The Geek's Analysis:]]>Another twist in the Masoli drama.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>There are plenty of more proven options in week one than Ruffer. But for those of you with Tausch in your lineups, take note.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Dump Murray and plug in another kicker. No need to deal with this kind of headache this season.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Yuck. Seems as though Golden is rewarding Brown for his efforts in fall camp. Still it would be hard to believe that Brown will be the starter for long. He is 5’5 167 pounds to Pierce’s 6’0 218.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>An interesting development here. Watts is someone to watch on Sunday when TU faces off against ECU.
At Wednesday night's practice, both passers continued to grind through game preparation, taking an equal share of snaps with the top offense.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Sounds like we won’t know who the starter will be until closer to game time. Since kickoff is on Sunday, it looks like fantasy owners are going to have to wait a week to plug Wornick or Davis into their lineups.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Too early to tell what the injury is here. Let’s hope it is not serious.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>No word yet on the extent of the injury, but if it was serious concussion he could miss some time.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Great news here. You would be wise to sit Buckram this week but it looks like he will be ready to roll very soon.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Be careful here. Hamstring injuries don’t magically disappear overnight.
From MinerRush.com:|
No official word yet, but Miner Illustrated's Chris Avila just tweeted out that UTEP's Donald Buckram, the 4th leading rusher in the nation last year, was carted off of UTEP's practice field today. Avila notes that "early word is that it might be a knee injury."
More on this as it develops; hopefully the team was just being cautious.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Let’s hope this isn’t anything serious as Buckram is one of the top fantasy players in the country. If it is a major injury, the value of QB Trevor Vittatoe and WR Kris Adams will increase.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This story is not getting any better for Derrick Washington owners. Time to hit the waiver wire, folks.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>We tried to advise against placing too much stock in Masoli this year. We hope you listened.
"I'm feeling pretty good," Brown said. "It's not all the way back to 100 percent, but it's more than 80. I'm running a lot better. It's not really hurting me as much. It's not pulling when I run. I'm just trying to get ready for Thursday."
The Geek's Analysis:]]>DeAndre has looked pretty good in camp recently, so this is not a major concern. However, the defense he will be facing in the opener (South Carolina) is a concern.
Ingram will be out for Saturday's game against San Jose State and evaluated on a week-to-week basis after that. Alabama hosts Penn State on Sept. 11 and visits Duke on Sept. 18.
"It was a situation where everyone involved thought it would be better to take care of now, so he would not have any issues with it later in the season," Saban said.
Ingram, a junior, hurt his knee late in practice on Monday. Saban said this morning's minor surgery was successful and performed by Dr. Lyle Cain and Dr. James Andrews.
The normal recovery for a knee scope is a few weeks.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Those of you that handcuffed Trent Richardson to Ingram are sitting pretty this week. Expect Ingram back for week 2 against a solid Penn State defense. Eddie Lacy will be the backup RB for Alabama this week.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>No surprise here. Pierce will play. For those of not aware, Villanova-Temple is a pretty decent rivalry (in basketball) in the city of Philadelphia. And on the gridiron, Villanova is one of the better D2 schools in the country. In fact, last fall Nova beat Temple 27-24. In other words, expect Pierce to get plenty of carries in this one and don’t be surprised if the game is close in the second half.
He didn't appear on the depth chart the school released Monday, but coach Jim Harbaugh said there's a chance he could play. "He's working through something physically," he said.
When it comes to injuries, Harbaugh holds his cards so tightly to his vest that the queen of diamonds has been known to complain. He has said he doesn't disclose injuries for confidentiality reasons.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This could mean more opportunities for Ryan Whalen this week.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Torres instantly becomes a risky start this week. Proceed with caution.
"We really thought it was going to be four to six weeks," Jackson said Monday, "but I healed pretty good and I think I can play this game."
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This is great news for Jackson owners, but we’d still feel pretty flimsy about starting him this week. Play the old “wait and see” game here.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>If one guy can emerge here, he might make an interesting spot starter late in the year in conference play. Both players have upside.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>It is amazing to me that Texas, with all of their resources, seemingly cannot find a traditional workhorse tailback. Keep an eye on Cody Johnson as he could be a good play in the early going, but don’t be surprised if this winds up being RBBC. Again.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Prior to Reed’s injury, we’d been hearing that Omarius Hines was pushing him for playing time. Now he slides into the role by default. Keep an eye on Hines. If you have Reed in your Week One staring lineup, you’ll likely need to find another option.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Not good. Formal felony is serious stuff. Kendial Lawrence figures to get the starting nod in his absence.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Still too close to call here, but the momentum has been with Dominique Davis of late.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Our UH sources tell us that there is nothing to worry about here. Cleveland has been in bubble wrap since off-season corrective shoulder surgery (an injury he played with all of last season). Edwards’ absence is also precautionary as he was nicked up a little.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Those in deep leagues should keep an eye on Kilgore the first few weeks to see if he has any fantasy potential.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Considering the opponent (Towson), the Hoosiers would be smart to rest their star WR this week. Doss owners should look for another option this week.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Caleb King is the play. If you need a spot starter for a week, snatch him up.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Thomas is a dynamic playmaker in the mold of Dennis Dixon. This will add some intrigue to this weekend’s fantasy drafts. This could hurt the value of LaMichael James as Thomas is sure to steal away a couple TDs near the goal line this season (whereas Costa wasn’t nearly as fleet of foot).
The Geek's Analysis:]]>We’ll stay on top of this one as the news breaks.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This story is getting worse by the hour. Stay tuned. Sophomore Kendial Lawrence is expected to start when Missouri opens the season against Illinois next weekend in St. Louis.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Ugh, this is not great news for fantasy zealots. Conventional wisdom is that Heaps will eventually win the job. But neither are worth a draft selection now, unless you target Heaps in a keeper league.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>The bomb has dropped for Dasher owners. Now the question is whether or not to hold onto him on your roster. At this time, it might be wise to hang on to him for a few weeks. He is still practicing with the team. If the NCAA can move quickly here there is a shot Dasher could be back on the field at some point during the season.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>And the hits keep coming. If your draft is this weekend, obviously drop Ealey down your boards. Caleb King could become a nice week 1 starter if Ealey isn’t on the field. Stay tuned.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Ward owners have a headache on their hands with this one.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Darron Thomas is the more attractive option from a fantasy perspective - think Dennis Dixon. Coach Kelly will announce his starter on Saturday.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>More late preseason drama for fantasy owners to deal with. On the surface, this doesn’t sound serious.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>There’s not much more to say about this ongoing story other than it’s causing a giant headache for fantasy owners. The fact that the backups are seeing more reps certainly is a concern for Dasher’s week one prospects.
“I’ve just got to keep fighting and keep pushing. “That’s what I’ve been doing my whole career, fighting, so that’s what I have to do.”
Tyler has been the most impressive back since fall camp started. He’s finally free of the injuries that have dogged him since high school and weighs a trim 218 pounds, down from 233 in spring.
“I feel good,” Tyler said. “I just feel like I got that juice back, that step back, that confidence back.”
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Avoid this situation on draft day unless you want a headache on your hands. However, with Dillon Baxter out for the opener and Bradford still possibly on the mend, Tyler could be a decent start in week one against lowly Hawaii.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Sounds like coach speak to me. Don’t count on Jackson being back to full strength in the opener. He’s still worthy of a draft selection - for the right price.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>With only 10 days left until the opener, Anyiam owners should tread carefully until he is back on the field looking close to 100 percent.
We added the note about Tracy Moore for good measure. He’s been a favorite sleeper of ours this preseason but has struggled a little bit of late.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Avoid Saunders on draft day. There is no guarantee he will play to start the season. The risk is not worth the reward.
“DuJuan has really had a good camp,” head coach Larry Blakeney said. “(Anderson) is coming on fast. We’ll start one, but try to find the hot hand during the games.”
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Honestly, the Troy camp has been a complete mess at all positions this August. Projected starter at QB, Jamie Hampton, is likely to lose his job, WR Jerrel Jernigan won’t be running the Wildcat, WR Josh Jarboe left the program, and now we are looking at RBBC. Yeesh.
"We have to figure out what is best for the team. Which guy, and what role each guy will play. I am not afraid to play two, I have done it before. I would prefer to have one guy lead the way. They are a little different, with different situational skills, which will sometime dictate that we play different guys. I’ll get together with the coordinator and the quarterback coach and we will move on from there.”
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Troy wanted to name a starter two weeks prior to the first game. That date has come and gone. Stay tuned, but it looks like Robinson is the leader in this race at the moment.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Doesn’t sound like too much to worry about. We’ll keep an eye on it.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>The coaches are not afraid to hide their praise for Hillman. Consider him a sleeper in deeper formats.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>11 days until kickoff. This is either a motivational ploy or Pierce is more injured than head coach Al Golden is letting on. Let’s see what he says when he speaks to the media today.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Raise Potts up your draft boards, folks. But just remember that Mike Leach is no longer calling the shots in Lubbock. That, and remember that while Taylor Potts is dynamite in practice sessions, he looked shaky in actual games that matter last fall.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Whoever wins the gig deserves to be drafted as a nice sleeper candidate in the late rounds of your draft. Remember, ECU is going to be installing a version of Mike Leach’s Texas Tech offense.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Dasher is still on the team, and no formal charges have been filed against him at this point. We’ll continue to monitor this one closely.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Devon Brown is a good option in BCS-only formats, or for those of you sick individuals in ACC-only leagues.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Wimberly is a key piece of the Nevada passing game, and he remains a low end fantasy prospect in deeper leagues.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Potts entered the day with the perceived advantage. Did Sticks make up enough ground in yesterday’s scrimmage? We’ll find out on Monday or Tuesday.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>You would be wise to avoid this situation if you are in a BCS-only league.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This news is sure to throw a whole lot of uncertainty into upcoming drafts, and make those who have already selected Dasher sweat it out while we wait for more information. Buyer beware on Dasher until further notice.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Stay tuned to see if Bradford has enough time to recover and prepare for the opener against Hawaii.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Groins, hamstrings - this is the time of camp when these things seem to start acting up. Doesn’t sound like too much to worry about right now. We’ll keep an eye on it as Stills has a good chance to make a fantasy impact this fall.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Murray is a nice option in deeper leagues. Until he wins the job outright, he should be avoided on draft day.
At Tennessee last season, he planned to make Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown the Vols’ 1-2 punch. But Hardesty played so well that Kiffin couldn’t keep him off the field. Hardesty ended up leading the SEC with 282 carries.
“Ideally you’d like to be more of a two-tailback team because of the wear and tear of a season, and you’d like to find two guys who are different in styles,” Kiffin said. “But you never know. It could be one, it could be three.”
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This obviously hurts Allen Bradford’s value a bit. Still, Kiffin did feature Hardesty last year despite similar comments.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Take a closer look at Mizzou’s schedule. Is the “middle of September” vs. San Diego State on 9/18? Is it Miami (OH) on 9/25? Missouri has a bye week on 10/2. It’s entirely possible that Jackson doesn’t truly make it back into the lineup in a meaningful fashion until after the bye, when they kick off conference play against Colorado. Draft accordingly.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Keep an eye on this. Rudolph is missing valuable time and backup Tyler Eifert is looking good in his absence.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>We’ve been telling anyone who will listen that Opurum was a risky draft selection this year. We can now officially cross him off our cheatsheets for good. For the record, Angus Quigley now tops the RB depth chart, followed by Deshaun Sands and Rell Lewis.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>This does not come as much of a surprise as Pick seemed to be destined to win the job. He is a lower tier draft day option in BCS-only formats.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>While this doesn’t sound too serious, it’s something to keep an eye on here with the first games two weeks away.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>We figured the cream would rise to the top here as we’ve been high on Carter since the transfer. He is certainly one to watch early in the year, and may be worth drafting in the late rounds of deeper leagues.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>In Martinek’s absence, the Rutgers running game has been sputtering in preseason camp thus far. Jersey Joe makes for a nice late round pick in most formats.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Reading between the lines (always a dangerous thing to do), it looks like Davis continues to hold the upper hand in this competition. He’s getting more reps, and looking sharp. He is a bit of a risky draft selection, but holds a ton of upside.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Good news that Anyiam is back on the field, as the season is rapidly approaching. Let’s see how he does once he’s gets into contact drills.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Until this situation settles down, be careful not to overdraft any of the Missouri wide receivers. Wes Kemp could very well wind up the starter as most have expected all along, but he can’t be relied upon at the moment. Note: the other current WR starters are T.J. Moe at the H-position and L’Damian Washington at the X.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Graham is a key handcuff to Dion Lewis. Keep an eye on this situation.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Darron Thomas has far more upside than Costa in fantasy circles. He’s more athletic than Costa, who is coming off multiple knee surgeries.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>We’ve been high on Ensminger since spring ball. Now that he’s won the job, look for him to jump up our Big Board.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Just another injury to add to Batch’s resume. Avoid drafting him in the early rounds unless you want a headache.
The Geek's Analysis:]]>Just a note for those of you who receive fantasy points for individual kickoff returns, Broyles’ value drops down a notch.