TheDailyBlitz.com

Based (at least in part) on the (un)availability of Radio City Music Hall in New York City in April, the 2014 NFL Draft will be held a few weeks later than usual (May 8-10) this year.

From now until May 8th, I will make weekly updates to this mock and include additional rounds as we get closer. Ultimately, the goal will be a full seven-round mock draft.

With the start of the NFL free-agency roughly one week away (March 11th), however, team needs for many franchises could change significantly over the next couple of weeks. That said, this mock draft is based on what we know up to this point.

Follow me on Twitter (@EDSFootball) to keep track of my mock (and all other site) updates.

For a second opinion (sort of), check out a collaboration mock I did in early February with Sean Beazley, who picked for AFC teams, while I picked for NFC teams. For even more mocks, check out our 2014 NFL Mock Draft Database.

Without further ado, here is my 2014 NFL Mock Draft:

1. Houston Texans (draft history): Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida

Possessing much more talent than last year's record suggests, the Texans were a popular pick to win the division and possibly get to (or even win) the Super Bowl. Instead, the Texans closed the season with a franchise-record 14-game losing streak, fired their head coach and benched starting quarterback Matt Schaub.

While neither Schaub nor Case Keenum is the long-term answer at quarterback, the good news is head coach Bill O'Brien and the new Texans coaching staff own the top pick, which would allow them to potentially start the next era of the franchise's history with their own guy.

When asked who the Texans will select with the first overall pick, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle previously tweeted: "Each day I get asked multiple times: Who are Texans drafting? I tell them 1 of the 3 top QBs. Forget about any other position."

As tempting as it may be to pair one physical freak, J.J. Watt, with another, Jadeveon Clowney, I agree with McClain that quarterback is going to be the pick. The question remains, however: Which one of the three?

While Teddy Bridgewater is the most polished quarterback in this class and Johnny Manziel may be the most exciting (and polarizing), neither has the upside of Bortles, who possesses the prototypical measurements of the position.

[Related Poll: Vote here on which player the Texans will draft with the first overall pick.]

2. St. Louis Rams (via WAS)(draft history): Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn

With the draft two months away, there is one thing that is certain: St. Louis will attempt to trade down from this slot to acquire additional picks. In an ideal world, the Rams, who own two top-13 picks, would like to move down a few spots and still get one of the top two offensive tackles while acquiring additional draft picks in the process.

If they are unable to move down, it would be hard to pass up on Jadeveon Clowney, the top prospect on our consensus big board, but the Rams had 53 sacks (third in NFL) last year and already have a dynamic duo of Robert Quinn and Chris Long at defensive end.

Meanwhile, Robinson has the upside to be a dominant left tackle for the next decade and it's a position of need for the Rams. Not only is left tackle Jake Long recovering from a torn ACL, but right tackle Rodger Saffold will be an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.

Although the Tigers did not throw often, Robinson has all of the physical tools to develop as a pass blocker: elite size (6-5, 332 pounds), arm length (35 inches) and athleticism (4.92 40-yard dash). And one of the biggest (literally) reasons that Auburn led the nation in rushing offense was Robinson.

His college teammate Avery Young, brother of Lions DL Willie Young, said (via al.com): "Greg's a beast. He's so strong. At the same time, he's so athletic. The only person I know who can do backflips at his size."

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (draft history): Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

There would be some debate here for the Jaguars as they really need a franchise quarterback, but I can't see them passing up a talent like Clowney. If so, they could look for someone like Jimmy Garropolo with their early second-round pick.

Not only was Clowney's motivation and effort questioned last season, but his on-field production dropped significantly — 23.5 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks in 2012; only 10.5 TFL and 3.0 sacks in 2013. That said, opposing defenses schemed to slow down Clowney with double and triple teams.

Viewed as a once-in-a-decade type of defensive line prospect, Clowney is a physical freak that ran an official 4.53 (unofficial 4.47) 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.

The Jags were tied with the Bears for last in the league in sacks (31), but Clowney is a major step towards significantly upgrading Gus Bradley's pass rush.

4. Cleveland Browns (draft history): Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

The Browns have several young talented players, but it's been a long time since they've had a franchise quarterback. Since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, the Browns have had a league-leading (or really a league-worst) 20 starting quarterbacks.

Even though they (a previous regime -- technically, multiple regimes ago) selected Brandon Weeden in the first round in 2012, he is not in the team's long-term plans. On the other hand, Brian Hoyer played well before an ACL injury sidelined him for the rest of the season and he has a shot to be the team's starter in Week 1 even if they draft a quarterback like I'm projecting here.

While some may question his frame and/or his level of competition, Bridgewater is a highly accurate passer with the ability to make all of the throws and possesses all of the intangibles and leadership you'd want in a franchise quarterback. The most polished quarterback in this year's draft class, Bridgewater remains my top-ranked quarterback prospect even if he isn't the first one off the board.

5. Oakland Raiders (draft history): Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

Left tackle Jared Veldheer is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Although the Raiders drafted Menelik Watson in the second round last year, Robinson could be the pick especially if the team doesn't re-sign Veldheer.

Matthews, the son of Hall-of-Famer Bruce, was a first-team AP All-American in 2013 one year after sliding over from right tackle to protect Johnny Football.

* DraftKings: Play Daily Fantasy Sports and get a 100-percent bonus (up to $600) on your initial deposit.

6. Atlanta Falcons (draft history): Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo

Perhaps the Falcons will be the team to move up in a trade with the Rams in order to secure a prospect like Clowney. In fact, Clowney is hoping for it.

Whether they do or don't trade up for Clowney, it's clear they need to improve their pass rush. Only two teams — the Bears and Jaguars (31 each) — had fewer sacks last season than the Falcons (32), who were tied with the Texans. The only player on the roster with more than five sacks in 2013 was Osi Umenyiora (7.5 sacks), who will be a free agent after the upcoming season.

One of college football's most productive players ever, Mack is the all-time leader in forced fumbles (16) and is tied for the most tackles for loss (75) in NCAA history. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah recently compared Mack to Green Bay's Clay Matthews.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (draft history): Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

While character concerns dropped Mike Williams in the draft three years ago, there was a report that Williams racked up more than $200,000 in fines for being late to meetings or missing rehab days last year. Even though Vincent Jackson has been highly productive (2,608 yards in his two seasons), he turned 31 years old last month.

With Watkins, the Bucs get the clear-cut top receiver prospect in this year's draft. Bouncing back from a disappointing sophomore campaign, Watkins had 101 catches for 1,464 and 12 touchdowns and closed out his collegiate career with a record-setting performance (16-227-2) in the Orange Bowl.

8. Minnesota Vikings (draft history): Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Despite drafting Christian Ponder in the first round a few years ago and re-signing Matt Cassell on Saturday to a two-year contract, the Vikings long-term answer at quarterback is most likely not yet on the roster.

One of the most exciting, improvisational and polarizing players in college football, Manziel, the first-ever freshman Heisman Trophy winner (in 2012), threw for 3,732 yards, 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and ran for another 686 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013.

With the ability to avoid pressure and make plays on the run, Manziel also improved quite a bit as a passer in 2013. In addition, Alabama coach Nick Saban called him one of the most competitive players he has ever faced. That said, Manziel will need to learn (a la Russell Wilson) to better avoid hits instead of seeking that extra yard or two.

9. Buffalo Bills (draft history): Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M

In his sophomore campaign, Evans had 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns with a ton of production against Alabama and Auburn. In those two games combined, Evans had 18 catches for 566 yards and five touchdowns. A big target (6-foot-5, 225 pounds), Evans has been compared to Vincent Jackson and would give the Bills a big red-zone target.

10. Detroit Lions (draft history): Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

Even with two Day 2 picks at corner over the past couple of years, you can never have enough talented cornerbacks and the Lions ranked 23rd in the NFL in passing defense.

The first cornerback off the board in my mock, Dennard, the recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation's best defensive back, and he was a consensus first-team All-American.

While there was some concern about his long speed, Dennard ran a respectable 4.51 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine to help alleviate some of those concerns.

- Continue to picks 11-20 here
- Continue to picks 21-32 here

- Mock Draft Databases: 2014 NFL Mock Draft Database | 2014 NBA Mock Draft Database

- Check out my 2014 NBA mock draft

- Fantasy football rankings: Quarterbacks - Running Backs - Wide Receivers - Tight Ends

To keep track of our updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) LIKE us on Facebook and/or (3) add us to your Google+ circle.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Running back Rashard Mendenhall played last season for the Cardinals and it appears that will be the final season of his career.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mendenhall, who was about to be an unrestricted free agent, has been telling teams that he will retire.

In 15 games last season, Mendenhall carried the ball 217 times for 687 yards and eight touchdowns. His average of 3.2 yards per carry was the lowest of his six-year NFL career.

At the NFL Combine, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said that Andre Ellington had added 10 pounds and that the Cardinals "want to build our offense around him."

Ellington carried the ball 118 times for 652 yards (5.5 YPC) and three touchdowns and added 39 receptions for 371 yards and a touchdown as a rookie.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Green Bay Packers and cornerback Sam Shields have agreed to a four-year deal worth $39 million, according to Pro Football Talk.

In his fourth season in the league, Shields tied his career high with four interceptions. Shields now has 13 interceptions in 53 games over those four seasons. Last year, he also added 61 tackles and 17 passes defended, both of which were also career highs.

Shields, who will turn 27 in December, will earn $15 million in 2014, which will make him the second-highest paid cornerback behind Tampa's Darrelle Revis ($16 million) in 2014.

As ESPN's Rob Demovsky notes, the Packers will have $22.5 million in salary devoted to Shields and Tramon Williams ($7.5 million) in 2014.

The Packers ranked 24th in the NFL in pass defense (247.25 yards per game allowed) last year.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With NFL free agency set to officially begin on Tuesday, teams are able to negotiate with agents of soon-to-be free agents as of noon today.

That said, players that have recently been released are free to negotiate and sign with teams before Tuesday.

Free-agent defensive lineman Red Bryant, who was recently released by the Seahawks, signed a four-year deal today with the Jaguars and will be reunited with his former defensive coordinator as Gus Bradley is now the head coach for the Jaguars.

As John Oehser of the team's website notes, Bryant will compete with Tyson Alualu to start as their strong-side defensive end and Bryant was the 11th-ranked defensive end against the run according to PFF.

In 2013, the Jaguars were tied for last in the league in sacks (31) and were ranked 29th vs. the run (131.8 yards allowed per game).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin has played for a Harbaugh for the past four seasons; and it now appears that he will continue to play for one for another two seasons.

Boldin tweeted earlier today that he was returning to the 49ers:

.@49ers fans, I wanted to be the first to tell you I’m returning to San Francisco - http://t.co/XsGmyZRTSE pic.twitter.com/SgOtlLPTH7

— Anquan Boldin (@AnquanBoldin) March 3, 2014

Per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, the two-year deal between Boldin and the Niners is worth $12 million.

With Michael Crabtree sidelined for most of the season due to his Achilles injury, Boldin led the team in receiving with 85 receptions for 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning broke the single-season records last year for both passing yards and touchdowns previously held by Drew Brees and Tom Brady, respectively.

In the most prolific passing season ever, Manning threw for 5,477 yards, 55 touchdowns and only 10 touchdowns.

Back in 2011, Manning missed the entire season after having four neck surgeries. Considering the uncertainty surrounding his future at that point in time, it makes what he has done over the past two seasons that much more remarkable.

Built into his contract with the Broncos, Manning is required to get his neck checked out each year. Per Mike Klis of the Denver Post, the physical went well today and he was cleared for the 2014 season.

While Manning will likely lose Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno in free agency, which officially opens one week from tomorrow, Manning is the no-brainer choice as my top fantasy quarterback for 2014.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Based (at least in part) on the (un)availability of Radio City Music Hall in New York City in April, the 2014 NFL Draft will be held a few weeks later than usual (May 8-10) this year.

From now until May 8th, I will make weekly updates to this mock and include additional rounds as we get closer. Ultimately, the goal will be a full seven-round mock draft.

With the start of the NFL free-agency roughly one week away (March 11th), however, team needs for many franchises could change significantly over the next couple of weeks. That said, this mock draft is based on what we know up to this point.

Follow me on Twitter (@EDSFootball) to keep track of my mock (and all other site) updates.

For a second opinion (sort of), check out a collaboration mock I did in early February with Sean Beazley, who picked for AFC teams, while I picked for NFC teams. For even more mocks, check out our 2014 NFL Mock Draft Database.

Without further ado, here is my 2014 NFL Mock Draft:

1. Houston Texans (draft history): Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida

Possessing much more talent than last year's record suggests, the Texans were a popular pick to win the division and possibly get to (or even win) the Super Bowl. Instead, the Texans closed the season with a franchise-record 14-game losing streak, fired their head coach and benched starting quarterback Matt Schaub.

While neither Schaub nor Case Keenum is the long-term answer at quarterback, the good news is head coach Bill O'Brien and the new Texans coaching staff own the top pick, which would allow them to potentially start the next era of the franchise's history with their own guy.

When asked who the Texans will select with the first overall pick, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle previously tweeted: "Each day I get asked multiple times: Who are Texans drafting? I tell them 1 of the 3 top QBs. Forget about any other position."

As tempting as it may be to pair one physical freak, J.J. Watt, with another, Jadeveon Clowney, I agree with McClain that quarterback is going to be the pick. The question remains, however: Which one of the three?

While Teddy Bridgewater is the most polished quarterback in this class and Johnny Manziel may be the most exciting (and polarizing), neither has the upside of Bortles, who possesses the prototypical measurements of the position.

[Related Poll: Vote here on which player the Texans will draft with the first overall pick.]

2. St. Louis Rams (via WAS)(draft history): Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

There is one thing that seems certain despite the draft being more than two months away: St. Louis will attempt to trade down from this slot to acquire additional picks. In an ideal world, the Rams, who own two top-13 picks, would like to move down a few spots and still get one of the top two offensive tackles while acquiring additional draft picks in the process.

If they are unable to move down, it would still be hard to pass up on Clowney even if he doesn't fill a position of need. In fact, the Rams ranked third in the NFL with 53 sacks last year. By adding Clowney to the talented defensive end tandem of Robert Quinn and Chris Long, the team's pass rush under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would be relentless as he rotates them in and out.

Not only was Clowney's motivation and effort questioned last season, but his on-field production dropped significantly — 23.5 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks in 2012; only 10.5 TFL and 3.0 sacks in 2013. That said, opposing defenses schemed to slow down Clowney, the top prospect on our consensus big board, with double and triple teams.

Viewed as a once-in-a-decade type of defensive line prospect, Clowney is a physical freak that ran an official 4.53 (unofficial 4.47) 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.

As freakish as his on-field performance was, that wasn't a surprise and what happens behind closed doors during the interviews (and medical checks) is always the most important element(s) of the combine and especially so in Clowney's case.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (draft history): Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

After an 0-8 start before the bye, the Jaguars went .500 in their final eight games and have a few reasons to be optimistic about the direction of the team. One of the reasons for optimism, however, is not their quarterback play. Whether or not Blaine Gabbert is back in 2014, he is not the long-term answer and he is scheduled to become a free agent in 2015.

[On a semi-related note, remember this song? Horrible but funny.]

While some may question his frame and/or his level of competition, Bridgewater is a highly accurate passer with the ability to make all of the throws and possesses all of the intangibles and leadership you'd want in a franchise quarterback. The most polished quarterback in this year's draft class, Bridgewater remains my top-ranked quarterback prospect even if he isn't the first one off the board.

4. Cleveland Browns (draft history): Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

The Browns have several young talented players, but it's been a long time since they've had a franchise quarterback. Since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, the Browns have had a league-leading (or really a league-worst) 20 starting quarterbacks.

Even though they (a previous regime -- technically, multiple regimes ago) selected Brandon Weeden in the first round in 2012, he is not in the team's long-term plans. On the other hand, Brian Hoyer played well before an ACL injury sidelined him for the rest of the season and he has a shot to be the team's starter in Week 1 even if they draft a quarterback like I'm projecting here.

One of the most exciting, improvisational and polarizing players in college football, Manziel, the first-ever freshman Heisman Trophy winner (in 2012), threw for 3,732 yards, 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and ran for another 686 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013.

With the ability to avoid pressure and make plays on the run, Manziel also improved quite a bit as a passer in 2013. In addition, Alabama coach Nick Saban called him one of the most competitive players he has ever faced. That said, Manziel will need to learn (a la Russell Wilson) to better avoid hits instead of seeking that extra yard or two.

5. Oakland Raiders (draft history): Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn

In a best-case scenario for the Raiders, they likely hope that one of the top-three quarterbacks or Clowney falls to them at No. 5. With many holes and areas of need, it's possible that the Raiders go with Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins or Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack here.

That said, left tackle Jared Veldheer is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Although the Raiders drafted Menelik Watson in the second round last year, Robinson could be the pick especially if the team doesn't re-sign Veldheer.

Although the Tigers did not throw often, Robinson has all of the physical tools to develop as a pass blocker: elite size (6-5, 332 pounds), arm length (35 inches) and athleticism (4.92 40-yard dash). And one of the biggest (literally) reasons that Auburn led the nation in rushing offense was Robinson.

His college teammate Avery Young, brother of Lions DL Willie Young, said (via al.com): "Greg's a beast. He's so strong. At the same time, he's so athletic. The only person I know who can do backflips at his size."

6. Atlanta Falcons (draft history): Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo

Perhaps the Falcons will be the team to move up in a trade with the Rams in order to secure a prospect like Clowney. In fact, Clowney is hoping for it.

Whether they do or don't trade up for Clowney, it's clear they need to improve their pass rush. Only two teams — the Bears and Jaguars (31 each) — had fewer sacks last season than the Falcons (32), who were tied with the Texans. The only player on the roster with more than five sacks in 2013 was Osi Umenyiora (7.5 sacks), who will be a free agent after the upcoming season.

One of college football's most productive players ever, Mack is the all-time leader in forced fumbles (16) and is tied for the most tackles for loss (75) in NCAA history. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah recently compared Mack to Green Bay's Clay Matthews.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (draft history): Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

While character concerns dropped Mike Williams in the draft three years ago, there was a report that Williams racked up more than $200,000 in fines for being late to meetings or missing rehab days. Even though Vincent Jackson has been highly productive (2,608 yards in his two seasons), he turned 31 years old last month.

With Watkins, the Bucs get the clear-cut top receiver prospect in this year's draft. Bouncing back from a disappointing sophomore campaign, Watkins had 101 catches for 1,464 and 12 touchdowns and closed out his collegiate career with a record-setting performance (16-227-2) in the Orange Bowl.

8. Minnesota Vikings (draft history): Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

Alternating between Christian Ponder, Josh Freeman and Matt Cassel last season, the Vikings clearly remain unsettled at the position heading into 2014 although they will almost certainly draft a quarterback early in the 2014 draft. In fact, Freeman is a soon-to-be free agent and Cassel has voided his contract to become a free agent.

It's been a phenomenal season for Carr, the brother of former No. 1 overall pick David Carr, as he led the nation in both passing yards (5,082) and passing touchdowns (50) with only eight interceptions. Helped by the style of his offense, Carr threw for 400-plus yards eight times and 500-plus yards twice this season.

Despite the gaudy stats, Carr has the physical tools to potentially be the top quarterback in this year's draft class, but there are also concerns about the level of competition he has faced as well. Against the toughest competition he faced, however, Carr had his worst performance of the season in his last collegiate game: 53.7 completion percentage, 216 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

At the Senior Bowl, however, Carr had an excellent week. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah wrote, "Carr was clearly the top signal-caller during the week of practices and he played at a high level during the game on Saturday afternoon. He had plenty of arm strength to cut through a heavy wind early in the week and he threw the ball accurately both from the pocket and on the move. I talked to a few teams that interviewed him and they came away very impressed with his maturity and football intelligence."

9. Buffalo Bills (draft history): Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

Matthews, the son of Hall-of-Famer Bruce, was a first-team AP All-American in 2013 one year after sliding over from right tackle to protect Johnny Football.

With Cordy Glenn having an excellent season in 2013, the Bills are set on the left side unless they move Glenn over for Matthews. That said, (current) starting right tackle Erik Pears is set to become a free agent after the 2014 season and Matthews has the versatility to play either spot.

10. Detroit Lions (draft history): Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State

Even with two Day 2 picks at corner over the past couple of years, you can never have enough talented cornerbacks and the Lions ranked 23rd in the NFL in passing defense.

The first cornerback off the board in my mock, Dennard, the recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation's best defensive back, and he was a consensus first-team All-American.

While there was some concern about his long speed, Dennard ran a respectable 4.51 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine to help alleviate some of those concerns.

- Continue to picks 11-20 here
- Continue to picks 21-32 here

- Mock Draft Databases: 2014 NFL Mock Draft Database | 2014 NBA Mock Draft Database

- Check out my 2014 NBA mock draft

- Fantasy football rankings: Quarterbacks - Running Backs - Wide Receivers - Tight Ends

To keep track of our updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) LIKE us on Facebook and/or (3) add us to your Google+ circle.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Per Jeremy White of WGR 550, the Buffalo Bills and free safety Jairus Byrd will likely part ways in free agency.

While NFL free agency is set to begin on March 11th, teams can officially negotiate with free agents starting on March 8th. In addition, the Bills also have until 4 p.m. ET on Monday to designate Byrd with the franchise tag (like they did last season).

That said, WGR's White writes that "it's unlikely they'll use the tag and that it's unlikely they'll reach an agreement before that time."

As a rookie, Byrd led the NFL in interceptions (nine) in 2009. During his five-year career, he has a total of 22 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles.

The top safety available in free agency, Byrd has more interceptions than everyone other than Asante Samuel over the past five years. Over the past five seasons, only five players have at least 20 interceptions: Samuel (25), Byrd (22), DeAngelo Hall (21) and Richard Sherman and Charles Woodson (20 each).

[Related: We are tracking players designated with the franchise tag here.]

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who isn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, you select your team based on a player's salary and your team's salary cannot exceed the game salary-cap maximum.

For DraftKings leagues, rosters consist of eight players and the salary cap is $50,000, which averages to roughly $6,250 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Sunday's games, Thunder SF/PF Kevin Durant ($11,300) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,000).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
  
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
  
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Sunday (March 2nd) DraftKings leagues:

PG/SG - Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $6,900: With eligibility at either guard spot in DraftKings leagues, Oladipo is only the 10th-highest priced point guard-eligible player. Despite an off game against the Heat last night, Oladipo racked up 40.25 fantasy points against the Sixers on Wednesday with 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

PG - Jose Calderon, Dallas Mavericks (at SAS), $5,600: Over his past five games, Calderon has averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game. Although Tony Parker is expected back today, the Spurs have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

PG - Tony Wroten, Philadelphia 76ers (at ORL), $4,700: Wroten has gone to the free-throw line at least nine times in three of his past four games. During that four-game stretch, Wroten has scored 18.5 points and averaged 28.0 fantasy points per game in DraftKings formats.

* Note: Join our free (for bragging rights) 20-team FanDuel MLB league for opening day.

PG/SG - Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. CHA), $5,100: With Thabo Sefalosha (calf) out on Sunday, Jackson should see an uptick in minutes. Sefalosha left Friday's game early and Jackson played 34 minutes. Especially so in FanDuel leagues, where his salary ($7,400) is $900 less than what it is in DraftKings' contests ($8,300), I really like Russell Westbrook today. That said, I could see the potential of Westbrook playing less than his normal amount of minutes in what could turn out to be a blowout against the Bobcats as well. Based on odds from Sportsbook.com, the Thunder are nearly double-digit favorites over the Bobcats.

SG/SF - Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls (vs. NYK), $5,300: Over his past three games, Dunleavy has averaged 35.8 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.67 points, 6.67 boards, 3.67 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

SG/SF - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (vs. DAL), $5,200: Especially due to his defensive stats, Leonard has had two productive outings in a row since missing 14 straight games. With 36.0 and 33.0 fantasy points against the Pistons and Bobcats, respectively, Leonard had a total of five steals and four blocks in those two games in addition to 27 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.

SG/SF - James Anderson, Philadelphia 76ers (at ORL), $4,400: Only five teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season than the Magic. Anderson has at least 25 fantasy points in two of his past three games.

SF - Maurice Harkless, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $3,600: With 30-something minutes per night over his past three outings, Harkless has been relatively productive with a minimum of 23.75 fantasy points during that stretch. With the 76ers coming to town today, Harkless may improve upon those numbers (although that low of 23.75 fantasy points was against Philly on Wednesday).

SF/PF - DeMarre Carroll, Atlanta Hawks (at PHO), $5,100: In his past three games, Carroll has played 34-plus minutes per game and has knocked down nine of 18 three-point attempts. Carroll has 37-plus fantasy points in two of those three games.

PF/C - Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $7,800: Vucevic played only 23 minutes last night, but he finished with his third consecutive double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds). During that span, he has averaged 43.08 fantasy points per game that included 49.75 against the Sixers on Wednesday. Vucevic has now scored at least 33 fantasy points in eight of his past nine games.

PF/C - Elton Brand, Atlanta Hawks (at PHO), $5,200: With Paul Millsap out again on Sunday, the good times may continue to roll for Brand. Brand has at least 34.25 fantasy points in back-to-back games and he has averaged 8.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in those two games.

PF/C - Kyle O'Quinn, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $4,100: Despite playing only 22 minutes last night, O'Quinn also had a double-double (14 points, 15 rebounds) against the Heat. In fact, he hasn't played more than 24 minutes in any of his past four games, but he has scored 24-plus fantasy points in three of those games. In his past four games, he is averaging 9.0 points, 8.25 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

* Sign up with DraftKings and double your money: Get a 100-percent bonus (up to $600) on your initial deposit with DraftKings.

For those interested in FanDuel leagues, I posted some FanDuel values earlier this morning here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Note: We will post some of our daily fantasy basketball posts here (on our all-things-football blog), but all of our daily fantasy basketball posts will be posted on The Basketball Junkie, our basketball blog.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Sunday's games, Thunder SF Kevin Durant ($12,000) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
  
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
  
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Sunday (March 2nd) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (vs. CHA), $7,400: In his past two games, Westbrook has seen his minutes increase to roughly 30 per game. In those two outings, he has scored at least 37.4 fantasy points and today he has an extremely favorable matchup. Only the Trail Blazers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards than the Bobcats over the past 15 days.

PG - Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks (at PHO), $6,000: With Paul Millsap (knee) out for at least one more game, Teague should continue to be aggressive on the offensive end. In his past three games, he has scored at least 26 points (and 33.6 fantasy points) in each game.

PG - Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $5,900: Against the Sixers on Feb. 26th, Nelson, who played his college ball in Philly, had 43.2 fantasy points as he posted a double-double (16 points and 12 assists) and added six rebounds. Will it be deja vu all over again?

* Note: Join our free (for bragging rights) 20-team FanDuel MLB league for opening day.

SG - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (vs. DAL), $4,500: In his past two games, Ginobili has averaged 15.5 points, 7.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals. Even though the Mavs have been second-best in limiting fantasy points to opposing shooting guards over the past 15 days, Ginobili is a virtual lock for 25'ish points at the relatively modest cost of $4,500.

SG - James Anderson, Philadelphia 76ers (at ORL), $4,400: Only five teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season than the Magic. Anderson has more than 20 fantasy points in two of his past three games.

SF - Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls (vs. NYK), $5,300: Over his past three games, Dunleavy has averaged 32.8 fantasy points per game. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.67 points, 6.67 boards, 3.67 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

SF - Maurice Harkless, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $4,400: With 30-something minutes per night over his past three outings, Harkless has been relatively productive with a minimum of 22.1 fantasy points during that stretch. With the 76ers coming to town today, Harkless may improve upon those numbers (although that low of 22.1 fantasy points was against Philly on Wednesday).

PF - Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns (vs. ATL), $5,700: With the exception of a 23-minute night against the Jazz on Wednesday, Morris has scored 31.6 or more fantasy points in four of his past five games. During that five-game span, Morris has averaged 19.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 block and 1.2 steals. Not only have the Hawks allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing four's over the past 15 days, but Millsap will miss at least one more game as noted earlier.

PF - Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors (vs. GS), $5,100: Since missing two games before the All-Star break, Johnson has scored at 22 fantasy points in all six games after the break.

C - Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $7,300: Vucevic played only 23 minutes last night, but he finished with his third consecutive double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds). During that span, he has averaged 40.47 fantasy points per game that included 47.6 against the Sixers on Wednesday. Vucevic has now scored at least 30 fantasy points in eight of his past nine games.

C - Kyle O'Quinn, Orlando Magic (vs. PHI), $4,500: Despite playing only 22 minutes last night, O'Quinn also had a double-double (14 points, 15 rebounds) against the Heat. In fact, he hasn't played more than 24 minutes in any of his past four games, but he has scored 24-plus fantasy points in three of those games. In his past four games, he is averaging 9.0 points, 8.25 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

Compete in FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Basketball Championship: $1.2 million in cash prizes
>> Or find other FanDuel NBA games here.

If you play in full-season leagues, check out my rest-of-season Fantasy NBA rankings.

Keep track of our Fantasy NBA updates by following us on Twitter, "liking" us on Facebook and/or adding us to your Google+ circle.

Note: We will post some of our daily fantasy basketball posts here (on our all-things-football blog), but all of our daily fantasy basketball posts will be posted on The Basketball Junkie, our basketball blog.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the concerns about Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard was his recovery speed and he ran well today in the 40-yard dash to help ease those concerns a bit.

While both of his 40-yard dash times were sub-4.5 unofficially (4.42 and 4.46), he was officially clocked at 4.51.

With both Dennard and Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert off the board in the first half of my mock draft, today's workouts only further solidified that to be a very likely scenario.

What is less clear now is which of the two cornerbacks will be selected first.

Gilbert ran the fastest 40 among the defensive back group, but he had the fourth fastest overall behind Kent State's Dri Archer (4.26), Oregon State's Brandin Cooks (4.33) and Pittsburg State's John Brown (4.34).

Here are the top 10 performances among defensive backs today in the 40-yard dash:

1. Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State: 4.37
2. Phillip Gaines, Rice: 4.38
2. Jason Verrett, TCU: 4.38
4. Bradley Roby, Ohio State: 4.39
5. Brandon Dixon, NW Missouri State: 4.41
5. Jaylen Watkins, Florida: 4.41
7. Terrence Brooks, Florida State: 4.42
8. Kendall James, Maine: 4.44
9. Dontae Johnson, North Carolina State: 4.45
9. Jabari Price, North Carolina: 4.45

For full defensive back combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB

More 2014 NFL Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier this morning, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney led all defensive linemen with a 4.53 official 40-yard dash time.

If Clowney ran with the linebacker group, he would have finished third at the position.

While Alabama's C.J. Mosley did not run today, the other top-three linebackers Khalil Mack of Buffalo and Anthony Barr of UCLA did. The times and splits for both Mack and Barr were nearly identical and Mack officially edged Barr by one one-hundredth of a second.

Here are the top 15 performances among linebackers today in the 40-yard dash:

1. Kevin Pierre-Louis, Boston College: 4.51
2. Telvin Smith, Florida State: 4.52
3. Lamin Barrow, LSU: 4.64
4. Khalil Mack, Buffalo: 4.65
4. Ronald Powell, Florida: 4.65
6. Anthony Barr, UCLA: 4.66
6. Boseko Lokombo, Oregon: 4.66
6. Avery Williamson, Kentucky: 4.66
9. Jordan Tripp, Montana: 4.67
10. Adrian Hubbard, Alabama: 4.69
11. Khairi Fortt, California: 4.70
11. Devon Kennard, USC: 4.70
13. Prince Shembo, Notre Dame: 4.71
13. Kyle Van Noy, BYU: 4.71
15. Anthony Hitchens, Iowa: 4.74

For full linebackers combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | DB

More 2014 NFL Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney had previously stated that it was his goal to run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.

While Clowney ran the forty in less than 4.5 in both of his runs unofficially, his offical 40 time was 4.53, which was the fastest among the group.

On Sunday, Auburn's Dee Ford said he was a better prospect than Clowney and described him as a "a blind dog in a meat market."

With the defensive linemen on the field today, Ford was unable to run due to medical reasons.

"I feel fine. Everything is fine. It's what they call a medical precaution that they wanted to go through, and they don't want to risk anything here," Ford said (via NFL.com). "So I had the medical exclusion. It's very unfortunate. I'm very disappointed. I came to really compete in this combine but, you know, it's all good. I'm still going to stay here and support my peers."

Here are the top 15 performances among defensive linemen today in the 40-yard dash:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina: 4.53
2. Larry Webster, Bloomsburg: 4.58
3. Howard Jones, Shepherd: 4.60
4. Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas: 4.63
5. Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh: 4.68
5. Marcus Smith, Louisville: 4.68
7. James Gayle, Virginia Tech: 4.70
8. Chris Smith, Arkansas: 4.71
9. Kareem Martin, North Carolina: 4.72
10. Jonathan Newsome, Ball State: 4.73
11. Will Clarke, West Virginia: 4.77
12. Kasim Edebali, Boston College: 4.79
13. Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State: 4.80
14. Scott Crichton, Oregon State: 4.84
14. Zach Moore, Concordia: 4.84

For full defensive linemen combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | LB | DB

More 2014 NFL Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While he may not be the biggest of receivers (5-9 3/4, 189), Oregon State's Brandon Cooks followed up a very productive 2012 season with a huge year in 2013.

Cooks, the Biletnikoff award winner, finished with 128 receptions for 1,730 yards, the most in college football, and 16 touchdowns. He added two rushing touchdowns as well.

(Last season, he finished with 67 receptions for 1,151 yards and five touchdowns.)

This weekend, Cooks made himself some money with a strong all-around performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

With a respectable 16 reps on bench press (at 225 pounds), Cooks was tied for ninth at the position despite being one of the smaller receivers. When it came to timed combine events, however, that is where Cooks really stood out.

Not only did Cooks run the fastest 40-yard dash among receivers, but he also demonstrated the ability to change directions quickly with the fastest shuttle times at the position as well: 20-yard shuttle of 3.81 and 60-yard shuttle of 10.72.

Here are the top 15 performances among wide receivers today in the 40-yard dash:

1. Brandin Cooks, Oregon State: 4.33
2. John Brown, Pittsburg State (KS): 4.34
3. Donte Moncrief, Mississippi: 4.40
3. Paul Richardson, Colorado: 4.40
5. Martavis Bryant, Clemson: 4.42
5. Jeff Janis, Saginaw Valley State: 4.42
7. Odell Beckham Jr., LSU: 4.43
7. Sammy Watkins, Clemson: 4.43
7. Albert Wilson, Georgia State: 4.43
10. Jalen Saunders, Oklahoma: 4.44
11. Bruce Ellington, South Carolina: 4.45
11. Quincy Enunwa, Nebraska: 4.45
13. Mike Campanaro, Wake Forest: 4.46
13. Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt: 4.46
13. Tevin Reese, Baylor: 4.46

For full wide receiver combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: QB | RB | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

More 2014 NFL Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the offensive players done, it will be up to a defensive player to break Chris Johnson's record in the 40-yard dash (if it's going to happen).

That said, Kent State's Dri Archer nearly beat the 4.24 that CJ2K ran back in 2008.

Can't lie archer had the boi nervous

— Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28) February 23, 2014

Here are the top 15 performances today among running backs in the 40-yard dash:

1. Dri Archer, Kent State: 4.26
2. Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern: 4.41
3. Henry Josey, Missouri: 4.43
4. Damien Williams, Oklahoma: 4.45
5. Ladarius Perkins, Mississippi State: 4.46
6. George Atkinson III, Notre Dame: 4.48
6. Tim Cornett, UNLV: 4.48
6. Charles Sims, West Virginia: 4.48
9. Tyler Gaffney, Stanford: 4.49
9. Bishop Sankey, Washington: 4.49
11. Tre Mason, Auburn: 4.50
11. De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon: 4.50
13. Lache Seastrunk, Baylor: 4.51
14. Terrance West, Towson: 4.54
15. Andre Williams, Boston College: 4.56

For full running back combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: QB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

More 2014 NFL Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not only did several of the top quarterbacks in year's draft class not throw today at the NFL Scouting Combine, but some didn't even run.

Of course, the most important parts of the combine involve the parts that are not televised on NFL Network: the medical evaluations and team interviews.

That said, I share Tajh Boyd's sentiments when it comes to players not working out.

When asked by ESPN's Josina Anderson about Teddy Bridgewater not throwing or running, Boyd said, "I thought we were here to compete."

While Bridgewater didn't run, here are the official 40-yard dash times for quarterbacks that did participate today:

1. Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech: 4.61
2. Stephen Morris, Miami (FL): 4.63
3. Connor Shaw, South Carolina: 4.66
4. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M: 4.68
5. Derek Carr, Fresno State: 4.69
6. Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois: 4.76
7. Tajh Boyd, Clemson: 4.84
8. Bryn Renner, North Carolina: 4.87
9. Blake Bortles, Central Florida: 4.93
10. A.J. McCarron, Alabama: 4.94
11. Dustin Vaughan, West Texas A&M: 4.95
12. Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois: 4.97
12. Tom Savage, Pittsburgh: 4.97
14. David Fales, San Jose State: 4.99
15. Keith Wenning, Ball State: 5.00

For full quarterback combine results, click here.

More Combine Results: RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

More 2014 Draft Content: My mock draft | Our Big Board | Prospect rankings

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the news first broke of his arrest over the weekend, his attorney described the incident as something that "should wind up to be little more than a misunderstanding."

Since then, however, things continue to get — and look — worse for Ravens running back Ray Rice.

Soon after the initial news broke, Deadspin.com reported that "a woman—presumably the fiancée—had spit on Rice and that in retaliation, he uppercut her, knocking her completely unconscious."

Later, TMZ posted disturbing video footage that showed Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of an elevator.

In the police summons (via CBS Baltimore), it stated that Rice struck her "with his hand, rendering her unconscious."

And just a few minutes ago, SI's Robert Klemko tweeted that his sources tell him that police have video of Rice "knocking [his] fiancée unconscious."

Source says police have yet-to-be-released video of Ray Rice knocking fiancée unconscious before dragging her. Expect a suspension.

— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) February 21, 2014

While Klemko writes "expect a suspension," Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes that "[t]he Personal Conduct Policy primarily targets repeat offenders" and that "[a] suspension for a first offense remains very rare."

On the field, Rice is coming off his worst season as a starter — 660 rushing yards, 3.1 yards per carry and 981 yards from scrimmage.

Prior to the news of the video(s), GM Ozzie Newsome said on Monday that "Rice was still a big part of what we plan to do in 2014."

With the latest developments, however, that may no longer be the case. If the Ravens cut Rice, it would lead to a $14.25 million salary-cap hit.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Only a couple of days away from the on-field workouts at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, we have updated our consensus 2014 NFL Draft Big Board.

Based on top-50 rankings from both Brendan Donahue and myself, we average out the rankings to arrive at a consensus ranking.

Once again, we are both in agreement as who the No. 1 prospect is in this year's draft class and that's South Carolina junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Although his production declined in 2013 and some questioned his motivation and work ethic, Clowney is a physical freak and a once-in-a-decade type of prospect.

While his on-field performance at the combine matters much less than the impressions he leaves in the interview rooms, Clowney has stated that it his goal to run a 4.4 forty, which is insane for a defensive line prospect.

[Related: We will update all combine results here.]

After Clowney, Brendan and I differ on which prospect is next best. Brendan has Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater ranked second while I have Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews second.

Based on our rankings, here are the top 15 prospects on our big board:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (AVG: 1.0, KH: 1, BD: 1)
T2. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (AVG: 3.5, KH: 5, BD: 2)
T2. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (AVG: 3.5, KH: 2, BD: 5)
4. Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo (AVG: 4.0, KH: 4, BD: 4)
5. Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn (AVG: 4.5, KH: 3, BD: 6)
6. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson (AVG: 5.0, KH: 7, BD: 3)
7. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA (AVG: 7.0, KH: 6, BD: 8)
8. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama (AVG: 7.5, KH: 8, BD: 7)
9. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (AVG: 9.5, KH: 9, BD: 10)
10. Marqise Lee, WR, USC (AVG: 12.0, KH: 12, BD: 12)
T11. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (AVG: 12.5, KH: 14, BD: 11)
T11. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (AVG: 12.5, KH: 16, BD: 9)
T11. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (AVG: 12.5, KH: 10, BD: 15)
T11. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (AVG: 12.5, KH: 11, BD: 14)
15. Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida (AVG: 14.5, KH: 13, BD: 16)

- See rest of our top-50 big board here

More NFL Draft Content: My 2014 NFL Mock Draft - Our Mock Draft Database - Prospect Rankings

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) LIKE us on Facebook and/or (3) add us to your Google+ circle

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our new eight-round early 2014 fantasy football mock draft is now complete and here are the results from Round 8:

8.01 - Brendan Donahue, Team 3: Terrance Williams, WR, Dallas Cowboys

With Miles Austin likely gone this offseason, Williams will step in the No. 2 spot opposite Dez Bryant, officially, that is. As a rookie, Williams finished with 44 receptions for 736 yards, third most on the team behind Bryant and Jason Witten, and five touchdowns.

8.02 - Dan Yanotchko, Team 3: Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers

Setting a career high with 73 receptions, Olsen finished with 816 yards and six touchdowns and finished as TE8 in standard-scoring leagues last season. While he may not have the upside of the elite tight ends, Olsen is a safe option in an offense devoid of playmakers in the passing game.

Even if the Panthers add a receiver early in the draft, as I expect, Olsen is still a safe and relatively under-appreciated option at tight end in general.

* DraftKings: Play Daily Fantasy Sports and get a 100-percent bonus (up to $600) on your initial deposit.

8.03 - Kevin Hanson, Team 3: Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers

Once again, Woodhead outperformed his average draft position as he finished as the RB19 in standard-scoring leagues last year. Finishing second among running backs in receptions (76), he totalled 1,030 yards from scrimmage and scored a total of eight touchdowns in his first season with the Bolts.

The 29-year-old back may not produce as a top-20 option again in 2014, but it's more likely than not that he will outperform his draft position of RB36 in this mock.

8.04 - Sean Beazley, Team 3: Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Blackmon ended the season the same way he began it: on suspension. Although he is eligible to be reinstated before the season starts, he is technically still suspended. When he was on the field last year, he was productive as he averaged 103.8 yards per game in the four games he played.

While there is some uncertainty around the quarterback situation in Duval County, it's really a situation that can only be upgraded. Therefore, it's the uncertainty around Blackmon's ability to stay clean that worries fantasy owners the most.

8.05 - Sean Beazley, Team 2: LeGarrette Blount, RB, New England Patriots

With the exception of the AFC Championship Game (six yards on five carries), Blount was dominant down the stretch. In his final three games before the dud in Denver, Blount rushed for a total of 431 yards, 6.73 yards per carry and eight touchdowns. That said, Blount is about to become a free agent and it's unclear where he'll end up.

8.06 - Dan Yanotchko, Team 2: Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Missing the season finale due to his back injury, Romo's passing yardage dropped by more than 1,000 yards year over year, but he improved his TD-to-INT ratio (31:10 in 2013 compared to 28:19 in 2012). Not only did his pass attempts drop from 648 in 2012 to 535 in 2013, his yards-per-attempt average has declined from 8.02 Y/A (2011) to 7.57 (2012) to 7.16 (2013).

There are plenty of jokes that could be (and have been) made about who is calling the offensive plays in Dallas. Once again, Romo will have someone new calling the plays: new "passing game coordinator" Scott Linehan.

Under Linehan, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw more than 2,000 pass attempts over the past three seasons combined and no other quarterback had more. So, it's certainly possible that Romo throws closer to the 648 pass attempts he threw in 2012 (than the 535 last year) in his first season with Linehan.

8.07 - Kevin Hanson, Team 2: Dennis Pitta, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Many expected Pitta to have a breakout season in 2013, but a fractured hip derailed his opportunity to break out. Returning from short-term Injured Reserve in Week 14, Pitta had 20 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown in his four games played.

Heading into 2014, Pitta is scheduled to become a free agent next month, but the two sides are currently negotiating a deal. By agreeing to a contract extension with T Sizzle on Monday, the Ravens freed up some additional cap space to hopefully work out an agreement with Pitta.

8.08 - Brendan Donahue, Team 2: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

The only rookie wideout with more receiving yards than Hopkins (802) last year was Keenan Allen. While I expect Hopkins to build upon last year's success, he will most likely do so with a new quarterback (hopefully for his fantasy owners) under center.

[Related: 2014 NFL Mock Draft - Vote on what Texans will do with No. 1 pick]

8.09 - Brendan Donahue, Team 1: Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

This is about where Bowe should be drafted. He's the WR41 in my rankings and he's the 38th receiver off the board in this mock. That said, Bowe followed up a disappointing season with one that was a bigger disappointment. Bowe set four-year lows with 57 receptions, 105 targets and 673 yards.

Even though Bowe never exceeded 70 receiving yards until the playoffs last season, he was was more productive in the second half of the season. Starting in November, Bowe had 39/521/4 in his final eight games (counting the playoff loss). Perhaps that will carry forward to 2014.

8.10 - Sean Beazley, Team 1: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

After missing all of last season, a contract year, due to a torn ACL, Maclin has indicated his hope to re-sign with the Eagles although there is interest from other teams as well. Excluding last year, Maclin has averaged 64/863/6 each year.

8.11 - Kevin Hanson, Team 1: Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Even though Romo threw 218 more pass attempts than Foles, only a few fantasy points (11.4 to be exact) separated the two quarterbacks last season. In 13 games, Foles threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions. In addition, he rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Not only was Foles better than Romo on a per-game basis, only two quarterbacks scored more than Foles per game: Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

While I don't expect Foles to finish third in fantasy points per game in 2014, I'm more than comfortable taking him this late to be my fantasy starter.

8.12 - Dan Yanotchko, Team 1: Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears

If I'm going tight end here, there are a few tight ends I'd prefer over Bennett like Jordan Reed or even Kyle Rudolph with the addition of his new TE-friendly offensive coordinator (Norv Turner).

In his first season with the Bears and in Marc Trestman's offense, Bennett finished with 65 receptions for 759 yards, both of which were career highs, and five touchdowns, which tied his previous career high set in 2012 with the Giants.

View previous rounds:

• Go back to Round 1 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 2 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 3 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 4 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 5 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 6 of this fantasy football mock
  
• Go back to Round 7 of this fantasy football mock

Our early 2014 Fantasy Football rankings:

• 2014 Fantasy Football QB rankings
  
• 2014 Fantasy Football RB rankings
  
• 2014 Fantasy Football WR rankings
  
• 2014 Fantasy Football TE rankings

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) LIKE us on Facebook and/or (3) add us to your Google+ circle

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When it comes to fantasy football drafts, the player you select in the first round is far from the most difficult or important decision that you will make on draft day.

After all, any player selected with one of the first 12 picks should be a stud. And with the first overall pick, that is even more true.

While finding some mid- or late-round bargains may be more important in delivering a championship, if you have the first overall pick, you have to select someone and for most that will come down to one of two players: Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy or Kansas City's Jamaal Charles.

In some leagues, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson may go first overall — and in our new fantasy football mock, that's exactly what Dan Yanotchko did.

If I had the first overall pick, I'd be happy with either McCoy or Charles, but I'd lean McCoy as my 1(a) over Charles as my 1(b).

McCoy led the NFL in rushing yards (1,607), yards from scrimmage (2,146) and touches (366) in his first season playing in Chip Kelly's offense. One of the benefits in favor of McCoy over Charles is that the Eagles have a much better supporting cast, which puts a little less focus on McCoy, than Charles, from opposing defenses. To be fair, however, any opposing defensive coordinator will make it their priority to stop (or contain) these two guys.

Charles led the league in total touchdowns with 19 — 12 rushing and seven receiving scores. As great as that was for his fantasy owners in 2013, it will be unlikely for Charles to repeat. If you remember back to 2011, McCoy scored a league-high 20 touchdowns and then followed that up with just five total touchdowns in 2012. I'm not saying Charles will score only five times in 2014, but it's not necessarily a knock on Charles if he sees a dip in TDs.

Playing one less game than McCoy as the Chiefs rested their starters in Week 17, Charles set a career high in YFS (1,980) and ranked second only to McCoy. In addition, no other player had as many games with 100-plus YFS than Charles (13) this season.

So, if you had the No. 1 overall pick in your fantasy draft, would you select McCoy or Charles? (Or someone else like Peterson?)

Vote on more of our polls:

• Who should be the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft?
  
• Which Bears WR should be selected first in fantasy drafts?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)