According to standard scoring fantasy football leagues, Wes Welker of New England Patriots is the top scoring wide receiver. He is also one of two receivers to have over 100 fantasy points in just 6 games. The other receiver is Calvin Johnson A.K.A Megatron of the Detroit Lions. After 6 games, Welker has 6 more fantasy points that Johnson with the next closest receiver behind Johnson by 25 points. Wes Welker was not pre-ranked by many experts and fans as a top 10 receiver in the league but after the first 6 games, he has easily proven himself to be along the elite in the NFL. In 4 of the 6 games so far this season, Welker has had over 120 yards and has put a touchdown per game. While Calvin Johnson has more touchdowns so far, his total yards and receptions don’t even match up to Welker’s. For those owners who play in a PPR league (point per reception,) Wes Welker would be considered a fantasy gold mine with the amount of catches he has already had in this young season.

Granted the season is still young, the Patriots and Wes Welker don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, which is a good sign for Welker’s future fantasy projections. Not only does Welker have all-pro hands, his speed and yards after the catch are what has made him the best fantasy wide receiver in the NFL up to this point. Like stated before, there a few other wide receivers who are chomping at the bit to take over the league’s top spot, but the 5′ 9″ former Texas Tech Red Raider has all the tools to be fantasy dynamite for the remaining 11 weeks of the season.

The Kansas City Chiefs are not expected to be as dynamic on offense this year without Charlie Weis calling plays so you may be able to see the Denver Broncos improve their defense enough to win the AFC. Most prognosticators like the approach that John Fox takes on

the defensive side of the ball and he is known as a player’s coach. Can John Fox get the most out of players like Braxton Kelley and make sure that other linebackers like Robert Ayers live up to the hype that they got when they happened to come out of college. Robert Ayers can be a key linebacker for them if he just plays with more confidence and thus takes his ability to a whole new level.

Brian Dawkins has been an absolute professional during his time with the Denver Broncos and throughout his sixteen year career. It will be key to see if Dawkins, who is a leader from the safety position will buy into the system that John Fox happens to bring to the table. If Dawkins does not buy into the defensive scheme, then this can mean trouble for Fox because Brian Dawkins has an opinion that happens to carry a lot of weight on the defensive side of the ball. The new defensive coach staff has to be able to make the necessary evaluations of the talent and they may decide that someone like Dan Morgan who played for Fox in Carolina may be a great free agent to bring in.

Dawkins and his mentoring skills can be very important in helping the development of players like Kyle McCarthy and Nick Polk in that secondary.

In 2010, the 49ers finished 13th in the National Football League in total defense giving up an average of 328 yards per game. The San Fransisco rush defense was ranked 6th in the league allowing only 97 yards per game. The pass defense was abysmal. The 49ers ranked 24th in pass defense giving up more than 230 yards per game.

San Fransisco has not made any major roster changes so far this off season but look for them to be a major player on the free agent market as they seek to upgrade their roster. The two areas of great need for the team are in the secondary and along the defensive

line. Corner Nate Clements is overpaid and on the decline. The 31 year old’s best days are behind him. The other corner, Shawntee Spencer, is inconsistent at best. Look for San Fransisco to draft a guy like Prince Amukamara out of Nebraska. He is a tremendously talented player with the potential to develop into a shut down type guy. He had a great performance at the combine in February. He is fast, tenacious, and physical

The studs of the 49er defense in 2011 figure to be linebacker Patrick Willis and defensive tackle Justin Smith. The 26 year old Willis is a true star in the making. In 2010, Willis led the team in tackles with 128. He also had 6 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Look for him to continue to improve and be the leader of the defense in 2011 as he enters his prime. Justin Smith is a 31 year old anchor on the line with plenty of fuel left in the tank. Last year, he led the 49ers in sacks with 8.5 and also contributed 70 tackles. He can be counted on to be solid in the middle.

If San Fransisco can upgrade their secondary and their defensive line and get more pressure on the quarterback, look for them to improve on their 2010 performance. A new coach and some talented newcomers should help this team contend for a division title.

There is no telling how good or bad Vancouver can be in their inaugural season because they don’t have enough information about the players they will be fielding this year. They will not have the advantage of having experienced players on the pitch, but sometimes it can be an advantage to have unknown players. They do not have reputations yet and other sides will not know what to expect.

The players will also not have egos, and so they will have a lot to prove, and therefore they will be playing their hardest for all ninety minutes. Still, it’s important not to have big expectations for coach Teitur Thordarson in his first year leading the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. One of the few known entities in Vancouver is goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who has been in the league since 1999, and while Cannon is not the best goalie in MLS history is a veteran and proven player who’s experience and

leadership will be necessary for Vancouver to have success this year, especially playing such a critical position. Playing in front of Cannon is defender Jay DeMerit. Despite being a newcomer to MLS, DeMerit has plenty of experience playing in England as well as with the U.S. national team, playing in last year’s World Cup in South America. His hard-nosed style be a great example for younger players, as the Whitecaps will have to be stingy defensively to have success in their first season.

While the defense for Vancouver could be pretty solid, scoring goals is where they may have their biggest problems. This is where the inexperience should really come into play, having few players who are proven goal scorers in Major League Soccer. They will have many players looking to prove that they can score at this level, but until they have a few players actually do so, there will be questions as to how good they can be. However, in the event that Vancouver Whitecaps FC gets some goal scoring out of their young forwards and midfielders, they should have the defense to be a team to be reckoned with in their inaugural season as they build their way towards an MLS championship.

The New Orleans Saints are only one year removed from a Super Bowl victory. There are two ways to look at this situation. The first way is to say that they won their Super Bowl, lost their motivation, and are beginning their descent. The other way to look at it is that they have all the talent in the world and that they took the Seahawks too lightly in the first round of last year’s playoffs. If you go for the latter reasoning, then you would expect them to avoid making the same mistake twice. The bottom line for the Saints is that they have one of the best QBs in the game, a great running game, and excellent receivers, but they’re way too soft on defense. This seems to be a common theme in the NFL these days. It’s not because of

decreased talent. It’s because offenses have become more with their air attacks. The Saints have too much talent to fall apart. They should bounce back strong and win the division.

The Atlanta Falcons may have won the NFC South last season, but are they really in great shape going into next season? They have Matt Ryan and Roddy White, but Michael Turner is always injured and Tony Gonzalez is old enough to walk with a cane. On defense, they have a bend-don’t-break defense that often breaks in the second half. They are a solid team, but they’re not as talented as the Saints.

The Buccaneers have Josh Freeman leading the way at QB and he’s very good. They also have some quality young receivers and a solid running game. What the average NFL fan might not know is that they have been quietly revamping their defense. Instead of going for a championship with older veterans for one season, the Buccaneers are taking the wise approach – they’re taking their time to build a dynasty. That said, they still have two years before they get there.

The Panthers have the worst QBs in the league, an aging receiving corps, and a pretty bad defense. The only thing they really have is good RBs. However, without a passing game, defenses will put 8 in the box. It’s going to be a long year for the Panthers.

NFC South Predictions

Saints 12-4
Falcons 10-6
Buccaneers 8-8
Panthers 2-14

He may also focus with the process of combating domestic violence in a place like Miami or New Orleans. He previously played for the New Orleans Saints before he was traded and signed to a big contract with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are going to have to decide what Ricky Williams can bring to them.

I was actually under the impression that Ricky Williams still has a year left on his contract, but he does like his relationship with Ronnie Brown as a backup for the Miami Dolphins and many believe that Ricky is just trying to recoup some of the money that he lost during his first botched retirement.

It could be possible although highly unlikely that Ricky Williams would be willing to sign a contract in order to be a backup for the New

Orleans Saints. Sean Payton happens to be someone who would be willing to bring in a guy like Ricky Williams as a backup in case someone like Ladell Betts or Pierre Thomas are either not brought back or they happen to not perform well then Ricky Williams may be willing to come back to New Orleans and play a more limited role then the one he played under Mike Ditka or Jim Haslett. Jim Haslett and others within the Saints organization probably were able to deal with Ricky in the way that they wanted or that they did with other players in the organization at that time.

There are a lot of people out there who did not realize that Ricky Williams suffered from manic depression and social anxiety disorder so this is why he was not friendlier to some of his Saints teammates or some of the media out there in the city of New Orleans.

The fact of the matter is that Ricky Williams is someone who can contribute to a football team and in fact do well and build a lot of positive press again in a city like Miami. One question you have to ask is whether or not the Miami Dolphins and head coach Tony Sparano are serious about building a winner. Ricky will have to evaluate this situation and see what exactly his priorities truly are.

Last season the Sounders suffered a rash of injuries, including to Brad Evans, a potential US International and central midfield partner

with Alonso, so with more regularity this year, Alonso might be able to develop his offensive attack to couple with his stellar defensive play. In addition to his defensive midfield duties, Alonso has started to take free kicks for the sounders as well. This is a welcome addition to his responsibilities for sounders fans, who have suffered through a series of inept players wasting great offensive opportunities, going all the way back to part time soccer player and full time underwear model Freddy Ljungberg.

Of course no conversation of the Seattle Sounders can be completed without mentioning Kasey Keller, the seasoned international Goalkeeper. His leadership and skill is invaluable to the team and to younger player who need a role model for hard working professionals, but with this being his last season before he retires, Alonso’s will definitely be the moving force behind the Sounders for years to come.

players like this that perform the best. They will do whatever it takes to get to the top. One thing is for sure, we won’t be seeing James Jones playing for the Packers in the 2011-2012 season. They have way too many receivers and they don’t need to deal with Jones calling for the spotlight. So, where will Jones end up?

Don’t be surprised if James Jones ends up on the Cleveland Browns. They are an improving team with a horrendous receiving corps. Jones would immediately take over the #1 role and the Browns would immediately get a real threat at wideout. Both parties would be pleased with this transaction. Another possibility is the Minnesota Vikings, but this will depend on Sidney Rice. If Rice finds another place to play and Jones is still available, Jones might end up in enemy territory. A third yet less likely scenario is that Jones goes to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are going to start from scratch with their receivers. They finally realized that TO and Ochocinco are circus acts and a constant distraction. Despite wanting to be #1, Jones is not like that. He’s a hard worker who does what he is told.

2010 stats for James Jones: 50 receptions, 679 yards, 13.6-yard average, 5 TDs.

The Rams may be best served by taking a chance on a player like Clinton Portis. If he has anything left in the tank, he could serve a role

similar to LaDainian Tomlinson’s for the New York Jets. He is a professional and is a great locker room presence that can lighten moods and take pressure off of Jackson.

With another year under their belt, the offensive line should look much better. Chemistry started to develop within the line late in the year and rookie Roger Saffold found his footing within a more experienced unit. The offense will be learning a new system under Josh McDaniels and it looks to be more complicated than Pat Shurmur’s slimmed down attack.

It is easy to foresee McDaniels bringing in some of his favorite players from his stops in Denver and New England. It is also foreseeable that the Rams will take another lineman in the second or third round. They need help at wide receiver and safety, and getting a top flight wideout may be the best thing for the running game. If defenses can no longer put 8-9 man fronts against the Rams, it will make plenty of running lanes for Jackson.
If the Rams land a number one wide receiver, or just get Michael Clayton and Donnie Avery healthy, that could mean great things for the running game.

If one of the backups steps up, or they get a veteran to spell Stephen Jackson, this rushing offense could be a top three squad and move deep into the playoffs.

While the got better about protecting against the run in the latter part of the season, they were regularly gouged by strong runners. When your in a division that includes some of the top runners in the game, you have to be able to stop the run. Look for Indy to pick up Stephen Paea, from Oregon state. He could go a long way towards stopping runners. Beefing up their offensive line should be the first and foremost thing on their minds.

They may however go the other route, and pick up an offensive lineman to help keep Manning safe. Mike Pouncey could be a possibility here. He defiantly takes up space, and he has a very good skill set,

much like his brother in Pittsburgh. He could be a real difference maker when buying Manning some time, or opening a hole for Addai.

Indy could decide to strengthen their defensive backs. With Sanders likely gone the Colts will need someone to fill in that spot full time. They could opt to grab Jimmy Smith out of Colorado. He’s a speedy corner, with great hands, and doesn’t mind making the hard hits. Smith might be hurt by some of his character issues, and that might not make coach Caldwell comfortable.

The Colt are a very solid team, and have very few holes to fill. While their season went to shambles last year the Colts proved that they had decent depth at most of their positions. The most likely scenario sees them fill up the running lanes by taking Paea. While Pouncey may be a consideration the offensive line had not been a huge issue for Indianapolis.

By taking Paea they will seal their biggest hole, and gain some help against the likes of Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Right now Indy needs to find a way to stop these big runners, otherwise they could have a rocky road before them next season.