My Michael Crabtree Blog

Well, it took long enough. After months of arguing and posturing, wide receiver Michael Crabtree has ended his holdout and signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

So far, there has been no hint from Crabtree's side as to what the final contract pays Crabtree. Usually the agent tends to leak this information, and since Crabtree's agent has yet to do so, it makes sense to believe that the agent is not that proud of the final agreement.

An NFL source has said that the contract is for 6 years and $32 million. $17 million is guaranteed just for signing (how about that for your autograph?) If Crabtree performs well enough, the final year of the contract worth a base salary of $4million will be voided. However, I understand that the qualifications for the final contract to be voided are so high that it is highly likely that this will turn out to be a 6-year deal.

For example, one of the stipulations is that Michael must make the Pro Bowl at least one year in his first four years. While he may turn into an elite NFL receiver, the competition in the NFC is just too great to expect him to make the Pro Bowl that quickly. The NFC has receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Smith just to name a few. It is pretty much a given that these guys will make the Pro Bowl, and that does not leave a lot of room left for Michael.

All in all, Crabtree ended up signing about the same contract that was offered at the onset of negotiations. It is just a shame that it took so long for him to realize that he was wasting his time and ruining his reputation.

Sports are an incredible way for people to partake in competition while also making their body healthier and stronger. Sports, from the fan side, are popular not only in the United States but also around the world. Fandom has expanded to the video game world these days with the many series for sports on the market such as Madden, MLB the Show, NHL, NCAA Basketball, MVP NCAA Baseball and much more. College sports, especially football, has taken the country by storm over the past couple of decades and the same can be said for college sports in the video game world. Here we will rank and discuss the top 5 best college sports games of recent memory.

MVP 07 NCAA Baseball: This game features the addition of more NCAA conferences, team fight songs, excellent commentary when playing a game of baseball and much more. If you have yet to play this game, it is recommended for any baseball fan, college or not, because the graphics have been improved from previous years and the gameplay is more interactive.

NCAA Football 10: This game was released not too long ago and if you have not had the chance to purchase this game yet then you should hit the stores today. This is one of the most impressive college sports games to hit the market in recent years because of the excellent graphics, easy gameplay, quick gameplay and fantastic features. The stadiums are designed to look exactly like the real thing right down to the paint on the field and the design of the team logo in the end zones.

College Hoops 2K6: If you enjoy college basketball and love to play basketball video games then give this game a shot. Even though it is a couple of years old it is still one of the best college sports games around today. The graphics in this game are second to none. The game was produced for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360 and was released in November of 2005. Playing this game puts the gamer into the shoes of the collegiate player and into the tumultuous arenas of Duke, North Carolina, Xavier, Florida, UCLA and others.

NCAA Basketball 10: This game is set to be released in the fall of 2009 and features former Oklahoma and current NBA player Blake Griffin on the cover. The gameplay is second to none for college basketball games and the graphics are the best in the NCAA series so far. The game will be released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game features wild crowds, excellent detail on the cheerleaders, and top-notch commentary during the gameplay.

NCAA Football 09: This game features Michael Crabtree on the cover and is truly the prequel to the version released for 2010. The 09 version of the game took a step in the right direction when it comes to graphics and better gameplay, leading up to the 2010 version. This game is a must have if you love college football and want to add to your collection.

TJ Michaels is a console technician who writes for http://www.psr1.com, the experts for PlayStation 3 Repair and Xbox 360 repair.

When analysing the Raiders selection of Darrius Heywaryd-Bey I choose to be more open minded about the selection than many in the Raider Nation have proved to be. My only beef with the Raiders concerning this pick is the fact that they could have traded down numerous spots to get Heyward-Bey so I greatly question his value at number 7 overall. However, in terms of all of these receivers coming into the NFL from college nobody and I stress NOBODY knows how this will all play out. This is the NFL not the NCAA and all the stats and TD's that Crabtree put up in college doesn't mean crap at this level. Let me repeat. All the stats Crabtree put up at Texas Tech do not mean CRAP at the NFL level. Just look at all the WR busts throughout the years in the NFL who were studs in college. Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Troy Williamson, and Reggie Williams are just a few of the first round busts that come to mind. With that in mind I have researched Heyward-Bey and Crabtree and I truly believe Heyward-Bey will turn out to be the better NFL player and I am about to explain to you why.

During the past 10 years 4 receivers that have been taken in the Top Ten in the NFL Draft have turned into playmakers while the others have been busts. They are as follows:

Calvin Johnson (Detroit)

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona)

Braylon Edwards (Cleveland)

Roy Williams (Dallas)

What traits do these receivers share? They are all 6'3" or better and they possessed at least better than average speed if not blazing. I am not seeing either out of Crabtree. For starters, nobody knows how fast Crabtree truly is. The only publicly recorded time of Crabtree running the 40 is 4.53 however that came from a site that also greatly exaggerated his height so how can you really believe them? Throw in the fact that Crabtree played in a spread offense at Texas Tech and also has a foot injury that numerous NFL GM's were concerned with and one has to wonder how fast Crabtree truly is. I have seen a bunch of his games in college and it always seemed that he would take the angle on DB's rather than blowing by them. Whether this was by choice in an effort to disguise his lack of speed in unknown but one thing is for certain: Crabtree is not going to be running the 100 meter relay anytime soon. Furthermore, his height has been exposed as well. Originally, Crabtree was listed at 6'3" but we all found out at the draft that he is only 6'1 1/4 so now essentially the 49ers have a short/slow receiver that they are banking on for the next 10 years.

By contrast Heyward-Bey is at least an inch or inch and a half taller than Crabtree and the speed factor is not even a question. Jeremy Maclin is close to his speed but Crabtree is not. When you examine what the Raiders are trying to do it becomes painfully clear why DHB was the selection. As I mentioned my only problem with it is that they didn't trade down to get him when that could have been an option. Perhaps the Raiders could have nabbed DHB and someone like University of Arizona tackle Eben Britton thus filling 2 glaring weaknesses. However, when analysing the measurables and all of the health variables as well you clearly see why the Raiders favored Heyward-Bey over Maclin and especially Crabtree and that is not even including personality or "character" traits. All you need to see is one interview from Crabtree for you to see that he is extremely arrogant.

Not confident. Arrogant. Arrogant to the point that I think he already has people working on his HOF bust before he has even run and NFL route yet. By contrast DHB is humble and has come to Oakland ready to work and I have liked every interview that I have seen of him to this point. People question DHB's production at Maryland as well as his hands but theses concerns are unjustified. First, unlike Crabtree DHB did not play in a spread offense in college and both Maclin and Crabtree played with far superior QB's at their respective schools than DHB did at Maryland. Everyone is saying that DHB is a bust and has Troy Williamson written all over him. I concede that there will probably be a bust at WR from this draft class but I differ by believing that Crabtree has a much higher risk for this distinction than DHB does. In summary: GIVE THE KID A CHANCE!!!!! You just might be surprised.

Cheers and Beers

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider and fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Sign up for my free newsletter at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

As the NCAA College Football gets into full swing, college campuses nationwide are filled with the buzz of who might win this year's Heisman trophy. Honoring the best player in college football each year, the award went to sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow of Florida last year. While Tebow returns to lead the Gators, there are a number of other contenders for the trophy this year.

Coming out of (seemingly) nowhere last year, the Missouri Tigers rose to the top of the Big 12 pack, earning a number one ranking until their loss in the conference championship game to perennial power Oklahoma. Led by two Heisman contenders, senior quarterback Chase Daniel and true sophomore receiver Jeremy Maclin. With a top 10 rating and early season success, if this Tigers go all the way, then either of these players are capable of bringing home the hardware.

While Heisman winners generally play for national contender teams, there are a number of impressive players who play on good, but not great, teams. South Florida Quarterback Matt Grothe is an outstanding athlete, as is Boise State running back Ian Johnson who could run for over 7,000 yards in his college career.

There are a number of competitive quarterback sin this year's class ranging from the impressive first-year USC starter Mark Sanchez, Texas' Colt McCoy, the efficient passer Todd Reesing of Kansas and the talented Ryan Perrilloux of LSU.

Texas Tech also featured two top-tier Heisman candidates in quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree who caught 21 touchdowns last year. While Tech is in a competitive conference, the combination of Harrell and Crabtree could propel them to the top tier this season.

Among top running backs, Chris "Beanie" Wells leads last year's runner-up Ohio State where he ran for over 1500 yards and Wisconsin's PJ Hill will put in a competitive season for the Badgers. Texas running back Jamaal Charles is one of the fastest players in college football, and should put up some impressive numbers this season.

This year's Heisman competition features one of the more talented classes in recent history, and should make for an exciting year heading into the BCS.

Jason Forthofer is the owner of Get Football Helmets where you can shop for college football helmets from all major universities.

Last year was definitely an off year for wide receivers, and while this year looks a little deeper, you do not want to pay too much for your WR's production. Follow the Do's and Dont's below, and you will greatly improve your chances of hefting your Fantasy Football League Championship Trophy.

Do...

...nab one of the big ones if you can, without disobeying the 2 RBs in the first 3 rounds rule. If you pick 10th, and the top 6 or 7 primary backs are off the board, picking Larry Fitzgerald with your first round pick may be the way to go. Kurt Warner is back, Boldin is signed, and the Cards face the most favorable matchups for a passing game in the NFL this year over 17 weeks. Same goes for Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, etc. Just make sure all the marquee RBs are off the board.

Do...

...check schedules! A quick look at Buffalo's schedule shows only one home game in freezing bad-weather December at home, and that is against the lowly Oakland Raiders, so maybe Trent Edwards to Terrell Owens will be okay. But do not overlook the fact that this game is a week 15 4:00pm game, meaning playoff time for us Fantasy Footballers. You would hate to end your championship run because there was a blizzard in Denver and the Broncos handed the ball off 40 times.

DON'T...

...draft teammates! Kurt Warner / Larry Fitzgerald or Michael Turner / Roddy White may seem enticing, as your mind starts extrapolating all the huge numbers they could put up any given Sunday, but the downside is too great. Stick with players on separate teams, and you will limit your downside, and bye weeks will not be so hard to manage.

DON'T...

...waste time on Rookie WRs unless you want to roll the dice in a late round! Yes, DeSean Jackson was great last year as a rookie WR for the Eagles, but seriously, do you want to risk a mid-round pick on Darrius Heyward-Bey just because he was the 1st overall receiver to go in the NFL draft in April? "Crazy Al" and the Oakland passing game can be counted on for one thing only ... inconsistency. If you do look to sneak a winner late, take a peak at Michael Crabtree in San Francisco. They have a very favorable schedule against week passing defenses, and Crabtree should start.

Remember, Wide Receivers can be the most up and down performers in the Fantasy game. All a QB has to do to get the RB the ball is turn around and hand it to him. A lot has to go right for a WR to get the ball. That is why it is so important to get consistent performers at this position. And when you are looking for great stats, head on over to the NFL website for all your stats, schedules, and info. Sporting News Fantasy Football guide is also indispensable. All the stats above, and all my research comes from these 2 resources. This is the second in a series of Draft Day Do's and Dont's you need to adhere to in 2009. Make sure to check out my other articles offering Draft Day Secrets and tips. When you put them all together, you will have a strong game plan for your Fantasy Football Draft. See you in the playoffs!

Patrick O'Neill is an 18 year Fantasy Football Veteran who has won countless local and internet Fantasy Football Championships.
"If you are serious about winning, instead of competing, I recommend the same software I use, catered to your League's rules and scoring system. Win In 2009. Get it now, and win in 2009."
Patrick ONeill

How about those San Francisco 49ers? After a disappointing 2008 campaign that showed some promises of hope, it looks like this Niners team is ready to deliver on that hope in 2009.

Coach Mike Singletary seems to have masterminded what is quickly becoming one of the better defensive units in pro football today. Led by Patrick Willis, the 49ers defense has held its competition to just 26 total points in each of the team's first two games.

The more impressive of the two victories was San Francisco's week one win over the Arizona Cardinals, in Arizona of all places. A 20-16 win shut down the defending NFC champions, surprising many football fans around the country.

Efficient play from Frank Gore at running back, coupled with a great defensive presence thus far, has largely been responsible for this resurgence. Ironically, the team looks like it's better off without 1st round draft pick Michael Crabtree, the wide receiver so many expected to change the face of this franchise.

Crabtree refused to play after becoming unhappy with the contract that another rookie wide receiver had been offered with the Raiders, and it looked as if the state of the 49ers was in disarray entering the season.

After that win at Arizona and another impressive win in week 2 against the visiting Seattle Seahawks, things are looking up for the San Francisco 49ers, and they're surprisingly leading the NFC West division after two weeks of football.

Is this just one of those fluke starts that we see a few teams pull off each year, or are the San Francisco 49ers the real deal in 2009?

Enjoy an awesome San Francisco 49ers forum, at RootZoo Sports, home to the best sports forum online.

After months of analysis and projections leading up to the April 25-26 NFL draft followed by days of draft recap and team grades, we focus on what really matters to us; how the draft affects our fantasy football leagues. While we may have thoughts on the absurdity of the contracts signed by high draft picks, it has no effect on our fantasy football team's payroll. Players may have been drafted higher or lower than projected, but that has no impact on where they will be drafted in our leagues. What matters most to us is if the player will play and if it will be this year or in upcoming years.   Let's take a quick spin through the NFC and look at each team's new additions that could factor into our fantasy football drafts.

Arizona - The Cards happily grabbed RB Chris "Beanie" Wells with the first pick in the second round. He will play immediately as Edgerrin James was released and Tim Hightower appears to be best suited as a goal-line back. Beanie should be drafted in one-season in rounds 4-5 in standard 12-team leagues and rounds 3-4 in Keeper leagues.

Atlanta - Eight picks, all on defense. So, obviously, the Falcons D is the only position that improved. They have some solid additions to support their corners as well as help John Abraham, especially DT Peria Jerry, S William Moore and DE Lawrence Sidbury. This will propel them into the top half of draftable defenses.

Carolina - DE Everette Brown and S Sherrod Martin will help the defense a bit, though not near as much as keeping Julius Peppers will. Their defense should remain in the same draft position.

Chicago - The Bears did pretty well considering they only drafted on Day 2. WR Juaquin Iglesias is a nice addition to a weak receiving core and could be a productive late round pick on draft day. DT Jarron Gilbert will help the Bears D out a bit, though not altering their draft position.

Dallas - The Cowboys traded their way into a lot of worthless picks. Even though the Cowboys had no draftable backup QB last year, I do not believe that QB Stephen McGee is in that category this year. If you draft QB Tony Romo, your backup should be a starting QB on another team.

Detroit - QB Matthew Stafford is giddy knowing that he will be given the reigns to a winless team, so the bar for success in worm-high. It also brings a rare smile to his face when he envisions WR Calvin Johnson in his huddle. However, he is still a rookie QB on a winless team, so don't pick him as your number 1 QB. He should be drafted higher in Keeper leagues. TE Brandon Pettigrew is a must-draft TE in later rounds.

Green Bay - Green Bay's D was productive in the TD category last season, but was a bit of a sieve. Adding DT B.J. Raji and LB Clay Matthews enhances this position a few rounds. 

Minnesota - The Vikings grabbed WR Percy Harvin to add a new dimension to their offense. The kid can flat-out play, if he adjusts to life in the Twin Cities. I would definitely recommend picking him up in early double-digit rounds.

New Orleans - The Saints' D was startable at certain times last season coming off the waiver wire. That will change a bit this year with the additions of CB Malcolm Jenkins and S Chip Vaughn. I feel good recommending drafting them in the last round.

New York Giants - The G-Men addressed their biggest need right away by drafting WR Hakeem Nicks. He should be drafted in early double digit rounds. I would recommend a late round handcuff of RB Andre Brown if you draft Brandon Jacobs. RB Derrick Ward is now on Tampa so Brown will be taking over for him.

Philadelphia - Philly will have the most rookies drafted this year. They landed WR Jeremy Maclin, TE Cornelius Ingram and RB LeSean McCoy. Maclin may be a DeSean Jackson clone in play making ability, which is good if he waits until he crosses the goal line to celebrate his scores. Ingram will be a favorite target of McNabb when he needs a tough catch across the middle and McCoy is a must-draft handcuff to Westbrook.

Seattle - LB Aaron Curry will definitely help Seattle on defense, but makes no difference in fantasy land. WR Deon Butler was drafted to replace Bobby Engram, but I see no reason to draft him unless you are in a really deep league.

San Francisco - The Niners get a gift in picking up WR Michael Crabtree with the 10th pick. He is the class of the receiving group and will be a flat-out receiving stud in the NFL. I don't think you'll get him if you wait until the middle rounds of your draft. You especially want to grab him early in your Keeper Leagues. In addition to Crabtree, the Niners picked up RB Glen Coffey who should be your handcuff to Frank Gore.

St. Louis - The Rams picked up T Jason Smith to replace Orlando Pace and will show immediate dividends in the passing and running game as Pace is vastly overrated and almost stationary nowadays. That being said, Marc Bulger is a late draft pick and Steven Jackson is still a first round pick. As much as I love LB James Laurinaitis, he doesn't make the Rams D draftable in any format.

Tampa Bay - Good luck with QB Josh Freeman. If he only played as well as he talks. He has the size for an NFL QB (6' 6"), but I don't even recommend drafting him in a Keeper League.

Washington - The Skins further enhanced their defensive front by drafting DE Brian Orakpo. In addition to line help, they also grabbed two LBs and CB Kevin Barnes. This greatly enhances the attraction of the Washington D and moves them into the top 8-10 defenses to draft.

Bill Parsons is the owner of MaximumFantasySports.com and a rabid fantasy sports participant. He began creating his own football and baseball fantasy leagues at the ripe old age of seven; tracking stats and standings on paper. Bill decided to create a real-time fantasy football league website that includes all of the best features and some of which have never been attempted at any other website. Join Maximum Fantasy Sports today by visiting http://www.maximumfantasysports.com Membership is Free!

The 2009 NFL draft took place last weekend, on April 25 and 26. The first round saw some of the draft's top players finding a home for the season. Some of the picks were hardly surprising - Michael Stafford going to the Detroit Lions - while others defied expectations - Michael Crabtree was a later-than-anticipated number ten pick.

Let's take a look at some of the highlights of the first round.

#1 -Quarterback and projected top pick overall Matthew Stafford fulfilled his expectations. The Detroit Lions had already signed the 21-year-old to a six year contract with $41.7 million in guarantees. The Lions had a record-breaking season this year: 0-16, a losing feat no other team has accomplished in NFL history.

With a winless season wrought by Matt Millen, the Lions are looking to Stafford to pick up the franchise. At 6'3" and 237 lbs, and with a strong and accurate throwing arm that has brought 51 career touchdowns and 7,731 career yards, Stafford has the potential to become a franchise savior. Hopefully the new Lion will do better than Detroit's last top-pick quarterback, Joey Harrington.

Stafford left school a year early but is not expected to start the season. Nevertheless, he is ready to begin his career as a professional.

"I'm a competitive guy," Stafford said. "I'm going to try to get ready as quick as I can."

Stafford continues a trend in the NFL in which quarterbacks constitute top overall picks in the draft; in fact, 9 of the last 12 top picks have been quarterbacks. Time will tell whether Stafford continues to satisfy expectations during football season.

#4- Another potential for the Lions was taken in the top 5. Aaron Curry, a linebacker from Wake Forest, had discussed being the top overall pick with Detroit. Curry has an exceptional combination of height, weight, and speed for a linebacker, which, blended with his strong instincts, aggression, and overall effort, makes him an ideal player. Seattle was able to capture Curry at number 4.

#5 - The second quarterback to be chosen, Mark Sanchez of USC, was snatched by the New York Jets after they traded Cleveland for the 5th overall spot. Sanchez started at USC for just one season, leading the Trojans to a 12-1 season and a Rose Bowl win.

With the Jets, he will have to fill the shoes of retiring quarterback Brett Favre. The 6'3", 225 lb quarterback has a strong arm, intelligence, and leadership skills that make him a prize for the Jets West Coast Offense. His limited experience makes him a moderate risk, but he is undaunted.

"It's a very exciting time, a special time in my life," Sanchez explains, "so I'm excited to get things going."
#7- Captivated by his speed, the Oakland Raiders snagged Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey at number 7 overall. Although Heyward-Bey had the fastest 40-yard time in workouts, his undeveloped receiving skills make him something of a risk. Though he may take time to develop, with his incredible speed and height-weight combination, Heyward-Bey exhibits real potential.

#10- Michael Crabtree, who was the highest-rated receiver before the draft, completed the top ten when he was chosen by the 49ers. He lost the top ranking to Heyward-Bey, who was selected three spots before him. Although Crabtree lacks top-notch speed, he is still considered one of the best receivers in the draft, with an ability to catch almost anything thrown at him.

After only two seasons of football, Crabtree received the Biletnikoff Award. Now, in San Francisco, Crabtree aims high: "I got some big shoes to fill when I go to the 49ers, you know, with Jerry Rice. I am looking forward to that. I love challenges."

#12- Knowshon Moreno went number 12 to the Denver Broncos. Moreno rushed 1,400 yards last season to lead the SEC and was in the second-team for the All-American players. Although Moreno lacks the breakaway speed possessed by topnotch backs in the NFL, he has great instincts and good vision that make him an excellent top pick for the Broncos.

#19- The Eagles were able to choose receiver Jerry Maclin from Missouri at number 19 after the Browns traded the pick for number 21 and a second 6th round pick. In 2008, Maclin was able to score 12 touchdowns, along with 1,260 receiving yards.

#27- The Indianapolis Colts selected Dan Brown at number 27. Brown was the 2008 Big East offensive player of the year at Connecticut, and, with over 2000 rushing yards last year alone and 3,800 career rushing yards, leads the NCAA. He also holds the distinction of being the University of Connecticut's first player to be drafted in the first round.

Overall, the first round saw 19 offensive and 13 defensive players drafted - 15 of whom were underclassmen - for a grand total of 32 players.

About the Author:
Cindy Ferguson is a high-ranking sports writer, currently writing reviews on NFL Football for the sports betting industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, making sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

The Eagles will come into this game with a chance to clinch a playoff spot (with some help). This is a 49ers team riding high off a victory against the Cardinals but I think it was as much of the Cardinals giving away the game as the 49ers taking it. However, the Eagles don't need to play down to this team because if they do they'll end up the same as the Cardinals. The 49ers have a lot of young talent, they are still just trying to figure out how to put it all together. If the Eagles come out and play the way they have been the past couple weeks, they shouldn't have trouble putting this team away.

Here's some quick team stats and league rankings:

Offense

Points per game: 20.7 (18th)

Yards per game: 288.6 (27th)

Pass yards per game: 189.8 (22nd)

Rush yards per game: 98.8 (24th)

Defense

Points per game: 18.6 (8th)

Yards per game: 338.6 (18th)

Pass yards per game: 243.6 (27th)

Rush yards per game: 95 (5th)

Offense

Alex Smith - Smith is one of those guys who has struggled to find success in the NFL. He has been given another chance this year in San Francisco and is finding a mild success. His rating is higher than in years past (although not stellar) and his touchdown to interception ratio is better (still not stellar). However, I think he is finding some rhythm with Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree who are two talented young players. The Eagles can't let him get the ball to these guys too often as they're both capable of making big plays.

Frank Gore - The Eagles number one priority on Sunday is going to be to shut down Frank Gore. He had a great game against Arizona last week and will look to repeat the effort against the Eagles. If the 49ers open up a run game early, it sets up Smith to get things done through the air. The Birds can't let Gore run all over them and need to force Smith to try and beat them with his arm. Defensively, the team must tackle better than last week and this starts with bringing down Gore.

Michael Crabtree - He arrived late on the scene but already has more receptions, yards, and touchdowns than Darrius Heyward-Bey who was drafted above him. Crabtree is consistently catching three to six passes a game and has found the end zone twice over the last four weeks. You can't deny the guys talent no matter how big of a hassle he made for the 49ers. He's not a stud yet, but he has the potential. The secondary will need to keep an extra close eye on him and not allow him to do anything big.

Vernon Davis - Even though he's a tight end, Davis it he 49ers number one receiver and is having a great year. Among tight ends, he is first in the NFC is receiving yards (815) and first in the NFL in touchdowns (11). This is scary because the Eagles always struggle to cover the tight end position. The defense can't let this guy get open too often and keep drives going or make big plays. It's a given that he's going to get his touches, but they need to be held to a minimum.

Defense

3-4 Defense - This is going to be the first 3-4 defense the Eagles see since they played the Chargers back in the middle of November. I don't think it's a huge deal, but I'm sure there are definite changes in the blocking scheme. We'd definitely like to see the Eagles have a successful run game so the lineman are going to need to communicate well and get good blocks on the linebackers.

Linebackers - Former Eagles Takeo Spikes lines up as one of the middle men in this scheme but he's not the one I'm worried about. Next to him is the pure tackling machine Patrick Willis who leads the NFL in tackles and always finds his name way up there on the leader board. The guys is a monster and is someone the Eagles will really need to get good blocks on if they want to be successful in the run game. With three games left, he's only nine tackles behind his mark from last year and has already tied his record for sacks in a season. The Eagles offense is going to need to pay close attention to wherever #52 is on the field.

Secondary - This secondary didn't allow Kurt Warner to throw a single touchdown last week while intercepting him twice. They do have talent, and we get to see another ex-Eagle in Michael Lewis at one of the safety positions. The Eagles offense has had a lot of success hitting on big plays this year so you know they're going to look to do that on Sunday. Establishing a run game should help set up the big play. However, I don't think this secondary is good enough to shut down the weapons we have all afternoon. I expect Donovan to be able to do some big things against this secondary.

Special Teams

I'll be interested to see if the 49ers willingly kick to DeSean Jackson after the damage he did against the Giants. If I were them, I wouldn't be kicking to him. I'd like to see Macho Harris get the Eagles some nice starting field position on kick returns. On the other side, the Eagles can't allow the 49ers to have a big play on special teams because this can really get a whole team fired up.

www.BirdsFan.com - A Philadelphia Eagles blog

Goodbye Texas. Hello Alabama. It is now the Crimson Tide that have become the No. 1 coveted target in the nation for big-time college football programs in America.

The Texas Longhorns, who were No. 1, took on their 4th top-ranked team in consecutive weeks and came up short on the road Saturday (11-1-08) in Lubbock to No. 6 Texas Tech 39-33 on a scoring play that never should have happened with 1 second left.

In a Texas-style shootout, the Longhorns trailed 19-0 and rallied to take a 33-32 lead on Vondrell McGee's 4-yard touchdown run with only 1:29 to play. That gave just a little too much time left for the Red Raiders' Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, two gifted athletes on a mission few others would dare to take.

With virtually no time left and 28 yards from pay dirt, Harrell found himself surrounded by nasty Longhorns and out of time with Crabtree in double coverage and no room to even turn around. So what does a great quarterback do? He throws high into double coverage, hoping his All-American wide receiver is as great as Harrell thinks he is.

Michael Crabtree does not disappoint either his teammates or himself. He rises to the challenge, grabs the rock with sure hands, breaks the wannabe arm tackle of a sophomore cover back trying to strip the ball, and takes a couple of steps into the end zone and the game clock shows 1 second left.

Amazingly, Crabtree stays in bounds as thousands and thousands of screaming, delirious fans pour onto the field of play. It is sheer bedlam as fans begin to rip down the goal post at one end of the field, and the officials on the field try to restore order for the extra-point attempt and final kickoff to Texas to eliminate the one second left on the clock.

This is college football in America on a Saturday afternoon. A major university with thousands of fans who have suffered through the dominance of Texas and Oklahoma teams for too many years. This is their moment of glory and they will not be denied. It is the competitive spirit of America in its finest hour, their years of hardship and agony are over and their 15 minutes of fame and glory have arrived.

All of the Texas Tech fans, players and coaches need to party down big-time because Texas Tech's season is not over. The Red Raiders will now run a gauntlet somewhat similar to the one that the Longhorns faced as 8-1 Oklahoma State and 8-1 Oklahoma lie ahead and a lesser-light Baylor team lurks in the background.

The drama of this game could not have been higher. Texas Tech only needed a field goal to win the game, but could not rely on its kicker to convert from some 40 yards out. Not only was Harrell's pass into double coverage over the top, and even though Crabtree made a great catch, had he been tackled short of the end zone or gone out of bounds, it is unlikely in the moment that the Red Raiders could have called a time out and still had enough time to set up for a game-winning field goal try.

"All we needed was a field goal, but a touchdown's even sweeter," said Raider quarterback Graham Harrell after the game. "If you're a quarterback and don't want to be in that situation, you should change positions." Harrell finished with 474 yards passing and 2 touchdowns while completing 36 of 53 attempts.

Was this really THAT big of a win for Texas Tech? Yes it was. The Red Raider win over Texas was the biggest win in Texas Tech history and its first win against a No. 1-ranked team. The victory gave them command of the Big 12 South and put them smack in the middle of the race for a spot in the national championship game.

And just how close was Texas to winning? How about 1 second among 60 minutes of play? Or the fact that on the play prior to Crabtree's winning 28-yard TD catch, freshman safety Blake Gideon dropped what would have been a game-ending interception on a tipped pass. That single drop meant Harrell could make the dangerous decision to throw into double coverage to Crabtree. The rest is now history.

The win vaulted No. 6 Texas Tech past Penn State, Florida and Oklahoma into the No. 2 spot in this week's AP Top 25 Poll. For Texas Tech fans around the world, this rise to prominence came none too soon.

The reason Alabama vaulted from No. 2 in the AP rankings to the top spot is because the Crimson Tide shut out Arkansas State Saturday 35-0, scoring in every quarter and looking every bit as if they should be No. 1.

Coach Nick Saban has quickly become better than the gold standard in Alabama. Saban has taken the Crimson Tide to the No. 1 ranking in the nation in only his second year at Tuscaloosa.

Saban is the highest paid coach in college football ($32 million for 8 years). Many fans and boosters at Alabama believe Saban is worth every penny of it and now you know why.

Saban turned around Michigan State's program in one year and went to 3 bowl games in his first 3 years. He turned around Louisiana State's program in one year, won or shared 3 SEC titles, went to bowl games all 5 years and won the National Championship in 2003. He turned around Alabama in his first season last year and went to a bowl game. Now his Crimson Tide players are 9-0 and in the hunt for a spot in this year's national championship game.

No. 5 Florida recorded a huge win on the road at No. 8 Georgia, putting some major hurt on the Bulldogs, 49-10. Since their unexpected lack of focus and 31-30 loss to Mississippi, Coach Urban Meyer's Gators have gone ballistic croc hunting, ripping apart Arkansas 38-7, LSU 51-21 and Kentucky 63-5 before hosting Georgia.

Apparently the Gators have become so savage that they will rip apart their victims but also drink their blood in their quest to get into the national championship game. The next victim to visit Gainsville this coming Saturday is the Vanderbilt Commodores, who had better order up tons of anti-crocodile spray. The Gators mean business.

Both Texas and Georgia lost to top-ranked teams. Texas Tech, Alabama and Florida were among 13 of the 20 AP Poll teams to win this week, 7 others-including Texas and Georgia which played top-ranked teams--lost and 5 teams were idle. No. 3 Penn State, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 18 Ball State, No. 21 North Carolina and No. 25 Maryland were all idle.

The other ranked teams which won big and made a statement included:

No. 4 Oklahoma at home in a waltz over Nebraska 62-28 (the Sooners led 62-21 after 3 quarters), No. 7 Southern Cal on the road shut out Washington 56-0 (the Huskies are dead and waiting for fired head coach Tyrone Willingham to get on down the road), No. 9 Oklahoma State at home over Iowa State 59-17 (the Cowboys scored in every quarter), No. 11 Boise State at home shut out New Mexico State 49-0 (the Broncos scored in every quarter against what we think is a team in the southwest), No. 12 TCU on the road over UNLV 44-14, and No. 15 LSU at home over Tulane 35-10.

Four other ranked teams won but were hardly impressive. They included:

No. 10 Utah on the road over weak, unranked New Mexico 13-10 (the 9-0 unbeaten Utah Utes are overrated big-time and may find that out this week when they clash with 9-1 TCU), No. 14 Missouri on the road over unranked Baylor 31-28 (the now toothless Tigers take down a 3-win Baylor team), No. 17 BYU on the road over weak, unranked Colorado State 45-42 (the Cougars are hardly ferocious, they gave up 32 points to TCU, 35 to UNLV and now 42 to Colorado State after beating a winless 0-8 Washington team 28-27 earlier in the season), and No. 22 Michigan State at home over Wisconsin 25-24 (it's true that Wisconsin may well be the best 4-5 team in the country, but the Spartans should have won by two touchdowns).

Five other ranked teams committed the unpardonable sin of losing to an unranked team. They included:

No. 16 Florida State lost on the road to Georgia Tech 31-28, No. 19 and unbeaten Tulsa lost on the road to Arkansas 30-23 (Tulsa is the newest most overrated team in 1-A football, Illinois lost that title by promptly losing 4 games), No. 20 Minnesota lost at home to Northwestern 24-17, No. 23 Oregon lost on the road to California 26-16, and No. 24 South Florida lost on the road to Cincinnati 24-10.

Dropping out of the AP Top 25 Poll on Sunday (11-2-08) were Minnesota (the Golden Gophers are 7-2 and a real surprise in the Big Ten), South Florida (overrated all season), Oregon (overrated all season) and Tulsa (grossly overrated all season). Good luck to all on your way out the door.

Playing their way back into the AP Poll this week were the No. 20 West Virginia Mountaineers (they beat Connecticut), the No. 21 California Bears (they beat Oregon), the No. 22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (they beat Florida State) and the No. 25 Pittsburgh Panthers (they beat Notre Dame 36-33 in the 4th overtime).

The only 6 unbeaten teams remaining include Alabama, Texas Tech, Penn State, Utah, Boise State and Ball State. In other games of note this week:

Oregon State barely beat Arizona State 27-25 in a really nasty, tough, sometimes dirty Pac 10 encounter. A 2-8 Idaho team put 24 points on the board and only lost by 6 points to a 6-3 San Jose State team. The Idaho Vandals are not the worst team in America, that title belongs to the 0-9 winless, hopeless Washington Huskies followed closely by the hapless, beyond hopeless 1-8 Washington State Cougars.

Also formerly winless North Texas posted its first win of the season on the road over 1-AA Western Kentucky 51-40. The Purdue Boilermakers did the entire Midwest a favor by whipping Michigan 48-42, ensuring that Michigan will have to suffer through its first losing season in 40 years and an end to its streak of 33 consecutive bowl game appearances.

From my perspective as a Michigan State graduate, any week that Michigan State wins and Michigan loses is a glorious week, thus far that glorious occurrence has happened 5 times this season and could happen twice more "Lord willing and the creek don't rise".

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

Read my other detailed, knowledgeable, interesting articles on college football, including:

"College Football - Week 9 - Texas Handles Unbeaten Oklahoma State, and Penn State Whips Ohio State"

"College Football - Week 8 - Top 6 Teams Remain on Top, Led by Unbeaten Texas, Alabama & Penn State"

"College Football - Week 7 - Only 10 Undefeated Teams Remain - Oklahoma, Missouri and LSU All Lose"

"College Football - Week 6 - AP's Top 25 Welcomes North Carolina, Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Ball State"

"College Football - Week 5 - 9 AP Top 25 Teams Lose, 6 to Unranked Teams, No. 1 USC, No. 3 Georgia & No. 4 Florida All Lose"

"College Football - Week 4 - 14 Teams Suffer Their First Defeat - Auburn, East Carolina, Oregon & Florida State All Lose"

"College Football - Week 3 - Let There Be No Doubt: USC Crushes Ohio State 35-3 and Is Clearly No. 1"

"College Football - Week 2 - East Carolina Smacks West Virginia, Upsets Its 3rd Straight Ranked Team"

"College Football - Week 1 - No. 24 Alabama Stuns No. 9 Clemson, East Carolina Upsets No. 17 Virginia Tech"

Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Well the 2009 NFL draft is over with and the Oakland Raiders sure made a lot of people including myself scratch their head. It is clearly evident that Al Davis values nothing more than speed when evaluating players. Sure, Darius Heyward-Bey ran the fastest 40 time at the combine but what does that really prove? The NFL is about so much more than pure speed (although it does help) and some of the best receivers in the game do not warrant the word "burner" being associated with them. First, I cannot for the life of me figure out why the Raiders passed on Michael Crabtree when he was sitting their right in their lap. Furthermore, if Davis REALLY wanted Heyward-Bey why didn't he trade down in the draft to get him?

Two principles are in question here. First is Mr. Davis' ability to properly evaluate talent at this stage of his life. Moreover, his managing of drafts is also under serious scrutiny after last weekends debacle. The Raider Nation is not happy I can tell you that. I am not knocking Heyward-Bey at all but he was the 5th or 6th ranked receiver on every one's board. Sure, he is fast but his hands are inconsistent at best.

Now, to his defense the NFL is a whole different animal and NOBODY knows how this will all work out over time. With Crabtree fittingly winding up across the Bay in SF the 2 rookie WR's will be compared to their entire careers. I am open minded about Heyward-Bey and now the Raiders have their version of the triplets set. We needed a big play receiver and now we have one and it will be up to Russell to get him the ball deep and accurately. I did see an interview on NFL Network and Heyward-Bey seems like a good kid who is ready to start working. It does concern me however that he mentioned that he has not talked to QB JaMarcus Russell yet.

Here is my take on the Raiders garbage draft:

2009 NFL Draft Picks:

7. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

--Very limited production at Maryland to go with extremely inconsistent hands. Moreover, Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin were both on the board. Grade: F

47. Michael Mitchell, SS, Ohio

--I truly don't understand this pick. Oh wait a minute, yes I do. Mitchell ran a great 40 at the combine and that was enough for Al. This is absolutely a horrible pick. Mitchell was a sixth-round prospect at best and countless NFL executives had him pinned as an undrafted free agent. No solace in the fact that the Bears were apparently interested in Mitchell too. Hopefully this fires him up and turns him into a Pro Bowl player. Mitchell has to make multiple Pro Bowls for the Raider Nation to forget about this pick. Grade: F

71. Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin

--Yet another total reach here by the Raiders. We need a defensive end, but similarly to Mitchell this guy was rated a 6th or 7th round prospect by most draft pundits. Time will tell but one has to wonder if he will even make the team. Grade: F

124. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida

--Finally - a player who isn't a reach. Good pick and ideally both him and Heyward-Bey produce this year. Any Gator is great value in the 4th round. Grade: B+

126. Slade Norris, OLB, Oregon State

--Very limited production at Oregon State and yet another head scratcher. There was much better talent still on the board. Grade: F

199. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri

--Nice pick here and Sulak is better than Shaughnessy that was drafted rounds before. Sulak is a quick pass-rusher who I expect to make the team and to contribute this year. Grade: B+

202. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa

--His 40 time was lacking making you wonder if Al had left to go play bingo for the day. Grade: C

Overall Draft Grade: D-

Time will tell how this all plays out but the Raider Nation is not happy with Al and that is unusual because historically Raider fans have not questioned his judgment. These are different times in Raider land however and when you have a team that has not been competitive in years patience starts to wear thin. And after a draft like this patience is as thin as I can ever remember.

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

According to the Oakland Tribune, Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey had a practice that made his drop-filled opening sessions of a week ago seem like a distant memory. After taking a day off with a sore toe, Heyward-Bey caught everything that was thrown to him, including a difficult over-the-shoulder deep pass along the sideline from Charlie Frye that required a difficult in-flight adjustment.

"I thought maybe this was Darrius' best day in camp," Raiders head coach Tom Cable said. "Caught the ball well, caught everything, the underneath, the over the top, the big ball on the sideline, the one-handed catch. Those (help) his confidence. We want to keep that coming."

Hopefully DHB can continue to grow on his good day at practice and become the target that JaMarcus Russell will need this year for the Raiders to do well. By the way, how is Michael Crabtree coming along across the Bay? Did Al Davis know something that the rest of the NFL didn't when he picked DHB over Crabtree? As one fan puts it, "DHB has a fantastic work ethic and exactly the kind of attitude it takes to be a great player in the NFL."

All the flack that the Oakland raiders took for taking Darrius Heyward-Bey over Crabtree, and who is on the field? This move may turn out to be a very smart on considering that some sources have Crabtree sitting out the whole season.. Let's hope that Darrius Heyward-Bey proves "the critics" wrong and shows why he was selected in April's draft before Crabtree.

Written by Matt Loede from NFLGridronGab.com. NFL Gridiron Gab is your premier football blog, bringing you all the latest football news, predictions, tidbits and commentary.

The San Francisco 49ers 8-8 record in 2009 was their best finish since going 10-6 in 2002. It was the second straight season that the 49ers finished second in the NFC West, and they appear to have their best shot to win the division in years with the Arizona Cardinals losing star quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement. Still this team has to perform before they simply get the division handed over to them. Below is my 2010 San Francisco 49ers preview, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the NFC West.

Offense:

Just how good the 49ers will be in 2010 will depend on the play of quarterback Alex Smith, who looks to finally live up to his potential after being drafted No.1 overall back in 2005. Smith played well at times in 2009, but still has plenty of room for improvements. The 49ers added another former No.1 overall pick in David Carr, who will step in as the lead backup to Smith.

One thing that has to make you think Smith will have a better season is the big improvements the 49ers made up front on the offensive line. The 49ers had two first round picks and used them on tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati. Davis will step in right away at right tackle, while Iupati will join forces with left tackle Joe Staley at left guard. With the new additions look for 2009 right tackle Adam Snyder to battle Chilo Rachal for the starting right guard spot. This unit figures to make drastic improvements this season.

Look out for the 49ers running game this season, as the improved offensive line should pave plenty of big holes for running back Frank Gore, who had one of his best seasons of his career in 2009 with 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gore has been a workhorse for this offense in his five years with the team, but the plan is to spell Gore more in 2010 and allow second year back Glen Coffee and rookie Anthony Dixon to take over some of his carries.

The 49ers might have had to wait a little while to see what they got in 2009 first round pick Michael Crabtree, but they have to be excited that this guy is in a 49ers uniform for some time to come. Crabtree looked very impressive in 11 starts last year grabbing 48 passes for 625 yards and two scores. I look for Crabtree to have a monster second season, and will soon be grouped with the other elite receivers in this league. The 49ers also have a solid No.2 receiver in Josh Morgan and one of the league's top tight ends in Vernon Davis, who led the team with 13 touchdown receptions in 2009.

Defense:

The 49ers were one of the top rush defenses in the NFL last season, and that doesn't figure to change in 2010, as all three defensive lineman return. Aubrayo Franklin has been a pleasant find at nose tackle, and his solid play forced the team to use the franchise tag on him. Defensive end Justin Smith has a motor that never seems to stop and fellow defensive end Isaac Sopoaga has been a reliable starter playing in 79 of the teams last 80 games.

Another reason the 49ers have been so good against the run, is All Pro middle linebacker Patrick Willis, who rarely lets a runner get by him. Takeo Spikes is back to play alongside Willis in the middle, and has surprisingly played well despite the fact he is getting up there in age. Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson are back on the outside, and the team is hoping to get a much better season of Haralson in 2010.

The 49ers were 21st in the league against the pass in 2009, but a lot of that had to do with the fact that star corner Nate Clements started just six games. Clements is back and healthy for the 2010 season and will once again team up with Shawntae Spencer. The 49ers bring back 2009 starting safeties Michael Lewis and Dashon Goldson, but used their second round pick on USC safety Taylor Mays, and it won't be long before he finds himself making big plays for this defense.

Prediction - 1st NFC West: I think the 49ers could win the West going just 9-7, but I think they end up finishing the season right around 10-6. The key will be making sure they at least win one of two against the Cardinals and avoid any upsets against the Seahawks and Rams.

For a complete look at the upcoming season, check out our 2010 NFL predictions. If you plan on betting the NFL this season, than you want to make sure you have the best NFL odds for every game, and that is exactly what we provide at Betfirms.

Offense - Texas Longhorns

Everything centers around the athletic play of Colt McCoy, but it's not necessarily all about his passing game. He is a mobile quarterback and with averages of 32 pass attempts per game and 40 runs per game (some of these are McCoy scrambling for yardage), Texas has one of the best balances of run and pass in the nation. And this is the key. As a defense, the only possible way you can beat Texas is to confuse the offensive line with different blitz packages, take away the run early, and contain McCoy when he gets flushed out of the pocket. The phrase, "You can't stop them, you can only hope to contain them," applies here.

Offense - Texas Tech Red Raiders

Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree are the most dangerous pair in the entire league, with both players on the Heisman list, and deservedly so. Tech's offense is 3rd in points per game, 2nd in yards per game, 1st in pass yards per game, and 1st in receptions per game. But Tech fans have seen offensive numbers like this before. What makes this Mike Leach Texas Tech team so special is that even though they only rush 25 times per game (3rd to last in the country), they are still putting up 138 rushing yards per game. It is in this equation that lies the secret to Tech winning this game. In the first half, if Texas Tech can keep the Texas defense honest with just a few good runs, the passing game will remain open long enough to keep the game close. Keep it close, and I truly believe Texas Tech has the upper hand with it's dominant power-offense.

Defense - Texas Longhorns

The defensive front for the Longhorns may be the best they've ever had. Orakpo, Houston, Miller, and Melton (doesn't that sound like a law firm?) have a combined 25.5 tackles for loss resulting in a total of 118 yards that they have cost opposing teams. Deeper than that, however, if this team has a weakness, it is the secondary. They only have 5 interceptions on the year and have given up 335 passing yards per game. Granted, they play in the pass-happy Big 12, but they have not faced as dominant a duo as Harrell and Crabtree. Pressure on Harrell will definitely be key, but getting through one of the toughest offensive lines in football won't be easy. If Harrell has time to pass, his wide receivers will find a way to get open and the Texas secondary will finally be exposed for what it is.

Defense - Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech will not be able to stop Texas like Oklahoma State did, but with an offense like the Red Raiders have, it may not matter. A couple of big stops will be key. Since getting Texas to third down may happen seldomly, stopping McCoy in these situations is going to be huge. Watch for the Texas Tech secondary to key on Jordan Shipley, Texas' big-time wide receiver, especially in the Red Zone. If they can contain the receivers, Tech's spy on McCoy better not lose containment or the coverage won't matter. The Texas Tech secondary, by the way, has 14 takeaways on the season, good for 3rd in the country. If they can get a couple more against Colt "80% completion percentage" McCoy, they'll be in pretty good shape.

Special Teams:

Texas definitely has the upper-hand in the punt game (if anyone ever punts), but I don't think punting is going to be a factor in this game at all. Field position will be decided more by the returns than the kicks, and most likely, kick returns rather than punt returns. In the kick return category, the two teams from the Lonestar State are almost dead even with Texas having a better kick return average by four-tenths of a point. And so, short and sweet, unless a punt or field block occurs, special teams really shouldn't be too much of a factor.

Key Matchups:

DE Brian Orakpo vs. LT Rylan Reed

This will be THE matchup of the game, as nobody this year has been able to stop Orakpo. But nobody is Texas Tech, either, and Reed is one of the best in the game. This is the kind of battle that you always hear announcers say is won "in the trenches," which, for those of you who may not get it, is a war metaphor. This will be a mini-war in the midst of a major war.

WR Michael Crabtree vs. The Entire Texas Secondary

It will take the entire secondary, working together, communicating perfectly, and constantly in motion to even begin to contain what is maybe the best talent the wide receiver position has ever seen. An announcer last week compared him to Larry Fitzgerald, which I think is apt...unfortunately for the Longhorns.

QB Colt McCoy vs. QB Graham Harrell

Though they are not directly battling on the field, both of these incredible talents will have a national stage in which to showcase their talents...and the winner may just end up taking home the Heisman. Whichever quarterback wins this game definitely has the upper-hand in the race.

Ksquared Prediction:

Here we go: two huge Big 12 teams, two great coaches, two powerhouse offenses, and three Heisman candidates. Orakpo and the Texas D-line will have to get pressure on Harrell in order to stop the Red Raider offense and the Tech senior duo of McBath and Charbonnet will need to bring down an interception or two to keep McCoy on his toes. If either quarterback completes over 75% of his passes and finds seams throughout the game, the other team will lose. Though offense is the specialty in this game, defense is the key. As it comes down the stretch into the fourth quarter, I expect Tech to be down by a touchdown or so, but their pass-first persona will serve it's purpose perfectly as they pass their way to a come-from-behind victory.

Texas Tech 47 - Texas 45

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The signing of 2 more top NFL draft picks got the attention of NFL enthusiasts.

The San Diego Chargers signed Ryan Mathews while the Buccaneers came to terms with 3rd overall pick Gerald McCoy. Given that San Diego is counting heavily on Mathews to be their top running back this year, his signing will have a major impact on the teams projected preseason standing.

Currently, San Diego is a 9 to 1 Super Bowl favorite. The San Diego Chargers obtained Mathews with the 12th total pick. Mathews is projected to see more action as a rookie than last years starter Darren Sproles.

After an outstanding high school career, Mathews was recruited by a number of Pac-10 and Big 12 schools. However, He decided to stay close to home and attend Fresno State. He is also a longtime fan of the San Diego Chargers and will certainly be working hard to earn his spot fulfilling his boyhood dream of playing for the Chargers.

The Buccaneers came to terms with their 1st round NFL choice, Gerald McCoy. He signed a five-year, $63.42 million deal that included $35 million in guaranteed money. The Bucs took the Oklahoma defensive tackle 3rd in the NFL Draft. He is expected to play a major role in the re-development of Tampa's defense. Left tackle Donald Penn, a restricted free agent, also signed a deal with the Buccaneers. It was reported that Penn got a 6-year, $48 million deal, with about $20 million guaranteed.

The 7th player claimed in the draft, Florida cornerback Joe Haden, came to terms with the Cleveland Browns on a reported five year-$50 million offer with $26 million guaranteed. The addition of Haden to the secondary will be an essential part of the Browns developing defense.

Of the top five NFL Draft picks, only defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was taken by Detroit with the 2nd total option, is unsigned. The Lions do expect to come to terms soon with the Nebraska celebrity. Suh is one of the most sought after defensive players in college football history. He won many awards over the course of his career in college football. However, he signed with the same sports management company and agent as Michael Crabtree, who famously held out for six weeks into the NFL season before signing with the San Francisco 49ers.

The top NFL draft option, quarterback Sam Bradford, has currently agreed on terms with the Rams. It is only a matter of time before the Rams turn the starting quarterback job over to him, and he is expected to get playing time this year and have an impact as an NFL quarterback Bradford received a six-year, $78 million dollar deal with St. Louis with $50 million guaranteed. Denver agreed on terms with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in another quarterback signing of note. He signed a 5-year deal worth $11.25 million but it may be worth more than $30 million with incentives.

Michael writes website articles discussing current trends in sports. These articles provide information for sports and betting enthusiasts alike. He provides informative articles for the NFL draft, MLB, and the NBA among other amateur and professional leagues. More articles can be found at his website: http://www.placebetsonfootball.com

The Arizona Cardinals have been the team to beat in the NFC West the last two seasons, but that could change this year. With future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner deciding to hang it up, NFL lines makes are giving the San Francisco 49ers the edge in the division race, listing them as the -110 favorite to win the division. If the odds makers are correct, the 49ers will punch their ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Offense: The offense struggled in 2009, scoring just 20.6 points per game (18th in the NFL). The 49ers finished 25th in rushing offense (100.0 yards per game) and 22nd in passing offense (190.8 yards per game). It was extremely difficult for the offense to sustain drives with its poor 29.8 percent third down conversion rate.

The biggest problem was a mediocre at best offensive line. Joe Staley and Eric Heitmann performed well, but the Niners knew they needed to add more talent up front. So they drafted tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati in the first round. These two must be able to step in and perform right away.? The 49ers had a bit of misfortune with Heitmann fracturing his left fibula, but they are hoping to have him back by Week 2.

If the line can show improvement, Frank Gore could be poised for a monster year. Gore rushed for 1,120 yards and 10 scores in 2009, and he added 52 receptions for 406 yards and three more scores. The addition of former Eagles great Brian Westbrook should help keep Gore fresh.

The 49ers are a run-first team, but they have the potential to make big plays through the air with tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Davis is coming off a career-year, catching 78 balls for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns. Once Crabtree's holdout was over, he wasted no time putting up big numbers, hauling in 48 passes for 625 yards in just 11 games.

It's been quite the process, but it appears Alex Smith is finally ready to be a starter in the NFL. After stepping into the role last season, he threw for 2,350 yards and 18 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. If he doesn't make the type of progress the Niners are expecting, former Texans starter David Carr will likely get the call.

Defense: Head coach Mike Singletary and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky have teamed up to put a solid defense on the field. This unit held opponents to only 17.9 points per game in 2009 (14th in the NFL).? Thanks to big nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and stud linebacker Patrick Willis, the 49ers were among the best run-stuffing units in football, holding opponents to only 97.0 yards per game on the ground (6th in the NFL).

This unit was also very opportunistic in 2009. Its 33 forced turnovers tied for fifth-best in the NFL, and its 18 fumble recoveries tied for first.

While no player on the defense recorded more than 6.5 sacks, the 49ers tied for third in the NFL with 44 sacks. Defensive end Justin Smith, who has 13 sacks in two seasons with the Niners, brings the heat on a consistent basis.

If the 49ers can improve their 21st-ranked pass defense, they can really become an elite unit.? In order to do that, they'll need a bounce back season from Nate Clemens.

Prediction: 1st NFC West - Unless Matt Leinart completely surprises with a breakout season, I believe the 49ers will win the West, punching their first playoff ticket in nearly a decade. Be sure to check out my 2010 NFL predictions to see which teams I have winning the other seven divisions.

If you want winning NFL picks to beat the NFL odds this fall, then get signed up for one of the premium packages on my site.

The Oakland Raiders haven't won more than five games in a season since winning the division back in 2002, and are coming off their second straight 5-11 season. The biggest move the Raiders made this offseason was cutting ties with former No.1 pick JaMarcus Russell, who will go down as one of the biggest bust in NFL history. Here is a look at what the Raiders will bring to the table for the 2010 season, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the AFC West.

Offense: The second biggest move the Raiders made this offseason was trading for Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, who will easily be the best quarterback the Raiders have fielded since Rich Gannon was under center. Backup Bruce Gradkowski really played well starting for Russell at the end of last year, but figures to move back to the No.2 spot this season.

The Raiders lost running back Justin Fargas this offseason, but are hoping that Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will benefit from more carries. I don't know that will be as big a factor as having a quarterback that can throw the ball, as opposing defenses were able to just stuff the line and beg the Raiders to throw it the past couple seasons.

It doesn't appear the Raiders made the right choice when selecting Darrius Heward-Bey over Michael Crabtree last year, but there is still a chance that Heyward-Bey can turn into a solid receiver if he continues to improve and starts catching the ball. Chaz Schilens figures to be the No.1 target on the outside if he can stay healthy, with Louis Murphy and Johnnie Lee Higgins also in the mix at the receiver position. The Raiders do have one of the best young tight ends in Zach Miller, and figures to put up even better numbers with Campbell throwing him the ball.

The offensive line is a bit of concern heading into the 2010 season. Left guard Robert Gallery must stay healthy for this unit to improve in 2010, as Gallery played in just six games in 2009. With a healthy Gallery I think we will see better production out of left tackle Mario Henderson, who faded down the stretch. Center Samson Satele and guard Cooper Carlisle are back, while Langston Walker, Khalif Barnes, and Bruce Campbell are expected to battle for the starting right tackle spot.

Defense: The Raiders made a really nice addition to their defensive line with the pickup of defensive tackle John Henderson, who should make life a lot easier for fellow tackle Tommy Kelly. Richard Seymour is back to start at defensive end, while Matt Shaughnessy and Quentin Groves are expected to battle for the other starting spot at end.

The Raiders have had some bad luck with recent draft selections, but I think they were right on with their first round pick of middle linebacker Rolando McClain, who I think will be a star for years to come on this side of the ball. Trevor Scott and Kamerion Wimbley are back on the outside and will enjoy playing next to McClain this season.

The Raiders have one of the best corners in all of football in Nnamdi Asomugha, as teams refuse to throw the ball his way. That puts a lot of pressure on the other starting corner Chris Johnson, but Johnson is capable of getting the job done. Tyvon Branch is the likely starter at strong safety with Michael Huff battling Hiram Eugene for the starting free safety spot. Also keep an eye out for 2009 second round pick Mike Mitchell to get more playing time this season.

Prediction- 3rd AFC West: I have the Chiefs just slightly ahead of the Raiders this season in the AFC West, but I believe both teams are going to be much improved and be right around the 8-8 mark this season. If Campbell exceeds expectations, the Raiders could compete for the division title.

See where I have the rest of the teams finishing the season in my 2010 NFL predictions. If you plan on betting the NFL this season, be sure to stop back for our live NFL odds each and every week.

One of the keys to winning a fantasy football league is the ability to draft Sleepers. "Sleepers" are NFL players who are drafted in much lower rounds than their ending statistics warrant. In shopping terms, this is getting a bargain price for a valuable product. The estimated draft position is taken from the Maximum Fantasy Sports Mock Draft found on their home page. The Mock Draft was formulated using the generally accepted "standard" league configuration.

2009 Fantasy Football Sleepers

QB: Kyle Orton (Denver) - Orton was brought to Denver in the off-season trade for Jay Cutler. He is leaving an offense in Chicago that limited his passing attempts and had few receiving threats. In Denver, Coach Josh McDaniels will want to give Orton the opportunity to prove his controversial trade of Cutler was a smart move. With Brandon Marshall (maybe), Eddie Royal, Tony Sheffler, and others as his receiving options, Orton will put up fantastic numbers for the 16th QB off the board at the projected last pick of the 11th round.

RB: Derrick Ward (Tampa Bay) - Ward skipped out of New York into a situation in Tampa where the QB position is up for grabs. This scenario almost always favors the running game. While Ward was second fiddle in New York to Brandon Jacobs, he still put up a quiet 1000 yards (5.6 ypc). There is talk of a platoon situation with Earnest Graham in Tampa, but that is what is driving his draft position down. Ward will be the feature back and will receive the majority of carries throughout the year. Picking up a 1A running back in a tandem as the 30th RB off the board in the projected mid-7th round is a steal.

WR: Josh Morgan (SF) - Morgan is the true definition of a Sleeper. Isaac Bruce receives the attention due to his surprising results from last year and Michael Crabtree gets the press due to his high-profile college career, draft position and current holdout. Crabtree will sign before the season starts as it is asinine to expect Top-5 rookie money as the 10th overall pick. However, his holdout, rookie status and lingering ankle injury will cost him playing time this year and Isaac Bruce will slow down as the Niners work some youth in at the WR position. This will be Morgan. He is projected to be available at the start of the 12th round - a very nice place for a receiver that you can start every week.

TE: Ben Celek (PHIL) - Tight End is a position that is very deep and turns out Sleepers year-in and year-out. With that in mind, you can let other managers spend high draft picks on Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten and Antonio Gates. Celek turned it on at the end of 2008, especially during the playoffs. The Eagles let long-time McNabb favorite, L.J. Smith, go since they have his replacement in Celek. With Philly's plethora of wispy receivers, McNabb needs someone to make the tough catches and hold onto the ball without leaving the field on a cart. Celek will fill that role nicely as a 16th round pick.

D: San Diego Chargers - The Chargers defense gave up 347 points last year but were missing Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips for most of last year. They are back and healthy this year. The Chargers also added Larry English in the middle of the defense. The schedule is very favorable (how can it not be when playing 6 games against AFC West teams?!) and the offense will be dominant once again, which is helpful in assisting the defense with additional sacks and interceptions. The Chargers are projected as the 18th defense off the board in our fantasy football Mock Draft, which will occur in the 16th round.

K: Garrett Hartley (NO) - After the Saints came to their senses and dropped Martin Gramatica and replaced him with Hartley, Hartley promptly went 13-13 on FGs and 28-28 on extra points. While kickers rarely get much attention in the fantasy football world, any kicker that is accurate, kicks in a dome over half the year (including a road game in Atlanta) and kicks for a team that puts a load of points on the board is worthy of drafting in the very last round of your draft as your only kicker.

Bill Parsons is the owner of Maximum Fantasy Sports and a rabid fantasy sports participant. He began creating his own football and baseball fantasy leagues at the ripe old age of seven; tracking stats and standings on paper. Bill decided to create a real-time fantasy football league website that includes all of the best features and some of which have never been attempted at any other website. Maximum Fantasy Sports offers Free pools and fairly priced Private Fantasy Football leagues as well as Public Leagues with cash payouts.

The Raiders had the 7th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft and many thought when Michael Crabtree was available, Oakland would select him. Instead they threw the football world a curve ball and selected wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Why might you ask; was it because as all the pundits claim that old Al loves speed, speed, and more speed and forgets to look at what sits under the helmet and shoulder pads. Or was it because Al wanted to pull a surprise and wanted to continue to be that crazy old uncle none of us acknowledge when they have one too many at every family gathering. Whatever the reason plenty of raider fans are counting on him being the difference maker on the outside with Russell and McFadden taking control of the rest of the offense.

No doubt this move brought on much controversy, as after all Crabtree was a two time Fred Biletnikoff award winner (only receiver in college history to receive this award twice). Hopefully no Raider fan has forgotten that Fred Biletnikoff is a NFL Hall of Famer and played for the Raiders for those of you that don't know. He was also the guy who when you needed that tough catch or that extra yard, Fred would deliver time and again.

I can only speculate that the Raiders choose Darrius because of their obsession with physically gifted athletes. When it comes to physical skills Bey clearly has those, with his 6'2, 210 pound frame and a 4.3, 40 yard dash time. But where have we seen this old song and dance before, hmmm have we forgot already about Fabian Washington, Michael Huff, or Stanford Routt.

So what has Darrius been up to? We hear he is having hamstring problems in camp already. Not what any Raider fan wants to hear right about now but Heyward-Bey is battling hamstring issues throughout camp. If he cannot stay on the field, then his productivity will go into the gutter, for his rookie year at least. When you draft 7th overall, that can't be the pattern. After all, Huff was selected 7th overall and another 7th overall pick was traded for Randy Moss, yes that Randy Moss. It can't be a swing and miss pick anymore.

I hope that Darrius can overcome this lingering problem, because Crabtree is playing for the San Francisco 49ers. If Bey turns out to be a bust, the Raiders are going to look very foolish. It will hurt even more if Crabtree becomes the great player, that many people project he will be. How painful would that be having the guy you passed on starring right across the bay. How much more can the raider fan's take.

Look for the Raiders to use receivers Jonnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens, if Bey cannot stay on the field this season. Not exactly a dynamic duo who are going to scare anyone.

NFL and fantasy football fans check out my new site [http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com] for commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Also, sign up for my free fantasy e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009!!

2008 represented a tremendous year for rookies in terms of fantasy football. I know because I rode 2 of them (Chris Johnson and Matt Forte) to a league championship. What will the draft class of 2009 have in store for fantasy owners come this fall? Personally, I don't believe that this years class is talented as last years but time will tell. The following represent my preliminary takes regarding the 2009 draft class:

--Matthew Stafford QB (DET)

What kind of pro QB will Stafford be? Will he be like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco or will his fate be more similar to Tim Couch or Joey Harrington? Fantasy owners likely won't have a chance to find out next season. Although Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he will keep an open mind in the battle for the top spot on the depth chart, more than likely Daunte Culpepper will be the starting QB for Detroit when they open the season against the Saints in the Superdome September, 13th. That scenario doesn't allow Stafford much of a chance to make an impact in fantasy circles. Moreover, it's hard to envision a scenario where he comes out and has any value as a rookie. Ryan and Flacco were both fifth-year seniors coming out of college and possessed much more maturity heading into the NFL than the underclassman Stafford does. Stafford's value will be limited to keeper and dynasty leagues on fantasy Draft Day.

--Knowshon Moreno RB (DEN)

Searching for 2009's top fantasy rookie? Well, look no further than Moreno. Moreno is by far the most talented running back in the 2009 class and I expect him to come right in and become the starter for the Broncos. Although, the Broncos did add several veteran RB's this past off season none of them have nearly the same talent as Moreno. I see Moreno as a No. 3 fantasy runner in 2009 with potential for more. However, because of the depth the Broncos have at the position, the former Bulldog is more likely to be seen as a viable flex starter in most drafts. Obviously, he's also a tremendous option in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Chris "Beanie" Wells RB (AZ)

The Arizona Cardinals took the Ohio State power back with their first round selection, setting up an interesting depth chart battle this summer. Most pundits believe that Wells is the 2nd best RB prospect in the draft behind Moreno. Furthermore, Wells is a definite upgrade over Tim Hightower and I expect Wells to emerge atop the team's depth chart as a rookie leaving Hightower to serve as third-down back for the defending NFC champions. Whoever gets the goal line carries will obviously hold more fantasy value than the other but right now I see Wells as the better option in seasonal and keeper leagues. Both Wells and Moreno will have difficulty reaching the standards set by Johnson, Forte and Slaton from a year ago.

--Michael Crabtree WR (SF)

The Raiders loss is the 49ers gain. After the Raiders passed on Crabtree you know SF would eat him right up and they did. Crabtree was hailed as the top wideout in the draft, and he will undoubtedly have a chance to start as a rookie under coach Mike Singletary. The Niners are looking to be will a run-first team this year, however, so fantasy owners need to keep that in mind heading into 2009. Still, he'll still be worth a middle- to late-round pick in seasonal fantasy drafts and is quite capable of putting up some nice stats as a rookie.

--Percy Harvin WR/KR (MIN)

Percy Harvin still landed in the first round despite some "character" issues and will become a serious play maker for the Minnesota Vikings. Can you imagine the Vikings lining up Harvin and Peterson in the Wildcat? Harvin has immense speed and skills as a runner and receiver and I fully expect him to compete with Sidney Rice for the number 2 WR alongside Bernard Berrian. Due to his immense potential and explosiveness, Harvin will warrant a late-round flier in most fantasy drafts and surely will do some damage at some point for the Vikings. Moreover, Harvin instantly makes the Vikings DST even better than they were last year.

--Jeremy Maclin WR (PHI)

The Eagles finally gave Donovan McNabb some weapons. Maclin has immense speed and can stretch defenses in the vertical pass attack. Furthermore, he was an absolute steal where the Eagles got him. After watching an Eagle rookie WR make an impact last year there is nothing to say Maclin cannot do the same. Look for Maclin to be a late round pick this summer and I fully expect him to make some big plays for McNabb and the Eagles this fall.

--Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton OT (JAX)

Sure, offensive linemen aren't drafted in fantasy football, but that doesn't make them any less important to your team's success. Injuries absolutely decimated the Jaguars offensive line last season and was the predominant reason the team failed to make the playoffs after a very successful 2007 season. The Jags want to get back to Jag football so it was no surprise to see the team land both OT Eugene Monroe in Round 1 AND Eben Britton in round 2. The acquisition of both Monroe and Britton will only make Maurice Jones Drew more attractive in fantasy drafts. Look for MJD to be a top 5 pick this summer.

--Jason Smith OT (STL)

The addition Smith is a real positive for the value of RB Steven Jackson. Now it is up to Jackson to stay healthy and produce the numbers that fantasy owners have been yearning from him for years. With a new defensive minded head coach the Rams want to run the ball and feature Jackson in their backfield, and Smith's presence will be huge in making the ground attack effective. Furthermore, the Rams also added FB Mike Karney this off season. As I mentioned it is now all up to Jackson to achieve his potential. He will surely go in the first round again this year. Time will tell if he is worth it.

--Mark Sanchez QB (NYJ)

Mark Sanchez was the hottest name in the 2009 class in the days before the draft and after the Jets pursuit of Brett Favre last year it was no surprise that the Jets traded two draft picks and three players to move up and select him. Alth0ugh Sanchez has started a mere 16 games at the collegiate level, he could very well wind up starting for new coach Rex Ryan when the Jets open their season. In fact, Ryan has told the media that Sanchez will in fact compete for the top spot with Kellen Clemens. Personally, I don't see Sanchez making any noise this year as a rookie and would avoid him on draft day except in keeper and dynasty leagues.

--Kenny Britt WR (TN)

The Titans have been desperate for WR's in recent years and hope they have found their number 1 with Kenny Britt out of Rutgers. Coach Jeff Fisher told the media that he wants to get Britt onto the field as soon as possible, so don't be shocked to see him starting on opening day. The Titans also signed former Steeler Nate Washington this off season so it could be difficult for Britt to make a significant fantasy impact in what will remain a run-based offense with Chris Johnson and Lendale White. He is definitely a player to watch in the preseason, but more than likely won't have more than late-round value in seasonal formats.

--Darius Heyward-Bey WR (OAK)

Being a huge Raider fan I was upset but not at all shocked at this move. It is clear at this point that Al Davis values pure speed more than any other attribute. Was Jerry Rice fast? Is Larry Fitzgerald a burner? The answer to both of these questions is no but one was the best there ever was and one is the best presently. However, with no clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver on the Raiders roster, Heyward-Bey will warrant late-round consideration in seasonal fantasy drafts and will have ample balls thrown to him this fall. Time will tell how this all works out and Heyward-Bey and Crabtree will be forever linked.

--Donald Brown RB (IND)

Donald Brown will immediately be thrown into the mix with the Colts and that spells good news for fantasy owners who draft him this summer. I have never really been sold on Joseph Addai and I don't think the Colts are either. Although, new Head Coach Jim Caldwell told the media that Addai will remain the team's No. 1 back, owners should definitely expect a committee situation to evolve in Indy. Addai should receive more carries, but any kind of platoon hurts his value in both seasonal and keeper leagues. Addai is no more than a No. 2 back in fantasy circles. As for Brown, he'll be worth a middle- to late-round selection and is a must for anyone drafting Addai.

In summary, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact these and the entire 2009 rookie class will have on the 2009 NFL season. They have large shoes to fill on account of last year.

Cheers and Beers

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: [http://www.gothicfootball.com]

Ahhhh my Oakland Raiders. I have been a lifelong Raider fan and it just pains me to witness what my beloved team has become. The Raiders finished 5-11 in 2008 leaving the Raider Nation with yet another year of heartache. I have written (and will continue to write) several articles about the Raiders prospects as a team heading into 2009. For the sake of this article however, I will be examining the Raiders solely from a fantasy prospective. With that in mind let's look at the fantasy potential of the Silver and Black for 2009.

It is no secret that I am not sold on JaMarcus Russell as an NFL QB and I am even less fond of him as a fantasy QB. To be blunt, Russell has shown me and fellow Raider Nation members very little in his 3 years in the league. Obviously, he has the cannon arm but it takes much more than that to be a successful NFL QB just ask Jeff George. Furthermore, Russell has not shown much of a work ethic since the Raiders invested pretty much their entire franchise with him 3 years ago. Truthfully, I wanted and still wished the Raiders had drafted Brady Quinn rather than Russell as I think Quinn has all the tools to be a fine QB in this league for a long time to come if the Browns ever give him the chance. I just don't see that out of Russell and apparently the Raiders are getting concerned as well or they would not have signed free agent QB Jeff Garcia to "backup" Russell. I have news for you folks. If Russell starts off slowly which is a real possibility seeing as though the Raiders have an absolutley brutal schedule this year Garcia will be in there. Until Russell shows some fire underneathth his ass don't go anywhere near him on draft day this August even as a number 2 QB.

As down as I am on Russell I am that high on the Raiders running game and in my estimation if the Raiders pound the ball all year long utilizing the 3 headed monster they currently have on the roster I truly believe that this team can go 8-8. First, Darren McFadden WILL breakout this year to the tune of 1100-1300 yards and 12 total TD's. Count on it. Why am I so sure of that? A couple different reasons. First, Dmac is just too damn good. His rookie campaign was derailed largely in part to a stubborn turf toe injury that hampered him for virtually the entire year. Make no mistake about it. In terms of pure talent McFadden is better than Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, and Steve Slaton. Moreover, Dmac has been proactive regarding the aforementioned toe injury by having the Raiders trainer place a steel plate in his shoe to help prevent such an injury from happening again. Finally, battering ram specialist Lorenzo Neal has been brought in by the Raiders specifically to block for McFadden and to help launch his career. McFadden is the real deal. Draft him between the 3rd to 5th rounds as a number 2 RB and watch him explode.

In addition to McFadden the Raiders also sport 2 other fine backs in Justin Fargas and Michael Bush. If I am a betting man I am thinking that Fargas will be the odd man out this year. If McFadden gets hot early on which I believe he will Fargas will not be seeing the field much. Bush however, will have a role regardless. The nation saw exactly what Bush is capable of as a runner in the week 17 finale against the Buccaneers when he rushed for 177 yards and 2 TD's in a game that Tampa needed to win to make the playoffs and that ultimately cost Tampa Head Coach and former Raider Coach Jon Gruden his job. Had it not been for the broken leg he sustained at Louisville Bush would have certainly been a top ten pick and the Raiders absolutely stole him in the 4th round a few years back. Bush will surely continue to see work this year as a short yardage/goal line back and don't be afraid to take a shot on him with a pick in rounds 12 and after. As for Fargas, I personally wouldn't waste a pick on him because unless McFadden gets hurt this year I don't see him putting any kind of worthwhile numbers statistically.

Unlike the Raiders running attack the team's receiving corps is clouded with controversy and question marks. Al Davis shocked me and the rest of the world when he selected WR Darrius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin. It is obvious to me and everyone else that really the only variable that matters to Mr. Davis when evaluating players is the 40 yard dash time. I will not get into Davis here as it is not the proper format as this is an article pertaining to the Raiders from a fantasy prospective only. Does Heyward-Bey have any fantasy potential for 2009? Yes. Would I daft him? Yes, but no earlier than the 13-14th round and if someone like Maclin or Percy Harvin is still on the board I would take either ahead of Heyward-Bey. However, from a fantasy point of view Heyward-Bey has some things working for him. First, he is already the number 1 receiver on the team and Mr. Davis has made his intentions perfectly clear that he intends to try to get the ball deep to the speedster right from the get go. If you are in a league like mine who rewards you with bonus points for long TD runs and receptions than it is worth a shot taking a late round flier on Heyward-Bey because the law of averages says that he will catch at least a few bombs from Russell this year. Another receiver that could see an increase in his production if Russell develops the way the franchise needs him to is Johnny Lee Higgings. Higgins represents a nice talent both at the WR position and as a punt/kick returner. Similarly to Heyward-Bey take a shot on Higgins late and if Russell can finally get his head out of his ass you may see some dividends from him as the year progresses. Chad Shillings and rookie Louis Murphy from Florida are 2 other Raider receivers to keep an eye on this fall.

TE Zach Miller could be the biggest beneficiary if Russell makes strides. Miller started to really make a name for himself last year by catching 56 passes for 778 yds and 1 TD. Both the receptions and yardage led the Raiders receivers by a mile and although the 1 TD is disappointing Miller is sure to improve on that in 2009. Miller along with Greg Olson from Chicago are my 2 dark horse TE candidates for the upcoming season. Olson has the better QB but Russell and Miller appeared to form a nice chemistry last year and if that continues Miller has the talent to be an elite NFL TE.

The Raiders DST is to be avoided at all costs until the unit proves otherwise. Last year the team ranked 31st against the run and were pounded on the ground all year long. The DL was a complete disaster and LB Tommy Kelley who normally anchors down the unit had an off year. The secondary is led by one of if not the best cover corners in the game with Nnamdi Asomugha who was just signed to a contract extension this off season. Asomugha is the modern day Lester Hayes and is truly one of the best at the CB position in the NFL. The bottom line however, is that it goes without saying that there are far better options at the DST position than the Raiders and they should not be considered in any circumstance under any format. In leagues where kickers are rewarded with bonus points for FG's over 50 yards kicker Sebastian Janikowski can be of some value as he still has the same leg he had coming out of FSU.

To conclude my examination of the Raiders I strongly suggest taking a long hard look at McFadden as a number 2 RB for 2009. I am telling you right now he is going to have a great year and I also like the TE Miller. As for the other Raiders there is nothing really to get excited about from a fantasy prospective. Next up: The Kansas City Chiefs.

Chris Limburg is the fantatical purveyor of OaklandRaidersCentral.com: A Oakland Raiders/Fantasy Football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL. Sign up for my free newsletter at [http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com] and receive my fantasy football e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009.