Jordy Nelson is just one player who will be looking to take his game one step higher after his breakout season in 2011.

Zachary Thompson of FantasyCPR and I sat down for a Q&A this past week – talking about the Green Bay Packers and what things look like for the coming season.

Geared toward the fantasy fans out there, FantasyCPR has been talking with all 32 NFL Fansided.com blog editors about their teams to get a feel for the best players and how to rank teams and players for the coming season.

The goal of this website is to deliver consistent fantasy analysis to help fantasy players win.

If you have comments or suggestions about the site, contact Fantasy CPR at fantasyCPR@yahoo.com, and follow them on twitter @fantasyCPR.

So, take a trip over to the site for all your fantasy needs and while you’re at it, check out the Packers preview here or scroll down for the full Q&A.

Green Bay Packers – Fantasy Football Preview 2012

Fantasy football leagues are activating across the country and draft dates are being set and obsessed over. Last season, one offense everybody loved owning and a defense they loved playing against was the Green Bay Packers. The Pack are looking to bring back the offense and overhaul the defense. Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave. was willing to join us and help us get some insider information on the cheeseheads’ outlook for this season.

Zach Thompson, FantasyCPR: The Packers offense was awesome last year. Aaron Rogers emerged as one of the top QB’s in the league to be sure. Is there any reason to think he won’t reduplicate that statistical performance this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t match or exceed hisperformance of 2011, it will be a huge disappointment. Rodgers has the same weapons coming back with him in 2012 and there isn’t any reason why this team can’t continue to produce huge numbers on the field. In fact, without injuries, you can be sure to see Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson continue to put up 1,000 yard-plus seasons. When those two players have backups like James Jones and Donald Driver behind them – players who could be starters on most other teams - this is one high-powered offense. And it’s all led by Rodgers. His skill and uncanny ability to avoid pressure has made Rodgers a step above the best QBs in the league. I can only see him improve in 2012.

Z: Last year, virtually any Green Bay WR was worth owning just because he was on the same field with Aaron Rodgers? Jordy Nelson made the leap to a top 20 WR. Do you see Randall Cobb or any other receiver emerging this year as a every-week go-to guy?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Many, including myself, see this as a breakout year for Randall Cobb. I believe the league has only seen a scratching of the surface with this receiver. His work on special teams is known, but he will bring much more to the field this year. You will see him on the field more often this season and his touches rise significantly. If the Packers can’t get the ball into his hands at least 5-10 time per game, it will be disappointing. And depending on how much Donald Driver contributes, you might see either Diondre Borel or Tori Gurley make the 53-man roster and make contributions. They are young guys with huge upsides. I would also like to say that tight end Jermichael Finley will work to improve his play this year and will continue to stretch the field for a
Packers offense that will be difficult to stop.

Z: While we’re on receivers, was Jordy Nelson’s breakout a fluke or do you think he’ll match or exceed those numbers this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Jordy Nelson is no fluke. His teammates like to joke that he’s the white guy on the team who actually has speed and jumping ability. Nelson gets open and his ability to accelerate past defensive backs is fast becoming his biggest strength. Simply put – he’s a stud who can beat anyone matched up against him.

Couple that with the fact that he can catch the ball over the middle when needed and you’ve got the complete package. His only knock is that he drops too many passes. However, his success overshadows that. If you have a chance to take Jordy Nelson in your fantasy draft, don’t pass him up. He will score lots of points for you.

Z: What about the running game? Do you see one back emerging as a feature-back or will it continue to be a time-share? If you think it’sa time-share, what Packer running back would you draft to be on your fantasy team?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: The Packers running game is the wild card for any fantasy team. The Packers are a pass-first team, that’s not a secret. However, the Packers have not been totally incompetent on the ground either. Ryan Grant is gone, and the Packers will have two backs, James Starks and Alex Green, coming back from significant knee injuries. That is a concern. However, Starks is being looked to as the featured back heading into his third year. Green had a huge upside before his injury, so how he comes back is a huge question mark. He could be one of those players who comes out of nowhere to make a big mark, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Z: Is there a player on the Packers offense you think will have a breakout year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Randall Cobb, hands down. I feel the Packers will call his number more this year and give him the opportunity to show his skills. He was limited last year on offense because of the team’s depth, but with an aging Donald Driver still on the team I see Cobb being more of a factor.

Z: Green Bay’s focus this offseason appears to have been on rebuilding and strengthening their defense, specifically pass defense. Do you think they did enough? And who do you think makes the biggest impact among the new additions?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Defense was the focus in both free agency and the draft – and rightly so. Ted Thompson did a great job in bringing in players who should contribute immediately – namely Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy, and Casey Hayward. I see all three of these players fitting in immediately with the defense, but I see Worthy as the player who will bring the most to the team in the early going. The Packers’ biggest hole last season was their defensive front. They couldn’t stop teams because they couldn’t pressure the QB.

The loss of Cullen Jenkins was bigger than most thought. With the addition of Worthy, the Packers will add to a line that already includes BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett. Though suspended for eight games, Anthony Hargrove will also help the team the second half of the season – if he makes the roster.

Z: Last one, give me your realistic expectation for the Packers this season, and then your perfect scenario. What is the one key for them taking home the Lombardi Trophy again this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Realistically the team wins at least 12 games -they will need that many wins to take the division. Ideally, they win 14 or 15 again this year and destroy the competition in the Playoffs
en route to another Super Bowl championship.

However, to do that, the team has got to make large improvements on the defensive side of the football. I think management has put the pieces in place for that to happen. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to put these players in the right schemes to make it happen. It’s funny talking about defense being the difference for a team like the
Packers. While the offense will continue to do what it does best, it will be the defense that will be the difference in the fight for a championship. If the defense doesn’t come through, the team will be left watching like they did last year.

May 30, 2012; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn (15) participates in a passing drill of an OTA practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

They begin the series with a Q&A with Keith Myers of 12th Man Rising, another fine site under the fansided.com umbrella.

Fantasy fans and fans in general will be interested in following this series diligently put together by FantasyCPR’s Zach Thompson.

This particular posting will be of interest to Green Bay Packers fans because of the Seahawks’ newest addition, former Packers QB Matt Flynn. Following this preview will be a look at the Chicago Bears, another posting that will be of interest to Packers fans.

Anyway, you can go directly to the site here or you may just continue reading the posting below.

Seattle Seahawks – Fantasy Football 2012 Preview

As we gear up for another awesome and exciting year of fantasy football, we’re excited at Fantasy Football to be able to feature some previews from our FanSided partners. It’s extremely valuable to get the opinions of some passionate bloggers that spend all their time focused on one particular team.

We’re excited to feature as many as possible leading up to opening kickoff and we start our coverage today by talking to Keith Myers of 12th Man Rising.

Zach Thompson, FantasyCPR: Hey Keith, thanks for helping us out with our Q&A for our season preview. It’s always good to get the opinion of a fan who follows the team on how they’ll be this year. As someone who covers Seattle all year round, I’m sure your insight will help us in our fantasy football draft.

We’ll start with the obvious question… Is Matt Flynn the answer? Seattle was much-improved last year; they just seemed to be missing a QB. Is Matt Flynn the starter this year? And if he is what do you think his ceiling is for his first year as a full-time starter in the league?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: That’s the million dollar question right there. Anyone who tells you definitively that Flynn or anyone else is going to start doesn’t know how Pete Carroll does things. This really is an open competition, and both Tarvaris Jackson and Russell Wilson have a shot on winning the job.

In the end, I do think that Flynn wins the starter’s job over the other 2, but his ceiling isn’t all that high as a fantasy QB. His arm strength would suggest that his ceiling is that of Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks can win a lot of games with that caliber of a QB, but he’ll never put up the numbers that Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers do.

Z: Marshawn Lynch dominated last year and emerged as a top fantasy running back. Is there any reason you think he won’t duplicate that kind of statistical year this year?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: I don’t believe there is. The O-line should continue to improve this year, as it did last season. Plus, without a big time QB and passing game feeding the ball to Lynch will be the foundation for the offense. He’s going to get his touches no matter what. I’ve seen people suggest that rookie Robert Turbin might cut into his playing time, but baring injury I don’t see that happening.

Z: What does the depth chart look like behind Lynch and is there any kind of time-share or is Lynch the rare feature-back?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: The only player Lynch has to worry about in terms of playing time is rookie backup Robert Turbin, but as I said above, I don’t think Lynch will lose many touches to him. Lynch really is the feature player in this entire offense.

The one time when Lynch isn’t regularly on the field is third and long. He isn’t much of a receiver when compared to some other backs in the NFL. Last season, FB Michael Robinson was the most likely player in the backfield. That might be something to keep in mind when drafting Lynch. Don’t expect him to get you many receiving yards.

Z: I’ve always though that Golden Tate was about to breakout, but he hasn’t really done that yet at all. Is there a receiver in Seattle that will emerge as Flynn’s top target that we should look for on draft day?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: Keep an eye on Doug Baldwin. He was the Seahawks’ leading receiver last season while playing in the slot, and should be even better this season even though he plays out of the slot. I’d advise people to avoid drafting Tate. He might not even make the 53 man roster at this point. He still has a lot to prove before he gets consistent playing time.

Z: Is there a player on the Seahawks offense you think will have a breakout year?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: Not really. I expect Doug Balwdin and Sydney Rice to put up better numbers than last season, but both had their “breakout year” in the past. It really depends on who wins the job as the starting split end. If Kris Durham or Richardo Lockette do, then I’d expect that player who have a breakout year. If not, then I don’t think anyone will qualify for that title.

Z: I love the Seahawks as a sleeper defense/special teams unit. Am I crazy to think they’ll be a top 10 defense this year? I actually like their draft pick even though many scoffed at it…

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: The Seahawks were the #9 defense last season statistically (not sure how that scored in fantasy points, but I’ve heard they were good in that regard too) And that was without much of a pass rush. The Seahawks then added a great inside pass rusher in free agency (Jason Jones) and drafted the draft’s best pure pass rusher in Bruce Irvin. The increased pass rush will only make this defense better overall, and it should also lead to more turnovers. I’m surprised that people think of them as a sleeper pick. From where I’m standing, they should be one of the best fantasy defenses in 2012.

Z: Last one, give me your realistic expectation for the Seahawks this season, and then your perfect scenario. What is the one key for them getting back into the playoffs this year?

Keith Myers, 12th Man Rising: Realistically, this team should be improved with a better pass rush, more consistent play from the offensive line, and hopefully better play from the QB position. 9 to 10 wins and a chance at a wild card spot in the playoffs is about what we’re expecting.

In a perfect situation, whoever wins the starting QB job steps in and provides a passing game to go along with the running game and defense. If this happens, the Seahawks will be tough to beat, as they’ll be one of the most complete teams in the NFL, similar to the Texans of 2011 before Matt Shaub got hurt. If that happens, 12 wins is certainly a possibility. Unfortunately, I just don’t see that passer on the roster right now.

Z: Thanks again to Keith Myers for joining us for our Seahawks preview. Make sure to check out his team’s excellent coverage of the Seahawks throughout this upcoming season on 12th Man Rising.

Charles Woodson and the Packers are ready for training camp to start.

Yup, it’s that time of the morning – just cruising the Internet for any kind of Packers news during this lull in the action between the Draft fallout and the start of training camp. Pretty slow these days, though everyone is dying to get the start of training camp going. It won’t be long now. In fact, it’s just 23 days away.

Anyway, here are some nuggets you may enjoy.

Have a great Tuesday, stay cool and Go Pack!

Here’s one from the ridiculous department:

Clipped from: www.totalpackers.com (share this clip)

Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)

Clipped from: bleacherreport.com (share this clip)

Clipped from: www.acmepackingcompany.com (share this clip)

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down with Keith Myers over at The 12th Man Rising, the Seattle Seahawks’ Fansided.com site to answer a few questions about the Green Bay Packers’ offseason and the outlook heading into the 2012 season.

I’ve posted the exchange below, but if you want to see a great site, take a trip over to the 12th Man Rising and see, among other things, what they’re saying about their upcoming season, as well as what they think about former Packers’ quarterback Matt Flynn.

Enjoy.

Home » Seahawks » 2012 NFL Preview: Green Bay Pack

Aaron Rodgers winds up for the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Another day, and another team previewed. (I’m not sure I can keep this up for 32 straight days, but I will certainly try.) This time we venture to Wisconsin to take a look at the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks and Packers have a fun history, first with the Holmgren era, and now with John Schneider coming to Seattle from Green Bay. And who can forget the “We want the ball and we’re gonna score” playoff game.

Helping me out with the preview is Ray Rivard from Lombardi Ave.

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Defense, defense, and more defense

Key Free Agents Retained: Donald Driver, Jared Bush

Key Player Additions: Jeff Saturday, Anthony Hargrove (despite suspension)

Key Players Leaving: Chad Clifton, Nick Collins

Quick Thoughts on Draft: It was an awesome draft for the Packers. Picking up Nick Perry to complement Clay Matthews was brilliant, but the fact that GM Ted Thompson traded up so much to get defensive players from front to back was a stroke of genius and is going to help the team immensely.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The start of the season is brutal with tough competition and a quirky schedule for the first month. Starting on national television with a 3 p.m. game opening weekend at home against the 49ers will be tough. But then the team has to turn around and play the Bears on Thursday night. That’s simply brutal. Overall, however, the Packers’ schedule does settle down later in the year when the games really start to count. While the division schedule is always tough, playing teams from the AFC South should play to their advantage.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: The defensive line, wide receiver and inside linebacker. Thompson went out and picked up some tough players to help improve the defensive line. The competition at those positions will be heated and the cuts that come from there will be interesting. As for inside linebacker, most would say that A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop are locks. I don’t thing so – especially for Hawk who had a so-so 2011. He will really have to battle D.J. Smith for that position, as well as others to be deemed the starter. Though most will see the first four positions at wide receiver as locks for Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, the fifth position will be up for grabs between Donald Driver and second-year players Diondre Borel and Tori Gurley. The young guys are up and coming and could result in an interesting cut or even the possibility of a trade. Many feel that Jones is potential trade bait.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Clearly, the offense should again be the team’s biggest strength. Aaron Rodgers should lead the well-oiled machine to an even higher level in 2012. Is there any defense out there that can slow them down or even stop them? Maybe on a good day. The only way the offense was slowed last year was when the Packers shot themselves in the foot (versus Kansas City and in the playoffs against the Giants).

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: The defense. Finishing dead last in defense last year was an embarrassment.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: See above … the defense will have the infusion of many new and young players. How they perform will be crucial to an improved defense. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has got to come up with more creative schemes to allow the Packers the flexibility to surprise offenses. Will the defense show enough improvement to put this team back into contention for another title? That’s the question.

2012 Prediction: Packers record: 13-3; NFC North Division Title; Super Bowl championship.

The Packers defense was exposed last season. The needed players at all 3 levels of the defense, and I’m not sure they did enough in the offseason to make drastic improvement on the stat sheets this year. They’ll be young in some key areas, but should improve as the year goes on. Luckily for the Pack, it wont matter that much. Aaron Rogers and the offense are good enough win their division even without much of a defense.

Expect the Packers to be pre-season favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Apr 28, 2011; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces the 32nd overall pick of the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

What a crazy offseason it has been … Peyton Manning being released from the Colts, Tim Tebow being traded to the Jets, and the Saints bounty scandal are the big headliners.

As an average Packer fan, you may think the Packers did the usual thing this offseason which was … nothing at all.

Though they may not be headline news, the Packers did make some key acquisitions and have somewhat lessened the importance for the upcoming draft for the Packers. GM Ted Thompson lives and dies by the draft which means his presence in free agency is hardly ever felt. Heck, before this year, he had not signed an unrestricted free agent since 2009.

So what makes this season so different for Thompson?

Maybe having the worst-ranked defense had something to do with it. Also, losing All Pro center Scott Wells left a large hole to fill. One that a rookie just could not fill.

So Thompson went out of his comfort zone and signed former Colts center Jeff Saturday, who played with Peyton Manning his entire career. With Saturday getting way up there in age, his value in free agency was slightly diminished. His age has not caught up with him yet, so adding Saturday to the Packers O-line fills a large hole.

After Saturday, the Packers picked up defensive tackle, Daniel Muir, who also played with the Colts. Muir has not played in a year, but when he did play he was a very effective tackle on every team he was with and could add some needed depth to the Packers’ defensive line.

The final transaction for the Packers was with former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Anthony Hargrove. With his size being around 270, he could play as a defensive end in the Packers 3-4 scheme or at outside linebacker. I do believe, however, the Packers picked up Hargrove in hopes of him being able to fill the shoes of a position once held by Cullen Jenkins, who is now playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.

So with the offseason winding down, what’s next for the Packers?

It’s what Ted Thompson lives for. The NFL Draft.

The Packers have 12 picks with which to work this year which ties for the most picks Thompson has had since 2006, his second year on the job. With the very nice compensatory picks the Packers received, the team have a very nice selection of picks capable of making some moves in the draft. This could mean trading down in the draft for even more picks or trading up and getting a certain player the organization have had their eyes on. This means the Packers have some leverage in this draft which is where Ted Thompson shines as a general manager.

Who the Packers should look to draft in the early rounds would be either be a pass rusher who can play outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme or draft another young offensive lineman, because center Jeff Saturday is only a short-term solution.

Players who would seem logical include Clemson defensive end Andre Branch, USC defensive end Nick Perry, or Wisconsin center Peter Konz. If Konz is available, this would seem to be a logical pick and would fill a need for the future.

With another crazy offseason coming to an end in the NFL, all that is left before players begin practicing again is the NFL Draft. An event where teams gain more depth and players begin living the dream which they have had ever since being a kid. So, though free agency is basically over, there is still something to look forward to very soon.

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Is Ryan Grant over the hill? Can James Starks be an every down back in the NFL? Does Ted Thompson need to go out in the draft AGAIN and find someone, or is the ACL in Alex Green’s knee, a knee that was repaired back in November, going to allow him to be the punishing runner Green Bay picked last season?

The real question is, what does Green Bay do at running back next season?

The thought in drafting Green was that he would eventually fold into Mike McCarthy’s offensive scheme. He flashed some of the reason he came so highly touted out of Hawaii in the pre-season, but in week seven was sent to the IR, keeping Packers’ Nation wondering what direction the position was going to go.

It’s obvious that if Green Bay wants to make it back to the post season, they can do it on the arm of Aaron Rodgers and a few tweaks defensively. But not having that “big play” presence standing behind the All-Pro QB will, and has, allowed teams to lock down on the corners, bump our receivers and beat up Rodgers in the pocket when open WR’s are scarce.

So what are your thoughts?

Keeping the Packers running game up and effective next season will be one of the keys to a successful 2012. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Mike Florio gives the Packers the once over with his posting from Profootballtalk.com …

While he doesn’t tell us anything new about what the Packers need to do this off-season to get them back to Super Bowl contention, he does lay it out in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner.

The bottom line is that there are concerns on the offensive side of the ball, the running backs, getting a backup QB, and the offensive line, it’s the defensive side of the ball that will be the key to an improved Packers team next season.

How the Packers address these needs is what’s going to be of most interest this year. Does Ted Thompson go out of his comfort zone and actually address some of these needs through free agency or a trade? Or does he stick with the program and build through the draft?

My guess is that Thompson continues down the conservative road and works the draft like he has in the past. That approach will most likely leave the Packers with some significant holes again – at least that’s my opinion.

Anyway, take a quick look at the video to hear Florio talk about what the Packers have to do to improve next season.

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