Getting ready for your fantasy draft can be confusing and overwhelming. There are a few things to remember before making your picks. First you must qualify the player for each round. The old rule of thumb was to take two running backs in the first two rounds. However things have changed. Things have changed but fantasy owner draft strategies really haven’t. Until this year.

In the past most tight ends get drafted in rounds 4 and 5. Hopefully for you this will hold true. This year there are enough tight ends available in the same points range that you may be able to hold off until rounds 7 and 8, maybe later.

Also In the past few years tight ends Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzales were drafted early and often. This year there are at least 10 players available that are worthy of being a top pick at tight end. Also keep in mind that Gates had foot surgery in February.

Here is this years top ten picks for your tight end position. Keep in mind that tight ends are capable of having big weeks any week but could also be a no-show for a week or two. A defense that is a good fit for tight ends to play against is the cover two or Tampa 2 scheme a few teams are running this year.

The Top Ten:

1. Kellen Winslow- Browns- Kellen had a wide receiver type of season last year having caught 82 balls. He is coming into his own as a player and is part of a up and coming Browns offense that could finally do some real damage in 2008. He is certified fantasy stud.

2. Jason Witten- Cowboys- Witten has a top tier fantasy quarterback throwing to him. Romo found him often last year and both are looking to take the Cowboys all the way this season.  Witten can score big points in a given week.

3. Dallas Clark – Colts- Clark is a vital cog in the Colts offense. With Marvin Harrison a question mark for 2008 Clark will be looking for another big year in Indianapolis.  However Manning needs to get healthy before he is really worthy of #3.  Clark could actually fall out of the top ten and is a very shaky #3.

4. Antonio Gates- Chargers- Although he did have off-season surgery he may be a slow starter. However he still has the same quarterback and runningback lined up with him so he will be a big time threat no matter what.

5. Tony Gonzalez- Chiefs- Tony may not be the tight end he once was, he is probably the best receiving option the Chiefs have. Gonzalez needs runningback Larry Johnson to have a big year to open up the passing game.

6. Jeremy Shockey- Saints- Shockey will be looking to silence all the critics who said the Giants were a better team without him. They may have been, but Shockey has upside to his fantasy potential being in New Orleans. Drew Brees passes as much as any quarterback in the league and he will be looking to make Shockey a Pro-Bowl caliber tight end.

7. Chris Cooley- Redskins- Cooley is now part of the west coast offense with Jason Campbell leading the charge. Campbell had his biggest year in college under the WCO and is looking to have another huge year. Cooley was already a top tight end but in the WCO many tight ends have turned in their best years.

8. Heath Miller- Steelers- Miller has been a solid tight end most of his career. Ben Rothlisberger had arguably his best season last year as well. Look for Miller to put up solid numbers once again.

9. Owen Daniels- Texans- Daniels is a vital cog in the Texans attack. He had the highest rating of first downs per catch last season and quarterback Matt Shaub is poised to have a solid second season in Houston.

10. Alge Crumpler – Titans- No longer a fantasy stud Falcon he finds himself the target of another mobile quarterback that likes to hit the tight end on the run. Crumpler has a knack for getting open in spots to help out a scrambling QB. Crumpler may have a huge year in Tennessee.

The NFL has an abundance of good tight ends. Some of the better tight ends you may be able to snag would be Bears end Greg Olsen, Denver’s Tony Schefler, Patriot Ben Watson, and Rams tight end Randy McMichael. All of these players would be good late round picks.

One tight end that will be drafted high in many leagues to stay away from is the 49er’s Vernon Davis. He is a very good tight end. He may be one of the best in the league. However he is now under new offensive guru/knucklehead Mike Martz. In Detroit Martz’ offense made the tight end/H-back position nonexistent. Not to mention the QB battle has come down to former NFL Europe and back up Lions QB J.T. O’Sullivan ahead of a struggling Alex Smith.  Also don't forget, there is areason why Mike Martz has been fired from his last two jobs, and it wasn't because he was an offensive guru. 

Another set of TE that may fall into waiver wires after the draft is Jets TE Chris Baker and Dustin Keller. Either may be a very good player with Brett Favre now running the show. It is a camp battle worth looking at. In 2007 Baker almost averaged (71%) a first down per catch.

One last item is that on average per week the difference between the top TE and the bottom is not always that great. The main thing to look for is consistency. But hey, maybe I am wrong about everyone of these guys. Opinions are like behinds, everyone has one and most of the really stink!

  In the fews years I have been writing I have never written off sports topics.  But with the extreme prices in gas these days I have unearthed some information that will help you and everyone you know get the most out of every gallon you pump.  Make sure you read it all because this all should make a big impact!

  It isn't what you know but who you know.  This is just another example of that simple life lesson.  The information was passed along from someone who works in the business of gasoline and oil.  Here is what they said:

"Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
                 
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
                 
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.                     
                 
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.                     
                 
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount. 
                 
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being
delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
                 
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
                 
WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON
                 
Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.
                 
An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.
                 
Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis.
                 
Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends.
                 
I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.
                 
These companies import Middle Eastern oil:   
Shell...........................205,742,000 barrels   
Chevron/Texaco.........144,332,000 barrels   
Exxon /Mobil...............130,082,000 barrels   
Marathon/Speedway... 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels
                 
Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel
                 
Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
                 
Sunoco..................0 barrels
Conoco..................0 barrels
Sinclair.................0 barrels
B P/Phillips............0 barrels
Hess.......................0 barrels
ARC0....................0 barrels   

If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you. All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state
where they get their oil and how much they are importing. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do.


pass this page along to everyone you know so they too can get the most out of the pump and to try to reverse trend of dependence on middle eastern oil.

You could make a case for every area on a team.  But if you have build a team by group what area do you think a team should need most?

QB- you have to have a field general right?  At least a guy who can win some games for you while not blowing any.

RB- you have to be able to run the ball effectively to win it all don't you?

WR- You need a veteran group that run precise routes, has speed, and size

OL- you win games in the trenches.  The o-line is important because you need good pass protection and have to be able to run the ball.

DL- The front four need to be dominant against the run and be able to pressure the passer.

LB- you need speed and sure tackling.  You also need LBs that can get into coverage

secondary- If teams can't pass on you and you have a strong run stopping secondary you can stop almost anyone

K/ST- You need a steady kicker.  a guy who is automatic and can hit the pressure packed long field goal anytime and anywhere.  You also can make a shorter field if you get good return yards.

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