Philosophers say that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” So it is with compensatory picks. The idea was well-meaning: to give something to a team that lost a player. But the notion has become corrupted. The compensatory system does not reward teams that lost players; it rewards those who game the system.…
As the calendar turns to the month of April, the rumors and smokescreens about the upcoming NFL Draft intensify. Is Sam Darnold still a lock to go #1? Will Minkah Fitzpatrick actually fall out of the top 10? What will the New York Giants do at #2? The answer to the 3rd question may be…
The NFL trade market has been active in recent weeks. It was especially interesting yesterday when Philadelphia and Seattle agreed on a deal to send DE Michael Bennett and a 7th round pick to the Eagles for WR Marcus Johnson and a 5th rounder. The other major deal of the day was the Giants trading…
When people think of the run and shoot, they often recall prolific offenses of yesteryear, many of which can be linked to shoot proselytizer Darrel “Mouse” Davis and the late Jack Pardee. The former gained notoriety as the head coach of Portland State and was eventually commissioned by the latter to bring the offense to…
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has ranked near the top of the MVP race all season, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is too excited about his candidacy. First, Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz was the front-runner, but his season was cut short by a knee injury. Pundits next turned to Seattle Seahawks signal-caller…
As the NFL season drags on, it often becomes a war of attrition. Quarterbacks who play favorites with their receiving targets might find those receivers injured by the time December rolls around. Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, Odell Beckham, Jr. of the New York Giants, Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers all tallied…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
Versatility is a coveted trait for NFL teams. General managers, head coaches, and coordinators love for their players to have position flexibility so they can be creative on the field with their schemes. A unique player in this draft is the Ohio State product, Curtis Samuel. Samuel is an excellent athlete who played a running…
The NFL’s rules are designed to create parity with the draft and roster turnover through free agency. But don’t tell that to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. As if you didn’t already know, the Patriots have had unprecedented success in the last two decades – winning five Super Bowls in that span. And…
After a week hiatus, fantasy football bold predictions are back! And in arguably the most crucial week in fantasy so far, it’s go big or go home. Let’s get to it. Third-string quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Matt Barkley, burns the 49ers with 275 yards and two touchdowns. In a surprising 316 yard, three touchdown…
Sometimes rookies exceed expectations in their first year, other times they struggle to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is definitely the former. Mark Schofield breaks down how the second round pick has fared in the NFL. Coming out of Ohio State, Michael Thomas was considered among the top…
Every fantasy football player must have strategies for midseason pick-ups and potential injuries lest they find themselves the sucker in their league. Andrew Jordan offers a look at some mid-to-late round wide receiver options whose usage might help head off problems. It is tempting to be two or three rounds into your fantasy football draft and adore your starting wide receivers – so much…
Some NFL teams draft players looking for long term value, while others look for immediate impact players to capitalize on a championship window. But evaluators can approach team’s draft classes from either perspective. In this article, Dave Archibald focuses on immediate impact of the New Orleans Saints Draft class for 2016. The New Orleans Saints…
The 2016 NFL season begins now, with 32 teams scheming to knock off the reigning champion Denver Broncos. The NFL Draft is just around the corner, but the first step in any offseason plan is to assess a team’s needs. Here we look at what the New Orleans Saints team needs are. These reports were compiled…
Every NFL season features at least one player who has worked to overcome long odds, going from unknown to star, in just a few short weeks. Dave Archibald looks at one of this year’s emerging fantasy stars, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead, the pass-catching accountant. Twenty-seven wideouts have at least 500 receiving yards through nine…
A big gain isn’t always a scoring play, or even a game-winning play. But when C.J. Spiller ended the proceedings Sunday night, Mark Schofield ran to the film room to break it down. Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints were desperately wanting their first win of the season Sunday night when they hosted the…