Fantasy Football News: Dante Hall Becomes A Ram

The AP reports that the St. Louis Rams had found the solution to their long search for a return man Wednesday when the team acquired Dante Hall from the Chiefs for a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.

"We have filled a need with one of the top players in football at his specialty, returning punts and kicks," Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "Dante will fit nicely on our special teams and can be utilized as a receiver in certain situations."

Fantasy Football Impact: With the passing of father time, Hall is no longer a consistent threat on special teams. Don't expect him to do much as a receiver either.

Jaguars Sign WR Wilford and QB Gray

Fantasy Football News:

The AP reports that Receiver Ernest Wilford and reserve quarterback Quinn Gray signed their contract tenders Friday, ensuring the two restricted free agents will be with the Jacksonville Jaguars at least one more year.

Wilford started 12 games last season and finished with 36 catches for 524 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 receiver, a fourth-round draft pick from Virginia Tech in 2004, has 96 receptions for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns in three seasons.

Gray saw his first extensive action in the season finale at Kansas City. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 166 yards. He also ran for 26 yards and two touchdowns. He was signed as an undrafted rookie out of Florida A&M in 2003.

Fantasy Football News: Vince Young Cursed in 08?

Fantasy Football News: Vince Young is going to grace the cover of Madden NFL 2008 - and with that honor comes the dreaded "Madden Curse."

You know the story, any player whose picture is on the cover of the Madden NFL video games is sure to suffer an injury - fade into obscurity, or other similar fall from a lofty perch.

You can laugh if you like, but take a look at this breakdown found on Snopes.com:

• 2000: The 2000 edition of Madden NFL was a gentle easing-in to the curse. This was the last edition of the game to feature a photograph of John Madden on the front of the box (as all previous editions had done), but it also included a background picture of the Detroit Lions' star running back (and future NFL Hall of Famer) Barry Sanders. As events turned out, Sanders didn't play a single down during the 1999-2000 season (or ever again), shocking the Lions by abruptly announcing his retirement and ending his ten-year career just before the start of training camp that summer.
  
  Since Barry Sanders quit well before the start of the 1999 regular season, EA Sports had enough time to substitute a different graphic on the packaging of later shipments of Madden NFL 2000. The newer covers replaced the Madden/Sanders combination with a picture of Green Bay Packers running back Dorsey Levens, who spearheaded a Packers team that had just played in three straight NFC Championship Games and back-to-back Super Bowls. Although Levens performed reasonably well in 1999, he was bothered by a bad knee that he had re-injured the previous year, and Green Bay finished out of the playoff picture with a so-so 8-8 record. Levens was used only in a reserve role after that, and the Packers released him at the end of the 2001 season
  



• 2001: The 2001 cover of Madden NFL featured Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George, who the previous year had led his team to the Super Bowl (where they came up just short against the St. Louis Rams). Although George enjoyed his best season ever (in terms of yards gained rushing and touchdowns scored) in 2000, he bobbled a pass (that was subsequently intercepted and returned for a touchdown) in the Titans' season-ending Divisional Playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and the following season, hampered by injuries, he saw his rushing average sink to an all-time low.




• 2002: The 2002 cover of Madden NFL featured Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who the previous year had made an impressive NFL debut in taking his team to the NFC Championship Game (which they lost to the New York Giants). In 2001, however, the Vikings struggled to a disappointing 4-7 record before Culpepper suffered a knee injury and missed the last five games of the year (while Minnesota finished the season a dismal 5-11).




• 2003: The 2003 cover of Madden NFL featured St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, whose rushing and receiving prowess had led his team to the Super Bowl twice in the previous three years. But Faulk was plagued by an injured ankle during the 2002 season, his yards gained rushing total dropped under the 1,000 mark (after four straight seasons of 1300+ yards), and the Rams missed the playoffs with a disappointing 7-9 record.




• 2004: The 2004 cover of Madden NFL featured Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who in 2002 (his first season as a starter) took a team with a dismal 16-32 record over the previous three years and led them to a respectable 9-6-1 finish and a spot in the NFL playoffs as a Wild Card entry. In 2003, though, Vick suffered a fractured right fibula in a pre-season game one day after Madden NFL 2004 hit store shelves; he played in only five games that year as the Falcons sank to a lowly 5-11 record.
  
  
  
• 2005: The 2005 cover of Madden NFL featured Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who had recorded a career-high six interceptions in 2003 as his team reached the post-season for the third time in four years. But in 2004, Lewis failed (for the only time in his NFL career) to record even a single interception and sat out the final game of the season with an injury as the Ravens just missed qualifying for the playoffs at 9-7, and in 2005 he suffered a torn right hamstring in Baltimore's sixth game and missed the rest of the season as the Ravens dropped to 6-10.
  
  
  
• 2006: The 2006 cover of Madden NFL featured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, under whom the Eagles had amassed a superb 59-21 regular season record and made five straight playoff appearances in the previous five years, the last of which culminated in an NFC Championship and a Super Bowl match-up against the New England Patriots (which Philadelphia lost by three points). After he was selected for the 2006 Madden NFL cover, McNabb flouted the curse by saying that the injuries associated with it "might be a trend, but I don't believe in the curse at all." True to form, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the 2005 season. He played on for another eight games despite the painful injury, but after being re-injured in a contest against the Dallas Cowboys, he finally opted for surgery and missed the final seven games of the season as the Eagles finished last in the NFC East.
  
  
  
• 2007: The 2007 cover of Madden NFL featured the Seattle Seahawks' star running back Shaun Alexander, whose 5.1 yards per carry rushing average in 2005 spurred the Seahawks to their best season ever and their first Super Bowl appearance. Three weeks into the 2006 season, Alexander broke his left foot in a game against the New York Giants.
  

I guess you can scratch Vince Young from your fantasy draft! (Hee Hee)

Fantasy Football News: Could Ricky Williams Be Headed For The NFC West?

St. Louis Ram's offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who as with the Dolphins with Ricky in 2005, has been quoted as saying that he would consider running back Ricky Williams for the Ram's roster.

"He's proven himself with me," Linehan said. "I know there would be a certain amount of risk involved based on that, but I would just because he deserves that based on what he was able to do."

Linehan said he needed to know more about the details of Williams' latest suspension, the fourth of his career, before going further.

Vikings Sign WR Cortez Hankton

The AP reports that WR Cortez Hankton signed with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, leaving Jacksonville after four seasons and joining a team needing to bolster its receivers.

Hankton had 34 catches for 310 yards and two touchdowns with Jacksonville. He signed as a rookie free agent out of Texas Southern and has contributed mostly on special teams.

The Vikings' receiving game was mediocre last season, with former first-round draft pick Troy Williamson struggling with drops. Minnesota signed Tennessee's Bobby Wade in March and most likely will try to strengthen its receiving at the April 28-29 draft.

Fantasy Football News: It's Good to be Jeff Garcia

Fantasy Football News:

Jeff Garcia has taken his share of heat. To be fair - some of it was well earned.

However, Garcia is now enjoying a revitalized career thanks to a very good year filling in for the injured Donovan McNabb. Garcia is now focused on battling incumbent Chris Simms for the starting QB spot in Tampa Bay.

Well, not entirely focused on football - Jeff is marrying long-time girlfriend Carmella DeCesare this month. That's former (2004) playmate of the year Carmella DeCesare for those of you who persist in the "Jeff Garcia is gay" crap.

(On September 10, 2004, DeCesare pled not guilty to misdemeanor assault in a Cleveland, Ohio court after a fight in a bar on August 21, 2004 between DeCesare and Kristen Hine, Garcia's ex-girlfriend. She was acquitted of the assault charge on January 12, 2005 but found guilty of violating a restraining order. She was sentenced to do twenty-four hours of community service, given one year probation, and fined $150. During the trial, DeCesare testified that Garcia had been involved in an affair with Hine. )

Did You Know?: Jeff Garcia is one of only seven quarterbacks in NFL history that have achieved two consecutive (back-to-back) 30-touchdown passing seasons at least one time in their careers. The others are Peyton Manning, Steve Bartkowski, Brett Favre, Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, and Y.A. Tittle.

Fantasy Football News: Can't Kick Bledsoe Around Anymore!

Fantasy Football News:

The AP reports that Drew Bledsoe retired Wednesday, ending a 14-season career in which he made two Super Bowls.

The top overall pick by New England in the 1993 draft out of Washington State, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback played for the Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. He was a starter for all three teams, but ended up as a backup with the Cowboys.

Bledsoe threw for 44,611 yards and 251 touchdown passes in his career.

The 35-year-old Bledsoe lost his starting job to Tom Brady in New England in 2001 when Bledsoe got hurt in the second game of the season, and to Tony Romo in Dallas after Game 6 of last season.

Fantasy Football Impact: Well fantasy football fans - one more "desperation pickup" choice is gone from the fantasy football free-agent pool!

National Felons League Update: "Pacman" and Henry Out

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cracked down Tuesday on player misconduct, suspending Titans' Adam "Pacman" Jones for the 2007 season and the Bengals' Chris Henry for eight games.

"It is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right," Goodell said in a statement. "These players and all members of our league have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis."

The AP reports Jones' off-field conduct has included 10 instances in which he was interviewed by police. The most recent took place during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Police there recommended felony and misdemeanor charges against Jones after a fight and shooting at a strip club paralyzed one man.

His suspension could be longer or shorter depending on developments in that case, an official with knowledge of the details of the suspension said. He requested anonymity because the Las Vegas case is still pending.

The NFL suspension could be as short as 10 games, if Jones meets the conditions set by the NFL and is cleared in a pending case in Georgia, as well as the Las Vegas case, in which he has yet to be charged.

Chris Henry was arrested four times in a 14-month span, resulting in two benchings by coach Marvin Lewis and a two-game league suspension. He was one of nine Bengals arrested in nine months.

Goodell handed down the suspensions under the NFL's existing conduct policy and also announced a new broader policy that will allow longer fines and suspensions for players and potential penalties against teams.

The Titans and Bengals said they supported the suspensions.

Fantasy Football News: Falcons Settle At Back-up

Fantasy Football News:

The Falcons have been seeking an experienced backup quarterback since trading Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans last month for draft picks - and apparently the best they could do was Joey Harrington.

Harrington signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, a little more than a month after being released by the Miami Dolphins

Chris Redman and D.J. Shockley, a seventh-round pick in 2006, are the other stellar quarterbacks on Atlanta's roster.

Harrington, 28, was waived by the Miami Dolphins on March 6 after starting 11 games for them in 2006. He completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,236 yards and 12 touchdowns with 15 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 68.2

The third overall pick in the 2002 draft, Harrington spent his first four seasons with the Detroit Lions and compiled an 18-37 record as a starter. He threw for 10,242 yards and 60 touchdowns with 62 interceptions for a passer rating of 68.1.

Fantasy Football Impact: A QB Rating of 68.1... I'm not sure even his mother could be proud. If Vick goes down in the season (wouldn't THAT be a shocker,)and Harrington becomes the starter - he is not worth even a look as a fantasy football QB.

Fantasy Football News: Is Ricky High?

Ricky Williams, the former NFL star who played in Canada last season after being suspended for a year for substance abuse, has applied for reinstatement.

The NFL confirmed that Williams had sought reinstatement, for which he will be eligible after April 27, when he will have been suspended for a year. Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said the team had no comment.

Williams, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas, was originally drafted by New Orleans in the 1999 draft. He was traded to Miami for two first-round draft picks after the 2001 season and rushed for 1,853 yards for the Dolphins in 2002 and 1,372 the next season. He abruptly retired shortly before training camp in 2004, then returned in 2005 to back up rookie Ronnie Brown. Williams rushed for 743 yards and a 4.4 yard average that year.

The suspension, handed down last year by former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, was Williams' fourth.

Williams' previous positive drug tests were for marijuana, which he acknowledged using. The latest test apparently involved a substance other than marijuana and may have been related to his interest in holistic medicine.

Steinberg said Williams has been teaching yoga in California since returning from Canada last December.

Fantasy Football Impact: Anybody want to pick up an aging yoga teacher - cheap? He may or may not show up for work; he may or may not be stoned when he gets there; and he may or may not care about his team or teammates.

Fantasy Football News: Saints Kick Carney To The Curb

Fantasy Football News:

Kicker John Carney was released by the New Orleans Saints on Thursday.

The release occurred two days after the Saints had picked up K Olindo Mare from the Dolphins.

Carney is ranked second in club history with 661 points and 150 field goals. In 2002, he set a team record for points in a season with 130.

John Carney said he was "shocked and disappointed" by the New Orleans Saints' decision to replace him after six years as their kicker, but denied reports that he plans to retire.

Fantasy Football News: Carr Makes His Choice

Fantasy Football News:

David Carr has come to terms with the Carolina Panthers according to Panther's general manager Marty Hurney.

The Panthers needed a backup QB after releasing Chris Weinke. Carolina had taken a look at Joey Heatherton - I mean Harrington - prior to meeting with Carr, but made the better decision to sign Carr.

Carr was released by the Texans after the acquired Matt Schaub from Atlanta.

Fantasy Football Impact: Carr has always been a backup QB in Fantasy Football, so the loss of Carr from the QB pool doesn't change anything for 2007 drafts for most leagues.

Fantasy Football News: Fiedler A Falcon?

Fantasy Football News:

Jay Fiedler has become the focus of the Atlanta Falcons' search for a backup quarterback - at least for the time being.

Fiedler, a former starter with the Miami Dolphins who's battling back from a severe shoulder injury, is set to work out for the Falcons today, according to his agent Bryan Levy.

With Matt Schaub's departure to Houston, the Falcons don't have a backup quarterback who's played in a NFL game over the past three seasons.

Their current roster has Chris Redman (who last played during the 2003 season,) second-year man D.J. Shockley (a seventh-round pick,) and James Kilian (a former seventh round pick and ex-Arena Football player.)

Fiedler, a 12-year veteran, sat out last season rehabilitating his throwing shoulder after being released by the Bucs in June.

Fiedler's played in 76 games with 60 starts and is a 58.7 percent career passer. He's thrown 69 touchdowns and 66 interceptions.

He led the Dolphins to back-to-back 11-5 seasons in 2000-2001. They reached the playoffs both seasons with Fiedler posting a 1-2 record.

Fantasy Football News: Interest In Barlow?

Fantasy Football News:

Running back Kevan Barlow, who played with the New York Jets last season, has reportedly drawn some interest from several NFL teams, including Indianapolis. Buffalo and Tennessee may be in the mix as well.

Barlow began his promising career with the San Francisco 49ers - however his recent performance has been well below expectations.

Fantasy Football Impact: Barlow could work himself up to "sleeper" should he get with the right team - however selecting him in the early rounds of 2007's draft will most likely bring heartache.

Darryl Stingley Dies At 55

Darryl Stingley, paralyzed after a vicious hit during an NFL exhibition game nearly 30 years ago, died Thursday. He was 55.

Stingley was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after he was found unresponsive in his Chicago home, according to Tony Brucci, an investigator with the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The cause of death was not immediately available. An autopsy was scheduled.

Stingley, a star receiver with the New England Patriots, was left a quadriplegic after he was hit from behind by Oakland's Jack Tatum while trying to catch a pass.

The hit on Aug. 12, 1978 broke Stingley's neck, and he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Stingley regained limited movement in his right arm and operated his electric wheelchair on his own. Tatum's hit became a symbol of violence in the game.

Stingley served as executive director of player personnel for the Patriots and often visited paralyzed patients. He wrote a book about his experiences entitled "Happy to Be Alive," published in 1983, and 10 years later started a nonprofit foundation in Chicago designed to help inner-city youth.

Fantasy Football News: Mare A Saint?

Fantasy Football News: Olindo Mare was traded by the Miami Dolphins to the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, ending the kicker's purgatory.

The Dolphins get the Saints' sixth-round pick (No. 199 overall) in this month's draft.

Trading Mare seemed inevitable when the Dolphins signed former New York Giants kicker Jay Feely as a free agent earlier this year. However, Mare remained on Miami's roster for weeks, with the Dolphins unwilling to immediately cut him and unable to work out a deal with another team until now.

Mare was the Dolphins' kicker since 1997 and was 26-for-36 on field goals last season, with five of those 10 misses on attempts of 50 yards or longer.

Fantasy Football News: Carr Talks With Panthers

Fantasy Football News: Free agent QB David Carr traveled Tuesday to visit with a Panthers team looking for a backup quarterback.

Carr, the No. 1 overall pick by expansion Houston in the 2002 draft, was released by the Texans last month. His agent, Mike Sullivan, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Carolina general manager Marty Hurney does not comment on free-agent visits.

Carr completed 60 percent of his passes with the Texans, but threw 65 interceptions and was sacked 249 times in five seasons. Some believe Carr could flourish behind a better offensive line. Carr is also expected to visit Seattle this week - which is why he may be willing to take a back-up roll with a good team (Panthers) than a starting role with a loser (e.g. Oakland.)

The Panthers are looking for a backup behind Jake Delhomme after releasing Chris Weinke last month. The Panthers have also shown interest in former Miami quarterback Joey Harrington. The differerence between Harrington and Carr are significant - as would be their cost to the salary cap.

The Panthers, who have not done much during the free agency period, are approximately $9 million under the salary cap.