly twisted the nose of his new owner and coach with a B.S. leg cramp and no apparent work ethic. At this point it is pretty clear that the guy is gonna do what the guy is gonna do. What he wants to do is play ball and he did that with no ill effects from last season or the training camp drama making an appearance. 6 balls for 80 and a TD was not the best line of the week, but the way he pulled down the TD pass and Bledsoe’s desire to use his new weapon instead of snub him all bode well for the season. Don’t be surprised if T.O. is the best WR in fantasyland this year. Expect a huge game in his home opener against division opponent Washington.
The Redskins have big questions of their own. Clinton Portis had a shoulder injury that sat him for all most all of the pre-season. He was supposed to sit for the first game at least. Then he took the field and recorded 39 yards and a TD with 2 catches to boot. Now he is listed as doubtful with an aching shoulder, the injury that started it all. People that ignored the injury and expected the Portis of last year can’t be happy with 39 yards, touchdown or no. People that took him in the second or third rounds looking for a steal can not be happy that his shoulder hurts after limited use in one game. Or Gibbs could be lying through his teeth. If you have other options then sit him until he performs like a healed man or, as Coach Gibbs stated, PRAY.
The Ultimate Weapon, Reggie Bush, was another question mark heading into the first game of his career. The Texans passed on him, raising eyebrows back in April. The Saints have a vet back ahead of him and alot invested in him and that could have meant a cautious start to Bush’s career in Black and Gold. So what did week one show? The Texans are idiots. Take that one to the bank. And the Saints are gonna use All-World all the time. 14 runs for 61 yards and 8 catches for 58 more and he returned kicks. He will find the end zone soon enough and at this point all indications are that he will be the total package for years to come. Week 2 at Green Bay in the past would have meant a tough time for the Saints, but with Farve turning over the ball in pure 2005 form, Drew Brees at QB instead of Crappy Brooks, and a whole city to inspire, watch the Saints and The Straw That Stirs the Drink explode on the not yet frozen tundra.
Beware early returns! Dewey did not defeat Truman and the Eagles are gonna stink this year. The story was all clear in post T.O. Eagleland after they spanked the Texans. But the Texans passed on Mr. Electric and thought Dominick Davis would carry the load. DD is gonna miss the season. Need any more idea what kind of talent evaluators work in Houston. The Eagles face a different kind of opponent with the G-men coming to town. Westbrook is already missing practice with a swelled knee. McNabb will be lucky to play in 16 games this year. Is Donte Stallworth going to be all league week in and week out? Against the NFC East? The Eagles will be lucky to see 8 and 8.
So things are starting to percolate. Don’t overreact to an early loss. Fantasy rewards a steady hand. See if the guy in your league will move Owens for a #2 RB. And write the Grazianimal@columnist.com

Free Agent News

A Few Sale Items By Bob The 52X

So you are looking over that roster and already think that a few free agents could do you better then that 14th rounder you spit out with half a chicken wing packed into the gullet. These dudes might be sitting on the wire, or could be tacked on to a multi-player trade. Face facts, Martz is gonna have Kitna throw til’ he needs Tommy John.
Jon Kitna: A free agent in most leagues, who has the potential to put up 300yd games and multiple TD’s more than a couple of times this season. Mike Martz + Offense = Many pass attempts and a lot less rushing. In 2004 when Martz had the RB combo of Faulk and Steven Jackson, the Rams rushed almost 200 attempts less than passed. With Kevin Jones unable to break defensive lines, the Lions usually playing from behind, and Martz doing the mad scientist/ super genius rain dance in the press box, Kitna may be throwing more than Bulger ever did. Pick him up now and throw him in when the match-up is right. You might be surprised when Kitna’s numbers rival other elite QB’s on some Sundays.
Correll Buckhalter: I know, I know this guy can’t stretch before a game without going on IR. Buckhalter was on the bubble at the start of preseason, and last week old man Stephen Davis had a physical with the team, looking for Correll’s check. That was last week though. Davis signed with the Rams. After a strong preseason game, Buckhalter is not only staying on the RB depth chart but he has risen quickly to be the main man behind Westbrook. That makes him a very attractive sleeper. Forget Reno Mahe and Moats, if Correll can somehow stay healthy, he will be the man when, not if, Westbrook goes down.
Peerless Price: Though his pockets grew bigger going to Atlanta, his status as a WR didn’t. Don’t blame Peerless though, Vick has shown he could only hit the side of the barn called Alge Crumpler. No other receiver on Atlanta will even smell 1000 yards until Shaub is named starter. Price’s last year in Buffalo opposite Eric Moulds, Peerless went over 1200 yards with 9 TD’s. Now reborn the #2 WR again, opposite a relatively unproven but very fast WR in Lee Evans, and feeling more refreshed by not being in Atlanta’s WR graveyard lead by Vick, Peerless may be a steal. I would bet that Price will have better numbers at the end of the year than any Atlanta WR. Funny how in most drafts I have seen, at least 2 Atlanta WR’s are drafted before him.
Ben Watson: This may not be a deep sleeper, but Watson is ranked 6th TE or worse on most boards this year. Does anyone realize how pathetic the Patriots WR core is this year? I can’t believe Troy Brown is still playing, and even if Deion Branch comes back, Reche Caldwell on the other side isn’t scaring anyone. Brady has over 3600+ yards passing every year and he can’t pass the ball to himself. Take Watson when the TE’s start to come off the board and you’ll be more than pleased with a guy who will possibly be top 3 this year. Even more Kudos if Deion really plays hardball with Belichick, and the Kraft family and gets himself shipped out of town.