Bold Predictions from Matthew Berry

I just finished reading Matthew Berry's You Heard Me! article on ESPN.com and I can certainly sympathize with him. He made some bold predictions last year. Some panned out. Some didn't. I got a good laugh reading about some of his 2008 predictions and the comments he received from readers. One reader agreed that Santonio Holmes would be a Top 12 receiver (he finished at #32). Berry predicted that Troy Smith would have 24 total touchdowns (he was only off by 23). With predictions like those, you gotta laugh when someone tells him "You know nothing." or "Grow a set would ya!".



We're in the thick of the fantasy football draft portion of the season and literally thousands of you are on FantasyFootballNerd.com as I write this. I'll never forget some of the comments I received from the Nerd's visitors regarding the Sit/Start consensus rankings last year. One guy read me the Riot Act after Week 1 last season because the Defense he started (the Lions) totally bombed and the consensus had them ranked high. Ryan Grant was ranked high among RB's during the preseason and it took him until mid-season before he saw the endzone. I've been called some pretty creative names for publishing rankings that didn't prove correct. I enjoy Matthew Berry's columns and advice, but I also enjoy the fact that he gets much more colorful comments than I do.



For the most part, the comments I've received are far more positive than negative, but I also don't go "out on a limb" like the Talented Mr. Roto. Regardless of how his predictions work out, you've got to give him credit for making some "bold predictions". There's a particularly relevant quote from Matthew, "The point of this is not that I nail every prediction. In fact, I'm going to tell you that the only prediction that I guarantee here is that I'm not going to get all of these correct."



FantasyFootballNerd.com is certainly "safer" because it applies a set of rules to rankings from multiple sources, but that doesn't make it perfect. Remember...on any given Sunday...



So go easy on each of the talented guys and gals who are making bold predictions in an effort to help you dominate your fantasy football league. They tend to have a lot of experience and are making some educated guesses based upon that knowledge.



Now for the fun part. As a reader of Matthew Berry, I'd like to share my comments regarding his bold predictions:



Strongly Agree With

1. Chris "Beanie" Wells stays healthy enough to get at least 1,000 total yards and eight touchdowns. I think this is certainly achievable.



2. Chris Henry has a better fantasy season than Laveranues Coles. It may seem odd, but I think this could actually happen!



3. Ryan Grant goes for better than 1,500 total yards and 10 touchdowns. What did George Bush say? "There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again."



Mildly Agree With

1. Without T.O. in town, Tony Romo has the best fantasy season of his career. Umm, maybe if Roy Williams really steps up and Witten has surgery to replace his ribs with steel.



2. Anthony Gonzalez, whose career high in receiving yards is 664, doubles that this season. Like that kid in the movie Angels in the Outfield, "It could happen".



3. Bernard Berrian gets more than 1,200 yards and nine scores. Depends on Brett Favre.



4. Brian Westbrook plays all 16 games. I really hope so.



Matthew Berry Has Been Drinking All Day Long. Take That Man's Car Keys!

1. More than 1,500 total yards and eight scores (or the fantasy points equivalent) for Darren McFadden. If this happens, I will go on camera and say "Matthew Berry is a fantasy football GOD" five times fast and will post it online for everyone to laugh at. Not Gonna Happen.



2. Anthony Fasano, meet the end zone. You two will find each other 10 times this season. I have a better chance of scoring tickets to the Nov 1 Vikings Packers game. (without taking out a 2nd mortgage)



3. Brandon Pettigrew finishes the year as a top-15 fantasy tight end. Top 15? That is a pretty potent offense. OK, probably not. Top 32? Definitely.



Be sure to check out the rest of Matthew Berry's predictions and remember: go easy on him.

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