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Trent Richardson had knee surgery, will skip on-field drills at Combine

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:55:54 -0500

Alabama's Trent Richardson is clearly the top running back prospect in this year's draft class and one of the best running back prospects in recent years.

Richardson, this year's Doak Walker recipient, has a rare combination of speed, size and power and is projected by many to be a top-five pick in this year's draft.

According to reports, Richardson had a "minor scope" on his knee approximately three weeks ago, which means he won't participate in any on-field drills at the NFL Combine this weekend.

Alabama's pro day is scheduled for March 7th and he is expected to be able to participate in all on-field activities then.

Last year, Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards for 21 touchdowns, both of which set school records, and his total of 24 touchdowns tied the record held by Shaun Alexander.

Related: Our 2012 Mock Draft Database | Our 2012 NFL Mock Drafts: Donahue - Hanson | Schedule of all Pro Days

Report: Packers and Jermichael Finley agree to two-year deal

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:51:24 -0500

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Green Bay Packers and tight end Jermichael Finley have agreed to a two-year deal worth $15 million.

Finley, the team's third-round pick in 2008, confirmed the report himself via Twitter:

It's TRUE! Thank you so much to the Packers organization, all of my fans, and my beautiful wife. Happy Bday. Let's GO Packers!! Back soon...
— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) February 23, 2012

After missing 11 games in 2010, Finley stayed healthy for a full 16-game (17-game if you count the playoffs) season. Although he set career highs in receiving yards (767) and touchdowns (eight) and tied his career high for receptions (55), Finley averaged a three-year low in yards per game (47.9) and had way too many drops.

In our early 2012 fantasy football rankings, Finley is the No. 7 tight end after Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis and Aaron Hernandez.

Report: Chiefs, Routt agree to 3-year deal

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:49:59 -0500

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chiefs and free-agent cornerback Stanford Routt have agreed to a deal.

Since the Raiders and Routt parted ways on February 9th, the cornerback was free to negotiate before the start of free agency, which begins on March 13th at 4 p.m. Routt had signed a five-year, $54.5 million contract with the Raiders last offseason.

Per Pro Football Talk, Routt's deal with the Chiefs is for three years and worth roughly $20 million. Before agreeing to a deal with the Chiefs, Routt had also visited with the Bills and Bengals.

Although he set a career high in interceptions (four) last year, Routt also led the NFL in penalties (17).

Poll of the Day: Second Wide Receiver Selected in the 2012 NFL Draft?

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:19:50 -0500

Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner, figures to be the first wide receiver drafted and possibly the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft after Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

In the mock drafts on our site, Blackmon goes either third overall (Brendan's mock) or sixth overall (my mock).

In my mock draft, the next wide receivers off the board are:
- 19. Chicago Bears: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
- 22. Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, Baylor
- 26. Houston Texans: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
- 30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

In Brendan's mock, the next wide receivers off the board are:
- 13. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
- 19. Chicago Bears: Rueben Randle, LSU
- 22. Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, Baylor
- 26. Houston Texans: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
- 30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Will Floyd be the second receiver off the board? Or Wright? Or someone else?

Report: Alshon Jeffery down to 217-220 pounds, hopes to run 4.5 forty at Combine

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:48:25 -0500

The biggest knock on South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is his ability (or lack thereof) to separate from defensive backs.

While Jeffery is a big target (6-4), he has reportedly lost some weight ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.

According to Aaron Wilson (via Twitter), Jeffery is down to 217 to 220 pounds and hopes to run a 4.5 forty.

Hearing that South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery has actually lost weight down to 217 to 220 and hopes to run in 4.5 range at combine We'll see
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) February 19, 2012

In our 2012 NFL mock drafts, both Brendan Donahue (see his mock) and I (see my mock) have the 49ers using the 30th overall pick in the first round to take Jeffery.

Poll of the Day: Which WR is MOST LIKELY to get inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013: Brown, Carter or Reed?

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:29:33 -0500

Since the AFL-NFL merger back in 1970, there have been seven wide receivers inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Here's the list of receivers (see all Hall of Famers): Michael Irvin, Steve Largent, James Lofton, Art Monk, Jerry Rice, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann.

Three of the 15 finalists for 2012 Hall of Fame induction (but not selected) were wide receivers: Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed.

All three of those receivers rank in the top 10 all-time in NFL receptions: Carter (1,101) is fourth, Brown (1,094) is fifth and Reed is tenth (951). Carter ranks eighth all-time in touchdowns (130) while Brown is tied for 17th with Hall-of-Famer Largent at 101.

As far as all-time receiving yards, Brown is fourth all-time (14,934), Carter is eighth (13,899) and Reed is 12th (13,198).

Granted, it is possible that none of these receivers get inducted next year, but which of the three receivers is the MOST LIKELY to get inducted in 2013?

Donahue: 2012 NFL Mock Draft, 2.0

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:41:21 -0500

Earlier in the week, I updated my NFL mock draft. Now it's Brendan Donahue's turn. Here are the first 10 picks in his mock draft (see full first-round here):

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

This is already a done deal according to owner Jim Irsay. Luck has been rated as the best QB prospect since John Elway so this is pretty much a no-brainer especially now that the Colts have made it clear that they are clearing house and going into a full rebuilding mode.

2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

I still think the Rams will be trading out of this pick but for this mock let's assume they stay. Rumors have them targeting a WR in free agency so I now believe they go with the franchise left tackle to keep former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford upright long enough to get the ball to his wide receivers. If they fail to land a WR before the draft, they may still be tempted to go with Blackmon but Kalil may be too much of a sure thing to pass up.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Vikings have made it clear they want Christian Ponder to be their starting QB going forward and what better way to help him succeed then by adding the most prolific wideout in the draft. Blackmon has absolutely dominated college football the past 2 years amassing 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined.

4. Cleveland Browns - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Heisman winner has been rapidly moving up draft boards and could eventually move up to #2 come draft day but for this mock were going to assume everyone drafts where they are slated and the Browns would be very happy to draft RGIII here. I think they are ready to concede that Colt McCoy is not a franchise QB in the NFL and will jump at the opportunity to add one here.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Based on how the Bucs finished the year, they could clearly use help in just about every area. With Blackmon off the board however, I look for them to add the best cornerback available in Morris Claiborne. A big physical corner who is also considered the best cover corner in the draft is exactly what they need as they battle in the same division with the air attacks of the Saints and Falcons.

6. Washington Redskins - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

If the draft plays out this way the Redskins will be very disappointed to say the least. They desperately want to land a star QB but this is too high to draft Tannenhill or Foles so expect them to look to trade down or be very active if Peyton Manning becomes available. For this mock, we're going to assume they stay here, and if so, they will take the 6-3 Kirkpatrick to go up against Nicks and Bryant in the NFC East. I know Kirkpatrick got in trouble last week but a little trouble never seemed to bother owner Daniel Snyder before.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

I would love to make a splash here and say the Jaguars take Michael Floyd but I don't think they can pass up on the best pass-rusher in the draft as the Jags really struggled to get to the QB last year. At 6-6, Coples reminds me a bit of JJ Watt where even if he can't get to the QB on a play he has the length to disrupt the passing lanes and is big enough to still be effective against the run.

8. Miami Dolphins - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Another team disappointed that they aren't able to land a franchise QB at this spot in the draft. Instead they will give Matt Moore another year as their starter and do their best to protect him with the best right tackle in the draft. Reiff will be immediately plugged in as the starter and will bolster a young and improving offensive line.

9. Carolina Panthers - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers certainly didn't struggle on the offensive side of the ball with the surprise performance of rookie QB Cam Newton; however, Carolina pretty much struggled in every aspect on the defensive side of the ball. Brockers should be able to help not only stopping the run but also being disruptive enough with penetration to affect the opponents passing game as well.

10. Buffalo Bills - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

At times the Bills were, dare I say explosive on offense last year. The defense really let them down in games that the offense clearly put up enough points to win so look for them to add the explosive Courtney Upshaw that anchored one of the best defenses in college history.

For his full first-round mock, click here.

For my full first-round mock, click here. Or for our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database, click here.

Fantasy Football Friday: More productive 2012 season: Jordy Nelson or Julio Jones?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:07:51 -0500

The 2011 season is in the books and we are more than a week into the "offseason" -- but you could argue there really is no offseason in the NFL.

In addition to the NFL Scouting Combine being next week, the start of free agency is less than a month away (March 13th) and the NFL draft is a little more than two months away (April 26-28).

One of the players taken early (sixth overall by Atlanta) in last year's draft was Alabama receiver Julio Jones. Both Jones and Georgia's A.J. Green, taken fourth overall by Cincinnati, made major impacts in their rookie seasons.

After a breakout performance in Super Bowl XLV, Green Bay receiver Jordy Nelson had a breakout season last year. While teammate Greg Jennings was named to the Pro Bowl, Nelson (and New York's Victor Cruz) certainly could have argued that they were more deserving.

In my initial rankings for 2012, I ranked Jones 11th and Nelson 12th at wide receiver. In other words, I expect big (and similar) seasons from a fantasy perspective out of both receivers in 2012.

As we have been doing every Friday in 2012, we have answered one roundtable discussion question each week. Our roundtable question of the week: Which receiver will have a more productive season in 2012: Jones or Nelson?

Kevin (follow on Twitter): Julio Jones, Falcons

Let's be clear, deciding between Nelson and Jones is a win-win situation for fantasy owners as both receivers, barring injury, should deliver terrific seasons for their respective owners in 2012. In both situations, these receivers are their team's No. 2 options at wideout, at least in name, behind Green Bay's Greg Jennings and Atlanta's Roddy White, respectively. From a fantasy perspective, that is a good thing. In other words, as teams focus on stopping and rolling coverage toward a team's No. 1 option, it creates a few more one-on-one matchups for guys like Nelson and White.

With Jennings out of the lineup, Nelson had two monster games to close the regular season. In those two games, Nelson scored one-third (five) of his touchdowns for the season (15). While he was relatively consistent, Nelson had five games with 40 yards receiving or less and no scores counting the team's playoff loss. At full health (and assuming Jermichael Finley is back), the Packers have a ton of options, which means Nelson won't get nearly as many targets as he should based on talent alone.

On the other hand, Jones had three games with 40 yards or less and no scores and he got hurt in two of those three games. Granted he also missed four games due to injury, but both receivers had the same number of 100-yard games: five. Jones was as productive as Nelson down the stretch. In his final four games, Jones finished with 20 receptions for 393 yards and six touchdowns and many expect the Falcons to transition to more of a pass-first offense in 2012.

Again, these guys are No. 11 and 12 in my rankings so they are both great options.

John (follow on Twitter): Jordy Nelson, Packers

I'll take Jordy Nelson. Both Jones and Nelson are the number 2 receiver on their respective teams, and ultimately, Green Bay has a much more prolific offense. Although Julio Jones is more likely the rising star, for now, I think Nelson will remain the more productive fantasy receiver. This past season, Aaron Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns and sat out of the final game of the season. Matt Ryan, on the other hand, threw for just 29 touchdowns playing a full schedule. On sheer volume, Nelson is likely to have more touchdown grabs. In 2011, Nelson had 15 touchdowns to Jones' 8. Next year may have a smaller gap, but in my opinion, the offensive production of each team too heavily favors Nelson and the Packers to take Jones here.

Sean (follow on Twitter): Jordy Nelson, Packers

Jordy Nelson was the third-best fantasy wideout last season, behind only Calvin Johnson and Wes Welker. Julio Jones on the other hand was rated 21st. Jones did miss four games though. If you polled all 32 defensive coordinators in the NFL and every CB in the league, you will find that 75% or more would feel that Jones is more dangerous than Nelson, and I would agree with that. Does this translate over to fantasy football though? The answer is a resounding No.

Jordy "White Lightning" Nelson will have a better fantasy season this year for one reason, and one reason only and that is Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had 16 more passing TDs than Matt Ryan did last year (45/29). Rodgers developed a great connection with Nelson this year, and I see a double-digit TD season in his future again. I actually think Nelson could be a 100/1,500/15 WR next year, and it wouldn't shock me to see him at No. 3 again this year.

The Falcons are getting away from their smashmouth style football as Ryan had a career year in yards and touchdowns this season. I really don't see Ryan getting close to that 40 TD mark where Rodgers is pretty much a lock to get next season. Ryan's No. 1 target was Roddy White, but I expect that to change this year. White did have a somewhat disappointing year last season. He had a bunch of key drops which ended drives for the Falcons. I think Jones could overtake White as the Falcons No. 1 WR next season because of his big play potential. All this being said, and I still don't think he will be as good as Nelson next year. Jones is definitely someone I will be targeting on draft day.

The beauty of Jordy Nelson is that everyone is going to overlook him on draft day, just like people have been overlooking Wes Welker for years.

Steve: Jordy Nelson, Packers

I think Jones will improve a little this year, but I'm "all in" on Jordy Nelson and all else being equal this is more of a nod toward Aaron Rodgers. I also see 2012 as being the year that Jordy Nelson takes over the role as the number 1 receiver in the Packers offense. Both players had 96 targets in 2011, but Nelson had 1,263 receiving yards, to Jones' 959, nearly 35% more production for the same number of targets. I expect Jones to improve to 1,100-1,200 yards and 6-8 scores and I do not see Nelson replicating his 15 touchdowns from last year. However, I do think Nelson ups the yardage to 1,500+ and still finds the endzone 10 times in 2012, making him a top 3 WR and a much better fantasy option.

Previous Fantasy Football Friday Posts:
- Feb. 10: Which TE should be drafted third in 2012?
- Feb. 3: Which AFC West RB will have a better 2012 season: McFadden or Mathews?
- Jan. 27: Who should be the 2nd WR selected in Fantasy Football Drafts?
- Jan. 20: Who should be the No. 1 pick in 2012 Fantasy Football Drafts?
- Jan. 13: Will Tim Tebow finish in the top 12 in fantasy points among QBs in 2012?
- Jan. 6: Better Fantasy TE in 2012: Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham?

Hanson: 2012 NFL Mock Draft, Version 2.0

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:02:41 -0500

We are less than two weeks away from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and colleges will hold their pro days starting only a few days after that. [See pro day schedule.]

While my first-round mock draft will likely change (perhaps quite a bit) later this month, I still decided to make a pre-combine update.

Over the next couple of weeks, I plan on adding a second (and perhaps) third round to my mock and then at some point in March to release my first 2013 NFL mock draft.

For now, here is my updated first round with commentary:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

With Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, under center for more than a decade, the Colts have the "luck" to be able to transition into the next era with a quarterback many have called the best prospect since John Elway. Due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8th, five days before the league year begins, it seems all but certain that Manning won't be on the roster to collect it.

2. St. Louis Rams (2-14) - Matt Kalil, OT, USC

There will be plenty of interest from quarterback-needy franchises (Redskins, Browns, etc.) to move up to the No. 2 spot to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. If the Rams hang on to the second pick, I see them going in one of two directions: USC left tackle Matt Kalil or Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. Either way, the pick would help franchise quarterback Sam Bradford. No team allowed more sacks than the Rams (55) last year and Jason Smith has been a bust so I have the Rams going with the talented brother of Panthers Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil.

[Related: Take our poll on which player will be selected second overall.]

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13) - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

If a team does trade up to select RG3, I would expect the Vikings to take Kalil. Only four teams allowed more sacks than Minnesota. However, their pass defense was atrocious last year and they have to face the Packers and Lions four times a year. No team allowed more passing touchdowns (34) than the Vikings and no team intercepted fewer passes (eight). Claiborne is clearly the top corner in this year's draft class.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Browns will jump on the opportunity to take this year's Heisman Trophy recipient (see past winners) if he's still available at this spot. Accurate, athletic and intelligent, Griffin completed 72.4 percent of his passes and was just shy of 5,000 combined yards -- 4,293 passing yards and 699 rushing yards -- in 2011. For his career, Griffin has a 78:17 touchdown-to-interception ratio not counting his 33 rushing touchdowns.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With the possible (perhaps likely) retirement of cornerback Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib's character and legal concerns, the Bucs would prefer to take Claiborne at this spot to address their most pressing need. And in my previous mock, I had the Bucs taking running back Trent Richardson. Regardless of how talented Richardson is, there are not many teams that value a running back to be worthy of a top-five pick these days. Reiff, the second-best tackle in this year's draft class, has the size, toughness, intelligence and athleticism to warrant a top-five pick and many mocks project him as the No. 3 pick to Minnesota.

6. Washington Redskins (5-11) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

There is plenty of speculation that the Redskins will try to trade up to select RG3. If they don't, they will boost their passing game with the draft's most-talented pass-catcher at this spot. Blackmon, who is the back-to-back Biletnikoff recipient, has 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

If Blackmon is still available at No. 7, they won't hesitate to get their "franchise" quarterback a legitimate weapon in the passing game. (Granted, Blaine Gabbert looked horrible -- and scared -- last season, but the Jags arguably have the league's worst receiving corps). While many question Coples' motor, he is the premiere pass-rusher in the draft and the Jags have ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks for the past three years in a row.

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10) - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Although the Dolphins have an elite left tackle in Jake Long, the top overall pick in 2008, they could certainly use an upgrade on the right side to replace Marc Colombo. With offensive tackles Kalil and Reiff off the board, the Dolphins will take the next best tackle available at this point.

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10) - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

The Panthers were horrible against the run last year as they allowed 130.8 rushing yards per game and 18 rushing touchdowns, the fourth-most in the NFL. Brockers, who was recruited to LSU as a linebacker, has size (6-6, 306 pounds), athleticism, versatility and a ton of upside.

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Only two teams had fewer sacks than the Bills (29) last year -- Tampa Bay (23) and Tennessee (28). In other words, the Bills could use an impact pass-rusher. Here's what Tony Pauline wrote about the speed of Ingram, who weighed in at 276 pounds at the Senior Bowl: "... Many are convinced a time in the 4.6’s, or possibly faster, is legitimate for the play making defender."

11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Richardson has an impressive combination of size, freakish strength and speed and is one of the best running back prospects in years. While running backs may not be coveted like they once were, Richardson would give the Chiefs a tremendous value at this spot. Along with Jamaal Charles, who is returning from an ACL injury, Kansas City would have the league's most dynamic running back duo.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

After converting to receiver (from quarterback) when he arrived at A&M, Tannehill led the team in receiving in his first two seasons. He became the team's starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season, however, and has the size (6-4, 220 pounds), athleticism, smarts and arm strength that teams desire in quarterbacks although he is a bit raw.

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) - Michael Adams, OT, Ohio State

If Arizona doesn't draft an offensive tackle here, I can see them taking a receiver to help take some pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald. By improving their offensive line, however, that will give Kevin Kolb (or perhaps even Peyton Manning) better protection. Aside from the Rams, no other team allowed more sacks than the Cardinals (54) last season.

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8) - David DeCastro, G, Stanford

The two biggest areas of need for the Cowboys are interior offensive line and secondary. They bolster one of those here with one of the best guard prospects in years. Otherwise, I could see them going with Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick or North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins, but both cornerbacks carry with them some off-field baggage.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8) - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Eagles run defense improved as the season went on, but they need to upgrade the middle of their defense. Although some may worry about his (lack of elite) athleticism, Kuechly just makes plays. An instinctive tackling machine, Kuechly racked up more than 500 tackles in his three seasons at Boston College.

16. New York Jets (8-8) - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama

In my first mock, I put Upshaw's teammate Mark Barron here and the Jets could certainly use an upgrade over Eric Smith. That said, they also need to improve their pass rush as Aaron Maybin, a first-round pick with the Bills that was cut after only two years, led the Jets in sacks (six) last year.

To see the rest of my first-round mock, click here.

For Brendan Donahue's 2012 NFL mock draft, click here. Or for our database of 2012 NFL mock drafts from around the web, click here.

To keep track of our updates, follow me on Twitter @EDSFootball or LIKE us on Facebook. Or both!

Eagles are expected to franchise DeSean Jackson

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:12:29 -0500

The deadline for NFL franchises to designate a player as their franchise player is March 5th and Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane from the Philadelphia Inquirer writes "count on" the Eagles franchising receiver DeSean Jackson by then.

Teams can begin to designate their franchise players, if applicable, on February 20th.

While he certainly outplayed the value of his rookie contract (four years for $3 million), Jackson let his frustration with the lack of new deal get the better of him.

If the Eagles franchise him, however, he would then earn roughly $9.5 million, which is the average of the top-five salaries at wide receiver for 2012. According to McLane, Jackson had previously stated that he would not have any problems with signing and playing under the franchise tag.

With him under contract for the 2012 season, they would then be able to trade him or sign him to a long-term deal in addition to having him play out the one-year contract as the team's franchise player.

Jackson had his lowest receiving yards (961), yards per reception (16.6) and receiving touchdowns (four) since his rookie season (2008).

I'm a bit skeptical that Jackson will be happy playing under the franchise tag, as many players aren't, and have ranked him 31st in our initial 2012 fantasy football wide receiver rankings. I would definitely prefer Jeremy Maclin, who is ranked 20th, over Jackson.

2012 NFL Draft: Full schedule of school's Pro Days

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:43:42 -0500

The NFL Scouting Combine will be held later this month (Feb. 22-28) in Indianapolis and then soon thereafter college football programs will hold their Pro Days beginning with Missouri on March 1st and ending with McNeese State on April 6th.

Here is a list of all scheduled Pro Days (via NFL.com):

March 1: Missouri
March 2: Cincinnati
March 5: Alabama-Birmingham, Hawaii, McNeese State
March 6: Alabama A&M, Arkansas, Auburn, California Lutheran, Clark, Georgia Tech, Rhode Island, Sacramento State, UCLA
March 7: Alabama, California, California-Davis, Colgate, Fordham, Fort Valley, Kent State, Louisville, Northern Colorado, Oklahoma State, Southern California, Texas A&M, UTEP, Wisconsin, Weber State
March 8: Buffalo, Clemson, Colorado, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio, Syracuse, Tulsa, Utah State, Washington, West Texas, Western Kentucky
March 9: Florida International, Montana, Northern Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, TCU, Troy
March 12: Air Force, Arkansas-Monticello, Central Michigan, Central Washington, Pittsburgh
March 13: Ball State, Florida, Kansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Marshall, Maryland, North Texas, Western Michigan
March 14: Bowling Green, Central Arkansas, Central Oklahoma, Florida State, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee Tech
March 15: Delaware State, Louisiana Tech, Michigan, UNLV, Nicholls State, Southern Illinois, Townson, Virginia, Virginia Tech, William & Mary
March 16: James Madison, Missouri State, Oregon State, Richmond, Temple, Tennessee, West Virginia
March 19: Arizona, Florida Atlantic, LSU, Southern, Wake Forest
March 20: Brown, Fresno State, Idaho, Iowa State, Louisiana-Lafayette, North Carolina, North Carolina A&T, South Florida, Texas, Tulane
March 21: Boston College, Nevada, North Carolina State, North Dakota State, Rutgers, San Diego State, San Jose State
March 22: Baylor (see below), Boise State, East Carolina, Maine, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Stanford, Tennessee-Chattanooga
March 23: Jackson State, Missouri Western, N.C. Central, Southern Mississippi, Vanderbilt
March 24: Arizona State
March 27: Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Stephen F. Austin, Washburn
March 28: Central Florida, Connecticut, Northern Iowa, Pennsylvania, South Carolina
March 29: Brigham Young
April 4: SMU
April 6: McNeese State

[Update, 2/20: Baylor QB Robert Griffin III will have his NFL Pro Day on March 21st, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.]

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database | Our 2012 NFL Mock Drafts: Kevin Hanson - Brendan Donahue

La Canfora: Ward won't be back in Pittsburgh in 2012

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:56:36 -0500

According to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, Steelers receiver Hines Ward won't be back with the team next year.

Heading into the final year of his current deal, Ward is due to earn $4 million next year and he's coming off the least productive season he has had since his rookie season.

Last year, Ward finished with 46 receptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns. From Week 7 to 17, Ward had only 144 yards and no touchdowns.

Teammates Mike Wallace (1,193) and Antonio Brown (1,108) both 1,000-yard seasons.

Ward, the team's third-round pick in 1998, ranks eighth all-time in receptions (1,000) and 18th in receiving yards (12,083).

Fantasy Football Friday: No. 3 TE off the board in 2012?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:33:56 -0500

Earlier this morning, I released my initial fantasy football rankings for 2012. One thing is certain: They will change a lot from now until the start of the 2012 NFL season.

At the top of my tight end rankings, you will find New England's Rob Gronkowski, who had arthroscopic surgery on his ankle this morning, and New Orleans' Jimmy Graham in the top two spots. And from site to site, that will (should) be the case.

As we do every Friday, we respond to a weekly fantasy football roundtable question.

This week's topic: Who should be the third tight end off the board in 2012 fantasy football drafts?

Kevin (follow on Twitter):

In my rankings, Jason Witten is a spot higher than Antonio Gates at No.'s 3 and 4, respectively. When drafting a tight end, however, my hope is to take the guy that goes last out of my top six (in order of my rankings): Gronkowski, Graham, Witten, Gates, Vernon Davis and Aaron Hernandez. I can see any of the next four after Gronkkowski and Graham finishing third at the position in fantasy points. Witten had five-year lows in receptions (79), targets (117) and receiving yards (942), but I expect him to bounce back in 2012. Especially if the Cowboys don't re-sign receiver Laurent Robinson, an unrestricted free agent, Witten may get a few more targets that would otherwise go to Robinson. Either way, I worry about Gates durability so I'll let someone else assume that risk. And again, I'd prefer to draft Davis or Hernandez, assuming the other four players are the first four tight ends off the board.

John (follow on Twitter):

The position of TE has expanded offensively of late. A few years ago it was pretty much Tony Gonzalez and maybe a few guys that had good years, but that was about it. Today, it's a different game, and there are several quality options. After Gronkowski and Graham, I think there are a lot of guys that are pretty close in value; guys like Vernon Davis, Jermichael Finley, Jason Witten, Aaron Hernandez, and Brandon Pettigrew are all solid options. Still, my number three TE would have to be Antonio Gates. Gates seemed to be emerging as the premiere TE in the league over the last few years, but has been so injury-plagued that it has kept him from truly separating himself. Gates' athleticism has made him either 1 or 1a for Philip Rivers, and anytime you have a TE that is a number one option for a quarterback, you have a guy worth having on your fantasy team. In spite of his injuries, I would take a chance on Gates. There is enough depth at TE now that you could likely get a guy like Owen Daniels or Greg Olson as a viable back up in the event that Gates does miss time.

Sean (follow on Twitter):

So to answer the big question on who I want as the 3rd TE off the board this year, it's ... drum roll ... Aaron Hernandez, and the beauty of Hernandez is that most likely Witten & Gates will likely both be gone before him. I wouldn't try to get too fancy though and wait on him too long. The main reason why I love Hernandez this year is because of the amount of balls Brady throws to his TEs. Hernandez only had 11 less receptions, and even better only less 11 targets than Gronkowski. Brady's numbers to his two big TEs: 169 receptions, 2,237 yds and 24 TDs. I'm not suggesting, we split these numbers 50/50, but I could see a scenario where Gronkowski gets a lot of extra attention and Hernandez surpasses him as the team's top TE. Randy Moss had a disappointing year after his 2007 ridiculous season and I could see the same thing happening to Gronkowski. Brady will throw the ball to whomever, and can make a star out of anyone even if they don't have a ton of talent. Look out Hernandez in 2012!

Dan (follow on Twitter):

If I have the chance to take the third tight end this year, I am grabbing Antonio Gates of the Chargers. Gates has been hobbled the last few years with the toe and other assorted injuries. Although he missed time last year, he still had 13 games with 778 yards and seven touchdowns, and not all of those games were quality starts. Gates was the prototype TE, and he is always the No. 1 target in the red zone.

Steve:

Aaron Hernandez should be third off the board. It's hard to imagine the second tight end from the Patriots, but the Pats are the best offense in the NFL at using the TE. Despite Gronkowski's record-setting performance last year, Hernandez was still was fifth in targets and fourth in receiving yards for the position. As defenses continue to adjust for Gronkowski, I'd expect it to open up more opportunties Hernandez. If Aaron Hernandez's number of targets goes up from the 113 he got this year, I'd forecast 1,000-1,100 yards and 10-12 TDs.

Previous Fantasy Football Friday Posts:
- Feb. 3: Which AFC West RB will have a better 2012 season: McFadden or Mathews?
- Jan. 27: Who should be the 2nd WR selected in Fantasy Football Drafts?
- Jan. 20: Who should be the No. 1 pick in 2012 Fantasy Football Drafts?
- Jan. 13: Will Tim Tebow finish in the top 12 in fantasy points among QBs in 2012?
- Jan. 6: Better Fantasy TE in 2012: Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham?

Our Very Early 2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:31:10 -0500

Not only did Drew Brees become the first player to have two 5,000-yard seasons, but this time he broke Dan Marino's previous single-season record of 5,084 passing yards.

In fact, he shattered it.

The Saints quarterback threw for 5,476 as he broke the record in his 15th game of the season. Brees broke a number of other records this year including completions (468), completion percentage (71.2 percent) and 300-yard games (13).

In his two postseason games this year, Brees threw the second- and third-most yards ever in a playoff game after Cleveland's Bernie Kosar. Brees completed 73 of 106 passes for 928 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions in those two games.

If you include the playoffs, Brees threw for 6,404 yards, 53 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 18 games this year.

That said, he's unlikely to win the league's MVP award.

In my predictions of postseason awards a month ago, I thought Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers would win the MVP and Brees would win the Offensive Player of the Year award, which is the way it turned out.

It made sense.

Brees was more prolific, Rodgers was more efficient.

Rodgers was nearly perfect this season.

Although 15 quarterbacks threw more pass attempts than Rodgers (502), no quarterback had more fantasy points. Rodgers set the NFL record for passer rating (122.5) and broke the franchise record for passing touchdowns (45) while throwing a career low of six interceptions as a starter.

Here are some more notes on quarterbacks:

- As Rodgers sat out, Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn set the franchise record with 480 passing yards and six touchdowns against the Lions in the regular-season finale. With the Dolphins naming Joe Philbin, who was the Packers offensive coordinator as their new head coach, the Flynn-to-Miami speculation has begun for the soon-to-be free-agent signalcaller.

- Brees wasn't the only 5,000-yard passer this season. New England's Tom Brady (5,235) and Detroit's Matthew Stafford (5,038) both reached the 5,000-yard milestone and New York's Eli Manning, Super Bowl XLVI MVP, just missed it by 67 yards.

- After playing only 13 games in his first two seasons, Stafford played a full 16-game season, was named AP Comeback Player of the Year and led the Lions to their first playoff appearance since the 1999 season. Perhaps with better health for their running backs (Mikel LeShoure, Jahvid Best, Kevin Smith, etc.) next year, Stafford will throw a few less times. That said, he threw a league-high 663 times, which is the third-highest in league history after Drew Bledsoe (691 in 1994) and Peyton Manning (679 in 2010).

- One of the biggest wildcards going into the 2012 season will be the status/health of Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season with his neck injury. Manning is due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8th. Not only are the Colts are virtually guaranteed of drafting Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in this year's draft, they are expected to release Manning as well.

- Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a record-setting rookie campaign and ran away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award (see past winners). Not only did Newton break the record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (14), he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000-plus yards (4,051) and run for 700-plus yards (706).

- Similar to Newton as a dual-threat quarterback, Philadelpia's Michael Vick had a disappointing season. Not only did Vick miss three games and fail to reach 4,000 total yards (3,303 passing yards and 589 rushing yards), but he ran for only one touchdowns. In 2010, Vick ran for nine touchdowns. With his size and style of play, Vick will always have a higher-than-average risk of injury (missing games), but fantasy owners have the potential to reap huge returns on a per-game basis.

- Although he did not become the team's starting quarterback until Week 7, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow had the second-most rush attempts (122) and rushing yards (660) at the quarterback position this year. Counting his two postseason starts, however, Tebow threw for 200-plus yards only three times and had less than 100 passing yards in two starts.

- Tampa's Josh Freeman regressed considerably in his third season. After posting a 25:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2010, Freeman threw only 16 touchdowns and a league-worst 22 interceptions.

- Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, missed six games last year, but he struggled when he was on the field. Bradford's completion percentage dropped from 60.0 percent in 2010 to 53.5 percent in 2011 and he threw only six touchdowns in the 10 games he played last year. While the Rams will likely lose Brandon Lloyd via free agency, many mock drafts have the Rams taking Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the back-to-back Biletnikoff winner.

- Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan threw a few less passes in 2011 (566) than he did in 2010 (571), but he set career highs in passing yards (4,177) and touchdowns (29). Although Ryan threw more interceptions this year than last, he had a 20:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio after the bye and it's expected that the Falcons will transition to becoming more of a passing offense.

Here are our 2012 fantasy football quarterback rankings:

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
2. Drew Brees, Saints
3. Tom Brady, Patriots
4. Cam Newton, Panthers
5. Matthew Stafford, Lions
6. Tony Romo, Cowboys
7. Philip Rivers, Chargers
8. Eli Manning, Giants
9. Michael Vick, Eagles
10. Matt Schaub, Texans
11. Matt Ryan, Falcons
12. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
13. Tim Tebow, Broncos
14. Peyton Manning, Colts (soon-to-be free agent?)
15. Andy Dalton, Bengals
16. Jay Cutler, Bears
17. Joe Flacco, Ravens
18. Josh Freeman, Buccaneers
19. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills
20. Carson Palmer, Raiders
21. Matt Moore, Dolphins
22. Mark Sanchez, Jets
23. Alex Smith, 49ers
24. Matt Cassel, Chiefs
25. Sam Bradford, Rams

Note: We excluded rookies from our rankings and will include them after the 2012 NFL Draft in April.

More 2012 Rankings: RBs - WRs - TEs

2012 NFL Mock Drafts: Kevin Hanson - Brendan Donahue - Our Mock Draft Database

To keep track of our updates, follow @EDSFootball on Twitter and/or "like" us on Facebook.

Our Very Early 2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:29:47 -0500

The Jaguars had the league's worst-ranked offense, which makes what running back Maurice Jones-Drew did all that more impressive.

Jacksonville averaged only 259.3 yards per game of total offense, but that was primarily due to their deficiencies in the passing game. The Jaguars averaged only 136.2 passing yards per game in 2011.

Despite having to face many eight-men fronts, Jones-Drew led the NFL in rushing with 1,606 yards. And perhaps more impressively, he became the first running back in league history to rush for at least 80 yards in 15 of 16 games.

Along with Atlanta's Michael Turner, MJD was one of only two running backs to go over 300 carries. MJD had a league-high 343 carries, which is the fourth-most over the past five seasons.

Here are some more notes on running backs:

- Ravens running back Ray Rice set career highs in rushing yards (1,364) and receiving yards (704) plus he scored a total of 15 touchdowns, which shatters his previous career high of eight. Rice has three straight seasons with 1,200-plus rushing yards and 500-plus receiving yards and 60-plus receptions.

- Broncos running back Willis McGahee, who turned 30 in October, was one yard shy of 1,200 yards for the third time in his career and the first time since 2007. That said, he had a career low in rushing touchdowns (four) last year.

- Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch finished the season with 1,204 rushing yards and 212 receiving yards with 13 total touchdowns last year. He was particularly tough from Week 9 on. He rushed for 100-plus yards six times in his final nine games including against the 49ers, the league's top-ranked run defense.

- In the 11 games he finished, Bears running back Matt Forte was an absolute stud. During those 11 games, he had 985 rushing yards and 490 receiving yards on 52 receptions and he was on pace for 2,145 yards from scrimmage for the season.

- Despite missing three games, Houston's Arian Foster carried the ball 278 times for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns and had 53 receptions for 617 yards. Counting the postseason, Foster had nine 100-yard rushing games and three 100-yard receiving games in 15 games last year. Through the postseason, Foster has 656 carries for 3,125 yards and 29 touchdowns plus 127 receptions for 1,272 yards and four touchdowns in 31 games over the past two seasons.

- Foster's teammate Ben Tate finished with 942 rushing yards and 98 receiving yards. Tate rushed for 100-plus yards four times last year.

- Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy, the Eagles' second-round pick in 2009, set career highs in carries (273), rushing yards (1,309) and rushing touchdowns (17). McCoy sat out Week 17, but he scored at least one touchdown in every game he played except for Weeks 11 and 16.

- Miami's Reggie Bush nearly doubled his previous career high with 1,086 rushing yards on 216 carries. Like McCoy, Bush sat out Week 17. Before that, Bush rushed for 100-plus yards in four straight games and no running back had more rushing yards than Bush (519) during that four-game span.

- From Weeks 7 to 12, no running back had more rushing yards than Cowboys rookie DeMarco Murray (761). (Rams running back Steven Jackson (593) had the second most during that span.)

- Three elite running backs are coming off torn ACLs: Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, Kansas City's Jamaal Charles and Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall. Of the three, Charles' injury happened the earliest (Week 2), which gives him the best chance to be ready for opening day.

- Jets running back Shonn Greene set career highs across the board: carries (253), rushing yards (1,054) and touchdowns (six) in addition to receptions (30) and receiving yards (211). That said, Greene was mostly mediocre aside from a two-game span in Weeks 13/14: 46 carries for 217 yards and four TDs plus six receptions for 84 yards.

- Speaking of mediocre, Titans running back Chris Johnson had a lackluster season with the exception of a four-game span. Johnson rushed for a total of 486 yards and had three of his four 100-yard games of the season during that stretch. In the other 12 games, however, Johnson had 177 carries for 561 yards (3.17 yards per carry) and one rushing touchdown.

- For the third straight season, Bengals running back Cedric Benson has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. That said, only three backs have had more carries than Benson (895) over the past three seasons. Both Brendan Donahue (see his mock) and I (see my mock) have the Bengals using one of their two first-round picks on a running back.

- In the final six games of the season, the Redskins had five 100-yard rushing games by rookie running backs. Roy Helu, their fourth-round pick, had three of them and Evan Royster, a sixth-round pick, had two of them.

- Only four players had more rushing touchdowns than New England's BenJarvus Green-Ellis (11). Of the players with double-digit rushing touchdowns, The Law Firm had the fewest rushing yards (667), by far.

Based on standard scoring (i.e., not point-per-reception (PPR) scoring), here are our 2012 fantasy football running backs rankings:

1. Ray Rice, Ravens
2. Arian Foster, Texans
3. LeSean McCoy, Eagles
4. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars
5. Matt Forte, Bears
6. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks
7. Ryan Mathews, Chargers
8. Darren McFadden, Raiders
9. Chris Johnson, Titans
10. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs
11. DeMarco Murray, Cowboys
12. Steven Jackson, Rams
13. Frank Gore, 49ers
14. Michael Turner, Falcons
15. Fred Jackson, Bills
16. Adrian Peterson, Vikings
17. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants
18. Michael Bush, Raiders
19. Darren Sproles, Saints
20. Reggie Bush, Dolphins
21. Roy Helu, Redskins
22. Willis McGahee, Broncos
23. Shonn Greene, Jets
24. Beanie Wells, Cardinals
25. Mark Ingram, Saints
26. C.J. Spiller, Bills
27. LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers
28. Cedric Benson, Bengals
29. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers
30. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers
31. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
32. Peyton Hillis, Browns
33. Ben Tate, Texans
34. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots
35. Jahvid Best, Lions
36. Brandon Jacobs, Giants
37. Pierre Thomas, Saints
38. Kevin Smith, Lions
39. Toby Gerhart, Vikings
40. Donald Brown, Colts
41. Daniel Thomas, Dolphins
42. Ryan Williams, Cardinals

Note: We excluded rookies from our rankings and will include them after the 2012 NFL Draft in April.

More 2012 Rankings: QBs - WRs - TEs

2012 NFL Mock Drafts: Kevin Hanson - Brendan Donahue - Our Mock Draft Database

To keep track of our updates, follow @EDSFootball on Twitter and/or "like" us on Facebook.