Gems to be Mined!

Here is my list of players not currently on CKL rosters who WILL be on CKL rosters (and maybe even in CKL starting lineups) by season's end...

Jake Locker, QB, Tennessee Titans
He'll be back from this shoulder injury, and he'll continue his improvement as a less-douchey Tim Tebow with a better passing arm.

Brady Quinn, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Matt Cassel sucks so terribly bad, it's inevitable that Quinn will get his chance to shine.  I still believe he's got NFL starter potential, but I'm drinking a lot of Notre Dame kool-aid right now.

Matt Flynn, QB, Seattle Seahawks
It's almost time for Russell Wilson to get the hook.  The Seahawks didn't pay all that money for Flynn in order to watch him waste away on the bench.  Once he's healthy, he'll play.  (Also, I will add that the decision to start Russell Wilson as a rookie feels like a whole lot of Pete Carroll pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking.  That's easy to say in hindsight, because Wilson was fantastic in the preseason, but yeah.)

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Predicting a Vick injury is almost as easy as predicting an Andre Johnson injury.  But here's the thing: Foles is better, more talented, and has more upside than Kevin Kolb or Mike Kafka, and might just take the starting job away from Dogkiller altogether.  It's kind of like a Brady/Bledsoe type of situation.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Looks to me like the Niners found a better wildcat option than Tebow offers the Jets.  Plus, Kaepernick can pass.  Plus, Alex Smith is middling, at best.  Not predicting a permanent switch, but a growing role for Kaepernick seems to be in order.  He's a great weapon running the read option, which I'm sure the Niners will tap into, given Harbaugh's college experience.

Shane Vereen, RB, New England Patriots
I'm a big believer in Stevan Ridley, but not in Danny Woodhead or Brandon Bolden.  Once Vereen is fully healthy, he'll have a role.  And knowing Belichick, Vereen will sneak in for a huge game at some point, which will land him on a CKL roster to stay.  Remember, the Pats took Vereen in the 2nd round and Ridley in the 3rd round in the 2011 draft.  That probably doesn't mean anything, but once upon a time - and not too long ago - this team valued Vereen's skills more than they valued Ridley's.

I still think he'll be a good NFL runner.

Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions
He'll be back in week 7 or 8, with an appropriate scatback role.  After one or two explosive games, he'll be rostered in the CKL.  (Actually, I bet he's rostered as soon as his return is announced.  Many of us still drool over the guy's upside, regardless of whether or not his brain is scrambled eggs.)

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Mendy and Redman are garbage -- Dwyer probably is too, but he might not be.  I bet the Steelers eventually settle on the guy with the bigger upside, and that's Dwyer.

Taiwan Jones, RB, Oakland Raiders
Mike Goodson seems like the Run-DMC handcuff, but Jones is the speed guy to Goodson's power and receiving.  What I'm saying is that without Michael Bush in the fold, it's going to take two guys to replace an injured McFadden.  Jones will get his, if/when McFad goes down.

Isaiah Pead, RB, St. Louis Rams
I'm pissed about this whole Daryl Richardson bullshit.  Pead is electric, and I still think he'll get an opportunity for the Rams this season.  I'll be ready to pounce and pounce hard, as I love Isaiah Pead.

LaMichael James, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Hunch: This 2nd round rookie is being kept under wraps until Harbaugh needs a wildcard in the running game.  Once James gets on the field, he won't be easy to take off it.  Read option with Colin Kaepernick at QB and Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James in the split backfield?  Yes please.

Robert Meachem, WR, San Diego Chargers
Eventually, the Chargers will start pumping balls to their offseason investment.  I'm not a Meachem guy, but he'll get an opportunity and has a pretty good QB rifling those passes at him.  They aren't paying Meach $6.5 million per season to run around as a decoy to take heat off of Malcolm Fucking Floyd.

Golden Tate, WR, Seattle Seahawks
I lost patience and cut him this week, but I'm still fairly bullish on Tate emerging as the Seachickens' #1 receiver.  The imminent Russell Wilson benching will increase the value of all Seattle receivers.

Best of all, the Seahawks are
paying Tate's salary in maple bars.

Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona Cardinals
The Cards' pass pro is abysmal (like a lot of teams), so a big downfield big-play receiver like Floyd might not be the perfect fit for this team right now.  That said, the #13 overall pick isn't going to ride the pine all season, no matter how much of a breakout Andre Roberts enjoys.

Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Running back eligibility with a fairly reliable 6-8 weekly targets in the passing game will net McCluster a spot in the CKL.  I wish he played for a different team, because I think he'd already be a star.

Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Mount Union produced Pierre Garçon, and Shorts is equally explosive.  Blaine Gabbert imposes a low ceiling on all of his receivers, but Blackmon and Shorts should emerge as the two best guys in that passing offense.  Shorts already has two long touchdown receptions, but they seem fluky.  Another two, and he'll be rostered.  It's only a matter of time...

Devery Henderson, WR, New Orleans Saints
The Saints' receiving corps is a mess.  Henderson will get plenty of playing time this season, and he'll find enough stats to aimlessly wander his way into CKL relevancy.  He always does.

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
If he hadn't broken his hand, I think Edelman would already be owned in 90-95% of fantasy leagues.  Belichick has a plan for this guy.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
It is Binns - not Andrew Hawkins - who is the Bengals' #3 option in the passing game, behind A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham.  If the Cincy offense remains effective, Binns will put up numbers.

He is going to be good.

Juron Criner, WR, Oakland Raiders
Attrition is the name of the game with the Oakland receivers, and Criner offers a size/strength option as a possession receiver that the other guys on the roster lack.  He'll get his crack at playing time.

Lance Kendricks, TE, St. Louis Rams
With Amendola out, the Rams need a new possession passing option.  Kendricks has the talent, if he can trim down the drops.

Kellen Davis, TE, Chicago Bears
Not sure if I'm buying yet, but Davis seems involved in the Bears passing game.  He seems to have shaky hands, but if he can remedy that, he could take off.

James Casey, RB/TE, Houston Texans
Mark my words: James Casey will emerge as a secret weapon for the Texans.  He's a move-type H-back who can play literally anywhere on the field.  Dual eligibility at TE and RB says it all, and Houston sends him out wide a bit, too.  Once Andre Johnson takes his annual injury, Casey will start seeing more balls coming his way.

Jordan Cameron, TE, Cleveland Browns
Cameron is the latest promising power-forward-turned-tight-end, and the Browns love the guy.  They should soon be looking to push aside the pedestrian Ben Watson in order to get this kid on the field.  Cameron has the potential to be the Poor Man's Jimmy Graham.



Fool's Gold
Yin needs its yang, right?  Here is my list of players currently on CKL rosters who WILL NOT be on CKL rosters by season's end...

Blaine Gabbert, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Back to the drawing board for the Jaguars.

First red flag: his name is "Blaine."
Second red flag: that hair (sorry Norris.)

Daniel Thomas, RB, Miami Dolphins
He has the bellcow look, but not the workhorse reliability.  Reggie Bush is better [obviously], and I think Lamar Miller pushes Thomas to #3 in the pecking order.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets
Eventually the Jets will realize what they have in Shonn Greene: Ron Dayne 2.0 -- a slow, plodding power back who shies away from contact and thinks he has the elusiveness to evade tacklers.  In other words, a giant quivering pussy, a fatally flawed runner, and a completely worthless football player.

Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals
They can't run, Beanie is literally always hurt, and Ryan Williams is better.  Beanie should just hang it up altogether.

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints
Power backs who average less than 3 yards per carry aren't long for this league.

Isaac Redman, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
He's the third best running back on a team that won't run with much consistency or conviction.

Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys
I suspect Phillip Tanner is the real handcuff to DeMarco Murray.  (Who wants to handcuff the Cowboys' running back, anyway?  Newsflash: that running game is putrid.)

Shaun Draughn, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
He is the very definition of "just a guy," and Juggernaut will be healthy soon.

Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans
The time bomb is ticking...

Sidney Rice, WR, Seattle Seahawks
He's got a somewhat big name (thanks to that one big year with Brett Favre), but between the injuries and the inept passing offense, I think Rice emerges as fairly worthless for fantasy this season.

"Better enjoy it now, Sid."

Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans
Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin are the new hotness in Houston, but the two cannibalize each other's production in a limited passing game.  Kevin Walter?  He's a nice downfield blocker.

Titus Young, WR, Detroit Lions
Jury's in.  The verdict?  Titus Young is dumb as a damn rock.

Donnie Avery, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Point blank, I think T.Y. Hilton will take his job away.  Plus, Avery is severely injury prone.

Stephen Hill, WR, New York Jets
The dude can't catch.



And there you have it.  Now go ahead and crucify me in the comments and on the message board!