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Jared Cook has been a sleeper candidate each of the past two years. Unfortunately all he has to show for it is 38 career catches for 435 yards and one touchdown.
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As we’ve noted before it takes time for tight ends to develop into quality NFL players. Not only do they have to learn their assignments in the passing game, they have to learn the blocking scheme as well. There is a lot to digest.
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Vernon Davis, who is gifted physically like Cook, failed to reach expectations in his first three years in the league. Antonio Gates, arguably the greatest tight end of all time had 389 yards as a rookie. Tony Gonzalez had 368.
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Now I don’t expect Cook to reach those heights, but he could develop into a high end TE2.
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The Titans just don’t have that many weapons. Kenny Britt presents the top option in the passing game, but the rest of the receivers don’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. Cook’s size and athleticism presents a mismatch, one that Matt Hasselbeck will look to exploit. He is simply too big for safeties to cover and too fast for tight ends.
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The Titans have been using more two-tight end sets, allowing Cook to line up out wide and become more of a focal point in the passing game. Blocking isn’t his strength and the Titans aren’t going to try to force him to be. Daniel Graham and Craig Stevens will handle the blocking duties while Cook will work the middle of the field.
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I wouldn’t dream of going into the year with Cook as my TE1, but I can envision him playing his way into that role for fantasy teams. Draft him late and hope he can emerge.
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Also check out:

• 2011 Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings - PPR
• 2011 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football DEF Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football IDP Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football K Rankings

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We are finally beginning to see some signs that the owners and the players will come to some sort of a resolution in the near future. NFL and fantasy football fans have to be tickled pink about the potential lifting of the lockout.
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Well for Tennessee Titans fans and Chris Johnson fantasy owners, the days of worrying could just keep on rolling. Chris Johnson is once again threatening to lock out if he doesn’t get a long term deal. He has stated that he won’t take a short-term fix like last year. He wants to get paid like the elite back that he is, and is will to sit out if the Titans don’t open up their checkbooks.
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You know what? He’s right. He is one of the best players in the league and he should be paid as such. He has averaged over 1500 rushing yards in his three seasons to go along with over 300 receiving yards per year and 12 total touchdowns. It’s not like his CJ2K season was his only productive one. He has double-digit touchdowns in all three years and at least 1488 total yards.
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Losing a talent like that, especially without a capable backup and a rookie quarterback would be a disaster. The Titans might as well start printing their logos on brown paper bags for their fans.
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I don’t think it will get to that point. Jake Locker won’t be getting paid like previous first round picks. That is an issue that will be settled when an agreement is reached. There will be more revenue from the additional Thursday night games. I think there will be some wiggle room that will allow the Titans to take care of their best player. If he were 28 or 29 they may be hesitant, but he’ll only be 26 when and if the season starts. Johnson will get a nice signing bonus and a long-term deal that he probably won’t see the end of.
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Bottom line is he’ll get paid and get the love he’s looking for from the organization, so  he’ll be happy. The team will get the revenue from jersey sales, tickets, etc. so they will be happy. Most importantly Titans fans and fantasy football owners will be happy that they can focus on football and not financials.
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Also check out:

• 2011 Early Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings

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The AFC South features three of the top running backs in the league.
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Arian Foster is arguably the top ranked fantasy player in the league. The furthest I could see him tumble, at least at this point, is to three. He racked up 1616 yards and 16 touchdowns. As good as those numbers are, he also caught 66 passes for 604 yards and two more scores. Week in and week out he was one of the top fantasy players in the league. Ben Tate and Derrick Ward will get some carries, but neither threaten the stud running back.
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One of the players (along with Adrian Peterson) that could conceivably go before Foster is Chris Johnson, who was generally the number one pick in last year’s fantasy drafts. Johnson’s “down year” looks like a career year for anybody else. He had 1609 total yards (1364 rushing, 245 receiving) and 12 touchdowns (11 rushing, one receiving). The Titans are going to be more creative next year to get him the ball in space, so CJ2K should be particularly effective in PPR leagues. He doesn’t really have a threat for carries and is a likely top three pick.
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Maurice Jones-Drew keeps turning out big year’s as well. There were concerns about his knee heading into last season, but he responded with a 1641 total yard (1324 rushing, 317 receiving), seven touchdown (five rushing, two receiving) season. Rashard Jennings will get some carries, but isn’t a big threat week-to-week. MoJo will probably be a top five to eight pick depending on your format. Personally, I prefer some of the younger guys like Rahsard Mendenhall and LeSean McCoy.
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Indianapolis is the only stick situation because Joseph Addai is a free agent. He is expected to return to the Colts though, and his knowledge of the system and ability to pick up the blitz will likely keep him as the main back. Donald Brown and rookie Delone Carter will also vie for touches.
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Also check out:

• AFC East Running Back Situations
• AFC North Running Back Situations
• AFC East Quarterback Situations
• AFC North Quarterback Situations
• AFC South Quarterback Situations
• AFC West Quarterback Situations
• NFC East Quarterback Situations
• NFC North Quarterback Situations
• NFC South Quarterback Situations
• NFC West Quarterback Situations

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The AFC South made a big splash in the quarterback department in the recent NFL Draft.
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The division continues to be dominated by the Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning is consistently among the best fantasy quarterbacks in the league. He never has a shortage of weapons, and even when they break down like Dallas Clark last year, someone else (Jacob Tamme) steps up. One thing that needed more than a temporary fix was their offensive line. The Colts walked away from the draft with tackle Anthony Castonzo and guard Ben Ijalana. With better protection look for Manning to turn in another impressive season. Would you expect anything less?
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Matt Schuab regressed a little statistically, but that can be expected when you have the NFL rushing leader.  He still threw for 4370 yards and 24 touchdowns (12 INTs). With Andre Johnson, one of the more physical receivers in the league, look for Schaub to remain a quality QB1. The team did not give him any new weapons in the NFL Draft, instead using their first five picks on defense.
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In Jacksonville David Garrard will hold down the fort until Blaine Gabbert is ready to take control of the team. Garrard had a solid year throwing for 2734 yards and 23 TDs (15 INTs) while adding another 279 yards and five scores on the ground. The Jags are limited in the playmaker department. Marcedes Lewis scored ten touchdowns, but had just seven scores in four seasons before busting out in a contract year. Mike Sims-Walker is a free agent that will likely have a new home in 2011. Garrard is a quarterback to use during the bye weeks and little more.
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The Titans turned heads by taking Jake Locker with the eight pick in the draft. He will likely start the year on the sidelines while a veteran (possibly Matt Hasselbeck) acts as a bridge. Despite the presence of Kenny Britt, this is not a great quarterback situation. We’ll have to wait and see how this one plays out.
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Also check out:

• AFC East Quarterback Situations
• AFC North Quarterback Situations

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Obviously the state of the NFL is in complete turmoil. Will there be a season? Hard to say, but we have to still prepare like there will be one. We continue our series of analyzing the number one pick in 2011 fantasy football drafts with Tennessee’s Chris Johnson.
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Calling Chris Johnson’s 2010 season a disappointment doesn’t give enough credit to the 1609 total yards (1364 rushing, 245 receiving) he amassed or the 12 touchdowns (11 rushing) he scored. Those are unbelievable numbers. They are along the lines of the 1488 total yards (1228 rushing, 260 receiving) and ten touchdowns (nine rushing) he posted as a rookie. However, when you compare them to the 2509 total yards (2006 rushing, 503 receiving) and 16 touchdowns (14 rushing) he posted in 2010 or the 2500 rushing yards he spoke of heading into last year, and I can see where you were a little let down.
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The Titans were a mess last year. So much so that both Vince Young and Jeff Fisher were sent packing. With order presumably restored, Chris Johnson and the Titans look to get back on track. They’ll need to figure out the quarterback situation, but it’s hard to imagine it being any worse than last year. Especially with Kenny Britt developing into a big game receiver. Defenses won’t simply be able to stuff the box on CJ2K.
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What I like about taking Johnson first is that he produced the monster year like Arian Foster did last year, has the explosiveness of Jamaal Charles, and the track record of Adrian Peterson. In three years he’s averaging 1868.7 total yards and 12.7 touchdowns. He has 24 100 yard games. He is tied with Rondel Melendez for the fastest 40 time in NFL Combine history. He has had at least 43 catches in each of his first three years, making him even more valuable in PPR leagues.
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If 1609 total yards and 12 touchdowns is a down year, then what could he do if he bounces back? Personally I would love to have the third pick in fantasy drafts. With Adrian Peterson, Arian Foster, and Chris Johnson, how can you go wrong? Depending on the Titans’ quarterback situation next year, I would have a hard time not selecting CJ2K number one in 2011 fantasy football drafts.
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Also check out:

• Why Michael Vick Should be the #1 Fantasy Pick
• Why Arian Foster Should be the #1 Fantasy Pick
• Why Adrian Peterson Should be the #1 Fantasy Pick
• Why Jamaal Charles Should be the #1 Fantasy Pick