Teams are going to be jockeying for salary cap room in order to fill needs in what promises to be a talented free agent class. One of the ways teams will find themselves in a situation to sign key players is going to be to release individuals currently on their roster who either count a lot against the 2012 cap or aren’t performing up to their contract.

This series of articles is going to focus on players that could find themselves hitting the free agent market after being released by their current team. Each article will breakdown a particular division. Today, I am going to start with the AFC West.

Denver Broncos

S- Brian Dawkins:  $9.6 million cap hit

The future Hall of Fame safety did make the Pro Bowl this season, but that was based solely on his name. He had one of the worst seasons of his stellar career in 2011 and is going to be turning 39 in October. The Broncos do have Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter, both 2011 draft picks, as cheaper alternatives in the secondary.

CB- Andre Goodman: $4.4 million cap hit

Is it either going to be Goodman or Champ Bailey that is going to get the hook this off-season: myy money is on the tenth year player from South Carolina. He did start all 16 games this season, acquiring double-digit passes defended. However, Goodman is set to count $4.4 million against the Broncos cap and they are going to be looking to get younger at corner.

DL- Ty Warren: $5.3 million cap hit

This is a bit of a formality. Warren missed the entire 2011 season and is set to count over $5 million against the cap. Expect him to be on the way out as reports indicate Denver will look at defensive linemen via the draft.

RB- Knowshon Moreno: $1.7 million cap hit

This is more about performance than it is about money. Moreno just hasn’t lived up to expectations since being a first round pick in 2009. Injuries caused him to miss half of the 2011 season, but the Broncos are going to have to make a decision on his future this off-season. Look for him to hit free agency.

San Diego Chargers

 LB- Shaun Phillips: $5.7 million

The 2010 Pro Bowl performer saw his sack total fall to the lowest number of his career this season (3.5). His cap figure of nearly $6 million is going to be a major point of contention for the San Diego Chargers this off-season. Either he lowers that cap number or faces the possibility of getting released. They are not going to pay a pass rush specialist nearly $2 million for each sack he acquired last season.

CB- Quentin Jammer: $4.4 million

Another player that has had a really good long career for the San Diego Chargers, but saw his performance fall off a great deal this season. The former first round pick failed to record an interception for only the second time in his ten-year career and saw his passes defended total drop to single digits for the first time. San Diego will look to get younger at corner, which means that Jammer could be the odd man out.

Oakland Raiders

DL- Tommy Kelly: $8.9 million

At this point it isn’t entirely clear what type of defense that new Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen is going to run. If he does decide to go with the 3-4 scheme, Tommy Kelly might find himself without a home. He has played inside over the course of the last four seasons after not cutting it as a run-stopping defensive end from 2004-to-2007.

Additionally, the linemen is set to make nearly $9 million in 2012, which is a huge cap figure for a team that will not have much money to spend in free agency and is lacking draft picks. New general manager Reggie McKenzie might also want to get some new people in there, which could lead to a small roster purge once free agency stats: especially on the defensive side of the ball.

LB- Rolando McClain: $5.6 million

This isn’t just about McClain’s recent bout with the law. He really wasn’t that good this season, struggling in both pass coverage and stopping the run. Oakland still owes this talented linebacker nearly $19 million over the next three seasons. They might want to just cut their losses at this point. Additionally, Aaron Curry played really well after coming over from the Seattle Seahawks following a mid-season trade.

TE- Kevin Boss: $4.0 million

The Oakland Raiders were completely shocked when Zach Miller bolted for the Seattle Seahawks during the compacted 2011 free agency period. This forced them to make a snap decision on Kevin Boss, who really didn’t provide the receiving ability that Oakland had hoped. He caught just 28 passes in 13 games and struggled finding a connection with Carson Palmer. Oakland also has a tight end, Brandon Myers, who they seem to be relatively high on.

Kansas City Chiefs

DL- Glenn Dorsey: $5.8 million

Dorsey has been a consistently decent performer for the Kansas City Chiefs over the course of the last few seasons, but nowhere near what they expected when he was selected fifth overall in 2008. With both Brandon Carr and Dwayne Bowe set to hit free agency, the Chiefs are going to have to free up money on their 53 to retain them.

DL- Tyson Jackson: $2.5 million

He isn’t set to make much money, but a possible release has nothing to do with financial restrictions. The N0. 3 overall pick in the 2009 draft has continually struggled for the Chiefs. He doesn’t make plays in the offensive backfield, has issues against the run and doesn’t even give close to going 100 percent a majority of the time. The Chiefs have a strong foundation on defense, but he will not be a part of it.

OL- Ryan Lilja: $3.0 million

One of the worst interior linemen in the NFL in 2011, Ryan Lilja will be lucky to find himself on an opening day roster, let alone starting. Kansas City—much to the applause of their fan base—will get an upgrade at this position. Lilja belongs nowhere near Arrowhead come September.

Note: My next installment will look at the AFC North tomorrow.

]]> http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/2012-nfl-free-agency-rumors-players-who-could-be-released-from-the-afc-west/feed/ 3 http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/denver-broncos-2011-team-needs-and-mock-draft/ http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/denver-broncos-2011-team-needs-and-mock-draft/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:19:24 +0000 Greg Brosh http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/?p=17419 If the Denver Broncos have shown anything in 2011-2012 it’s that once you get into the playoffs, EVERYONE starts from a clean slate. After basically falling into the playoffs because of bad play from the Chargers and Raiders, and then beating the Steelers in the Wild Card round, Tim Tebow and company will look to pull off the upset of the year by trying to beat the Patriots in their home turf in Foxboro. John Fox, who has plenty of playoff experience during his time with the Panthers, managed to turn around a Denver team that finished 4-12 under Josh McDaniels in 2010. McDaniels also managed to get the team in a little bit of hot water after the Spygate II scandal when the team played the 49ers in London back in 2009. Even though the Broncos have yet to play this weekend, it’s never too early to start looking towards their offseason. Despite making it to the playoffs, there are plenty of holes that need filling on both sides of the ball in this year’s NFL Draft and through free agency. The list below is in no particular order in regards to needs.

Key Free Agents: QB Brady Quinn, WR Eddie Royal, DL Marcus Thomas, S Brian Dawkins

Quarterback

• Yeah Tim Tebow is looking good, but the team is going to have to look for depth this offseason. Brady Quinn is a free agent and there has been zero news regarding either side wanting to be together after the playoffs. The team is said to be high on Adam Weber, who was an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota. But the team will still have to bring in competition for the backup spot and No. 3 duties if Quinn goes to free agency. A name that has been popping up in some mock drafts is Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish, who passed for 2,942 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also was huge in the ground game with 1,488 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll be a project, but he would fit nicely as the team’s No. 3 in 2012.

Running Back

• With 1,199 rushing yards, Willis McGahee had one of his best years as a pro since the 2007 season when he was with the Ravens. But turning 31 in October of the 2012 season, he may not have many more quality years left. As far as Knowshon Moreno, he simply isn’t the answer as a starter or as a backup. He clearly can’t stay healthy for an extended period of time and is already considered a bust after McDaniels drafted him No. 12 overall in the 2009 draft. Lance Ball is feasible, but he really isn’t anything more than a third stringer. Because Fox valued running backs in Carolina, spending a first rounder on both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, he could look at someone like Miami (FL) Lamar Miller. Much in the mold of LeSean McCoy, Miller has great vision, is shifty and has excellent receiving ability. He will have to work on his pass blocking, but McCoy had trouble in that area coming out of Pittsburgh. Raiders RB Michael Bush is a free agent and could be an intriguing option considering the Broncos have history playing against him. Bush should be given the chance to push for a lot of playing time in 2012 and Denver could be interested.

Wide Receiver

• A healthy Demaryius Thomas proved that he can be a No. 1 receiver in the league. From Weeks 13-17, Thomas averaged 89.6 yards a game with 3 touchdowns. Eric Decker also flashed some potential, but it remains to be seen if Denver is happy with Thomas and Decker as their No. 1 and No. 2 in 2012. Even so, the team has to add depth if they decide to let Eddie Royal go. There are several mid-tier receivers on the free agent market this year, including Robert Meachem, who could be a field stretcher and open up holes underneath for Tebow to exploit. If they decide to go through the draft, Arizona State’s Gerell Robinson (18.1 ypc average) or Iowa’s Marvin McNutt (16.0 ypc average) could be two guys to target. Expect to hear plenty of backlash regarding the Broncos trading Brandon Lloyd for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2012 that turned into a fifth rounder. Especially after Lloyd put up 966 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns on a disappointing St. Louis offense.

Defensive Tackle

• The Broncos Defense gave up an 11th worst 126.3 rushing yards a game during the regular season and also ranked No. 20 by giving up an average of 4.1 rushing yards a carry. Shoring up the defensive line is going to be a big need going into the offseason, so the team could look to draft a defensive tackle within the first two rounds, possibly the first. Former Eagle Brodrick Bunkley was never much of a run stopper and he eventually lost his job to Anthony Dixon in 2010. Marcus Thomas is a free agent and could be let go. WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell has the Broncos taking Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy with their No. 57-overall pick. Worthy, at 6’3/305lbs, is a strong run defender and also has the ability to rush the quarterback. He finished the 2011 season with 3.5 sacks with 30 tackles (10.5 of those tackles going for a loss).

Cornerback

• With so many question marks on the defensive line and the offense, the team’s secondary is still the biggest cause for concern. They gave up an average of 231.5 passing yards a game, which was in the middle of thepack, but opposing quarterbacks averaged 62.4% completions, which was 8th worst in the league. Even at 33, Champ Bailey still showed he is one of the elite shutdown corners in the league after limiting Mike Wallace to three catches (10 targets) for 26 yards in the Broncos’ Wild Card win over the Steelers last weekend. Bailey might still be playing at a high level, but his body could be starting to break down after he dealt with a hamstring injury that knocked him out for 3 games earlier in the season. On the other side, Andre Goodman is also on the wrong side of 30 (33), but undrafted rookie Chris Harris has moved up in the depth charts and has been the team’s nickel back. So if Goodman is on his way out, Harris could get first shot to take over as the starter. As for the draft, the team could use their top pick to provide competition and get some depth. If they fall, Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard or North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins could be too good to pass up if one of them falls to their pick, which is still up in the air due to the playoffs.

Safety

• Brian Dawkins’ first year as a Bronco made the Eagles wonder if they made a mistake by letting him go. Playing in all 16 games, Dawkins racked up 116 tackles (95 solo) and broke up 11 passes . Unfortunately,Dawkins’ age soon caught up to him and he never came close to any of those numbers in 2010 and 2011. Dawkins’ nagging neck injury will keep him out of this weekend’s Divisional Round game against the Patriots. And there have also been rumors for and against the injury being career threatening. Either way, I’d be surprised if the team re-signed Dawkins for another year after they contemplated not bringing him back last offseason. I don’t expect the team to draft a safety high, but they could look at Oklahoma State’s Markelle Martin and/or Montana’s Trumaine Johnson, who are both expected to go in the 3rd-4th rounds.

If I showed you the next page you would have seen the last of 11 week 3 match-ups which was a $9 win in a heads up expert only game. Expert only means you get less $$$ to play with. Expert get $55,000 - standard gets $60,000 and Beg. get $65,000

Here is what I do to find the excellent match ups headed into the week and rank them accordingly.

1. Get the top 10 or so fantasy points allowed by position (listed below)
2. Find the obvious studs with great match ups (high dollar value guys on fanduel)
3. Find the “flex starts” with great match ups that present high upside (low dollar value guys on fanduel)
4. TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this year.

You can use this method to determine who is a great weekly fantasy play based on match up, helpful for you guys without a backup for Antonio Gates, more on that later.

I’ll start at the Quarterback position.

Eli Manning comes to mind over the next several weeks, this week he face the Cardinals who allow the 8th most fantasy points to Quarterbacks.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this year.

1. New England Patriots vs. QB – 1,163 yards – 6 TD
2. Green Bay Packers vs. QB – 1,153 yards – 6 TD
3. Oakland Raiders vs. QB 937 yards 6 TD
4. Miami Dolphins vs. QB 957 yards 8 TD
5. St. Louis Rams vs. QB 799 yards 7 TD
6. Buffalo Bills vs. QB 829 yards 7 TD
7. New Orleans Saints vs. QB 929 yards 7 TD
8. Arizona Cardinals vs. QB 884 yards 4 TD
9. Kansas City Chiefs vs. QB 796 yards 8 TD
10. Minnesota Vikings vs. QB 956 yards 5 TD

QB Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Jason Campbell faces the New England Patriots who, as you see above, are allow a sever amount of fantasy stats to opposing QB’s.
• Rex Grossman AKA “Sexy Rexy” have a juicy match-up against St. Louis Rams who rank 5th in most fantasy points allowed.
• Andy Dalton should bounce back this week versus the Bills, who rank 6th in points allowed to opposing QB’s.
• Eli Manning comes to mind over the next several weeks, this week he face the Cardinals who allow the 8th most fantasy points to Quarterbacks. Excellent Value on Fanduel.

The obvious starter with exceptional match ups:

• Tom Brady obviously.. Oakland just sweetens the pot.
• Phillip Rivers is another no brain-er with a sweet match-up versus Miami who ranks 4th in most points allowed.

Here are are WEEK 4 Quarterback Rankings

Either Cedric Benson (if allowed to play) or Bernard Scott should have success this week versus Buffalo however, I'd only start Bernard Scott in PPR leagues as the Bengals will have to play from behind.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing RB’s this year.

1. Philadelphia Eagles vs. RB 394 yards 2 TD, 15 Catches for 185 yards 3 TD
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. RB 360 yards 5 TD, 16 Catches for 153 1 TD
3. Oakland Raiders vs. RB 305 yards 2 TD, 24 Catches for 283 2 TD
4. St. Louis Rams vs. RB 399 yards 2 TD, 19 Catches for 187 1 TD
5. Minnesota Vikings vs. RB 190 yards 3 TD, 27 Catches for 256 2 TD
6. New York Jets vs. RB 356 yards 4 TD, 15 Catches for 106 0 TD
7. Buffalo Bills vs. RB 292 yards 2 TD, 25 Catches for 152 2 TD
8. New England Patriots vs. RB 202 yards 2 TD, 30 Catches for 271 1 TD
9. Indianapolis Colts vs. RB 315 yards 4 TD, 11 Catches for 73 0 TD
10. Atlanta Falcons vs. RB 277 yards 2 TD, 18 Catches for 165 1 TD

RB Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Dexter McCluster faces the Vikings BUT WAIT they got back some players in Week 3 and picked up the run stuff. Only consider McCluster in PPR leagues as a strong FLEX.
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis / Stevan Ridley are both good flexes this week versus the porous Raiders. I like Ridley this week to get plenty of chances as New England burns the clock holding a lead.
• Frank Gore could easily bounce back this week against the Eagles who are allowing the most points to RB’s this year.
• Tim Hightower should toss the Rams salad this week, they rank 4th in points allowed.
• LeGarrette Blount should have a bounce back week against Indy, but don’t keep your hopes to high.
• Either Cedric Benson (if allowed to play) or Bernard Scott should have success this week versus Buffalo however, I’d only start Bernard Scott in PPR leagues as the Bengals will have to play from behind.

The obvious starter with exceptional match up:

• A. Peterson is an obvious start any week but this week is exceptional as he faces the Chief’s who can’t stop tumbleweed from blowing across the field.

Here are our Week 4 Running Back Rankings

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TOP 16 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing WR’s this year.

Denarius Moore is poised for a break out game.

1. New England Patriots vs. WR 48 catches for 794 yards and 4 TD
2. Green Bay Packers vs. WR 42 catches for 660 yards and 4 TD
3. St. Louis Rams vs. WR 34 catches for 535 yards and 6 TD
4. Miami Dolphins vs. WR 37 catches for 578 yards and 5 TD
5. New Orleans Saints vs. WR 39 catches for 525 yards and 3 TD
6. San Francisco 49ers vs. WR 36 catches for 514 yards and 5 TD
7. New York Giants vs. WR 41 catches for 606 yards and 3 TD
8. Baltimore Ravens vs. WR 50 catches for 600 yards and 3 TD
9. Arizona Cardinals vs. WR 41 catches for 581 yards and 3 TD
10. Houston Texans vs. WR 37 catches for 503 yards and 4 TD
11. Kansas City Chiefs vs. WR 37 catches for 484 yards and 4 TD
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. WR 44 catches for 582 yards and 2 TD
13. Oakland Raiders vs. WR 45 catches for 519 yards and 3 TD
14. Buffalo Bills vs. WR 36 catches for 517 yards and 3 TD
15. Denver Broncos vs. WR 42 catches for 517 yards and 3 TD
16. Carolina Panthers vs. WR 20 catches for 437 yards and 4 TD

WR Match-ups to exploit in week 4 are:

• Brandon Lloyd and Eric Decker should have a good day against Green Bay who allow the 2nd most fantasy points to WR so far this year.
• Oakland has some nice flex plays lined up for you this week but gamble at your own risk here, while someone in Oakland is going to have a great day it’s hard to predict. I expect the Pats to stack the box and force Campbell to pass, Denarius Moore is poised for a break out game.
• Santana Moss WILL have a big day versus the Rams. I don’t think the Rams will move the ball on offense and Washington will be able to air it out versus their weak secondary who ranks 3rd in points allowed.
• Minnesota has a possible deep sleeper in PPR formats, deep leagues only, Michael Jenkins is on the rise as a nice match-ups based flex starter and this week he gets the Chiefs who rank 11th in points allowed.

More obvious starters with great match-ups

• Larry Fitzgerald versus NYG
• Vincent Jackson, especially if Gates returns to the line-up. Miami allows the 4th most points to WR.
• Hakeem Nicks / Mario Manningham or Victor Cruz depending on Manninghams status – Arizona allows the 9th most fantasy points to WR.

Greg Olsen has a great match-up versus the Bears, nice flex play in your a Antonio Gates owner in a time of need.

TOP 10 Teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing TE’s this year.

1. Miami Dolphins vs. TE 25 catches for 315 yards and 3 TD
2. San Diego Chargers vs. TE 14 catches for 180 yards and 4 TD
3. Chicago Bears vs. TE 19 catches for 237 yards and 3 TD
4. New Orleans Saints vs. TE 14 catches for 259 yards and 2 TD
5. Kansas City Chiefs vs. TE 12 catches for 159 yards and 3 TD
6. Cincinnati Bengals vs. TE 17 catches for 217 yards and 2 TD
7. Dallas Cowboys vs. TE 15 catches for 214 yards and 2 TD
8. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TE 21 catches for 207 yards and 2 TD
9. Green Bay Packers vs. TE 9 catches for 178 yards and 2 TD
10. Buffalo Bills vs. TE 13 catches for 164 yards and 2 TD

• Greg Olsen has a great match-up versus the Bears, nice flex play in your a Antonio Gates owner in a time of need.
• Marcedes Lewis is a deep sleeper in DEEP leagues – he faces the Saints who can’t cover TE and you can bank that the Saints will score a lot of points.
• Randy McMichael (If Antonio Gates sits out) has a DECENT match-up versus Miami, but they’re ranked number one in points allowed due to the thrashing they took in week 1 versus the Pats.
• Jermaine Gresham is another Antonio Gates weekly flex replacement – the Bungles will have to air it out versus the Bills who rank 10th in points allowed.

More obvious starters with great match-ups this week:

• Jimmy Graham get the Jags who have trouble with tall TE’s.
• Scott Chandler gets the Cincinnati Bengals and they can’t cover TE either, rankings 6th in points allowed. Chandler has a TD in every game this year, it won’t stop this week.

Bouns Round for Kickers – top 10 teams allowing the most Kicker Fantasy Points

1. Cleveland Browns vs. K 10.7 points allowed
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. K 10.3 this week they face Ryan Longwell
3. Indianapolis Colts vs. K 10.0 points allowed
4. Atlanta Falcons vs. K 9.7 points allowed
5. New Orleans Saints vs. K 9.3 points allowed
6. Chicago Bears vs. K 9.0 points allowed
7. Green Bay Packers vs. K 8.7 points allowed
8. Denver Broncos vs. K 8.7 this week they facec Jason Hanson
9. Dallas Cowboys vs. K 8.3 points allowed
10. Seattle Seahawks vs. K 8.3 points allowed

Locks this week are:

Ryan Longwell and Jason Hanson – both kickers present favorable TOP 10 match-ups this week and they’re in the TOP 10 in regards to FG and XP attempts.

However, the Broncos did add a very good talent to their secondary in UCLA safety Rahim Moore. Denver will be better off seeking an upgrade over Renaldo Hill and a long-term successor for Brian Dawkins. Moore, considered the best safety of the draft, is a true ballhawk, a team leader, and has the versatility to play a little corner. He’s the perfect injection of youth and talent that this defense has needed and after trading down to get him (most teams have to trade up for a guy they like), the Broncos brain trust sure looks like a group of brainiacs with this pick. With the 108th pick, Denver came back and got another safety, this time Quinton Carter out of Oklahoma. Carter, maybe the best player available when the 108th pick rolled around, and one of the top safeties of the 2011 draft, provides even more young talent for John Fox to work with, and with rookies Moore, Carter, and Nate Irving looking to contribute on the defensive side of the ball, this unit could get significantly better in 2011. I still don’t like the lack of a big run stopper. This will kill whatever effectiveness their secondary will have and partially remove their pass rushers from the equation. But you can only take baby steps when you’re (re-)building a team from the ground up, so there’s no reason for Broncos fans to be upset with this draft.

Finally, I’d like to touch on two potential steals that were selected in the very last round. Pass catching tight end Virgil Green out of Nevada should be a big help to Tim Tebow (or Kyle Orton) and was supposed to be a fourth round talent. Fourth round may not seem like a big deal, but for tight ends being taken in the fourth round isn’t necessarily a bad thing. New England took Aaron Hernandez in the fourth round of the 2010 draft (albeit because he fell due to behavioral concerns) and he had a very fine rookie season. John Fox has historically preferred his tight ends to be big blocker-types, but it was obvious that Richard Quinn and Daniel Coats weren’t getting the job done last year, so Denver deserves a lot of credit for snagging a good offensive weapon late that can be used to help the Broncos move the chains a bit more and hopefully keep their defense on the bench for as long as possible.

Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal was once supposed to be a second round talent but because he underperformed last season he fell all the way down to Denver’s ninth and final pick, 247th overall. Beal is supposed to be a force to be reckoned with as a pass rusher, which was an area that the Broncos made it a point to address. The Broncos do come away with nice upgrades at outside linebacker and defensive end but fail to improve the run defense, and Kevin Vickerson doesn’t look like he can carry the load at the position. The lack of a run stopper will kill the Broncos in 2011, but it’s something that can always be addressed in free agency or next year’s draft. It was a dumb decision to not take a defensive tackle, but not franchise-crippling. Overall, this looks like a good but not great draft for the Broncos. Just like I did a few weeks ago, we’ll be writing next April that “the Denver Broncos badly need a defensive tackle because they just can’t stop the run.”

Let’s not forget that there are a bunch of teams looking for QB’s who wouldn’t necessarily object to bringing in a veteran. After a couple of very bad years in Arizona following a Super Bowl run that fell short, Ken Wisenhunt is probably on the hot seat and needs to do what he can to drastically alter the course of his team right now. Who gives him the better chance to attain a playoff berth in 2011: Blaine Gabbert or Kyle Orton? Since Orton doesn’t need to learn the ropes of the NFL like any incoming rookie would need to, I’d put all my chips down on Orton. Additionally, once a throw-in as a part of the Jay Cutler trade, Orton would certainly come at a much less steep cost than Kevin Kolb, another veteran quarterback who is likely available. With rumors that Kolb has been shopped for first round draft picks, Orton resembles the best option on the QB trade market because he’d be the cheapest guy to obtain if you’re looking for someone with any semblance of a track record.

There hasn’t been any rumor of a trade in the works, but going forward, keep an eye on the situation. It’s pretty clear that Tebow is “the guy” going forward for Denver, and with a bunch of holes to fill on their roster, mostly on defense, the Broncos may be able to use Orton as a trade chip to fill in one of those holes. Or, he could waste away as a mentor to Tebow. Either way he should keep making himself useful to the Broncos, though they need to make a decision soon on whether his biggest impact to the team would be as Tebow’s mentor or as a trade chip. Since Tebow is a very spiritual, mature person, I think the Broncos would be best off trading their starting quarterback. It’s time for Tebow to start learning through experience, and while they probably won’t net a first round pick, they can probably get some desperate team to overpay for a quarterback who can come in and bring serviceable play right away.

Start ‘em: Week Seventeen Team Defenses

New York Giants @ WASH: The Giants as a team have looked very weak the past 5 quarters overall [Packers game and 4^th quarter of Eagles game], and I really think they are due for a good defensive game in Washington in a must win situation versus the turnover prone Rex Grossman. Before the meltdown versus Green Bay on the road, the Giants defense had put up double digit fantasy points on the road in three straight games and I think they will be up for this test to prove they have no packed their bags as of yet.

Atlanta Falcons vs CAR: The Falcons have something to play for in this game, and they will be out to prove something after a tough division loss at home to the reigning Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. The Falcons defense has scored over 17 points as a team defense in their last three games and I see them extending that in week 17 against a Carolina team that has already clinched the number one pick in April’s NFL Draft and has packed it in for the season already.

Green Bay Packers vs CHI: With the Eagles loss on Tuesday night, the Bears have now clinched a bye and have nothing to play for in week 17. On the other side of the ball, the Packers are in a win and in situation, they will treat this game as a playoff game and I like the Packers defense to come up big in this game. The Packers defense put up 18 fantasy points last week versus the Giants, they have scored double digit fantasy points at home in four straight games and I see them putting up that type of performance in week 17 versus an already clinched Bears squad.

Indianapolis Colts vs TENN: With the opportunity to win and get in for the Colts, I expect their defense at home to make a statement against a Titans team that has had their case of bad luck this season and will not be ready for this type of atmosphere inside the “barn” in Indianapolis. The Colts have allowed a ton of points in their last six games [183, 30.5 PPG], but I see them getting up on the list of fantasy team defenses due to sacks and turnovers in this game. My reasoning has to do with Peyton Manning putting up points early and the Titans being forced to attempt to do the same and getting into trouble.

Sit ‘em: Week Seventeen Team Defenses

Seattle Seahawks/St. Louis Rams: People are going to try and get “cute” by starting one of these defenses because the NFL flexed the game for Sunday Night Football and it will be all fantasy owners last chance at points before their championship is over; in my opinion neither is a great start, if I had to choose I would take St. Louis over Seattle, because of the start by Charlie Whitehurst this week, but I would honestly stay away from both of them.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ NO: Their team defense has not scored double digit fantasy points in four weeks [21 points overall] and I see that streak continuing when they have to go on the road in a must win game for both teams in the Superdome. The Bucs defense has been decimated by injuries to very key players and it will really come back to bite them in this very important game in the NFC South next week. The Saints offense seems to be clicking at just the right time [example beating the Falcons in the Georgia Dome] and with a healthy Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush to offset what Drew Brees will do, I think the Bucs defense is worth a sit in week 17.

Kansas City Cheifs vs OAK: The Chiefs have clinched their berth in the playoffs already and have nothing to play for on Sunday at home versus the Raiders. I think the Raiders will be playing this game for pride, they have been a real underachiever all season long and I think even if Darren McFadden gets his carries limited in this game, Michael Bush will pose as a running threat against Kansas City in a week before they must play their first playoff game in a few years. The Chiefs defense has looked real good the past two weeks against the Titans and the Rams, but this week will be different because of their necessity of the match up.

San Diego Chargers @ DEN: The Chargers defense looked absolutely helpless on Sunday versus the Bengals without their top two wide receivers in Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. This week for the Chargers they play Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos; in my opinion, the Broncos will be out their playing for more than San Diego will be. The Chargers after their loss to Cincinnati will have packed it in for the season and will be facing a team and especially an offense that will be out to prove something for a lost season and an up and coming youthful quarterback. Tebow may make some mistakes on Sunday, but the one thing you can be sure of, is that he will put up points nonetheless.