We started changing that yearly route last year with our preseason fantasy football versus matchup articles, and we’re back at it again. We wanted to wait a bit until some really hot matchups got brewing, and now feels like the right time.

We know fantasy owners get stuck several times in drafts and need a player but can’t choose which of a group of four is worth the pick. Or maybe it’s even down to two players. But simply seeing one guy ranked ahead of the other doesn’t always do the trick. When you need a little more insight, we throw those guys into a preseason versus death match and see how really comes out on top.

To kick things off this summer, we’re pitting Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray vs. Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Who is the better talent? Who is worth the risk? But most importantly, who should you draft in 2013?

DeMarco Murray

Draft Him Because: Murray is more of a beast than many give him credit for. He was actually on pace for about 1,600+ rushing yards as a rookie two years ago, before a freak ankle injury cut his season short. Injuries derailed him again last year, but when healthy and active, he proved to be a tough, versatile runner than had no trouble churning out solid yardage as a runner and receiver.

Don’t Draft Him: Clearly the guy has trouble staying healthy. You could call his first season a fluke injury, but when he goes down two years in a row you have to start to wonder. It’s worth questioning if he can actually handle a full load, while he has yet to prove he has a nose for the end-zone like some of the league’s other elite backs.

Darren McFadden

Draft Him: His upside is ridiculous. Yeah, he plays for the Raiders, but his role on that team is as good as it gets, and his backups (aka competition) aren’t really worth mentioning. His 2010 season (1,600+ total yards and 10 TDs in 13 games) is what he’s capable of when the light is on, and his speed and youth are still ripe for the picking.

Don’t Draft Him: He’s never played more than 13 games in a season, has one 1,000+ yard season to his name and his o-line isn’t very reliable.

Verdict

Ultimately, your guy out of these two has to be Darren McFadden. While I love Murray’s recklessness as a runner, he has yet to even hit more than 163 carries in a single season. McFadden has a locked-in role on a team that flat-out needs him to be the man to find success. The better role and better past results, combined with arguably superior talent suggest he’s still worth the risk. He could easily go down right away, but if he can stay healthy, he also could easily end the season as a top-five fantasy back.

The post Fantasy Football 2013: DeMarco Murray vs. Darren McFadden appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo credit – Aaron Frutman

Wes Welker’s arrival in Denver this spring has raised tons of questions, not the least of which is: Can he match the numbers he produced in New England?

Wednesday, the Denver Post’s Mike Klis predicted Welker will catch somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 passes this season. Considering Welker averaged 112 catches a year in his six seasons with the Patriots, 75 seems rather low, no?

Well, in New England, Welker was Tom Brady’s favorite target, and was the glue of the offense for the majority of his tenure there. In Denver, it’ll be a bit of a different story.

Peyton Manning has made a career of spreading the wealth, and he kept that up last season in his first with the Broncos. Demaryius Thomas caught 94 balls, Eric Decker caught 85, Jacob Tamme caught 52, Brandon Stokley caught 45 and Joel Dreessen caught 41. So, there’s obviously plenty to go around.

Stokley won’t be back this season, and Welker will step into his vacated position in the slot, where he did so much damage for the Patriots.

Denver’s running back situation is far from set with youngsters like Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman battling each other for carries. Knowshon Moreno could also be in the mix once he returns from a knee injury.

The Broncos will surely continue to air-it-out in a big way in 2013, and Welker figures to be a major part of that.

He’s still only 32, and he caught 118 passes last season. There’s no real reason to assume a massive decline is in store here. His role will be different, considering the array of weaponry at Manning’s disposal. I agree that Welker won’t be topping that 100-reception mark again, but I’ll gladly take the “over” on 75 catches for him this season.

Brady uses his interior guys (slot receivers and tight ends) far more than the exterior receivers, which is one thing that makes him different than Manning. However, Brandon Stokley (age 92) was able to come in off the street and catch 45 passes last year. Welker is undoubtedly a superior player at this stage of his career to what Stokley was in 2012.

Thomas and Decker each recorded over 1,000 yards last year with the Broncos, and Welker will certainly put a dent into those numbers in 2013. Thomas appears to be the more dynamic of the two, so I’d expect his output to be closer to what it was last season than Decker’s.

No, Wes Welker isn’t going to catch 120 passes for 1,300+ yards again. He’s never been a very big touchdown guy either, and he won’t suddenly become a huge source of points in Denver, either. But he does add an element that Denver’s offense didn’t really have last year, and I’m expecting him to continue to thrive.

75 catches? Piece of cake.

Mmm, cake.

The post Wes Welker a Lock for 75 Receptions in 2013? appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – Football Schedule

June is trucking along, and before you know it we’ll be counting down to the first NFL preseason games. That means fantasy owners need to start prepping for fantasy football pronto – and start paying attention to ADP (average draft position).

We’ve already taken a couple stops down the ADP road this summer, but we’re back at it again today as we pass the mid-point of June. A lot is changing for the better for fantasy owners, and it’s high time they know it.

ADP is a huge part of nailing down your fantasy draft, so let’s investigate standard 12-team, 15-round leagues and see what big names are dropping and what value we can sniff out where:

Note: ADP courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.com

Quarterbacks

You can get Aaron Rodgers in the second round. That’s not all that surprising at this point in the off-season, but getting him after the likes of Maurice Jones-Drew kind of is. The point here is that A-Rod isn’t necessarily a first round lock anymore, meaning depending on where you’re located in the draft, you can grab an elite RB and still land arguably the top fantasy passer in all the land. I personally will wait on QB because it’s so friggin’ deep, but it’s still worth noting.

Speaking of quarterback depth in fantasy football in 2013, Colin Kaepernick, Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson and even Robert Griffin III can all be had beyond round six. RG3 is actually typically going off boards in the seventh round. That’s where the best value lies with the signal callers this year, but you can still find viable starters all the way into round 13, depending on your thoughts on Carson Palmer and Sam Bradford.

Two worth-while notes: Jake Locker is a mega sleeper due to a cannon arm, elite athleticism and a fantastic supporting cast – and he’s not even being drafted in 12-team leagues. Tim Tebow is Tom Brady‘s backup and a hyrbrid desperation Flex on his finest day (and not even a lock to make the Patriots’ final roster) – yet he’s being taken in round 13 and sometimes earlier. I don’t get that.

Running Backs

Marshawn Lynch is the fifth RB off the board too often for my taste. He crushed it in 2012, but the guy needs volume to be an elite fantasy back. He also has two very talented running backs behind him. I still really like him as a stellar RB2, but don’t love him as my top RB this year. I’d much rather take a shot on guys like C.J. Spiller, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy and Trent Richardson and aim a little higher with a little more explosiveness and versatility.

That’s a note for the top-half of the RB chain. Everyone should know by now that RB is bar far the thinnest (or at least shakiest) position in fantasy football in 2013 – and really has been for a while. I find it interesting that DeMarco Murray and Darren McFadden are sliding so much, yet Maurice Jones-Drew is being taken an entire round before either of them. All three backs (as well as every other back in existence) carries injury risk, and I’d much rather take a high upside guy like Murray or McFadden than MJD, who is on an awful team and closer to the end of his feature back days than they are.

More important than the stuff above, however, is where you can get really nice value at the running back position. I think you have an excellent shot at that in round five, where Ryan Mathews is being drafted, along with Eddie Lacy, Ahmad Bradshaw, Rashard Mendenhall and even Chris Ivory if he can slip a few spots out of the bottom of round four. All of these guys have some question marks, but all figure to be the stand alone starter in their respective back-fields/ That gives them all a shot at legit RB2 value.

As the draft grows on, I’m hunting for the explosive and versatile Shane Vereen. If I find him in his current ADP spot of round 8, I’m loving it. From that point on, there isn’t much to love in terms of start potential before injuries start happening, but there are definitely a ton of awesome handcuff options you’ll want to consider, starting with Ben Tate early in round nine (or late in round eight) and ending with Ryan Williams of Arizona.

Wide Receivers

Nothing crazy is going on with the wide receivers early in drafts. Calvin Johnson remains the only WR worth taking in round one, and I’ll hear an argument for him as high as 4th overall. I do think Julio Jones is only going to be getting better, though, and will heavily consider him as my #2 in just about every league. He just has so much more upside than anyone else past Megatron.

Am I the only one who thinks it’s crazy to draft Randall Cobb over Andre Johnson? The ADP doesn’t lie, and that’s happening far too often. Cobb is extremely explosive and a versatile weapon, but AJ is still a top-five WR in terms of sheer talent. He’s no TD machine, but the dude did just put up another 1,500+ yardage season last year. I’m not drafting many receivers ahead of him.

Wes Welker isn’t becoming any easier to gauge for 2013. All we know for sure is that his presence isn’t really going to help Denver’s other receiver’s target count, and he won’t be hitting 100+ receptions again. In the end, he’s a non-TD beast that will probably bring in about 75-80 receptions and under 1,000 yards. For me, his high-end is as a WR2 and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him slip to WR3 value. In standard leagues, I’m already starting to view him as a flat-out WR3. He just doesn’t score enough and depends on volume. He’s going at the end of round four, ahead of guys like Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mike Wallace and Reggie Wayne. I honestly would probably prefer any of those guys over him at this point.

The aforementioned gold mine sleeper receivers can be found in rounds 5-6 right now, but if you need even more value at wide receiver, let’s take a dive into round 10, where you can find Emmanuel Sanders, Aaron Dobson, Denarius Moore and sometimes even DeAndre Hopkins. All of these guys appear to be locked-in starters. They’ll carry WR3 value at the very worst entering into 2013.

I’m not in love with many of the scraps you’ll find in the final two rounds at WR, but I do condone the drafting of Minnesota rookie Cordarrelle Patterson. Most fantasy owners are waiting until the middle or end of round 12 to take the plunge, but you might want to snag him even earlier just to be sure you get him. He’s raw, but has monstrous upside.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham is without a doubt the top tight end to own in fantasy football right now. He doesn’t have any major injury or off-field issues right now like some other guys, and he was still pretty damn good in a “down year” in 2012. If you can get him in round two or three, you’re doing great. Rob Gronkowski is a risk with his back now, but he should only miss a couple of games. Round three isn’t a bad spot to get him, but if you can get him at his current ADP of round five you’re really erasing a lot of the heavy risk due to his awesome potential.

After the top 3-4 tight ends, I’m not really interested in spending a RB or WR pick on a maybe-awesome TE. I’d rather take a shot at a younger guy later in drafts. Jordan Cameron is a freak athlete in a very tight end-friendly system in Cleveland, and he’s available in round 14. Arizona’s Rob Housler already started to come around last year and could really step up a level or two with Carson Palmer under center. That guy isn’t even being drafted right now.

Kickers

Don’t ever draft a kicker until the final round. Make sure you have your backup quarterback you like or snag a little more depth at RB or WR first. Round 15 is for one of the more fluctuating positions in the league. You can still get Dan Bailey (who is awesome), as well as Mason Crosby, Alex Henery and Garrett Hartley. All of these guys (and quite a few others) will be perfectly fine (if not elite) fantasy kickers in 2013.

Team Defenses

Round eight is when the first fantasy owner will snag the top defense, which everyone seems to agree its the Seattle Seahawks. After they’re gone, you probably have to react and grab your favorite defense before round 11 if you want an elite one. The Texans, 49ers and Bears are my top choices after Seattle.

If you’re looking for value and like to go defense/kicker to end your drafts like I often do, you’ll be just fine taking the Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings or New York Giants. None of these defenses are as reliable as the elite ones, but they all should be solid from an overall stand-point and will be decent weekly starting units.

That does it for our latest ADP report. Be sure to follow us on Google+ and Like us on Facebook to get our latest analysis for the 2013 fantasy football season!

The post 2013 Fantasy Football ADP: Finding Fantasy Value in Mid-June appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – Fox Sports Arizona

In an appearance on the NFL Network early Wednesday morning, new Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians (and his hat) confirmed that newcomer Rashard Mendenhall is his team’s starting running back.

Mendenhall and Arians were together with the Pittsburgh Steelers when the team went all the way to the Super Bowl in 2010, so there’s a history here. The running back has endured injury problems throughout his career, including Achilles tendinitis that limited him severely last season. The former first-round pick out of Illinois signed with the Cardinals as a free agent in March, and is still just 26.

Mendenhall was brought in to compete for the position with youngsters Ryan Williams, Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington. Williams will be entering his third season, although injuries have kept him off the field for the majority of his first two. Williams missed the entire 2011 season, and played in just five games last year. Taylor and Ellington are rookies.

Arizona ranked dead-last in the NFL last season in team rushing yardage per game, so, obviously, the only way they can go is up from there. The brick-footed Beanie Wells was the primary rusher, so that likely explains all you need to know about that number.

Mendenhall was tremendous in 2011, rushing for nearly 1,300 yards with 13 touchdowns for the Steelers. So, if he’s healthy, which Arians says he is, can he get back to that point of productivity for the Cardinals?

Things will look quite a bit differently this season offensively for Arizona, which can only be a good thing. Gone is the quarterback rotation of doom featuring the likes of Kevin Kolb, John Skelton et al. They acquired veteran Carson Palmer via trade with the Raiders to come in and be the starter.

While Palmer isn’t great, he’s certainly better than the spares they were trotting out at that position a year ago. The talent surrounding Larry Fitzgerald also appears better, with former Notre Dame standout Michael Floyd entering his second season, along with the decent Andre Roberts and potential draft steal Ryan Swope.

So, if the Cardinals’ passing attack improves, which it likely will, that should open more things up for Mendenhall and the ground game.

Arians went so far as to label Mendenhall as an “every-down player”, which seems to insinuate that this likely won’t be some kind of dual-back/platoon system the Cardinals will be using. So, if that’s the case, that obviously bodes well for Mendenhall’s potential fantasy impact.

As we saw in ’11, he’s capable of putting up RB1 numbers. A torn ACL following that season has derailed his career to this point, but Arizona seems quite confident that he’s back to being the player he was on track to being.

Obviously, we’re going to have to see the positive signs before signing-off on you drafting him high and slotting him in as one of your weekly starting running backs. If he shows flashes of his old explosiveness in preseason, his draft stock will continue to improve.

As someone that had Mendenhall during that magical 2011 season, I’m a fan of his work, so I’m optimistic here.

There aren’t many running backs in the league anymore that get the lion’s share of their team’s carries, so Mendy is a potential gem if all goes according to plan. Arizona does have one of the sketchier offensive lines in the league, though, so keep that in mind before you lose your mind and draft him in round two or something crazy.

The post Rashard Mendenhall 2013 Fantasy Football Outlook appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – Football Schedule

The arrival of Jim Harbaugh in 2011 was probably the greatest thing that could have happened to the San Francisco 49ers after years of decline in the post-Joe Montana and Jerry Rice era. Before Harbaugh became the new head coach, 49ers players not named Frank Gore or Vernon Davis were practically worthless in fantasy. Now, San Francisco’s players are among the coveted fantasy assets to own going into 2013.

Since Harbaugh took over, the 49ers have made it two consecutive NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance, their first since 1994. After a heartbreaking loss to the Giants, the Niners beat the Falcons at the Georgia Dome to set up a meeting with Jim’s brother John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens for the Super Bowl title. San Francisco fell early and almost rallied, but ended up coming short of winning the Lombardi Trophy. Nonetheless, the successes the 49ers have had in the Jim Harbaugh era thus far make them favorites to win it all in 2013.

Let’s break down the San Francisco 49ers’ fantasy team outlook for 2013:

Colin Kaepernick (Quarterback)

Arguably the best quarterback in his entire class, Colin Kaepernick has a vast toolkit of intangible that combines all the skills of Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, and Andrew Luck into one. There are very few athletic quarterbacks with a strong arm who can throw the ball accurately in this year’s draft. His speed and strength put on display whenever the Niners ran the read-option made him look unstoppable in the playoffs. Kaepernick is probably the most explosive dual-threat QB in the league, which gives him huge fantasy upside.

Only two things concern me about him. One is the injury risk that he is given he is a quarterback that loves to scramble and make huge runs. Two is the fact that without Michael Crabtree, Kaepernick won’t have anyone to throw his deep ball down the field to this year. Regardless, he is still a top 10 fantasy quarterback that has huge upside because of his running plays that mightily contribute to an offense that ranked 3^rd in rushing last year.

Frank Gore (Running back)

The former Miami Hurricane has often been asked about his health, but after playing 16 straight games for the second year, Frank Gore has dismissed any concern about his availability on the field. Gore has never been the most electrifying RB to play the game nor has he ever made the sexiest plays as a Niner, but his consistent production is unreal for someone going into his 9^th year in the league. Even at age 30, Gore is still getting plenty of touches as he ranked 12^th last year in rushing attempts among RBs. It helps to have the best offensive line in the NFL to give you plenty of room.

Gore is no speed demon, but he always finds the spaces to make big plays. As a fantasy owner who had him last year at my No. 2 RB spot, all I have to say is that you’d be hard pressed to find a more consistent producer week to week than Frank Gore. He’s a top 15 fantasy RB who I think can put up RB1 numbers this year, but he’ll probably be drafted as your second back. Nonetheless, Gore is a bigger drive for that San Francisco offense than people give him credit for.

Kendall Hunter (Running back)

Kendall Hunter was having tremendous year for a back in his second year before he tore his Achilles tendon just before the playoffs. He’ll probably be back by training camp, but recovery from such a severe injury is never a good sign in fantasy. The emergence of LaMichael James last year only makes his situation even more complicated. It’s no longer safe to say that Hunter is the clear No.2 RB on the 49ers, and if he comes back healthy, splitting carries with James is the likely scenario.

Even when James was out of the picture, Hunter wasn’t getting as many touches as we expected, and Kaepernick’s presence under center reduces the need for his immediate return. In most standard leagues, Hunter shouldn’t be drafted, but he could be a viable option in deeper leagues as he is a decent runner when healthy. However, as long as Gore is healthy, Hunter probably isn’t getting many touches.

 LaMichael James (Running back)

LaMichael James really came alive in the Niners offense during the second half of the season after Kendall Hunter was placed on IR. James really turned it on against the New England Patriots with a 62 yard kickoff return to help set up what ended up being the game-winning drive for the 49ers after the Pats rallied from a huge deficit early on. He was also a spark for the Niners in the playoffs, scoring against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

By averaging 5.0 yards a carry in December and January, he proved he could be an asset in the running game for someone who is 5’9”. He probably won’t have this kind of streak regularly in 2013 when Hunter comes back, but he still remains fantasy worthy in the return game. However, unless Gore gets down, he won’t get many touches either and will probably end up splitting carries with Hunter in a platoon.

Michael Crabtree (Wide receiver)

Unfortunately, for Michael Crabtree, his Achilles injury will keep him out of action for most of the regular season. He could recover and be healthy for the fantasy playoffs, but that’s still a big question mark moving forward. Unless your league has IR spots on your roster for you to use, Crabtree has no fantasy value and shouldn’t be touched at all during the draft.

Anquan Boldin (Wide receiver)

Before exploding in the playoffs last year, Anquan Boldin didn’t put up anything close to great numbers during the regular season. During his last two seasons as a Raven, Boldin never caught for more than 1,000 yards and scored only 7 touchdowns. He is still a pretty solid receiver coming out of the slot, and will probably see some more targets with Crabtree out of the picture. However, his upside is pretty limited, and calling him anything better than a flex is a risky play. On the other hand, he has a more accurate quarterback this time around, which might keep his numbers solid this year, but this is still a pretty optimistic stretch.

A.J. Jenkins and Quinton Patton (Wide receivers)

Both of these guys are both young and unproven receivers with great potential, so they’re practically the same from a fantasy perspective. Jenkins is a solid straight line runner who has natural receiving skills, while Patton is an athletic receiver who also has nice hands. Although Patton can return punts or kicks, it’s difficult to say which of these two has the more upside. Regardless, as of now, they both have little to no fantasy value whatsoever, but either one definitely has the potential to be fantasy relevant. Keep an eye on the 49ers training camp and preseason to monitor their progress, but don’t feel the need to draft them. The better of the two will probably be the WR3, and they’ll both probably be on the waiver wire if you want them.

Mario Manningham (Wide receiver)

Steer clear of Super Mario until he completely recovers from his injuries to multiple ligaments. Manningham has reportedly started to run and cut again, but he’s taking it slow. Since the Niners won’t rush his recovery, he’ll probably start the season on the PUP list.

Vernon Davis (Tight end)

Vernon Davis had a horrendous 2012 regular season, catching far shorter than he had the past three seasons. His numbers took a dive after Colin Kaepernick became the starting quarterback for the Niners. However, during the playoffs, Davis came alive and had 100+ yard receiving games in the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl. It’s fair to expect that Kaepernick will develop a rapport and more chemistry with Davis, but it may not be safe to say that Davis is a clear fantasy starter. Being the fastest pass catcher on the team, Davis will probably bounce back, but he has to prove he’s among the elites at his position.

Vance McDonald (Tight end)

Drafted in the second round (55^th overall), the Niners are hoping Vance McDonald will be a solid replacement for Delanie Walker after he joined the Tennessee Titans during the offseason. At Rice, McDonald showed his versatility as a decent inline blocker and solid slot receiver, making him a good fit for a 49ers offense that relies heavily on multiple tight ends. McDonald is a fantasy sleeper and a TE2 for now assuming Davis stays healthy. He’ll be plenty involved  in the offense, but you have to wait and see what his exact role will be before taking a chance on him.

49ers Team Defense/Special Teams

San Francisco’s defense didn’t force as many turnovers in 2012 as they it did in 2011, but still ranked inside the top five in both passing and rushing yards allowed. The 49ers also ranked 2^nd in points allowed. This vaunted defense led by Justin and Aldon Smith continues to be one of the most elite units in the NFL. The loss of Dashon Goldson at safety might a hurt a bit, but Jim Harbaugh has confidence that rookie Eric Reid is capable of filling that void. San Francisco is simply the best defensive team right now along with Seattle.

Phil Dawson (Kicker)

After many seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Phil Dawson finally joins a team with a dangerous offense. Last year, at age 37, he converted a league high 94% of his field goal attempts. The Niners took a whooping 42 field goal attempts last year, making Dawson a valuable fantasy asset and a possible fantasy star in 2013.

The post San Francisco 49ers: 2013 Fantasy Team Outlook appeared first on NFL Soup.

Johnson, 35, had been in court for failing to meet with his probation officer for three straight months regarding the domestic incident last summer. After signing with the Miami Dolphins in 2012, he was arrested for battery for head butting his wife, Evelyn Lozada, and subsequently cut by the organization. Now that he is free, Johnson will have to perform 25 mandatory hours of community service and attend additional domestic violence counseling sessions.

The six-time Pro Bowler has already said he will comply with all the conditions of his probation in the hopes of resurrecting his NFL career after playing eleven years with the Cincinnati Bengals, and one year with the New England Patriots. Despite no longer being active, Johnson still holds many Bengals franchise records, which includes most receiving yards all time (10,507) and most receptions (751).

Johnson remains a free agent and still believes he deserves another chance with a professional team even though it is clear that he has struggled in proving himself through his recent actions. Hopefully, teams recognize the talent he brings to the table and take a risk on the former pro-star.

The post Chad Johnson Released From Jail After One Week appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – DFL Admin

According to several outlets including Sports Illustrated and ABC News, New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been interviewed Tuesday in connection with a homicide probe in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

A local newspaper, The Sun Chronicle, is reporting that a 27-year-old area man’s body was found Monday at a local park less than a mile from Hernandez’s home. A car rented in Hernandez’s name was also found in the area, and is believed to be connected in some way to the man’s death.

There have been no comments made by Hernandez or anyone around him, but reports are coming out this afternoon indicating that the tight end is “not being cooperative” in the investigation. However, he’s not considered a murder suspect, either.

Sports Illustrated reports that police have interviewed Hernandez and are in the process of searching his home, as well. The deceased man has been described as an “associate” of the player.

Considering how many questions remain, it’s tough to comment further on what exactly is going on. So, stay tuned for any developments.

The post Aaron Hernandez Involved in Homicide Investigation appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – Kam Lutz

According to CSNChicago.com, Devin Hester’s days as the Bears’ primary return man may be numbered.

Chicago’s brand new head coach, Marc Trestman, reportedly said last week that Hester, a four-time All-Pro and three-time Pro-Bowler, is “competing” for the job as the Bears’ No. 1 kick returner.

Hester is regarded by some as the most prolific kick returner in the history of the league, having scored on 17 kickoffs and punts combined in his seven years as a pro. He holds the all-time NFL record for most combined kicks and punts returned for touchdowns.

He didn’t return a kick for a touchdown at all in 2012, but did score a total of three in the 2011 season. Hester is now 30, and has a base salary of $1.85 million for next season.

That salary is far from crippling, especially considering how potent and unique a weapon he’s shown he can be. However, if he’s beaten-out for job as primary return man, there’s little reason to keep him around as a receiver, considering his relative ineffectiveness in that role throughout his career.

His best statistical season as a pass-catcher came in 2009 when he caught 57 passes for 757 yards and three touchdowns. He’s actually scored three more times as a returner than as a receiver in his career.

Should the Bears look to get him out of town, they’d likely seek a trade initially, so as to keep him away from teams within the division, as Pro Football Talk notes.

As we’ve seen recently, it’s not impossible to find capable, cheap kick returners on the open market.

Just last season, the Denver Broncos plucked tiny Trindon Holliday off the free agent wire after he was released by the Texans a few weeks into the season. He returned two kicks for TDs for the Broncos in 12 regular season games, and scored twice more against the Ravens in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, as well.

The post Devin Hester on His Way Out of Chicago? appeared first on NFL Soup.

Destiny and fate had a lot to do with last season. It just seemed like the football gods wanted Ray Lewis to go out on top and for Flacco to finally get some credit that he ultimately deserved. At times, you just can’t explain things; they just happen.

This year, the Broncos look even better and more potent than they did last year. They key addition being Wes Welker at WR. It doesn’t look like the Broncos will be stopped. It’s NFL predictions time. Here are my top reasons to bank on the Broncos winning it all in 2013.

QB Peyton Manning

You know, I know and everyone knows this guy is one of the best to ever play the game. His football IQ is off the charts. It’s like having your offensive coordinator playing quarterback. Manning instantly made the Broncos a contender by himself. He makes everyone around him better.

Probably one of the most overlooked advantages to having Peyton Manning as your quarterback is that by having him on the field you’re playing you’re best defense. If you have the ball, it’s unlikely the other team will score, correct? It’s one of the most overlooked parts of Manning. He gets first downs, moves the ball and manages the game. That systematic approach is the best advantage the Broncos have over any other team.

The Addition of Wes Welker

Wes Welker is an over-the-middle reception machine. Welker is a master at understanding coverage and being able to adjust his route. He understands the holes in zone coverage and just seems to be where he NEEDS to be to make a big play. He’s also tough and durable and has no problem doing the dirty work of going across the middle. He’s made a living at it with the Patriots and figures to be even more potent with Manning. The group of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker will be lethal to NFL defenses this season.

Also, while the Broncos get stronger with Welker so the Patriots lose one of their biggest assets. It’s one thing when a conference rival loses a key component; but adding that component to your own team is absolutely huge!

Depth at Running Back

Last season, the Broncos suffered some setbacks at RB due to injury. This season, they will be pretty well stocked and insured. The Brocos got younger and better via the draft with their pick of Monte Ball from Wisconsin. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a rookie but Ball should be in line to get the bulk of the workload. Knowshon Moreno and Ronnie Hillman also figure to spell time and work as well. The fresh legs of Ball and the experience of Moreno and Hillman make Denver’s backfield pretty promising. If they decide on a rotation amongst their RB’s, Denver could have the most rested and healed group backs heading into the playoffs. That’s a huge advantage.

AFC West Domination

Let’s face it; the AFC West division is owned by the Broncos. They went 6-0 vs. their division last season. The Chiefs are rebuilding under new coach Andy Reid. The Raiders always have talent but are such a mess that they can’t put it together. The Chargers would be the biggest threat and have talent but have a new coach this season so we just aren’t sure how to take them yet. The Broncos are not only the best on paper in their division, but they are the most fundamentally rooted. They don’t have nearly the question marks that every other team in the division has. It’s an almost guaranteed 6 wins just from playing in the AFC West. That realistically puts you half way to the #1 seed in the AFC. Advantage Broncos!

Redemption

As much as you might hear that last year is behind them, the Broncos remember how last year ended in the playoffs. You don’t just forget losing in the playoffs on a 70-yard bomb in your own house. The taste is still extremely bitter and don’t think for a second that Head Coach John Fox and QB Peyton Manning aren’t going to use that as bulletin board and motivation material.

Watch out NFL….the Denver Broncos are for real!

The post 2013 NFL Predictions: Why the Denver Broncos Will Win the 2014 Super Bowl appeared first on NFL Soup.

Photo Credit – Football Schedule

It is still shocking to me how the Denver Broncos ended the 2012 season in the divisional round of the playoffs. After going 13-3 in the regular season, Peyton Manning and the Broncos looked to be destined for the Super Bowl. I still can’t believe that Denver defenders Tony Carter and Rahim Moore could both let Jacoby Jones behind them for a 70-yard touchdown.

As much as the Denver Broncos say they may have put that play behind them, you know it’s going to linger. It’s there, but Peyton Manning is the type of QB who will lead his team through adversity and keep them navigated in the right direction. He was fantastic this year and could be even better this year; as hard as that is to imagine.

The big difference was acquired this offseason in Wes Welker. This is a two-fold positive for the Broncos. Not only will Welker be another solid weapon along side Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker but the Denver Broncos’ biggest threat, the Patriots, DO NOT have Welker. It’s a double positive for the Broncos; and on paper they look unstoppable.

With that, let’s take a look at just how unstoppable the Denver Broncos are in fantasy football:

Peyton Manning (Quarterback)

Many questions surrounded Peyton Manning and his status after major neck surgery. And all those questions were quickly dismissed after Manning looked like he never skipped a beat. Manning played in all 16 games, threw for over 4,600 yards and threw 37 TD’s. Monster numbers.

No doubt in my mind that Peyton Manning picks up right where he left off; Especially when you figure in the addition of Wes Welker. Peyton is a fantasy stud for 2013!

Monte Ball (Running Back)

Ball is a rookie and was drafted out of Wisconsin in the 2013 draft. Ball figures to get a realistic shot at the starting job. He’s a downhill runner with breakaway ability. He’s also surprisingly fast if he gets through the line. He’s also very agile and can “pinball” his way to a 15 yard gain. His yards-after-contact are impressive.

Denver’s backfield will be something to be sorted out as they have quite a few on the roster. It’s tough to guage at this point but Denver’s backfied will be one big commitee that will have to be sorted out. Training camp figures to give us the best indication. As of now, though he looks to be the starter, I would put Ball at mid RB2 status.

Knowshon Moreno (Running Back)

Moreno is a talented back but has been set back by injury. He only played in 8 games last season but still figures to be in the mix. Moreno would figure to be a better receiving back and situational guy for Denver. But he’s also an insurance policy with experience. Ball figures to get the workload and you’ll have to use training camp as a guage for value.

Ronnie Hillman (Running Back)

Hillman got attempts in 14 games last season and showed some flash and promise in a few of those. As Ball and Moreno figure to get the bulk of the work, Hillman will be a situational guy and insurance policy for Denver as well. He’s worth noting since he’s on a high power offense team. So if one guy goes down, Hillman would be a top waiver pickup.

Demaryius Thomas (Wide Receiver)

Last season, his first with Peyton Manning as his QB, Thomas had 94 receptions for 1,434 yards and 10 TD’s. It was an incredible start to the tandem of Manning and Thomas.

Thomas has incredible value this year. If you look at what he and Manning put together in their first season imagine what they can do in a follow-up now that they have worked with each other and have timing down. The only question I have is whether the addition of Wes Welker hurts or helps Thomas. My take is that Thomas will probably drop in receptions and yards but rise in TD’s. With Thomas probably seeing more one-on-one coverage, I like his redzone value a lot. Definite WR1!

Wes Welker (Wide Receiver)

As he’s been Tom Brady’s security blanket in the success of the Patriots’ offense you would have to figure that Welker assumes that role for Peyton Manning. Welker figures to be the slot man to go over the middle and be a reception machine. You know, I know and the world knows that Manning to Welker is just going to get redundant. Welker is an all-day WR1 in ppr formats and a solid WR2 in standard formats!

Eric Decker (Wide Receiver)

Decker turned out to be a 1,000 yard receiver working with Manning. Decker’s stock rose early on last season and was a big waiver pickup. Decker could figure to be even more productive as the addition of Wes Welker figures to give Decker the opportunity to beat single-coverage all game. Decker had 85 receptions and 13 TD’s last season. He seems to have a good sync with Manning and could have an even better year than last year. I’d slot Decker as a high WR2.

Joel Dreessen/Jacob Tamme (Tight Ends)

I’m putting Dreessen and Tamme in the same slot here for two reasons. First, both guys are pretty interchangable. Dreessen would figure to be the starter as a better run blocker. However, with the three solid wide receivers Denver has, I find it difficult to find targets for either tight end. I agree that defenses could be so caught up with Denvers’ three WR’s that Dreessen and Tamme could get easy looks but Manning is a “progression” guy. And in his read progression the TE will usually be last for a look. If a guy is slightly open, Manning throws it in.

Your value with Denver’s TE’s will be in the redzone. If they become popular with Manning in that area, and become TD vultures, then I’d consider them. Otherwise, to me, these guys aren’t going to see a ton of targets and production.

Broncos Defense/Special Teams

Denver was second in the league last year in total net yards against at 290 yards per game. Breaking it down more, Denver was third in rushing defense and 6th in passing defense. However, Denver was a -1 in the giveaway/takeaway category. Somewhat surprising to me. Last season, Denver did not allow over 25 points in any game. They force punts not takeaways.

What’s to really like about Denver is playing the Chiefs and Raiders twice. Denver allowed a combined 33 points in those 4 games last year. Now, I’m not calling those games cupcakes but Denver did go 6-0 in the AFC West last year. Also, it’s worth noting that the best kind of defense is when you offense is on the field. And with Peyton Manning, that’s a ton! They’re a good defens eto have but won’t get you a ton of points.

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