Todd McShay: 2015 IFFDA Mock Draft

Todd McShay released his first "way too early" IFFDA Rookie Mock Draft for 2015. How early? The draft order isn't even quite set yet and the playoffs haven't started. Here is what the draft guru had in mind when it comes to the future of the IFFDA:

1. Carolina Panthers - RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Reasoning: The Panthers were seemingly on the Gurley train despite the suspension. Once it was reported that he had a torn ACL, Gordon broke Tomlinson's single-game rushing record. The Panthers are in the market for a running back, and Gordon is looking like the best of the bunch.

2. Buffalo Bills - RB Todd Gurley, Georgia

Reasoning: Buffalo GM Bill Smith has been on record saying they were looking at Gurley. Depending on where he lands in early May, the thought is that the Bills won't be scared off by the ACL injury. Gurley definitely has the talent that makes him worthy of the pick.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Amari Cooper, Alabama

Reasoning: The Bucs have a lot of years and dollars wrapped up in their backfield already. They have some young talent at WR, but Cooper has drawn comparisons to Falcons WR Antonio Brown when it comes to his route running. He's a special, special talent at wideout.

4. Seattle Seahawks - RB TJ Yeldon, Alabama

Reasoning: Roster depth. It's that simple. Seattle is starting Shonn Greene as we are heading into Week 12 of the IFFDA season... He has negative 2 points total over the past 6 weeks. Yeldon would serve as a big upgrade and a solid building point for the aging 'Hawks.

5. Denver Broncos - WR DeVante Parker, Louisville

Reasoning: Mile High City isn't necessarily hurting at any one position, so they're looking best available at this point. Parker is an explosive athlete that has been mocked as high as Top10-15 overall in the NFL Draft which would make him a virtual lock for Top 5 in the IFFDA Rookie Draft.

6. Cincinnati Bengals - QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon

Reasoning: There's one position that really sticks out on the Bengals roster, and it may be the most important one. As long as Andy Dalton and Alex Smith are running the show, the Bengals aren't threatening long-term. With the running ability and playmaking Mariota brings to the table, could be an instant game changer for Cincy.

7. Chicago Bears - RB Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska

Reasoning: The current Chicago regime has been known to spend picks on young backs while spending on WR's in free agency. Zac Stacy didn't pan out and although Forsett has been a nice fill in, he may be more of a stop gap at the position. Adbullah is a nimble, physical presence who has been mentioned among the top tailbacks in the nation. He fits the mold of a Bears running back.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via Cleveland) - WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma

Reasoning: Picking a wideout here would give the Bucs a lot of flexibility with their roster and future transactions. Before DGB was sent packing from the Mizzou program, he was drawing comparisons to current Browns WR AJ Green. Tampa already has a lot of talented receivers, but in this league you can never have too many.

9. Indianapolis Colts - RB Mike Davis, South Carolina

Reasoning: Indy is locked down through the next couple of years at wide receiver, and sure depth never hurts especially behind an up and down Larry Fitzgerald. The Colts, however, I'm sure are tired of playing musical chairs at running back. Sproles is aging and a change of pace back, Ivory & Johnson aren't reliable and have been somewhat disappointing. Davis could be just what the Colts need to take them to the next level.

10. Arizona Cardinals - TE/WR Devin Funchess, Michigan

Reasoning: Vernon Davis has been awful. Just terrible. This pick may depend if Funchess will carry TE eligibility heading into next season, but then again it may not. Funchess made the switch from tight end to wide receiver this season and his production has been off the charts and the transition has been smooth. The Wolverine receiver is just an athlete and a play maker no matter where he lines up and has drawn comparisons to the likes of Julius Thomas from scouts.

11. Atlanta Falcons (via Oakland) - WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona State

Reasoning: Strong is an athlete who has been measured at 6'3. He's put together a very entertaining highlight package of catches over his 3 seasons at Arizona State. If there's one knock on him it's that he's sometimes inconsistent and needs to polish up his route running, but from an athletic standpoint, he's ridiculous.

12. Buffalo Bills (via Atlanta) - QB Jameis Winston, Florida State

Reasoning: With a pick they acquired in a trade last offseason with the Falcons, the Bills will be making their second selection of the first round. They traded Tony Romo mid-season and have Big Ben locked up through the 2015 season allowing them to play the solid veteran and not lean on the former Heisman QB right away.

13. Miami Dolphins - WR Kevin White, West Virginia

Reasoning: By the time the IFFDA draft rolls around, mocking White at 13 may seem silly. He's already being projected as a first round pick in the 2015 NFL draft which would seemingly make him a steal this late in the first round of the IFFDA draft. Miami will likely go best available with this pick, but in this mock, running back has been cleaned out before they had a shot.

14. Atlanta Falcons (via Washington) - WR Sammie Coates, Auburn

Reasoning: The Auburn wideout may end up being a better "real life receiver" than a fantasy receiver, but he seemingly always steps up and makes plays in the biggest moments for the Tigers. That's a quality that Falcons GM Cody Dudley historically likes in his players and with Atlanta being deep with young talent at WR already, the pick would be worth a stab.

15. Detroit Lions - RB Duke Johnson, Miami

Reasoning: With no real stud TE's in this class outside of Funchess, the Lions will look to fill a void on their roster elsewhere. They're loaded down at wide receiver but are missing a second running back to pair with Le'Veon Bell. Duke has the typical build of an ideal NFL running back and although he does have some elusiveness, he runs low to the ground and with power. He could fit in nicely with an already good Detroit team.

16. Carolina Panthers (via New England Patriots) - RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana

Reasoning: It's no secret that Panthers GM Doug Auman loves players who hail from Bloomington. Coleman may be the best NFL prospect from Indiana in recent memory (including Latimer, Randle El etc). CBS has him ranked as the No. 4 RB prospect, but you could easily make a case for him as the 2nd behind Gordon after the injury to Gurley. If there's a bright spot on the Panthers roster it's their backs, but you can never have too many in a league this deep.

Murray Model of Consistency

Despite being the odds on favorite to win the IFFDA MVP Award, Patriots RB DeMarco Murray has yet to win a single Player of the Week Award. A knock on the workhorse? Hardly. More like a testament to his consistency this season. He hasn't exploded in any single week to take home a weekly award, yet has put up very solid numbers week in and week out that have him at the top of the MVP voting. Murray has 199 total fantasy points this season and has only scored single digits once this year (against the league's top rushing defense) where he scored 8 points. He has no more than 28 points in a single week, but has scored 20+ in 6 weeks, and has scored 19 twice. If that's not consistency, I don't know what is.

Cleveland Sweeps October

The IFFDA hands out awards each week as well as each month, for each conference and for the league as a whole. In the month of October, the Cleveland Browns took home some hardware. Browns WR Sammy Watkins won the IFFDA Rookie of the Month Award for the AFC and the IFFDA. Watkins won the weekly award 3 of the 4 qualifying weeks and is considered the overwhelming favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award. As for the rest of the league, Cleveland RB Arian Foster edged out Cardinals WR Demaryius Thomas for the IFFDA Player of the Month Award in October. Foster was also the Player of the Week in Week 8.

Romo the Face of the Broncos?

Quarterback Tony Romo went from splitting time with Ben Roethlisberger for the Bills, to bye week fill in with the Falcons to... face of the franchise for the Broncos??? The Falcons inquired about an upgrade at the backup QB position and sent Montee Ball and Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Bills for Tony Romo. Once Romo was banged up and in question to play in Week 9, the Falcons began shopping their new quarterback for a healthy stand in while Aaron Rodgers had the week off. Broncos GM Ryan Branagin expressed interest, but not just for the short term. Tony Romo has one year left on his current contract and will become a free agent this summer. In a recent interview, Branagin stated that Romo could be resigned and become the face of the Denver franchise in light of the recent injury history to current QB Robert Griffin III.

Bills GM: 'Eyeing RB Gurley'

Thursday Night just moments before kickoff, the Buffalo Bills began shopping WR Larry Fitzgerald to the league. Three teams reportedly had interest as reported by IFFDA insider Adam Schefter. The Cardinals, Colts, and Redskins all made potential offers with the decision ultimately coming down to Indianapolis and Washington. Bills GM Bill Smith decided to take the offer from the Colts. The following details the trade:

Bills get:
WR Reggie Wayne
2015 2nd Round Pick (via NE)

Colts get:
WR Larry Fitzgerald
WR Hakeem Nicks

When asked about the trade, Smith said "We were just looking to add cap space for next season and potentially a draft pick to build upon." Smith was also asked about who the Bills were looking at as they pontentially could have the top pick in the 2015 draft and he replied, "We really like the wide receiver Cooper, quarterback Winston, and we're definitely eyeing running back Gurley."

Bryant: 'I just want a home'

Rookie wide receiver Martavis Bryant may be the most traveled player in the short history if the IFFDA. Bryant was drafted with the 4th pick in the 2nd round (20th overall) in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He was traded the following day to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for fellow rookie WR Davante Adams. Late in the night on Tuesday, trade talks between the Seahawks and Falcons heated up again. The deal became final Wednesday afternoon as the Falcons traded emerging WR Brian Quick for Bryant and a 2nd round selection in the 2015 draft. Later in the same night, the Falcons then shipped Martavis to Washington in exchange for rookie running back Andre Williams.

Bryant has now been traded three times and has worn 3 different jerseys all in his rookie season. He scored his first touchdown in the first game of his career in Week 7. The rookie will now look to make a home with the Redskins.

Colts Shopping Dez/Jeffery?

Rumor has it that the Indianapolis Colts have been shopping star WR's Dez Bryant and Alshon Jeffery. Indy needs help at the running back position as Andre Ellington is the only one on the roster showing much production. Chris Johnson has appeared to be a shell of himself and although Darren Sproles started to get hot, he cooled off in a hurry and has been out with a knee injury. The Colts signed Bryant to a 4 Year/$18.5 M contract this past August. Jeffery is under contract for 4 Years/$17.5 M himself. If either should be traded, it will be a blockbuster for sure.

Patriots Trading Picks For Players

The New England Patriots won't have much scouting to do for the 2015 IFFDA Rookie Draft unless they make some more moves between now and next August. The Pats made two separate trades this past week involving both of their 2015 draft choices. The first trade included the following:

Patriots acquired:
TE Travis Kelce
WR Allen Hurns

Colts acquired:
TE Scott Chandler
TE Ladarius Green
2015 2nd Round Pick

Just a short time later the Patriots announced another trade as they tried to bolster their wide receiver corps. The following details the second trade made by New England:

Patriots acquired:
WR Mohamed Sanu

Panthers acquired:
2015 1st Round Pick

In their first game in a Patriots uniform, Sanu totaled just 3 receptions for 54 yards for 5 fantasy points. Travis Kelce added 4 catches for 33 yards for 3 fantasy points. The Patriots will need more production from both players if this trade is going to pay off long-term.

Completing The Comeback?

Browns RB Arian Foster

The Cleveland Browns trail the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 87-91 heading into the final day of the matchup. The Browns have a chance to move to 4-3 as RB Arian Foster is the only remaining player for either team. Foster is averaging almost 29 fantasy points over his last two games.

In Miami, the matchup is a little less sexy, but wins are always pretty. The Broncos are behind 57-65 to the Dolphins with the Texans D/ST remaining to play. Can they move over .500 on the season or will Miami squeak by with yet another victory?

Week 7 Injury Roundup

The New England Patriots appear they're going to be without backup running back CJ Spiller for a while. Spiller broke his collarbone on Sunday and will undergo surgery today.

Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson was running around during warmups on Sunday but still couldn't cut on his injured ankle. He missed the game in Week 7 making it his second consecutive game on the sidelines.

Washington Redskins running back Reggie Bush sat out the 2nd half of Sunday's contest with a lingering ankle injury.

The Denver Broncos only have three RB's on their roster, and two of those were slowed by injury on Sunday. Alfred Morris was able to return to the game after suffering an ankle injury, but Pierre Thomas wasn't so lucky as he was taken to the locker room in the 3rd quarter of Sunday's game and was unable to return. It is unclear how serious the injury to Thomas is at this time.

Arizona has gotten a somewhat nice spark from RB Trent Richardson, but he left Sunday's game with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and he was unable to return to action.

Dolphins veteran RB Fred Jackson will be sidelined at least a month with a groin injury. Jackson said the injury will not require surgery, however.

Waiver Wire Wednesday

The Buffalo Bills added WR depth by signing Brandon Lloyd to a 1 Year/$500K contract with rookie Jordan Matthews on bye and star WR Calvin Johnson nursing an ankle injury. The Bills also signed TE Andrew Quarless to a minimum contract.

GM Jon York and the Chicago Bears were big spenders signing running back Brand Bolden to a 1 Year/$6M contract in hopes that he will see an increased workload with Stevan Ridley out for the season.

The Atlanta Falcons have waived RB Jacquizz Rodgers and signed WR Brian Tyms to a minimum contract. "We weren't happy with the decreased production from 'Quizz. We have also had our eye on Tyms since preseason and were waiting to see some production after he served his suspension earlier this season." said GM Cody Dudley.

GM Chad Kircher and the Arizona Cardinals have also signed versatile player Dexter McCluster to a league minimum one year deal.

Oliver Wins ROW Again

On September 24th the Redskins signed Rookie Free Agent RB Branden Oliver to a 1 Year/$4M contract. A couple weeks and 50+ fantasy points later, it's looking like the pickup of the year. Oliver has been named the IFFDA and NFC Rookie of the Week for the second straight week after his 100+ rushing yard, 20 fantasy point performance helped his team to a victory over the Bears in Week 6.

Denver Broncos QB Derek Carr has been named the AFC Rookie of the Week. Carr threw for a career high 282 yards with 4 touchdowns in Week 7. Carr is just the 2nd QB to win the award this season.

Gio/Brady Take Home Hardware

Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Tom Brady

The IFFDA and AFC Player of the Week in Week 6 is none other than the golden boy himself, Tom Brady. There has been a lot of doubt surrounding the legendary QB from a fantasy standpoint in 2014 and he was even benched in favor of Rookie QB Blake Bortles a couple of weeks ago. This past week, however, Brady was spectacular. He threw for 4 touchdowns with 361 passing yards for 30 fantasy points as the Colts handed the Lions their second straight loss.

Not a lot has gone the way the Buccaneers had hoped coming into the season, but second year running back Gio Bernard is looking more and more like he was worth the big contract he was given this past offseason by GM Ryan Cowan. Gio was the difference in a Bucs victory in Week 6 as he rushed for 137 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown and added 4 receptions for 20 yards for 23 fantasy points. Bernard had a career long carry of 89 yards in Sunday's victory over division rival Seattle.

Rookies: Week 5

There was one Rookie this past week that stood out against the rest. That rookie was Washington Redskins running back Branden Oliver. He finished 4th among all IFFDA players in scoring Week 5 with 31. Oliver tallied 19 carries for 114 yards with a touchdown as well as 4 receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown. This was enough to earn Branden the IFFDA and NFC Rookie of the Week Awards.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Sammy Watkins becomes the first AFC rookie to win the AFC Rookie of the Week Award multiple times. This is the 2nd time Watkins will receive the award in just 5 Weeks. Sammy caught 7 passes for 87 yards for 10 total fantasy points.

Wilson/Thomas Players of the Week

Arizona Cardinals WR Demaryius Thomas has been quiet by his standards so far in 2014. All of that changed in Week 5 as Thomas exploded for 8 receptions 226 yards and 2 touchdowns totaling 39 fantasy points. Thomas is ranked 9th among WR's in scoring through 5 weeks this season and was a big reason why the Cardinals picked up win number two on his way to earning the IFFDA and NFC Player of the Week Awards.

Russell Wilson has been very solid and consistent in this 2014 campaign. He was more than that in Week 5 vs. the Seahawks. Wilson rushed for 122 yards with a touchdown (yes rushed) and added 201 yards through the air with 2 more touchdowns while committing zero turnovers last week. Wilson is averaging almost 23 points per game this season which is good enough for top 10 among quarterbacks in the IFFDA. Wilson has been named the AFC Week 5 Player of the Week.

WR Harvin to 'Skins

"I'm happy to be a part of this deep and talented WR group here in Washington." said Harvin

The Carolina Panthers continue to build for the future as they traded away explosive WR Percy Harvin on Wednesday. This is how the trade would shake out:

Panthers receive:
WR John Brown
2015 2nd Round Pick

Redskins receive:
WR Percy Harvin

Carolina GM Doug Auman has made it very clear from the beginning that the Panthers won't be major players this year by saving cap space and trading for draft picks. When asked about the trade he replied "Harvin broke my heart last week... I was done." He was also asked about the rookie wide receiver they acquired and he replied, "Brown reminds me a lot of a young Marvin Harrison." High praise from the GM in Carolina. As for the 'Skins, they added more depth and are sold on their 'win now' mentality. This trade just confirms that notion.

Players of the Month

The IFFDA and AFC Player of the Month is none other than New England Patriots RB DeMarco Murray. He has been an unstoppable force in the month of September never rushing for less than 100 yards in a game. Murray has a season high of 28 points in Week 4 and a season low of just 19 fantasy points. He is averaging 22 fantasy points per game making him the No. 1 overall scoring running back in the IFFDA. The Patriots star tailback has scored a touchdown in each of his first four games, and has one game in which he scored twice. He is on pace for 2,400 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Murray has had at least 22 carries in each game so far this season and is a huge reason why the Patriots are 3-1 in September.

The NFC Player of the Month is Atlanta Falcons WR Antonio Brown. The wideout has been arguably the most consistent player in the league in September averaging 21.8 fantasy points per game with a season high of 29 and a season low of 12. Brown has caught a touchdown pass in 3 of the Falcons' first 4 contests including two games in which he caught two passes for scores. He has posted at least 5 catches for 90 yards in every game this season and, in fact, has caught at least 5 passes in 20 straight games. Antonio is currently the No. 1 ranked wide receiver in the IFFDA in scoring and as stated by Falcons GM Cody Dudley, is a major part of the organization's future.

Charles Returns, Wins POW

IFFDA Player of the Week
Bengals RB Jamaal Charles

The Cincinnati Bengals gave Jamaal Charles the biggest 5 year contract the IFFDA has ever seen, and their world came crashing down when he injured his ankle two weeks ago. After missing just one game, Charles returned... and in a big way. Jamaal broke off 92 yards rushing along with 16 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns totaling 28 fantasy points leading the Bengals to a 15 point victory over the Colts. The Bengals running back will take home the IFFDA and AFC Player of the Week Awards for Week 4.

The Atlanta Falcons are on a 3 game winning streak and they owe a lot of the credit to WR Antonio Brown. Brown has been fantastic for the Falcons as he has scored 20+ fantasy points in 3 of their 4 games. In Week 4 he caught 7 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns for 29 fantasy points. He also completed a pass for 17 yards. Antonio has thrust himself into MVP conversations and has now caught at least 5 passes in 20 straight games earning him the NFC Player of the Week Award.

Bridgewater Rookie of the Week

Patriots Rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater

Not many rookies are cracking IFFDA lineups these days, but the future of the league appears bright. Patriots QB and 2nd round draft choice Teddy Bridgewater scored a cool 22 fantasy points in his debut this past week. Teddy threw for 317 yards and added 27 rushing yards with a touchdown and a two point conversion. Bridgewater joins his Pats teammate Kelvin Benjamin as a recipient of the AFC and IFFDA Rookie of the Week Award.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans finally showed the flash we have all anticipated since the rookie draft when he caught 4 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown totaling 12 fantasy points earning him the NFC Rookie of the Week Award. Evans ended the week on a low note, however, as he suffered a groin injury that is expected to sideline him for 2-3 weeks.

3 Way Tie In AFC East

The AFC East has been up and down this year in the IFFDA. The Cleveland Browns (who own the tie breaker), Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins are all currently tied with a record of 2-2. Cleveland has alternated wins and losses to start the season losing to both the Bengals and the Dolphins, while beating two of the league's tougher teams in the Bears and the Patriots. The Browns will play host to the 3-1 Redskins in Week 5.

The Cincinnati Bengals began the season 0-2 and appeared on pace for a top pick in the 2015 IFFDA Draft. Cincy has won their previous two games bringing the team to .500 on the season. They defeated the Browns in Week 3, but lost in Week 1 to division rival Buffalo. The Bengals will take on a solid 2-2 Chicago Bears team this week.

As for the Miami Dolphins, they have also alternated wins and losses this season. They are 2-0 in the division after defeating both Buffalo and Cleveland. Miami will be at home in Week 5 hosting a red hot Atlanta Falcons team before traveling to Cincinnati in Week 6.

The Buffalo Bills have dropped 3 straight games after beating the Cincinnati Bengals to begin the 2014 season. Buffalo has been torn down by injuries and off the field issues this season, but they will face another team in Week 5 who has had to deal with the same things. There are still plenty of games to be played within the division this season, but for now, things remain gridlocked atop the AFC Eastern Division.

Cardinals Trade for Gerhart

The Arizona Cardinals have been trying to piece together their backfield week to week in the wake of the Adrian Peterson fiasco. Just before noon today they agreed to a trade to acquire RB Toby Gerhart from the Oakland Raiders for Rookie WR Marqise Lee. It is unclear at this time if Gerhart will take the field Sunday for Arizona.

Browns Stay Busy, Add Smith

About 12 hours after the Doug Martin trade was finalized with Denver, the Browns have traded for WR Torrey Smith (via Adam Schefter ). The details of the trade include the Browns sending Rookie WR Donte Moncrief and a 2015 2nd Round Pick to the Atlanta Falcons. Falcons GM Cody Dudley released this statement via the Falcons Twitter account:

"Torrey will be a great addition to the Browns. I just felt we had plenty of depth and potential at the WR position. We are excited to add Donte to our team and look to build with the draft pick."

The Browns have surprisingly made a flurry of moves in the past couple of days positioning their team to make a splash in the AFC.

Doug Martin Traded to Browns

Late last night the Cleveland Browns trade with the Denver Broncos for RB Doug Martin was finalized. Cleveland sent WR Wes Welker and RB Pierre Thomas to the Broncos for Martin and WR Andre Caldwell. The following statement was released by Browns GM Brad Russell.

"Doug Martin is somebody we really liked going into the season and we have faith that he will return to form now that he's back healthy. We were without Wes to start the season, so to us it's just like upgrading at the running back position without losing anything. I would like to wish Wes and Pierre the best of luck in Denver."

Martin was injured in Week 1 and is slated to see his first action since the injury this week against the Patriots. For the Broncos, Welker will be out with a bye week this week, but Thomas will start his first game against the Bills.

Julio/Luck Players of the Week

WR Julio Jones is a big reason why the Detroit Lions are undefeated at 3-0. Jones has been named the IFFDA and NFC Player of the Week of week 3. Jones snagged 9 catches on 11 targets with 161 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns for a total of 32 fantasy points. Julio makes it a clean sweep for WR's as they have been named IFFDA Player of the Week for a 3rd week in a row, but he is the first player from the NFC to win the award.

Things weren't spectacular for the Browns this past weekend, but there was a bright spot. QB Andrew Luck shined as he threw for 370 yards on 31/39 passing with 4 TD's and 0 INT's in Week 3. Luck added 3 rushes for 15 yards totaling 31 fantasy points earning him the IFFDA AFC Player of the Week Award. The Browns QB is currently ranked No. 1 Overall at his position in 2014.

Falcons & Bears in Prime Time

This much anticipated NFC matchup will draw a big television audience on Monday Night as the Atlanta Falcons (2-1) will travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears (2-1). Both teams will be missing their number one options out of the backfield as the Falcons have Montee Ball on bye and the Bears will be without Zac Stacy. The Falcons will start RB tandem Frank Gore and Rookie Carlos Hyde. For Atlanta to be successful they will need more production than the 2 total points they received from their backfield in Week 3. The Bears will plug in RB's Justin Forsett and Lamar Miller for a more traditional backfield look. WR Pierre Garcon has Chicago off to a sluggish start with only 2 total fantasy points early on. Young talented WR's TY Hilton and Randall Cobb will look to pick up the slack for Chicago.

We caught up with Falcons Owner/GM Cody Dudley and asked him about fielding their roster and covering bye weeks in Week 4. "We look forward to seeing what the future of our franchise looks like as Carlos will take the field for us for the first time. He's excited to be out there, and we're excited with what he brings to the table." said Dudley. "We are still undecided at the wide receiver position for this week. As you know Torrey is off to a slow start and with Royal producing and grabbing extra targets he could see some surprise playing time for us. It will truly be a game time decision." added Dudley.

This should be a good one and will shake up the standings in the NFC. Our panel of experts predicted Chicago to defeat Atlanta 93-80. One thing is for sure & that is after Week 4, one of these two teams will be on the heels of the Conference leading Detroit Lions.

Tough Calls for TB/WAS

Opening night of Week 4 in the IFFDA was not kind to the Buccaneers or their opponent the Washington Redskins. Bucs GM Ryan Cowan made the call to sit QB Cam Newton in favor of buzzing Kirk Cousins. Cousins was forced into committing 5 turnovers Thursday totaling just five fantasy points. Luckily for Tampa Bay, their counterpart made a few calls as well that, although early in the week, don't appear to be going their way. The Redskins WR DeSean Jackson posted a doughnut in Week 4 after scoring 21 points last week. Although not may would bench Gronk, backup TE Larry Donnell tallied 3 TD's and 25 fantasy points that were left on Washington's bench. RB Andre Williams was also benched in favor of Branden Oliver to fill in on the bye week for Marshawn Lynch. Williams posted a solid 12 points of his own and time will tell if this call will ultimately hurt the Redskins at the end of the week. Tough start for these two teams.

Eli Saving Denver?

Two weeks ago the Denver Broncos lost their Franchise Quarterback Robert Griffin III to a dislocated ankle. Week 4 begins and Eli Manning has Broncos fans singing a different tune. Not only did he rush for his first TD in three years, but he also threw for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns (and a fluke interception that wasn't his fault) for 32 fantasy points helping the Broncos to a 52-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. Denver is currently 1-2 and on a two game losing skid.

Power Rankings After 3

Benjamin Wins Rookie of the Week

The New England Patriots have a special young talent at wide receiver named Kelvin Benjamin. In Week 3, the No. 8 Overall pick in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft willed his team to a victory over the Denver Broncos with a spectacular 8 receptions for 115 yards adding a touchdown catch late in the game for 21 fantasy points. Benjamin currently leads all Rookies in fantasy scoring and is 9th among wide receivers.

Patriots Rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin

While our Rookie of the Week for the NFC didn't make an impact on his team's final score, he's making a push to be used very soon. Washington Redskins WR John Brown had 4 receptions, 2 of which went for touchdowns, along with 52 receiving yards for 17 total fantasy points in Week 3. Brown has now caught a pass for a touchdown in 2 of the first 3 weeks.

FJax To The Dolphins

GM Jeramiah Taylor and the Miami Dolphins have worked out a deal for a running back to replace Ryan Mathews while he recovers from a sprained MCL sustained in Week 2. Miami has agreed to trade WR Rueben Randle to the Chicago Bears for RB Fred Jackson. Chicago will own the rights to Randle for 3 years.

AP Deactivated... Again

The Arizona Cardinals have reversed course on Adrian Peterson's reinstatement to the team and have placed him on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list, which will require Peterson to remain away from all team activities until the resolution of his legal proceedings.

The Cardinals released a statement early Wednesday morning that announced their decision regarding Peterson. The pressure was building on the organization after their decision to reinstate Peterson on Monday. Sponsors were beginning to speak up and politicians called for Peterson to remain suspended.

Owners Chad Kircher finally elected to alter his decision and found a mechanism to keep Peterson away from the team indefinitely while his legal matters are addressed.

Seattle's Dwyer Arrested

Seahawks running back Jonathan Dwyer who was arrested today in a domestic violence incident, has been deactivated by the team.

Seahawks RB Jonathan Dwyer's Mugshot

“We became aware of these allegations this afternoon when notified by Seattle police and are cooperating fully,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “Given the serious nature of the allegations we have taken the immediate step to deactivate Jonathan from all team activities. We will continue to closely monitor this as it develops and evaluate additional information as it becomes available.”

 Although Dwyer’s arrest came today, it reportedly stems from an incident with his wife in July.

Week 2 Power Rankings

Week 3 Preview

Cleveland Browns (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
Paul Brown Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

The Cleveland Browns will head into the Jungle this weekend to take on division rival Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns fresh off of their first win of the season appear set to see WR Wes Welker return to the lineup as the new drug policy goes into effect, essentially overturning his 4 game suspension. Rookie WR and 2nd Overall pick in the IFFDA Draft Sammy Watkins had his breakout game last week and will look to repeat the 100+ yard performance. Arian Foster also looked to be back to form from his days where he was atop fantasy rankings. On the other side of the ball, the Bengals will be without their star player RB Jamaal Charles. Backup RB Knile Davis had 2 touchdowns and 20+ points after taking over for Charles in Week 2. A bright spot for the Bengals this year has been the resurgence of WR Mike Wallace. Wallace has had a TD and 10+ points in both games this season.

Difference Makers:Cleveland Browns: WR AJ Green
Cincinnati Bengals: RB Knile Davis 

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (1-1)
Sun Life Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

Miami Dolphins will play host Sunday to Calvin Johnson and the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are coming off of a down week and their first loss of the season in which they tallied only 58 points. It appears as though the Bills will bench veteran RB Steven Jackson in favor of Stevan Ridley and Bernard Pierce. WR Larry Fitzgerald saw more targets in Week 2 than in Week 1 and will need to see a high volume of targets in future weeks for the Bills to have success. As for the Dolphins, it couldn't have been any worse than the result of Week 2. Miami lost by 105 points, totaling just 42 points as a team. RB Ryan Mathews will miss several weeks due to a sprained MCL leaving a huge hole in the Dolphins lineup at running back. It appears as though Roy Helu would be in line to start for Miami, but we'll see what Owner Jeramiah Taylor decides to do come game time.

Difference Makers:
Buffalo Bills: QB Tony Romo
Miami Dolphins: RB2 Position

 Denver Broncos (1-1) at New England Patriots (2-0)
Gillette Stadium, Sunday CBS 1:00 PM

The Denver Broncos have fallen on some bad luck over the past two weeks. In Week 1 RB Doug Martin exited the game early with a knee injury and never returned. In Week 2 Martin was ruled out just hours before game time and QB Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle. The Broncos, who had a lot of depth at TE, traded Martellus Bennett for Rookie QB Derek Carr who will serve as Denver's starter while RG3 remains out of the lineup. The Patriots first two weeks? Just the opposite. They're off to a 2-0 start and RB DeMarco Murray leads all backs in scoring at just over 20 ppg. WR Michael Crabtree also returned to full health and scored double digits for the Pats who look to stay undefeated heading into Week 4.

Difference Makers:
Denver Broncos: QB Derek Carr
New England Patriots: WR Vincent Jackson

Seattle Seahawks (1-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-1)
Georgia Dome, Sunday FOX 4:15 PM

If the Atlanta Falcons could put it all together for one week they'd be pretty hard to beat, but they haven't. After a stellar Week 1, WR Marques Colston didn't have a single reception in Week 2. WR Brian Quick may be playing himself into a starting role with the team as he has put up respectable numbers through two weeks. QB Aaron Rodgers was back to his old ways and, as always, will play a key role for the Dirty Birds. The Seahawks have posted 100 points two weeks in a row and are a tie breaker away from being 2-0. WR Eric Decker has a hamstring injury coming out of Week 2, and RB Knowshon Moreno has a dislocated elbow and will miss time after playing his way into a starting role with the offense. Shonn Greene is in line to start at running back for the Seahawks, while Jimmy Graham looks to continue to dominate the tight end position.

Difference Makers:
Seattle Seahawks: RB Matt Forte
Atlanta Falcons: RB Montee Ball

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at Oakland Raiders (1-1)
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Sunday FOX 4:15 PM

The Colts travel to the west coast to take on the Raiders as both teams look to build on wins last week and move above .500 on the season. Indianapolis exploded for more than 120 points in Week 2 behind 20+ points each from Darren Sproles, Dez Bryant, Antonio Gates, and Patriots D/ST. Although the Colts made RB Andre Ellington a top 10 paid player at his position, his starting job may be in jeopardy. The Oakland Raiders most likely will also make a lineup change and bench RB Toby Gerhart in favor of either Donald Brown or Jeremy Hill. WR Jordy Nelson won the IFFDA Player of the Week award in Week 2 and they'll need a similar performance to beat Indy in this divisional matchup.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts: QB Tom Brady
Oakland Raiders: WR Justin Hunter

Washington Redskins (1-1) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)
Bank of America Stadium, Sunday FOX 4:30 PM

Panthers GM Doug Auman really likes what the team has in place in terms of building for the future, but the present hasn't been so pretty as the team is still searching for it's first victory. Rookie RB Terrance West has been a bright spot for Carolina and has taken over the starting running back gig while scoring 13 ppg through the first two weeks. Young TE Zach Ertz has also been an early standout for the Panthers but they'll need more from the WR3 position to reel in a win. The Washington Redskins went from being ranked #1 in the IFFDA Power Rankings after Week 1 to 10th. An injury to WR DeSean Jackson knocked him out early of the Week 2 contest, and a below average performance from star TE Rob Gronkowski made the Redskins look pedestrian. They'll need more from both players if they're going to avoid giving the Panthers their first win.

Difference Makers:
Washington Redskins: TE Rob Gronkowski
Carolina Panthers: QB Colin Kaepernick

Chicago Bears (1-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
University of Phoenix Stadium, Sunday NBC 8:30 PM

In our Sunday Night Football matchup we will see division rivals the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals square off. The Cardinals will have RB Adrian Peterson return to the lineup after missing last week surrounding the controversy regarding his alleged abuse of his four year old son. The wide receiver position outside of Demaryius Thomas is a big question mark for Arizona especially due to the slow start of Riley Cooper. RB Danny Woodhead will look to possibly see more touches with the injury to Ryan Mathews and help solidify the gap in the backfield next to AP. The Bears are no slouch, however, and look to take down the Cardinals in prime time. WR Randall Cobb has scored a TD in each of the Bears first two game this season and is a big part of what they do on offense. TE Greg Olsen has also been playing a huge role in the Bears offense and will likely keep that trend going through Week 3.

Difference Makers:
Chicago Bears: RB Lamar Miller
Arizona Cardinals: RB Danny Woodhead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) at Detroit Lions (2-0)
Ford Field, Monday ESPN 8:20 PM

Number 1 and number 3 in the IFFDA Power Rankings square off on Monday Night Football. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head up north to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions. There were some grumblings among other GM's that the Bucs overpaid for RB Gio Bernard at the initial auction in August. Now there's grumblings that they didn't shell out the money to get him. Bernard has been the primary focus of the offense so far and is averaging 18 fantasy points per game. Running mate LeSean McCoy has been pretty solid himself averaging 14 fantasy points per game and with QB Cam Newton getting healthier every week, they look to challenge the first place Lions for the division crown. Last week Detroit defeated the Miami Dolphins by 105 points (that's not a misprint). The Lions would have beaten any team in the IFFDA last week by at least 22 points. In a brutal opening schedule (#2 Seahawks in Week 1), Detroit is looking to make another statement on the league and shoot down another contenders hopes that anyone will be able to slay the Lions in '14.


Difference Makers:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Keenan Allen
Detroit Lions: RB Ahmad Bradshaw

          

Cardinals Peterson To Play Week 3

Arizona Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson sat out Week 2 in what turned out to be a victory for the Cards due to charges brought against him after reports surfaced about possible child abuse towards his four year old son. Although the IFFDA as well as the Arizona Cardinals are catching a lot of heat on the subject, it appears Adrian Peterson will suit up in Week 3 as the Cardinals play host to the Chicago Bears.

Week 2 Injury Bug

The IFFDA has seen it's share of bad press over the past couple of weeks including Ray Rice being suspended indefinitely, Adrian Peterson being deactivated, as well as previous stories involving Josh Gordon and Wes Welker coming to light as the league's new drug policy is in the works. A few more star players hit the shelf this weekend, but this time due to injuries. Browns WR AJ Green sat out majority of Week 2 with a toe injury. Bengals RB Jamaal Charles left early and is expected to miss a few weeks due to a high ankle sprain. Dolphins RB Ryan Mathews sprained his ACL in a blow out loss to the Lions and is expected to miss close to a month of action. Falcons backup RB Mark Ingram broke his hand and will miss upwards of a month after having what appeared to be the start of a career year. Seahawks RB Knowshon Moreno dislocated his elbow after securing the RB2 job after a 21 point Week 1 performance. Redskins WR DeSean Jackson left his game after spraining his shoulder. Colts Week 1 breakout Rookie WR Allen Hurns left the stadium on crutches. TE Vernon Davis and WR Eric Decker also came up gimpy after Week 2. Oh yeah, did we mention the Broncos franchise QB Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle and will be out for an undetermined amount of time. Needless to say, there will be a lot of lineup shuffling for Week 3 in the IFFDA.

Falcons Strike Deal For TE

The Atlanta Falcons have been without their feature Tight End Jordan Reed since his first reception this year in Week 1. Reed pulled up with a hamstring injury and sat out in Week 2 while the Falcons started veteran Anthony Fasano after they were unable to trade for another TE. Today they added depth by trading Rookie QB Derek Carr to the Denver Broncos for TE Martellus Bennett. The Broncos were searching the QB market after Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle this past weekend.

Nelson/Graham Players Of The Week

Raiders WR Jordy Nelson

In Week 2 WR Jordy Nelson exploded for 209 receiving yards on 9 receptions with a touchdown for 31 total fantasy points. The 200+ yards was a career high for the Raiders receiver and helped Oakland earn their first win of the season as well as the AFC and IFFDA Player of the Week Awards. Seattle Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham didn't do too bad himself with 10 receptions for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns totaling 29 fantasy points on his way to becoming the NFC Player of the Week.

TE Julius Thomas On The Move

No. 1 TE in Fantasy Scoring Through Week 1

Sunday afternoon just hours before kickoff the Arizona Cardinals have struck a deal with the Denver Broncos. In the wake of the Adrian Peterson news, the Cardinals were hurting for some running back help. Arizona gave a call to Denver GM Ryan Branagin and the two agreed to send TE Julius Thomas, RB Brandon Bolden, and WR Andre Caldwell to the Broncos in exchange for TE Vernon Davis, Rookie WR Marqise Lee, and RB Matt Asiata who will start in place of Peterson.

Week 1 Power Rankings

BREAKING: Cardinals RB Peterson Indicted

Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson has reportedly been indicted in Houston.
Fox 26 in Houston reports that Peterson was indicted in Montgomery County for reckless or negligent injury to a child. The incident in question reportedly stems from "disciplining his child with a switch."


The Cardinals issued the following statement Friday afternoon: “The Cardinals are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian’s attorney Rusty Hardin.”

Peterson missed practice on Thursday and the Cardinals did not explain why, although they did say he was not injured. Peterson was back at practice today, and Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic  reports that Peterson gave no indication anything was wrong and was laughing and joking at the team facility.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that Peterson will now have to turn himself in to Texas authorities, which makes his status for Sunday’s game against the Patriots unclear.

Week 2 Preview

Cleveland Browns (0-1) @ Chicago Bears (1-0) 
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX
 
CHICAGO - After an impressive Week 1 victory, Matthew Stafford leads the Chicago Bears into a inter-conference battle against the Cleveland Browns. Last week, the All-Pro QB was in mid-season form as he shredded the Carolina Panthers, proving to be one of the best statistical players of the first week.  For the Bears to continue their strong start, they will need to receive a better effort from their RB position as second year back Zac Stacy was unable to in rhythm.  The Bears have opted to bench Week 1 starter Fred Jackson, giving Justin Forsett an opportunity.  For the Cleveland Browns, they will look for more parody, as Andrew Luck & AJ Green produced over half their offensive points.  The Browns have a lot of work to do after finishing Week 1 as the worst defense.

Difference Makers:
Cleveland Browns – WR Tavon Austin
Chicago Bears – RB Justin Forsett


Carolina Panthers (0-1) @ Oakland Raiders (0-1)
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, CBS

OAKLAND - Week 1 provided a heart-breaking defeat for the Oakland Raiders, losing in a last second effort to division rival Denver Broncos.  QB Russell Wilson stated that the offense was unacceptable, but seemed optimistic after a strong week of practice.  "We came out flat to open the season" said Wilson.  "We had an amazing effort from our defense, and if our unit can match that intensity, we are primed for great things this season."  While the effort wasn't lacking for the Panthers, the results seemed to mirror that of their Week 2 opponent.  Colin Kaepernick, a long time rival of Russell Wilson, knows that this is a big week.  "It's not a must win, but being 1-1 is much more appealing than being 0-2.  I'm happy with the way we moved the ball as a team."

Difference Makers:
Oakland Raiders - QB Russell Wilson
Carolina Panthers - RB Terrence West

 
Buffalo Bills (1-0) @ Atlanta Falcons (0-1) 
Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX

ATLANTA - While the Falcons lost to their division rival Tampa Bay Sunday, it was the kind of loss you can take pride in.  In one of the worst statistical games of his career, veteran QB Aaron Rodgers was unable to figure out the Bucs D, scoring single digit points.  Despite the tough game, the Falcons were able to put 80 points on the board and see strong performances out of WR Antonio Brown and RB Montee Ball.  The task this week, however, is to improve their defense.  All-World WR Calvin Johnson posted another Megatron like outing against the Bengals last week, and will look to continue his success against the Falcons secondary.  The Bills, despite picking up the W last week, have made headlines by seemingly benching Tony Romo in lieu of veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger, and handing starting RB duties to Bernard Pierce.

Difference Makers:
Atlanta Falcons - WR Torrey Smith
Buffalo Bills - QB Ben Roethlisberger

 
Indianapolis Colts (0-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)

Sunday, September 14th, 4:30 PM, FOX

TAMPA BAY - "Everything went right" stated Buccaneers QB Carson Palmer.  In backup duty for the injured Cam Newton, Palmer played an outstanding game against the Atlanta Falcons - giving the Bucs an early 1-0 start to their season.  This week the Bucs will look for continued production from LeSean McCoy and Giovani Bernard.  They will host the Indianapolis Colts who, besides for veteran Chris Johnson and Reggie Wayne, were porous offensively in the opening week.  QB Tom Brady was unable to penetrate the Patriots defense, especially after losing WR Alshon Jeffery to injury.  The Colts will need a quick turnaround offensively to compete against a true contender this season in Tampa.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts – WR Dez Bryant
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – QB Cam Newton

 
Miami Dolphins (1-0) @ Detroit Lions (1-0)

Sunday, September 14th, 1:00 PM, FOX

DETROIT - After 1 week of play in the IFFDA, the Miami Dolphins appear to be an unstoppable offensive force.  An explosive start from Matt Ryan, as well as a great contribution from rookie WR Brandin Cooks, set the tone for their 111 point output against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.  "We did great things - Having WRs like Roddy (White), Golden (Tate), and Brandin make it a little easier" said Ryan following the victory.  To secure a victory this week, however, the Dolphins must stop the momentum of the upstart Lions.  After a prime-time shocker over the heavily favored Seahawks, Jay Cutler and LeVeon Bell will look to pace Detroit to a giant statement win over another strong favorite.

Difference Makers:
Miami Dolphins - RB Eddie Lacy
Detroit Lions - WR Emmanuel Sanders

 
Seattle Seahawks (1-0) @ Denver Broncos (1-0)
Sunday, September 14th, 4:30 PM, CBS

DENVER - Defense wins championships.  The Denver Broncos stated this motto last week, and it rang very true as the Broncos came out of Week 1 with the number 1 ranked defense; holding the Raiders to just 71 total points.  The offense, however, was far from beautiful.  QB Robert Griffin III was largely unproductive against the Raiders, while star RB Doug Martin came away with an undisclosed injury.  "It hurt, but I'll do what I have to do to be on the field Sunday" offered Martin.  In front of him is a Seattle defense that was scorched by the Lions RB LeVeon Bell.  Hoping to rebound from a nail-biting loss on Monday Night, the Seahawks turn to Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham to stifle the Broncos.

Difference Makers:
Seattle Seahawks - WR Victor Cruz
Denver Broncos - QB Robert Griffin III

 
Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (0-1)  
Sunday, September 14th, 8:30 PM, NBC Sunday Night Football

ARIZONA - The Cardinals have pushed all-in for the 2014 IFFDA season.  Hoping for a repeat season from QB Peyton Manning and RB Adrian Peterson, no team spent quite like the Cardinals this offseason.  Week 1, however, proved to provide quite a mental blow for a fanbase full of hope.  The Cards were defeated by the largest margin of Week 1, being downed by 23 points in Washington.  This week, they host the Cincinnati Bengals who were equally as unimpressive.  Newly signed RB Jamaal Charles looked stiff behind bad offensive line play, while TE Jason Witten never got going against the Bills.  For both teams, Week 2 provides a platform to prove this week's practices had purpose.

Difference Makers:
Cincinnati Bengals - RB Jamaal Charles
Arizona Cardinals - RB Danny Woodhead

New England Patriots (1-0) @ Washington Redskins (1-0) 
Monday, September 15th, 8:30 PM, ESPN Monday Night Football

WASHINGTON, DC - Football is back in the nation's capital.  The Redskins newly signed RB Marshawn Lynch, partnered with TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Julian Edelman provided offensive fireworks against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.  After the game, QB Philip Rivers praised an all around team effort.  "Good, solid football.  Offense, Defense, and Special Teams all clicking.  It's a beautiful thing" said Rivers.  The strong showing by the Redskins was impressive, but equally impressive was their Week 2 opponent.  New England Patriots had 6 double digit performers, with rookie Kelvin Benjamin as one of their top offensive leaders.  Both teams are in the top 5 in overall offense, while being in the top 5 in overall defense.  One thing is certain - Monday Night will define an early season favorite.

Difference Makers:
New England Patriots - QB Nick Foles
Washington Redskins - TE Rob Gronkowski

Week 2 Injury Report

Arizona CardinalsWR Jerome Simpson (Suspended)

Atlanta FalconsTE Jordan Reed (Questionable)
WR Josh Gordon (Suspended)
WR Josh Huff (Questionable)
WR Marquess Wilson (Out)

Buffalo BillsRB Ray Rice (Suspended)
RB Storm Johnson (Questionable)
WR Lance Moore (Out)

Carolina PanthersWR Marvin Jones (Out)

Chicago BearsTE Mercedes Lewis (Questionable)
RB Dri Archer (Out)

Cincinnati BengalsWR Mike Wallace (Questionable)
WR Odell Beckham Jr (Questionable)
TE Tyler Eifert (Out)

Cleveland BrownsWR AJ Green (Questionable)
RB Christine Michael (Questionable)
WR Wes Welker (Suspended)
WR Stedman Bailey (Suspended)
RB Chris Polk (Questionable)

Denver BroncosK Matt Prater (Suspended)
WR Marqise Lee (Questionable)

Detroit LionsRB Maurice Jones-Drew (Questionable)

Indianapolis ColtsRB Andre Ellington (Questionable)
WR Alshon Jeffery (Questionable)

Miami DolphinsRB Eddie Lacy (Questionable)
WR Roddy White (Questionable)
TE Jordan Cameron (Questionable)
RB Charles Sims (Out)

New England PatriotsWR Kenny Stills (Questionable)

Oakland RaidersRB Toby Gerhart (Questionable)
WR Justin Hunter (Questionable)
WR Cecil Shorts (Questionable)
TE Charles Clay (Questionable)

Seattle SeahawksRB Knowshon Moreno (Questionable)

Tampa Bay BuccaneersWR Brandon Marshall (Questionable)
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Questionable)
TE Brandon Bostick (Questionable)
RB Kenjon Barner (Questionable)
WR Ace Sanders (Suspended)
RB De'Anthony Thomas (Questionable)
RB Marcus Lattimore (Out)
RB Vick Ballard (Out)

Washington RedskinsRB Reggie Bush (Questionable)
TE Rob Gronkowski (Questionable)
RB Ben Tate (Out)
RB Andre Brown (Suspended)
TE Garrett Graham (Questionable)

*Injury Status subject to change before scheduled game times

Players of the Week

Detroit Lions RB Le'Veon Bell (left) finished with 28 fantasy points.
Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson (right) finished with 32 fantasy points.

RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Calvin Johnson both had big performances in Week 1 helping their respective teams to victory. Bell's 28 points earns him NFC Player of the Week honors. Megatron wins the AFC and the IFFDA Player of the Week awards this week, which is the first award given in the short history of the league.

Buffalo RB Suspended Indefinitely

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Rice had been serving a 2 game suspension after being arrested for domestic violence in the offseason. TMZ Sports released a video of Rice punching then girlfriend Janay Palmer in the face knocking her unconscious on Tuesday morning. Backlash from the public after the video has caused IFFDA Co-Commissioner Brad Russell to suspend the Bills RB indefinitely. Buffalo signed Ray Rice to a 2 Year/$7M contract in August. We reached out to Bill's owner and GM but he responded with "no comment."

Broncos Squeak By Oakland

It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win and Denver Broncos GM Ryan Branagin will take it any way he can get it. Zak Zurwell and the Raiders were well on their way with a 100+ yard rushing game by Chris Ivory and a solid performance earlier in the week by QB Russell Wilson, but the Broncos made a late push to steal the win in this Week 1 divisional matchup. All hope for Denver seemed lost when RB Doug Martin exited the game with an apparent knee injury and didn't return, but a two touchdown performance by TE Vernon Davis and a solid performance from the D/ST led to a 72-71 victory for Denver. Oakland (0-1) will travel to Carolina in Week 2 to take on the Panthers (0-1) while the Broncos (1-0) will head to CenturyLink Field to face the 12th Man and the Seahawks (0-1).

Bills WR Megatron At It Again

Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson

There's really not much to say here if you have ever seen Buffalo Bills WR Calvin Johnson play then you know exactly where this column is headed. The man we all know as Megatron actually had more receiving yards and touchdowns than the entire other team... and he did it with 11 less receptions. Calvin finished his mediocre (by his standards) Week 1 with 7 receptions for 164 yards and 2 TD's scoring 32 fantasy points.

Rookies Make Big Impact

Most GM's could tell you that the way to build a successful franchise is through the draft. They would tell you that you build through your draft selections and fill the rest of your needs with stop-gap players in free agency. Well, there are a few GM's in the IFFDA feeling really good about their team's future after Week 1.

WR Brandin Cooks - Miami Dolphins
There were rumors coming out of camp this summer that Cooks was going to assume a lot of the role left behind by former running back Darren Sproles in Sean Payton's offense. Oh boy did he ever. Cooks was a go to target out of the slot Sunday totaling 7 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown helping the Miami Dolphins to a 1-0 start. The rookie wide receiver showed his 'Sproles-like' versatility by also adding one rushing attempt for 18 yards finishing the game with 16 total fantasy points.

WR Kelvin Benjamin - New England PatriotsThis size/speed freak of nature from Florida State made his debut this past weekend for Zach Fennig and the New England Patriots. Several teams have inquired about the rookie receiver in the short season but GM Fennig has held true to his beliefs that Benjamin is a solid building block for the future of the Patriots. Kelvin made him look good on that thought after Week 1. The Pats WR had 6 catches for 92 yards and a ridiculous touchdown catch tallying 17 fantasy points in his debut. Benjamin was drafted 8th Overall in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft.

WR Allen Hurns - Indianapolis ColtsVery few GM's had Hurns on their big boards on draft day, but the Indianapolis Colts were thrilled to stash the WR prospect. The rookie started paying a return on their investment a lot sooner than Owner Grandon Winningham had anticipated. Although Hurns didn't break into the lineup Week 1 for the wide receiver heavy Colts, we feel that may change in the near future. Hurns became the first player to EVER score 2 touchdown receptions in the first quarter of his pro debut. He finished the game with 4 receptions for 110 yards and 2 TD's totaling 25 fantasy points.

Lions Stun Seahawks On MNF

21 Carries 109 Yards 1 TD
6 Rec 88 Yards

The Week 1 IFFDA Game of the Week was set, and both teams were ready to go on Monday night. The Lions and 'Hawks went back and forth in a very tightly contested matchup. So tightly contested, in fact, that it ended in a tie! A tie?! Yes, Donovan, a tie. Of course in the IFFDA there is a tie breaker, and the win was awarded to the Detroit Lions taking them to 1-0 to begin the season. The Lions were lead by running back Le'Veon Bell who posted a team best 28 fantasy points capped by a ridiculous touchdown run. They also received a deep touchdown catch from WR Jeremy Maclin in route to a victory. The Seahawks came away with a loss, but were very pleased with a surprising performance from '13 breakout RB Knowshon Moreno as he posted a cool 21 points of his own. Up next, both teams will travel outside of the conference. The Detroit Lions (1-0) will play host to Jeramiah Taylor and the Miami Dolphins (1-0). Seattle (0-1) will have the 12th man rockin' once again as the Denver Broncos (1-0) come to town.

IFFDA Week 1 Preview

The first week is possibly the most exciting week of the season. If nothing else, it’s definitely the one most filled with hope, confidence. Everyone has a shot to win the title in week one, or at least they think so. No more previews, no holding back on the usage of players. For us, it’s the first look into the next several years of our league. This week will set the tone on how you value your franchise moving forward. Enough with the delays, and on with the first IFFDA weekly matchup preview including my Difference Makers, where I will highlight one player for each team who could make or break their team’s path to victory.

Carolina Panthers (0-0) @ Chicago Bears (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, FOX

The Panthers will open the season by heading to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Pretty evenly matched going into the matchup, the Bears are now heavily favored thanks to a dud from WR Jarrett Boykin for the Panthers. WR’s Percy Harvin and Randall Cobb had respectable games for their teams both totaling double digits. This Panthers team is full of flash and upside as Cordarrelle Patterson looks to build on his strong end to the 2013 season. Running back could be a big question mark for Carolina heading into the season, but these questions should be answered fairly soon as we will see the roles of Trent Richardson and Khiry Robinson defined early on. As for the Bears, they are pretty solid across the board. 2013 breakout RB Zac Stacy looks to make his debut for the Bears on Sunday. Chicago paid Stacy like a top back and they will need him to produce like one to have success in the NFC North. QB Matthew Stafford will look to wrap things up for the Bears on Monday Night Football in his first appearance.

Difference Makers:
Carolina Panthers – RB Trent Richardson
Chicago Bears – RB Fred Jackson

Cincinnati Bengals (0-0) @ Buffalo Bills (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, CBS

Owner/GM Bart Thompson and the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park to take on Owner/GM Bill Smith and the Buffalo Bills. The Bengals are prohibited favorites to win in week one according to Vegas. In August the Bengals gave RB Jamaal Charles the biggest contract in IFFDA history at 5 Years/$21.5M. As you can imagine, Cincinnati is all in on Charles and they will go as he goes. The Bengals will also feature young up and coming WR Michael Floyd. They will need Floyd to produce like a WR1 for them to succeed. The Buffalo Bills will be without RB Ray Rice for Sunday's matchup as he is suspended for the first two games of the 2014 season for a domestic violence charge. It is unclear whether Stevan Ridley or Bernard Pierce will take the field Sunday for the Bills in his place. Veteran future Hall of Fame WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson will be suited up and appear ready to lead this Bills team in their first divisional game of the season.

Difference Makers:
Cincinnati Bengals - QB Andy Dalton
Buffalo Bills - RB Stevan Ridley or Bernard Pierce

Cleveland Browns (0-0) @ Miami Dolphins (0-0) Sunday 1:00 PM, CBS

No. 2 Overall pick in the 2014 IFFDA Rookie Draft Sammy Watkins will make his debut on Sunday as the Cleveland Browns head down to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins. Watkins makes his debut in the wake of the suspension of WR Wes Welker and the Browns will lean heavily on the youngsters Watkins and Tavon Austin at wide receiver until Welker returns. Franchise QB Andrew Luck will control the huddle and looks to make a big impact on Sunday as he tries to lead the Browns to a victory in Week 1 along with WR AJ Green leading the young guys. Dolphins QB Matt Ryan and veteran WR Roddy White will have something to say about that though as they try to do the same for Miami. RB Eddie Lacy looked good in the early going but left his game with another concussion in his young career. RB Ryan Mathews will look to pick up the slack and carry the Dolphins backfield this weekend. Third Overall pick in the IFFDA Rookie Draft WR Brandin Cooks will also make his debut.

Difference Makers:
Cleveland Browns - WR Sammy Watkins
Miami Dolphins - RB Ryan Mathews

Arizona Cardinals (0-0) @ Washington Redskins (0-0) Sunday 4:15 PM, FOX

The big spending Cardinals travel to the Nation’s Capital to take on the ‘Skins. Arizona is favored in Vegas by 2 points after RB Marshawn Lynch went Beast Mode to open the season Thursday Night. There was a lot of concern about the aging running back heading into the season but he put that all to rest with a 110 yard 2 TD performance. While the Cardinals appear top heavy, the Redskins will use a balanced attack. TE Rob Gronkowski appears set to play for the first time since he suffered a serious knee injury last season and he will be a huge factor in the decision for the Redskins along with WR DeSean Jackson. The visiting Cardinals will be relying heavily on the arm of QB Peyton Manning as they also roster WR’s Demaryius Thomas and Andre Caldwell along with TE Julius Thomas. Arizona RB Adrian Peterson has made a bold statement already claiming he will take his first carry in 2014 to the house. We will find out which NFC North team will start their season off right.

Difference Makers:
Arizona Cardinals – WR Riley Cooper
Washington Redskins – TE Rob Gronkowski

Oakland Raiders (0-0) @ Denver Broncos (0-0) Sunday 4:15 PM, CBS

The Raiders (Chris Berman voice) take on the Denver Broncos in this AFC Rivalry at Mile High Stadium. The home team went running back heavy in the draft and will feature backs Doug Martin and Alfred Morris. A main concern of owner Ryan Branagin heading into this season is the health of QB Robert Griffin III. If he stays healthy and plays close to what he did his rookie season and the Broncos get any production from their WR's they will be tough to beat. The Oakland Raiders took a different approach in August by constructing a balanced but deep roster all while saving cap space. QB Russell Wilson is already back to his usual ways and was very effecient while throwing for two scores. Raiders WR Jordy Nelson also had a solid performance hauling in 9 receptions for 10 fantasy points. It will be an interesting Sunday in the Mile High City.

Difference Makers:
Oakland Raiders - RB Toby Gerhart
Denver Broncos - All 3 WR's

Atlanta Falcons (0-0) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0) Sunday 8:30 PM, NBC

The Falcons travel down the road to Raymond James Stadium and look to silence the cannons on Sunday Night Football. The Bucs are favorites in Vegas especially after a dud from Falcons QB Aaron Rodgers to open the season with just 9 points. RB Montee Ball and WR Antonio Brown look to make a statement in this rivalry game and make up for a bad game from the Franchise QB. Young TE Jordan Reed is questionable but has practiced all week. Falcons WR Josh Gordon will not be in attendance Sunday night as he has been suspended by the IFFDA for the entire 2014 season. The home team will be keeping an eye on the health of their newly acquired QB Cam Newton who had ankle surgery this offseason. Newton has taken every step to play, but is still considered questionable for the opener. Tampa Bay is deep across the board but appear to be set to start two rookies, Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. This prime time matchup will set the tone for years to come.

Difference Makers:
Atlanta Falcons - RB Frank Gore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Cam Newton

Indianapolis Colts (0-0) @ New England Patriots (0-0) Monday 7:10 PM, ESPN

The IFFDA Monday Night opener will feature the Colts and Patriots. Two buddies who are set against eachother in a divisional matchup on the biggest stage in Week 1. The Colts and Owner/GM Grandon Winningham head to Foxboro with their WR heavy team and look to make a statement early in the AFC West division. Indianapolis features two cornerstone wide receivers in Dez Bryant and Alshon Jeffery followed up at WR3 with proven veteran Reggie Wayne. Tom Brady will man the huddle for the Colts in hopes of starting early on their road to Super Bowl One. Big Blue has two running backs who's roles are undefined as they find themselves in new offenses this season. The New England Patriots and Owner/GM look to put an abrupt stop to the Colts "Super Bowl talk" and take an early lead on the division. The Pats run a balanced attack and feature a lot of players with high upside. Rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin will be in the starting lineup in this prime time game along with RB's DeMarco Murray and CJ Spiller. The health of Murray is always a concern, but he showed last year what he's capable of when relatively healthy all season. New England is favored by 10 points at home.

Difference Makers:
Indianapolis Colts - RB Chris Johnson
New England Patriots - RB CJ Spiller

Detroit Lions (0-0) @ Seattle Seahawks (0-0) Monday (Game of the Week)  10:30 PM, ESPN

The 12th Man will be pumped up and loud for this one as the Lions head to Century Link Field in Seattle on IFFDA's Monday Night Football stage. The Seahawks are the prohibited favorites to take home the IFFDA Super Bowl in 2014, but it all starts this week. The Lions will be no small task for the 'Hawks. RB Le'Veon Bell gave a scare to Lions fans when he was arrested on marijuana related charges, but he was not suspended and will begin the 2014 season in uniform. Detroit signed WR Julio Jones to a lucrative 5 year deal making him the face of their franchise and look to him for answers in this nationally televised game. Jay Cutler will take on signal calling duties for Detroit in Week 1 as well. As for the Seahawks, they are built to win now. Brees, Forte, and Andre are some names you may recognize from this roster. How about Cruz, Graham, or Decker? Anything can happen in fantasy football, but the 12th man will be rocking and Seattle looks to make a statement to the IFFDA early on.

Difference Makers:
Detroit Lions - QB Jay Cutler
Seattle Seahawks - RB Knowshon Moreno

Falcons move to first selection

The Atlanta Falcons have moved to the top of the IFFDA Rookie Draft in a move that shocked a lot of owners recently.  The Buffalo Bills, previously the heavy favorite to draft WR Sammy Watkins, have began to build for the future in making this deal.

"I know who we've wanted all along, and sometimes you just have to pay a price to get the guy you want" said Falcons owner Cody Dudley.  "There were plenty of guys I thought I may get, but I didn't want to risk it."

The Buffalo Bills obtained the 7th overall this year and a first round pick next year in the move.

Welcome to the IFFDA

The IFFDA will officially open it's historic first season in a matter of days.  The basic rules of the IFFDA have been laid out and more information will be released to all owners in the upcoming days.