AFC Fumbles and Returns

Who were the biggest disappointments of the 2009 season?

Who dropped the ball, literally and figuratively?

And . . .

Who is going to pick it up, turn it around, and surprise in 2010?


I’m starting with the AFC and saving the best for last, the NFC.
I think the NFC gets the nod for both the biggest surprises (Returns) and disappointments (Fumbles).

Fumbled Fantasy Players for 2009:
Here is my list for biggest disappointments:

Steve Slaton – Houston Texans RB
If anybody dropped the ball, it was him. He was perhaps one of the biggest reasons Houston finished where they did.

Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos RB
Like his team, he started out OK but seemed to not have what it takes and/or was running on empty towards the end of the season. It will be interesting to see how the rest of his career pans out.

Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs WR
OK, maybe he dropped the ball too. Of course I put him in the same dropout league as Mr. “I need a drank” Russell.

T.O. – Buffalo Bills WR
I only put T.O. here because there are people who for some reason think he is the greatest thing since sliced bread and, lets face it; he and others were expecting great receptions up in Bills Country.
Honestly, I have never liked him, never drafted him and never did give him any credit even when he had big time games especially against the Skins.

Kerry Collins – Tennessee Titans QB
Mr. Collins (I always address elders as Mr. or Mrs) certainly gave a reasonable comeback kid story in 2008. But that was a fluke. Some people believed it, not me.

Matt Cassel – Kansas City Chiefs QB
This is why I am worried about Donovan McNabb. There was a reason he was given away on the cheap.
In Matt’s case, It was the system he was in that made him so good; not his talent. Donovan always has had the talent. So, in his and the Skins case, there is always hope.

Most Fumbled AFC Team for 2009?

The award for the biggest AFC Fumbled Returns disappointment AFC team goes to the Denver Broncos.

Yes, there are other teams with loosing records.
Yes, there are perhaps some teams which had higher expectations but did not meet those expectations.
But very few people were giving Denver much of a chance for success in 2009.

They very easily could have been the Fumbled Returns biggest surprise with starting out 6 – 0 but losing 8 of their last 10 and the last 4 in a row , well congratulations Denver – you blew it.

As for the biggest surprises?

Greatest Return Fantasy Players for 2009:
Well, you will notice that my list is very injury related. Either somebody came back from an injury (dispelling any myth about being “injury prone”) or they got their chance to shine because someone else got injured.

Matt Schaub – Houston Texans QB
Yes he was injured. So what. Football is a contact sport and folks will get hurt from time to time. That is not always a reason to write somebody off the list.

Cedric Benson – Cincinnati Bengals RB
OK, so he was not injured. He just found his place. Who knew it was going to be a match made in heaven?

Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers RB
See, Matt Schaub.

Ricky Williams – Miami Dolphins RB
Now this is not an endorsement for sitting around on the pot and doing drugs, but Mr. Williams (he is an elder after all) is the exception to the rule and just goes to prove what can happen once one cleans up his or her act.

Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs RB
Either you got it and want it and make it happen or you don't. Mr. Johnson didn't.


Of course, picking stuff like this for 2009 is easy. Hindsight is 20/20.

For my next post, I will be putting on my thinking cap, looking into my crystal ball, and maybe pull a few surprises out of my pockets and pick the AFC Fumbled Return losers and surprises for 2010.