Updated Player News

As soon as the Texans released WR Eric Moulds prior to free agency, coach Gary Kubiak named Moulds' replacement. He didn't hesitate, and he didn't dismiss the question until training camp. Kubiak made it clear he wanted WR Kevin Walter as the No. 2 target for quarterback Matt Schaub. Walter should be considered a sleeper in your upcoming drafts.



New England Patriots' DE Marquise Hill spent much of his free time and his NFL paycheck helping loved ones rebuild in the hurricane-damaged city where he grew up. Aiding others came naturally to him, and distraught relatives on Monday said Hill died a hero after the former LSU star helped save the life of a former high school classmate who could not swim.



Indianapolis Colts' coaches and team officials, keenly aware of the importance of S Bob Sanders to their defensive efforts, will err on the side of caution in the offseason recovery of their standout free safety -- even if that means lightening his load in training camp. Sanders, when healthy, can be a IDP force as he is always around the ball.

Michael Bush - RB - Raiders Sidelined

Michael Bush is expected to be ready for full contact drills in two months.

Bush was originally hoping to be ready for June, but training camp is a more realistic goal. It's uncertain how close to "100%" he can be before the season, but the Oakland Tribune isn't sure if he'll be a big contributor until 2008.

Rookie RB Booker Impressing

Projected to have immediate impact on offense as runner-receiver

DAVIE, Fla. -- Shortly after Lorenzo Booker learned he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, the Florida State running back became excited about learning nuances of the NFL game from Ricky Williams. Instead, he'll essentially be replacing Williams. Not only does Booker have the same locker that Williams occupied in the Dolphins' training complex, he's also likely be Ronnie Brown's backup in Miami's backfield and fill the role many expected Williams to have before his suspension for violating the league's drug policy was extended until at least September. And Williams' loss -- all indications are that the Dolphins will not welcome back the former NFL rushing champion when, or if, he is reinstated by the league -- appears to be Booker's gain. "I'd be lying if I said that I didn't anticipate getting more carries because of that," Booker said Friday. "But at the same time, I was looking forward to learning from him also. Regardless of what the guy does on his own time, he's a great football player and no one can take that from him. ... But, obviously, I'm excited about the opportunity to get more touches early." Brown is excited by that possibility, too. He wasted no time in beginning to forge a relationship with Booker, teaching him some of the lessons he's learned since he was drafted No. 2 overall by the Dolphins in 2005 -- and predicted Friday that the rookie will make an impact for Miami right away this season. "He's doing a great job," Brown said. "He came in and has been catching the ball real well, is learning a lot on the move. It'd be a lot for a lot of people, but he's taking everything in, isn't making a lot of mental mistakes and is getting better on a daily basis." (ESPN.com)

Williamson dropping the past

Vision exercises give receiver renewed confidence

Troy Williamson didn't need a vision specialist to read the handwriting on the wall. When the Vikings used three of their eight selections in last month's NFL draft on wide receivers, after signing Bobby Wade and Cortez Hankton in free agency, it was a clear sign that the competition had been ratcheted up at that position. "It's going to be good," Williamson said Thursday. "You've got a lot of young guys, a lot of people that love to work and love to compete. That's going to make it better for us. It's a situation where everybody ups their game to see how good they can be." Coming off a season in which his 11 drops tied for third-most in the NFL and two years removed from his arrival as a No. 1 draft choice, this could be a make-or-break season for Williamson, but new wide receivers coach George Stewart isn't buying it. "Not at all," Stewart said. "This is coach (Brad) Childress' second year. I'm here for the first year. Troy is talented. Make or break? By no stretch of the imagination. I'm not in position to make that call - that's up to the head coach and ownership - but Troy is doing a great job for us right now. He's working extremely hard, and hopefully he'll have a great season." (Pioneer Press)

Vick Linked As Dog Fighting Heavy

Allegedly bet 30-40K on dog fightingHe arrived at the hotel room, where our cameras were set up, in a T-shirt and jeans. "I'm nervous," he said, surveying our lights and camera equipment. "I've never done anything like this before." Our confidential source said he's been involved in dog fighting for more than 30 years. He has trained and fought -- by his estimation -- about 2,000 pit bulls and was poised to tell "Outside the Lines" about the time in 2000 when his dog squared off against a dog owned by someone he referred to as one of the "heavyweights" of the dog fighting world: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. "He's a pit bull fighter," the source said of Vick. "He's one of the ones that they call 'the big boys': that's who bets a large dollar. And they have the money to bet large money. As I'm talking about large money -- $30,000 to $40,000 -- even higher. He's one of the heavyweights." On April 25, authorities raided a house in Surry County, Va., owned by Vick and reportedly found -- among other things -- 66 dogs (most of which were pit bulls), a dog-fighting pit, bloodstained carpets and equipment commonly associated with dog fighting. Vick was not at the scene and denied knowledge of dog fighting at the property. To this point, no charges have been filed against him. But questions about Vick and his possible connection to dog fighting linger. This source -- who required anonymity as a condition of our interview -- has helped law enforcement by supplying information on dog fights that has led to dozens of felony arrests. "I've fought dogs, I pitted them, I bred them and I've done everything with them," said the source of his three decades in dog fighting. He then went on to describe the scene from that night seven years ago, as he took his 42-pound dog into the pit (the area dogs fight in) to face off against Vick's dog. He says Vick did not get into the pit but had a member of his entourage handle his dog while Vick placed bets with the 20 or so people in attendance. (ESPN.com)

May 28 Update - Memorial Day

Updated Player News

The Coast Guard is searching for New England Patriots' DE Marquise Hill, who fell off a jet ski with a woman on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, according to a radio report. This is a scary story and could turn out to be very sad.



Dolphins' first-round pick WR Ted Ginn Jr. is scheduled to report June 7, one day before the start of the next minicamp. Ginn, a junior at Ohio State, declared for the draft early. Due to NCAA rules, Ginn isn't allowed to officially report until his class graduates June 7. Ginn could be this year's version of Devin Hester for fantasy owners.



Bengals' WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, citing personal matters for his absence from the last minicamp, indicated earlier this week that he'll be in town for next weekend's mandatory camp. Unlike the voluntary camps, players under contract can be fined for not showing at the mandatory. Houshmandzadeh is a top-15 WR in most drafts, so don't let him pass by.

May 25 Update

Updated Player News

Leading the trio of Miami Dolphins' signings on Thursday was RB Lorenzo Booker, a third-round pick from Florida State. He was joined by seventh-round pick Brandon Fields, a punter from Michigan State, DE Abraham Wright from Colorado. Booker should be the backup to RB Ronnie Brown and may be a nice 3rd down back.



Patriots' veteran cornerback
Randall Gay, who started for New England in their Super Bowl XXXIX victory but has been plagued by leg injuries in each of the past two seasons, signed his one-year restricted free agent qualifying offer with the team Thursday. Gay will most likely be a nickel player and will not hold much IDP value.



The agent for Chiefs' QB Trent Green said Thursday the Miami Dolphins have indicated "some flexibility" in their offer to Kansas City but that he can't get the Chiefs to respond. This story is much like Keyshawn Johnson and Mike Vick in that they never seem to end. Will the Chiefs just trade him...

Updated Player News

Cardinals WR Bryant Johnson has a sore hamstring and missed his second consecutive day of practice at voluntary workouts on Wednesday. WR Sean Morey stepped up into the No. 3 slot. Johnson's injury isn't serious, but the team will err on the side of caution.



Lions RB Kevin Jones has had two pins removed from his surgically repaired left foot. One remains. "That one stays in," Jones said. "It's not anywhere where it's going to affect me from flexing it at all." Jones said he is still on target to return for training camp. Keep an eye on the Jones vs. Tatum Bell situation before you draft either of them.



The Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday ended more than a month of speculation and uncertainty surrounding the future of P Chris Gardocki, releasing the 16-year veteran and making him an unrestricted free agent able to sign with another team. The Steelers will now go with the Daniel Sepulveda, the strong-legged rookie punter from Baylor.

Updated Player News

Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Tuesday that the club has traded K Lawrence Tynes to the N.Y. Giants for future considerations. Tynes will be the starter for the Giants and K Justin Medlock will now assume the starting kicking duties for the Chiefs. I would shy away from both of them as fantasy kickers.



Less than a month after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs, DE Eric Hicks has found a new home. The veteran signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday. Hicks will provide depth for the Jets but holds no fantasy value.



Kenton County prosecutors are awaiting final results of a drug test by Bengals' WR Chris Henry being analyzed by a Kentucky state lab. A positive test would mean a third violation of the league substance-abuse policy for Henry. That violation carries a one-year suspension. Take Henry off your cheat sheet.

RB Ranking

Rank	Player	NFL Team	Bye Week	Age/ Yrs Exp.	Projected Fantasy Points*
1	Tomlinson, Ladainian	SD	7	27/6	393
2	Jackson, Steven	STL	9	23/3	321
3	Johnson, Larry	KC	8	27/4	312
4	Gore, Frank	SF	6	24/2	285
5	Parker, Willie	PIT	6	26/3	268
6	Westbrook, Brian	PHI	5	27/5	262
7	Maroney, Laurence	NE	10	22/1	234
8	Alexander, Shaun	SEA	8	29/7	221
9	Addai, Joseph	IND	7	24/1	215
10	Bush, Reggie	NO	4	22/1	214
11	Johnson, Rudi	CIN	5	27/5	213
12	Portis, Clinton	WAS	4	25/5	207
13	Brown, Ronnie	MIA	9	25/2	198
14	McGahee, Willis	BAL	8	25/3	198
15	James, Edgerrin	ARI	8	28/8	192
16	Henry, Travis	DEN	6	27/6	188
17	Lynch, Marshawn(R)	BUF	6		188
18	Jones-Drew, Maurice	JAX	4	22/1	187
19	Benson, Cedric	CHI	9	24/2	184
20	Jones, Thomas	NYJ	10	28/7	179
21	Lewis, Jamal	CLE	7	27/6	178
22	Green, Ahman	HOU	10	30/9	177
23	Jacobs, Brandon	NYG	9	24/2	173
24	Jackson, Brandon(R)	GB	7		171
25	Williams, Carnell	TB	10	25/2	171

 

Rank	Player	NFL Team	Bye Week	Age/ Yrs Exp.	Projected Fantasy Points*
26	Jordan, Lamont	OAK	5	28/6	163
27	Barber, Marion	DAL	8	23/2	161
28	Dunn, Warrick	ATL	8	32/10	161
29	Peterson, Adrian(R)	MIN	5		156
30	McAllister, Deuce	NO	4	28/6	155
31	Williams, DeAngelo	CAR	7	24/1	148
32	Jones, Kevin	DET	6	24/3	145
33	Taylor, Fred	JAX	4	31/8	145
34	Jones, Julius	DAL	8	25/3	143
35	Taylor, Chester	MIN	5	27/5	143
36	Betts, Ladell	WAS	4	27/5	129
37	White, LenDale	TEN	4	22/1	125
38	Foster, De'shaun	CAR	7	27/4	121
39	Bell, Tatum	DET	6	26/3	115
40	Rhodes, Dominic	OAK	5	28/5	112
41	Norwood, Jerious	ATL	8	23/1	97
42	Irons, Kenny(R)	CIN	5		93
43	Morency, Vernand	GB	7	27/2	91
44	Droughns, Reuben	NYG	9	28/6	87
45	Morris, Maurice	SEA	8	27/5	78
46	Washington, Leon	NYJ	10	24/1	77
47	Pittman, Michael	TB	10	31/9	74
48	Dayne, Ron	HOU	10	29/6	70
49	Faulk, Kevin	NE	10	30/8	70
50	Turner, Michael	SD	7	25/3	68
Rank	Player	NFL Team	Bye Week	Age/ Yrs Exp.	Projected Fantasy Points*
51	Davenport, Najeh	PIT	6	28/5	66
52	Buckhalter, Correll	PHI	5	28/4	64
53	Morris, Sammy	NE	10	30/7	64
54	Gado, Samkon	HOU	10	24/2	63
55	Bell, Mike	DEN	6	24/1	60
56	Leonard, Brian(R)	STL	9		60
57	Thomas, Anthony	BUF	6	29/6	58
58	Hall, Andre	DEN	6		57
59	Herron, Noah	GB	7	2	52
60	Williams, Ricky	MIA	9		49
61	Alstott, Mike	TB	10	33/11	45
62	Moore, Mewelde	MIN	5	24/3	45
63	Bennett, Michael	KC	8	28/6	41
64	Griffith, Justin	OAK	5	26/4	41
65	Smith, Musa	BAL	8	24/4	41
66	Bryson, Shawn	DET	6	30/7	40
67	Haynes, Verron	PIT	6	28/5	40
68	Shipp, Marcel	ARI	8	28/5	38
69	Strong, Mack	SEA	8	35/13	38
70	Duckett, T.J.	DET	6	26/5	37
71	Karney, Mike	NO	4	25/3	35
72	Mughelli, Ovie	ATL	8	26/4	35
73	Anderson, Mike	BAL	8	33/6	34
74	Fisher, Tony	STL	9	27/5	34
75	Goings, Nick	CAR	7	29/6	34