Fantasy Football

Pick 1 – St. Louis Cardinals – Sam Bradford – QB – Oklahoma

The St. Louis Rams have given up on QB Marc Bulger and had no faith in Kyle Boller to begin with. Boller was brought in to be the back-up to the eventual starter. It looks like that starter will be Sam Bradford.

This would not be a bad pick if it were not for Bradford’s injury history. Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen is more durable and better equipped to play behind that horrible offensive line in St. Louis. But the Rams need to also put fans in the seats, and Bradford is the guy to do that.

Pick 2 – Detroit Lions – Russell Okung – OT – Oklahoma State

If the Detroit Lions do not do something to fix their offensive line then they will wind up getting QB Matt Stafford killed before the end of the 2010 season. Okung is fast, strong and smart. He is a natural on the offensive line, and he is just what the Lions need to protect Stafford’s blind side.

Pick 3 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Gerald McCoy – DT – Oklahoma

The Buccaneers lost more games last season because they could not put the other team away than any other reason. They could not put pressure on the opposing QB, they could not stop the run and they could not prevent other teams from throwing the ball up the middle. McCoy is a big and fast DT that can get to the QB and clog up the middle in time for the linebackers to get there and shut the run down. McCoy will start and make an impact for the Buccaneers.

Pick 4 – Washington Redskins – Jimmy Clausen – QB – Notre Dame

This is not fair to Jason Campbell. When an offensive line is so bad that running back Clinton Portis spends more time healing than playing, than it can hardly be the fault of the QB. What the Redskins really need is an offensive lineman, but their problems on the O-line are so deep that one pick is not going to change things on the line. So the Redskins will look to a new QB and it will be Clausen.

Pick 5 – Kansas City Chiefs – Trent Williams – OT – Oklahoma

The sports betting world was not surprised when QB Matt Cassel was signed by the Chiefs. The only concern was how Cassel would perform behind that awful Kansas City offensive line. In retrospect, the sportsbook reviews on Cassel’s performance were very favorable. However Cassel could not prevent the Chiefs from going 4-12, which was still an improvement over the 2-14 record from 2008. The Chiefs will build around Cassel, and the first building blocks are the men that will protect the QB. Williams is one of the highest rated offensive linemen in the draft. He will fit the Chiefs’ plans nicely.

Pick 6 – Seattle Seahawks –Ndamukong Suh – DT – Nebraska

The Seahawks need a run-stopper and QB rusher on the inside.

Pick 7 – Cleveland Browns – Evan Royster – RB – Penn State

The Browns need speed at the running back position to make up for another chaotic year at the QB spot. Royster has the power and the moves to help the Browns improve.

Pick 8 – Oakland Raiders – Bruce Campbell – OT – Maryland

It does not matter what the Raiders do at QB if there is no offensive line to block. The running game and the passing game for the Raiders has fallen on hard times due to the play of the line and QB Jamarcus Russell. This is the Raiders final attempt to make something of their first round QB pick and finally get some value for their money.

Pick 9 – Buffalo Bills – Patrick Robinson – CB – Florida State

The Bills had a lot of problems last season but none was more glaring than the secondary. Game after game the Bills would allow the long ball to beat them, and many people started to wonder about the defensive line getting pressure on the opposing QB. The Bills are thin at CB and they need to start addressing that.

Pick 10 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Joe Haden – CB – Florida

No matter what the fans of the Jaguars think, the team is not in the market for a QB. The Jaguars need to shore up their defense, and Haden is a solid start to piecing a good secondary together.

Even though March Madness odds are the focus right now, online betting players always have one eye and ear open for some NFL news, and a lot of people are wondering where Michael Vick will end up. Philadelphia picked up the option for Vick this year, but with Kevin Kolb as the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb, who has also been the focus of trade speculation, there is no room for Vick in Philly. Here are the most likely destinations for Vick.

Oakland

Really, there’s probably no better place for Vick to land. He would be embraced by Raider Nation, and the Raiders badly need a replacement for JaMarcus Russell, who is in the running for worst No.1 pick ever. Al Davis is obsessed with speed, and he probably won’t notice that Vick doesn’t have much of that. The Raiders just need someone to get the fans excited about their team again.

St. Louis

Again, the Rams need someone to excite their fans, and it’s clear that Marc Bulger is no longer the No.1 guy. Vick would be a welcome addition to the backfield, and he’d probably create more space for Steven Jackson, who has been a good soldier throughout this ordeal. However, the Rams may just get a pivot in the draft.

Carolina

If you had to take bookmaker odds (bookmaker reviews), this could be the most likely spot. The Panthers just got rid of Jake Delhomme, and although they want to see what Matt Moore is made of after he led them to a 4-1 record down the stretch. Vick has added motivation as the Panthers play in the same division as Atlanta, and we all know Brett Favre wanted to move to Minnesota to stick it to Green Bay. Don’t count this move out at all.

Buffalo

Ryan Fitzpatrick? Trent Edwards and his concussion problems? There’s no way that Buffalo fans wouldn’t welcome Vick to town. They welcomed Terrell Owens with open arms, and even though that didn’t work so well, Vick would be in a better situation. Owens didn’t really have a quarterback, while Vick would have Josh Reed and Lee Evans, two above-average receivers, along with Marshawn Lynch in the backfield.

Washington

Vick isn’t an ideal quarterback for a Mike Shanahan system, but Shanahan’s been known to be able to work with quarterbacks (remember a young and raw John Elway?). Jason Campbell, as gutsy as he’s been, just hasn’t worked out in Washington, and there’s been some problems in the dressing room, although they weren’t of Campbell’s doing. The other two quarterbacks on the roster right now are Colt Brennan and Richard Bartel (who?), so why not take a chance? We know Dan Snyder will spend the money. Plus, after seeing Georgetown’s 2010 March Madness odds go down the drain, the people of Washington will need a pick-me-up.

There has been a great deal of NFL offseason news since the combine closed up shop last week in Indianapolis. The world of sports betting may have to consider some changes to various NFL teams as a series of events start to come together at the same time.

As you read these betting tips keep in mind that the thing driving much of these rumors and the actual moves made by teams is the fear of an uncapped season in 2011. For all the good has tried to do in maintaining law and order in the NFL, commissioner Roger Goodell has failed to bring about peace with a new collective bargaining agreement. Teams are now bracing for complete chaos as soon as the 2010 season ends.

One of the NFL predictions being made involves the future of Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia. The Eagles picked up the option on Michael Vick and now there is a lot of talk about a salary dump being done that would result in Donovan McNabb being cut by the Eagles before July. That would leave the Eagles with Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick at quarterback. At that point the Eagles can be written off for the 2010 season as they are not winning without Donovan McNabb.

Once the Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and Josh McDaniels experiment failed so miserably in Denver it was only a matter of time before the finger pointing began. All fingers are pointing squarely at Brandon Marshall. It is not surprising given Marshall’s flair for the dramatic and his ability to completely disrupt a team. One of the projected landing places for Marshall is Cincinnati. With the way Marvin Lewis has his team under control even with disruptive personalities like Chad Ochocinco and rookie lineman Andre Smith, it looks like the Bengals could be a good choice for Marshall’s career. The Bengals would then have Carson Palmer throwing to Chad Ochocinco and Brandon Marshall. That would be a potent offense.

There has been a lot of speculation on the impact that Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor will have in Chicago after the Bears gave both players lucrative contracts. Lost in the negative talk about Peppers is Brian Urlacher. With Peppers up front and Urlacher monitoring the linebacker spot, teams are going to find it increasingly difficult to run against the Bears. If Tommie Harris can step up on the defensive line and help shut down the pass, the Bears could have a potent defense in 2010.

Chester Taylor joins tight end Brandon Manumaleuna as two very high-profile signings for the Bears’ offense. The question with the Bears on offense remains Jay Cutler. There is a growing sentiment in Chicago that you could surround Cutler with an all-star cast and he would still find a way to mess it up. Cutler has a cannon for an arm and he is incredibly accurate with his throws, the problem is his decision making. Cutler holds the ball for too long, and much of the time he throws the ball exactly where he shouldn’t. The Bears will need to upgrade their offensive line and give Cutler more time if they want him to make better decisions.

It’s the prime time for the sportsbook odds makers and NFL scouts of the world as the top athletes in college football are at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. A lot of big questions for a bunch of key players have been answered with combine scores and interviews. Here are some combine winners and losers.

Winners:

Tim Tebow QB Florida

Tim Tebow arguably had the most to gain and lose at the scouting combine as harsh criticism has fallen upon him for having a slow throwing motion and not having a game suited for the NFL.

Tebow’s athleticism was on display at the combine and he impressed all who watched him. Tebow ran a 4.72 40-yard dash time when he was thought to be closer to 4.9 and had a vertical jump of 38.5 inches which ties an all-time quarterback record with Josh McCown. Tebow also apparently had a great interview process. He will reveal his new throwing motion at his pro day at the University of Florida on March 17^th.

5dimes review: Tebow can be assured a second round selection with a good show at the pro day while a bad show could drop him all the way to the fourth.

C.J. Spiller RB, Clemson

C.J. Spiller already had been considered the top back in the draft, but he impressed at the combine with a 4.37 40 yard dash time with 18 reps on the bench press of 225. He has locked himself in as the first running back to be taken off the board and may slip into the top 15 with his performance.

Golden Tate WR, Notre Dame

Golden Tate had a tremendous year for the Fighting Irish despite a poor showing from the team’s defense. Tate ran a 4.42 40 yard dash which was faster than expected and will likely be a late first early second round pick. Tate’s hands and speed will be able to make up for his size which came in at less than 5’11”.

NFL Predictions: Expect to see Tate off the board in the late 1^st round or early 2^nd.

Arrelious Benn WR, Illinois

Benn has been a much debated about receiver coming into the draft. Benn’s play suffered mostly from poor quarterback play at Illinois and showed good speed with a 4.48 40 yard dash time and good strength with 20 bench press reps. Benn has great hands and will likely be a hot name in the late 1^st round as teams look for a big fast target like Benn.

Losers:

Joanthan Dwyer, RB Georgia Tech

Dwyer looked out of shape and ran a 4.64 40 yard dash. His hands were AWOL and concerns about being able to produce on 3^rd down have his draft stock plummeting to 3^rd round territory.

Dan LeFevour, QB Central Michigan

LeFevour looked impressive in the Senior Bowl and the MAC quarterback needed a good showing at the combine to keep the momentum up for his growing draft buzz. Well, he didn’t. For some reason LeFevour decided to only throw to stationary targets and didn’t show off much arm strength doing so. He did run a 4.6 40 yard dash which was second fastest in the combine for quarterbacks, however LeFevour will have to have a good pro day to stay in the 3^rd round.

With the NFL season wrapped up and the rookie combines around the corner, it’s time for teams to take a hard look at who is out there in free agency. No one will be able to sign until March 5^th, but names keep floating around and some big free agents will be hitting the market shortly.

Sportsbook: Top Players on the Move

Julius Peppers CAR DE

Peppers has been one of the elite pass rushers in the game since he left the University of North Carolina. Now 30 years old, Peppers is going to leave via free agency and teams may be willing to give Peppers a monster deal. With 10.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles Peppers would be a nice commodity to add to any team that runs a 4-3 defense. If he were to play in a 3-4, he would likely take a role similar to DeMarcus Ware’s with the Cowboys.

5dimes review: Expected suitors: Patriots, Bears, Packers, Falcons, Giants

Chester Taylor MIN RB

Chester Taylor has been relegated to a backup role with the Vikings since they drafted Adrian Peterson. Although A-Pete has a bad case of fumblitits, it is unlikely that the Vikings can afford to pay two RB’s a starter’s salary. Taylor had been rumored to be getting a franchise or transitional (if there is no cap) tag, but at 7 million plus, that is a lot for a second back when you have one of the best in the league already on your team. Taylor is all but a lock to be on a new team and they will like what they see with him. Taylor is an exceptional receiving back and excellent in screens. His speed still seems good and the lack of reps recently may have extended his career. Look for a team with a young QB or a team running a west coast offense to make a bid for Taylor.

Expected suitors: Lions, Seahawks, Bears, Texans

Keith Bulluck TEN OLB

Bulluck has been one of the best linebackers in the league for many years, but his production dropped last year as the Titans defense struggled without Albert Haynesworth who left for Washington last offseason. Bulluck was forced to sit the last two games of the year due to injury, but if he can get healthy and be even 75% of what he was, Bulluck can be a game changer for a team with poor linebackers. Bulluck has spent his entire ten year career with the Tennessee Titans but is likely moving on this offseason.

Sports tips: Look for the Rockland County, New York native (where this article is currently being written from) to come back home and play for a team that is hurting real bad at linebacker, The New York Giants.

Expected suitors: Giants, Eagles, Colts

Reggie Bush NO RB (restricted)

Reggie Bush has been somewhat of a disappointment in the NFL. Drafted #2 overall a few years back, Bush has not lived up to his contract and the Super Bowl Champion Saints, will likely not pay over eight million dollars to keep a punt returner and backup running back. Bush has shown glimpses of the stuff that made him the #2 pick years ago but has been averaging less than 10 touches a game including returns. Look for him to be a hot name this offseason as Bush will likely fill a change of pace back role for a lucky team that will pay him. Seattle signed Bush’s college coach Pete Carroll to be President of Football Operations and Head Coach. They are the prohibitive favorites to land Bush.

Expected suitors: Seahawks, 49ers, Lions, Redskins

Jason Campbell WAS QB (restricted)

It appears that the rocky marriage is over between the Skins and Campbell. Campbell has had a different playbook every year he’s been in the league and is going to be the scapegoat for owner Dan Snyder’s screw-ups. Now with Mike Shanahan as head coach and GM, expect the skins to draft either Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen to lead them going forward. Campbell is better than most believe however, and would be a nice fit on a team with QB issues.

Expected suitors: Rams, Seahawks, Bills, Raiders

Cincinnati Bengals Love Their Troubled Players

It’s not a surprise to any bookmakers by now (bookmaker reviews) that the Cincinnati Bengals are signing more troubled players. The offseason is very young but the Bengals are already making moves that are raising eye brows.

The Bengals acted quickly and signed free agents Matt Jones and Pacman Jones. Both players are coming off of suspension and both players have dodged felony charges.

The Bengals are planning to use Matt Jones as a tight end in the coming year as he just hasn’t panned out as a wide receiver. He could be a good receiving tight end to start but he has a long way to go with his blocking.

Meanwhile, Pacman might have some talent but people will be wondering just how much. He hasn’t had a good season in a while and the risk may be too high in comparison to the reward.

Nonetheless, the Bengals are rolling the dice once again.

Michael Vick Expected To Be Traded

Sportsbetting fans watched the NFL experiment that was Michael Vick last year and it didn’t work in Philadelphia. As long as Donovan McNabb is still around in Philadelphia, the Eagles have no use for Vick.

As it stands, they are shopping the quarterback, which could turn out to be a valuable asset as the draft approaches. The St. Louis Rams and Buffalo Bills are the teams interested and both teams are in dire need of a quarterback.

Either way, expect Vick to be shipped off at some point this offseason and he’ll get a crack at starting somewhere. In Philadelphia, that just isn’t likely and they clearly don’t need to spend so much money on a backup quarterback who plays one or two snaps per game as a running back.

Ravens Sign Stallworth

Donte Stallworth was looking for another chance and people making their NFL betting picks know that the Ravens are in desperate need of a wide receiver.

Naturally, it made sense for the Ravens to sign a wideout but some eyes were opened when they signed formerly suspended Stallworth.

While he did kill a man last year via a drink and drive, the reality is that Stallworth has paid his dues and will get another shot in the NFL. We’ll see what type of impact he can make after spending a year off on the sidelines.

March 5^th is the first day of free agency, which NFL betting fans know is always a free agent frenzy. There will be an interesting dynamic thrown into the loop this year as for the first time in a long time, the NFL will have an uncapped salary season.

Free agency this year will bring a shorter crop of young prospects as many of them will now be restricted for one more year because of the league rules. Nonetheless, here is a rundown of some key free agents.

Chad Pennington of the Miami Dolphins would like to return to Miami, but he’ll likely only have a backup role there. Coming off another season-ending injury, Pennington may be facing a backup role anywhere he goes. He is still a serviceable starter for some teams and he would be among the better backups if he was forced into a No. 2 role.

Another team could lose a player who started the year as a No. 1 contributor at a position after being supplanted by a good young prospect, and that’s the Pittsburgh Steelers running back Willie Parker.

Those who bet on NFL know that Parker’s days were numbered as soon as the Steelers spent a first-round pick on Rashard Mendenhall. Parker could be an enticing commodity to some as a speedy complementary back.

On defense, we all know that the 3-4 defense has been quite the fad in the NFL and a lot of teams looking for a playmaker might take a look at Julius Peppers. The recent rumor has been that he’s a good fit for outside linebacker in that set up but don’t be surprised if teams opt to keep him at defensive end in a 4-3, where he is a Pro Bowler as is.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints, who were exactly the favorite for NFL picks in the Super Bowl, will have to find a way to keep safety Darren Sharper, who led the league in interceptions. Sharper is a free agent and the Saints may opt to slap the franchise tag on him before he starts looking around.

Meanwhile, there will be some intriguing names thrown around as well such as Plaxico Burres, Matt Jones and even Pacman Jones. The latter two have worked out with the Cincinnati Bengals and may get a shot with the team who likes former troubled players.

It should be a busy March so keep an eye as the dates on the calendar approach.