I own four tickets to the midnight showing of The X-Files 2 tonight, and officially declare today X-Files day!

Not sure if any of you are fans like I am, but if so please show your support for the show/movies this weekend by going to the theater to check it out.

Also, sorry the Daily Haze is a little late this morning. I have been gearing up for a beach trip that starts tomorrow so things have been pretty hectic. I may be away from keyboard most of the early part of next week, but Blaine will be here to get you through it.

Here are today’s great reads:

• A day in the life on an NFL athlete during training camp. [Shutdown Corner]
• I still have not caught the bug, but more and more people are playing in IDP leagues these days. [Ultimate Fantasy Football Strategy]
• Maybe Antonio Gates’ ADP will start sliding now. [Football Guys]
• Best not to consider how good a defense was last season when preparing for this season. [Mock Draft Central]
• More on Yahoo’s fantasy football offerings. [The Fantasy Football Geek Blog]
• May as well get used to the runningback by committee approach most teams are utilizing. [Bruno Boys]

For more great reads, check out my Google Reader Shared Items page.

If you have some great fantasy football related reads to share, email them to:

Earlier this week, I posted the results of the first round of our July fantasy mock draft. If you missed it, 11 bloggers joined me to mock out the first round for a hypothetical redraft league.

The results of the second round of the July fantasy mock draft are forthcoming, but the mock got me thinking: What, exactly, should be done with the No. 7 pick in this year’s draft?

Why No. 7? Well, because that is where I landed in this month’s mock. I opted for upside at the seven spot by taking Dallas’ runningback Marion Barber. To me, it seems like he has the most potential to break into the top-5 of all runningbacks this season, like Frank Gore a couple years ago.

Barber’s main competitor for playing time — Julius Jones — now is out of the picture and in Seattle, so Barber should see the bulk of the workload. The Cowboys did draft Felix Jones in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, but I could not see Jones being more than a complement to Barber this season. When it comes to crunch time and goal line situations, Barber should be the go-to back. Continue reading →

Here are today’s great reads:

• An update on some potential hold outs, including Brian Westbrook. [The EndZoneView]
• Do you Twitter? It could help you in fantasy football. [Fantasy Football Goat]
• Might need to del.icio.us this one: Runningback handcuff index. [The Fantasy Football Geek Blog]
• Awesome read: Take a trip back to a 1990 fantasy football preview magazine. [Your Face is a Sports Blog]
• Quarterback rankings with some in-depth coverage. [Fantasy Football Exchange]
• Win some cool fantasy football-related gear. [Redhook Fantasy Football]
• Too early? Four small-school quarterback prospects for the 2009 NFL draft. [FF Toolbox]

For more great reads, check out my Google Reader Shared Items page.

If you have some great fantasy football related reads to share, email them to:

Thanks to all those who showed interest in The Hazean’s second annual blogger league. We received a number of entries this year, and it was difficult choosing the field.

But unfortunately it only is a 12-team league, otherwise we would have invited everyone who applied.

For those that did not make the cut this year, please try again next year! We always are looking for new blood. And if you start a league, feel free to invite us to apply and reject us in return. Oh, sweet vengeance.

These 12 bloggers did make the cut this year, however, with the defending champs — MWC Connection — back in the fold. New rule: Defending champs automatically receive entry into the next year’s league.

The league is being hosted by FleaFlicker instead of Yahoo! this year for the free live scoring and ability to adjust a number of league rules. The scoring rules have not been set in stone yet, but I did import the settings from last year. A few things, like points-per-reception, have been mentioned as possible additions to this year’s scoring formula.

With the league filling up yesterday the draft order has been set. Hit the jump to see where we landed. Continue reading →

215 carries, 85 catches, 1,700 combined yards, 13 total touchdowns.

Those are the numbers Larry Holder of the Sun Herald expects of Saints’ runningback Reggie Bush this season. Yes, that Reggie Bush.

The same Bush that struggled mightly in 2007 after starting runningback Deuce McAllister suffered his second severe knee injury in three seasons. The same Bush that succombed to a knee injury of his own at the end of last season, keeping him out of the final four weeks while the Saints made a late-season playoff push. The same Bush that came into the NFL in 2006 with a load of hype, only to struggle at times while showing some flashes of greatness (particularly down the stretch of the season and in the playoffs).

The same Bush that just about every NFL critic, expert and pundit has repeatedly declared cannot handle a starting runningback’s load for an entire season.

So is Holder crazy? Continue reading →

With training camps on the horizon and the last few Rookie Reports getting you introduced to this year’s crop, the time has come to start zeroing in on some of this year’s finest. Marc starts us off with a look at Chicago’s Matt Forte, who is the only rookie penciled in as a starting runningback heading into camp.

Now that training camps are close to starting, I’ll actually be able to give weekly updates on how rookies are performing during the camps.

We will first look at the suddenly crowded backfield in Chicago and rookie Matt Forte’s chances of beginning the season as a starter. Last week the Bears signed former Lions running back Kevin Jones to compete with Forte for the job.

In just ten games last season Jones finished with nearly 600 yards and eight touchdowns, which was a career high in scores. Jones has ability when not hurt and could steal carries from rookie Forte when healthy. Continue reading →

I did not post the results of the first round of the July fantasy mock draft until I got home from work yesterday, so here it is in case you missed it.

Depending on our progress, I could post the results of the second round as early as tomorrow.

Here are today’s great reads:

• Antonio Gates is still — barely — holding onto the top tight end spot in mock drafts. [Fantasy Football Calculator]
• Four defenses to avoid in fantasy drafts. [Real Football 365]
• Not getting Madden this year, but it looks awesome as usual. [Every Morning Quarterback]
• I knew Terrell Owens was a good guy. [Shutdown Corner]
• Stumbled upon this site yesterday, and it looks very promising. [Fantasy Football Nerd]
• One sports’ blogger is not sold on Reggie Bush’s fantasy stock this season. [The Big Lead]
• Third-year wide receivers: Four names you should know, one name you may need to know. [Fantasy Football Maniaxs]

For more great reads, check out my Google Reader Shared Items page.

If you have some great fantasy football related reads to share, email them to:

I brought in a little extra muscle for this month’s fantasy mock draft.

We all know that August is fantasy football draft month. In anticipation of our upcoming holiday, 11 fantasy football bloggers joined me for the July fantasy mock draft, part of our monthly mock draft series.

Make sure to take some time and check out each bloggers’ website. All the participants have a lot to offer in terms of fantasy football advice, so make sure to check ‘em out in preparation for your fantasy football season. These guys get featured here quite often because they know how to bring it.

In addition to the mock draft, several of the participants have signed up for The Hazean’s second annual blogger league, which I posted about last week. One spot remains, so if you have a fantasy football/sports blog and want in, better say so now.

For now, though, hit the jump for the first round of our July fantasy mock draft. Continue reading →

Looks like Jeremy Shockey got his wish.

According to ESPN, the Giants have dealt troubled tight end Jeremy Shockey to New Orleans for a 2nd- and 5th-round draft pick in next year’s NFL draft.

That sound you hear? Shockey’s and Kevin Boss’ fantasy stocks shooting up the boards.

The Saints’ offense was pretty potent before this deal. Led by Drew Brees, the offensive attack included Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister and Marques Colston

But the deficiency in the offense would be at tight end, where Billy Miller and Eric Johnson platooned last season, and the wide receiver position opposite Colston. Continue reading →

As NFL training camps everywhere are set to open this week, the injury updates poured in last week.

It all started with Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning’s surprise surgery. Manning it expected to miss most of camp and the preseason, but the Colts continue to suggest that he will be ready for the regular season opener.

This does give Manning’s backup, Jim Sorgi, plenty of opportunities to become more involved with the offensive starters. That is a good thing for the Colts, who certainly need an insurance policy for Manning’s golden arm.

Other than Manning, there is another Ronnie Brown update and news on some other injured NFL stars. Hit the jump for this week’s MMR. Continue reading →