Lombardi Ave » Beanie Wells

FantasyCPR’s preview of the Arizona Cardinals

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 14:55:07 +0000

FantasyCPR continues with their team previews, this time interviewing Scott from fellow-Fansided blog Raising Zona.

The Cardinals are an interesting team. With quarterbacking continuing to be a question, the team could be on the brink of major improvements. Could this team be one of those surprising upstarts in 2012? They made some good moves in the draft that could help them, namely the drafting of Michael Floyd to play opposite of Larry Fitzgerald.

But I’ll let the expert from Raising Zona tell you about it.

See below … or check out the links provided above. There is some great stuff on our fellow websites here on the fansided network. Enjoy.

Major League Baseball returns after it’s All-Star break, but it’s quickly becoming eclipsed by the monster that in the NFL news cycle as teams get ready for camp. The NFL teams firing things up means we’re getting close to fantasy football time and time for you to start your preparations for your Championship-winning season.

As we continue our fantasy football season previews, today we’ll focus on the Arizona Cardinals as they try and get back into the playoffs out of the improving NFC West. We’re joined today by Scott from our fellow-Fansided blog Raising Zona who was gracious enough to answer our questions about the Cardinals players and their role in fantasy football this year.

Zach Thompson, FantasyCPR: Hey Scott, 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 the Cardinals all year round, I’m sure your insight will help us in our fantasy football draft. We’ll start with the obvious question… Who is your QB? I like your receivers and Beanie Wells looked like a legit running back at time last yaer, but who’s the man under center for Arizona coming into the year? What do you think his ceiling is?

Scott, Raising Zona: QB will be a fight between Kevin Kolb, the presumed starter and backup John Skelton. I’m a Kolb man personally. I think people aren’t giving him enough of a chance. I mean, he got booed during the team’s Fan Fest last month. Bad show by Cards fans. Kolb spent most of last season hurt and didn’t have a full off-season with a new playbook. People will compare him to Cam Newton, a rookie, and they will say, well Cam came in as a rookie and did what he did. First of all, Cam was able to get his playbook during that 2-day window players were allowed at team headquarters, so he did have more time. Plus, Cam also played the entire season. Kolb missed more than half of gametime. I will be with Kolb until he shows he can’t do it and failure for me is not an 0-4 preseason either.

Z: I loved the draft pick of Michael Floyd and think he’ll be the best rookie receiver that comes out of last year’s draft. What do you think his upside is and how risky of a pick in a fantasy draft to you feel he is?

Scott, Raising Zona: Well clearly, as far as fantasy value goes, that’s unknown cause although I’m sure the plan is to utilize Floyd often, it’s a matter of getting him the ball and throwing the ball. Larry Fitzgerald is still on the other side of the field. Floyd may be a good guy to draft mid rounds and put on your bench. See how he performs the first month or so. If he isn’t producing, drop him. I agree though, I think he will produce. He was my Cards first round pick in every mock draft I did from January until April. I never wavered.

Z: What does the depth chart look like behind Beanie Wells and is there any kind of time-share? Beanie’s been good when healthy, but how is Arizona going to keep him in the game?

Scott, Raising Zona: One of the bigger unknowns. The reason for that is his backup Ryan Williams is coming off a major injury that kept him out all of last season. If Williams shows in the preseason he can go – Wells will have a nice backup who can spell him for stretches. Otherwise, there is no plan b and the running game will look a lot like 2011 and Beanie may end up having to play hurt at times again.

Z: Do you see any reason why Larry Fitzgerald isn’t a sure-fire top 10 WR?

Scott, Raising Zona: No. Who would think otherwise? Someone on crack?

Z: Is there a player on the Cardinals offense you see having a breakout year?

Scott, Raising Zona: Rob Housler, TE. Would have been a breakout last year if he and the QB’s could have gotten on the same page.

Z: Patrick Peterson seemed to be a big boost in the return game as well as on defense. Will the Cardinals defense take another step forward this year or do you see regression coming?

Scott, Raising Zona: Defense should be better. They get Greg Toler back in the defensive backfield. He missed all of last season thanks to an injury. They were depleted depth wise in the defensive backfield. They have a couple of stud linebackers in Sam Acho and Daryl Washington.

Z: Last one, give me your realistic expectation for the Cardinals this season, and then your perfect scenario. Can they realistically make the playoffs?

Scott, Raising Zona: Realistically, 9-7 at best. They finished 8-8 last season and this year’s team is better and healthier – right now. However they finished 8-8 after starting 1-6. With the way the schedule is built this year, they won’t repeat that if they fall to 1-6 to start. If they are 4-4 or 5-3 half-way through – they have a legit shot at 10 wins, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Yes, they can make the playoffs, but they will need to win at least 1 of 2 against the 49′ers or the best they can hope for is a wild-card, which they came within one game of getting last season.

NoLogoNeeded NFL Mock Draft Picks 31-32

djlombardi — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:20:52 +0000

The end of the first round comes with Arizona and Pittsburgh making their picks.

With the 30th pick in the Mock Draft Among Blogs, the Arizona Cardinals select:

***Chris Wells, RB, OSU***

Why the Cardinals chose Wells as per DraftCountdown.com:

The Cardinals might be the only team in the league that counts running back as one of their top Draft Day priorities, but that could work out well for them as there should be some excellent options on the board here. There is certainly a chance that Knowshon Moreno will be long gone by this point but running backs do tend to slide a bit and unless a team goes against the grain and takes one even though it’s not a glaring need, a la Pittsburgh with Rashard Mendenhall last year, he could still be available late in round one.

There are some who feel Moreno is one of the ten best players in this entire draft and in some ways he is similar to Cadillac Williams in that he doesn’t have elite size or speed but makes up for it with outstanding instincts and vision. If Wells and Moreno are both gone Arizona could turn their attention to Donald Brown or LeSean McCoy. The Cardinals could also use an upgrade at center and after the way James Harrison abused Mike Gandy in the Super Bowl they have to at least consider bringing in a new left tackle as well. Keep an eye on outside linebacker here too because even though the Cards have some solid options like Travis LaBoy and Chike Okeafor they really don’t have that impact pass rusher at the position.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock.

With the 32nd pick in the Mock Draft Among Blogs, the Pittsburgh Steelers select:

***Fili Moala, Defensive Tackle, USC***

I had a hard time with this pick. Everyone knows that the Steelers need offensive line help. However, all of the offensive tackles that I was interested in are gone. William Beatty was borderline, but I ultimately decided that he didn’t deserve a first round selection. The only interior lineman that I thought was worth a 1st round pick was Alex Mack, but he was taken by the Philadelphia Eagles (curse you!!!!).

I looked hard at defensive backs. I absolutely love Sean Smith, and he would have been my selection had I not taken Moala. The Steelers lost Bryant McFadden in free agency, so CB is a need. However, backup William Gay is ready to start, so that need isn’t as pressing as it may seem. We definitely need depth at both CB and safety, but we can take care of that later in the draft.

I was ecstatic when the Arizona Cardinals took [Chris] “Beanie” Wells with the 31st pick. Now I won’t have to explain not taking him to Steelers fans who are dying for a “power back”. Besides, we took Rashard Mendenhall last year. 2008 was essentially a redshirt year for him.

Ultimately, I couldn’t overlook the fact that all of the Steelers’ defensive line starters are over 30 years old. Aaron Smith will be 33 this season. His days are winding down, and Dick LeBeau‘s system is complex. Few players start on the Steelers’ defense in their first year. We need to bring in Smith’s replacement now to give him a year to learn, and prepare him to take over in 2010.

Fili Moala is a 6’4″, 303 lbs. defensive tackle who has started 38 games in one of the best programs in the country (USC). I have Moala rated as the 3rd best defensive tackle in the draft. However, I have him rated right below Tyson Jackson as the 2nd best 3-4 defensive end in the draft. Moala’s knock as a defensive tackle is that he is more of a run stopper than a pass rusher. He just doesn’t get enough sacks. However, he is lauded for his rare strength, and his ability to collapse the pocket and make tackles despite fighting off double teams. Hmmmm, a 300 lb. run stopper who can handle double teams and collapse the pocket. Sounds like a 3-4 defensive end to me. Aaron Smith’s successor has been found.

The Detroit Lions are on the clock.

I’ll post a synopsis of the first round in a few.