FIOMattyH's Blog

Fantasy Race Preview: Kobalt Tools 500

Only the most blindly rabid Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan would have predicted that Junior would be the Hendrick Motorsport driver with the most series points after three races. Finishing strongly in two of the three 2008 events has been a mark of consistency that Earnhardt's teammates at the House of Hendrick have not been able to match.

Two-time defending Cup champ Jimmie Johnson bracketed his 2nd place finish at California with a wreck in the Daytona 500 and a very so-so run to 29th place at Las Vegas. Jeff Gordon has two DNF's to go with a 3rd place run, and Casey Mears sits 34th in points, only 19 points ahead of missing the top 35 cutoff with only two races left for him to live on his 2007 owner's points.

Week 23 Frozen IR Report

DAY-TO-DAY DILEMMAS
Martin Havlat, RW, CHI - I am sure that everyone is surprised to see Havlat's name back on here... for only the third time this season. Havlat reinjured the shoulder that already held him out 22 games earlier this season, and believes that he will undergo season-ending surgery to correct the ailment. Havlat has missed a total of 29 games this season and has 27 Points in 35 games. He could be a great fantasy player if he could ever be 100%, but he is fast becoming the most often "could be" superstar in the NHL.

Fantasy Baseball Preseason Rankings: Outfielders

1. Matt Holliday, COL - Holliday ranked in the top three amongst outfielders in every hitting category last year, jacking 36 homers with 137 RBIs, 120 runs, 50 doubles, 11 steals and a .340 batting average. He is just 28-years-old and has a strong young lineup around him. Holliday could go as high as No. 2 overall in fantasy drafts this year, and deservedly so after last season's incredible breakout performance.

2. Vladimir Guerrero, LAA - Guerrero remains in the upper-echelon of outfielders after another season on par with his expected totals. He does not steal bases anymore, so consider the five or so he might grab a bonus. Nevertheless, you can expect a .325 batting average, 30 or so home runs, and around 120 RBIs with confidence. The addition of OF Torii Hunter to the Angels lineup will only help Guerrero's numbers.

Fantasy Rookies of Today and Tomorrow

Rookies are not very often key contributors in the world of fantasy basketball, but typically one or two guys every year finds a way to legitimately crack the Top 150 best fantasy players. Five years ago, it was LeBron James putting up ridiculous numbers by way of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, while Carmelo Anthony scored 20 per contest and Dwyane Wade gave us great all-around numbers (16, 4.0, 4.5). In addition, Kirk Hinrich and Chris Bosh ensured that there were five "must-have" rookies in fantasy basketball. Then, we were blessed with a legit big man in Emeka Okafor, averaging a double-double to beat out fellow UConn Husky, Ben Gordon, who scored 15 points per game, as well as Dwight Howard, who also had a double-double every night.

Next Year`s Fantasy Surprise Sophomores

Down the stretch, teams around the league will be giving their rookies a chance to shine. Some will do so because the team is out of the playoff picture, while others will be hoping that the youthful enthusiasm can energize the team and carry them to the finish line of an 82-game season. Either way, it gives us a chance to have a peak at what these fresh faces might become. Remember these five players for the later rounds in your fantasy drafts next year, or mark them down as keepers in your deep keeper leagues.