Athlon Sports Features
NFL: Free Agency Preview
The craziness of NFL free agency begins Friday. Mike Nahrstedt previews the upcoming open-market period and explains what could happen if a new CBA isn't reached before Friday.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Combine - Defense
Put down your stopwatch and step away from the orange cones, the NFL Scouting Combine is officially over. Check out which defensive players made the most of their job interview in Indianapolis.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Combine - Offense
While the Vancouver Olympics were wrapping up, the NFL Scouting Combine was just getting started. Check out which offensive players made the most of their job interview in Indianapolis.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Lockout Would Cost League Too Much
The NFL, by any calculation, is at the height of its all-time popularity. So it would be a shame if the owners and players managed to screw that up with a 2011 lockout.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Athlon's All-AFC and All-NFC Teams
The Pro Bowl has turned into a joke, but that doesn't mean the league's All-Stars should be discounted. Here's how Pro Bowl lineups would look if it were up to Athlon Sports, plus picks for the major award winners.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Athlon's All-Rookie Team
Some of them were the stars of last April's Draft and others flew under the radar, but all of Athlon's Rookie Team members excelled in their first season in the league.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Greatest Moments in Super Bowl History
We prepare you for Super Sunday with a little history lesson. Our writers have gone list crazy in identifying the best of the best in the 43-game history of the Super Bowl.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Sorting out a Wild weekend
A trio of Week 17 rematches headlined Wild Card weekend in the NFL, and in two of the three scenarios, the victor did not change. What did we learn from the first week of the playoffs?
[FULL STORY]NFL: Wild Card Weekend
If familiarity does, indeed, breed contempt, there will be no love lost between combatants in the NFL’s wild card weekend. Three of the games are rematches of games played just last week, the fourth is a rematch from earlier this season.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Topsy-turvy NFL playoffs begin
One month ago we were all destined to see a Super Bowl with two unbeaten teams -- Indianapolis and New Orleans. But now that the postseason is finally here, the entire NFL has seemingly gone crazy. How does Ralph Vacchiano think it'll all play out?
[FULL STORY]NFL: End of the year power rankings
The NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend but first, Mike Nahrstedt wraps up the regular season with the final edition of his Power Rankings column.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 17 Preview
It's the final week of the NFL's regular season, and that means there are some huge games on the slate ... and plenty of unimportant ones. Mike Nahrstedt runs through them all in his Week 17 Preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 16 Power Rankings
The Colts sat their starters and took their first loss of the season, but did Mike Nahrstedt bump them from the top spot of this week's power rankings?
[FULL STORY]Playoff-bound Packers crush Seahawks
Brandon Jackson scored three touchdowns and Ryan Grant rushed for two more, as Green Bay rolled to a 48-10 thrashing of Seattle and got some help to clinch a postseason berth.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 15 Preview
The Bengals play one of their biggest games of the season Sunday at San Diego with very heavy hearts. Mike Nahrstedt looks at that game and the other 14 on the weekend slate in his Week 15 preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Bubble teams vying for playoff spots
Nine of the NFL playoff spots are pretty much set. That leaves only three spots realistically open for a big group of bubble teams. Ralph Vacchiano takes a quick look at those teams and their chances for extending their season beyond Week 17.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 14 Preview
We have reached the season’s quarter pole, the point at which the big games get bigger and the lesser games start to fall off the map entirely. Mike Nahrstedt looks at them all in his Week 14 NFL Preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 13 Power Rankings
The Colts and Saints remained undefeated in decidedly different fashions this week but they're both still atop this week's power rankings.
[FULL STORY]Fantasy Updates - PlayerScope
Jermichael Finley
After missing the last few games with a knee injury, Finley has made it through a full week of practice without any setbacks and is expected to play in Week 11....
[FULL STORY]Aaron Rodgers
After missing practice all week with foot and toe injuries (seperate feet), Rodgers went through a full workout on Friday and is expected to start on Sunday....
[FULL STORY]Donald Driver
Driver has been sidelined for most of the week with a neck injury (stinger), however, he was able to practice on Friday and is expected to play in Week 9....
[FULL STORY]Jordy Nelson
He has been held out of action for the last two games and it is looking like he will be held out again this week. James Jones is handling the third WR spot in Nelson's absence....
[FULL STORY]DeShawn Wynn
Wynn has been placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the season. Ahman Green has been signed to back up Ryan Grant....
[FULL STORY]Ahman Green
The season-ending knee injury to reserve RB DeShawn Wynn necessitated a move and the Packers have signed the 32-year-old Green. Green, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, will likely be the third back on the depth chart behind Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson. At this time, Green poses little fantasy threat to either one....
[FULL STORY]Brandon Jackson
He has been ruled out (ankle) of this week's game. The Packers have a bye in Week 5....
[FULL STORY]Mason Crosby
Crosby was a limited participant in practice Wednesday. He is dealing with an abdominal strain that is not expected to keep him out Sunday against Cincinnati, but such an injury could have an effect on his kicking if it persists....
[FULL STORY]Greg Jennings
Jennings says he's fine after an early departure from the Packers' preseason game Friday night against Arizona. He was knocked unconscious for a couple seconds after taking a blow to the head while making a 25-yard reception....
[FULL STORY]Ryan Grant
Grant continued his strong preseason with 10 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo on Saturday. He also caught two passes for 21 yards....
[FULL STORY]More Inside Athlon Sports ...
Vacchiano: Patroits are the favorites in '07
A lot of things can change between now and next February. But the events of draft weekend, and some of the events of the two months before, have Ralph Vacchiano convinced that the Pats are the early favorite to win Super Bowl XLII.
Vacchiano: Quinn's value being overlooked
No player in this year’s draft has seen his stock yo-yo more than former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. Ralph Vacchiano says the "Golden Boy" will be a great pick up for whichever team doesn't out-think themselves.
Vacchiano: NFL must send message to teams
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Pacman Jones and Chris Henry on Tuesday for their off-the-field problems. Ralph Vacchiano applauds the decision but says the league should focus on punishing the teams as well.




