Fantasy Sports Review

Here is another post to help you get those rusty fantasy gears oiled and moving again. I have a quick little four round mock draft for you to look over to get an idea of how some fantasy savvy bloggers/writers and I value many of the top players.

The scoring format was based on a standard system other then the fact that QB’s will get 6 points per TD.

If you are wondering about my picks, they are in bold and I will provide a little insight as to why I chose them below (your thoughts are welcome encouraged).

Oh and one more thing, make sure you stop by each of these blogs and add them to your reader or sign up for email updates - links to the sites are in the first round. That way you will never, EVER miss even a morsel of fantasy football information from now until you are counting your first place cash.

Check it out!

Round 1

1. Curveballs 4 Jesus: L. Tomlinson
2. Sean McCall/Football Outsiders: A. Peterson
3. Football Burrito: J. Addai
4. Pancake Blocks: S. Jackson
5. West Coast Nonsense: B. Westbrook
6. Bruno Boys: T. Brady
7. The Hazean: M. Barber
8. Football Jabber: F. Gore
9. Fantasy Football Fools: C. Portis
10. Fantasy Football Geek Blog: M. Lynch
11. Fantasy Football Goat: Larry Johnson
12. Fantasy Football Librarian: Randy Moss

Round 2

1. Fantasy Football Librarian: Reggie Wayne
2. Fantasy Football Goat: Terrell Owens
3. FF Geek Blog: Ryan Grant
4. FF Fools: Braylon Edwards
5. Jabber: Peyton Manning
6. Hazean: Willis McGahee
7. Bruno Boys: Brandon Jacobs
8. West Coast Nonsense: Larry Fitzgerald
9. Pancake Blocks: Andre Johnson
10. Football Burrito: MJ Drew
11. Sean McCall/Football Outsiders: L. Mauroney
12. C4J: Drew Brees

Round 3

1. Curveballs 4 Jesus: Jamal Lewis
2. Sean McCall/Football Outsiders: Marques Colston
3. Football Burrito Tony Romo
4. Pancake Blocks: Chad Johnson
5. West Coast Nonsense: T.J. Housh
6. Bruno Boys: Steve Smith
7. The Hazean: Brandon Marshall
8. Football Jabber: Plaxico Burress
9. Fantasy Football Fools: Edgerrin James
10. Fantasy Football Geek Blog: Torry Holt
11. Fantasy Football Goat: Santonio Holmes
12. Fantasy Football Librarian: Reggie Brown

Round 4

1. Fantasy Football Librarian: Ronnie Brown
2. Fantasy Football Goat: Earnest Graham
3. FF Geek Blog: Anquan Boldin
4. FF Fools: Michael Turner
5. Jabber: LenDale White
6. Hazean: Carson Palmer
7. Bruno: Darren McFadden
8. West Coast Nonsense: Willie Parker
9. Pancake Blocks: Jonathan Stewart
10. Football Burrito: Wes Welker
11. Sean McCall/Football Outsiders: Jason Witten
12. Curveballs 4 Jesus: Lee Evans

My Round One Choice
I was all over Marshawn Lynch until Matt and Brandon over at FFGeeksBlog wisely picked him just before me (props to them) which led me to taking Larry Johnson.

I’m not crazy about taking him considering the laundry list of question marks surrounding his supporting staff; the line, the QB and experience in general. But he’s the best player on his team (equaling touches), an every down back (rare these days) and has a schedule filled with “projected” weak run D’s.

Add to that the fact that you gotta think he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder after a dismal 2007. I’ll take my chances.

My Round Two Choice
I took T.O. The running back pool drops of some right here and I think I can get some some decent value later. I was thinking QB with 6 points per TD but again, I think there will be some value in the later rounds. I am going to make sure I have a solid WR1 and take Terrell Owens before they get run on (long time until my next pick).

My Round Three Choice
I was not that excited about any of the running backs left and I think there is some good value at QB to be had in the later rounds. So, I am going to take Santonio Holmes.

He’s a number one on a fairly pass happy team and he seems to get a little better every year. In my opinion, he is a very solid WR2 (arguably even low end WR1).

My Round Four Choice
I took Ernest Graham. A potentially reduced workload with Warrick Dunn in town presents some risk but he is a good value in round 4. And I don’t think Cadillac will be a factor - at least until much later on in the season.

Bottom line, a very solid RB2 who runs behind a good offensive line and plays on a team that will run and play ball control against an accommodating schedule.

Again, I invite any comments or questions you might have.

There you have it. I want to thank all the bloggers and writers that participated. And most importantly, I want to thank you for reading this.

Here’s something to help get your wheels turning in preparation for your fantasy football draft. After devouring every podcast, scanning the mock draft results over on Fantasy Football Calculator’s ADP tool and reading piece after piece of fantasy football information over the past few weeks, I have started to compile a list of players who I - and other people in the know - think will either provide great value in your fantasy football draft or simply come out of nowhere to help out your squad.

So here they are, a few players who are not getting a ton of respect… which is fine when they are falling to you.

Quarterbacks

Mark Bulger (STL) - Last year his line was hammered and then so was he. They Rams lost a few o-line starters for the entire season - including the All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace - and there was only one man who started 16 games on the line - each at different position.

He has been the 12th QB taken which means people are forgetting that just a year ago - with a healthy line - he was considered top six. That equals value. You could stock up running backs and receivers when you can get a QB like this later in the draft.

With a healthy line and a suspect defense expect the Rams offense to bounce back and be required to score often.

Jake Delhomme (CAR) - If his shoulder holds up - and there is no reason to think it won’t at this point - Jake offers tremendous value being the 14th QB taken on average. His line will be healthy, he has Steve Smith, old reliable Moose and newcomer D.J. Hackett. All of which should be able to help him get into the swing of things.

Running backs

Thomas Jones (NYJ) - An upgraded line and weak schedule versus the run could equal a return to the top ten for Thomas Jones this year. He is getting up there in age but the man has some pride. I don’t think it is a stretch for him to go over 1000 yards and pick up 10+ TD’s this year and getting production like that in the 4th or 5th round is a pretty good deal.

Ernest Graham (TB) - Ernest also has a good line, will be the primary runner and yet he is getting no respect. On average, he has been the 22nd running back taken. Even if Warrick Dunn steals a few carries it won’t be in the red zone. And what about the Cadillac? I for one won’t be holding my breath. He shouldn’t be a factor until late in the season if at all.

Ricky Williams (MIA) - I see Ronnie Brown getting the love everywhere but last time I checked, he isn’t even on the practice field and has admitted that “I have a long way to go.” Ricky has been looking great in practice and is on a mission to shake his past. Don’t believe me, read this Miami Herald article. Bottom line, he will come very cheap and you could do a lot worse with some of your late round picks.

Wide Receivers

Bobby Engram (SEA) - With Deion Branch in serious doubt until late in the season and D.J. Hackett catching balls in Carolina, someone has to get the ball in a very pass happy offense. Why not Mr. Old Reliable? Sure he wants more cash but he’s old school, a gamer and most importantly in camp. You could get him late and have a very solid WR2 or WR3 on your hand hands (maybe even better in PPR leagues).

Chad Jackson (NE) - I am not completely sold on this myself but I think that Doug at Football Burrito made a compelling case in our bloggers mock draft.

In week 12 of the 2007 season the Eagles decided to get physical with Randy Moss bumping him at the line with help over the top. Moss was shut down, and from week 12 through the play-offs other teams copied the Eagles approach. With Moss shut down, Welker got 143 yards receiving against the Eagle and for the rest of the year Moss hardly did anything while Welker flourished. This is not a small sample size either we are talking about 9 games! While one of your friends grabs Randy Moss in the first round, grab Welker in the 4th and remind them every week when Welker outperforms Moss.

Tight ends

Ben Utecht (CIN) - The former Colt is now with the Bengals. The word is that he should be in line to pick up Chris Henry’s work. You and I both know that their offense can get it done and we both know that their defense can’t get it done. Sooo there should be plenty of balls to go around in Cinci right? I’d give you his ADP but I can’t find it. Now how’s that for a sleeper.

Defenses

Baltimore D - Think about it, last year at this time they were considered an elite fantasy defense but then the injury bug hit, their offense barely helped and the slowly faded. Now they are healthy. So once the run on defenses starts, don’t worry. Chances are you’ll be able to snap up the Ravens a little later than usual this year. They have been the 10th defense taken on average in mock drafts according to Fantasy Football Calculator’s ADP tool.

So do you agree or disagree?

Or did I miss anyone? Feel free to offer up your opinion in the comments below.

Oh, and stay tuned. This list is only about half complete right now. I am sure I will come up with more and more as training camps progress.

This could be the weakest division of linemen in the conference. With all four teams ranking in the second half of the conference, three in the lower third, there is much work to be done. But with strong offensive coaching from Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay and Sean Payton in New Orleans there is hope these units can produce.

Carolina Panthers (1st in NFC South, 9th in Conference)
Without Jack Delhomme at quarterback last year, this group struggled. The return of Delhomme and the additions of first-round pick Jeff Otah up front and wide receivers Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett should help this group buy time for Steve Smith to be the centerpiece of the team once again.

LT Jordan Gross
LG Travelle Wharton
C Ryan Kalil
RG Keydrick Vincent
RT Jeff Otah

New Orleans Saints (2nd in NFC South, 11th in Conference)
This team was dynamic two seasons ago, so the question is can they return to form or was that just a flash in the pan? They certainly have plenty of weapons on offense, but they’re going to have to be a lot meaner up front and control the line of scrimmage for the Saints to have success.

LT Jammal Brown
LG Jamar Nesbit
C Jonathan Goodwin
RG Jahri Evans
RT Jon Stinchcomb

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3rd in NFC South, 12th in Conference)
This group was battered by injuries and inconsistent play last year. The signing of Jeff Faine last year should help, but if Jon Gruden spent half the time finding offensive linemen as he does finding quarterbacks, the Bucs would be perennial contenders. With time to throw, even an average quarterback can be productive.

LT Luke Petitgout
LG Arron Sears
C Jeff Faine
RG Davin Joseph
RT Jeremy Trueblood

Atlanta Falcons (4th in NFC South, 16th in Conference)
The Falcons have a lot of rebuilding to do, and their offensive line is in as much need of help as any other part of the team. Don’t spend big or draft high on Atlanta skill players, because top pick Matt Ryan is going to be running for his life.

LT Renardo Foster
LG Justin Blalock
C Todd McClure
RG Kynan Forney
RT Todd Weiner

This is the last post in a series in which we went division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. Here’s a quick recap;

AFC North
AFC South
AFC East
AFC West
NFC North
NFC East
NFC West

Now don’t you let the fact that this series is over stop you from hanging around. Go ahead and subscribe now (see below) because I’ll be back soon with some information on sleeper and value picks that you won’t want to miss. See you then.

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

The Minnesota Vikings may have made a big splash in the offseason by acquiring defensive lineman Jared Allen from Kansas City, but the team’s biggest asset is on the offensive side of the ball. The Vikings are not only the top-rated offensive line in their conference and division, but they might very well be the best in the National Football League. With Adrian Peterson, an improving young quarterback in Tavaris Jackson and the addition of wide receiver Bernard Berrian, Minnesota is set to pillage and plunder opposing defensives. And without the big horses up front, none of that would be possible.

Minnesota Vikings (1st in NFC North, 1st in Conference)
As stated above, the combination of Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson and Matt Birk give the Vikings the best left side in the NFL. That shady free agent signing of Hutchinson with the poison pill added to the contract looks huge now.

LT Bryant McKinnie
LG Steve Hutchinson
C Matt Birk
RG Anthony Herrera
RT Ryan Cook

Green Bay Packers (2nd in NFC North, 4th in Conference)
A few years ago Brett Favre was going to retire because this line didn’t have enough talent to compete. Well, last year they dominated, giving Favre plenty of time to operation while opening holes for little-known running back Ryan Grant as he burst on the scene.

LT Chad Clifton
LG Junius Coston
C Scott Wells
RG Jason Spitz
RT Mark Tauscher

Chicago Bears (3rd in NFC North, 6th in Conference)
This is a gritty but aging group up front, but the addition of first-rounder Chris Williams (14th overall) should help ease the pain. Now if only they could find a quarterback, and a running back.

LT Chris Williams
LG Terrence Metcalf
C Olin Kreutz
RG Roberto Garza
RT John Tait

Detroit Lions (4th in NFC North, 14th in Conference)
This group looked good in the first half of 2007, but they faded badly down the stretch to ensure quarterback Jon Kitna’s promise of 10 wins went unfulfilled. The addition of first-round pick Gosder Cherilus (17th overall) should help.

LT Jeff Backus
LG Edwin Mulitalo
C Dominic Raiola
RG Stephen Peterman
RT Gosder Cherilus

Well we are almost home, just one more division left before we round out the series. But hey don’t let that stop you from becoming a regular Goat reader - which by the way is very easy - and almost effortless - for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

If you are anything like me, you are starving for any football discussion that doesn’t include Brett Favre (please make it stop!). So, I figured I would give you an update on a little mock draft that some very football savvy bloggers and I have been participating in over the last week or so.

So far, not many surprises but round two is a pick away and there are usually a few head turners to be had. Check it out.

Oh, and before I forget, make sure you stop by each of these blogs and add them to your reader (or sign up for email updates). That way you will never, ever miss even a morsel of fantasy football information from now until you are counting your first place cash.

Here ya go:

1. Curveballs 4 Jesus: L. Tomlinson

2. Sean McCall: A. Peterson

3. Football Burrito: J. Addai

4. Pancake Blocks: S. Jackson

5. West Coast Nonsense: B. Westbrook

6. Bruno Boys: T. Brady

7. The Hazean: M. Barber

8. Football Jabber: F. Gore

9. Fantasy Football Fools: C. Portis

10. Fantasy Football Geek Blog: M. Lynch

11. Fantasy Football Goat: Larry Johnson

12. Fantasy Football Librarian: Randy Moss

I was all over Marshawn Lynch until Matt and Brandon over at FFGeeksBlog wisely picked him just before me (props to them) which led me to taking Larry Johnson.

I’m not crazy about taking him considering the laundry list of question marks surrounding his supporting staff: the line, the QB and experience in general. But he’s the best player on his team (equaling touches), an every down back (rare these days) and has a schedule filled with “projected” weak run d’s.

Add to that the fact that you gotta think he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder after a dismal 2007. I’ll take my chances.

This division lacks a little up front, and the effort trickles down from there. Subpar efforts and lack of healthy players on the line and in the backfield have created an uphill battle for these West Coast teams. That said, Seattle and St. Louis have been the most successful teams from this division, and that success is tied to the guys up front. Consider how much the loss of Orlando Pace hurt the Rams last year.

Seattle Seahawks (1st in NFC West, 7th in Conference)
If you want a safe bet on draft day, then grab whoever emerges as the lead runner for the Seahawks. The lack of production last year had more to do with the decline of Shaun Alexander than it had to do with the linemen.

LT Walter Jones
LG Mike Wahle
C Chris Spencer
RG Ray Sims
RT Sean Locklear

St. Louis Rams (2nd in NFC West, 8th in Conference)
Obviously a healthy Orlando Pace will go a long way toward improving the play of his unit from a year ago, but a healthy quarterback (Marc Bulger) and running back (Steven Jackson) need to return to form this year for the team to turn the corner on offense.

LT Orlando Pace
LG Mark Setterstrom
C Brett Romberg
RG Richie Incognito
RT Alex Barron

Arizona Cardinals (3rd in NFC West, 13th in Conference)
This group is still finding his way as they try to build around Levi Brown, but expect marked improvement from this unit in 2008 with Russ Grimm leading the way.

LT Mike Gandy
LG Reggie Wells
C Al Johnson
RG Deuce Lutui
RT Levi Brown

San Francisco (4th in NFC West, 15th in Conference)
They seem to have solid tackles in Joe Staley and Jonas Jennings, though Jennings has had a hard time staying on the field due to injury. They should improve from another year of playing together as a unit, but who they will be blocking for is a guess with quarterback Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore both needing to prove they can stay healthy.

LT Joe Staley
LG Adam Snyder
C Eric Heitmann
RG Daavid Baas
RT Jonas Jennings

This is another post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

The NFC East is the cream of the crop, especially when it comes to the big boys up front. With three of the four teams ranked in the top five in the conference, this is by far the most competitive position in the conference. Dallas and the New York Giants were two of the top teams in the league last year, and Philadelphia and Washington – despite off years in 2007 – are traditionally very tough opponents. What does in this mean in fantasy circles? When in doubt, draft skill players from the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys (1st in NFC East, 2nd in Conference)

If these guys stay healthy, there isn’t much that is going to get in their way, unless Terrell Owens or Pacman Jones create problems from the inside. With lots of beef up front, Tony Romo will have all day to operate.

LT Flozell Adams
LG Kyle Kosier
C Andre Gurode
RG Leonard Davis
RT Marc Colombo

New York Giants (2nd in NFC East, 3rd in Conference)

The Giants were beasts on the road last season and only got better as the season went on as they rolled up playoff win after playoff win until they were crowned World Champions. It’s funny, this group seemed to get better when tight end Jeremy Shockey was lost for the season with a leg injury. Will the return of Shockey help or hurt? Time will tell.

LT David Diehl
LG Rich Seubert
C Shaun O’Hara
RG Chris Snee
RT Kareem McKenzie

Philadelphia Eagles (3rd in NFC East, 5th in Conference)

The Eagles seem to go as Donovan McNabb goes, but one thing is constant, production from the running back position. And that directly reflects strong play up front. So even if McNabb goes down, expect this line to create running lanes for Brian Westbrook.

LT Tra Thomas
LG Todd Herremans
C Jamaal Jackson
RG Shawn Andrews
RT Jon Runyan

Washington Redskins (4th in NFC East, 10th in Conference)

These guys aren’t the “Hogs” of old, but they hold their own in the trenches. They brought their lunch pals week after week for Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs last year. Can they muster the same effort for a new coach? He’ll have to make them believe.

LT Chris Samuels
LG Pete Kendall
C Casey Rabach
RG Randy Thomas
RT Jon Jansen

This is another post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

Running the ball, protecting the quarterback and controlling the clock are critical elements of any successful offensive line, and ultimately, any successful offensive. That even includes fantasy football offenses. You don’t just need to draft a good running back, you need to have the horses up front blocking for him. If you want further proof, consider Cleveland’s success last season after signing free agent guard Eric Steinbach and drafting Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas with its first-round pick. The strong line play helped Jamal Lewis rebuild his career. Because of the grind-it-out approach of all AFC North teams, this might be the most competitive group of offensive lines in the conference. Below is the way I see it.

Cleveland Browns (1st in AFC North, 4th in Conference)
As stated above, with Thomas and Steinbach leading the way, this above-average group should dominate for years to come.

LT Joe Thomas
LG Eric Steinbach
C Hank Fraley
RG Rex Hadnot
RT Kevin Shaffer

Pittsburgh Steelers (2nd in AFC North, 7th in Conference)
Losing guard Alan Faneca in free agency hurts, but Pittsburgh has a knack for knowing when to part with veterans. The smart money is on this blue-collar team finding a way to grind it out on the ground.

LT Marvel Smith
LG Chris Kemoeatu
C Justin Hartwig
RG Kendall Simmons
RT Willie Colon

Cincinnati Bengals (3rd in AFC North, 10th in Conference)
Willie Anderson and Levi Jones give this unit strong play from the tackles, but the middle of the line is average at best as Cincinnati rarely generates a push up the middle.

LT Levi Jones
LG Andrew Whitworth
C Eric Ghiaciuc
RG Bobbie Williams
RT Willie Anderson

Baltimore Ravens (4th in AFC North, 11th in Conference)
The only thing exciting about this group was stud tackle Jonathan Ogden, who just retired last week. Is there anybody on the roster ready to lead this group like Ogden did? Time will tell.

LT Jared Gaither or Adam Terry
LG Jason Brown
C Chris Chester
RG Ben Grubbs
RT Marshal Yanda

We are half way through the series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

It has long been stated that football is won in the trenches, and the signing of Michigan tackle Jake Long by the Miami Dolphins as the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft underscores that importance. Since New England has dominated its division foes by giving quarterback Tom Brady all day to pick apart opposing defenses for nearly a decade, it’s clear the Dolphins, Jets and Bills are trying to match the Patriots with strong play up front. Have any of them closed the gap on New England? Stay tuned.

New England Patriots (1st in AFC East, 6th in Conference)
They didn’t do much to consistently establish the run last season, though I guess when you go undefeated in the regular season, it doesn’t matter how you got there. Much like Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, Tom Brady makes this group better.

LT Matt Light
LG Logan Mankins
C Dan Koppen
RG Stephen Neal
RT Nick Kaczur

New York Jets (2nd in AFC East, 8th in Conference)
With the free agent signings of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody along with the additional seasoning of D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, this unit appears to be on the upswing. Now if only they could find a quarterback.

LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson
LG Allan Faneca
C Nick Mangold
RG Brandon Moore
RT Damien Woody

Buffalo Bills (3rd in AFC East, 9th in Conference)
The offensive line was one of the few bright spots for this injury-riddled team in 2007. With Jason Peters, who receives praise as one of the best young tackles in the league, paired with guard Derrick Dockery, expect Marshawn Lynch to run left a lot behind this improving unit.

LT Jason Peters
LG Derrick Dockery
C Melvin Fowler
RG Brad Butler
RT Langston Walker

Miami Dolphins (4th in AFC East, 15th in Conference)
The Dolphins move up from the cellar on the strength of Long being named the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. This 6-foot-7, 325-pound monster should open a few holes for Ronnie Brown.

LT Jake Long (1st overall pick)
LG Justin Smiley
C Samson Satele
RG Shawn Murphy
RT Vernon Carey

This is another post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

Everybody wants the best running back in the league when fantasy football drafts kick off around the country, and San Diego’s LaDanian Tomlinson is clearly the top choice. Not only is he the best running back in the league, but he benefits by playing behind the best offensive line in the league. When you can find strong skill players supported by strong line play, then you’ve got a formula for success. Young quarterbacks like San Diego’s Philip Rivers and Denver’s Jay Cutler absolutely benefit from strong offensive line play in front of them. So bet big on skill players from San Diego and Denver on draft day as these teams are among the top lines in the conference.

San Diego Chargers (1st in AFC West, 1st in Conference)
The success of this unit over the last few years speaks for itself. McNeill, Dielman and Hardwick are a formidable trio, and remain a big part of LaDanian Tomlinson’s assault on the record books.

LT Marcus McNeill
LG Kris Dielman
C Nick Hardwick
RG Mike Goff
RT Jeromey Clary
Denver Broncos (2nd in AFC West, 5th in Conference)
Denver as a franchise takes great pride in the play of its offensive line, though with less talented linemen than the Broncos are used to, they land in the Top 5 based on their zone-blocking system and their commitment to run the ball. And first-round pick Ryan Clady should continue the team’s tradition of solid line play.

LT Ryan Clady (12th overall pick)
LG Ben Hamilton
C Casey Wiegmann
RG Montrae Holland
RT Erik Pears

Oakland Raiders (3rd in AFC West, 14th in Conference)
Former No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery, who was supposed to be a mainstay at tackle after being drafted in 2004, has been moved inside to guard. Enough said.

LT Kwame Harris
LG Robert Gallery
C John Wade
RG Cooper Carlisle
RT Cornell Green

Kansas City Chiefs (4th in AFC West, 16th in Conference)
The Chiefs could’ve used Jake Long, but first-round pick Branden Albert should help their cause. This unit needs a lot of assistance after losing a few key veterans to retirement in the last year or so. Larry Johnson is praying for help.

LT Branden Albert (15th overall pick)
LG Brian Waters
C Rudy Niswanger
RG Adrian Jones
RT Damion McIntosh

This is another post in a series in which we go division by division looking at and ranking the most overlooked factor in the success of your fantasy football squad, the offensive line. So you might want to keep an eye out over the next few weeks - which by the way, I have made it easy for you to do because…

In case you didn’t know, subscribing to the Goat is at the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?