Don’t Pull the Plug on Brandon Phillips

Brandon Phillips is still looking for his form in Spring Season

By Greg Pokriki –

Even with his terrible numbers during spring training, it would be a major mistake to dismiss Brandon Phillips. The baseball community is always quick to judge, handing out proverbial MVP awards after just the first week of the season and Hall of Fame plaques after one solid season. In the same sense, baseball fans are just as quick to outcast a player after one down season, pushing him to the back burner to be ultimately forgotten. Brandon Phillips has fallen victim to the latter.

Though Phillips struggled last season, he’s only one season removed from an 18 home run, All Star season. He’s a lifetime .271 hitter and has knocked in over 70 RBI in seven of the last nine seasons. To not even consider him for your team would be a mistake.

Of course, there is some reason for reservation. Phillips is only 8-39 this spring putting him at a .205 average. He’s also coming off a significantly down season, though one that was slightly tainted by injury. He only played in 121 games and logged 499 at bats. His power severely dipped, hitting only eight home runs. However, he hasn’t hit any less than 17 in any other season since 2006. He logged only 51 RBI on the season as well. Phillips’ 1.7 WAR was his worst since 2006 as well.

Obviously last season was a disappointment for Phillips, but that doesn’t exclude him from any future success. He’s a talented and persevering personality who doesn’t take kindly to failure. The Reds as a whole are looking at a bounce back season. The lineup will have to be better than last year, and Phillips is not immune to that. If you can get Phillips at the right time or for the right price there is no reason not to add him to your squad. You may even get him as a sleeper if others in your league aren’t paying him the respect he deserves.

Giovani Bernard Coming On Strong In Cincinnati

Running-back Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals had a decent amount of buzz surrounding him during the draft and this preseason, but many were cautious of believing the hype. Not exactly the biggest guy, the rookie stands in at only 5’9 and 202 lbs but has shown the beginnings of a franchise running-back in Cincinnati.

Still backing up veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Gio has seen more and more playing time since his Week 1 debut. In the Bengals Week 3 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, Bernard ran for 50 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown to go along with 49 yards receiving.

As more confidence builds in the lighting-quick rookie, he will face his greatest challenge yet against the Cleveland Browns defense this Sunday. The Browns allow an astonishingly low average of 2.8 yards per carry, while BenJarvus Green-Ellis appropriately averages 2.8 yards per carry.

Bernard makes big plays in the open field and picks up good yardage after contact. For two teams who are somewhat similar in styles of play, Gio could be the difference maker against the Browns.

If you have Bernard on your fantasy team, play him. If you don’t, make a trade for him. Although he hasn’t put up massive yardage yet, the kid is a scoring machine. Compare him to the savvy of Darren Sproles with the ferocity of Maurice Jones-Drew. 3 games is a small sample of his strengths and weaknesses, but he certainly has the makings of a special player.

Running Back Giovani Bernard Smashing Expectations in Cincinnati

You might have lock this rookie up in the 4th round!

Bengals running back Giovani Bernard might ready to share the workload with fellow back Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis, but it’s also possible that he might be thrust into the starting role. The rookie out of North Carolina has proven himself as a threat to defenses in preseason thus far, and will look to continue his momentum into the 2013 regular season.

Bernard has basically taken the league by storm and continues to surge up the fantasy drafting boards. This move isn’t due so much to his preseason numbers, but more so because of his skill set being showcased with his play up to this point.

Bernard is expected to share time in the backfield to start the season, but will be the dominant receiving back. Between targets and rushes, he should start the season seeing seeing at least 15 touches per game.

At UNC in 2012, Bernard went off for 1,718 total yards (490 receiving and 1,228 rushing), and 17 touchdowns (12 rushing and 5 receiving.) He was a very efficient as a rusher at North Carolina last year, averaging 6.7 yards per carry.

This 21 year old rookie has the opportunity to take over the starting role in Cincinnati with some solid play early on. Bernard currently has an average draft position of 68. This indicates that he’s being taken late in the 5th round of most 12-team fantasy formats.

If fantasy owners really want him though, you might have to bite the bullet and take him in the 5th round.

Draft Zone: 2nd Ranked Wide Receiver – Bengals A.J. Green

Another monster season on tap for number 18

Cincinnatti Bengals A.J. Green is the 2nd ranked wide receiver in this year’s 2013 fantasy draft standings. With an Average Draft Position (ADP) of 15, he’s likely to be taken sometime in the second round of most fantasy drafts.

Green is going into his third season as an NFL receiver, and things can’t get much better for this fantasy stud. Last season he caught 97 passes for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Green racked up his numbers in multiple ways in 2013. He was targeted sometimes as a possession receiver, converting 61 first downs for his team. He was also successful with the ball in his hands, ranking 10^th among wide receivers with 434 yards after the catch. He also recorded 9 receptions for 408 yards on balls that traveled more than 20 yards. He pretty much was able to do whatever the Bengals asked of him.

During the draft, the Bengals have added a few new intriguing targets to the team including Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard. Having more options should actually take a little pressure off of Green and help put up even better numbers than last season.

Quarterback Andy Dalton targeted Green 164 times last season and that is unlikely to change this year. Whether it’s deep down the field, in the red zone or in short yardage situations, Green should score points.

Green has recently missed a couple weeks of training camp with a seemingly minor knee injury. However, he’s back on the field and is expected to be just fine for the regular season. The Bengals are going to lean on their star receiver once again this year. Fantasy owners should not be afraid to do this either. Green is definitely a solid option as your number one receiver.

Draft Zone: 2nd Ranked Wide Receiver – Bengals A.J. Green

Another monster season on tap for number 18

Cincinnatti Bengals A.J. Green is the 2nd ranked wide receiver in this year’s 2013 fantasy draft standings. With an Average Draft Position (ADP) of 15, he’s likely to be taken sometime in the second round of most fantasy drafts.

Green is going into his third season as an NFL receiver, and things can’t get much better for this fantasy stud. Last season he caught 97 passes for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Green racked up his numbers in multiple ways in 2013. He was targeted sometimes as a possession receiver, converting 61 first downs for his team. He was also successful with the ball in his hands, ranking 10^th among wide receivers with 434 yards after the catch. He also recorded 9 receptions for 408 yards on balls that traveled more than 20 yards. He pretty much was able to do whatever the Bengals asked of him.

During the draft, the Bengals have added a few new intriguing targets to the team including Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard. Having more options should actually take a little pressure off of Green and help put up even better numbers than last season.

Quarterback Andy Dalton targeted Green 164 times last season and that is unlikely to change this year. Whether it’s deep down the field, in the red zone or in short yardage situations, Green should score points.

Green has recently missed a couple weeks of training camp with a seemingly minor knee injury. However, he’s back on the field and is expected to be just fine for the regular season. The Bengals are going to lean on their star receiver once again this year. Fantasy owners should not be afraid to do this either. Green is definitely a solid option as your number one receiver.

Draft Zone: 28th Ranked Running Back – Bengals BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is currently sitting at #28 for tailback rankings coming into the upcoming season. His average draft position (ADP) is at 69, making him a late 6th round pick in most standard 12-team fantasy formats.

Green-Ellis has demonstrated the ability to take the load off of the Andy Dalton led pass heavy offense with the occasional breakout run, but has not been able to take the next step in becoming one of the leagues feared backs.

The 5-11 speedster had a successful season a year ago finishing with 1094 yards and 6 touchdowns in 15 starts, but only managed to pick up 3.9 yards per carry. Green-Ellis not an attractive a pick at the running back position due to a lack of explosiveness, and should be passed up on for most other starting backs left in the draft.

Coming into his 6th season, Green-Ellis may also encounter a significant reduction in the number of carries with the addition of the multi-faceted Giovani Bernard out of the University of North Carolina. Bernard is an explosive runner packed with blazing speed and the ability to break games wide open.

Green-Ellis could end up splitting time with Bernard or perhaps even end up playing behind him. Green-Ellis should be one of, if not the last starting back drafted in standard leagues because of a pass-heavy offense, limited ability and the stunning potential of Bernard.

Coby Fleener Hopes to become Andrew Luck’s Favorite Target

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Coby Fleener and Andrew Luck possessed one of the strongest tight end-quarterback threats in college football when they played together at Stanford. Luck, who was taken first overall in the 2012 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts went on to win Rookie of the Year accolades last season.

To help the young star develop into a top tier quarterback, the Colts selected Fleener as the 34^th overall pick in hopes the duo’s chemistry would carry over into the NFL. During their senior season at Stanford, Fleener hauled in 34 receptions for 667 yards and team high 10 touchdowns receptions.

Going into their second season together, the Colts are hoping that Fleener can further build on his connection with Luck and become one of his deadliest receiving weapons. As a rookie, Fleener recorded 26 receptions for 281 yards and 2 touchdowns.

According to reports, Fleener is expected to see a heavy increase in targets during the 2013 season. However, fellow rookie tight end Dwayne Allen, the Colts’ third round selection in 2012, was targeted significantly more than Fleener and recorded 521 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.

Fleener was the fifth leading receiver for the Colts in 2012 and was targeted the fifth most out of all receivers. With Dwayne Allen out-playing  him last season, and with 13 year veteran Reggie Wayne still playing at a high level, don’t expect Fleener to step up and become Andrew Luck’s favorite target this season either. With a few more years to adjust to the NFL, Fleener could develop into a strong deep threat for Luck and the Colts.

Coby Fleener Hopes to become Andrew Luck’s Favorite Target

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Coby Fleener and Andrew Luck possessed one of the strongest tight end-quarterback threats in college football when they played together at Stanford. Luck, who was taken first overall in the 2012 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts went on to win Rookie of the Year accolades last season.

To help the young star develop into a top tier quarterback, the Colts selected Fleener as the 34^th overall pick in hopes the duo’s chemistry would carry over into the NFL. During their senior season at Stanford, Fleener hauled in 34 receptions for 667 yards and team high 10 touchdowns receptions.

Going into their second season together, the Colts are hoping that Fleener can further build on his connection with Luck and become one of his deadliest receiving weapons. As a rookie, Fleener recorded 26 receptions for 281 yards and 2 touchdowns.

According to reports, Fleener is expected to see a heavy increase in targets during the 2013 season. However, fellow rookie tight end Dwayne Allen, the Colts’ third round selection in 2012, was targeted significantly more than Fleener and recorded 521 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.

Fleener was the fifth leading receiver for the Colts in 2012 and was targeted the fifth most out of all receivers. With Dwayne Allen out-playing  him last season, and with 13 year veteran Reggie Wayne still playing at a high level, don’t expect Fleener to step up and become Andrew Luck’s favorite target this season either. With a few more years to adjust to the NFL, Fleener could develop into a strong deep threat for Luck and the Colts.

Bengals Andy Dalton Prepared to Silence Critics

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During the past two years, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has more than 7,000 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and a 60% completion rate. Even though Dalton led his team to the playoffs 2 years in a row, he has yet to be considered elite quarterback.

This coming season could very well determine the ultimate course of Dalton’s career in Cincinnati.

Dalton’s critics deny the quarterback’s entrance into the upper echelon of gun slingers due to three points:

1)  Low quarterback rating

2)  Over-reliance on A.J. Green

3)  Lack of success during the post season

Dalton’s career average quarterback rating is 48.3, and last years was 50.7. To put this number in perspective, Dalton’s quarterback rating ranked 22nd in the league last season.

The QBR takes all aspects of the quarterbacks play into the equation. Fellow 2011 draft inductee, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, is actually ranked higher than Dalton at #16. This is despite the fact that Newton threw fewer touchdowns, had more fumbles and had a lower completion percentage.

Newton may possess a greater quarterback rating, but he’s won only 13 games in two seasons and the Panthers have not been anywhere close to the playoffs.

Critics may attribute most of Dalton’s success to the skills of his dynamic wide receiver A.J. Green. Green was the Bengal’s 1st round pick in 2011. Since then, Green has hauled in 162 receptions from Dalton, who threw to him 280 times. Green accumulated over 2,400 yards and 18 touchdowns in his two seasons with Dalton. Without Green, Dalton would have no true #1 receiver and no true red zone threat.

The last major aspect of Dalton’s negative judgment is his last two playoff performances where he has failed to take the team past the first round.

In his first playoff appearance, Dalton threw for more than 250 yards, but also threw 3 interceptions and no touchdowns. During last year’s playoff game, Dalton threw for only 127 yards, no touchdowns and 1 interception. To be recognized as a top quarterback, Dalton has to handle his business better in the playoffs.

Overall, this year will be the year that separates Dalton from the middle of the pack. This year will not be a make or break year for Dalton, but as a starting QB entering his third year, it may define Dalton’s career as mediocre or a cut above.

Bengals Ready to Turn Loose Rookie Running Back Giovani Bernard

The Cincinnati Bengals head into the 2013 season with high hopes sporting a beefed up running game with the recent addition of the multi-faceted Giovani Bernard out of the University of North Carolina. The rookie running back won’t take the place of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but Bernard will eat into his time by showing off his vast array of skills.

Bernard had an impressive college career at UNC, rushing for almost 2,500 yards in his last two seasons in college. He averaged an stunning 6.7 yards per carry during his last season. Bernard tore up ACC defenses with his solid cuts and his ability to turn directions on a dime. NFL scouts have actually been comparing Bernard to DeAngelo Williams.

During the 2012 season, many commentators referenced Bernard as the most impressive and complete college running back of the season. This makes sense in that he was the first back taken in the draft. Bernard will be the future of the Bengals, but he currently has to earn that right.

The Bengals ended their 2013 season earlier than they would have liked, but still made the playoffs with a strong 10-6 performance. Much of this productivity was thanks to pro-bowl standout receiver AJ Green along with the grounding running style of Green-Ellis who performed better than expected on the ground by racking up almost 1,100 yards rushing in only 15 games.

Green-Ellis is well known for trucking through defenders instead of going around them. The “Law Firm’s” notable numbers from last season assured his starting position for the opening of the 2013 season, but nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. With an eye towards to the future, Cincinnati drafted running backs with their 2nd and 6th round picks – Bernard out of North Carolina and Rex Burkhead out of Nebraska.

Burkhead has reportedly been working extremely hard, and even if he doesn’t get a single carry this season, he’s believed to be a factor in the future of the Bengals run game. The hope is that this draft will help Bernard become the future versatile breakout star with Burkhead becoming his 3rd down accomplice.