Fantasy Football Black & White: Will Matt Forte go boom or bust in 2010?

[Editor's note: Welcome to the first installment of Fantasy Football Black & White, a weekly fantasy football debate between MSF's own Jerod Morris and Robert Littal from Black Sports Online. Each week, Jerod and Rob will figure out what they genuinely disagree on and then analyze it for you in simple black and white terms, 250 words or less. Then you get the final decision. Is it black...or is it white? Michael Jackson couldn't decide...can you?]

In today’s edition of Black & White, Rob and Jerod debate Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte, who was one of the biggest disappointments of the 2009 season.

Many people drafted Forte in the top 5 after his terrific rookie season, but Forte could never seem to find a rhythm behind a struggling an offensive line and with a QB who had a penchant for red zone INTs.

What will 2010 hold for Forte?

Many are predicting a bounce back year, mainly because Mike Martz has been brought in as offensive coordinator. However, these positive predictions are muted by the memories of last year, as well as Forte’s career sub-4.0 yard per carry average.

Rob tells you why Forte will be a bust, while Jerod thinks Forte will follow in the long line of successful fantasy RBs under Martz.

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Black: Matt Forte will be a bust in 2010

I can already hear it: “Mike Martz is going to make Matt Forte into a Poor Man’s Marshall Faulk.”

It can be argued that Faulk in his prime was the greatest Fantasy Football Running Back of all time, so a poor man’s version of him is much better than any back going in the 3rd round of drafts.

Unfortunately it will never happen.

Matt Forte has a lot of similar skills to Marshall Faulk, but the Bears are nowhere near the teams Faulk was on with the Colts and Rams. Jay Cutler is no Manning or Warner. Devin Hester is no Harrison, Bruce or Holt.

But beyond all of that, the #1 reason gambling on Forte is a bad move? The Bears offensive line may be the worst in the NFL.

If you are Barry Sanders you could make it work, but a straight ahead, one cut runner like Forte will never have an opportunity to shine.

PS – Sources tell me (Stephen A-style) don’t be shocked if Chester Taylor is starting by mid-season.

White: Matt Forte will go boom in 2010

Quick, go here and look at the bulleted list about halfway down the page. Those are the reception numbers for running backs under Martz. Notice a trend? Mike Martz running backs get involved in the passing game. Period. End of story.

And lest you think that career backup Chester Taylor will be anything but a backup this year, remember that Forte already has 120 receptions in just two seasons, so it’s not like he needs to come off the field on passing downs.

And what about the Bears’ offensive line? Yes, it sucks. So? That’s not great for the Bears in real life, and it won’t make things easy on Matt Forte, but it doesn’t make him fantasy asbestos. The guy accounted for 1,700 yards and 12 TDs as a rookie despite a 3.9 yard average, so he can be a very productive #2 fantasy back even if he’s not wowing you with Chris Johnson-type success.

If Forte just reaches the averages of his two seasons so far, his 2010 numbers will be as follows:

• 1,083 rushing yards
• 6 rushing TDs
• 60 receptions
• 474 receiving yards
• 2 receiving TDs

Would you take 1,500 total yards and 8 TDs from your #2 back? I sure as heck would. And that’s a conservative projection.

Throw in the potential for Forte to catch some Mike Martz magic, and this is a player who will be a fantasy boom based on where you can land him in your drafts.

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Merriman May Miss Opener

Update: San Diego Chargers LB Shawne Merriman may miss the team's regular season opener against the Chiefs, the AP reports. Merriman has been bothered by an Achilles' tendon injury, and will not play in the preseason finale.

Fantasy Impact: It is likely best for Merriman to sit out and Week 1 and get healthy, rather than to play with an injury and risk further hurting himself. Merriman is a prolific pass rusher and the team needs him to be healthy to do what he can at his best.

Haynesworth Might Not Play Week 1

Update: Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports that even though Washington Redskins DT/DE Albert Haynesworth will get a heavy workload this Thursday in the preseason finale, he may be inactive Week 1 versus the Dallas Cowboys. Haynesworth and head coach Mike Shanahan have not seen eye-to-eye this off-season, and this may be a way for the coach to show the player who is in charge.

Fantasy Impact: Whether you like Haynesworth or not, it is undeniable that he is an impact player. And without him, the chances of beating the Cowboys Week 1 are severely decreased. If priority number 1 for Shanahan is to win football games, then sitting Haynesworth is not in the best interest of the team.

Bryant Won’t Play On Thursday

Update: Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com reports that Dallas Cowboys rookie WR Dez Bryant will not play on Thursday. Bryant came back this week from an ankle injury and was expected to make his NFL debut in the preseason finale. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that none of the regulars will play. Fantasy Impact: It looks like Bryant's debut will be during the regular season opener. He should be nearly 100% by then, so he will be on the field for a significant amount of time. In fantasy, it likely would not be a great idea to start Bryant in week 1 because no one knows exactly how much he will play and what kind of chemistry he has with QB Tony Romo. But if he plays well, he could end up being a very solid fantasy WR this season.

Dallas Cowboys Update: The Return of Dez Bryant

The betting world has watched as the Dallas Cowboys offense has struggled in the first three preseason games. So far in the preseason the Cowboys combined offense has been unable to put more than 16 points on the board in any of its preseason games. The worst part is that the Cowboys first-string offense has scored a total of 13 points in the first three preseason games.

The Cowboys got some good news as the wide receiver that was lighting up the college football betting boards, Dez Bryant, has been cleared to practice. Dallas head coach Wade Phillips has not indicated whether or not Bryant will play in the final preseason game, but Bryant is expected to make an impact on NFL betting in the Cowboys’ opening regular season game against the Washington Redskins.

The recent offensive woes experienced by the Cowboys first stringers has prompted the Dallas coaching staff to remain tight-lipped as to whether or not the starters will play at all in the last preseason game. The offense under quarterback Tony Romo has not looked sharp at all, and head coach Wade Phillips may want to use the last preseason game to try and get his offense tuned up for the season opener. It is expected that no one will really know until the Cowboys take the field against the Miami Dolphins on September 2 for the final preseason game.

In an interesting story that may not affect NFL football betting lines but still may be of interest to some Dallas fans is the release of free agent wide receiver Terrell Hudgins and tight end Scott Sicko. Hudgins played his college ball at Elon and was a long-shot to make the team, but Sicko had created a stir by releasing an Internet video that said he was more interested in staying in school than playing in the NFL. It was shortly after that announcement that Sicko was signing a free agent contract with the Cowboys.

Cowboys safety Barry Church is getting more than a little friendly ribbing about being tackled by quarterback Phillip Rivers after an interception in the Cowboys most recent preseason game. Everyone from the defensive coordinator to the head coach has indicated their displeasure with the way Church allowed Rivers to prevent an interception return for a touchdown. It is doubtful that disciplinary action will be taken, but Church has learned to step up the pace and get by the quarterback next time he is in that situation.

If the road to the Super Bowl is going to go through and then end in Dallas, then the Cowboys are going to have to step up their game right from the beginning of the season. The Cowboys first six opponents are all playoff contenders. The Cowboys open the season in Washington against the Redskins and then move on to play the Bears, Texans, Titans, Vikings and Giants. The Cowboys defense is expected to be up to the task, but without offensive points on the board the Cowboys may be watching Super Bowl XLV from the stands.

Dallas Round-Up: Rangers AL West Run, Cowboys Preseason

NFL football betting players are getting ready for the regular season, and the Dallas Cowboys began their preseason slate with the Hall of Fame Game.  But we’re going to start with the Texas Rangers, who proved that they could hang with the best team in baseball, and they’ll continue their run through the American League East.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers began their week last Friday with a 5-1 win Oakland, but they dropped the last two games of the series against their American League West rivals.  The Rangers then had a couple of days off before they welcomed the defending World Series champion New York Yankees for a two-game set at the Ballpark.  If MLB betting players are going to take the Rangers seriously, they would like to know how they would fare against the best, and Texas definitely showed a good account of themselves, earning a split, and they would have won the second game if not for a late rally by the Yankees.  They got surprising power from the likes of David Murphy and Taylor Teagarden, who went deep twice each last week, while Murphy also led the team with eight RBIs.  Cliff Lee made two starts, winning one and taking a no-decision in an 11-strikeout performance against the Yankees, but Neftali Feliz blew a save opportunity against the Bronx Bombers, and the Rangers will need him to be steady against the best teams in the league.  This week, the Rangers are off on Thursday, then they’ll host the Boston Red Sox for three games before heading to Tampa Bay early next week for a three-game set.

Dallas Cowboys

Some college football betting players in Dallas will have been disappointed not to see rookie Dez Bryant in last week’s Hall of Fame Game against Cincinnati, but the Cowboys won a sloppy 16-7 game in which they forced four turnovers.  Tony Romo and the first-team offense looked good in their minimal playing time, but the team looked pretty solid as a whole, albeit a bit rusty, which is a given.  The Cowboys controlled the clock, holding the ball for over 36 minutes, and as we said, in the little time that their defense was on the field, they completely dominated the Cincinnati offense, holding them to 179 total yards, including a measly 43 on the ground.  The Cowboys have a short week now as they turn around and host Oakland at Cowboys Stadium on Thursday night, and with each game, the starters will play more and more, which will give you a better feel for how the Cowboys will play this year, although they’ll still be watching out for injuries.  The Cowboys are a 3-point favorite on Thursday night according to sports betting odds, so get some early preseason research in on Dallas this week.

Cowboys Set Sights On Super Bowl In 2010-11

One year ago the Dallas Cowboys finally set the record straight on whether or not they had the talent, depth, and nerves to play December football and in to January when the playoffs got underway. A couple of massive wins over the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles- the first which clinched the division and home field advantage in the Wild Card round, the second which was the actual Wild Card contest- were proof that quarterback Tony Romo and company could handle the pressure when it came down to it, which makes the outlook for the future that much brighter. Now comes the next step, which head coach Wade Phillips and his staff have declared as being football’s ultimate goal, to win the Super Bowl and bring the Vince Lombardi trophy to the most luxurious home in the NFL betting league in Cowboys Stadium.

Training camp is already underway for the 2010-11 sports betting season, as the Cowboys go through practices every day until opening their preseason this upcoming Sunday at Canton against the Cincinnati Bengals in the annual Hall of Fame game. Taking part in this contest means that Dallas will have five preseason dates this year, which appears to be fine for Phillips and his staff given the emphasis on attention to detail that the team will focus on this year. While the Cowboys’ draft picks have been working with the coaching staff for a couple of weeks, now is the time for the veterans to get their reps in, with the hope being to get through the next month without any of the starters suffering major injuries. The good thing for Dallas is that it will welcome just one new player to the mix from free agency in tackle Alex Barron, which should result in a continuity that will help this team be prepared.

Heading in to this football betting week, players on both the Cowboys and Bengals are getting amped up at the opportunity to participate in a full contact preseason game again, and this will be the first chance for fans and scouts to get a look at who has the edge to win the position battles that have been contested since the opening of camp. In Dallas, the biggest preseason battle will be for which of the reserves will replace the heavy-hitting Ken Hamlin at the safety spot after the veteran safety was not retained this summer. Converted cornerback Alan Ball has worked with the first team defense in every practice and looks to have the early edge to start, but reserve Mike Hamlin will push him. Meanwhile the offensive line will get back to work with a new left tackle for the first time in 12 years after Flozell Adams was let go by the organization, a move the team may regret of holdover Doug Free and Barron aren’t able to raise their game to another level. The Cowboys Bengals betting game will be the first look players have at this year’s NFL rosters on the field, so let the fun begin.

Dallas Round-Up | Rangers Stretch Lead | Cowboys Making Noise In Camp

Those doing their college football betting online are gearing up for the beginning of their season, but the baseball betting season is starting to heat up, and Texas is well on their way to the American League West crown.  In the NFL, Dez Bryant is getting off to an interesting start with the Cowboys.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers will be aiming to take the rubber match of their three-game set with Oakland at home, wrapping up a week in which they took three of four against the Los Angeles Angels at home last weekend.  Michael Young went deep three times for the Rangers last week, hitting .318 with four RBIs, while Nelson Cruz batted .417 with a pair of homers and four RBIs.  If the Rangers can continue to prove that their lineup isn’t just Josh Hamilton and Vladdy Guerrero, who struggled last week, their MLB betting odds will improve.  Cliff Lee continues to be a monster for the Rangers, going 1-0 in two starts last year, tossing 17.1 innings, and he struck out 17 batters….without walking a single one.  Neftali Feliz was perfect in three save opportunities for the Rangers, who have another important week coming up.  The Rangers head out on the road for a nine-game trip with teams from the West, beginning with a three-game set in Los Angeles against the Angels this weekend, following by a visit to Seattle, Lee’s former team. If they can manage to at least split their six games in the next week, the Rangers should be sitting pretty in the West.

Dallas Cowboys

NCAA football betting players know that Dez Bryant had a tough time at Oklahoma State, missing virtually all of last year because he lied to NCAA investigators about a meeting with Deion Sanders, and it’s things like these that caused him to slip in the draft (some folks call them “character issues”.  Then, Bryant made a fuss earlier this week when he refused to carry the pads of Roy Williams, who many people feel Bryant will replace in the starting lineup.  Bryant then said he wasn’t aware of the tradition that has been going on not only in the NFL, but in most professional sports, for years.  Rookies, no matter how highly touted or where they were drafted, are usually counted on carry pads, buy dinners, and be generally subservient to the veterans, and it’s not like they were trying to tape him to goalposts or anything.  Of course, the media took and made way too big of an issue, but Bryant is going to have to learn to be more humble and realize that he’s part of a team now.  Little things like that can mess with a team’s online betting odds.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Dez Bryant Making Waves

As long as there has been sports betting in the NFL, there has been rookie initiations. It is usually harmless stuff like singing in a rookie talent show, cleaning up the cafeteria after lunch or carrying a veteran receiver’s pads after practice. While the NFL betting world is excited that Dez Bryant finally signed a five-year, $11.8 million dollar contract to get him officially into training camp, some of the Cowboy veteran players are not happy with Bryant.

After a practice last week, Dez Bryant refused to carry the pads of veteran wide receiver Roy Williams. Bryant said he was drafted to win football games and not carry pads. Williams said that actions like the one taken by Bryant sometimes result in retaliation by the team veterans. The fact of the matter is that Bryant is competing with Williams for the second or third wide receiver job, and it may be Williams that is carrying Bryant’s shoulder pads before long.

In other Dez Bryant news, the rookie receiver has been showing up to the practice field wearing Nike apparel. Normally that would not be a big deal, except for the fact that Bryant was sponsored by Under Armour. Because of his apparel preference, Under Armour decided to drop Bryant as a paid endorser. According to Nike, Bryant is not under contract with the company in any capacity.

As the NCAA football betting season approaches, it makes football fans wonder how far NFL players leave their college days behind them. Apparently third-year tight end Martellus Bennett is having a difficult time leaving his younger years in the past. Recently, some nude photos of Bennett have surfaced on the Internet. Bennett says they were taken while he was in college, and were kept by a former girlfriend. It is believed that the ex-girlfriend released the photos. Bennett apologized, and the Cowboys have only said that they are dealing with the issue internally.

The Cowboys put a small monkey wrench into the NFL preseason betting when they did not bring any experienced field goal kickers into camp. The team drafted a kicker, and then gave kick-off specialist David Buehler the chance to be the full-time field goal kicker. Cowboy fans held their collective breath as field goal kicking problems hurt the Cowboys last season. It seems that Buehler is on track to be the field goal kicker, and is progressing well. Word out of Cowboys’ camp is that the kicking job is Buehler’s to lose.

Quarterback Tony Romo is a three time NFL all-star, and now he has also won a game in the playoffs. But Romo is not taking anything for granted. He recently spoke to reporters and said that he not only expects to be a Super Bowl champion, it is something that he knows he needs to do to erase mistakes of the past and push him to a higher status among NFL quarterbacks. Romo’s confidence is growing, and with a potent running game behind him and talented receivers to throw to, Romo could be holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of this season.

Texas Rangers Lead the West, Cowboys WR Dez Bryant

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Extending Lead In West; Cowboys, Bryant Hope To Avoid Holdout

College football betting online is about to get started, but until then, check out the Texas Rangers’ quest for the American League West, and things are looking good for them right now
(on the field, anyway).  Elsewhere in NFL news, the Dallas Cowboys have begun talks to try and avoid a Michael Crabtree situation.

Texas Rangers

Heading into Thursday’s opener of a massive four-game series at home against the rival Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers were five games ahead of the Angels in the West after a pair of series wins.  First, the Rangers proved they could win on the road by taking three of four against the Red Sox in Boston’s venerable Fenway Park, and they rode a 4-2 win in the Boston finale into a two-game romp in Detroit, outscoring the Tigers 16-6 in the first two of the series before falling 4-1 in the final game.  Benji Molina and Ian Kinsler both nailed a couple of homers for the Rangers, who are boosting their MLB betting odds with each win, while Nelson Cruz hit .438 with 11 RBIs over the week for the Rangers.  On the pitching side, young Tommy Hunter continues to dazzle, going 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 13.2 innings of work, and the 24-year-old righthander is now 7-0 in nine starts with a 2.09 ERA this season.  Cliff Lee is still looking for his first win for the Rangers since coming over from Seattle, but he’s gone nine innings in each of his starts so far, and he was unlucky to earn a no-decision in an extra-inning loss in Boston last week.  Lee will be on the mound this Thursday against the Angels in search of that elusive win.

Dallas Cowboys

NFL football betting players can practically taste the beginning of the season as camps are almost here, and rosters are becoming a bit clearer.  The Cowboys are hoping that their first-round draft pick will be a part of it all as they’ve begun contract talks with Dez Bryant, the talented but apparently troubled receiver that many are calling the next Michael Irvin.  Bryant would do well to look at the situation of San Francisco’s Michael Crabtree, who played with Texas Tech while Bryant was at Oklahoma State, another Big 12 school.  Crabtree held out for all of camp and the first five weeks of the season in 2009 because he thought he should have been drafted higher, yet wanted more money.  Crabtree was playing catch-up all season, and it was only at the end of the year that we were starting to see how special he could be.  Jerry Jones isn’t shy about splashing around money, so we think this situation will be sorted, and you can bet on Bryant in your best online sportsbook to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

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