T.W.I.F.F. Notes

We are starting a new feature here at Big Daddyz Blog. It is called This Week In Fantasy Football. We shall name it T.W.I.F.F. Notes for short. It will be small news blurbs concerning any signings or cuts for all teams and how it affects the world of Fantasy Football. The first one will be long but subsequent reports should be much shorter. Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy.

Michael Vick indicted by a federal grand jury

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy in aiding interstate commerce for unlawful activities as well as the highly publicized dog fighting scandal.

Commentary: Vick is in serious trouble as the federal government does not indict without plenty of evidence. From 2000-2005 they have a 99% conviction rate on their indictments. If convicted he could very well spend years in prison and his highly lucrative football career would be over.

Fantasy Football Impact: This will have major fantasy implications as Vick is one of the NFL’s most talented and marketed players. Falcons fans maybe in for a long season with Joey Harrington at QB. Even if my miracle Vick plays he will not be effective with this hanging over his head.

Patriots re-sign veteran WR Troy Brown

New England signed free agent wide receiver Troy Brown to return for his 15th season as a Patriot. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Commentary: The 36 year old Brown has spent his entire career with New England. He was originally an 8th round draft pick out of Marshall in 1993. He has done just about everything the Pats could ask of a player. He has played on offense, defense, and special teams and been successful at each position.

Fantasy Football Impact: The Pats have a loaded roster of wide receivers so it will be hard for Troy to make much of an impact fantasy wise.


New England signs LB Rogers

The Patriots signed the third of their four total sixth-round draft picks, Justin Rogers a linebacker from SMU. The terms of the contract were not reported.

Commentary: Rogers is on the small side for an NFL linebacker at 6-4/250 pounds. He was a three-year starter at SMU and a two-time All Conference choice. He could be classified as a “tweener”. He was also a standout special teams player at SMU and even blocked some kicks.

Fantasy Football Impact: The rookie will not have any fantasy impact. If he makes the team it will be as a special team player. He is most likely just a training camp body as New England has a veteran corps of linebackers.


49ers add RB depth

The San Francisco 49ers signed their sixth-round draft pick, running back Thomas Clayton to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Commentary: The former Kansas State Wildcat is 5-10/225 pounds and is a between the tackles type of back. His stock dropped in the draft due to some off the field issues. He transferred to KSU from Florida State and was only a part-time starter in 2006 due to injuries.

Fantasy Football Impact: Clayton is physically gifted but has been plagued by injuries and off the field issues. The Niners have a top 5 fantasy back in Frank Gore, but not much else behind him. If the talented, but troubled Clayton can stay healthy he could work himself into the backup spot behind Gore. He will not have much fantasy impact this year unless Gore gets injured.



Steelers sign seventh-round WR Baker

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed seventh-round draft pick, wide receiver Dallas Baker to a three-year contract. The deal includes a signing bonus of $39,750

Commentary: The former Gator star has impressive hands and is a good red-zone target. He has good size at 6-3/208 pounds and was an All-SEC selection his senior year. He does not have top-end NFL speed for a receiver with a 4.58 – 40 time.

Fantasy Football Impact: Baker will not have any impact this year. He will most likely only contribute on special teams. The Steelers have a full roster of receivers ahead of him. Best case scenario he would only be 4th or 5th on the depth chart after training camp.




Falcons ink third-round pick WR Robinson

The Atlanta Falcons have signed their third-round draft pick Laurent Robinson to a four-year contract. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Commentary: The former Illinois State star is known for his speed and big play ability. He has nice size at 6-2/199 pounds. He was impressive at the combine and in Falcons mini-camp. He was hampered by an ankle injury his senior year. His junior year he posted spectacular numbers with 86 catches for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Fantasy Football Impact: Robinson is not likely to have a major fantasy impact this year. He could be a good return man but that’s about it. The Falcons QB situation will not be good if Michael Vick is suspended for a long period of time.


Atlanta signs TE to a four-year deal

The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Martrez Milner to a four-year contract. The financial terms were not disclosed.

Commentary: Milner is a hometown product from the University of Georgia. He is a 6-4/260 pound tight end. He will be expected to make the team as the number 2 tight end as the Falcons have one of the best in the league in Alge Crumpler.

Fantasy Football Impact: Milner will be used in a H-back type role as a blocker so his fantasy impact will be next to nothing.



Falcons sign sixth-round pick Datish

The Atlanta Falcons signed sixth-round pick Doug Datish to a four-year contract. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Commentary: The former Ohio State Buckeye played at all 5 positions on the line in college which means he is versatile. The 6-5/305 pound prospect is projected to play the center position in the pros.

Fantasy Football Impact: He will have no fantasy impact as he will at best be a backup lineman.



Minnesota signs fourth-rounder, DE Robison

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with their fourth-round draft pick, defensive end Brian Robison. The contract is a four-year deal and includes a $482,000 signing bonus.

Commentary: The 6-3/275 pound prospect has been described as a “workout warrior” and has a non-stop motor. He is a talented athlete who has a 40-inch plus vertical leap and was timed at 4.67 in the 40 yard-dash. He needs to work on football skills as he is a raw talent. He was an All-Conference pick as a junior at the University of Texas and had 14 career sacks.

Fantasy Football Impact: This adds depth to an already good defensive line in Minnesota. He could also play linebacker in the 3 – 4 scheme with his athletic ability. The Vikings are a solid #1 fantasy team defense and worth starting in your lineup each week, depending on the matchup.


Lions sign fourth-round pick, Ramirez

The Detroit Lions announced the signing of their fourth-round draft pick, offensive guard Manuel Ramirez. The deal is for three years, but the financial terms were not disclosed.

Commentary: The Texas Tech product is a mountain of a man at 6-3/326 pounds. He was one of the strongest linemen in the draft with a bench press of 550 pounds. He can be a dominant run blocker, but will need to work on pass protection in the pros.

Fantasy Football Impact: This could be an excellent pick for the Lions and could add some value to whoever is the starting tailback, Jones or Bell. They should have a good running game and Ramirez will add depth and talent to the inside of the offensive line for Detroit.


Titans release 4 players

The Tennessee Titans today waived quarterbacks Kent Smith and David Koral, linebacker Robert Reynolds, and safety Erik Keyes.

Commentary: Reynolds is the only player who has seen playing time for the Titans. He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Ohio State who played in 4 games in 2006

Fantasy Football Impact: None of these players have any significance in fantasy football.


Browns sign DE Chase Pittman

The Cleveland Browns signed seventh-round draft pick Chase Pittman to a four-year deal. The financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Commentary: Pittman was highly recruited out of high school originally signing with Texas. He transferred to LSU after his brother Cole, also a UT football player, died in a tragic car accident. He has good size at 6-4/270 pounds and is described as “intense with an outstanding motor”. His speed and quickness are a bit below average for an NFL lineman so he probably will be nothing more than a backup at the pro level.

Fantasy Football Impact: Chase, whose given first name is “Benjamin” will be fortunate to make the Browns roster let alone make any impact in fantasy football. He is an overachiever and one of those guys you root for to make it in the league.