Now What?
Andre Brown is gone and David Wilson will be a hot commodity. The same people hot for Wilson will probably be less thrilled about the Giants running back in the first month if Footballguys writer Matt Bitonti is correct about his assessment of New York’s offensive line. On our Thursday Night Audible podcast, Bitonti explained that the injuries to David Diehl and David Baas are good reasons why the unit may struggle early. If you want to play the ultra-slick move, don’t trade for Wilson now. Wait for the line to struggle, Wilson to have boom-bust production, and get him at a lesser cost by Weeks 3-5. By the end of the season, you might have a running back producing at a top-five clip in your fantasy leagues. The risk might be that Wilson’s big-play ability will compensate for the line’s struggles, but if you’re simply dealing from a strength, why not wait and see?
Also, look for the Giants to add a runner. Sigmund Bloom mentioned Tim Hightower. Good name. I’d also see if they scan the waiver wire or consider a bigger name free agent or trades for a backup if none of the pickings on the waiver wire next week suit them.
Marlon Brown continues to impress. So is Jordan Todman. Add Benny Cunningham to the list, and you’re looking at three players you might consider adding if you’re in a 20 (Brown), 30 (Todman), or 40-man (Cunningham) roster league. Brown has high-end starter upside. Todman has enough skill to provide committee support as a lead back if Maurice Jones-Drew gets hurt. And Cunningham? Think of a poor man’s Stephen Davis in terms of his style. I’m really impressed with his return from an injury that would have prevented many athletes from producing in training camp. The same goes for Brown.
Thank You
If you’re a new follower, Friday is the day of the week that I thank you for supporting the Rookie Scouting Portfolio Publication and this blog I maintain and provide links to things I’m reading, listening, and viewing. You may not like everything, but I think you’ll like something.
If you’re not aware, I donate 10 percent of every sale to the Darkness to Light, a non-profit that creates and administers training programs to combat and prevent sexual abuse in communities across the country. I do this because at this time I do not have time to give back as a volunteer to any cause on a regular basis.
I chose this cause for several reasons. Among them was the Penn State scandal, which was a macrocosm of the dynamics at play when a child is victimized and those responsible for protecting them make all the wrong decisions. Sexual abuse doesn’t “ruin” children. What’s often far more damaging is the behavior of the men and women who are supposed to protect, support, and help the children who report being victimized and are often not believed and even shamed for seeking help.
And it’s not just the victims who have to carry the burden of what was done to them by the abuser and those adults who did nothing to help them.
Download the 2013 Rookie Scouting Portfolio or better yet, donate to Darkness to Light. Be a part of the solution they have developed to educate schools, community organizations, and civil service organizations on the data and dynamics that define this problem of epidemic proportions. At the very least read these Five Steps to Protecting Children.
Listens
Football Reads
- College Athletes’ Honesty Caught on Security Camera – Jason Sickes at Yahoo! had the good fortune to write a story about four of thousands more athletes who don’t get in trouble off the field.
- ‘The System’ a great read on college football’s inner workings – Dan Wetzel at Yahoo! had the good fortune to write a review of a book on the state of college football. Explains a lot about Bryce Brown . . .
- Breaking Down CB Brent Grimes’ Interception of QB Matt Schaub – Nice job by John Harris at The Sideline View.
- Scouting Matchup: Jadeveon Clowney vs. James Hurst – Let’s just make it a two-fer for Harris this week.
- The Tape Never Lies: Harrison Smith has the potential to be the league’s best safety – Alen Dumonjic’s fine read on the second-year defensive back.
Listens
Non-Football Reads
- Mind Control? Brain Controls Brain in New Demonstration – As with all forays into new technology the implications are scary, thrilling, and fascination.
- The Dark Side of “I Have a Dream”: The FBI’s War on Martin Luther King – Be it business or government, a healthy skepticism of large institutions with power is a good thing to have.
- The Audacity of Despair – David Simon (The Wire and Treme) has a blog.
- Documenting Elephants’ Compassion – We’re a species of geniuses and idiots all rolled into one. Read this and you’ll understand what I mean.
- Sandy Hook Student, Rescue Dog Bond – A Pit Bull paying it forward.
- Welcome to the Age of Denial
- Seattle Give Doritos Away at Hempfest – I’d prefer one of those donuts, but dude . . . nice plan.
Views – Nothing Gets Me Ready For the Season More Than Watching Some Marshall Faulk