2015 Fantasy Football Preview: Quarterbacks

            We finish our fantasy football preview with a look at quarterbacks.

Tier-1 = Expensive Investments

 

A.Rodgers, GB

A.Luck, IND

            Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck are really good at quarterbacking in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. We enjoy watching them play. However, the cost to own them in standard drafts or auction is too rich for our blood. Using a second round pick on them means your passing up the chance for a stud runningback or receiver. The only chance I end up with one of these two on any of my rosters on draft day is if they are available in the third round.

Tier-2 = It’s the Water

 

R.Wilson, SEA

B.Roethlisberger, PIT

            Neither Wilson or Roethlisberger got enough credit last year for how productive they were last year for fantasy owners, but they are finally getting the respect the deserve with their current average draft price ending up in the fourth round (third round in 12 team leagues or larger). I’m not likely to choose either of them, unless I’ve already filled my starting RB slots within my first three picks.

Tier-3 = Priced to Sell

 

C.Newton, CAR

M.Ryan, ATL

T.Romo, DAL

            This is the tier I want my QB to come from on draft day. Cam Newton is one of the few quarterbacks who is “receiver proof”, meaning he could lose virtually any piece of his receiving core and still maintain the same value. The loss of Kelvin Benjamin doesn’t scare us at all, and if it means he ends up with 800 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on the ground, it could boost his fantasy value. Matt Ryan should benefit from an improved offensive line, and should be in the running to lead the league in passing yardage. Tony Romo will have more opportunities to throw with DeMarco Murray in Philly, which isn’t a bad thing considering the talent on the Cowboys offensive line.

Tier-4 = Old Farts

P.Manning, DEN

D.Brees, NO

            Both of these guys are going before the guys in the previous tier in Yahoo drafts, but that doesn’t mean we have to rate them higher here. Both are entering the twilights of their career, and we’d rather bail out a year early than a year late. Brees might have the fewest pass attempts he’s ever had since joining New Orleans in 2006, and his upside is limited even more with Jimmy Graham out of town. Manning still has tons of weapons at his disposal, but Denver also will shift to a more run heavy approach to ensure Peyton is healthy for the playoffs.

Tier-5 = High-End Platoon Partners

E.Manning, NYG

R.Tannehill, MIA

P.Rivers, SD

            By our ranks, these three guys will be starting quarterbacks in 12-team leagues. That’s okay for us, but we’d probably use another pick on a back up to avoid unfavorable match-ups.

Tier-6 = Deflator!

T.Brady, NE

            It’s two weeks before opening night, and incredibly we still don’t have any idea what Brady’s final punishment will be (good job by you Goodell!). Even if Brady were to start Week 1, there are reasons to downgrade him in fantasy leagues. We’ll use snazzy bullet points.

-         Ryan Tannehill scored more fantasy points last year than Tom Brady.

-         Seriously, Ryan Tannehill, the guy that couldn’t even complete 25% of his passes that traveled more than 20 yards in the air last year.

-         With apologies to Julian Edelman, there still isn’t an elite wide receiver on the Patriots roster.

-         We covered it during our Tight End preview, but it bears repeating…do you like Rob Gronkowski’s chances of staying healthy for a second straight season?

-         LeGarrette Blount is in the fold early this year, which means the Pats could pound the ball on the ground even more this season.

For all those reasons, we’ll probably not have Brady on any of our fantasy rosters this year, unless we’ve filled up our starting QB-RB-WR slots and he’s available in the seventh round.

Tier-7 = Low-End (With Upside) Platoon Partners

C.Kaepernick, SF

J.Flacco, BAL

T.Bridgewater, MIN

M.Stafford, DET

            If you’re a crazy person who plays in a league that starts two QBs every week, these guys are the ones I want as my second quarterbacks. We still have a soft spot for Kaepernick, who is a strong bounce back candidate this year. The 49ers defense won’t be nearly as stout as it has been the past few years, meaning Kaepernick will have more opportunities to deliver. In real life we’re not sure Joe Flacco is a great fit for Marc Trestman’s style of offense, but the volume should translate to fantasy stats (it worked for Jay Cutler and Josh McCown!). Teddy Bridgewater is our favorite quarterback out of this group. The Vikings have weapons all over the place, and Bridgewater’s efficiency could deliver a Russell Wilson-esque stat line.

Tier-8 = Bye Week Waiver Wire Dudes

S.Bradford, PHI

N.Foles, STL

R.Griffin III, WAS

C.Palmer, ARI

J.Cutler, CHI

A.Dalton, CIN

            None of these guys should be drafted in standard leagues with 12 teams or less, but this will likely be the best options you have when your starting QB is on a bye. Sam Bradford has the highest ceiling of this tier, but we need to see him get through at least one month of regular season play before we endorse him.

Tier-9 = Young Guns

J.Winson, TB

D.Carr, OAK

B.Bortles, JAC

M.Mariotta, TEN

            Here are our favorite options for those of you playing in keeper or dynasty leagues. We expect all four to have their moments (even Bortles, we like the Jags receiving core), but they will not be start-able on a weekly basis.

Tier-10 = We Only Included Them So We Could Rank 30 QBs

A.Smith, KC

B.Hoyer, HOU

R.Fitzpatrick, NYJ

            If one of these three are starting at any point during your fantasy season, something went terribly wrong.

Week 9 NFL Thoughts

            We’re still banning ourselves from picking all but one game this week, but we’re once again running some extended pre-game thoughts you can chew on before 1pm (Eastern) tomorrow.

This Might Be the Most Crowded “Least Valuable Fantasy Player” Field Ever

            For grins and giggles, let’s run through the candidates as chosen from anyone who on average, was chosen within the first 30 picks in Yahoo fantasy leagues.

1. LeSean McCoy (average pick 1.4) – He’s been healthy, but has only scored one touchdown during his first seven games of the year.
2. Adrian Peterson (3.5) – I don’t think we need to revisit his story again.
3. Eddie Lacy (5.6) – Lacy is on pace for 856 rushing yards, which isn’t what you’re looking for with the fifth pick.
4. Calvin Johnson (6.2) – This one is injury related, but Megatron should have ample opportunity to redeem himself if you were able to keep your team in playoff contention while he’s been absent.
5. A.J. Green (12.5) – Ditto.
6. Montee Ball (12.8) – If you drafted your team the old fashioned way, there’s a good chance Ball was your second round pick. He was mediocre before getting hurt, and now will be second on the depth chart after Ronnie Hillman has taken the Broncos offense to another level.
7. Zac Stacy (28.4) - Drafted near the end of the third round, Stacy can be found on numerous waiver wires across the country. After averaging less than four yards per carry in 2013, we should’ve seen this coming.
8. Doug Martin (30.4) – Widely considered a bounce back candidate this season, Martin has been an unmitigated disaster. Selfishly, he’s my choice for this award as I invested in him in not one, but two leagues this year.

         This debate would be much more fun if Peterson wasn’t involved, as he clearly dominates the category. Regardless, it hasn’t been a fun year of fantasy football.

Cardinals (+2.5) over COWBOYS

            We really should sit Romo for this game to ensure we have him healthy for the stretch run. Arizona runs some of the best blitz packages in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, and we’re asking for a season ending injury if toss Romo out there. I’d play Weeden, pound the rock with Murray, and hope Carson Palmer throws four interceptions.

Manning vs. Brady Never Gets Old

            The modern day equivalent of Bird vs. Magic, it’s important to treat every match-up between these two future Hall of Famers as their last. We like Denver to win Sunday not because of Manning, but because of the Broncos dynamic pass-rush duo. We saw how much trouble the Patriots had with the Chiefs earlier this season, and Denver can offer up a similar threat with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.

Ben Roethlisberger is the Most Underrated QB in Football

            Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings, won another AFC title, and just became the first person on planet Earth to throw for over 500 yards in two NFL games. He’s a damn good quarterback who doesn’t get nearly enough credit from anyone except Jim Nantz.

We Don’t Like any Double Digit Underdogs This Week

            If I had to choose one this week, I guess I’d give St. Louis a fighting chance in San Francisco.

I Have No Idea Who is Going to Make the Super Bowl

            Parody has been a big deal for a long time now in the NFL, but I can’t remember a season where there was one dominant team and about ten others with a punchers chance at making a Super Bowl run. The playoffs will truly be a complete crapshoot.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (10/17-10/19)

10. Carmelo Anthony Claims It’s Unlikely He’ll Win Scoring Title in Triangle Offense

            Apparently, he’s never heard of Michael fucking Jordan.

9. NBA Tests 44 Minute Game During Celtics-Nets Preseason Tilt

            We’re all for things taking less time, so kudos to the most progressive league in American sports for giving this a try.

8. Penguins Right Winger Patric Hornqvist Puts Up 2 Goals, 1 Assist, and 12 Shots Against the Islanders
            Yours truly is very happy to employ Hornqvist on both of his fantasy hockey clubs this season.

7. Detroit Rallies, Defeats New Orleans
            Like the majority of the league, the Lions have been incredibly up and down on a week-to-week basis, but if they continue to tread water while Megatron gets healthy, they’ll be poised for a deep playoff run in the NFC.

6. Star Players Deliver For Dallas

            DeMarco Murray broke Jim Brown’s record for the most consecutive 100-yard rushing games to start a season. Dez Bryant dominated the Giants secondary in the second half. Both of their efforts contributed to another efficient performance by Tony Romo. It would have been easy for the Cowboys to have a let down after their stunning win in Seattle, but kudos to them for taking care of business in an important division game.

           

5. Florida State Wins Thriller Over Notre Dame

            We’re on board with Jameis Winston and the hate-able Florida State Seminoles. As flawed as they may be, they are the best hope at preventing the SEC from winning a national title.

4. Aided By Awful Call, Rams Earn Upset Win Over Seattle

            This game might have been the best representation of how messed up the NFL is this year.

           

3. Jimmie Johnson Will Not Win a Seventh Title This Year

2. Brad Keselowski Delivers

            It’s a close call on which one of these results gave us more joy, but we’ll give a narrow edge to Johnson being eliminated from championship contention.

1. Peyton Manning Sets All-Time Touchdown Pass Mark

            In case you were wondering, Peyton Manning is really good at football. Even more important in relation to the 2014 Denver Broncos, they are clearly the class of the league.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (10/3-10/5)

10. The Patriots Aren’t Dead

            So quit your bitching New England.

9. Arizona State Drops USC With Last Second Hail Mary

            Cue video!

8. Matt Kemp Delivers Game 2 Win for Los Angeles
            After Clayton Kershaw was rocked in Game 1, the Dodgers needed someone to make a play to even the series. Kemp delivered with an eighth inning dinger.

7. Orioles, Royals Punch Tickets to ALCS
            This might be the first playoff series that I will legitimately be rooting for both teams to win.

6. Cowboys Blow a 10-Point Fourth Quarter Lead, Still Win in Overtime

            Rough estimates by our crack research staff say that Dallas has lost in this exact scenario roughly 300 times in the last decade. Funny things are happening Big D.

           

5. Peyton Manning Tosses 500^th Career Touchdown

            Nothing else to do here other than tip your cap and say “Omaha”.

4. Cleveland Browns Successfully Complete Largest Road Comeback in NFL History

            Reportedly, it will still count even though it occurred against the Titans.

           

3. Mississippi State Routs Texas A&M  

2. Ole Miss Shocks Alabama

            Saturday may have been the greatest day in the history of Mississippi.

 1. San Francisco Giants Win Longest Postseason Game Ever

            In a game where there were more innings played (18) than hits (17), No Credentials was desperately hoping a shipment of HGH could be split among both clubhouses. Surprisingly, Washington was able to bounce back from this soul crushing defeat to win Game 3.

2014 AFC West Preview

4. Oakland Raiders

2013 Record = 4-12, Last in AFC West, Missed Playoffs

2014 Schedule = @ Jets, Texans, @ Patriots, Dolphins, BYE, Chargers, Cardinals, @ Browns, @ Seahawks, Broncos, @ Chargers, Chiefs, @ Rams, 49ers, @ Chiefs, Bills, @ Broncos

Blue Chippers = None

High Quality Players = FB Marcel Reece

Solid Contributors = WR James Jones, LT Donald Penn, C Stefen Wisniewski, DE LaMarr Woodley, DE Justin Tuck, DT Antonio Smith, CB Tarell Brown, SS Tyvon Branch

Impact Rookies = OLB Khalil Mack (1-5, Buffalo)

Good News = They’ve shed almost all of their dead contracts, giving them salary cap flexibility for the first time since the Jon Gruden era.

Bad News = In an anonymous player poll, Oakland was voted as the least desirable team to play for in the league.

Outlook = If the Raiders didn’t face such a hellacious schedule in 2014, we’d be a little more enthusiastic about their chances to reach .500 this year. As it stands, it’s an improved roster with plenty of long-term flexibility going forward. Matt Schaub was brought in to start the season at quarterback, but don’t be shocked if Derek Carr is the one who finishes it. Carr showed a much higher ceiling during the pre-season before suffering a concussion last Friday against Detroit. Against all odds, Darren McFadden resigned on a one-year prove it deal, and he’ll share carries with Jaguars castoff Maurice Jones-Drew. Perhaps if they start the year splitting carries, maybe one of them will still be healthy at the end of the year. The receiving core is interesting, but we aren’t confident that the current quarterback situation will be able to take advantage of it. James Jones was signed from Green Bay, and he provides a solid deep threat. Rod Streeter hauled in 60 passes last year (a lot of them from Matt McGloin!), and Denarius Moore has shown flashes of big play ability. The Raiders most intriguing offensive player is tight end Mychal Rivera, who after being drafted in the sixth round last year, will get the opportunity for full-time work this year. Oakland’s offensive line will feature four new starters, and the ability of that group to develop chemistry will be the biggest factor in the Raiders being a competent offensive club.

            Defensively is where the Raiders should plan to hang their hat this year, as the majority of their off-season moves were made to improve a unit that gave up the second most points in franchise history. Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, and Antonio Smith were all solid free agent pickups that immediately improve their defense. Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers were brought over from across the Bay to bolster a defense that was the fifth worst in the NFL. Tyvon Branch only played two games last year, so his return to health will also provide a lift. The linebacking core is the weakest link of the group, with Khalil Mack needing to provide an immediate lift.

Prediction = The record will still stink, but at least the Raiders are moving in the right direction. 4-12

 3. Kansas City Chiefs

2013 Record = 11-5, Second in AFC West, Lost AFC Wildcard Game

2014 Schedule = Titans, @ Broncos, @ Dolphins, Patriots, @ 49ers, BYE, @ Chargers, Rams, Jets, @ Bills, Seahawks, @ Raiders, Broncos, @ Cardinals, Raiders, @ Steelers, Chargers

Blue Chippers = HB Jamaal Charles, DT Dontari Poe

High Quality Players = MLB Derrick Johnson, OLB Justin Houston, OLB Tamba Hali, SS Eric Berry

Solid Contributors = WR Dwayne Bowe, DE Mike DeVito

Impact Rookies = DE Dee Ford (1-23, Auburn)

Good News = Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are healthy to start the season.

Bad News = Can you say regression?

Outlook = Last year, Kansas City parlayed the good fortune of facing one of the weakest schedules in recent memory into a playoff appearance. This year, they aren’t so fortunate. With the exception of their road trip to Oakland, none of their away games are easy on paper. That would make running the table at home almost a requirement if they are to make a playoff push, but with Denver, New England, and Seattle coming to Arrowhead, that is also unlikely. How competitive they are will likely depend on how much star pass rushers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are on the field. When they are causing havoc, this is one of the elite defensive units in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

            The offense should’ve been called “Jamaal Charles and the Kansas City Chiefs” last year, because he literally put the team on his back. Charles led the team in rushing and receiving while piling up a league high 19 total touchdowns. His ability to be effective in the passing game keeps his fantasy value high in spite of the retooled offensive line he’ll be working with this year. Kansas City lost three starters from their line last year, and desperately need Eric Fisher to emerge as a star in his first full season at left tackle. Carolina is the only team in the league that features a more pathetic core of wide receivers, as Dwayne Bowe looked washed up at times in 2013.

Prediction = Kansas City will struggle against the NFC West, which will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for their playoff hopes. 7-9

2. San Diego Chargers

2013 Record = 9-7, Third in AFC West, Lost AFC Divisional Game

2014 Schedule = @ Cardinals, Seahawks, @ Bills, Jaguars, Jets, @ Raiders, Chiefs, @ Broncos, @ Dolphins, BYE, Raiders, Rams, @ Ravens, Patriots, Broncos, @ 49ers, @ Chiefs

Blue Chippers = FS Eric Weddle

High Quality Players = QB Phillip Rivers, WR Keenan Allen

Solid Contributors = HB Ryan Matthews, HB Danny Woodhead, WR Malcolm Floyd, TE Antonio Gates, LT King Dunlap, C Nick Hardwick, RT D.J. Fluker, OLB Dwight Freeney, CB Brandon Flowers

Impact Rookies = CB Jason Verrett (1-25, TCU), OLB Jerry Attaochu (2-50, Georgia Tech)

Good News = Phillip Rivers has reestablished himself as a true franchise quarterback.

Bad News = San Diego still needs to prove it can be consistent week to week.

Outlook = The Chargers are one of the trendier dark horse picks in the AFC, and for good reason. Only division rival Denver generated more passing yards last year, and San Diego won five of their last six to sneak into the playoffs. The offense should still be very good, with depth across the board at all of the skill positions. If they can incorporate second-string tight end Ladarius Green into the rotation, the offense will become even more potent. Ryan Matthews wasn’t necessarily spectacular, but his surprising run of health provided stability in the running game. Keenan Allen was a sensation upon his insertion into the starting lineup, and should put up monster numbers with the chance to be featured for a full 16 games. Their offensive line was competent for the first time in years, and should take more steps forward with some progression by King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker.

            A porous pass defense is the main reason San Diego had to scratch and claw it’s way into a wildcard spot (they made Chiefs backup Chase McDaniel look like the second coming of Joe Montana in Week 17), but fortunately the Chargers were aggressive in addressing this weakness. Brandon Flowers was signed after he was released by Kansas City, and he will be paired with first round pick Jason Verrett in a rebuilt secondary. Jerry Attaochu will likely need to make a decent impact, because it’s hard to for see Dwight Freeney staying healthy the entire season.     

Prediction = San Diego will sneak up to 10 wins, but they still aren’t quite at Denver’s level yet. 10-6 

1. Denver Broncos

2013 Record = 13-3, AFC West Champions, Lost Super Bowl

2014 Schedule = Colts, Chiefs, @ Seahawks, BYE, Cardinals, @ Jets, 49ers, Chargers, @ Patriots, @ Raiders, @ Rams, Dolphins, @ Chiefs, Bills, @ Chargers, @ Bengals, Raiders

Blue Chippers = QB Peyton Manning, OLB Von Miller

High Quality Players = WR Demaryius Thomas, TE Julius Thomas, LT Ryan Clady, RG Louis Vasquez, DT Terrance Knighton, DE DeMarcus Ware, CB Aqib Talib, CB Chris Harris, SS T.J. Ward

Solid Contributors = WR Wes Welker, LG Orlando Franklin, C Manny Ramirez, OLB Danny Trevathan

Impact Rookies = CB Bradley Roby (1-31, Ohio State), WR Cody Latimer (2-56, Indiana)

Good News = On paper, no team did more to improve it’s defense during the off-season than Denver.

Bad News = They get a Super Bowl rematch in Week 3.

Outlook = After getting obliterated by Seattle in the Super Bowl last February, it’s easy to point out flaws in the Broncos, and even make a case that San Diego could overtake them in their own division. However, when you take a step back and look at the overall landscape in the AFC, it’s easy to see that they are by far the deepest team in the Conference. Ryan Clady’s return will stabilize the entire offensive line, and the addition of DeMarcus Ware provides another elite pass rusher to take some pressure off of Von Miller. What could be the difference if Denver is to win a Super Bowl could be the health of Wes Welker and Chris Harris. Welker has suffered three concussions in the last 10 months, and Harris developed into a shutdown corner before going down with a knee injury in the playoffs.

Prediction = With or without Welker this season, the offense is solid enough to win another AFC West title. 12-4

Click here to read about the AFC East

Click here to read about the NFC East

Click here to read about the AFC South

Click here to read about the NFC South

Click here to read about the AFC North

Click here to read about the NFC North

2014 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

            The tier system worked so well for my fantasy teams last year that we are breaking it out again for our 2014 Fantasy Football preview. As the off-season progresses these rankings will be updated on this page as necessary (quarterback should be the least volatile position, barring a catastrophic injury). We start at quarterback.

 

Tier 1 – The Sure Things

A.Rodgers, GB

P.Manning, DEN

D.Brees, NO

            Not a whole lot to say about these guys, other than barring injury, they are the surest bets on the board. We’ll rank Rodgers first because he’s the youngest, and provides some decent rushing stats that you won’t get out of Brees and Manning. I won’t get any of these quarterbacks in my re-draft leagues, but certainly wouldn’t mind acquiring one in an auction. If you do pay the price, don’t bother drafting a back up.

Tier 2 – The Next Best Things

C.Newton, CAR

A.Luck, IND

M.Ryan, ATL

M.Stafford, DET

            Cam Newton was in Tier-1 last season, but without Steve Smith his receiving pool is as shallow as it has ever been. That hasn’t bothered Newton before, but the uncertainty drops him from the third round a year ago to the fourth or fifth this year. This is probably the last year that Andrew Luck is not ranked in the top group for the next decade, while Stafford and Ryan are the best bets for piling up high volume passing totals. I’ll sign off on not having a back up on your initial roster if you end up with a player from this group, as that gives you the best combination of loading up on elite skill players early, and rolling the dice on late-round lottery tickets late.

 

Tier 3 – High Ceilings, Low Floors

C.Kaepernick, SF

P.Rivers, SD

N.Foles, PHI

T.Romo, DAL

R.Wilson, SEA

R.Griffin III, WAS

B.Roethlisberger, PIT

J.Cutler, CHI

T.Brady, NE

            Last year, our quarterbacks ranked seven through sixteen were split into three tiers, but this year they are all lumped in together. You could make a compelling case that any of these QBs could finish the year as a top-5 fantasy quarterback, and then immediately follow that with a strong argument that they could finish outside the top-20. Kaepernick is our favorite of this group, as he will have a vastly improved receiving core to work with than he did for the majority of last year. Robert Griffin III probably deserves his own tier as the biggest boom or bust quarterback of the year. In a perfect world, you’ll be able to draft two of these guys on your roster and work a platoon.

Tier 4 – Qualified Bye Week Subs

A.Dalton, CIN

E.Manning, NYG

R.Tannehill, MIA

A.Smith, KC

C.Palmer, ARI

J.McCown, TB

J.Flacco, BAL

            None of these guys should be drafted as your franchise fantasy quarterback (unless you enjoy losing), but these will be your best options to cover your starters bye if you choose to utilize the waiver wire to cover your starting QBs off week. Tannehill is still the most intriguing long-term value in this group, but he’s burning daylight in terms of delivering on his potential. 

Tier 5 – Unqualified Bye Week Subs

S.Bradford, STL

J.Manziel, CLE

E.Manuel, BUF

T.Bridgewater, MIN

M.Vick, NYJ

M.Schaub, OAK

J.Locker, TEN

G.Smith, NYJ

R.Fitzpatrick, HOU

            One could also rename this group “Dynasty League Prospects and Washed Up Dudes. At gunpoint, Bridgewater is my pick to deliver the most fantasy value this season, but you shouldn’t waste a draft pick on any of these guys unless you are playing in 16-team league where you have to play two quarterbacks every week.

Conclusion = Quarterback is still the deepest position in fantasy (unless you’re playing in a 2-QB league, but that puts you in the minority), so even if I was playing in a 16 team league, I plan on being one of the last people to draft a quarterback. An early round pick is just too valuable to waste on a quarterback when you factor in the diminishing value of every other position as you get deeper into a draft. If I lockdown my two starting runningbacks, taking Aaron Rodgers early in the third is the only way I end up with a Tier-1 QB on my team. The same theory applies here for auctions, as I plan on spending my money elsewhere and grabbing a quarterback after the initial rush.

Top-16 Value Based Ranks – Based on the current average draft position based on Yahoo drafts, these is my wish lists for quarterbacks I plan on targeting for my teams.

C.Kaepernick, SF, 89.4

C.Newton, CAR, 51.9

M.Ryan, ATL, 57.8

A.Rodgers, GB, 21.1

A.Luck, IND, 48.6

M.Stafford, DET, 46.2

P.Rivers, SD 93.5

R.Wilson, SEA, 89.0

T.Romo, DAL, 89.0

B.Roethlisberger, PIT, 118.9

J.Cutler, CHI, 106.8

D.Brees, NO, 18.3

N.Foles, PHI, 69.2

R.Griffin III, WAS, 60.7

P.Manning, DEN, 11.4

T.Brady, NE, 58.0

 

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (2/7-2/9)

10. Boxing Match Between DMX and George Zimmerman Cancelled
            Score one for political correctness.

9. Sage Kotsenberg Wins First Gold Medal of Winter Olympics

            USA! USA! USA! USA!

8. Marcus Smart Shoves a Fan, Earns a Three Game Suspension

            This could morph him into the wildcard of the NBA Draft if teams overreact and he free falls out of the top 10.

7. Peyton Manning Plays Golf
            There’s nothing really noteworthy about this, other than Manning spending a bunch of quality time with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

6. Iowa State Senior Melvin Ejim Nets Big 12 Record 48 Points

            Incredibly, it only took Ejim 24 field goal attempts for him to have his record setting night.

5. Carl Almost Got Eaten on “The Walking Dead”

            If he did, it would’ve been number 2 on this list.

4. Magic Net Upset of Oklahoma City    

3. Miami Struggles in Utah
            Score two for tankers. At least the Thunder got back on track Sunday thanks to 41 points from Kevin Durant.
        
2. George Hill Carries Pacers Over Portland
            Indiana-Portland would probably be the NBA’s worst-case scenario for a NBA Finals (in terms of TV ratings), but based on Friday night’s overtime thriller, it would be entertaining to die-hard hoop fans.

1. NFL Draft Prospect Michael Sam Comes Out

            Hopefully twenty years from now this won’t have to be a story (because it won’t be a big deal), but Sam will become the first openly gay NFL player. He was an All-American who led the SEC in sacks in 2013, so he’s got a chance to produce at the pro level. He should be an inspiration to everyone to be proud of who you are.

Super Bowl XLVIII Prediction

Denver Broncos (-2.5) over Seattle Seahawks
 
           Denver got their first break of the game with a favorable weather forecast, and we don’t think the breaks will end with that. We doubt that the officials will let the Seahawks secondary be extra physical with the Denver receivers, likely leading to multiple pass interference penalties. Furthermore, the Broncos’ defense is suited to stop the Seattle running game, meaning the likely spark plug of offense has to be Russell Wilson. We think he comes up short this time.
 
Denver 27, Seattle 17

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (1/17-1/19)

10. NASCAR Reportedly Looking to Expand Chase Field to 16
            With as watered down as the Sprint Cup Championship already is, they might as well up the field to 43. The biggest loser in this is Jimmie Johnson, who’s already earned enough scrutiny for the six championships he has won. If he breaks the series record for most championships in this format, old-school fans are going to potentially walk away from the sport for good.

9. Canucks and Flames Start Game With a 10-Man Brawl

            What happens when both coaches decide to have their checking lines start the game? This.

 

8. Rondo Returns

            It was refreshing to see the only player left for Boston that was a major contributor during their championship contending years on the court. The best part was that they lost to the Lakers, because every loss means more ping-pong balls in next year’s lottery.

7. Portland Wins in San Antonio
            Before No Credentials publishes there soon to be released NBA mid-season power rankings, we’ll have to seriously consider whether or not the Trail Blazers are a serious championship threat. Wins like they had Friday night in San Antonio add to their credentials.

6. Serena Williams Won’t Win Every Major This Year

            Sadly, I had no idea the Australian Open was even happening, so I was extra shocked to hear that Serena will not win it.

5. David Stern Fines Mark Cuban One Last Time
            I hope to someday be financially stable enough that I would actually ask for a $100,000 fine.

4. John Wall Makes the Shot of the Year

            I’ve watched this clip 25 times and I still can’t figure out how he made this shot.

 

3. Kevin Durant Drops Career High 54 Points on Golden State

            Durant concluded the weekend with his seventh straight 30+-point game against Sacramento. He has firmly put himself in pole position for the 2014 NBA MVP with his recent scoring barrage.
         
2. Peyton Manning Outperforms Tom Brady, Leads Broncos to Super Bowl
            Even though it was only a 10-point margin of victory, it felt like the Broncos were up by three scores the whole game. Rarely is a No Credentials pre-game prediction so spot on.

1. Seahawks Survive Last Second 49ers Drive, Win NFC Championship

            We haven’t seen a big game this physical since the Steelers-Ravens AFC Championship Game in January of 2009. Three Colin Kaepernick turnovers spelled doom for the 49ers.