The NFL just held its draft last week, but if you’re a fantasy junkie, the REAL draft is only three to four months away!
It’s never too early to compile your big boards, and if you’re reading this, the influx of rookies likely has your draft lists sprouting like cherry blossoms.
Some of you will draft as early as July, but I prefer to wait as long as possible because rookies can be so unpredictable. So naturally, here’s a column predicting their value!
Obviously, you should track them through minicamps and the preseason to see where they fall on depth charts, who looks good, who doesn’t, and who gets hurt. But here are some initial fantasy impressions based on where they landed on draft weekend.
They are listed in the order I have them on my draft board.
Fantasy Friday: The Impact of the Draft – continue reading…
Back on March 31, Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey spoke in front in front of the team’s premium and club season ticket holders in a Breakfast With The Bills event. That event will be immortalized in the history of the Nix/Gailey regime for the quip that Nix fired regarding his ultimate goal of building a consistent winner.
“Talk’s cheap, we all know that,” Nix said. “It’s like I’ve always said – ‘don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby.’”
For weeks, that quote has been used as a battle cry of sorts for Bills fans getting amped up for the 2010 NFL Draft. It was, unfortunately, the wrong quote to be paying attention to. If you listened carefully, it was a Gailey quote that gave away not only the team’s base philosophy, but precisely how the Bills planned on approaching draft weekend, as well.
Bills’ team-building philosophy defined on draft weekend – continue reading…
Days one and two of the NFL draft is in the books and to this point the Buffalo Bills have stood pat, making their first three picks as scheduled without moving up or down the draft board.
So far the 2010 draft has netted running back C.J. Spiller, defensive tackle Terrell Troup and defensive end Alex Carrington.
While the early consensus seems to be all three prospects could contribute and perhaps even start as rookies, its borderline shocking that the team didn’t draft a left tackle or quarterback with the first three selections.
Talent available for Bills going into 4th round – continue reading…
With the No. 41 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills have selected Central Florida nose tackle Torrell Troup.
Buffalo made the pick with both Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy on the board as available quarterbacks, as well as offensive tackle Charles Brown.
Terrence Cody, a defensive tackle most analysts had rated ahead of Troop, was also left on the board.
As my colleague over at Buffalo Rumblings Brian Galliford states, “ Troup is high on intangibles and brutally strong, Troup isn’t overly athletic and won’t provide the team much on passing downs, but he fills the need for a two-gap lane-plugger in the Bills’ new 3-4 defensive alignment.”
Bills pick Terrell Troup in the second round – continue reading…
It was an interesting night to say the least. CJ Spiller is now a Buffalo Bill and when the team went on the clock with the ninth pick it took less than two minutes for the draft card to get brought to the podium. Clearly, Spiller was in their sights for a long time and Buddy Nix gave ESPN and NFL gurus little time to discuss the pick.
I’m not even sure Chris Berman got to share his traditional cabbie story. (Update- I’ve been told he didn’t get a chance because Mel Kiper wouldn’t shut up)
Anyway, here is one man’s thoughts on the first round of an exciting draft that promises a boatload of action again tonight.
Review: The best… and worst of round one – continue reading…
Unless the Buffalo Bills are planning to spring a trade for Jason Campbell sometime this weekend, it seems that the team is settled on either Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Brian Brohm being the starter at quarterback in 2010.
NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora is reporting that the Bills are “not overly inclined to trade up for a QB.” That sounds like moving up for Jimmy Clausen or possibly Colt McCoy early tonight is very unlikely to happen.
La Canfora thinks the Bills may go with a left tackle at 41 and select a quarterback in a later round.
Another report by WGR’s Jeremy White says the Bills are “very unlikely the Bills go QB in round 2″ suggests the same.
Check back here for updates all day and we’ll be covering rounds two and three live tonight at Buffalo Sports Daily.
**UPDATE** Adam Schefter just filed a report stating the complete opposite. He says the Bills have contacted the Rams about moving up to #33
Last night, the Buffalo Bills raised a few eyebrows when they used the No. 9 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft on Clemson running back C.J. Spiller. Long painted as a franchise that would target help at one of its four critical need areas (QB, OT, NT, OLB) in the first round, the selection of Spiller caught many people off guard.
Whether or not you’re a fan of Spiller’s – I am, by the way, and my sense is that the vast majority of Bills fans understand that the Bills took a phenomenally talented player last night, regardless of their views on needs – Buffalo still must address some of its biggest holes. With the second round of the draft set to begin tonight, there are several options available that would make a great deal of sense to Buffalo.
After the jump, you’ll find my (slightly modified due to circumstances) list of the nine players left on the board that I believe would best fit Buffalo – from a need and talent standpoint – with their second-round pick (No. 41 overall). If you’ve been frequenting Buffalo Rumblings for longer than, say, 24 hours – or are capable of interpreting the picture to the left – you know who tops the list. But that young man isn’t the only player that would be a solid pick for Buffalo this evening.
Bills will have strong options in second round – continue reading…
I’m told by a source close to Naaman Roosevelt that the University of Buffalo wide receiver will be offered a contract by the Buffalo Bills should he go unselected in the NFL draft, which begins tonight.
The same source tells me at least two other teams have been in contact with his agent, Dave Butz of Sportstars, Inc regarding his post draft availability.
Despite being one of the most productive receivers in college football over the past two years, Roosevelt was not invited to participate at the NFL combine. He did work out at the UB pro day in front of scouts for six teams, including the Bills.
Roosevelt did take part in Senior Bowl week and reviews were mixed. Critics panned that he had a penchant for dropping too many passes, something people who’ve watched UB football over the past few years know to be ridiculous.
Source: Roosevelt will get offered by Bills if undrafted – continue reading…
After what seems like an eternity of speculation, the time for the NFL draft has finally arrived. For football die hards or fans of the movie “Step Brothers”, it’s bigger than the (expletive) Catalina Wine Mixer!
I won’t make this overly long and drawn out; Lord knows you’ll get your fill of draft day stuff from outlets all over the web. Six days ago I compiled my one (and only) NFL mock draft, and with the ninth pick I had the Buffalo Bills selecting defensive end/linebacker Derrick Morgan.
Upon further review, I’m hopeful my premonition was erroneous.
11th Hour: Hoping Nix Remembers 2001 – continue reading…
After what seems like an eternity of never-ending speculation, the time has finally arrived when the Buffalo Bills future begins to come in focus. By this time next week we’ll know a lot more about which direction the team is headed and what kind of general manager Buddy Nix is looking to be.
Will he be the commander that ultimately rights a sinking ship or does he fall down the bumbling draft weekend path his predecessors Marv Levy and Tom Donahoe are infamous for?
The reality is despite his admission that he’ll never be accused of being the smartest man in the room, we know precious little in regards to Nix’s team building skills as the man in charge.
Buffalo Bills: Five Biggest Questions To Be Answered – continue reading…
Unless you’re the New York Jets and Santonio Holmes falls from the sky into your lap, the rest of the NFL front offices and coaching staffs are firmly entrenched and focused on the upcoming draft. Buddy Nix, Tom Modrak and the rest of the Buffalo Bills brass are working meticulously on their final board, making that list and checking it twice.
This is annually the time of year when free agents who’ve actually performed in the league and weren’t gobbled up in the first month of shopping season are forced to wait impatiently for their phone to ring. In many ways after years of service, it’s like waiting to be drafted all over again.
Take former Bills receivers Terrell Owens and Josh Reed. Quite obviously they are talented enough to find employment, yet with barely a week before the draft remain with no team to play for. Neither guy is ready to retire and become the next analyst for ESPN- Albuquerque, so they wait… and wait… and wait.
Five Free Agents Buffalo Should Target Post-Draft – continue reading…
After the Super Bowl this Sunday, is that IT? Is the NFL season over? For football fanatics, a stupid question. Sure, either the Saints or Colts will be crowned world champions, but as the champagne corks launch, so unofficially does the 2010 season.
Around the bend…the Scouting Combine in February. It gets some press. But it’s only a snack compared to the media feeding-frenzy that surrounds the biggest offseason spectacle in all of sports, the NFL Draft. For most fans it’s a time when excitement meets anticipation for the future.
For Bills fans in recent years, it’s been an annual rite of passage when confident front office decisions morph into agonizing blunders.
Bills need to avoid reaches come April – continue reading…
Yes, I’m well aware that it is only December 29. Many college bowl games have not yet taken place, top-flight underclassmen still have more than two weeks to declare themselves eligible for the 2010 NFL Draft, and the NFL season has not yet come to a close, even for bad teams like the Buffalo Bills.
Right now, however, the Buffalo Bills simply are not interesting. I suspect that as soon as the team wraps up its 2009 schedule, win or lose, against Indianapolis this coming Sunday, the interest levels will rise. But as we’re between holidays at the moment – typically happy times for all involved – I thought I’d spare you (and myself) the horror of talking about the professional football team we cover, at least for a few hours.
2010 Top 10 Bills Draft Prospects – continue reading…
As the 2009 NFL season slides into the homestretch, it’s become glaringly apparent to anyone who watches that the quarterback of the future is not on the Bills roster. Yes, just yesterday I wrote the Bills should start Brian Brohm near the end of the season, but it’s not likely to happen. Why not? Because Perry Fewell and Alex Van Pelt are coaching for their jobs. They’re not worried about the future because they may not have one here. They’ll go with the quarterback that gives them the best chance to win each week, and that guy looks like Ryan Fitzpatrick for now. The last thing Fewell is thinking about is 2010 and beyond.
But for the sake of moving on, let’s assume that Brohm does get some playing time and it’s concluded he’s not the future. That’s not far fetched, seeing he couldn’t get past Green Bay’s practice squad.
There’s barely adequate backups available in free agency let alone legitimate starters. Sure, there’s always the trade possibility, but it wouldn’t be wise to entrust the turnaround of the Bills in the hands of a Michael Vick or Derek Anderson.
Want your QB in 2010? Then root for this – continue reading…
