Articles
Washington Commanders Biggest Offseason Needs - 2024 NFL Outlook
Thirty-two seasons of failure have put Washington in this position. That’s how long it’s been since the franchise reached the NFC Championship game. It’s been 18 years since they’ve even won a playoff game and they are also currently riding a three-year streak of missing the postseason. Ownership has changed hands and the Dan Quinn […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoBiggest Breakouts of the 2023 NFL Season: Quarterback
The value of quarterbacks in the fantasy football realm has never been higher. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson are or have been in the MVP conversation more often than not. The next generation of signal callers are all pushing to have their names listed among the best. First, they have to […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoRe-Drafting The 2021 NFL Draft: Entire First Round Do-Over
Some rookies take time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. Season one can be a bumpy ride. Season two (hopefully) shows further development. By season three, it's clear which players are cut out for the league. That statement is proven correct in the 2021 NFL Draft. Quarterbacks headlined the draft with Trevor […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoWhich Draft Pick Do The San Francisco 49ers Have In The 2024 NFL Draft?
The San Francisco 49ers may utilize the NFL Draft better than any franchise in the NFL. With several compensatory picks, San Francisco casts a wide net for prospects which helps them hit on late-round gems. This team will be competing for a Super Bowl again in 2024 and they were seemingly one player away from […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoWhich Draft Pick Do The Las Vegas Raiders Have In The 2024 NFL Draft?
The Las Vegas Raiders may have turned their 2023 season around under interim coach Antonio Pierce (who was rewarded with the full-time position), but that doesn't mean there aren't as many holes on the roster as teams picking in the top five. The defense was sturdier when Pierce took over. Still, it wouldn't be a […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoRe-Drafting The 2022 NFL Draft: Entire First Round Do-Over
Incoming NFL rookies may need some time to get acclimated to the speed and nuances of football's highest level. After two years, however, it's easier to tell which players will or won't pan out. With two seasons of professional game tape, many general managers would change their NFL Draft selections if given a do-over. Some […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoRe-Drafting The 2023 NFL Draft: Entire First Round Do-Over
Knowledge is power. We hear that mantra repeated quite often, but it rings true across every aspect of society. General managers and team personnel across the NFL would be thrilled with one year of professional tape on players before they make their draft day selections. Of course, it doesn't work that way in the real […]
Andrew Ball 9 months agoBiggest 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Snubs
The best of the best. The titans of the sport. The legends of the game. However you choose to describe those selected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they are the first guys that come to mind when listing favorite players of past generations. But every single year, some game-changers miss the cut. This […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoRevisiting The Christian McCaffrey Trade - How CMC Landed In San Francisco
A midseason trade for a star player is a staple of the NBA. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony, and more navigated their way to a new franchise. In the NFL, it's extremely uncommon. Last season, however, the San Francisco 49ers made the splash and acquired All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. Since then, […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoWhich Draft Pick Do The New England Patriots Have In The 2024 NFL Draft?
A new era is arriving in Massachusetts. Since (essentially) the turn of the millennium, there have been two eras for New England: Tom Brady and after Tom Brady. The soon-to-be Hall of Famer strung together the greatest extended run in NFL history. His replacement, Mac Jones, isn't going to get a second contract. There's also […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs Jaxon Smith-Njigba Bound To Be A Bust Or Can He Rebound From His Rookie Season?
Sometimes, players just aren't as good as we thought they were as prospects. It happens every single draft cycle. Efficiency numbers don't line up with what's to be expected. A dysfunctional coaching staff tears down their confidence. Combine results don't translate to game action. There's a myriad of things that can go wrong. It was […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoWill The Chicago Bears Draft Caleb Williams? 2024 NFL Draft Outlook
In the NFL, there's a constant search for franchise quarterbacks. Finding one alters the entire trajectory for teams. Patrick Mahomes is heading to his fourth Super Bowl in the last five seasons. Joe Burrow filled in the gap. Lamar Jackson is on his way to his second MVP. And if you need evidence of what […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoWhich Draft Pick Do The Minnesota Vikings Have In The 2024 NFL Draft?
The Minnesota Vikings' chances at postseason success disappeared when Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8 and their odds of making the playoffs at all vanished when Jaren Hall threw for 67 yards in a half against Green Bay in Week 17. The silver lining is that the subpar season is leading to a […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs Bryce Young Bound To Be A Bust Or Can He Rebound From His Rookie Season?
Nothing but disappointment. That was the story of the Carolina Panthers in 2023. With enough talent on their roster to win seven games in 2022, team executives saw a quarterback as their missing piece. They traded up to select Bryce Young with the first overall pick and paired him with Frank Reich, a coach known […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs Quentin Johnston Bound To Be A Bust Or Can He Rebound From His Rookie Season?
"...At 6-foot-4 ... weighing 215 pounds ... from TCU ... Quentin Johnston!!!" Johnston's profile emulates a starting shooting guard in the NBA. Not only does he have the size of an elite athlete, but his speed enticed NFL general managers last April. With that blend of length, build, and agility, how could he fail? Inconsistency […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Conference Championships) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
One more round of the NFL Playoffs and then the Super Bowl is here. That also means we're one step closer to the Super Bowl logo theory that's floating around social media from coming true. Both of the top seeds, Baltimore and San Francisco, whose colors comprise the logo, remain. But we're not picking off […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoWill The Broncos Cut Or Trade Russell Wilson? 2024 Offseason Outlook
A mistake was made and it's time for Denver to cut their losses. The move to trade for Russell Wilson two years ago was supposed to provide positional stability for the team riding the quarterback carousel in the years following Peyton Manning's retirement. Short-term stability it did provide, but success it did not. Two losing […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs Deebo Samuel Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
An injury robbed NFL fans of the matchup of the year: Deebo Samuel versus "Wisconsin Deebo" (a.k.a. Jayden Reed). The original version was off to a quick start for the 49ers in the Divisional round before suffering a shoulder injury in the first quarter. His absence impacted the entire offensive game plan for San Francisco, […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs AJ Dillon Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
Many NFL coaches love a one-two punch in their backfield. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both found success playing their roles this season. A similar case down in Miami, as Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane found the end zone with ease (when both were healthy). Injuries always derail a coach's game plan. AJ Dillon and […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs Zay Flowers Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
Sometimes an extra week of rest and relaxation isn't enough. Workers around the globe return to work after a lengthy vacation, only to be less motivated and more drained than before they left. Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers does not appear to fall into that camp. While he's on the injury report with […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Divisional Round) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
The NFL's version of the Elite Eight remains. The betting favorites, Baltimore and San Francisco, reenter the fold after earning and serving their bye week. In each instance, the one seeds get to face off against an up-and-coming team fresh off of a playoff upset. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoWhich College Football Teams Are Moving Conferences? Full List Of Programs On The Move
In college football's NIL era, it's nearly impossible to track where players, even the stars, are suiting up year to year. Thankfully, it's a little easier to remember which programs are members of which conference. But several schools are on the move heading into the 2024 season. Television deals are largely responsible for reshaping the […]
Andrew Ball 10 months agoIs D'Andre Swift Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
"I chose a half measure when I should have gone all the way. I'll never make that mistake again." In one of the most famous and quotable scenes of Breaking Bad, Mike Ehrmantraut tells Walter White (in layman's terms to avoid spoilers) that he has to fully commit to this life of crime. He can't put […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoMatthew Stafford Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - NFL Playoffs Fantasy Football Picks
BALLER MOVE: Start in all leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: QB1 ANALYSIS: The most prolific quarterback in Lions' franchise history returns to the homeland. If you went off the grid this week, Matthew Stafford is returning to Detroit to face his former team in a playoff game. The first-overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft leads the franchise […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoPuka Nacua Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - NFL Playoffs Fantasy Football Picks
BALLER MOVE: Start in all leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR1 ANALYSIS: Success is a moving target. Patrick Mahomes threw for 4,100 yards (sixth-best mark in the league) and 27 touchdowns (eighth-best) in 2023. For a quarterback like Derek Carr or Baker Mayfield, those are at or near career-best numbers. For Mahomes, it's a down year. There's zero […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Wild Card Weekend) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
Just when you thought we were done, it's Wild Card Weekend and we aren't going anywhere! Pick 'Em pools continue and so does the weekly column. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game, and rank the selections for those who play in a format that requires it. The games […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoThe Best Of Both Worlds: Recapping The Jared Goff For Matthew Stafford Trade
Whether an already established commodity in the NFL or an incoming rookie with pre-draft hype, trading a haul of assets for a quarterback can be disastrous. The 49ers and Bears traded the farm for Trey Lance and Mitch Trubisky, respectively, during the NFL Draft. Neither earned a second contract with the team that selected them. […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoDaniel Jones Expects To Be Ready For Training Camp
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) said he's continuing to rehab his knee and plans to be ready to play by the start of training camp. Jones tore his ACL in early November, ending his season. Giants' GM Joe Schoen noted that the team plans to continue to build around Jones, but understands that […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoDon "Wink" Martindale and Mike Kafka Expected To Stay In New York
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Monday that he expects both defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to return next season. Both units struggled for the Giants in 2023. The offense ranked 30th in points per game (15.6) and the defense allowed 23.9 points per game, 26th in the […]
Andrew Ball 11 months agoBill Belichick Willing To Give Up Personnel Duties In New England
With his future in New England murky, head coach Bill Belichick admitted Monday that he'd be willing to relinquish general manager duties heading into next season if it helped the team move forward. Belichick led the Patriots to a 4-13 record, the worst in his New England tenure. The offense ranked 31st in points per […]
Andrew Ball 11 months ago