It appears that Domanick Davis's nagging knee injury is more serious than he and the Texans had anticipated. The situation is so serious that some rumors have suggested Houston is actually considering releasing him (after passing on Reggie Bush in the draft! see below). While this seems unlikely (because he is injured, he cannot be cut without receiving compensation from the team), it does seem quite possible that if the injury persists, the Texans could put him on injured reserve. That would effectively sideline Davis for the entire 2006 season.

Davis said this week that his condition has become "increasingly frustrating." He hasn't played in any preseason games, and hasn't practiced in weeks. This is certainly not good news, and while he could still make a recovery and be active for the season, his performance will certainly be impacted by the injury.

In other words, Davis's risk as a fantasy selection just went way up, so keep this in mind as you're drafting. We already had Davis as a risky pick in our non-top-tier RB show a few weeks back; now with this injury situation I would say he becomes very risky.

Also, this means that not only did the Texans pass on taking Reggie Bush in the draft, but the RB who they were going to rely on--and made them feel they didn't need Bush--might be out for the entire season. Ouch. If you're a Texans fan, I feel very very sorry for you.   --Scott

Follow along with Steve, round-by-round, as he drafts for his money league and provides analysis of every pick along the way!

Podcasts Mentioned:
Phedippidations

Technorati Tags: Sports Football American Football Fantasy Football Podcasts NFL

QB Kerry Collins, formerly of the Oakland Raiders, has reportedly been signed to a one-year deal by the Tennessee Titans. While nothing definitive has come out regarding how this affects Billy Volek's chances to start, it stands to reason that, since Vince Young is clearly the Titans' QB of the future, that Tennessee would not have signed Collins if they were happy with Volek's performance. As a result, drop Volek down, if not off, your draft board.

As for Collins, he could be a sneaky play as a backup QB, but certainly not as a starter. This may hurt Drew Bennett's fantasy value somewhat, since most of his value is predicated on his relationship with Volek, but otherwise, Collins shouldn't be considered a downgrade from Volek in terms of the Tennessee receivers.

WR Donte Stallworth has been traded to the Eagles for a linebacker and a draft pick. Getting a veteran receiver (such as he is) has to help McNabb a bit, though it is fairly late in the preseason for Stallworth to have to learn a new offense. Bump up both players' values a bit, but not significantly.

Also, Reggie Bush benefits from this trade, especially in points per reception leagues, as he is essentially the #2 receiver behind Joe Horn following this trade.

According to the Jaguars' web site mailbag, Greg Jones is out for the 2006 season with a torn ACL. More on this as it develops, but get Jones off your draft board in the meantime. Obviously, we'll have news on who to look for to back up Fragile Fred Taylor as this story develops.

On this episode: Why Joe Jurivicius' move to Cleveland won't help his fantasy value, why you should walk on by Javon Walker, the effect of Joe Horn's age, you don't need to avoid Baltimore receivers anymore, why Terry Glenn's not chopped liver, why Lee Evans might be the only salvagable part of the Buffalo offense, how Eric Moulds's move helps Andre Johnson, and why Steve has learned how to pronounce TJ Houshmandzadeh's name. Plus: We get a response to whether a snake or straight draft is good for a keeper league, why you should avoid Green Bay RBs, who to look for at the end of your draft, and who to take with the 4th overall pick following TJ Duckett's arrival in Washington.

Technorati Tags: Sports Football American Football Fantasy Football Podcasts NFL

On this episode: Koren Robinson is a bad boy, whether Steve Smith can repeat, how much risk you take on when drafting T.O., why Torry Holt should be your WR1, how often Chad Johnson will get to celebrate this season, whether Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald will progress or regress, how James' departure will help or hurt Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, the case against Randy Moss, whether Chris Chambers' 2005 season was a fluke, how Antwaan Randle El's Departure will affect Hines Ward, and we answer listener questions regarding Clinton Portis' fantasy value following his injury and when to (or not to) handcuff your backs in the draft.

Technorati Tags: Sports Football American Football Fantasy Football Podcasts NFL

Hot on the heels of the Jets' failed acquisition of Lee Suggs from Cleveland, the Jets have now traded for RB Kevan Barlow, previously of the 49ers, pending a physical.

Barlow's shown what he's capable of as a starting RB, which isn't much, and he was expected to start in San Francisco until he would inevitably lose the job to backup Frank Gore at some point this season. He's only slightly safer in New York, given that there's less talent coming up behind him, though this obviously hurts Cedric Houston's fantasy value. (That said, if Barlow does end up losing the job due to injury or incompetence, Houston could be a sneaky late round pick.)

This helps Frank Gore's fantasy value quite a bit now that he's guaranteed the starting role for the 49ers. He's still an injury risk, but he's performed quite favorably in relief of Barlow, and he could be an interesting asset in the late 3rd or early 4th round of a 12-team draft.

Why Domanick Davis could disappoint, Willis McGahee's glass ceiling, whether Julius Jones can keep the dogs at bay, Kevin Jones' potential in a Martz offense, the continued legend of Fast Willie Parker, whether Steve McNair can make Jamal Lewis relevant again, Greg Jones to save the day, Reggie Bush, whether Mike Bell is for real, the rest of the rookie RBs, when to take Peyton Manning and Antonio Gates, some advice for drafting last in a keeper league, moral obligations on draft day, and we throw a couple of questions out to the audience.

Listen to us interviewed on Podcast411!

Podcasts Mentioned:
The Fix on NBX
Mrs. B's Patriot World

Koren Robinson was arrested last night for suspicion of drunken driving. Given that Robinson has been suspended for substance abuse before, and the Vikings have behavioral clauses in his contract, this could knock Robinson off the field for a substantial amount of time, possibly the full season, either due to a league suspension (which could be a full season suspension, given that he's already been suspended for four games for drug use) or because the Vikings can get out of his contract. He was released by the Seahawks in 2005 because of a similar offense.

Needless to say, drop KRob way down in your rankings, if not completely off the board entirely. He's not a consistent enough receiver on a good enough passing team to take a chance on him.

Clinton Portis was injured while attempting a tackle on an interception during Sunday night's preseason game against the Bengals. Early reports state that Portis has a separated shoulder that subsequently slipped back into place; he will likely sit out the rest of the preseason and be questionable for Week 1. If he does recover as expected from this injury (which he should with adequate rest), his draft value should stay where it is, but monitor the situation carefully if you're planning on drafting or keeping Portis.

Portis also had some comments on the circumstances that led to his injury: "For whoever's watching: Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said, his left arm in a sling. "Four games is ridiculous. Then you play a 16-game season and the playoffs behind that."

From your mouth to the commissioner's ears, Clinton...

If you're a player looking for a league to play with, or your league needs an extra player, leave a comment for this post with a way to get in contact with you; hopefully we'll be able to match you up!

On this episode: Whether Larry Johnson is the undisputed #1 pick, LT's prospects as a top rusher, what status quo means for Shaun Alexander, whether this is the year where Tiki isn't underrated, why the stars are aligning for Clinton Portis, how Martz's departure means big things for Steven Jackson, how Lamont Jordan will adapt to the changes under center and on the sidelines, what Edgerrin James' potential is in Arizona, whether no T.O. means more Westbrook, Ronnie Brown's chance to shine, Rudi Johnson as the safe choice, and Cadillac's potential to stay out of the shop.

Links:
Draft Pick Trade Calculator
Legality of Fantasy Football
The Huddle
FFToday
Rotoworld
AntSports

We take some time out from our draft guide to answer listener questions, read our last few FF service reviews, and announce the winner of our drawing! On this episode, which magazine you should buy (if you decide that you just have to have one), when to draft defensive players in IDP leagues, our thoughts on McNabb and Big Ben, how LeCharles Bentley's exit affects Reuben Droughns' fantasy value, life after Willie Roaf, trading draft picks, and a keeper dilemma.

Links:
FanSoft Media
Yahoo Fantasy Football
CBS Sportsline
MyFantasyLeague
RTSports
HFFLSports
Dynasty League Football
ANTSports (which we keep mentioning for average draft position info)

Ok fantasy players, time to breathe easy and adjust drafting lists: Reggie Bush has reported to Saints training camp and has signed his contract, reportedly worth upwards of $62 million, with $26 mil guaranteed (not too shabby).

From the article: "With Deuce McAllister being a more bruising, straight-ahead runner, Bush is expected not only to run the ball as a tailback but also to catch the ball out of the back field on screen or swing passes. He could also line up in as a slot receiver, creating yet another concern for defenses already trying to cover wideouts like Joe Horn and Donte Stallworth."

Does this mean he can peacefully coexist with Deuce? Hmmmm...

An MRI has confirmed that Falcons WR Brian Finneran has a torn ACL and dislocated knee, and as a result he will be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. This hurts Michael Vick's value, as Finneran was Vick's only legitimate receiving threat last season. Time will tell if another #1 receiver emerges, but our advice regarding Vick stands true; avoid Vick unless rushing is worth significantly more than passing in your league's scoring system, and even then approach Vick with caution.