Vernon Davis

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FANTASY FOOTBALL- 2015-’16: Our Staff’s Five Bust Picks

Posted by fantasyfurnace on August 8, 2015
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 13 Comments

Our Five Top Bust Picks:

  1. DeMarco Murray-RB-Eagles: When Murray was behind the league’s top offensive line in Dallas last season, he ran wild! Not the case this time around in Philadelphia. Besides there being a much less talented O-Line in Philly, Murray will be fighting for carries with Darren Sproles and Ryan Matthews; a whole different sort of level of competition than he had with the Cowboys. Draft with care.
    A completely different look for DeMarco Murray in green but his value could take a hit now that he is removed from the Cowboy's superb O-Line. Photo: Getty Images

    A completely different look for DeMarco Murray in green but his value could take a hit now that he is removed from the Cowboy’s superb O-Line. Photo: Twitter.com

  2. Julius Thomas-Tight End-Jaguars: Besides the fact that Thomas has yet to play more than 14 games in a season, he didn’t even net 500 yards in 13 appearances last season! And that’s with Peyton Manning heaving the rock! Thomas will be more a Marcedes Lewis-like TE ( in terms of fantasy points) in Jacksonville with Blake Bortles under center. Just don’t expect the Thomas of old.
  3. Nick Foles-QB-Rams: The only way we can describe the receiving talent in St. Louis in one word would be “average”. The oft-injured Foles, will be under the leadership of a Jeff Fisher team which has a propensity to just pound the rock. Couldn’t get more opposite going from a Chip Kelly machine gun- like offense to the aforementioned Jeff Fisher, which will not help Foles’ cause one bit.
  4. Coby Fleener-Tight End-Colts: We can feel the eyes rolling a bit with this prospective bust pick but, come on, Andrew Luck already had a Quarterback’s dream receiving corps and that was BEFORE this year’s acquisitions of Andre Johnson and Phillip Dorsett. Just not going to be enough opportunities for Fleener with the multi-options at Luck’s disposal. A much better pick at TE would be Vernon Davis who is just two-years removed from a 13 TD season, and who has been going unbelievably late in drafts.
  5. Peyton Manning-QB-Broncos: Is it sacrilege to even ‘suggest’ that Peyton will be a bust? Perhaps. After all he is a legend in the NFL, however here is what we’re looking at: Last December, Manning threw for just 3 touchdowns while serving up 6 interceptions. Couple that with the loss of LT Ryan Clady who is out for the year and Manning’s age (40) and well, we think you need to be careful and not overpay for a name as sexy as Peytons…
    #18 Peyton Manning...are his best years behind him following one of his worst career Decembers last season? The Furnace thinks fantasy owners should not overpay for this NFL super-star. Photo: USA TODAY

    #18 Peyton Manning…are his best years behind him following  his worst career December last season? The Furnace thinks fantasy owners should not overpay for this NFL super-star. Photo: USA TODAY

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NFC Championship Game

Posted by fantasyfurnace on January 19, 2013
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 20 Comments

We have decided to go with the 49ers, the first team in nearly 30 years to be a road favorite! There has to be a reason for that. Let’s break down why we think that San Francisco will face the Patriots in the Super Bowl…nfc-championship

The ‘new breed’ of quarterback in 2012 has made for some exciting football although for the Falcons, they have created havoc. This season alone they split the season series with the Panthers and  Cam Newton, and came within a hair of defeat against Russell Wilson. Cam Newton’s Panthers rolled up almost 900 yards of total offense in their two games vs the Falcons while the elusive QB rushed for over 200 yards and two TD’s vs them. He also passed for a combined total of 502 yards and 4 TD’s. Similarly, Wilson passed for 385 yards and two scores while rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown.

RGIII, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are part of the new breed of QB that has given the Falcons fits. Photo: nfl.com

RGIII, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are part of the new breed of QB that has given the Falcons fits at times. Photo: nfl.com

What stands out even more than these quarterback’s abilities to dominate Atlanta, is the implosion of the team in the second half of last week’s game. Up by 20 at the half, when it became 27-14,  the Falcons went three and out, three and out, and four and out. Of course that was followed by the two passes against Seattle’s prevent-defense and the Bryant field goal to miraculously end the game, but that kind of collapse exposed the Falcons to some extent. With Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore and upstart WR Michael Crabtree to deal with, another collapse like that and it might result in a much different outcome.

And the 49ers have another weapon in veteran TE Vernon Davis. Atlanta could not contain Seahawk’s TE Zach Miller last week who burned them for 8 receptions good for 142 yards and a touchdown.

#85 TE Vernon Davis, who didn't have one of his best seasons, always shines in big games. Photo: cbcsports.com

#85 TE Vernon Davis, who didn’t have one of his best seasons, always shines in big games. Photo: cbcsports.com

Although listed as questionable, Defensive End, and staunch pass rusher John Abraham will play on Sunday but it’s not clear for how long or just how effective he will be. He is 13th in the NFL with 122 career sacks, however he hasn’t had one since November 29th in the game vs New Orleans. Abraham only played in 15 snaps last week and was limited in practices this week but his presence will be a huge lift to the home team if he plays well. Not nearly being at full strength will just make things easier for Kaepernick.

We’re going with the 49ers in this one, who came ‘this close’ to winning the NFC Championship game last year, and look forward to a “shoot ’em up” exciting game this Sunday, followed by an appearance in New Orleans in the Super Bowl.

NFC Championship Prediction

Posted by fantasyfurnace on January 21, 2012
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

We were ‘money’ once again last week as we went 3-1 for the second week of playoffs. Here are our picks for this Sunday’s NFC  conference championship game…

Giants over 49ERS- Funny how when the season began, following all the sexy additions made by the Philadelphia Eagles, that they were considered a ‘Dream Team’. It’s now the third week of January and we’re going into the last round of the playoffs; just 60 minutes away from the Super Bowl, and the N.Y. Football Giants have been more of a ‘Dream Team’ while the Eagles were more of a ‘Scheme Team’. Ironic…

First of all, this weekend all Giants fans ought to be very proud of their team. Mainly for the way they have turned it up a notch over their past four games in particular with wins over the Jets, Cowboys, Falcons, and the Packers. Suffice it to say, ‘Big Mo’ is totally on their side. And usually the team that’s the hottest going into the playoffs (think Green Bay last year), fares the best.

For San Francisco, kudos to Niner’s General Manager Trent Baalke for helping to turn around a franchise that hadn’t been to a playoff game in over a decade. From his signing of Jim Harbaugh who was coaching at Stanford, to 1st round pass rusher Aldon Smith who recorded 14 sacks this year, one less than the rookie record for sacks. From his decision to bring Alex Smith back for a one year deal to his signing of veteran kicker specialist David Akers. All the Baalke moves under Harbough’s coaching had transformed a 6-10 team of a year ago into a 13-3 team just one game away from the Super Bowl.

Even with the vast improvements to the club, the 49ers with all their talent simply do not have the depth of weapons that the Giants posses.  “There’s Davis and Gore and not much more.” WR Michael Crabtree, their WR1 has compiled 874 yards on the season and 4 TD’s. His problem is he has always had a case of the ‘dropsies’ and it doesn’t get any better further down the depth chart; WR Kyle Williams 241-3 and Ted Ginn Jr. 220-0. Compare these wideouts to the Giants core of Nicks 1192-7, Cruz 1556-9, and Manningham 523-4 and there really is no comparison.

WR Michael Crabtree had three dropped passes vs the Saints last week (in 'perfect' weather) and loses one here vs the Raiders earlier this season. Photo: raidernationstation.com

Ah, but they have RB Frank Gore you say… Well his numbers are good; 1211 yards-8 TD’s. However, when compared to the combined 1220-16 that ‘Thunder & Lightning’, Bradshaw & Jacobs put up then Gore’s numbers are not as impressive. That leaves TE Vernon “I’m planning a post playoff game party” Davis who tallied 792 yards & 6 TD’s. Nice, but when you total TE Jake Ballard and Travis Beckham’s numbers they’re almost in line with Davis’; 700yards & 5 TD’s.

Which brings us to Alex Smith vs Eli Manning. Smith, while being an efficient quarterback this season and one not prone to turnovers (just 5 interceptions), finished the year passing for 3144 yards and 17 TD’s. Eli, a more clutch QB, having more come from behind 4th quarter victories this year than in most of Alex Smith’s career, finished the season with an amazing 4933 yards and 29 TD’s. Clearly the edge at quarterback, as well as total offense has to go to the Giants.

IT will be Eli Manning vs Alex Smith tomorrow in the NFC Championship game. Weather will not keep Eli from coming through in the clutch. Photo: CBS NY image

Defensively, the Niners are in the top three in the league but they still gave up 32 points last week to the Saints and 27 to the St. Louis Rams in the last game of the regular season; a game they almost lost. The Giants have given up 20 points-in their last TWO games combined! And the last one was to one of the most prolific scoring teams in the NFL; the Green Bay Packers. And just 14 apiece to the Jets and the Cowboys before that. That’s an average of just 12 points a game in their last four!

The Niners don’t have the pass rushing type of personnel like Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul. Where they do match up very well is with their linebacking core. They can get off the block as quickly as anyone in the league and, like the Giants, are a relentless, hard-hitting group.

So why did the Giants lose to the 49ers back in November? Simply put, they played the game without Ahmad Bradshaw, lost Aaron Ross near halftime, and were without standout Linebacker Michael Boley for half the game. In fact, when Boley got injured, S.F. scored 14 points in a span of just 61 seconds! And the Giants still could have tied the game with just 30 seconds left if not for a pass intended for a wide open Vuctor Cruz in the endzone been batted down.

Tomorrow, whether it rains or sleets, or hails, or snows, the Giants will win this game. Remember, if you are going to factor in the weather conditions, San Francisco has to play in the same conditions as the Giants. And it will be harder to tackle the elite receiving core of the Giants as they know where they’re going to run- the Niners defense doesn’t. And when you’re forced to make cuts as a back, that’s when you lose your footing the most. We’re hoping for a great game and one that’s officiated fairly…

Game-Set-Match-Big Blue!

This is the Trophy the Giants and the Niners will be playing for on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. Photo: sbnation.com