2011 NFL Draft: Rankings the Top Wide Receiver Prospects in College Football

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesWe here at NFL Soup are dedicated to featuring the best NFL Draft coverage, and we continue with the 2011 Wide Receiver class.There are a lot of talented receivers, and most of the front runners are underclassmen with big play ability. In the NFL, a quarterback's Colts jersey
best friend can be the receiver that bails him out of a misfired throw, or even a guy that can take a five yard pass for another 40 yards after the catch and score.Let’s take a look at the wide receivers in the 2011 NFL Draft class.*Disclaimer*: Rankings are subject to change, and it's still very early, so don't get bent out of shape if your favorite WR isn't on here or ranked high enough. 1) A.J. Green- Georgia*- 6'4" 212There’s not much you can’t say about A.J. Green. He’s one of the most talented players in the nation, and has great size at 6'4" 192 pounds. Green is a speedy wide receiver who runs excellent routes, with excellent control of his body for making easy and tough catches. He can beat even the fastest of cornerbacks, and gets excellent separation. Some maturity issues are a small concern, but if he really wants to be dominant, then he needs to get stronger and get a bit better fighting for the ball. He’s still a the top option at wide receiver.Projection: Top 10 pickRonald Martinez/Getty Images 2) Julio Jones- Alabama*- 6'4" 220 Jones is the biggest competition for A.J. Green in the top spot. What makes Jones so special is his possession ability. He has excellent size at 6'4" 220 lbs, and he fights corners for the football. He’s tough after the catch and is fast enough to beat receivers down the field. He’s excellent catching the ball in the middle of the field, as well as making tight sideline catches. His biggest flaw is his concentration. He often drops the easier passes and makes the tougher catches. While his college statistics are nothing to write home about, he suffers thanks to a heavy rushing attack by the Crimson Tide, but Jones always comes through when needed. Projection: 1st Round 3) Justin Blackmon- Oklahoma State**- 6'1" 207Blackmon is just one of those athletes that screams Top 15 pick. Blackmon’s speed, and play making ability are rumored to be even bigger than former Oklahoma State star Dez Bryant. Blackmon sits at 6'1" 207 pounds, and is averaging over 17 yards a catch in the NCAA, and he’s just a redshirt sophomore. He’s a raw prospect who still needs work running routes, and being more physical. But he has all the tools to become a star. Projection: 1st Round 4) Jonathan Baldwin- Pittsburgh*- 6'5" 230Jon Baldwin is an intimidating wide receiver, at 6'5" 230 pounds. Some collegiate tight ends are smaller than him. He has excellent hands and body control, as he’s also a very strong wide receiver. For being such a big wide out, his downfield ability is limited, however, there is huge upside. He’s got solid speed, but needs to learn to better create separation from corner backs. Baldwin’s hands make him a top prospect, still, as he can catch well and runs very well after the catch. Projection: 1st Round 5) Michael Floyd- Notre nfl jersey
Dame*- 6'3" 225This is truly a year for big wide receivers, as our fourth rated wide receiver is 6'3" 228 pounds. Michael Floyd is one of the best wide receivers in the middle of the field. His ability to create separation is excellent, and he’s very quick in and out of his breaks. His hands are generally reliable, and he has a very good ability after the catch to take it the distance. Floyd is the ideal receiver you want on your team if you want to convert on that tough 3rd-and-long, and he isn’t afraid to take a shot from a safety. Projection: 2nd Round 6) Austin Pettis- Boise State- 6'3" 201Geoff Burke/Getty ImagesFor what Pettis lacks in top end speed, he makes up in route running and reliable hands. Pettis could sneak into the first round if he can post a solid forty yard dash, as he is one of the most athletic players in college football. He’s not an easy guy to tackle either.Projection: 2nd Round 7) Ryan Broyles- Oklahoma*- 5'10" 185Broyles is a smaller, quick hitter. He can catch a slant and turn it up field for a long gain, but he can also use his speed to get downfield in a hurry. Broyles catches the ball and turns it up field instantly, and he’s not afraid to catch the ball in the middle of the field. Broyles is an outstanding punt returner as well. Projection: 2nd Round 8 ) Greg Little- North Carolina- 6'3" 220This running back turned receiver still needs a lot of work, as he is very raw. He’s a physical wide receiver that fights for balls thrown his way. He needs to work on looking the ball into his hands. Projection: 2nd Round 9) Greg Childs- Arkansas- 6'3" 217*Childs Please! That’s the new “catch” phrase every time the excellent down field receiver hauls in a pass. Childs needs to work on his route running, but can stretch the field very well, and has reliable hands. Projection: 2nd Round 10) Leonard Hankerson- Miami (Fl.)- 6'3" 205Hankerson is a lanky receiver who is as sure-handed as they come. Hankerson broke out in 2009, and has followed up with a stellar senior campaign despite mediocre quarterback play. He’s an excellent red zone threat.Projection: 2nd Round 11) Marquis Maze- Alabama*- 5'10" 183Maze is often overshadowed by potential first rounder Julio Jones. But Maze is the ideal slot receiver who is quick in and out of his routes, and has excellent return skills. Maze generally has reliable hands as well. Projection: 3rd Round 12) Tandon Doss- Indiana*- 6'4" 205Doss isn’t a burner, but he can still get down field and make a play. He has some of the best hands in the NCAA, and he runs crisp routes. His best catches often come in the middle of the field in traffic. Projection: 3rd Round 13) Terrance Toliver- LSU- 6'5" 204Toliver is a fast receiver who still needs some work running routes. He has excellent ability after making the catch and can turn a five yard catch into 25 yards in a hurry. His height makes him a good red zone target, despite his touchdown total not showing it. Steve Dykes/Getty ImagesProjection: 3rd Round 14) Niles Paul- Nebraska- 6'1" 219One of Paul’s greatest attributes is making the tough catches. He brings the ball well into his body, and is a solid route runner. He’s not a game breaker in terms of speed, but he’s a solid possession receiver. Projection: 4th Round 15) Chris Owusu- Stanford*- 6'2" 200 Owusu is best known for his return ability as his vision. He has excellent speed, and fights for the ball well, despite not being a big receiver. Owusu doesn’t drop many passes either.Projection: 4th Round 16) Vincent Brown- San Diego State- 6'0" 195Brown is one of the fastest receivers in college football. He’s excellent down the field, and can make plays after the catch. His hands need a little bit of work, but he gets great separation and uses his speed to make defenders miss. Projection: 4th Round 17) Ronald Johnson- USC- 6'0" 187Johnson is a smaller receiver who fits best in the slot. He has good speed and is solid after the run. He has pretty good hands and makes catches all over the field. He can take a pass to the end zone on virtually every play as he can out run many of the defenders. Projection: 5th Round 18) Titus Young- Boise State- 5'11" 175This wide receiver class in lined with guys who can outrun entire defenses. Young is another one of those smaller guys who excels in the return game and is heavily utilized in quick slants and screen passes. He’s excellent after the catch. Projection: 5th Round 19) Ryan Whalen- Stanford- 6'2" 205Whalen isn’t a guy known for his speed, but his ability to catch the ball in traffic is uncanny. He’s a tougher wide receiver who fights for the ball well, and doesn’t care to run out of bounds. He won’t beat many cornerbacks down the field, but he will catch the ball over most players one on one. Projection: 5th Round 20) Derrell Johnson-Koulianos- Iowa- 6'1" 200DJK is a quicker receiver who catches well down the field. He can stretch the middle of the field very well, and is mediocre after the catch. His reliable hands also make him a nice red zone target. He also does a nice job running the routes underneath the secondary. Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesProjection: 5th Round 21) Mark Dell- Michigan State- 6'2" 200 Dell is a quicker receiver who can catch well downfield. He’s not much of a red zone option, however.Projection: 5th Round 22) Jerrell Jernigan- Troy- 5'8" 190Troy’s all-purpose receiver can run the ball well, and catch even better. He’s a threat to take it to the house on every touch, but lacks ideal size.Projection: 5th Round 23) James Cleveland- Houston- 6'2" 205Cleveland is a short yardage receiver who benefits from the system in Houston. He’s a reliable red zone receiver.Projection: 5th Round 24) DeAndre Brown- Southern Miss*- 6'6" 240Brown has missed time in 2010 with a leg injury, but is a big red zone target who excels getting separation and making big catches down field.Projection: 5th Round 25) DeVier Posey- Ohio State*- 6'2" 213Posey has a great combination of size and speed. He needs to be more consistent catching passes, but doesn’t have an ideal quarterback getting him the ball.Projection: 6th Round 26) Gerald Jones- Tennessee- 6'0" 195Jones has missed some time in 2010, and is a smaller short yardage guy who’s quick in and out of his routes. Projection: 6th Round 27) Keith Smith- Purdue- 6'2" 226Smith suffered an ACL and MCL tear in the third week. He’s a bigger possession receiver who has good speed. He may apply for a medical redshirt.Projection: 6th Round 28) Aldrick Robinson- SMU- 5'10" 180SMU continues to put out quick, speedy receivers, and Robinson is a big time home run threat. He needs to work on his route running and looking the ball in.Projection: 6th RoundAndy Lyons/Getty Images 29) Cecil Shorts- Mount Union- 6'2" 200Perhaps the next Pierre Garcon has arrived. Despite coming out of a non-FBS school, Shorts has been very productive. He’s got very good hands and has exceptional route running ability. Projection: 6th Round 30) Armon Binns- Cincinnati- 6'3" 205Binns could be a lot higher on this list, but inconsistent hands will scare some teams away. Still, his speed and size combination are ideal. He stretches the field very well. Projection: 7th Round 31) Greg Salas- Hawaii- 6'2" 210 Projection: 7th Round32) Dwayne Harris- East Carolina- 6'0" 205Projection: 7th Round33) James Rodgers- Oregon State- 5'8" 185 Projection: 7th Round34) Dane Sanzenbacher- Ohio State- 5'11" 185 Projection: 7th Round35) Jeff Maehl- Oregon- 6'1" 18536) Stephen Burton- West Texas A&M- 6'4" 21537) Phillip Livas- Lousiana Tech- 5'8" 18438) Scotty McKnight- Colorado- 5'11" 18539) Marshall Williams- Wake Forest- 6'1" 19040) Markeith Vikings jersey
Summers- Ole Miss- 6'3" 20541) Vidal Hazelton- Cincinnati- 6'3" 21042) Frantrell Forrest- UAB- 6'2" 19543) Kevin Grayson- Richmond- 6'3" 20544) Duval Kamara- Notre Dame- 6'4" 22545) David Gilreath- Wisconsin- 5'11" 170 46) Ricardo Lockette- Fort Valley State- 6'3" 21047) D’Andre Goodwin- Washington- 5'11" 19048) Detron Lewis- Texas Tech- 6'0" 20649) Jeremy Kerley- TCU- 5'10" 190Jamie Sabau/Getty Images50) Edmund Gates- Abilene Christian- 6'1" 20051) Jimmy Young- TCU- 6'1" 21052) Jock Sanders- West Virginia- 5'7" 18053) DeMarco Sampson- San Diego State- 6'2" 20254) Jarvis Williams- NC State- 6'4" 21955) Owen Spencer- NC State- 6'3" 18756) Jeremy LaFrance- Akron- 6'1" 195Be sure to visit NFLSoup.com for all of your 2011 NFL Draft coverage! Follow us on Twitter atNFLSoup,NFLSoupTaylor,NFLSoupKeet and NFLSoup_Kevin.

Fantasy Football Sunday Sleepers: Week 13

Justin Edmonds/Getty ImagesLooking for a sleeper option who may be available on your waiver wire who could make a major impact this week?Let’s take a look at a few options. For consideration on this listing from week-to-week, a player must be owned in less then 50% of 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
both Yahoo and ESPN leagues:QuarterbackSam Bradford – St. Louis Rams – at ArizonaFantasy owners continue to view Bradford as a risky rookie, despite his consistent performance (giving him this honor for the second consecutive week).He’s coming off the best game of his career, throwing for 308 yards and three touchdowns. He’s thrown for at least two touchdowns in four of his last five games. He has just one interception in his last six games.Over his last three games, he’s averaged 264 yards and two touchdowns.He draws an Arizona defense that has allowed the eighth most passing yards per game at 249.3; they also have allowed 17 touchdowns vs. just 11 interceptions.Those numbers probably look even better than they should, considering Troy Smith managed just 129 yards and a touchdown in Week 12, and Matt Cassel also threw for under 200 yards the prior week.Given his recent performance and the matchup, you have to like Bradford as a low-end QB1. Despite the injuries to the receiving corps, Bradford just continues to prove that he was worth the first overall draft pick.Fantasy owners can certainly start to believe.Bradford is currently owned in 43% of Yahoo leagues and 34.0% of ESPN leagues.Other potential sleeper quarterbacks:Kerry Collins – Tennessee Titans – 2% of Yahoo leagues and 1.0% of ESPN leaguesChad Henne – Miami Dolphins – 25% of Yahoo leagues and 47.7% of ESPN leaguesWide ReceiversDavone Bess – Miami Dolphins – vs. ClevelandThe return of Chad Henne certainly did wonders for the Dolphins’ passing game in Week 12: He threw for 307 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, including six completions for 111 yards to Bess.Bess has actually been the model of consistency this season, with eight games of at least five receptions and another game with four receptions. While he hasn’t found the end zone much, the Browns are tied for 11th most in the league having allowed 19 passing touchdowns.While Brandon Marshall is likely to return to the Dolphins lineup, he has been limited in practice this week and really is an unknown; then again, 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
it’s not like he had been dominating prior to his injury either.In the five games prior to Week 12, he had not had more than five receptions or 64 yards. He also hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3 (his only TD on the season). Bess is going to continue to play a big role in the Dolphins offense and certainly could post a good game for those in three receiver formats.Bess is currently owned in 43% of Yahoo leagues and 26.1% of ESPN leagues.Other potential wide receiver sleepers:Mike Thomas – Jacksonville Jaguars – 49% of Yahoo leagues and 22.7% of ESPN leaguesBlair White – Indianapolis Colts – 17% of Yahoo leagues and 3.6% of ESPN leaguesRunning BacksMike Goodson – Carolina Panthers – at SeattleThe return of Jonathan Stewart did little to slow Goodson down, as he had 136 total yards (55 rushing, 81 receiving) and a touchdown.Of course, he also had eight receptions, matching his total from the two weeks where he was enjoying lead back duties.While he’s a huge gamble, there also is a possibility that he resumes a leading role at any moment in Carolina. Stewart may have had a big day upon his return (98 yards on 12 carries), but he had been bad prior to his injury.If he struggles, the time share could quickly breakdown to a lead back/understudy situation.Other potential running back sleeper:Maurice Morris – Detroit Lions – 10% of Yahoo leagues and 5.4% of ESPN leaguesAnthony 36 Bettis White Jersey
Dixon – San Francisco 49ers – 1% of Yahoo leagues and 4.9% of ESPN leaguesWhat are your thoughts on these players? Would you take the gamble on any of them?Make sure to check out Rotoprofessor’s Week 13 Rankings:Top 25 QuarterbacksTop 40 Running BacksTop 60 Wide ReceiversTop 15 Tight EndsTop 15 Kickers Top 15 DefensesWaiver WorthyStart ‘Em or Sit ‘EmTHIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM/FOOTBALL

Colts vs. Titans: Reaction to Game's Biggest Stories

Peyton Manning getting ready for the game against the TItans.Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesDespite losing three straight, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts are still within a game of the AFC South leaders, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Facing the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night, we are getting to the point in the season where the phrase must-win comes into play.The Titans aren't out of the playoff hunt either, but losing five straight after starting the season 5-2 just seems like they don't have the heart to stay in the hunt.The big matchup of 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
the game is Reggie Wayne against Cortland Finnegan. The Titans stud corner gained notoriety this season by getting under the skin of Andre Johnson, and Wayne is very familiar with his style of play.If Finnegan can take Wayne out of the game, it could spell trouble for Manning because he hasn't found another go-to guy due to injuries. 11:30 PM ETColts vs Titans: Randy Moss We're Not Mad, Just DissapointedRandy Moss has caught TDs from Tom Brady and Brett Favre this season. He's made a one-handed catch with Darrelle Revis, one of the game's top corners.It's hard to believe Randy Moss couldn't help the Tennessee Titans against the Indianapolis Colts...Read more » 11:15 PM ETColts vs Titans: Tennessee Show Fans They're Willing To FightThe Tennessee Titans have gotten down two scores several times in the game against the Indianapolis Colts but instead of folding they've decided to put the ball in the hands of their Pro Bowl back and fight.In order to get the ball in Chris Johnso...Read more » 10:39 PM ETColts vs Titans: Is The Only Thing Keeping Indy Out The Playoffs Themselves?In control of their own destiny the Indianapolis Colts know exactly what they need to do to make the playoffs--win.It sounds simple but it's tougher than it looks.Even when things are going great for the Colts they seem to find a way to step on th...Read more » 09:46 PM ETColts vs Titans: Peyton Manning Back On Track, NFL Be WarnedThe Tennessee Titans are raising the white flag, asking Peyton Manning to surrender after completing 15 passes for 179 yards and two TDs. Most importantly Manning hasn't been close to throwing an interception.Coming off the worst two-game sp...Read more » 09:15 PM 36 Bettis White Jersey
ETColts vs Titans: Chrish Johnson Back Striding, Pulling Away From TeamAfter recording 58 yards on 20 carries in the previous two weeks Chris Johnson looks back to form against Indianapolis. Unfortunately the rest of the Titans aren't as quick to turn the corner.The Colts ability to control the clock is forcing Tenne...

Pittsburgh Steelers Tommy Maddox

Tommy Maddox has become the most hated player in Pittsburgh at the moment. His children are being teased at school and trash is being thrown on his home lawn. Now I knew the Pittsburgh Steelers have extremely emotional - and for a lack of better words - hard core fans, but this is ridiculous. Out of all the cities that I could see this happening, Pittsburgh was one of the last. Pittsburgh has been known for bringing in classy players and the people have Pittsburgh have reflected that. However, the fans of the Steelers should be Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
disgusted with themselves.Maddox led them to the AFC North title in 2002, and set a team record for completions in 2003 (298). Maddox's story is truly remarkable. From being a backup to Elway for a few years to an XFL star, he has accomplished quite a lot. But the fact of the matter is that he is a one-hit wonder, or in this case, a one-year wonder. In 2002, he was amazing, named comeback player of the year in 2002. In 2003 he was still pretty good, but nothing like the 2002 season. Face it Steeler fans, he was a one year wonder, BUT this gives them no reason to throw trash on his lawn or boo him in a game. He is a Pittsburgh Steeler, he plays in the NFL. Hey, who knows if he had come to the NFL a few years earlier maybe he wouldn't be playing as badly as he is now. He was a one-year wonder and he is quite old now. Ever since Maddox lost the job to Roethlisberger, people have brutally hated Maddox, but do they forget what he did for us? He was our starting QB for two years, and was a lot better in those two years then Kordell Stewart was for most of his quarterbacking career. Yes Maddox is bad, yes he is not playing well, but then again, look what he did for us. There are also other issues that have led to Maddox's bad play this year. When Maddox played the Ravens, he was given almost no time, and their was no way he or even Ben Roethlisberger could of gotten a good enough pass off. We saw that same bad offensive line against the Colts on Monday, so I think some Maddox-haters may need to back off a little bit. Roethlisberger was not able to get many passes off so how was Maddox going to? Yes, two different defenses, but to me there was no difference, it showed how weak the Steelers offensive line is this year (which hasn't been an issue before but it now suddenly has become one). Another issue that most Pittsburgh Steeler fans look past is the play calling. I find myself saying "Why did they do that" many times while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers play, it is extremely frustrating. Out of all the people I would ever blame for a game, Bill Cowher would be the last, but guess what? I blame the loss to the Colts on Bill Cowher. I blame the loss to the Ravens on Bill 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Cowher (in combination with the offensive line of course). Wow I never thought I would blame the godly Bill Cowher for somethingWe all can sit here and say "Maddox is a bum" but he is in the NFL. He is in no way a bum. He may be out of football next year, but either way, in my mind Maddox was a temporary hero to the Steelers, and I will never hate him. Pittsburgh Steelers fans are frustrated right now, we are losing games that we shouldn't, but don't put all the blame on people like Tommy Maddox.

San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith Frank Gore Julian Peterson Brandon Lloyd

Since the San Francisco 49ers had exactly zero representatives at Sunday's Pro Bowl I thought that now would be a good time to ponder about current 49ers that might make it to Hawaii in '07.There are two guys that have already been to the Pro Bowl and could make a return next year. The first is linebacker Julian Dallas Cowboys jersey
Peterson. The former All-Pro defender seems to be fully recovered from the Achilles injury that sidelined him for most of 2004 and could be poised for another breakout season. The second is kicker Joe Nedney. The only reason he didn't make it back this year was because of the nearly perfect season turned in by Arizona's Neil Rackers. He should be in the running once again in '07.Also, there are two young offensive players who showed flashes of brilliance this past season and could earn a ticket to Hawaii if they can produce on a consistent basis in '06. The first is wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. He has shown an ability to make the eye-popping reception and put up big numbers in individual games, but he must now show that he can produce from week to week. 48 receptions for 733 yards and 5 touchdowns is good, but he'll need to up those numbers and lead his team to victory more often in order to be a Pro Bowler. The second is Frank Gore. He finished the season with an astounding 4.8 yds-per-carry average and showed game breaking ability with his electrifying 72-yard touchdown run against Washington in week seven. Now he has to prove that he has the durability to sustain that level of play as a full time starter in the NFL. Lastly, there's quarterback Alex Smith. 4 Brett Favre White jersey
It is highly unlikely that he will make the Pro Bowl roster in 2007, especially since he only managed to throw one touchdown pass in all of 2006. Still, a man can dream can't he?In all seriousness, expect Smith to show an Eli Manning type of improvement in his second year in the league. His success may very well be the key factor that gets Gore and Lloyd into the Pro Bowl next year and brings the 49ers back to respectability.

San Francisco 49ers Vernon Davis

Fantasy owners who bought into the hype and selected tight end Vernon Davis in 2006 looked like geniuses after Week 1. In a loss to Arizona, Davis caught five passes and turned a 7-yard completion over the middle into a 31-yard touchdown that showed why some have pegged him as 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
the tight end position's next breakout star.But after that, Davis' season was plagued by injury and inconsistency, and he never looked as comfortable for more than the occasional play or two for the duration of the year. Excluding Week 1, Davis caught only 15 passes (two for touchdowns) in nine more games and looked disinterested on more than one occasion. For all of Davis' fantasy potential, one thing that seemed lacking from his game last year was concentration, as he often dropped catchable balls and ran before securing the reception.So what will it take for the soon-to-be second-year man to maximize his fantasy and real-life potential? Without a doubt Davis needs more time on the field. Not only will it help him develop and become comfortable, but it will also greatly aid youthful quarterback Alex Smith, who needs productive offensive weapons.Tight end is one of the deepest positions in fantasy football, meaning that there isn't much separation between the statistical leader and middle-of-the-pack performers. Because the production is so similar across the board, with the exceptions being Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez, a gamebreaker like Davis is a rare commodity who could make you look like a genius if selected in the middle rounds and beyond.Outside of Gates and Gonzalez, it really becomes a matter of opinion when filling out a top-10 ranking for tight ends. Currently, mine looks like this:1. Antonio Gates2. Tony Gonzalez3. Alge Crumpler4. Kellen Winslow5. Jeremy Shockey6. Todd Heap7. Chris Cooley8. Jason Witten9. Desmond Clark10. Ben Watson Davis arguably has the most upside of any TE on the market, and his somewhat disappointing rookie season could make him a steal.If nothing else, he gives the 49ers a legitimate go-to receiver near the goal line who can capitalize on mismatches, which should translate into at least four or five scores inside the red zone. Davis can score from anywhere on the field and, with the exception of Gates, may be the only tight end in the league who is capable of breaking long plays with his legs. This means that Davis will also get opportunities to carry the ball on the occasional reverse, translating to more production and equaling more points for fantasy owners. Adding deep threat wide receiver Ashley Lelie via free agency on the outside opens up the middle of the field for Davis to operate, where he should be able to use his speed and strength to abuse matchups with linebackers. And if 49ers running 36 Bettis White Jersey
back Frank Gore has the same type of year in 2007 as he did in '06, Davis could excel with the play-action pass and beat opposing defenses for long gains. The sharp learning curve for rookie wide receivers in the NFL dictates that success isn't achieved until at least Year Three. Davis is essentially a wideout in a tight end's body, so some difficulty was to be expected. Davis' physical gifts and optimum health make a 60-catch, 800-yard, six-touchdown season a reasonable expectation for production in '07.Questions? Comments? E-mail the writer at peide Get daily San Francisco 49ers coverage, all offseason long

Jacksonville Jaguars "Under-the-radar Jaguars game balls to..."

There's one every year: That team that finishes the season with double digits in the win column yet somehow undiscovered and undiscussed by the media at-large. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007 Jacksonville Jaguars!CBS' Kevin Harlan ticked one off the sportscaster cliché list with the first line of Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
the national broadcast, stating the Jaguars-Buffalo Bills game on Sunday had "playoff implications." Perhaps with the definitive 36-14 drubbing administered by Jacksonville, folks are noticing that the implication the 8-3 Jags are making is that they're already in the playoffs and are looking for a comfy soft on the bracket.No matter if they did this week; if the don't bring their 'A' game next Sunday, lots will be paying prime attention to the AFC's potential No. 3 seed in small-market Florida.Nice game, Jaguars. Enjoy your stint above the radar, and early wishes of "good luck in the playoffs." This week, game balls go to...Offense. Has it really been that long since Fred Taylor was the undisputed go-to guy in the Jaguars' offense? It seems like forever. No matter; Taylor ate up the Bills' defense early and often. Taylor's 50-yard first-quarter dash for the TD to set Jacksonville's winning pace is the clip that'll make all the highlight reels, to be sure, but check out his work on the Cats' late first-half scoring drive: An 11-yard Taylor run takes the Jaguars into Buffalo territory and forces the Bills to burn a timeout. Two plays later, Taylor makes a nice grab for 9 yards; finally, with the playbook open on second-and-1, Taylor barrels through the gooey soft center of Buffalo for 10, into the red zone at the 15.All in all, Taylor put in 105 of the Jags' 198 total yards in the first half. On a day when Maurice Jones-Drew goes for 10 yards on 10 carries with most tries amassing negative yardage, Jacksonville needed an effort like this out of Taylor. Game ball.Incidentally, David Garrard looked pretty good, too. For the second straight week, Garrard turned in a stat line once in absolute opposition to Jaguaresque play, going 23 of 37 for 296 yards, one TD and no picks. Plus, his best effort came well before this one turned into a laugher: Garrard started the game 10 of 13 for 80 yards, and the Jaguars converted 7 of 9 third-down opportunities in the first half. The stat-padding 59-yarder in the fourth to Reggie Williams was just icing on the cake.For the season, Garrard has improved on his 2006 accuracy by five percentage points and his QB rating has jumped from 80.5 last season to 103.1; most impressive of all, Garrard has thrown exactly zero picks this season. How long before the greater public notices the nice numbers and swell leadership qualities in Garrard? No matter; he'll just keeping leading the Jaguars to victories like this one. Game ball.Defense. Like Taylor, Justin Durant came ready to play. Snap No. 1 for the Bills saw Durant smother Anthony Thomas for a 4-yard loss, a play that pretty much described the afternoon for Buffalo's offense. Play two had J.P. Losman go to Josh Reed on Durant's side for some hurting and just about 2 yards.The rookie LB finished with eight tackles and an interception, turning in a nearly perfect game save getting posterized by Thomas on a spin move for the Bills' second-quarter touchdown. Game ball anyway.Toss one Sammy Knight's direction for his early game interception, his fifth of the year. (His career high for a season is seven.) Jamaal Fudge gets one, too, for his heads-up takeaway "fumble recovery" which averted potential first-half disaster when Jones-Drew couldn't convert on the gutsy fourth-and-1 call.Finally, how about big Paul Spicer's resurrection? When the behemoth DE picked his 300 pounds up off Losman, statisticians could record Spicer's first sack since his amazing Week 7 performance against Indianapolis, in which he was the only Jaguar who could find Peyton Manning. Where has this guy been? Game ball.Special teams. The easy choice for the game ball is typically the place-kicker, especially if 4 Brett Favre White jersey
you're giving fantasy points. But consider the effect Josh Scobee had on the Jaguars on Sunday: His five field goals came on Jacksonville's first five trips inside the red zone. When the offense couldn't punch the ball in - It's slightly baffling why Taylor wasn't gone to more often when in scoring position, but hindsight is 20/20, eh? - Scobee got the job done. Game ball.Next week, the game that pretty much determines the Jaguars' fate this season. Bring on the Colts!Givin' 'em all a game ball year-round