SB Nation - Todd Yoder

Friday Night "Mights" - Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos

Sugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:53:22 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Ladell Betts is poised to repeat his successful stretch run as starting running back for the Skins.

It was pointed out last week that I should make the disclaimer about this article very clear on the front side. These predictions assume a Redskins victory. They are meant to provide at least some relief from the serious issues we have with our team. That said, I can honestly tell you that, "Yes, I do think we will win this Sunday." And here's how:

1) Ladell Betts will run for 150+ yards and 2 touchdowns. Inside the red zone, the bulk of our plays are going to be running plays. Rock Cartwright is going to get his share of carries this week (5-10 I am guessing) and we will lean on the new guy, Levi Jones, for better or worse. One thing that has seemed to work for this team in the past is having Ladell Betts take over as the starter down the stretch. I worry about our right guard situation, and find it laughable that we are calling it a "Battle" to see whether Chad Rinehart or Will Montgomery will start. But I think Mike Sellers and Todd Yoder will log some healthy blocking downs and enable Betts to move the chains.

2) Brian Orakpo, in addition to yet another sack, will also log an interception. I am tempted to say he runs it back for a score, but I think he outruns his blockers early in the run-back and gets tackled. I am extremely excited to see what he looks like with the ball in his hands. He is the kind of player you wish you could play at running back in Madden. Big, strong, fast...no way the first tackler brings him down.

3) Jason Campbell will have zero turnovers. This is going to be huge for us this weekend. The game is going to be a close one throughout, so ball protection is key. I don't see JC testing Champ Bailey regularly, which does not bode well for Santana Moss' stats, but I am hopeful that Fred Davis can be responsible for moving the chains in the passing game. He killed us last week with the botched tip that turned into a Falcons defensive touchdown (I know, it wasn't a great throw, but you don't initiate a tip drill like that.)

4) We will score on a trick play. Since I have the ability to see the future, I can tell you that it will be a double reverse handoff to Devin Thomas who will race into the end zone for a touchdown. The key to the play will be two amazing blocks. The first will be Jason Campbell giving up his body to give Thomas the edge. The second block will be Malcolm Kelly down field.

5) Shaun Suisham kicks the game-winning field goal. What a difference a year makes I guess. From the worst kicker (statistically) last season, to the one guy on offense we have been able to count on. He is one of only 5 kickers to have not missed yet this season, and among those kickers, he has the second most attempts--including a 48-yarder. I am putting the game on him this week.

I hate predicting the final score, but I'll go ahead and call it 24-23. No passing touchdowns by JC, but otherwise a solid day for the beleagured quarterback.

Here is what I am really hoping for: The Broncos travel cross-country on a short week this week and have next week's opponent--the San Diego Chargers--squarely in their sights. The lack of respect they probably have for our team will lead to a sloppy performance and leave just a big enough opening for our offense to score their season-high point total. Also, Kevin and I have both talked this week about the prospect of using the no-huddle to prevent the Broncos from shuffling their defensive personnel in the manner they prefer. If Sherm Lewis and Jim Zorn trust JC with the keys to the no-huddle, it might prove to be a huge factor.

Your bold predictions and cracks at me are now welcome.

Hogs Haven Predicts Redskins Final 53

Ken Meringolo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:32:30 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

Robert Henson and Cody Glenn may both benefit from being drafted by Vinny Cerrato. He HATES to cut players he drafts!

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First, the obvious: Sugar has been shelved for the time being. I will be tackling a new writing assignment within SB Nation and I was asked to come up with a cooler name to write under. The best I could come up with was "Ken Meringolo". I know what you're thinking...sounds too much like an undercover secret agent of international intrigue. I guess you could say I followed the lead of one my heroes, Lt. Frank Drebin, and decided to use my maiden name.

Not that many tears (besides mine) will be shed over it, but Sugar will most assuredly be back. I will keep you guys posted on when and where my other writing assignments will end up. But on to the issues of the day.

Here is our crack at predicting the Redskins "Final 53". We have all been watching the preseason closely--there won't be many surprises. But we are picking a couple. Have at it (after the jump):

QB (3): Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan

RB (5): Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Mike Sellers, Anthony Alridge

WR (5): Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Marko Mitchell

TE (3): Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Todd Yoder

OL (9): Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Stephon Heyer, Chad Rinehart, Mike Williams, Jeremy Bridges, Will Montgomery

DL (9): Phillip Daniels, Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Lorenzo Alexander, Andre Carter, Jeremy Jarmon, Rob Jackson

LB (7): London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh, Brian Orakpo, H.B. Blades, Chris Wilson, Cody Glenn, Robert Henson

DB (9): Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall, Fred Smoot, Kevin Barnes, Justin Tryon, LaRon Landry, Chris Horton, Reed Doughty, Kareem Moore

P: Hunter Smith

LS: Ethan Albright

K: Dave Rayner

I put Rob Jackson in over Renaldo Wynn, Robert Henson in over Robert Thomas, Rayner over Suisham, and Anthony Alridge in over whomever you want to call the 53rd man to make it.

Why do I continue to keep Renaldo Wynn off my final 53 list? If you think like me, then you think Wynn is not really a guy who is going to get a lot of snaps anyway unless there is an injury. Rob Jackson is still a little young and raw, and I have not heard his name a ton but if you are going to keep a guy around to caddy for the rest of the defensive linemen, why not keep a young guy who has a shot to develop into a serviceable backup instead of a guy at the end of his rope who has played all of his best football already? This is the pick I will most likely be wrong about, as Renaldo Wynn is a pro who knows how to play the game, and was brought in for his leadership and experience this offseason. But I had to stay true to what I have been saying this summer.

The Robert Henson/Cody Glenn/Robert Thomas decision at linebacker is a little more straight-forward. I think Cody Glenn is at the head of the 3-pack. The decision between Henson and Thomas is not so hard when you remember one thing: Vinny drafted Henson. He hates to be wrong about his draft picks. And lucky for him, he is in the position to pronounce his rightness! Henson has made a few mental blunders during games this preseason, and dropping that sure interception against the Ravens hurt him (coming out of TCU, he was actually graded as a sure-handed linebacker.) But in the end, the team will keep the guy they picked in the draft, and drop the guy they signed off the street. Regardless of who is better--though let's not make that out to be a huge deal. Neither Henson nor Thomas factors huge for us this season, and if Henson can figure out to stay on the field for special teams by mid-season, he will be worth the investment. Finally, it says here that Robert Henson will pull off an Alfred Fincher kind of performance against the Jags and earn the spot.

Anthony Alridge...really? Vinny brought him in this offseason and the word from the inside of the building is that Vinny loves him too much to let him go. What's not to love? He is one of those "yards-per-touch" guys. He is going to get the ball in the flat on screens, pitches, and dump-offs and he is going to get upfield in a hurry. I know Marcus Mason has been a fan favorite to make this squad multiple times, but the fact of the matter is he does not give us something we don't already have. Alridge gives us a scatback, speed option off the bench that will prove very useful this season.

I went with Rayner over Suisham even though there seems to be a resounding consensus that Suisham will retain his position. I FEEL LIKE I AM TAKING CRAZY PILLS! How do you hold any benefit of the doubt in a kicking competition when you were last in the league in field goal percentage? Rayner has had the better kickoff leg and neither has blown the roof off with their field goals. If anything, I would be tempted to keep Rayner and then bring in either Mike Nugent (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) or Brandon Coutu (Seattle Seahawks)--helps to watch every preseason game!--to compete with Rayner in the week leading up to the regular season. Coutu has a good chance to make the Seahawks' roster, but if he doesn't, we wouldn't be the only ones trying to sign him.

Practice Squad Predictions: Edwin Williams, Scott Burly, Keith Eloi, Robbie Agnone, Chase Daniel, Eddie Williams

WaTimes 53-man roster [Redskins 360]
WaPost 53-man roster [Redskins Insider]
Redskins Blog [Terl took his link down...I swore it was there?]

What do you guys think?

Poll

Which player that I put in do you think is most likely NOT to make the team?

Robert Henson

113 votes

Anthony Alridge

226 votes

Rob Jackson

263 votes

602 votes | Poll has closed

First Cuts: NFL Rules of Thumb, D.J. Hackett, and Todd Yoder

Ken Meringolo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:34:51 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

These two receivers need to outwork D.J. Hackett on the field and in the press room.

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Among other notable NFL adages, like "Wide receivers take roughly three seasons to develop," is the one that goes, "Defenses are always ahead of offenses in August and September." The scrimmage this past weekend was a glaring testament to this. With roughly half of the probable first day starters absent from the offense on Saturday, Jason Campbell worked against the second defense mostly. And though they moved the ball, they struggled to put it in the end zone. In fact, if you watched the post-scrimmage interview of Jason Campbell, it sounded strikingly similar to ones we saw last year during the season. I could swear I have heard lines like this before from JC:

"We were able to move the ball well."

"We should have gotten into the end zone but we will go back and watch the film and make the corrections."

"We have to do better in the red zone."

When you have a dominant defense like we do, is it fair to worry that your offense is going to spend August spinning its wheels? I think in reality the #1 offense and the #1 defense spend a lot of time apart in practice, but when they do square off, don't you get the sense that all of the positive energy generated by making plays is getting sucked up by our defense?

I think when you watch the first few weeks of the regular season, you can see where defenses are taking advantage of offenses that have yet to find their rhythm. Our offense spent an entire year trying to find a rhythm in 2008. If we go longer than September before we find our groove offensively, you will not be hearing about how it takes a few games to get on the same page offensively. You will be hearing about Mike Shanahan's whereabouts and Colt Brennan's readiness.

I also took note of D.J. Hackett's post-scrimmage interview. You have to hand it to guys like him. They are here long enough to get fitted for equipment and they are talking like they have been here for a decade. Nothing really newsworthy there, but I always find it funny when you hear a guy like that talk after practice or a scrimmage talking about how "we have a big year ahead of us", and how "we need to do a couple of things better and we will be a force." It is genius really...like they can interview themselves into our future. If D.J. Hackett can earn a spot on this roster, more power to him. But can we please get some more great interviews with Malcolm Kelly, Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, and even Marko Mitchell? If they are not careful, they will not have the post-game interview quotes to make this team.

Finally, is Todd Yoder going to make this team? I feel like he is that tight end that you have to have that can get out there and do the dirty work, while mixing in 3 or 4 huge touchdowns during the course of the season. Yoder has officially secured a spot in my heart usually reserved for guys like Terry Orr/Ron Middleton/James Jenkins. I loved those guys. And just when I worried if you could get Cooley, Davis, and Yoder on the same team on the same day, I am comforted by the notion that Orr, Middleton and Jenkins were all on the same Redskins team. Oh, and that team won Super Bowl XXVI (with another tight end you may remember--Don Warren.)

Ask a Redskin: 3 Random, Tough Questions and Their Replies

KevinE — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:33:29 -0000

August 8, 2009: Carlos Rogers with his daughter after practice Fan Appreciation Day.

View full size photo »

Fan Appreciation Day was this past weekend, and given the light mood after practice, I thought it'd be fun to ask the players non football related questions for a change. First things first, the offensive line did look better. The quarterbacks did not throw well, which was disappointing, but there was only a few number of sacks and the QBs did have time to throw the ball. Coach Zorn in his intro speech raved of Hunter Smith. I clocked his last 5 punts, which had the hang-times: 4.05, 4.39, 4.18, 4.81, and 5.?. (I received a text message as I was clocking the last punt, but it was a massive 60-yard punt that was well over 5 seconds). When asked in the post-practice interview about Hunter, Zorn said that when Hunter the Punter misses a kick, it's still in the 4+ seconds range versus last year where the punters mis-kicks were in the 3.1 and 3.2 seconds range. That certainly is a huge difference and should go a long way for field battle positions. Anthony Alridge and Byron Westbrook were getting time as the punt runners on my side of the field.

I spoke with Renaldo Wynn about the offensive line, and he had this to say:

The key is how they gel together. It's like the Giants' offensive line. They're not the most talented, but they work together. If we can get these guys to pull together and come together as a unit, I think they can be pretty great. Keep guys healthy number two. That was a huge problem last year. Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen were hurt. Most of the guys in there were battling some type of injury.

That seems fair enough to me. Let's see how they do Thursday before completely throwing them under the bus. I also asked several of the players who of the young guys are standing out most in camp. Jeremy Jarmon is in the huge lead (Orakpo is already a given at this point).

Wynn: "Jeremy Jarmon. Edwinn Williams, the center from MD. He's having a heck of a camp."
Portis: "[Marques ]Hagans at receiver. [Robert ] Agnone. Fred Davis...I think he's had the best camp out of anyone."
Randle-El: "Marko Mitchell, Trent Shelton, and that cat we got in the supplemental draft Jeremy Jarmon. He's nasty."
London Fletcher: "Reed Doughty looks good."
Todd Yoder: "Orakpo. He is strong as a bull and fast. I'm expecting big things out of him...he's got great strength for his size and a real quick first step.

As of right now it is looking like Jeremy Jarmon was a STEAL with next year's 3rd round pick...not to mention the added benefit that we get having Jarmon on the roster this year. I don't see how he doesn't make the 53-man roster.

So onto the fun questions. I asked the following questions to 17 players (and Dan Steinberg):

1.) If Hollywood was making a movie of your life, who would you want to play you?
2.) Who would you rather spend a weekend in Vegas with: Shaun Suisham or Ethan Albright?
3.) Who would win a QB accuracy contest today: Zorn or Brunell?

Can you guess for #1 who picked Johnny Drama and who Fred Smoot and Jim Zorn picked? Answers after the jump...

I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."

	Actor to play their life story	Vegas	Zorn or Brunell Contest
Fred Smoot	"TI!"	"Albright!. He's my boy! He's Irish ... I'm Dutch, we're gonna roll together!"
Carlos Rogers	"Smoot!"	"Suisham."	"Zorn."
DeAngelo Hall	"Me"	"Neither."
Todd Yoder	"Me. Can I be in a movie? Or maybe I can get Cools and then maybe I can star in a movie playing him."	"Albright because he's the Red Snapper."
Antwaan Randle-El	"Cuba!"	"Suisham"	"Brunell" (with confidence)
Clinton Portis	"Jamie Foxx"	"Albright"	"I don't know, you're talking about 2 old arms that got it done at their time. Brunell at this point since he's still in the league."
Marko Mitchell	"hmm..Will Smith!!"	"Suisham. He's a funny, cool guy and down to Earth."
London Fletcher	"Me! [laughing]"	"Probably Albright. Ethan's old school so I'm sure we'll have a good time."
Cornelius Griffin	"Denzel Washington"	"Neither one."
Renaldo Wynn	"[laughing] Someone with some good looks. Probably have to say Denzel."	"Man...I have to go with Albright. I have to go with Albright. I'd just like to see what he does for fun. Suisham, he's a regular guy, but Albright, he'll be like Chevy Chase waering the plaid pants."
Chris Samuels	Chris: "I don't know, that's tough." Kevin: "Gary Coleman?" Chris: "No...haha, not at all. Samuel L...I need someone big. Oh! The guy that played Deebo...even though my eye is straight!"	"Ethan Albright. I like him..old wise veteran."	"Zorn because he's my coach...even though I love Brunell."
Chris Cooley	"That's a good question man. I'd go with Johnny Drama.He'd be good."	"Suisham"	"I think it'd be close. I honestly can't give away either one. They're both friends. Brunell is probably a little less rusty so I'll go with him."
Jason Campbell	"Denzel"	"Suisham"	"Brunell"
Shaun Suisham	"Matt Damon"	(I asked Shaun to make his case for players to choose him)" "Me. Because I'm lucky."
Mike Sellers	"The dude they call 'Tiny' in the movies."	"Albright. He's funny. That's my buddy."
Jim Zorn	"Hmm..that's a good question. You know who I like...Robert Duvall. . He's really good. I like Matt Damon. I like Tom Criuse. I like those guys. They make fun movies. They're good actors."	"Neither!!"
Dan Steinberg [Bog]	"I'd have to say Moby."	"Suisham...he loves me."	"I'll take Zorn."

August 1: Our Recap from Training Camp

KevinE — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:30:23 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

4 months ago: Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn, right, looks on as quarterback Jason Campbell throws a pass during NFL football training camp at Redskins Park on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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I made it over to a sweltering Redskins Park today to catch day three of Redskins practice. They were in pads and were tackling at times. Joe Jacoby and Joe Theismann were on-hand as well.

Did not practice: Carlos Rogers (soreness) and FB Eddie Williams (hamstring injury)

Here's my notes:

- Rookie mistakes stood out.
Marko Mitchell dropped an easy ball. Anthony Alridge also dropped an easy pass and fumbled on a hand-off exchange. On the 1-1 drills Kevin Barnes and Doug Dutch got worked over.

- Devin Thomas did not drop a ball all day.

- Santana Moss looks like he is in mid-season form.
(Made a diving catch in the center of the end zone)

The QBs were the only unit that were front and center the entire practice for the crowd. It is crystal clear that Campbell is the best Quarterback of the four out there. And this is not me saying this is a fan or personal preference...it's just a fact after watching them all throw.

- Jason Campbell looked good
(Had a lot of zip on the ball, but had a couple of bad tosses and a couple plays where he held the ball too long. He had a gorgeous 30-yard pass to Todd Yoder, threading the ball through a lunging Laron Landry)

- Todd Collins did not look good today.
(Overthrows and didn't see a blitzer on another play)

- Colt Brennan was up and down
(Had some nice throws but missed fired on a cross pattern to Moss and held the ball too long on other plays)

Offense spent 15 minutes doing red zone drills. One of which was a corner slant to Malcolm Kelly who was 1-1 with Fred Smoot. Campbell threw a perfect ball, which Kelly went up for but Smoot made an incredible play to break it up. Too bad I didn't hear the audio afterwards on that.

- Chris Horton made an incredible play to break up a pass to Santana.

- Albert Fincher was all over the field. Made multiple plays.

- Keith Eloi and Malcom Kelly both had spectacular catches

As for the lines:

One one play, Renaldo Wynn absolutely barrelled over Mike Williams putting him on his back. The next play Wynn tried a speed move around and Williams had excellent footwork to keep him outside the pocket. So, it's clear Mike is still has a lot of catchup to do regarding the physical part of the game. It was quite impressive however on a running play for Marcus Mason, Mike Williams pushed left and created a running lane the size of I-95.

Haynesworth wasn't in on that play. Speaking of Haynesworth, he was getting double-teamed all the times I saw. He was giving Derrick Dockery fits today.

Chris Wilson stood out multiple times playing left end. His first step off the line ia a blur. He got to the QB real quick.

Orakpo played a few snaps with his hands on the dirt. One play was a run right at him and he bear-hugged the RB immediately. No gain.

Coach Thrash helping in QB drills
via photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net

Here's the link to Redskins.com practice notes and quotes:

"The defensive line is wreaking havoc in our backfield right now. We have to block these guys. I'm excited on one hand, and then on the other I want to get going, too." - Coach Zorn

Zorn called the offensive line a "work in progress."

"I've seen some things I've wanted to see, but we're not done yet," he said. "Our guys are working hard and they're going to get better."

He said that while Stephon Heyer is working with the first team offensive line, he has not yet secured the starting job. He won't determine that until after preseason games.

The only real downer of the day is that a bottled water cost $4. In that heat, water is imperative and I was none too happy at those kind of prices. The burgers ($6) and bag of chips ($2) seemed fair, but for $4 a bottled water, I'd almost rather pass out and let the EMS hydrate me for free. There was a single, misting fan available but there was an army of kids hogging enjoying that.

Washington Redskins Fantasy Rankings

Ken Meringolo — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:45:08 -0000

You asked for fantasy football talk, you got it. Before we get into pre-season and start overloading on league-wide fantasy talk, let's rank the Redskins fantasy players. We'll assume that the defense and special teams are one unit (DST), and we'll assume individual players get credit for any return yards and touchdowns.

Draft Picks

via image.examiner.com

1. Clinton Portis, RB- The offense still revolves around the run here in D.C., and Clinton remains an elite athlete in the NFL, capable of dominating an opposing defense with 25-30 quality touches in a game. While he is not injury-prone, his fantasy owners have had their share of heartbreakers the last few seasons. What makes him the top fantasy player on this team is that you know he is going to get the ball, and you know he is going to be featured--i.e. there is no 'running back by committee' here. I continue to hope for more receptions out of the backfield for CP, but if he stays healthy for a full season, 1,500 rushing yards and 10 TDs are very likely.

2. Santana Moss, WR - Santana Clause is an ironic nickname we have for Moss. Ironic because he starts out the year like gangbusters but then opposing defenses shut him down before we get to Christmas. This is of course not his fault, and should the Redskins develop an alternate threat to Santana, other teams will be forced to play him a lot more honestly. Last year in my fantasy league, which holds an auction draft, I picked Moss up for $3. In fact, most would say I got stuck with him at $3, as I was really bidding value at that point. I was shocked when he went so cheap. I think this is the perception Moss is facing now based on the last few seasons of going missing in the winter. The Redskins passing offense has been rather anemic and he has paid the price. Rounding out his value though is the threat that the Redskins will incorporate him more into the return game. He has shown how dangerous he can be back there, and if your league gives you points for return yards and touchdowns, he is definitely a top-tier fantasy receiver.

3. Chris Cooley, TE- If fumbles kill you in your league, then Cooley hurt you last season. But I would be hard-pressed to think a player like Cooley will let that kind of thing happen two years in a row. He continues to be one of the top tight ends in the whole league (83 catches last year), and Jason Campbell continues to rely on him heavily when we need to get a first down (averaged over 10 yards a catch). Because we don't feature two or even three first-tier wide receivers, Cooley's status in our passing game remains high. He is a big target and he understands how to find the pocket in the middle of the field. The big question for Cooley--and the Redskins--is how can the team do a better job of finding him in the red zone. He only hauled in 1 TD last season (which is a problem) but he averaged 7 TD's the first four seasons, so you have to hope this is an aberration, and still consider him on the same level as Jason Witten, Dustin Keller, Greg Olsen, etc.

T4. Washington DST - A lot of fantasy leagues really let a good defensive unit pile on points. In the league I play in though, defenses can either be the top scorer of the week, or can go negative enough to completely erase your top scorer of the week. All of this makes the top DST units in the league that much more valuable. The Redskins added Albert Haynesworth, Brian Orakpo, Philip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, and Jeremy Jarmon to their pass rush/defensive line. We lost Shawn Springs, but have a pretty good secondary with Horton, Landry, Hall, Rogers and Smoot. There is plenty to suggest this defense can build on what they accomplished last season, which saw them finish as the 4th-ranked unit in the NFL. From a fantasy perspective, the improvement would have to come in the way of increased sacks and turnovers. If that happens, this DST will be the difference-maker come playoff time, in fantasy and in reality.

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

T4. Jason Campbell, QB- Typically, QB's are the money makers on fantasy teams. Assuming most leagues run about 12 teams deep, it would be fair to say that you would hit 12 other QB's that are more likely to fill up a stat sheet before you came to JC. To me, this makes him a great value draft pick. You can pick up a few other players you need in the initial rounds and pick him up as a backup to your starter late in the draft. His yards and TDs are low, I'll grant you. The upside on him this year is tough to argue though. He is in a contract year, in the second season under Jim Zorn, and by all accounts in a better comfort zone in the current offensive scheme. This offense is definitely more naturally pass-happy than we showed it to be last year. For us to get the points on the board that we need to win games--roughly 24 points per game--JC will need to do things that will make fantasy owners very happy. He is a top-tier second string fantasy QB in my opinion--a starter who will be asked to throw the ball relatively often, supported by a strong running game.

6. Ladell Betts, RB- Fantasy owners have gotten to know Betts over the last few years. When he took over for Clinton a few years back down the stretch, he put up 1,000 yards on the ground in 9 weeks. He is a fresh back, with little wear and tear on the tires. But because of the carries that Portis gets, Betts' value is very low in the beginning of the season. If you draft Portis, you pretty much HAVE to get Betts since if anything happened to Portis, you know they would look to Ladell to carry the ball 25 times a game.

Waiver Wire Additions

7. Devin Thomas, WR- I continue to bet heavily on Devin. He is the kind of athlete that when he has the ball in his hands, anything can happen. But in fantasy terms, from here on out on this list we are talking about depth and backups. Based on his improvement at the end of last season, it is not inconceivable that he could make a move in training camp this summer and give Randle-El a run for his money at the #2 spot.

8. Fred Davis, TE - Again, most fantasy teams don't have 2 tight ends stashed away, and 2nd-stringers are even farther from the average fantasy owner's mind. But Fred Davis is an interesting thought...there probably isn't anyone on this list with more upside than Sleepy. He will not be inactive on many Sundays this season. Zorn likes using two tight ends, and if Davis is on the field, defenses are going to have to make some choices regarding who they want to defend. My guess is that Fred Davis won't get drafted by many owners, but could be one of those guys that is the "Most Added Free Agent" in Week 6 when he blows up against the Chiefs.

via masnsports.com

9. Malcolm Kelly, WR- He continues to be the player that gets the most positive praise from other players when we ask, "Who do you think is in line for a big year?" He has an "ooooh" factor that makes him a quality sleeper in fantasy leagues. But with next to nothing to show for his rookie campaign, and a knee that is unproven in the pros, he is in a deep, deep sleep indeed. We'll call him our "Ambien snoozer" for the upcoming season.

10. Antwaan Randle-El, WR - You hate to list a #2 receiver this low, but on this team, the writing on the wall says that the youngsters are going to get every opportunity to supplant ARE in the starting lineup. Things could change of course as we get closer to September. But as of right now, his fantasy value is at its lowest. Our passing offense is pretty much Moss and Cooley right now, with the best chances for adding onto those two guys resting on the potential of the second-year guys.

Keeper League Potential

11. Colt Brennan, QB- There is always a guy in your league that is not afraid to stash a 2nd or 3rd string QB on his bench. The truth is that every year, at the end of the season, you find an NFL team or two is trotting out a young gun to get some minutes. And that is prime time fantasy playoffs action. Some of you out there must have a story of how some random quarterback either saved or ruined your season. Colt Brennan won't be drafted in many leagues on draft night. But if JC goes down--God forbid--the temptation to play Colt will be great. And you can bet if he is playing on Sunday, there will be a fantasy team or two out there starting him with the thought that he could be blow up for a huge and random fantasy performance.Given all the uncertainty at the QB position in D.C. lately, owning the young gun doesn't seem like that crazy of an idea.

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

There are a few more guys we could throw on this list: Mike Sellers, Roydell Williams, Todd Collins, Todd Yoder--actually, not Todd Yoder. Sorry Todd. What would you change about this list and what do you hope for from the Redskins players on your fantasy teams?

Vinny Cerrato Voted Master Salesman By...Vinny Cerrato

Ken Meringolo — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:03:32 -0000

Let me take you back a year to Draft Day 2008. Vinny has pulled off the popularized 'trade back for more picks' move to perfection. The Skins now have THREE 2nd round picks! Multiple starters are on the way! Multiple holes are going to be filled! Then the salesmanship began, as Vinny talked himself into the unthinkable--drafting three pass catchers in the 2nd round. Instead of multiple starters coming in, we got multiple headaches, as one receiver (Kelly) couldn't get off the training table with injury issues, one receiver (Thomas) couldn't get off the line of scrimmage into a proper pass pattern (allegedly), and one guy (Davis) couldn't get out of bed. The multiple holes getting filled belonged to Redskins fans, leaving the burgundy and gold faithful frantically searching for their collective "happy place".

At this point in time, I will say that I believe both Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas will come up big this year. I love Fred Davis, and I think he has the chance to make an impact as well, but his selection was at best confusing since Cooley had just been given an extension and Yoder had/has been quietly establishing himself as a serviceable backup. Davis and Cooley have the makings for a deadly TE combo and Zorn is high on double TE sets. At the end of the day, you wonder though how much need we had at TE at that point in the draft.

Enter Vinny. If the year was 1808, Vinny would have rode into town in a covered wagon hawking tonics and elixirs guaranteed to cure every ailment you could imagine. And his sales would be through the roof because he would be his own best customer. Nobody can sell to Vinny like Vinny. And so it was, in 2008, that Vinny looked in the mirror and said:

"Vinny, you handsome devil, what is the only thing better than drafting one wide receiver in the 2nd round? That's right, drafting TWO of them! And even though you spent weeks and months rating and grading all those players coming into the draft, the only card you need to be holding when it comes your turn to pick for the third time in round 2 is the one with pass catchers' names on it! Who cares about defense? Who cares about pass rushers? Oh yeah, and don't forget the age old drafting rule: A punter in the 6th round says you have GIGANTIC balls."

Which brings us all the way to this year and this draft. The closer we get to the 25th, the more certain I become of one thing: If Mark Sanchez is available, the covered wagon and magic tonics will be on display and the banjo music will drown out all reason and rationale. Because Vinny will look into that mirror once again and put a hard sell on the man looking back at him. The Chargers (Rivers/Brees), Broncos (Cutler/Plummer), Green Bay (Rodgers/Favre), Buffalo (Losman/Edwards), Cleveland (Quinn/Anderson)...all examples of teams who had a guy in place that was at least doing a moderate job holding down the fort at QB. (Who did I miss?)

Sure, you can dissect these situations and pull out some major differences from our current one here in D.C., but there is enough evidence here to help Vinny convince himself to go with the young gunslinger out of USC. The lack of contract extension for Campbell, the flirtation with Cutler, the quick trigger finger on the owner when it comes to head coaches, and the history of not being afraid to make an unconventional draft choice all increase the probability that the Redskins could take a QB in the 1st round this year. Here's hoping that the rest of the league thinks like me and is willing to offer something in return for us to move out of the 13th spot. If Mel Kiper thinks there is a chance we will take Sanchez, then there is at least a chance. In 2006, he picked Rocky McIntosh to Washington in a two-round mock draft and in 2007 he was among the first to target LaRon Landry to the Redskins.

Otherwise, let the games begin. At least the 1st round doesn't start until 4 PM this year. I have had a harder and harder time justifying being drunk at noon in recent years to deal with the early round activity of the Skins. But, like Vinny, I have an amazing capacity to wake up early on draft day, stare into the mirror and say to myself, "Ken, you devilishly good-lucking so-and-so, we have a date with intoxication. Just think how great Kiper's hair will look after your 4th Bloody Mary. Just think how smart Vinny will look after your 6th! You get into that kitchen, skip the beer and head straight for the hard stuff. It's going to be a great day that hopefully you will never, ever remember."

Status Report: Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals

Kirkendall — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:13:49 -0000

The Bengals have 23 players on IR. Palmer is out (#24). Levi Jones (#25), Chinedum Ndukwe (#26), Chris Perry (#27), Ben Utecht (#28), and Kenny Watson (#29) are officially out, or considered doubtful, and all of them missed at least two days worth of practice.

That's 23 players on IR and six players not on IR, but likely out this Sunday.

Bengals

OUT: DE Eric Henderson (neck), QB Carson Palmer (elbow)
DOUBTFUL: T Levi Jones (hamstring), S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot), RB Chris Perry (groin), TE Ben Utecht (foot), RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: CB David Jones (knee)
PROBABLE: S Kyries Hebert (neck), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand), LB Rashad Jeanty (shin), DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)

Redskins

OUT: LB Marcus Washington (ankle)
DOUBTFUL: S Chris Horton (shoulder), T Jon Jansen (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: LB London Fletcher (foot), DT Kedric Golston (ankle), DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen), CB Shawn Springs (calf)
PROBABLE: G Pete Kendall (knee), CB Carlos Rogers (illness), DE Jason Taylor (not injury related), G Randy Thomas (knee, neck), TE Todd Yoder (knee)

Practices

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI
QB Carson Palmer (elbow)	OUT	OUT	OUT
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Rashad Jeanty (shin)	DNP	LP	FP
RB Chris Perry (groin)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Ben Utecht (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
RB Kenny Watson (hamstring)	DNP	DNP	DNP
CB David Jones (knee)	LP	DNP	FP
T Levi Jones (hamstring)	LP	DNP	DNP
S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot)	LP	DNP	DNP
DE Antwan Odom (shoulder)	LP	FP	FP
S Kyries Hebert (neck)	FP	FP	FP


REDSKINS	WED	THUR	FRI
LB London Fletcher (foot)	DNP	DNP	DNP
DT Kedric Golston (ankle)	DNP	LP	LP
DT Cornelius Griffin (shoulder, abdomen)	DNP	DNP	DNP
S Chris Horton (shoulder)	DNP	DNP	DNP
T Jon Jansen (knee)	DNP	LP	DNP
G Pete Kendall (knee)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Carlos Rogers (illness)	DNP	FP	FP
CB Shawn Springs (calf)	DNP	DNP	LP
G Randy Thomas (knee, neck)	DNP	FP	FP
LB Marcus Washington (ankle)	DNP	DNP	DNP
TE Todd Yoder (knee)	DNP	LP	FP
DE Jason Taylor (not injury related)	--	--	DNP

DNP - Did Not Practice
LP - Limited Participation in Practice
FP - Full Participation in Practice

Week 8 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:00:04 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
WR	Brandon Middleton	Hamstring	Probable
TE	Michael Gaines	Knee	Questionable
DT	Cory Redding	Knee	Probable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Questionable
DT	Shaun Cody	Elbow	Questionable
LB	Jordon Dizon	Hamstring	Doubtful
LB	Gilbert Gardner	Knee	Probable
S	Dwight Smith	Foot	Out

WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
RB	Ladell Betts	Knee	Out
RB	Clinton Portis	Hip	Questionable
WR	Malcolm Kelly	Knee	Out
TE	Todd Yoder	Thigh	Probable
OT	Chris Samuels	Personal	Probable
OG	Pete Kendall	Knee	Probable
DE	Jason Taylor	Calf	Questionable
DT	Cornelius Griffin	Shoulder	Out
CB	Shawn Springs	Calf	Out
CB	Carlos Rogers	Calf	Probable
CB	Fred Smoot	Groin	Probable
S	LaRon Landry	Hamstring	Questionable
S	Chris Horton	Ankle	Probable

NFL INJURY REPORT GUIDE
Status	Definition
Probable	75% chance that the player will play in the game
Questionable	50% chance that the player will play in the game
Doubtful	25% chance that the player will play in the game
Out	0% chance that the player will play in the game