Football

It has been a couple weeks since Trask tendered her resignation from the team she spent the better part of three decades in a passionate obsession. It began in 1982 when she was a student at Cal Berkeley and led to her joining the team's legal department five years later. Her expertise and devotion to Al Davis and the Raiders was fully realized when she was named CEO in 1997. She was known throughout the league for her toughness and her ardent defense of the team and the owner for whom she held in the highest regard. But during her time as CEO, she used that power to be a force for outreach and compassion in the community that is unmatched. Her first priority was always the Raiders, but in protecting the Raiders image she found a way to incorporate her passion for community involvement and her deep love for animals. Those efforts were exactly what the Raiders needed to balance out the negative public perception of the team and their fan base. From the perspective of those who had to cross Trask in legal matters, softness was not a word they would use to describe her. It was her balance of hardnosed business oriented person and compassionate soul that made her so uniquely qualified for her position. In my experiences with Amy, it became apparent there was no single area (outside of the Raiders) that she held closer to her heart than her love for animals. That love led her to becoming a board member for Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation - a position she will continue to hold even though she has moved on from the Raiders. Per the Animal Rescue Foundation official website: "ARF saves dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters and brings people and animals together to enrich each others' lives. ARF strives to create a world where every loving dog and cat has a home, where every lonely person has a companion animal, and where children learn to care." Trask's love for animals showed itself in the regular photo galleries on the team's website "Raider Nation Pet Delegation" which showed pets in Raiders gear as well as Raiders fans with their pets. Her involvement with ARF also made it an outright impossibility the Raiders would have shown any interest in Mike Vick back in 2009 when he was seeking to re-enter the NFL after a prison sentence for running a dog fighting ring. ARF was one of the primary organizations which rescued many of the dogs from Vick's "Bad News Kennels". Following Trask's resignation from the Raiders, I reached out to ARF about Trask's involvement and Tony La Russa responded saying: "Amy was and is a pioneer and trail blazer in the NFL and Animal Rescue areas! Her best years are ahead!" A trailblazer is a common term with regard to Trask because she was the first and only CEO in NFL history. Her idols were other trailblazers like Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks, and of course Al Davis who helped pave the way for minorities in the NFL, including herself. As the first woman CEO in NFL history, she is a model for young women everywhere. But among her peers it was a battle for them to look past her gender. Her experiences holding her ground and changing the female perception in that boys club of the NFL, also made her uniquely qualified to fight against the unfairly labeled fan base. "A big misperception is our fan base," Trask told Sports Business Daily. "There is a misperception that our game-day experience is not appropriate for children or families and nothing could be farther from the truth. Our stadium is filled with babies, children and families and fans of all ages and from all corners of the world. Our fan base is passionate, but passionate does not mean inhospitable." In changing this "misperception", Trask had a long fight on her hands. Her struggles were made more difficult when, in the almost annual preseason matchup with the 49ers, several violent incidents occurred both in the stadium and in the parking lot after the game. The game was played in San Francisco bu

Publicly, the NFLPA has been mum on the manner in which the sports agency owned by Jay-Z recruited Jets quarterback Geno Smith.  Privately, the NFLPA will say just enough to spark action. According to Albert Breer of NFL Network, the union plans to send a letter to agent Kim Miale, the certified agent who works…

The Cleveland Browns were sluggish on offense last season, but new coach Rob Chudzinski is promising a wide-open passing game in 2013. Wideout Josh Gordon already has seen a difference.

Written by Marc Caviglia In January we were asked to participate in Dynasty Football Warehouse’s first fantasy football mock draft of the 2013 season. The 2013 fantasy football mock draft was Dynasty based and was a 20 round draft. Every owner was required to start a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, Flex, TE, K, DEF in PPR scoring. You can view our team, as well as round-by round analysis here: 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (January). As you all know, a lot has changed since January, and our good friend over at Dynasty Football Warehouse have invited us back for another fantasy football mock draft. The owners are the same, however this time around we are allowed to draft current rookies from the 2013 NFL Draft. So if you are wondering where you should draft the NFL’s newest rookies in a dynast format fantasy football league, check out our 2013 fantasy football mock draft. PPR Scoring Pass TD: 4 points | All Other TDs: 6 points 25 Passing Yards: 1 point | All Turnovers: - 2 points 10 Rushing Yards: 1 point | 10 Receiving Yards: 1 point | Reception: 1 point Now, let’s jump right into the ROUND 11 results of the 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (May) hosted by Dynasty Football Warehouse. 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft - Round 11 Results (May) 11.01 Pro Football Focus I: Chris Givens, WR, St. Louis Rams 11.02 Zach Law: Cameron Jordan, TE, Cleveland Browns 11.03 Wild Thing Football: Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints 11.04 Fantasy Football Xtreme I: Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Free Agent 11.05 Dynasty Football Warehouse: Robert Turbin, RB, Seattle Seahawks 11.06 Draft Calc: Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles 11.07 Fantasy Taz: Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins 11.08 Pro Football Focus II: Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals 11.09 X’s and Y’s Podcast: Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs 11.10 Bruno Boys: Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Atlanta Falcons 11.11 Fantasy Football Xtreme II: Vincent Brown, WR, San Diego Chargers 11.12 Football Guys Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers Round 11 Reaction: I decided to add running back depth here and with Rodgers I get a solid pass catcher who is entering just his third year in the NFL. He is playing behind Steven Jackson for at least this year, however there is still a chance that Rodgers becomes a featured running back someday. Consider this a depth pick, as I take a wait and see approach on Rodgers’ long-term value. Bruno Boys Picks: 1.10 Bruno Boys: Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks 2.03 Bruno Boys: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos 3.10 Bruno Boys: Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers 4.03 Bruno Boys: Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans Saints 5.10 Bruno Boys: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers 6.03 Bruno Boys: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons 7.10 Bruno Boys: Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers 8.03 Bruno Boys: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelpahi Eagles 9.10 Bruno Boys: Dennis Pitta, TE, Baltimore Ravens 10.03 Bruno Boys: Marcus Lattimore, RB, San Francisco 49ers 11.10 Bruno Boys: Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Atlanta Falcons OTHER ROUNDS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Written by Rich Arleo Edited by Marc Caviglia To help better prepare you for your upcoming 2013 fantasy football drafts we have has decided to take a close look at each team’s depth and predict how each players role will play out during the 2013 NFL season. These fantasy football depth charts will cover every position, however the main focus will be on the running back and wide receiver positions, since fantasy football owners have the toughest time projecting these positions. Keep in mind our NFL Depth Charts are fantasy football specific. Oakland Raiders Depth Chart QB1: Matt Flynn | QB2: Terrelle Pryor | QB3: Tyler Wilson RB1: Darren McFadden | RB2: Rashad Jennings | RB3: Marcel Reece | RB4: LaTavius Murray WR1: Denarius Moore | WR2: Rod Streater | WR3: Juron Criner | WR4: Jacoby Ford | WR5: Josh Cribbs TE1: Nick Kasa | TE2: Mychal Rivera K: Sebastian Janikowski 2012 In Review There wasn’t too much fantasy football excitement around the Oakland Raiders last season. Carson Palmer managed to throw over 4,000 yards but had just 22 touchdowns and threw 14 interceptions. He was a solid QB2, but he didn’t have much wide receiver talent to work with. Denarius Moore was the leading wide receiver with 741 yards and seven touchdowns and Darrius Heyward-Bey followed with 606 yards and five touchdowns. Palmer looked at other ways to move the ball, including throwing to tight end Brandon Myers and fullback Marcel Reece. Myers was the leading receiver on the team with 806 yards on 79 catches. Reece also had 52 catches for 496 yards. When healthy, Mike Goodson had success as a receiver with 195 yards on only 16 catches. Goodson also ran for 221 yards in limited action as he got hurt at the same time Darren McFadden had his annual injury. Run DMC disappointed fantasy owners again and had 707 yards and two touchdowns on the ground while adding 258 yards and one touchdown through the air. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski again showed off his big leg with six field goals made from 50 yards or more. He was also a perfect 24-for-24 from less than 50 yards out. What to Expect in 2013 The Raiders will debut a bit of a new-look offense in 2013. The team said goodbye to Palmer, Goodson, Heyward-Bey and Myers; that’s a lot of yards lost. The only impact player they’ve brought in, however, is Matt Flynn. Flynn has thrown just 141 passes in his five seasons and attempted just nine last season, so aside from the one big game he had two years ago with the Green Bay Packers there isn’t much to go off with him. He doesn’t have much talent to work with either and shouldn’t be one of the top 30 quarterback taken in fantasy football drafts. They drafted Tyler Wilson out of Arkansas and while the team is really high on him, his 2013 fantasy value is minimal. Keep an eye out on the quarterback competition during training camp. McFadden is at that point where his days as a fantasy RB1 look over, but there’s always a chance he becomes a very valuable RB2 if he can round back into form. Rashad Jennings was brought in to replace Goodson coming off a disappointing season, but he doesn’t hold much, if any, fantasy value. Reece is the only fullback worth consideration in fantasy as he is worth a look as an RB4 in PPR leagues. Dynasty owners should invest a late round pick on Miller, who is am injury away from getting some playing time. Moore is the only receiver on the team worth drafting, and he projects to me a WR3 at best if he can stay healthy. Rod Streater could be a sleeper as the second wide receiver. After losing Myers the team only has unknowns in rookies Nick Kasa and Mychal Rivera. Kasa is the front runner to open the season as the starter, though he holds little value in all formats. Don’t be surprised if… ...the Raiders decide to start Wilson at quarterback in Week 1. Whike dynasty owners should take note, don’t get to excited because he will have limited weapons to work with, especial

Written by Marc Caviglia In January we were asked to participate in Dynasty Football Warehouse’s first fantasy football mock draft of the 2013 season. The 2013 fantasy football mock draft was Dynasty based and was a 20 round draft. Every owner was required to start a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, Flex, TE, K, DEF in PPR scoring. You can view our team, as well as round-by round analysis here: 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (January). As you all know, a lot has changed since January, and our good friend over at Dynasty Football Warehouse have invited us back for another fantasy football mock draft. The owners are the same, however this time around we are allowed to draft current rookies from the 2013 NFL Draft. So if you are wondering where you should draft the NFL’s newest rookies in a dynast format fantasy football league, check out our 2013 fantasy football mock draft. PPR Scoring Pass TD: 4 points | All Other TDs: 6 points 25 Passing Yards: 1 point | All Turnovers: - 2 points 10 Rushing Yards: 1 point | 10 Receiving Yards: 1 point | Reception: 1 point Now, let’s jump right into the ROUND 10 results of the 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (May) hosted by Dynasty Football Warehouse. 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft - Round 10 Results (May) 10.01 Football Guys: Mikel Leshoure, RB, Detroit Lions 10.02 Fantasy Football Xtreme II: Ryan Williams, RB, Arizona Cardinals 10.03 Bruno Boys: Marcus Lattimore, RB, San Francisco Seagulls 10.04 X’s and Y’s Podcast: Aaron Dobson, WR, New England Patriots 10.05 Pro Football Focus II: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins 10.06 Fantasy Taz: Isaiah Pead, RB, St. Louis Rams 10.07 Draft Calc: Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys 10.08 Dynasty Football Warehouse: Christine Michael, RB, Seattle Seahawks 10.09 Fantasy Football Xtreme I: Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona Cardinals 10.10 Wild Thing Football: Alshon Jeffery, WR. Chicago Bears 10.11 Zach Law: Mike Gillislee, RB, Miami Dolphins 10.12 Pro Football Focus I:Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders Round 10 Reaction: Bruno Boys Picks: 1.10 Bruno Boys: Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks 2.03 Bruno Boys: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos 3.10 Bruno Boys: Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers 4.03 Bruno Boys: Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans Saints 5.10 Bruno Boys: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers 6.03 Bruno Boys: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons 7.10 Bruno Boys: Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers 8.03 Bruno Boys: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelpahi Eagles 9.10 Bruno Boys: Dennis Pitta, TE, Baltimore Ravens 10.03 Bruno Boys: Marcus Lattimore, RB, San Francisco 49ers OTHER ROUNDS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Written by Rich Arleo Edited by Marc Caviglia To help better prepare you for your upcoming 2013 fantasy football drafts we have has decided to take a close look at each team’s depth and predict how each players role will play out during the 2013 NFL season. These fantasy football depth charts will cover every position, however the main focus will be on the running back and wide receiver positions, since fantasy football owners have the toughest time projecting these positions. Keep in mind our NFL Depth Charts are fantasy football specific. ::UPDATED: MAY 25, 2013 Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart QB1: Alex Smith | QB2: Chase Daniel | QB3: Tyler Bray RB1: Jamaal Charles | RB2: Knile Davis | RB3: Shaun Draughn | RB4: Cyrus Gray WR1: Dwayne Bowe | WR2: Donnie Avery | WR3: Dexter McCluster | WR4: Jon Baldwin TE1: Travis Kelce | TE1: Tony Moeaki | TE2: Anthony Fasano K: Ryan Succop 2012 In Review It was another rough year for the Kansas City Chiefs. One of the worst offenses in the league was anchored by a struggling Matt Cassel before he was hurt. Brady Quinn failed miserably filling in for him and the entire offenses faltered because of it. Dwayne Bowe struggled to put up numbers for fantasy football owners, but it wasn’t all his fault. He finished with 803 yards and only three touchdowns (the only receiver to score more than once). Dexter McCluster was second with 452 yards and one touchdown and tight end Tony Moeaki had almost identical numbers as the top tight end. Star running back Jamaal Charles was able to produce all by himself, however he was inconsistent as an RB1. He finished with over 1,700 total yards and seven touchdowns. Peyton Hillis failed to do much of anything as his counterpart while Shaun Draughn showed he’s basically as valuable as Hillis. Kicker Ryan Succop didn’t have many scoring chances but was able to nail some long kicks. What to Expect in 2013 The Chiefs made a big move this offseason bringing in Alex Smith and he should make the Chiefs offense somewhat respectable. Smith can be a decent QB2 and will help the fantasy football value of every other key offensive player…especially Bowe. The veteran Bowe can again be drafted with confidence and should return to the high end WR2 form he had back when Cassel at least had a respectable year. Donnie Avery as the second wide receiver should also help Bowe. Avery probably won’t be as valuable as he was last year with Andrew Luck , but he could be roster worthy. McCluster and Jon Baldwin will get looks here and there, but they will be few and far between. Charles should also be able to score more as the offense will actually move the chains. Hillis is gone, so Charles will have basically all of the carries to himself, though the Chiefs did invest a draft pick on Knile Davis. Davis is explosive, tough to tackle and will spell Charles the majority of the time. Draughn has good hands and may be able to see some touches through the air with Smith under center. Moeaki could improve a bit but the Chiefs also brought in Anthony Fasano and drafted Travis Kelce in Round 3. None of the tight ends are fantasy relevant in re-draft leagues as of now, though Kelce is a solid late round pickup in fantasy football dynasty leagues and is fairly advanced despite being a rookie. Don’t be surprised if… ...Smith becomes a very good QB2 and Bowe is a very solid WR1 all year. Bowe is too talented to be kept out of the end zone as much as he was last season, and Smith should thrive with a top-flight receiver and great running back behind him. Plus the selection of Eric Fisher at No/ 1 overal helps bolster the offensive line. AFC EAST DEPTH CHART: BUF | MIA | NEP | NYJ AFC WEST DEPTH CHART: DEN | KCC | OAK | SDC AFC SOUTH DEPTH CHART: HOU | IND | JAC | TEN AFC NORTH DEPTH CHART: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT NFC EAST DEPTH CHART: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS NFC WEST DEPTH CHART:

Written by Rich Arleo Edited by Marc Caviglia To help better prepare you for your upcoming 2013 fantasy football drafts we have has decided to take a close look at each team’s depth and predict how each players role will play out during the 2013 NFL season. These fantasy football depth charts will cover every position, however the main focus will be on the running back and wide receiver positions, since fantasy football owners have the toughest time projecting these positions. Keep in mind our NFL Depth Charts are fantasy football specific. ::UPDATED: MAY 25, 2013 Denver Broncos Depth Chart QB1: Peyton Manning | QB2: Brock Osweiler | QB3: Zac Dysert RB1: Montee Ball | RB2: Willis McGahee | RB3: Knowshon Moreno | RB4: Ronnie Hillman | RB5: Lance Ball WR1: Demaryius Thomas | WR2: Wes Welker | WR3: Eric Decker | WR4: Tavarres King TE1: Joel Dreesen | TE2: Jacob Tamme K: Matt Prater 2012 In Review The Denver Broncos brought in Peyton Manning with the hope he could overcome his neck issues and revert back to Hall of Fame form, and that’s exactly what he did. Manning threw for a whopping 4,658 yards, good for sixth best in the league, to go along with 37 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions (105.8 quarterback rating). Manning gained an instant rapport with receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. Thomas became a top-flight WR1 with 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns while Decker was also a top 20 receiver with 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns. Veteran Brandon Stokley also made some plays with 544 yards and five touchdowns. Manning also found his tight ends Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen. Tamme led the duo with 544 yards and two touchdowns while Dreesen scored five times with 356 yards. The run game also flourished with Manning under center. Willis McGahee was on his way to a big year before his season ended with yet another knee injury. After McGahee went down, Knowshon Moreno filled in well as both a receiver and runner. Rookie Ronnie Hillman showed some talent in limited time but he may not be able to cut it as a workhorse back, while Lance Ball fell out of favor and was limited to 42 carries all season. At kicker, Matt Prater had another very solid season and has established himself as one of the beck kickers in the NFL. What to Expect in 2013 Denver will look to build on a great season as much of the group returns…along with one big addition. Wes Welker left the New England Patriots and joins Thomas and Decker to form quite simply the best wide receiver corps in the league and in fantasy football as well. All three should be starting fantasy football receivers; the only issue may be with Decker as he could lose some targets to Welker. Thomas should remain unaffected, but all three will put up very good numbers. Manning owners can expect more of the same as long as the neck issues don’t flare up. He should be drafted as a top 5 fantasy football quarterback in re-draft formats and repeat with about 4,500 yards and 35-plus touchdowns. With Welker basically replacing Stokley, he could be even better. The backfield situation heading into 2013 is not as clear as the passing game. Montee Ball was taken in Round 2 of the NFL Draft and immediately has the most upside out of anyone in the backfield. McGahee and Moreno both are recovering from knee issues and the Broncos could look to pair him with Hillman while letting go of either (or both) of the veterans. Hillman should be able to see consistent carries this year along with Ball. McGahee and Moreno are only worth late-round picks at this point, and either could be jobless before the season starts. Tight ends Tamme and Dreessen return and will likely see a pretty even split of targets for a second straight year. They are tough to trust as anything other than bye week replacements. It’s rather random which back produces each week, so starting either one of them will always be a risk. Prater is one of the best fantasy football ki

Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead says Daily News Jets beat writer Manish Mehta will be reassigned by the paper.+ Jets fans - same NYDN peeps who told me Hoops Weiss was laid off are saying@mmehtanydn is moving off NY Jets beat. New role will be [1of2] — Jason McIntyre (@TheBigLead) May 25, 2013 'NFL Insider' (w focus on big-picture Jets stuff) probably similar to Bedard's old role @ Globe. Finally, a good NFL columnist there [2of2] — Jason McIntyre (@TheBigLead) May 25, 2013 Putting on my reader hat for a moment, I imagine my feelings about Manish's work is similar to many of yours. I personally was a bigger fan of his work when he was at The Star-Ledger. I don't think this will lead to a big change in Jets coverage from the Daily News, though. While many are upset about the tone and substance of Mehta's work, it seems like that has a lot to do with editorial direction. It feels like more than a coincidence that once Mehta moved to the Daily News the criticisms of him started to mirror the criticisms of his predecessor, Rich Cimini. Throughout its paper, the Daily News focuses on controversial stories that get people talking, not in-depth stories that educate the reader. You can see it in the paper's Jets coverage that goes beyond Mehta. Manish didn't hire a photographer to snap a picture of Rex Ryan's tattoo. The people in charge of his paper did. This is the kind of story the Daily News chases from the first page to the last page. Now think about The Star-Ledger. There has been a ton of recent turnover on the Jets beat, four writers there since 2008. All four have received praise. That's no accident. The editors giving direction there value in-depth reporting. Many of us have been frustrated by Manish, but he has to listen to his bosses. His job depends on it. Want to know something else? There is a big market for the kind of journalism the Daily News does. A large percentage of the population wants controversial stories heavy on scandal but short on substance. ESPN has built a sports empire using many of the same strategies. I'm not being critical here when I say these things. These are simply the approaches these entities take. If The Big Lead is correct, I wish Manish the best. I also would not expect a big change in style or substance from his replacement on the beat. Finally, I hope the Daily News does not take somebody like Conor Orr or Brian Costello. I really like those guys.

It's a pretty dead time right now in the NFL, and with so many people on vacation for Memorial Day weekend, it is particularly so. Given that there isn't much news, it seemed like a good time for everybody to learn a little more about each other. Well, those of you open to sharing I suppose. Our Tennessee Titans blog, Music City Miracles, had a discussion earlier this week about the stories behind member user names. I actually think we had something similar a few years back in a FanPost or front page post, but I can't quite remember. Either way, it's a fun topic. So, why did you choose your user name? For me, before using my actual name, I used just Fooch. It's a simple shortening of my last name, and it's something people have called me since high school. I don't tell people to do it, but rather, it just happens. A lot of people include 49ers in their user name, others include random mentions that are not connected to anything about football. Most have an interesting story behind it. What's your story?