Need To Know
SummerStuds
Despite the common perception, sometimes a player's preseason success doestranslate to regular-season success
NEARLY EVERYONEsays that preseason football stats mean nothing. Take a look at the rushingleaders from the 2005 preseason, however, and you'll see some players who wenton to become regular-season starters--or stars. (Players are listed with their'05 teams.) This doesn't mean you should go out of your way to draft '06preseason leaders in the early rounds, but some definitely are worth a laterpick, especially in keeper leagues.
 
2005 PRESEASON RUSHING LEADERS | PRESEASON YARDS | REGULAR-SEASON YARDS |
CHESTER TAYLOR Ravens | 270 | 487 |
LARRY JOHNSON Chiefs | 254 | 1,750 |
ADRIAN PETERSON Bears | 233 | 391 |
MICHAEL TURNER Chargers | 222 | 335 |
STEVEN JACKSON Rams | 215 | 1,046 |
MIKE ANDERSON Broncos | 210 | 1,014 |
VERNAND MORENCY Texans | 209 | 184 |
THOMAS JONES Bears | 194 | 1,335 |
JULIUS JONES Cowboys | 193 | 993 |
RON DAYNE Broncos | 187 | 270 |
SIEVES AND STONEWALLS
In 2005 NFL defenses allowed 166 100-yard receiving games, 138 100-yard rushinggames and 64 300-yard passing games. Use the chart below to help you set yourlineup accordingly early in the season.
DEFENSE | 100-YD RUSH. | 100-YD REC. | 300-YD PASS. | TOTAL ALLOWED |
49ERS | 5 | 12 | 7 | 24 |
GIANTS | 6 | 9 | 4 | 19 |
PATRIOTS | 6 | 9 | 4 | 19 |
RAMS | 8 | 8 | 2 | 18 |
TEXANS | 10 | 5 | 1 | 16 |
BENGALS | 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
EAGLES | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
FALCONS | 8 | 6 | 1 | 15 |
SEAHAWKS | 1 | 9 | 5 | 15 |
BILLS | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
LIONS | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 |
BRONCOS | 2 | 8 | 2 | 12 |
TITANS | 8 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
BROWNS | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
COWBOYS | 4 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
CHIEFS | 1 | 6 | 4 | 11 |
VIKINGS | 2 | 6 | 3 | 11 |
PACKERS | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
JAGUARS | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
REDSKINS | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
CARDINALS | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
PANTHERS | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
RAIDERS | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
RAVENS | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
CHARGERS | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
BEARS | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
DOLPHINS | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
JETS | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
BUCS | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
SAINTS | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
COLTS | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
STEELERS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 
DIGITALPROJECTION
Playing theFutures Game
PROTRADE.com takes fantasy rankings to the next level by incorporatingprojected statistics. Here are PROTRADE's top 10 players at each skillposition.
 
THERE'S A method to this madness. In order to help its members buy and sellplayers, PROTRADE.com, a website that treats sports like the stock market, usesan advanced mathematical method to project the production of each NFL playerlisted on its site. PROTRADE employs depth charts, historical and situationalstatistics and a regression analysis involving more than 100 quantitativevariables to answer two questions: 1) How many attempts--passes, carries,receptions etc.--will the player likely get in 2006, and 2) How will he performon a per-attempt basis? After adjusting the expected usage for schedule,PROTRADE then projects the approximate numbers each player is likely to put upin the '06 season. Rankings are determined by weighting certain statistics moreheavily depending on the position.
EXPANDED PROJECTIONS
Don't see your favorite player listed above? For more of PROTRADE.com'sprojections and a detailed explanation of its methodology, go toSI.com/fantasy.
TELLINGNUMBERS
220
RUSHING YARDS for Giants running back Tiki Barber against the Chiefs last Dec.17, the most rushing yards for any player in a game last season. Barber cleared200 yards three times in '05, the first back since Earl Campbell (four) in 1980to do so that many times.
238
RECEIVING YARDS for Dolphins receiver Chris Chambers against the Bills lastDec. 4, the most receiving yards for any player in a game last season and thehighest total since 2002.
442
PASSING YARDS for Rams quarterback MARC BULGER against the Giants last Oct. 2,the only time a QB surpassed 400 yards in 2005.
PHOTO
G. NEWMAN LOWRANCE/WIREIMAGE.COM (BULGER)
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DAMIAN STROHMEYER (JONES)
PHOTO
PETER READ MILLER (PLUMMER)
PHOTO
BOB ROSATO (SMITH)