Week 9 is here. For me that means only 5 weeks left in the season. Unless my league is somehow some kind of oddball, you probably only have 5 weeks to go as well. 

How’s it looking? Riding high or squeaking bye?

5 weeks is a chance for 5 wins. Fantasy football is a week by week game. Roll off 3 of the next 5, 4 of the next 5 and unless you have 1 or 2 wins and the leader is rocking it at 6-1, calm down.

I lost the first 3 games of my season and have just completed a 5 game monster win streak.  You can too with a with a smart trade or a clutch wire pickup.

Let’s analyze some moves that will keep your hopes alive to get in the playoff.

Bye weeks are here meaning some big dogs are off the board. Depending on your match this week some of your beasts could be sleeping this week but that also means some of your opponents big guns could be of no use as well.

Forte, Rogers, Tate, some heavy hitters are not available. Depending on your situation and how dire the need is for a win, trading a monster like Forte might be a gamble you must take.

I realize trading a player that has to be like 40% of a team’s offense is not a move that you might even think to make, but there are only 5 games left and if you need to win the majority of them , maybe trading a big hunk of chocolate cake for 2 slightly pieces might be the move here.

Forte for Ingram coming off a monster game playing a Panthers team that is allowing some rushing yards and Kelvin Benjamin playing against a Saints defense that has been anything but stellar this year.. Benjamin is averaging 10.5 points a game while Ingram is coming of missing 4 weeks but averaging 15.5 in the four games he has played.  Forte is averaging 18 points a game.

Not a bad deal huh? The point here is that thinking outside of the box here is going to pay off. Think about it, Forte can’t help you this week. You lose another game and then you are left with only 4 games left to play and if the dudes ahead of you win this week, you are that much further in the hole and that dirt gets heavy fast.

Crunch some numbers, look at who is an absolute beast on your team and try and cash that beast in for 2 semi beasts that can get you a crucial win this week. Crunch the numbers people and don’t be afraid to move a beast.

Week 9 is here. For me that means only 5 weeks left in the season. Unless my league is somehow some kind of oddball, you probably only have 5 weeks to go as well. 

How’s it looking? Riding high or squeaking bye?

5 weeks is a chance for 5 wins. Fantasy football is a week by week game. Roll off 3 of the next 5, 4 of the next 5 and unless you have 1 or 2 wins and the leader is rocking it at 6-1, calm down.

I lost the first 3 games of my season and have just completed a 5 game monster win streak.  You can too with a with a smart trade or a clutch wire pickup.

Let’s analyze some moves that will keep your hopes alive to get in the playoff.

Bye weeks are here meaning some big dogs are off the board. Depending on your match this week some of your beasts could be sleeping this week but that also means some of your opponents big guns could be of no use as well.

Forte, Rogers, Tate, some heavy hitters are not available. Depending on your situation and how dire the need is for a win, trading a monster like Forte might be a gamble you must take.

I realize trading a player that has to be like 40% of a team’s offense is not a move that you might even think to make, but there are only 5 games left and if you need to win the majority of them , maybe trading a big hunk of chocolate cake for 2 slightly pieces might be the move here.

Forte for Ingram coming off a monster game playing a Panthers team that is allowing some rushing yards and Kelvin Benjamin playing against a Saints defense that has been anything but stellar this year.. Benjamin is averaging 10.5 points a game while Ingram is coming of missing 4 weeks but averaging 15.5 in the four games he has played.  Forte is averaging 18 points a game.

Not a bad deal huh? The point here is that thinking outside of the box here is going to pay off. Think about it, Forte can’t help you this week. You lose another game and then you are left with only 4 games left to play and if the dudes ahead of you win this week, you are that much further in the hole and that dirt gets heavy fast.

Crunch some numbers, look at who is an absolute beast on your team and try and cash that beast in for 2 semi beasts that can get you a crucial win this week. Crunch the numbers people and don’t be afraid to move a beast.

Every year the college football world hears about a “can’t miss” prospect, or the “next big thing” that dominates the media landscape.  This year is no different as the University of Southern California Trojans have one of the most impressive athletes to ever put on the USC Cardinal and Gold with Junior Defensive End Leonard Williams.

Leonard Williams is a 6’5”, 300-pound powerhouse that has dominated the early part of the football season, and making a case to be the possible top draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Leonard Williams came to the Trojans as one the top defensive linemen in the country out of Daytona Beach, Florida.  He was ranked as the fifth best Defensive End recruit by Rivals, and has grown into one of the most impressive defensive linemen that USC has ever produced.

Williams has been the anchor of the Trojans defense, and was named as team captain at the young age of 20 due to his leadership ability, tenacity, and sheer determination on the field. 

Here are five reasons why Leonard Williams is considered the best Defensive Player in college football:

Ability to get up for the big game – Leonard Williams has shown that the bright lights, and big stage do not affect him at all, and that he has even played better under those conditions.  Williams was able to withstand terrible pain, and played one of the greatest games of his young career against a very formidable Stanford Cardinal Offensive Line.  Williams had 11 tackles, and caused the game saving fumble to secure victory for the Trojans in that epic contest against Stanford.  Williams was named Defensive Player of the Week, and earned his first career PAC 12 Player of the Week honors.  Williams seems to enjoy the pressure, and wants to be relied upon by his teammates to lead them to victory.

Playmaking ability – Leonard Williams has been characterized by many as a “Wildman” on the field.  Williams is always around the ball making a key play, and has the ability to change the course of the game at any snap of the ball.  Williams just has the ability to sniff out the play before it has even had a chance to develop, and has been known to cause havoc for any offensive game plan.

Athleticism – Most defensive lineman are usually big and strong, but lack athleticism.  Williams is a superior athlete with closing speed that many have compared to NFL Superstar JJ Watt.  In the match up with the Cardinal, Williams ran down Stanford’s top athlete Ty Montgomery with relative ease.  Williams is able to shed blocks, and make plays on runners that many speedy linebackers and corners have trouble making, and seem to be getting quicker by the week.

Causes havoc along the line of scrimmage – You do not have to be the leading tackler to be considered the most dominant member of a defense.  Williams is the ultimate disruptor along the line of scrimmage.  Williams has the ability to shed blocks and create havoc with his tremendous lateral speed.  Offenses have to account for Williams at all times on the field, and due to this fact, many are never able to get on track.

Leadership – Leadership is a quality that cannot be given, it must be earned.  Leonard Williams is the ultimate leader for the USC Trojans as he leads on and off the field of play.  Williams is a leader with his tenacity on the field, and he is a leader by example.  Williams does not take this responsibility lightly and he shows it every weekend on the field.  

These reasons alone make him the top Defensive Player in College Football, and sure-fire top prospect to dominate at the next level. 

Every year the college football world hears about a “can’t miss” prospect, or the “next big thing” that dominates the media landscape.  This year is no different as the University of Southern California Trojans have one of the most impressive athletes to ever put on the USC Cardinal and Gold with Junior Defensive End Leonard Williams.

Leonard Williams is a 6’5”, 300-pound powerhouse that has dominated the early part of the football season, and making a case to be the possible top draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Leonard Williams came to the Trojans as one the top defensive linemen in the country out of Daytona Beach, Florida.  He was ranked as the fifth best Defensive End recruit by Rivals, and has grown into one of the most impressive defensive linemen that USC has ever produced.

Williams has been the anchor of the Trojans defense, and was named as team captain at the young age of 20 due to his leadership ability, tenacity, and sheer determination on the field. 

Here are five reasons why Leonard Williams is considered the best Defensive Player in college football:

Ability to get up for the big game – Leonard Williams has shown that the bright lights, and big stage do not affect him at all, and that he has even played better under those conditions.  Williams was able to withstand terrible pain, and played one of the greatest games of his young career against a very formidable Stanford Cardinal Offensive Line.  Williams had 11 tackles, and caused the game saving fumble to secure victory for the Trojans in that epic contest against Stanford.  Williams was named Defensive Player of the Week, and earned his first career PAC 12 Player of the Week honors.  Williams seems to enjoy the pressure, and wants to be relied upon by his teammates to lead them to victory.

Playmaking ability – Leonard Williams has been characterized by many as a “Wildman” on the field.  Williams is always around the ball making a key play, and has the ability to change the course of the game at any snap of the ball.  Williams just has the ability to sniff out the play before it has even had a chance to develop, and has been known to cause havoc for any offensive game plan.

Athleticism – Most defensive lineman are usually big and strong, but lack athleticism.  Williams is a superior athlete with closing speed that many have compared to NFL Superstar JJ Watt.  In the match up with the Cardinal, Williams ran down Stanford’s top athlete Ty Montgomery with relative ease.  Williams is able to shed blocks, and make plays on runners that many speedy linebackers and corners have trouble making, and seem to be getting quicker by the week.

Causes havoc along the line of scrimmage – You do not have to be the leading tackler to be considered the most dominant member of a defense.  Williams is the ultimate disruptor along the line of scrimmage.  Williams has the ability to shed blocks and create havoc with his tremendous lateral speed.  Offenses have to account for Williams at all times on the field, and due to this fact, many are never able to get on track.

Leadership – Leadership is a quality that cannot be given, it must be earned.  Leonard Williams is the ultimate leader for the USC Trojans as he leads on and off the field of play.  Williams is a leader with his tenacity on the field, and he is a leader by example.  Williams does not take this responsibility lightly and he shows it every weekend on the field.  

These reasons alone make him the top Defensive Player in College Football, and sure-fire top prospect to dominate at the next level. 

Every year the college football world hears about a “can’t miss” prospect, or the “next big thing” that dominates the media landscape.  This year is no different as the University of Southern California Trojans have one of the most impressive athletes to ever put on the USC Cardinal and Gold with Junior Defensive End Leonard Williams.

Leonard Williams is a 6’5”, 300-pound powerhouse that has dominated the early part of the football season, and making a case to be the possible top draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Leonard Williams came to the Trojans as one the top defensive linemen in the country out of Daytona Beach, Florida.  He was ranked as the fifth best Defensive End recruit by Rivals, and has grown into one of the most impressive defensive linemen that USC has ever produced.

Williams has been the anchor of the Trojans defense, and was named as team captain at the young age of 20 due to his leadership ability, tenacity, and sheer determination on the field. 

Here are five reasons why Leonard Williams is considered the best Defensive Player in college football:

Ability to get up for the big game – Leonard Williams has shown that the bright lights, and big stage do not affect him at all, and that he has even played better under those conditions.  Williams was able to withstand terrible pain, and played one of the greatest games of his young career against a very formidable Stanford Cardinal Offensive Line.  Williams had 11 tackles, and caused the game saving fumble to secure victory for the Trojans in that epic contest against Stanford.  Williams was named Defensive Player of the Week, and earned his first career PAC 12 Player of the Week honors.  Williams seems to enjoy the pressure, and wants to be relied upon by his teammates to lead them to victory.

Playmaking ability – Leonard Williams has been characterized by many as a “Wildman” on the field.  Williams is always around the ball making a key play, and has the ability to change the course of the game at any snap of the ball.  Williams just has the ability to sniff out the play before it has even had a chance to develop, and has been known to cause havoc for any offensive game plan.

Athleticism – Most defensive lineman are usually big and strong, but lack athleticism.  Williams is a superior athlete with closing speed that many have compared to NFL Superstar JJ Watt.  In the match up with the Cardinal, Williams ran down Stanford’s top athlete Ty Montgomery with relative ease.  Williams is able to shed blocks, and make plays on runners that many speedy linebackers and corners have trouble making, and seem to be getting quicker by the week.

Causes havoc along the line of scrimmage – You do not have to be the leading tackler to be considered the most dominant member of a defense.  Williams is the ultimate disruptor along the line of scrimmage.  Williams has the ability to shed blocks and create havoc with his tremendous lateral speed.  Offenses have to account for Williams at all times on the field, and due to this fact, many are never able to get on track.

Leadership – Leadership is a quality that cannot be given, it must be earned.  Leonard Williams is the ultimate leader for the USC Trojans as he leads on and off the field of play.  Williams is a leader with his tenacity on the field, and he is a leader by example.  Williams does not take this responsibility lightly and he shows it every weekend on the field.  

These reasons alone make him the top Defensive Player in College Football, and sure-fire top prospect to dominate at the next level. 

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

Your roster is almost set, you feel like you have a solid team that can make some noise. If only you could decide on that final spot...

One single player can make or break your fantasy week. Did you choose Antonio Gates at $4,400 for 6 points last week? Or did you save a little salary and roll with Travis Kelce for $3,700 and 23.3? Did you think it was a good idea not to draft Steve Smith Sr. at $5,600 for 35.9? Perhaps you thought you were making the right move by taking James Jones for $5,100 and 14.3? Each week, seemingly simple decisions can have a huge impact on your ability to take down a big score.

This week, a shot at ONE MILLION DOLLARS -   www.FFChamps.com/million - is on the table. How can you cut through all the noise and make the choices to help you take it down? Follow these simple steps, save some time, and get your roster where you want it to be:

• Opposing Matchup. How well or poorly does the opponent defend that particular position? Do they allow a bunch of points to that position or are they pretty stingy? Have they been playing well or preparing for the draft?

• Player Performance. How well has he been been playing? This year? Last 3 Games? Is he poised for a breakout or a non-factor in the offense?

• Targets and Touches. How big a part of the offense is he? Can I expect him to see the same workload? More or less?

• Injuries. Any injury concerns for either player? Any teammates out or coming back that could impact their playing time?

• Over/under. Does either game project to be high-scoring? If yes on one - will Player A be a big part of that? Or will he not see much action later in the game? If yes on Player A and Player B - who receives the bigger workload - i.e. targets and touches?

• Game line. Will this be a close game? Is Player A's team in risk of being blown out? Could Player B spend a lot of time grinding clock if they're up big?

• Salary. For the price I'm paying, who offers more potential? Can Player A really be worth $500 more than Player B? If I go with the lower-priced player, can I improve my roster elsewhere? If equal in price - who should have the bigger workload this week?

• Weather. Any implications I should be worried about? Is Player A playing in a dome? Will Player B suffer from the elements with projected winds of 25 mph?

• Gut. When you can answer all of the above questions and you're still torn, go with your gut. Could be right, could be wrong but you will feel a lot better at the end of the day when the player your gut told you to take busts out for two TDs and he's on your roster.

This game can be as hard or as simple as we make it. Trust your instincts, seek out the sources and information you trust while filtering out the noise, and put together the best possible team at or under the $50,000 Salary Cap. This week, someone is taking home ONE MILLION DOLLARS!  

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

Your roster is almost set, you feel like you have a solid team that can make some noise. If only you could decide on that final spot...

One single player can make or break your fantasy week. Did you choose Antonio Gates at $4,400 for 6 points last week? Or did you save a little salary and roll with Travis Kelce for $3,700 and 23.3? Did you think it was a good idea not to draft Steve Smith Sr. at $5,600 for 35.9? Perhaps you thought you were making the right move by taking James Jones for $5,100 and 14.3? Each week, seemingly simple decisions can have a huge impact on your ability to take down a big score.

This week, a shot at ONE MILLION DOLLARS -   www.FFChamps.com/million - is on the table. How can you cut through all the noise and make the choices to help you take it down? Follow these simple steps, save some time, and get your roster where you want it to be:

• Opposing Matchup. How well or poorly does the opponent defend that particular position? Do they allow a bunch of points to that position or are they pretty stingy? Have they been playing well or preparing for the draft?

• Player Performance. How well has he been been playing? This year? Last 3 Games? Is he poised for a breakout or a non-factor in the offense?

• Targets and Touches. How big a part of the offense is he? Can I expect him to see the same workload? More or less?

• Injuries. Any injury concerns for either player? Any teammates out or coming back that could impact their playing time?

• Over/under. Does either game project to be high-scoring? If yes on one - will Player A be a big part of that? Or will he not see much action later in the game? If yes on Player A and Player B - who receives the bigger workload - i.e. targets and touches?

• Game line. Will this be a close game? Is Player A's team in risk of being blown out? Could Player B spend a lot of time grinding clock if they're up big?

• Salary. For the price I'm paying, who offers more potential? Can Player A really be worth $500 more than Player B? If I go with the lower-priced player, can I improve my roster elsewhere? If equal in price - who should have the bigger workload this week?

• Weather. Any implications I should be worried about? Is Player A playing in a dome? Will Player B suffer from the elements with projected winds of 25 mph?

• Gut. When you can answer all of the above questions and you're still torn, go with your gut. Could be right, could be wrong but you will feel a lot better at the end of the day when the player your gut told you to take busts out for two TDs and he's on your roster.

This game can be as hard or as simple as we make it. Trust your instincts, seek out the sources and information you trust while filtering out the noise, and put together the best possible team at or under the $50,000 Salary Cap. This week, someone is taking home ONE MILLION DOLLARS!  

Former 4th round pick out of USC, Everson Griffen debuted for the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. Griffen, a freak of an athlete Who stands at 6'3" and ran the 40 yard dash in 4.65 seconds, spent the vast majority of his career playing behind Jared Allen, but Allen is a Chicago Bear now so Griffen will step in as the Right End on every down. During the 2013 season Everson Griffen appeared in all 16 games. Although starting none of those games Griffen was able to get to the quarterback 5.5 times.

The Minnesota Vikings defensive line took some big hits during this past offseason, but they were able to retain Griffen to the tune of a 5 year 42.5 million dollar deal, including 20 million guaranteed. This contract will put Griffen in the spot light, after all it is starter money.

The Vikings decided to part ways with Leslie Frazier and brought in the former Defensive Coordinator to the Cincinnati Bengals Mike Zimmer to be their new Head Coach. Zimmer will look to Griffen to lead the defensive front for the Vikings and maybe just maybe Zimmer can turn Griffen into a Pro Bowl Right End and fill the void left by Jared Allen.

Everson Griffen has shown that he can reach the quarterback. This should be a career year for Griffen he has the coach to help him along and is not playing second fiddle to Allen anymore. Expect Everson Griffen to step up big, carry the Minnesota Vikings defense and record his first double digit sack season of his career.

We continue our series on players who have a good chance of breaking out this year by delving into the Tennessee Titans’ roster—and there’s one guy who should become a star.

Maybe this one is cheating a bit because the guy had a great season last year, but Kendall Wright may have had the quietest 94 catches and 1,000 yards receiving in NFL history.

Coming out of Baylor, Wright had all the makings of a star. He had 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior year and was a big reason why Robert Griffin III won the Heisman. In fact, the only weakness on his NFL.com Draft Profile was a lack of blocking. Call me crazy, but I don’t think that a serious concern.

Wright’s Combine was a bit questionable, though. He ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, which raised some eyebrows (he was expected to be much faster). But shortly after he ran a 4.46 and a 4.43 at Baylor’s Pro Day, easing any worries about him.

The Titans drafted Wright in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, taking him 20^th overall. The team fell in love with his productivity and wanted to have him as a key player to build around.

Since joining the Titans, Wright has done nothing but impress. His speed on the field is incredible and he constantly finds ways to get open. How else could he have come so close to 100 catches and ranked seventh in receptions in the league?

But what’s surprising about Wright is that he is a smaller guy. At 5’10” and 191 pounds, you don’t expect him to go up and get balls over defenders. That could be the reason he only had two touchdowns last year.

Still, Wright is entering his third year in the league, which is when most receivers break out. He also has a new offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt, who loves to throw the ball and use his receivers near the goal line. If Whisenhunt can get Eddie Royal to catch eight touchdowns on 47 catches, then he should be able to get the larger, more athletic Wright to post similar numbers.

If Wright posts eight touchdowns like Eddie Royal did, his numbers would be among the best in the league. Considering how much Whisenhunt likes to throw the ball, he could easily go for 100 catches and 1,300 yards this year. Throw in eight touchdowns and you would essentially have Jordy Nelson’s stat line from a year ago. I’d say that’s a pretty good year.

Wright has everything he needs to have a monster year. He’s proven that he can handle a big workload, he’s entering his third season and he has a new, pass-happy coordinator. If he puts it all together—watch out.

The Cincinnati Bengals are facing a potential problem in the very crowded backfield. Do they unleash Giovani Bernard as the feature back or do they continue to run a "running-back-by commitee" (RBBC) backfield as they did in 2013?

The RBBC backfield certainly worked well for the Bengals last season as BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Bernard shared the ball-carrying duties as they rolled-up a combined 1,451 yard rushing.

Consider the 2013 final statistics for yardage by running backs reveals LeSean McCoy leading the league with 1,607 yards, averaging 5.1 yards-per-carry. Matt Forte was second with 1,339 total yards, averaging 4.6 y-p-c.

The Bengals’ backfield falls in-between first and second with the combined 1,451 yards.

A more telling stat, though, would be Bernard rushed for 695 yards on 170 attempts, which works out to 4.1 y-p-c.

That level of production is on-par with the likes of Marshawn Lynch (4.2 y-p-c), Eddie Lacy and Frank Gore (both 4.1 y-p-c) and Chris Johnson (3.9 y-p-c). All of these backs ran for more than 1,000 yards last season.

Bernard’s carried the ball 170 last season. Bump that number up to 283 (the average number of touches the top five running backs had in 2013) and Bernard would total 1,160 yards. Bernard would have been ninth in the National Football League in rushing in 2013 with those numbers.

Green-Ellis’ numbers fall off because his yard-per-carry average is only 3.4. Bernard is gaining, on average, a half-a-yard more than Green-Ellis. In the ‘game-of-inches’ that football is, this is a mile.

Green-Ellis is also 29-years-old and this is over-the-hill for a running back in the NFL. The shelf life of a running back is five-to-six years. Green-Ellis is beginning to feel the wear-and-tear of the NFL. When Green-Ellis was rushing for the Patriots, he had, respectively, seasons with 4.4, 4.4, 3.7 and 3.9 y-p-c seasons. There is also a quality drop-off in the offensive line that must be taken into consideration since the Patriots have that really good quarterback under-center, you know, he goes by the name of Tom Brady. The Patriots have always invested well in their offensive line.

The Bengals? Not-so-much.

Green-Ellis’ yards-per-carry drop-off could be attributed to that change, but since Bernard was able to average 4.1 y-p-c behind the same o-line, age is a more likely factor.

There is another startling stat that Bernard brings to the table in his case for breakout player in 2014.

Bernard caught the second-most passes for the Bengals last season with 56 and was third on the team in receiving yards with 514.

This type of production puts Bernard in LaDainaian Tomlinson production level. Tomlinson averaged, I say AVERAGED, 289 carries-a-season, 1,244 yards-per-season rushing, 57 receptions-a-season and 433 yard-per-season receiving. Those number include two lackluster seasons with the New York Jets and two seasons which were shortened by injury.

Take out the two season with the Jets and Tomlinson’s numbers are 320 c-p-s, 1,388 y-p-s, 59 r-p-s and 439 y-p-s. A true duel-threat back if ever there was one.

Give Bernard these averages on carries-per-season and his yardage jumps up to 1,312 yards-per-season and his receiving yards jump up to 542 per-season.

Is it premature to call Bernard a re-incarnated Tomlinson? Yes. Is it feasible for the Bengals to utilize Bernard in this manner? Absolutely.

The Bengals just need to decide if that want this Tomlinson-style work horse to carry the offense, or not.Referencing back to Bernard’s days at North Carolina, he is more than capable of carrying this workload. Bernard averaged 211 carries-per-season and 46 receptions-per-season for 1,241 rushing-yards-per-season and 426 receiving-yards-per-season, respectively.

Giovani Bernard is poised and ready for the work load and, deservedly so, the spotlight.

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the up-and-coming teams in the NFL. After going 2-14 in 2011, the Colts drafted Andrew Luck first overall and have since made the playoffs in each of the past two years.

The Colts have a good mix of young talent and proven veterans, but they’ll need some of their guys to break out in 2014 if they’re going to take the next step and reach the AFC Championship Game.

The sleeper for the Colts this year indeed came from the 2012 NFL Draft, just like Luck—but he wasn’t drafted by the Colts.

The third pick in the draft that year, Trent Richardson was supposed to be an elite running back. But so far, he’s done nothing but disappoint.

As a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, Richardson was solid. He ran for 950 yards and caught 51 balls for another 367 yards. He also tallied 12 scores, with 11 coming on the ground.

While Richardson produced some solid numbers as a rookie, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and fumbled three times. He also never ran for more than 32 yards on a single carry.

Entering his sophomore season, Richardson was supposed to be the star of the Browns’ offense. So it came as a huge surprise when Richardson was traded to the Colts for a 2014 first round pick. At the time, it looked like the Colts took advantage of the Browns, but after seeing Richardson play 14 games in a Colts uniform, more people are calling him a bust and don’t think he was worth a first round pick.

Considering he hasn’t topped 1,000 rushing yards or averaged more than 3.6 yards per carry in a single season, Richardson hasn’t lived up to the hype he had coming out of college just yet. But this will be the year he breaks out and proves he’s worth every penny.

Sure, we all saw T-Rich struggle after being traded last season. He looked lost on the field, and there might be a good reason for that. He said he struggled to understand the Colts’ playbook last year, but he’s learned it now.

People expect a running back to just get the ball and run straight ahead. But in a complex NFL offense, that’s not how it works. If you don’t understand what the line is trying to do and exactly where the holes should be, you’re going to hesitate for a fraction of a second (like we often saw Richardson do last year). That can be the difference between a seven-yard gain or a three-yard loss in the pros—and we saw how damaging that can be last year.

However, Richardson has had almost a full year to learn the playbook now, and he should feel comfortable in Indianapolis now. And that’s not the only reason he could return to form in 2014.

Despite his struggles last year, Richardson remains firmly entrenched as the Colts’ lead back. In June, the team said that he has a chance to be a three-down back (https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/indianapolis-colts-player-most-likely-to-break-out-2014/30393/www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24598202/report-colts-trent-richardson-has-chance-to-be-3-down-back)—a rare breed bordering on extinct in the NFL today. And that was before one of his competitors, Vick Ballard, tore his Achilles and was ruled out for the year.

With Ballard out of the picture, the Colts are relying on Richardson and the injury-prone Ahmad Bradshaw (he’s only ever played in 16 games once). Without much competition at the position, Richardson should remain Indy’s guy.

In addition to the fact that Richardson could be given 225-275 carries by default, he should have a better offensive line in front of him.

The Colts’ O-line was absolutely atrocious last year. Whether it be pass protection or making holes for Richardson and the team’s running backs, the line struggled to do much of anything. How many times did we see Richardson hit before he reached the line of scrimmage? The answer: a lot.

The team spent its top pick on guard Jack Mewhort out of Ohio State. The team will also get Donald Thomas back from an injury. There’s a decent chance these two will start for the Colts and will be a considerable upgrade over what the team had last year. Combine them with two solid tackles in Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus, and the Colts should be able to give Richardson some holes to run through.

Despite the fact that he looked like such a stud coming out of college, Richardson has been written off by far too many people. We’ve seen backs struggle after a midseason trade before they come back the next year to play well again. Why can’t Richardson do it?

The best comparison for Richardson is Marshawn Lynch. After being traded from the Buffalo Bills to the Seattle Seahawks in the middle of the 2010 season, Lynch failed to live up to the billing. He ran for just 573 yards in 12 games (165 carries), averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. That’s’ pretty similar to Richardson’s decline.

But Lynch was able to bounce back after a full offseason with the Seahawks, posting 285 carries for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns and 28 catches for 212 yards and another score the following year. He was the fifth-best fantasy back that year.

If Richardson could have a similar year, the Colts would be ecstatic about the trade they made. And why shouldn’t he? He just as physically gifted as Lynch (10 pounds heavier, faster 40-yard dash) and is playing in an offense with an even better passing attack. The Colts have a ton of offensive firepower, meaning Richardson shouldn’t face too many stacked boxes.

With Colts GM Ryan Grigson calling Richardson out earlier this week, it’s time for the stud running back to finally break out and reach his potential in Indy.

Doug Baldwin was signed by the Seattle Seahawks in 2011 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Stanford. At 5\'10" 189 pounds Doug Baldwin is not the biggest of wide receivers in the NFL, But Baldwin could find himself in a big role for the Seahawks in 2014.

Last season, Baldwin was the second leading receiver on the Hawks, Golden Tate was the teams leading receiver, but he is in Detroit now and Sidney Rice has retired so Doug Baldwin will move from the slot position to the Number 2 wide receiver on the depth chart at the start of the season. Over the years Doug Baldwin has become a fiesty receiver with a great set of hands. Baldwin has displayed some toughness and has become the go to guy for Russell Wilson when they need that crucial catch.

In May, Baldwin signed a 2 year 13 million dollar extension and if Percy Harvin can stay healthy it should open things up for Baldwin and give him a chance to earn every penny of that 13 million dollar contract. Doug Baldwin has been given an opportunity to become a rock for the Seahawks and could possibly emerge as a leader among the wide receivers for Seattle. The Seahawks have given Baldwin the chance to really shine for them this season and Baldwin has gladly accepted. Doug Baldwin could end this season as the Seattle Seahawks leading receiver. Expect Doug Baldwin to have a breakout year for the Seahawks in 2014.

There are three players who caught my eye last year that could easily break out in the 2014 football season. Lets take a look at these players. 

Knile Davis 

Knile Davis entered his rookie career with the Chiefs last year with great stats. He carried the ball seventy times for 2,442 yards. A great average of 3.5 yards per carry. He also got four touchdowns to bring a wrap to his rookie year. I see Knile Davis breaking out this year, as the Cheifs can use him more, as Charles gets older and older. Charles was their whole offense last year, yet if something happens to him, Knile Davis can come and fill his shoes better than people think. 

Sanders Commings

Sanders Commings was the best pick up the Chiefs made in the 2013 NFL draft, yet with injuries he was un able to play most of the games in the season. Commings was praised by Andy Reid and said he could play everywhere on the defense. Commings can play as a corner back, or even go back as a free saftey. Commings will break out in 2014, if he can get back healthy from his broken ankle he suffered at Training Camp, thanks to Charles quick feet. This kid is a toss up, but when healthy could break out. 

Alex Smith

Lets take a step away from the young guys, and take a look at a leader and model for the Chiefs. Alex Smith had his best season with the Chiefs, with 3,313 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions. If Sanders can help the defense stop the other team, and Knile help the Chiefs running game, Smith could have an even better year. Charles helped Smith last year, because of the amount of play action plays. The defense was all over Charles, yet Smith was going deep. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are ready for the 2014 football season, are you ready? 

It seemed like every player on the Denver Broncos’ offense broke out last year, but there’s another guy about to do the same this year.

If you’ve read my articles in the past, you’ll know I hate rookie wide receivers. Considering there have literally been hundreds of them in the past and only eight have ever gone over 1,000 yards, I’m typically not a fan. But the Broncos have a guy that should fit in nicely and become a valuable weapon for the team down the stretch.

I’m talking, of course, about Cody Latimer. The wide receiver out of Indiana was a basketball stud in high school and didn’t focus on football until he became a Hoosier (odd that he fell in love with football at a basketball school). He played as a receiver, a kick returner and even a defensive back in high school as a junior and senior, improving every year. But he will be playing solely as a receiver in the Broncos’ high-octane passing attack.

The kid is a physical specimen. He stands 6’2” and 215 pounds, which is more than big enough to play on the outside in the NFL. The closest physical comparison might be Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears, who stands at 6’3” and 216 pounds. The difference is that Latimer is actually much faster than Jeffery, who ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at his combine.

Latimer’s true athleticism was a bit of a mystery for a while. After breaking his foot in January, some people were worried that he’d lost some of his burst that made his so good in college. He wasn’t able to participate in any drills at the 2014 NFL Combine other than the bench press (although he impressed in that aspect, leading all receivers with 23 reps). Instead, teams had to focus on his performance at Indiana’s pro day on March 26. And he blew everyone away.

Despite still recovering from his broken foot, Latimer ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That’s almost a tenth of a second faster than Jeffery and just as fast as burner Julio Jones. Mike Klis of The Denver Post documented Latimer’s impressive pro day:

“Latimer had surgery to repair the break Jan. 19 and missed all but the bench press at the NFL scouting combine in late February. But at Indiana\'s pro-day session March 26, he was timed at 4.39 and 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also had an impressive 39-inch vertical jump during his workout.”

Between his incredible size, strength and speed, Latimer has the potential to be a star receiver. But he’s still a raw talent, which is why he was projected to go in the fourth round by NFL.com. However, the Broncos saw his potential and took him in the second round at No. 56 overall.

Latimer’s biggest weaknesses as a prospect were his unpolished game (which is to be expected, since he’s only played a few years) and questions about his burst, route running and ability to run with the ball in his hands. But his game might be more polished than people realize.

One of the questions about Latimer is his burst. Critics claim he isn’t explosive off the line and fails to separate from defenders. That’s pretty hard to believe considering he was a basketball standout. We’ve seen plenty of basketball stars use the quickness they used on the basketball court to get off the line and make sharp cuts. Those are simply natural parts of basketball and can be used well on the field. His leaping ability translated and people are raving about it, so what makes people think his route running and explosiveness should suffer despite having the skills from his basketball days?

Another question about his game is when he has the ball in his hands. NFL.com called him “straightlinish after the catch,” but that’s another qualm that doesn’t make sense. He showed that he has a few moves with the ball in his hands as a kick returner in high school, when he took four of his 13 kick returns back for a touchdown as well as a punt return.

While Latimer undoubtedly has some flaws, he will be learning from a great coaching staff, three veteran receivers and one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. He should fix his minor flaws quickly, and he should be ready to make an impact after a few weeks.

Despite playing on a team with Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders in front of him on the depth chart and Julius Thomas at tight end, Latimer will still have an opportunity to get on the field.

Welker and Sanders are both slot receivers. While the season may start with Sanders on the outside, he’s naturally-suited for the slot. Combine that with Welker’s injury history (one hit to the head could knock him out for six weeks), and there’s a pretty decent chance the Broncos need another big wide receiver to play opposite Thomas.

That’s exactly what Eric Decker did last year. At 6’3” and 215 pounds, Decker had the size to play wideout. That’s very similar to Latimer’s size, and with Latimer’s huge catch radius and incredible leaping ability, you can bet he can make up for the inch he’s missing on Decker. Latimer is also much faster, as his 4.39 40-yard dash time is significantly faster than Decker’s 4.54, making him more of a deep threat as well.

Physically, Latimer should be the guy on the outside for the Broncos in four-wide sets. And if Welker or Sanders go down at any point this season, that leaves Latimer to play in the team’s many three-wide sets. Just getting on the field and playing on the outside will give Latimer the chance to prove that he deserves a big role.

Sure, that opportunity might be limited until he refines his game a bit and gets on the field more, but that should happen around the halfway point in the season. That will give the Broncos another valuable weapon in the league’s best passing game. Having a big, fast guy like Latimer creates matchup problems for defenses and opens up the field more for Manning.

Latimer can take the top off a defense. And if both he and Demaryius Thomas go deep, that leaves the safeties in a position where they have to provide help downfield. That, in turn, leaves Welker, Sanders and Julius Thomas in man coverage in the middle of the field where they can create separation and make life even easier for Peyton Manning.

While Latimer’s stats at the end of the season might not be pretty, you can bet that adding him into Denver’s stable of pass-catchers will make this passing attack just as dangerous as it was last year with Decker on the outside.

With all of the weapons on a newly-revitalized San Diego Chargers team with a new general manager, head coach, and offensive coordinator, and who made an impressive late-season push to earn a playoff berth and, subsequently, beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round, which player is most poised to have that highly-touted "breakout" season?

Whereas WR Keenan Allen made an incredible and immediate impact on the Chargers\' offense and will likely continue to contribute heavily to QB Philip Rivers\' passing prowess, there is much speculation and consensus that third-year TE Ladarius Green is that player to watch in the 2014-2015 season.

A fourth-round pick (#110) from Louisiana-Lafayette, Green is 24 years old, 6\'6" and 240 pounds, and runs a 4.45 40-yard dash. In his two seasons with the Chargers he has 21 regular-season receptions for 432 yards and three touchdowns. In 2013, Green boasted the highest average yards-per-reception for receivers with over ten receptions with 17 receptions for 376 yards: a 22.1 yards-per-catch average.

Since the advent of the two-tight-end set that rose to prominence a la the New England Patriots with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, many teams have employed this strategy. With the Chargers\' future hall-of-fame TE Antonio Gates getting up there in years (he is 34), while Gates is still an impact player, catching 77 receptions for 872 yards and four touchdowns, Green adds another layer of depth at the position. Gates is the possession receiver while Green is more explosive with amazing speed and fluidity. In fact, many analysts assert that Green\'s ball skills are more reminiscent of a seasoned NFL wide receiver than that of a third-year tight end. And having Gates as a mentor--come on, who wouldn\'t benefit from that?!

In the Chargers\' preseason week 2 matchup vs. Seattle on 8/15, Green was in eight-of-nine of Rivers\' first-quarter snaps before backup QB Kellen Clemens took the field. Granted, while Green only managed two catches for 20 yards, seeing more playing time will undoubtedly be a boon for the young player. Further, improvement in his route running and run blocking capabilities can only make him that much better.

Green draws much comparison to Denver\'s Julius Thomas whose stellar season last year demonstrates the tremendous impact tight ends have in this league. One need not look further than Jimmy Graham (NO), Vernon Davis (SF), Jordan Cameron (CLE), Jason Witten (DAL), and the aforementioned Gronkowski, Gates, and Thomas to appreciate the considerable value tight ends bring to an offense and there is little doubt that Green will boast similar impact this season and beyond.