First, let me start off by asking you a frequently asked question: What are your feelings about Alex Smith?

Before you answer that question, or even think about it, please be aware I don't want you to answer it. If you are like me - and you are 49ers fans so you are - then you are quite tired of the Alex Smith discussion. It has begun to flow into Colin Kaepernick terrority while briefly stopping by Peyton Manning station. Pardon me while I hit the snooze button. I think I've said more ridiculous comments regarding "the topic" over the past three days than I have in my entire time at Niners Nation (this coming from a guy who once wrote a fanpost about Frank Gore getting 20+ carries). Can we all agree to kick back, take a second and remember that we share one common goal? To see the 49ers succeed. We should be friends(ish).

My suggestion is, let's take a quick break and think about things completely random in our lives with this brief survey:

1. Have you thought about doing your taxes yet? Plans for the refund, or is Irwin R. Schyster going to put you in a headlock?

2. Pick a professional coach of any sport other than football to coach the 49ers, who would it be? If you want to expand further on this, how about different owner from another sport? Mark Cuban owning a franchise fascinate anyone?

3. Does anyone play fantasy baseball, care about baseball at all, etc? Baseball.

4. Eva Mendes or Jessica Alba? (ie: Eva Mendes from "We Own the Night" vs. Jessica Alba from "Good Luck Chuck'")

5. If you had to pick one movie to take with you on a stranded island, you do realize there won't be any blu ray players on said stranded island (or dvd/vhs/beta/laserdisc/hddvd/etc players)?

6. Ok, here's a 49ers related question. You have to make one roster decision, and it might not be a tough one. Which 49er player would you want to hang out with for a day? What would you want to do for that day? If you can't decide on Justin Smith a player, maybe anyone in the organization?

I'll post my answers in the comments, and hopefully we can all share a few laughs together reading everyone's answers. Please be aware, this intended to be very light hearted and not to be taken seriously (aside from answering the questions honestly, or attempting to answer them humorously).

Win Probability Chart (Courtesy of Stolen from Baseball-Reference)

• CLEAN CUT, QUALITY START! Kent Bottenfield notched six solid innings (3 hits, 1 walk) and attributed 33.2% WPA earning the first big league W of his career
• THE GOAT! Mark Grace (-21% WPA) was horrific, stranding 5 runners on base, 3 in scoring position and was seen practising colour commentary in the dugout
• MAN OF ARM! Larry Walker picked up an Outfield Assist hitting Brent Barberie who relayed to Sean Berry nabbing Andre Dawson trying to stretch two bags into three
• THE COOKIE MONSTER! Mel Rojas picked up the win by stranding 2 Cubs runners on base in the 7th, it was also Rojas' finest season (68 G, 100.2 IP, 1.43 ERA, 7 W, 10 SV, 13 HLD)
• THE KID'S CURTAIN CALL! Carter's Double was +26% and put Carter at +20.7% WPA for the game high offensively (much to the delight of 41,802 crazed fanatics)
• THE CLOSER! John Wetteland registered the 4-out save inheriting two runners (thanks Jeff Fassero 0.009%) entering the 8th on a Riggleman-esque Double Switch adding 24.7% to the team's victory

Continue reading this post »

First of all, I don't want this to seem like I'm rubbing salt in Lions' fans wounds, and I definitely don't want my opinion on this subject to relfect upon actual Lions fans. This is directed at the casual Lions fans that were at Ford Field today. I have to question their intelligence, and most importantly heart. Ford Field was loud, rockin' and just an overall crazy atmosphere to be in, kudos to the fans for that. However, when the Lions failed to convert a 4th down attempt with 1:16 left in the game, Lions fans began flooding for the exit.

Every isle was crowded with blue jerseys as fans tried exiting the stadium. Baffled by this, my dad and I wondered out loud "What???". Looking at the scoreboard, the Lions were clearly only down 3 points and had all three timeouts remaining. Hell, even after the Niners went three and out and kicked a FG, the Lions still had over one minute to drive the field for a game-winning (not tying) TD. I'm pretty sure most people that follow the NFL (not just watch it because it's fun and everyone is), know that anything can happen. It didn't, but that's not the point.

Again, I don't want this to reflect upon the real true-blue Lions fans that are loyal and know their stuff. A lot of the Lions fans in the section I was sitting had been talking so much trash and just up and left when the game was far from over. Some of them were constantly yelling "Scoreboard!!!" in the first half. I guess they forgot to look at it when they left. Yes, the 49ers came through and sealed the deal, but seriously Lions fans (that left early) what up with that?

Maybe I shouldn't have sour grapes after the 49ers won, but it was confusing and infuriating to see so many Lions fans just leaving. These aren't the 0-16 Lions anymore, far from it. Had those fans not watched the Lions improbable comebacks against the Cowboys and Vikings? I'm hoping my anger for this subject subsides when I press the publish button. Do 49ers fans do this at Candlestick Park? That's not a rhetorical question, I would like to know.

To the Real Lions fans: I respect you and the hostile enviroment you have created at Ford Field. It truly was awesome seeing such a different atmosphere than in years past.

This is not an effort to get some weaksauce punk that quits after 3 weeks. I won't call out names, but there were a few guys here that bailed on us last season and we don't want that happening again this year. Having said that, we need a few (not many spots open) teams to help fill the annual 16-man league I've hosted the past two seasons with Yahoo!. Samuel Lam was a respected member of the league (he finished twice in 2009) but cannot commit due to his duty to cover all things 49er. Iupati like its1999 (pete), where are you man? You were the most active guy last year, we want you back.

Anyone interested in joining this league, inquire below, but I'm not just letting anyone in (and I don't mean this in a rude way). We've got a legit league, and we're willing to drop a few teams if it means we have 100% active participants throughout the season. Here are some reasons you might be afraid to join:

1. Draft is Saturday at 5:00pm Pacific (8 EST). You might say "that's short notice", and I'll say "are you kidding?". If you have been paying attention to any football at all this preseason, you are prepared. You don't need a month to figure out how to draft a fantasy team.

2. IDP - DL, LB, DB (adjusted scoring to balance positions). NO KICKERS, NO TEAM DEFENSE. I don't know about you, but I hate losing games because a kicker got one more extra point than mine.

3. You are a little girl, and cannot handle the heat. You are afraid because A. Too many teams, B. Only Six make the playoffs and C. There are way too many solid players in the league, and you really don't stand a chance to begin with.

4. In all seriousness, it's a fun league, but we don't want any quitters. If you think you have the free time (which I'm sure is a big thing for most people) and want to play in a deep, tough league, post a comment and let me know. I'm not going to make fun of you if you don't have the time, it's late in fantasy registration season, so you may already be in 5 leagues (I know the feeling dude). Which is why it's important you are sure you have the time to stay active all season.

If you've got the time, we've got the game.

 

Maybe this is a bit of a jinx, putting up a fanpost before 3:30 PST, but I thought of how the 49ers can approach the 2011 Draft and subsequently the 2012 Draft (with the news of Harbaugh a go). With Andrew Luck sticking around for his senior season, the 49ers might want to consider making a gamble this offseason: by trading a 2011 pick for a 2012 first rounder. Perhaps the 49ers can fleece over a team looking to buy this year's second round pick that San Francisco owns.

Or maybe a team is looking to give up its 2011 First Rounder plus a 2012 First. Point is, the 49ers should aggressively pursue acquiring an extra pick in 2012's first round for obviously reasons: trading up to select Andrew Luck. This year's draft choices can be spent wisely on defensive backs and pass rushers, while next year's draft can be the Lucky one. In the meantime, perhaps signing a one or two year gapper might be enough for the team to compete, if the coaching staff is talented. Obviously the team has to prepare better and execute consistently, and I think a coaching staff is responsible for 75% of that. My point is, I think the team can hold off drafting a QB or investing in one until 2012. Maybe it wouldn't kill to have Alex Smith as a back-up, but I think Baalke has to make a statement and clean the entire QB house.

Some QBs to consider for 2011:

Chad Pennington - Ol' Noodle Arm isn't really a starting option, but I think he'd make a reliable back-up.

Kerry Collins - A bit old, a bit deteriorated, but a competitor. At the very least, a solid back-up.

Alex Smith - Maybe Baalke signs Smith to the veteran minimum. I'd be happy with that as a price for Smith.

Donovan McNabb - When If the Redskins let him go, it wouldn't hurt the 49ers to give McNabb a sniff.

Kyle Orton - Maybe Denver can be convinced to exchange the QB for a player instead of a draft pick? Parys Haralson anyone?

In my opinion, two of the three bottom guys will be on the 49ers roster in 2011. If it happens to be McNabb and Smith, I'd be comfortable with that. However, I wouldn't cry over Orton and Pennington either. Even Kerry Collins and Alex Smith could be a sneaky combo... for me to poop on. Of course, I've left off Kevin Kolb, Vince Young and any other QB that may be available this offseason. However, I don't think Kolb would be the right choice, but Vince Young in a fresh environment could be entertaining. In total, I'd say the scrap heap of QBs in 2011 isn't going to net a long term answer anyway; 2012 at least has the Luck factor. Netting a nice mid-to-late first rounder plus a 2012 first round pick for the #7 selection could be a wise investment for the future.

Which QBs do you want to see in 2011, whether it be guys I've mentioned or not. Possibly players in the 2011 draft at the QB position.

When I first "Adam Dunn agrees to 4-year, $56 million deal with White Sox" flash across my sports ticker, I was a little disappointed. Many other Nationals fans feel much more disappointed, and it'd be silly to argue that season ticket holders and local DC fans should not be angry. After all, no one told the Cleveland Cavaliers fans not to be angry when LeBron James took his ball to South Beach. However, losing Adam Dunn is no where near as catastrophic as losing a LeBron James. Let me explain why (you know, other than the glaring fact that James is one of the best NBA players, while Dunn hardly qualifies as elite).

First, Adam Dunn was signed by the Washington Nationals as a free agent and has played just two seasons with the franchise. Dunn wasn't drafted by the franchise, isn't a local product and hasn't been here since his career began. Sure, this point isn't very strong, but imagine how hard this would be if it were Ryan Zimmerman signing with another team (aside from the fact that Zimm is an elite player)? Basically, the franchise only invested money in Dunn, it never invested players or draft picks in him (although, perhaps one can argue that now that the Nats will receive 2 compensatory picks). In other words, the loss on Dunn is purely business and the team has only lost his services (and perhaps a few fans). While Dunn was certainly a fan favourite, and his long balls will be missed, his roots in the franchise never sprouted.

Why should this matter? I'm not saying it should, but doesn't it make it a bit easier to heal our wounds?

Continue reading this post »

Just when it looked like I was making progress, Week 5 came into town and sent me packing. A pretty standard week in terms of teams winning or losing, nothing too embarassing aside from an Aaron Rodgers overtime interception that flunked Danny's betcard. Wait, Danny didn't actually have any money tied up in a game that ended with a missed field goal, or OT disappointment (it was Fooch's week for that). I was dumb enough to think I could win a parlay bet, and watched Carson Palmer throw two 4th quarter INTs, which calmed my reaction to the 49ers hilarious flop on Sunday Night. Here's a look at the current totals heading into Week 6:

	W	L(P)	T$BET	ROLL	GAIN
Fooch	6	22(1)	$  1,235.00	$     521.12	-$    478.88
Danny	3	11	$     460.91	$     792.20	-$    207.80
Andrew	11	12	$     488.20	$     978.25	-$      21.75

After the jump, you'll want to tune in to check out Fooch's extremely long bet card (he just can't resist the parlays), as well as Danny's and my own. I can't make any promises about this week, but I fully expect to bounce back and get back into the green (or black, as long as its not red).

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Finally. Finally a week where I can hold my head up high and report to Niners Nation that I had a successful week of betting on the NFL. Thanks in large part to a 59-yard game winning FG from the leg of Josh Scobee, five of the six games I bet on were correct, putting me up an entire $3.25 on the season. Call up McDonalds, and let them know to have a double cheeseburger and zesty mango mac mini ready. Florida Danny once again suffered the wrath of terrible FG kicking as Pittsburgh's Jeff Reed missed two crucial field goals against Baltimore. As a result, the Ravens were able to put together a game winning drive with little time left for any miracles or game tying FG attempts (which would've went wide right anyway, right Danny?). Fooch felt the sting of two home dog upsets (Cleveland over Cincinatti, Jacksonville over Indy) while Detroit made it look all too easy covering the spread against Green Bay. On the season, Fooch's gut is feeling the effects of indigetion - may I suggest Pepto-Bismol Ice? Just a side note: The Detroit Lions are 4-0 against the spread this season, but the 0-4 ML record is funnier than any SNL skit. Here's a breakdown of the standings before I make an inappropriate joke:

 

	W	L(P)	TBATS	TBML	TBPLY	ROLL	GAIN
Fooch	5	17(1)	$  445.00	$  130.00	$    60.00	$     726.12	-$    273.88
Danny	2	10	$           -	$  344.30	$       9.43	$     811.97	-$    188.03
Andrew	9	10	$  203.20	$    80.00	$       5.00	$  1,003.25	$         3.25

Our comment participants, the fan favorite Smileyman and the forty-niner faithul fortyniners suffered bad weeks themselves, making my self-pat on the back harder. On the year, smileyman is down a modest $21, or my weekly allowance of "gratuities" for the hard working women of 17th and Capp (you know, if I actually lived in San Francisco). Fortyniners is in a $242.50 hole, definitely not something you'll find on Larkin Street - use the Classified Pages instead to avoid any extra unneccesary features. Continue along after the jump to see our bet cards and Fooch's potential monster payout (Florida Danny will have his picks in at a later time)...

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Well Niners Nation, there's not much to say about Week 3's peformances except for one thing: LOL. Not one of us made any money at all, and if it weren't for Chicago's upset over Green Bay, I would've lost each of my bets. Thankfully the refs received my pre-game text and flagged the Packers 18 times accordingly. Fooch didn't see much success either, but he actually won two bets by selecting Indy and Philly to cover the spreads. Similar to myself, Fooch lost some change on the Bucs getting flattened by Pittsburgh and Houston laying a deuce against Dallas.

Florida Danny had yet another week ruined by a hilarious FG miss in OT. With cash laid on New Orleans, Danny was primed for a victory when Garret Hartley lined up for the game-winning attempt in overtime. When the ball soared through the air and wildly missed, I couldn't help but laugh. After all, in Week 2, Danny had Washington to beat Houston and an iced FG attempt cost him in OT also. In comment participation smileyman lost $37, and fortyniners lost $47.72. It wasn't a good week for winning, just ask the 49ers. Here's a breakdown of the standings:

	W	L(P)	TBATS	TBML	TBPLY	RTN	ROLL	GAIN
Fooch	4	11(1)	$  355.00	$    40.00	$    40.00	$  143.12	$  868.12	-$    131.88
Danny	2	7	$           -	$  289.98	$       9.43	$    34.59	$  866.29	-$    133.71
Andrew	5	9	$  133.20	$    60.00	$       5.00	$    24.50	$  924.50	-$      75.50

Join us after the jump to see how our bet cards breakdown this week and to get a breakdown of how Danny determines his bets...

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To say the least Niners Nation, the us three gamblers failed the Week 2 test. Anyway you spin it Fooch, Danny and myself are all down money. Important to disclaim: Week 3 isn't any easier to predict, and I'm slowly trying to phase out 2009's stats. Smileyman didn't seem to have any issues, profiting $91 as a particpant in the comments. No word yet on when smileyman will be replacing all three of us in this weekly feature. I have a feeling Danny's super computer isn't quite ready to give up, nor is Fooch's gut (word is he's been bribing it this week with sweets and BBQ ribs). As for me, I'm not quite able to let go of 2009's stats - or that's the excuse I'm going with this week. Just a side note, this week I'll try explain my formula better in the PIT @ TB Match-Up. Next week, you'll get to digest information from Fooch's stomach. Afterwards, Florida Danny will allow your mind to explode with his magical numbers and impossible computers.

A quick breakdown of everyone's bankroll:

• Andrew Davidson $989.20 (1-0 ML, 3-3 ATS, 0-1 Parlay, $100 risked)
• Florida Danny $943.84 (1-2 ML, way too smart to parlay, a victory in itself, $168.30 risked)
• Fooch $932.62 (0-2 ML, 2-2-1 ATS, 0-2 Parlay, $275 risked)

Fooch proved you can't make an omelete without breaking some eggs, and got a few shells mixed in. Danny suffered a bad beat when Washington blew a 27-10 lead only to miss hilariously on a FG attempt in OT after the first successful attempt was iced (well played, Kubiak). I put too much on the Lions not being able to beat the spread at home, completely forgetting that Jahvid Best is pronounced Jahvid Beast. All signs say take the Lions to cover on the road in Week 3. I say ignore the signs. Onto my main game breakdowns and betcards after the jump...

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I must say, I've been greatly entertained by this week in NFL football. Although the 49ers lost a heart breaker, that game tying drive and two-point conversion was simply awesome. Frank Gore had an oustanding game, and Alex Smith had an outstanding drive. This performance almost puts the 49ers in as Road Win Money Line Lock of the Week (if there was such a thing). The Detroit Lions frantic comeback cost me $25 and as a result I'm down $10.80 instead of turning a profit. The Houston Texans remarkable win over Washington cost Danny his big bet also, all $74.40 of it. Fooch, well his head went furtherst under water when the 49ers failed to overcome the Saints (-$87.38). Here's the standings as of right now:

 (LEGEND - W=Win, L(P)=Loss(Push), TBATS=total bets against the spread, TBML=total bets on money liine, TBPRLY=total bets on parlay, RTN=Return)

	W	L(P)	TBATS	TBML	TBPLY	RTN	ROLL	GAIN
Fooch	2	6(1)	$  195.00	$    40.00	$    40.00	$  187.62	$  912.62	-$      87.38
Danny	1	2	$           -	$  168.30	$           -	$  112.14	$  943.84	-$      56.16
Andrew	4	4	$    80.00	$    15.00	$       5.00	$    89.20	$  989.20	-$      10.80

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the first edition of our weekly article that feature Fooch, Florida Danny and myself (Andrew Davidson) betting "money" on this week's action of NFL games. First and foremost, this is not to encourage gambling in any way, shape or form and the three of us will betting money from fictional bankrolls. If you want to follow along at home with your own bankrolls that's fine, but again, please understand we are not intending this to encourage users risk their own hard earned cash. The main competition is going to test three forms of betting/analysis versus one another to crown a champion at season's end. Will Fooch's gut prevail? Will Florida Danny's Super Computer (his brain) triumph? Will my conservative bankroll management pave way to victory?

All three of us will begin with $1,000 in our bankrolls, and if at any point we go broke, we can reload back in at the original $1,000 marker. Of course, we'll be keeping track of our earnings throughout the season, and going bankrupt definitely isn't going to help anyone's cause. In fact, it might lead Fooch's gut to start making riskier picks and it could definitely lead to my sphincter tightening up and taking conservative to a whole new level. It's all meant to measure which way of betting will prove to be most successful. Florida Danny's method will include the Kelly Criterion as he'll be determining his wager amounts based specifically on betting edge, payout odds and bankroll total (for further explanation see Danny). I'm still working to come up with my exact formula, but I'm forecasting game spreads in advance, then calculating my bets based on payouts odds compared to what my previous forecasts would've suggested. Also, I will only be able to risk 10% of my bankroll per week in an effort to remain about water. Fooch will be flying be the seat of his pants, and one great bet can pay great dividends or bring the giant down.

Most of the payout odds are going to be provided by Bodog.com, but I'll rely on other sportsbooks for Money Lines, Point Spreads, Parlay Bets or Over/Under if necessary (Sports.com, Footballlocks.com, and Fooch likes scoresandodds.com). NFL injuries can usually play a factor, and I've been following them at NFL.com. After the jump you'll find our bet cards and comments for Week 2 in the NFL.

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FANTASY SMACK TALK NOTE: Feel free to use the comments here to discuss fantasy football leagues of your own, not just the Niners Nation CBS League. Did you make a brilliant start in a league? How about a bone-headed benching? Do you think someone will have a breakout fantasy performance in Week 2? Anyone we should be starting over some superstars? Tell us all about it, it doesn't need to be related to this league.

Greetings and salutations my fellow Niners Nation members, today I bring you a recap of the CBS Fantasy Football league that 24 22 lucky members participate in. To kick things off, I'd like to give a shoutout to jtoj and cybermaldinado for putting up the highest fantasy points in the opening week. On the flip side, sirhcrocks and I receive the Debbie Downer of the week award, putting up the league's lowest effort. Let's get to handing out some hardware, followed by recaps of each game.

Fantasy MVP of the Week (Individual Fantasy Player that best helped his team to victory)

Smashmouth Gore's (Dave R. and Widowwolf) Rashard Mendenhall - Rashard Mendenhall wins this award for his 50-yard TD run in OT that not only got the Steelers a victory, but Smashmouth Gore a narrow 10 point win also. Mendenhall's run earned 11 fantasy points, not a moment too soon. I'm quite sure Dave R. and Widowwolf would hoist Mendenhall up on their shoulders if they could. Team 8's Arian Foster is a close second, as his 41.5 fantasy points account for 40% of his team's performance. I felt Mendenhall's dramatic OT run was so epic, there could be no other.

Fantasy Dud of the Week (Individual Let down that "best" steered his team to defeat)

Team 6's (pwarren85 and Cruithear) Matt Schaub - Matt Schaub really put up a stinker against the Colts, netting just 6 fantasy points for pwarren85 and Cruithear. To make matters worse? Jay Cutler was resting on Team 6's bench, and his 22 fantasy points against Detroit was all for naught. Team 6 lost by 9 points (to Team 8), with Josh Freeman and David Garrard also on the bench; either player would've been just enough to get Team 6 a victory.

Top of the Muffin to You! Award (Most Points in a Week)

Team 7 (jtoj and cybermaldonado) - This team put up 127 points as it coasted to victory in Week 1. Really, a few magnificant fantasy performances helped Team 7 set a fairly high bar for points in a week. Read about it in the recap of Team 7's game versus VD in the Slot.

Debbie Downer Award (Least Points in a Week)

Team 10 (sirhcrocks and Andrew Davidson) - A magnificant 68 points was put on the board by this roster full of under performing fantasy players. Only two members of the team put up double-digit fantasy points, everyone else flopped like... well I'll end this joke now. I'll save you the time of reading this game's recap: we got PWNED!

After the jump, game by game recaps, and a look at some hot free agents...

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Last season I ran a semi-regular Fantasy Sit and Start feature, and we'll see how I do this year. To add some spice to things, I'm also going to discuss point spread match-ups to explore. Keep in mind, I am playing with many of you in fantasy football leagues of our own, and I would never, ever try to steer you towards victory over me. Of course, I'm joking, but last year was easily the worst fantasy football season I suffered as a regular participant. I'll blame that on me putting too much time into writing about fantasy football, instead of worrying about my own fantasy football rosters. Bottom line, while I intend for this post to be informative, don't get mad at me if my advice costs you a game (especially against me). Without further delay, let's get this party started.

Week 1 Starts

Kevin Kolb QB PHI vs. GB - Last year the Green Bay Packers struggled against top tier QBs. I expect Kevin Kolb to have an up and down seasons, with Week 1 against the Packers being a big up. Kolb and the Eagles will likely come out fired up and ready to put points on the board. The Packers really don't have many answers for the speed Philadelphia's receivers possess. If Andy Reid is Andy Reid (and he is), the Eagles and Kolb will be throwing quite often. Forecast: 275 Pass Yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT (17 points)

Jacoby Jones WR HOU vs. IND - Houston receiver Jacoby Jones is a wonderful sleeper prospect this season, and I think he can get out of the gate with a great start against Indianapolis. He may not be an ideal PPR-candidate, but he should be able to find space with the Colts defense double-teaming Andre Johnson, and stacking the box to stop Arian Foster. The speedster from Lane should be able to produce admirably this week as your WR3 or WR2 (especially in deep leagues). Forecast: 2 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD (12 points, 14 in PPR)

Brandon Jacobs RB NYG vs. CAR - I know  Brandon Jacobs isn't the flashiest or best RB in this year's fantasy season, but in Week 1 against Carolina, I expect the Giants to run the ball heavily. Ahmad Bradshaw is the main man, but Jacobs is an absolute bulldozer at the goal line (a place I think the Giants will be often enough on Sunday to warrant a Jacobs start). Opening the new stadium is enough incentive for the Giants to try and steamroll the Panthers, which could be done with a heavy does of Bradshaw and Jacobs. Forecast: 65 yards, 1 TD (12 points)

John Carlson TE SEA vs. SF - Other than John Carlson, the Seahawks don't match-up too favourably against the 49ers. Last season, tight ends thrived against San Francisco and this season could be much of the same. With Matt Hasselbeck all too familiar with his opponents, you can bet Carlson will be in his sights for most of the afternoon. It won't lead to a Seattle victory, but Carlson's output could lead to your team's fantasy triumph. Forecast: 5 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD (11 pts, 16 in PPR)

After you get McFly and make the jump, the Sits of Week 1, and suggestions on how to (not to) make money with the point spread...

Don't forget that if you're interested in a CBSSports.com Fantasy Football Commissioner League and you register through this link, you can receive a huge discount of 50% off for a total of $89.99. Whether you're just starting out, or have an established league looking to start a site, and you want to split the cost between 12 teams, it would only be about $7.50 per person. Considering the features and flexibility that CBSSports.com offers in terms of flexibility, it's well worth it for serious fantasy football players.

CBSSports.com is an SB Nation partner and paying sponsor of the SB Nation football communities. This post is one of a series of sponsor endorsed posts related to the CBSSports.com Fantasy Football Commissioner League.

Poll

What would you prefer reading about in 2010 on a weekly basis?

47%

Fantasy Sit/Start Match-Ups

97 votes

14%

Point Spread Projections

30 votes

24%

Both

50 votes

12%

Neither

26 votes

203 votes | Poll has closed

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Who doesn't love a good predictions post? While some may argue it's a bit soon to be making numerical predictions, I argue there's no better time than the present. After all, San Francisco is a game deep into its preseason with the regular season creeping closer and closer as each day passes. Injuries can ruin any prediction, but so can an unexpected player coming out of nowhere. We've already seen some injuries occur, and we'll (unfortunately) likely see a few more. In other words, there's no better time than now to begin making bold-faced predictions (especially if one prediction includes the rise of a player like a phoenix from the ashes, see: Brooks, Ahmad). Before I begin, I encourage Niners Nation to participate by making a few bold-faced predictions of their own, instead of just ripping my to shreds.

Bold-Faced Prediction #1

The San Francisco 49ers will win the NFC West. The team will win 10 games, and finish 5-1 in division play. Unfortunately, Darryl Ducket (Darnell Dockett) and the Arizona Cardinals will beat San Francisco 20-17 on Monday, November 29. While it will look like all but certain doom at the time, the 49ers will win 4 of its next 5 games. That includes the division clinching finale against the Cardinals in week 17, ending Arizona's reign as NFC West Champs. The 4-4 start to the season won't be much to have worried about after all. With a divison title, the 49ers will host an NFC playoff game in January.

Bold-Faced Prediction #2

San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson will play himself into a huge mega-contract, and serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. Goldson's tackling will be improved from a season ago (missing fewer), and he'll anchor the 49ers secondary. Despite the rare occurance that Goldson's combination of 3 Forced Fumbles and 3 INTs in 2009 were, he'll match the forced fumbles total and surpass his interception total. Draft Goldson in your fantasy IDP leagues, he'll finish with 90 tackles, 6 INTs, 3 FF, 1 DEF TD and 9 Passes Defended.

Get on the diving board and make the jump to see the rest of my bold-faced predictions...

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 Head on over here to check out some Quotes from Sunday's game.

Things didn't look wonderful at the start of the game for the 49ers; Tedd Ginn had a poor opening kickoff return, followed by a Michael Robinson fumble on San Francisco's first play from scrimmage. Indianapolis jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, but David Carr and his helmet from the future would have the last laugh. San Francisco first units did not look impressive, and rookies Anthony Davis and Taylor Mays obviously need the remainder of the preseason to improve. While the first team defensive unit had a typically strong stand in the red zone early on, Peyton Manning had zero struggles on the afternoon. 

Once Peyton Manning left the game, the San Francisco 49ers saw their fortune change scoring 20 straight points to lead the Colts 20-10 at the end of the first half. The 49ers first team offense was on the field for most of the first quarter, but couldn't get anything going against the Indianapolis starters. Quarterback Alex Smith completed just 3 passes in 9 attempts with an interception, struggling to find open receivers including a wide open Vernon Davis during the team's third offensive series. The 49ers first team defense didn't have an answer to Indianapolis' first unit, and sloppy tackling early on didn't help. Manning, completing passes at will, looked to be in midseason form connecting on 8 passes in 10 attempts for 91 yards, leading the Colts on two scoring drives before exiting the contest.

Enter second year quarterback Curtis Painter, and the 49ers scoring frenzy began. During Painter's first offensive series, the 49ers defense looked strong, forcing a three-and-out. Ted Ginn made up for a poor opening kick-off by returing a punt 11-yards to begin San Francisco's drive in decent field position. Three plays later, Alex Smith's pass was tipped and picked off by Colts DB Jerraud Powers returning it 53 yards to the San Francisco 32 yard line. Painter completed a nice 20 yard pass to Blair White sandwiched in between 1 yard losses on run attempts by Donald Brown. On second and 11, an errant Painter pass was tipped up in the air and intercepted by Reggie Smith and returned 91 yards for San Francisco's first touchdown of the game. The Colts failed to answer on the following possession as the 49ers held Indianpolis to a quick three and out. Rookie return man Kyle Williams escaped for a 36 yard punt return, setting up San Francisco's second score of the afternoon.

Beginning at the Indy 43 yard line following Williams impressive return, San Francisco gave the Colts a heavy dose of rookie tailback Anthony Dixon who totaled 24 yards (16 rushing) on 5 touches which was just a sign of things to come from Dixon. Michael Robinson capped of the drive with a 3 yard TD dive, as Dixon looked winded for much of the series and subbed himself out of the game. On the Colts following drive, Painter was again picked off, this time by Diyral Briggs who fumbled the ball back to Indianapolis after a 13 yard return. The 49ers defense responded by holding the Colts short of the first after three downs, but it was a fumble by Curtis Painter on 4th and short that gave the ball right back to San Francisco. Dixon produced 29 yards on two carries, and despite three sacks on David Carr, the 49ers managed to score on a 37 yard field goal courtesy of Shane Andrus' leg. Painter again threw an interception on Indianapolis' following drive and it was Will James' turn to play thief. Another Andrus FG completed the 49ers march of 20 straight unanswered points, with San Francisco ahead 20-10 after one half of football. After the jump, the rest of the recap, and some notable performances...

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Last Sunday Night, while watching the Hall of Fame game, that itch for fantasy football crept back begging to be scratched. Luckily, my first Fantasy Football Draft is Sunday after the Colts and 49ers play both teams first preseason contest. I still needed to do some scratching, and decided to take part in a 14-man mock draft (you can participate in mock drafts on sites like CBS, Yahoo! and several others). While participating in the mock, I had several targets in mind while selecting. Since I was picking 10th overall, Frank Gore was certainly out of my reach, but it got me thinking. Who would Frank Gore's Fantasy Rival be in 2010? Looking at the mock draft results, I'll try to determine which player(s) we can stack Frank up against throughout the season.

Gore was selected sixth overall, about where he's averaging, with Ray Rice and Michael Turnergetting taken just ahead of our favourite 49er at the 4 and 5 spots. Like I mentioned, I was selecting 10th and was surprised to see Rashard Mendenhall and Shonn Greene both get selected ahead of my draft pick, Steven Jackson. While Jackson does play for the St. Louis Rams, it's hard to imagine taking Greene or Mendenhall over the total yardage machine Jackson can be when healthy. In my opinion, Jackson should've been the next RB off the board after Gore, making my 10th selection much trickier. For his career, the Rams workhorse has averaged 107 total yards per game, scoring a TD in every other game. Pardon me Mendenhall and Greene, if I'm not impressed by your small sample size. In comparison, Ray Rice averaged 127 total yards per game in 2009 (with 8 TDs) and Frank Gore totalled 109 yards per game with 13 TDs. How did Jackson do in 2009? His TDs were low (4), but he kept pace in the yardage category, averaging 115 per contest.

So, how are we going to measure Frank Gore's success in 2010? Well, since Ray Rice's ADP is just ahead of Gore's, and Jackson's is just behind, I figured this trio will be a good group to track throughout 2010. All three backs are similar in total yardage ability, and Gore might have the slight edge in TD-potential. Rice still has McGahee and McClain potentially stealing goal line carries, and Jackson could struggle to hit pay dirt playing on the Rams (although, there's no doubting he'll get his chances). Rashard Mendenhall and Shonn Greene are going to have to play their way into this list, so I'm writing them off completely (ditto, Michael Turner). After the jump the rest of my mock draft results and eyeing up potential fantasy rivals for other 49ers players...  

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After briefly discussing the hopeful retirement of Berrt Farve, bignerd and I had a brief back and forth about who would become San Francisco's biggest individual rivalry. I figured this topic would be a nice follow up to Fooch's post regarding the 49ers team rivals; determining San Francisco's individual rivals should be equally entertaining. My first choice was Aaron Rodgers, for obvious reasons, while bignerd felt Darnell Dockett would be deserving of public enemy number one. Sure Dockett is a public enemy, but I don't think he deserves the number one status for several reasons. The biggest reason? The Cardinals are just 2-4 against the 49ers during Dockett's career, and Dockett ain't no Kevin Greene-type. Bignerd mentioned that Rodgers hasn't done enough to warrant the title either, something I can definitely agree with. Let's see if we can figure out just who might be San Francisco's biggest enemy, shall we?

Darnell Dockett

He tweets a lot of smack, and has already established a rivalry with Vernon Davis because of it. Dockett is going to have to perform incredibly against San Francisco in the coming season for him to warrant our hatred. After Davis and Co. punk him twice, Dockett will likely shut his trap. This just doesn't have the media hype potential that other rivalries could have. Stat Line versus the 49ers: 6 G, 3 sacks, 1 INT, team wins 2, team losses 4. My verdict: Not deserving enough. Oh Snap. [Andrew's Edit: Dockett has actually played 12 times against San Francisco, and the Cardinals are 6-6 in that span. My bad]

Aaron Rodgers

This would be a media hoopla that journalists could get behind with Rodgers being the QB passed over in favour of current 49ers QB, Alex Smith. With the recent success of Rodgers (and success might be an understatement), it won't be hard to hate this guy, especially if Smith flops this season. However, at this point Rodgers hasn't done enough against the 49ers on the field to become such a highly ranked enemy. Stat Line versus the 49ers: 1 G, 344 Pass Yards, 2 Pass TDs, 0 INTs, team wins 1, team losses 0. My verdict: If he starts beating the 49ers on a regular basis, yes, until then, maybe.

Matt Hasselbeck

The Seahawks QB has made a career out of beating the 49ers, Matt Hasselbeck has lead his team to a 10-4 record versus San Francisco. He's flown under the radar for so long because of his lovable nature, his non-threatening demeanor, and most of all, his ugly bald head. We shouldn't let that stop us from crowning Hasselbeck as public enemy number one though. What should stop us is the fact that the QB will be 35 in September, and there's probably not much time left in his career. Stat Line versus the 49ers: 14 G, 3210 Pass Yards, 23 Pass TDs, 12 INTs, team wins 10, team losses 4. My verdict: 2004 was a brutal season watching Hasselbeck carve up the Niners, 2005 wasn't easy either. He may be old, but as long as he's in the in league, I'd be willing to give him the honour.

O.J. Atogwe

Hey, why not? Atogwe is dating Coach Singletary's daughter, and it seems like each interception he's had against the 49ers has had an impact. With a recently signed deal with the Rams, I think it would be fitting for O.J. to become a big enemy. Sadly, I'm afraid if the Rams improve significantly much of our (I'm talking about us Niner fans) hatred will be turned towards Sam Bradford. After all, nothing spells bitter like seeing a first overall draft pick pan out. Stat Line versus the 49ers: 5 G, 3 INTs, team wins 2, team losses 3. My verdict: He'll have to have some pretty notable performances in upcoming games to get himself on the radar. Either that, or cheat on Sing's daughter.   

Ok Niners Nation, the ball is now in your court: who do you think should be Public Enemy Number One? (You know, should Brenda finally retire)

Poll

Who do you think should be Public Enemy Number One once Brenda finally retires?

49%

Darnell Dockett

221 votes

18%

Aaron Rodgers

81 votes

23%

Matt Hasselbeck

105 votes

2%

O.J. Atogwe

10 votes

6%

Other (specify in comments)

31 votes

448 votes | Poll has closed

I'll come clean right now, I've stolen this idea from a fanpost up on FederalBaseball.com (SB Nation's home to the Washington Nationals). The goal is to compile a roster of 25 players from the past 25 years. Since NFL rosters are much larger than MLB rosters, I'll simply choose 11 players on offense, 11 players on defense, 1 kicker, 1 punter and 1 return specialist (25). The catch is, I can only use one player from one season and cannot repeat any players, so certain guys might get bumped off the list (even though they may be deserving). It should be fun to come up with a list of your own, and I encourage fans of all teams to give it a try. On to my team.

1985: RB Roger Craig - 1050 Rushing yards, 9 Rush TDs; 96 receptions, 1016 yards, 6 TDs. Craig's season is one of the best of any running back in not just 49ers history, but NFL history. He was the first back to rush and receive for over 1000 yards. Unfortunately, this season bumps Frank Gore's 2006 from the team.

1986: FS Ronnie Lott - 77 tackles, 10 INTs, 3 FF, 2 sacks. Lott's best statistical season for the 49ers during his career, and he's easily the best defensive back in team history. In reality, any season from Lott's tenure with the 49ers would suffice.

1987: WR Jerry Rice - 65 receptions, 1078 yards, 22 TDs; 51 Rushing yards, 1 TD. If this isn't the most impressive season in NFL history for WRs, I don't know what is, it took Rice just 12 games to amount these totals. Yes, Randy Moss has broken the single season record for receiving TDs, but Rice account for 22 or Joe Montana's 31 pass TDs.

1988: PR John Taylor - 44 PR, 556 PR Yards, 2 TDs, 12.6 PR Avg. John Taylor won't make the list as the second WR, but he certainly gets on due to his excellent 1988 season returning punts. In Taylor's second season in the NFL, he was voted to the Pro Bowl thanks to his electric return skills.

1989: DE Pierce Holt - 48 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR. Holt played LDE in San Francisco 3-4 front and put up a career best 10.5 sacks in 1989. Holt mainly earns his way onto this teams thanks in large part to his 4 sack performance against the New York Giants.

1990: OLB Charles Haley - 58 tackles, 16 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR. You take a look at Haley's stats from 1990 and try to find a better player to put on this team from this season. Dave Waymer and Brent Jones received strong consideration, but ultimately the Elephant gets the nod.

1991: LG Guy McIntyre - 16 GS, 1 FR. At the age of 30, McIntyre made his third consecutive Pro Bowl in '91 of which he made five straight with the San Francisco 49ers. The incredible and durable guard participated in 16 games, six straight seasons for the team from 1988-1993.

After the jump, the rest of the team...

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Fellow Niners fans oh how the mighty have struggled since the firing of Steve Mariucci. We've been through a lot lately, and things seem to be turning around in our favour. As passionate fans we await 2010 with optimism, whether it be guarded or not. We calmly sit through this less-than-exciting offseason and anticipate what could be a successful season ahead. But what will make it a success? Well, in one word: playoffs. Under no other circumstances will I consider the 49ers season a success, it's playoffs or bust. Here's five reasons San Francisco's season will be a success.

1. Alex Smith - Yes, that's right. The number one reason the 49ers will make the playoffs will be because of Alex Smith. The question is, will Smith be ineffective and benched early on opening up the door for David Carr or Nate Davis? Or will Smith build upon the progression he showed towards the end of 2009? Well, Smith finally has the same offense for the second straight year, and he finally has talent surrounding him. The team went out and added a couple of humungoids to the OLine, which could pay off sooner rather than later. Regardless of immediate impact as starters, the two shiny new linemen at least provide the 49ers will something valuable at the OLine position: depth. With all the stars aligning for Alex Smith, the 49ers will make the playoffs.

2. The Secondary - This offseason was quite quiet for the 49ers defense, aside from drafting superstar-in-waiting Taylor Mays. Last year's unit was impressive and dominant at times, boasting one of the league's best red zone and rush defenses. The secondary could be an issue, but Shawntae Spencer, Nate Clements and Tarell Brown are a reliable trio when healthy. Dashon Goldson came on strong in the second half, and Michael Lewis (when not concust) is as reliable as they come when stacking the box. With the addition of Mays, the 49ers now have some depth in case Lewis goes down to injury. Hopefully Curtis Taylor and Reggie Smith can mature into solid back-ups as well. Call me crazy, but I think Nate Clements will be playing the 2010 season with a giant chip on his shoulder which could mean a season that finally lives up to the giant contract he signed as a free agent in 2007. San Francisco's secondary is going to be a big reason why the 49ers make the playoffs.

3. Ahmad Brooks - I'll try to keep this brief, because the 49ers boast one of the best front sevens in all of football (and that's not being a homer). Ahmad Brooks will see an increased role in 2010, and we could see a 49er reach double-digit sacks for the first time since Andre Carter way back in 2002 (guess when the 49ers last playoff appearance was). San Francisco's linebacking corps is a strong unit, and not one individual will need to get 10+ sacks for the unit to have success, much like 2009. However, Brooks is the guy that will do it, and the 49ers will be in the playoffs because of it.

4. Brandon Jones - Before your eyes fall out of their sockets, take a second and relax. Brandon Jones makes this list because he's going to a key component to San Francisco's success. Why? Because Brandon Jones will be cut before the regular season, opening the door for rookie Kyle Williams and Ted Ginn to take the reps and run. One of the most important ingredients will be one that's not even with the team. If I had any say, the team would send Brandon Jones a "49ers NFC West Champs" hat just for being bad enough to get cut. Maybe even a blinged out sixth Super Bowl ring too, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

5. Coaching - Ok, so this is likely the number one reason the team will make the playoffs in 2010, largely in part because it's the reason Alex Smith will be successful, and the reason the defense will continue to swarm. Jimmy Raye returns as the Offensive Co-Ordinator which may upset some fans, but Smith will show such great command of the offense, people are going to forget about Shrek. Greg Manusky will be the 49ers Defensive Co-Ordinator in what will likely be his last season with the team. Let's face it, he's been so good there's no way he won't be head coaching a team soon. Mostly all of the remaining coaches carry over from 2009, which is a great thing. The addition of a new OLine coach, Mike Solari, and his assistant Ray Brown, will take this team to the playoffs. Oh yeah, Mike Singletary.

What are your five reasons the 49ers will make (or miss) the playoffs?