Category Archives: rookie recap

Rookie Battle Royale: Week 14

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I don’t really have much on the rookie front this week due to a number of injuries as well as a few that just didn’t perform. To be honest, the only rookies worth talking about were Hakeem Nicks and Austin Collie, which was disappointing, but we can look forward to next week when the playoff picture comes more into focus. Harvin was out with Migraines this week, and Sanchez may be back with the team as well. Stafford is still hurting from the shoulder injury he had, and Freeman might as well have been injured this week.

At this point I don’t think there is much Moreno, Sanchez or Stafford can do to overcome Harvin’s case for rookie of the year, unless some how he loses the division title for the Vikings in the last game or something. On the defensive side, Brian Cushing is pretty much wrecking people on a weekly basis, so right now, I don’t think there is any question there either.

Its too bad that there isnt a second year player of the year award because Chris Johnson deserves some sort of hardware for his season. Manning or Brees will win MVP, but holy crap, Johnson has been ridiculous.

Lastly, it also looks as if the Steelers are not going to make the playoffs. That is pretty shocking considering how much of a favorite they have been since the beginning. However, when you lose to the Bengals (twice), the Raiders, the Browns and the Chiefs, maybe you need to rethink some strategies. That means a new champ this year, so I am even more excited than normal. The Vikings proved they are ready to play on the big time this week against cincy, even without Harvin and Tyrell Johnson in their weak secondary. After being torched by Arizona, im not sure if they can play against a team like New Orleans or Indy, but I guess we will see.

Rookie Value Rankings Show Me Some Things

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I have never really put together a post that is a display of the sell value rankings of all the rookies, so I thought it would be fun to try it out in preparation for our upcoming 3 box limited break. What I did was look at all the different Leaf Limited Phenoms Patch Autos /149 and compare them in terms of recent auction values from eBay. Most of them fluctuate 5% either way with each auction, so be sure to factor that in. These prices also factor in multi colored patches, as with Limited, it only adds so much. Afterwards, ill discuss my feelings on the pricing.

1. Percy Harvin – $100+
2. Knowshon Moreno – $65+
3. Matt Stafford – $57
4. Mark Sanchez – $52
5. Josh Freeman – $50
6. Michael Crabtree – $45
7. Beanie Wells – $30
8. LeSean McCoy – $25
9. Jeremy Maclin – $24
10. Mike Wallace – $23

1. Percy Harvin – Well, Im not too surprised he is at the top spot, especially with all the national hype that Harvin is getting. Another factor could be that all of these redemptions were just fufilled, so the initial go live bump could be in effect. Because Harvin is a WR im not sure if his values will stick through next year, even more so if his production drops when Favre leaves.

2. Knowshon Moreno – I think his price is the most right on of the whole group. As a RB for a top team, his value should stay pretty consistent, and his production should do the same. I would even see a lot of room for growth as he becomes more comfortable in the NFL. Also, RBs are just below QBs in terms of the skill position value hierarchy, so that’s pretty good for his stuff too.

3. Matt Stafford – At the start of the season, Stafford and Sanchez were top 2 with a bullet. Kind of interesting that their values are now where they are. I think Stafford’s will rise as the Lions get better, but overall, its still shocking that they are as high as they have been. That 5 TD game did help though.

4. Mark Sanchez – Recent struggles have greatly affected his value. This card used to be over 100 bucks, but when you throw no TDs and a few picks per game, the fickle bitch that is collector favor will fade with your problems.

5. Josh Freeman – I am wholeheartedly surprised that Freeman is this high on the list. He did beat the packers, but since then, little has been good for him. It needs to be said that the Bucs are fucking awful, but usually collectors cant see past that. Either way, I still think he has potential to be good, but this is peak value in my eyes.

6. Michael Crabtree- His values are slowly climbing as he plays more, but his initial offerings are still very much hurt by the extensive hold out and primadonna attitude. Crabby will be a good receiver based on what I have seen, but it will take some forgiveness and/or production to get values up where they started.

7. Beanie Wells – Although the Cardinals have been doing great lately, Wells still needs to prove he can handle playing in the NFL at an elite level before he will make a move on this list. He has had a few good games which have bolstered things, but overall, he has still had a struggle to produce.

8. LeSean McCoy – He may be the savior of the Eagles running game due to Westbrook’s concussions, but his values have not necessarily reflected that the way I thought they would. I don’t think McCoy will continue at his production pace because Westbrook will eventually come back, but he should carry some value because of his heightened role this season.

9. Jeremy Maclin – Maclin has shown flashes of absolute brilliance this year, especially being among the only rookie WRs to have a multi TD game. Maclin will be a great player in my opinion, but he will never have top value because of his position.

10. Mike Wallace – I think its awesome that the Steelers have lost to as many bad teams as they have, and Wallace has had some good production. The problem is that I think more of this value comes from the jersey he wears more than the prodction on the field.

Im sure these rankings will change as the season draws to a close, though I do believe they are pretty representative of what I expected.

Be sure to check out our Limited break this coming Saturday or Monday as we are sure to pull a few of these cards in our break. Hopefully it will be a good one.

Rookie Battle Royale: Week 13

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Sorry for the lack of updates these last few days, I have been out of town on business and this has been the first chance I have had to post any thing. Of course, the Vikings chose this week to lay a crap at least 8 courics in size, and many of the rookies did the same. Ill go over as many of them as I can, as my time is limited.

Mark Sanchez

Another less than mediocre game for Sanchez, and with only 104 yards of passing, he is fading from ROY contention. Funny enough, the Jets have won two in a row, even though Sanchez has played like a rookie, so I guess he is fine for right now.

Matt Stafford

Stafford had a typical Lions performance this week, throwing for 143, a TD and 2 INTs. With the way that he is surrounded, its expected that his bad games will far exceed his good games at first, though he will definitely have to overcome problems to stay above the JaMarcus Russell memorial rookie bust line.

Josh Freeman

Although Freeman threw for over 300 yards, his team lost mainly due to his inability to throw to his team’s receivers. When your QB throws five picks, you are almost guaranteed a loss, and if he doesnt throw a TD, you will have even less of a chance. Freeman has been off and on, and the Bucs are in limbo at 1-11 in terms of how to proceed with him from here. I say let him play, as you really have nothing to lose other than the number one pick in the 2010 draft.

Percy Harvin

Harvin had 6 catches for 79 and a TD, though the TD came in relative garbage time when the Cardinals had already sealed it. He played well, regardless, and was really one of the only bright spots of the game for the Vikings. Harvin is now the top wide-receiver on his team in TDs, pretty interesting considering that Favre has thrown 25.

Louis Murphy

Back on this list for the first time since week one, welcome back. Murphy had the game of the week for all rookies, catching 4 balls for 128 and 2 TDs. He single handedly helped the Raiders over come huge odds to hand the Steelers their 4 loss in a row and was remarkable in doing so.

Knowshon Moreno

Denver killed KC and Moreno played a pretty good game, scoring 2 TDs on his way to 86 yards on the ground. Moreno has slowly crept into the top of the discussion for ROY as Sanchez and Stafford have fallen.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Watch

1. Percy Harvin – He padded his stats a little in a part of the game that didnt matter, but it was still enough to keep him securely at the top. (LW #1)

2. Knowshon Moreno – Another good game to add to his list of accomplishments (LW #2)

3. Mark Sanchez – The Jets have been winning, so he moves up (LW #4)

4. Matt Stafford – He will need another record game to convince people that he is the ROY (LW #3)

5. Hakeem Nicks – A key TD in last night’s game gets him back on this list (LW NR)

Rookie Battle Royale: Week 12

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Hope you all had great thanksgivings, I know I had a great weekend of relaxing and watching football. The rookie class is shaping up to be pretty impressive, and some of them had their best games of the season. Without further adieu…

Mark Sanchez
Another shitty game for Dirty, but the Jets won, so its not all that bad in the long run. 154 and a pick will not cut it this late in the season, and his team is starting to fade out of the long run playoff picture if they continue to play at this level. Yes, they won, but they just dont look like a great team. Sanchez is looking as human as ever, and he definitely has Darrelle Revis to thank for this one being expunged from his record.
Matt Stafford
Stafford had an abysmal game and threw four picks for another loss to the Packers. Stafford has been very up and down, which is how rookie QBs usually are, and lucky enough for him, his team is too horrible for it to matter all that much. Stafford has had a better season than Sanchez to this point, but he will need pieces around him to keep it going.
Josh Freeman
Freeman almost came away with a win if not for Roddy White. Freeman had 250 and 2 TDs with no INTs, so a good game there. Freeman has turned out to be a surprise rookie success story, I guess thats what happens when you have no pressure on a 1-10 team. Id be interested to see what happens when they get CJ Spiller or something in the backfield, as Freeman could turn out better than expected.
Percy Harvin
I will say this right now. ROY is Harvin’s to lose, and this game shows how versatile he can be in this league. Harvin had his first 100 yard game of the year, and even managed 45 extra yards on the ground. Considering the Bears defense is still pretty formidable, and Peterson only had 85, Harvin looks that much better. He also had a first quarter TD, so I would file this under one of the best games of his short career so far. What is it with Vikings’ rookies destroying the Bears?
Kenny Britt
Britt had a great game, including the game winning TD catch against the Cardinals. He had 128 receiving yards and was definitely one of the best rookies of this week, if not the best. Britt has done his best to put together a pretty good rookie campaign on a team that hasnt done well until 5 weeks ago.
Knowshon Moreno
A good game for Moreno, including a TD and 100 total yards. I expected him to have a little bit better of a game, especially when the Broncos were up big and running late in the game. Either way, they beat a failing team with good players, and that always is a nice boost. Next week should be another good game, so we will see what he can do.
LeSean McCoy
With Westbrook out indefinitely, McCoy will need to carry this team at the RB position. He had a pretty good game including a key two point conversion, as well as 100 total yards. They gave the goal line carry to the backup, so that sucks for his stats, but overall a game that wasnt a bad one. McCoy is turning out to be a viable option for McNabb, which can only help his stock.
Darrius Heyward-Bey
He finally caught a TD, and its been 11 weeks. Nice job Al Davis. Thats the only bright spot of the year for Hey Bey, and it was the only TD of the game for the Raiders. I guess that should count for something.
Jeremy Maclin
Maclin had a respectable five catches for 63 in the Eagles win, and he looked great on a few of those catches. Maclin will be good in the future, especially working on the other side from DeSean Jackson who will draw the coverage away from him. Jackson will be out next week, so we definitely get a good look at Maclin and what he can do.
Hakeem Nicks
Nicks had an okay game with 66 yards, but really hasnt shown the flashes of brilliance we saw from him earlier in the year. The Giants havent been doing very well, anyways, so Im guessing that has to be part of it.
Mike Wallace
Wallace was shut out in a key game, that hurts for the Steelers who havent had a very good couple of weeks.
Offensive Rookie of the Year Watch
1. Percy Harvin – another great game, his to lose (LW – #1)
2. Knowshon Moreno – a good week, and a great season (LW – NR)
3. Matt Stafford – best of the QB years so far (LW – #2)
4. Mark Sanchez – early good start will help him from falling off the board (LW – #2)
5. LeSean McCoy – great year in a pressure situation (LW – #4)

Rookie Battle Royale: Week 11

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I love this week, I said it before, Ill say it again. The Vikings had an easy win, the Entire AFC North lost, some in epic fashion, and the rookies had great weeks, which is good for all of us. I think the playoff picture is becoming pretty clear in some parts, which is also cool, even though a few of my least favorite teams are pretty much in. Anyways, on with the show.

Mark Sanchez

Its been an up and down season so far for Sanchez, and this week was a major down week. He threw four interceptions en route to a Jets loss, again, and showed that rookie QBs usually don’t have the know how to figure out a tough D. Sanchez was once the runaway contender for ROY, but now isnt looking so hot. His cards have taken a hit as well, with some not cracking $100 where they used to be getting $120 and above. He is not going to be Jamarcus Russell, so don’t worry, but he still has a long way to go.

Matthew Stafford

Holy crap, what a week for Matthew Stafford. I guess the Browns really are that bad, and Stafford may be that good. He threw five TDs, a rookie record, and also passed for over 420 yards, again a rookie record. His Lions’ team had an epic comeback against the worst team in the league, and even though he broke all kinds of records, it just goes to show that the Browns suck that bad. Regardless, his cards will jump, and they deserve to, as he may have just catapulted ahead of Sanchez in the ROY watch.

Josh Freeman

Again, rookie QBs usually have a pretty bad game against good defenses, and Packers game aside, Freeman has done just that. 126 yards, a TD and a pick doesn’t leave you with much if you are the Bucs, especially so when you play against the Saints. Eh, growing pains are going to be common in Tampa Bay.

Percy Harvin

Harvin had a very good game against the Seahawks, including starting the scoring with a 23 yard TD. He ended up with 79 yards and 5 catches including one on third down for a nice gain. Harvin has quickly emerged as a top candidate for rookie of the year, and the Vikings seem to greatly benefit each time he catches the ball – kickoffs and otherwise.

Mohammed Massaquoi

Another great week for Massaquoi, even though it was against the Lions. He had a long TD, as well as 115 yards, so I guess the Browns fans should pleased that they ended up with Stuckey and him as their two guys instead of Braylon. I doubt that will remain the case, but for now, its not bad.

Bernard Scott

Bernie had a great week in a stunning loss. 115 yards rushing, though the Bengals were the second top team to lose to the Raiders. With Benson out, the Bengals are going to need some major help, especially with Larry Johnson dragging them down. Scott doesn’t look like a bad fill in, but he is little more than a stop-gap.

Michael Crabtree

Crabtree had his first good game of the year against the Packers, and it only took 11 weeks to do it with the hold out. Good for you buddy, smart move. He had 77 yards and a TD, though the Niners couldn’t pull off the late come back. Crabtree looks like he is going to be pretty good, but he will have that hold out tag on him until he explodes.

Brandon Pettigrew

Pettigrew had a feast with his Lions teammates, including a game winning TD catch with no time on the clock. He almost dropped it, which was funny, but overall he had a pretty good game with 72 yards. Its going to be tough as a tight end for him to get any sort of value momentum while playing in Detroit, so don’t go rush to your local shops looking for his stuff.

Hakeem Nicks

Nicks has been notably absent during the Giants losing streak, and this week was just alright. 65 yards on 5 catches, but the Giants did squeak out a win. Nicks is losing steam, but that could be just that the 16 game season is starting to catch up with him. He was injured for 2 games early on, so who knows.

Beanie Wells

74 and a TD is pretty good, second good game in a row for Beanie. Now that Warner is banged up, he should have a much more prominent role in the Cardinals’ offense. Maybe that will do well for him to get even more back on track.

LeSean McCoy

I remember back when getting 100 yards against the Bears on the ground was an impossible feat. McCoy came awfully close with 99 and a TD last night, so I guess its not that much of an accomplishment anymore. McCoy has quietly put together a great season, but with Westbrook coming back again soon, I doubt he will get the same attention later on.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Watch

Now that the season is more than half over and the graveyard is coming to life, its time to switch gears. There are a lot of candidates for ROY, and here is my own version of a tracker to show you who deserves consideration to me.

1. Percy Harvin – 36 rec / 501 yards, 4 TDs, 2 KR TDs – he has helped his team the most, and has shown to be a very elusive runner and tough to tackle. Those KRs have been icing on the cake in some of the Vikings wins, where others have been the cake themselves.

2(T). Mark Sanchez – 1761 yards, 10 TDs, 16 INTs – Sanchez is here because so many of the rookie QBs are always the most visible. NY has a better record than DET, even though Stafford has generally played better.

2(T). Matt Stafford – 1911 yards, 11 TDs, 14 INTs – Stafford has brought 2 wins to a horrible team with his arm alone. His recent 5 TD game brings him into this conversation, especially after missing games with a knee injury.

4. LeSean McCoy – 452 yards, 4.3 YPC, 3 TDs – McCoy has done great in Westbrook’s absence considering the circumstances. I doubt he has a chance to win unless he puts up a monster game next week.

5. Mike Wallace – 28 rec / 500 yards 3 TDs – He has done pretty well as a 3rd wide receiver, though has been used more of a deep guy than someone integral to the offense. It has netted him a great YPC avg and a few TDs, but he will need to step it up to overcome the rest of the candidates.