FFToolbox - Report: Scott Linehan agrees to stay as Cowboys' play-caller plus 12 more

Link to Fantasy Football Toolbox Updates

Report: Scott Linehan agrees to stay as Cowboys' play-caller
Ravens 'cautiously optimistic' TE Dennis Pitta will play next season
Oregon QB Marcus Mariota ducks senior year, enters NFL Draft
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers goes through practice Wednesday
49ers promote Jim Tomsula to head coach
Jack Del Rio hired as Raiders' new head coach
Golf Rankings for Sony Open
NFL WRITERS NAME ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
WILL WINSTON/MARIOTA BREAK THE HEISMAN CURSE?
2015 NFL DRAFT RANKINGS: OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
2015 NFL DRAFT RANKINGS: CORNERBACKS
SEAHAWKS-PACKERS: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULE
PATRIOTS-COLTS: AFC CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULE

Report: Scott Linehan agrees to stay as Cowboys' play-caller

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 10:27 PM PST

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys and Scott Linehan have agreed to a new contract for the team's play-caller. Terms were not immediately available. Officially working under the title of passing game coordinator, Linehan's first year in Dallas was a smashing success. The Cowboys' offense finished among the top 10 in yards and points per game. Linehan leaned on running back DeMarco Murray, who responded with an historic regular season that included more than 2,200 yards from scrimmage. He broke Emmitt Smith's franchise record for rushing yardage in a season. Quarterback Tony Romo also thrived under Linehan. He completed just about 70 percent of his passes and posted a touchdown-to-interception ratio of close to 4:1. Wide receiver Dez Bryant recorded his best fantasy season as well. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Re-signing head coach Jason Garrett was important for team continuity, but Linehan is the one who really drove this offense from the sidelines in 2014. Although Bill Callahan is the offensive coordinator, Linehan is the man dialing up the plays, and that won't change now. In fact, Callahan may leave the 'Boys, which would most likely increase Linehan's impact on this offense. Linehan came to Dallas via Detroit with a well-deserved reputation as a man who would choose to throw at all costs. His ability to adapt and to create a more balanced attack led to positive results for both the Cowboys and their top fantasy stars. Of course, Linehan's philosophy may revert if Dallas is unable to get Murray under contract, and its first attempt was pretty laughable.

Ravens 'cautiously optimistic' TE Dennis Pitta will play next season

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:50 PM PST

Dennis Pitta is determined to continue his NFL career after fracturing and dislocating his right hip in back-to-back seasons. Whether he will be able to accomplish his goal remains to be seen, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday that he is quot;cautiously optimistic" that Pitta will play again. "We want to make sure he's going to be totally healthy, totally safe as much is as reasonable in football to make sure that hip is sound and everything before our doctors would ever clear him," Harbaugh said of Pitta. "In the end, it will be up to the doctors and Dennis to determine that." Pitta signed a five-year, $32.5 million deal in February. The contract includes $16 million in guaranteed money, including his 2015 salary of $5 million. He played just three games this season, catching 16 passes for 125 yards. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Pitta was a popular sleeper candidate heading into 2014, especially after Baltimore hired Gary Kubiak to be its offensive coordinator and after Pitta spent the entire 2013 campaign out of sight, out of mind. Instead, he couldn't make it through September before his hip gave way again. As a result, 32-year-old Owen Daniels took over lead duties at tight end and caught 48 passes in 15 games. The talent difference between Daniels and the 29-year-old Pitta is significant, but Pitta may now play like a person who is much older than his birth certificate states. He suffered major identical injuries in the span of 14 months, and there is still a chance he never gets into a meaningful game again. Pitta's fantasy value is completely unknown until we get closer to training camp and a better picture of his health.

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota ducks senior year, enters NFL Draft

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:23 PM PST

Oregon junior quarterback Marcus Mariota announced Wednesday that he will forgo his senior year and head to the NFL. This season, Mariota led the Ducks to a 13-2 record and an appearance in the national title game, where Oregon lost to Ohio St. In three seasons at Oregon, Mariota threw for 10,796 yards, 105 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Mariota could be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. Right now, the Buccaneers, who are definitely in the market for a quarterback, would have to be considering him or Florida State QB Jameis Winston with the top pick. Winston probably has more natural talent and is a more dynamic player. However, Mariota doesn't come with the the off-field baggage and isn't as high-risk. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he has the body of an NFL quarterback. Whether taken first by the Bucs or later on in the first round, Mariota projects as a successful NFL quarterback. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and doesn't make stupid mistakes on (or off) the field.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers goes through practice Wednesday

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:16 PM PST

When asked today how his damaged left calf muscle feels, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said: quot;About the same as last week." On this day last week, Rodgers wasn't practicing. Not that his playing status for the divisional round was ever in jeopardy, but he was still sidelined by his injury. One week later, Rodgers is practicing as Green Bay prepares for the NFC Championship Game at Seattle. Rodgers was officially limited during Wednesday's session. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Hey, something is better than nothing. Rodgers fought his calf throughout last Sunday's win over the Cowboys. He took no snaps from directly under center, he threw his first touchdown pass of the day on basically one leg and was seen limping noticeably, almost skipping, to get up to the line of scrimmage after a big play. But he seemed to deal with it better in the second half, and his go-ahead TD pass to Richard Rodgers in the fourth quarter was vintage No. 12. On one of the few plays in which he actually moved himself out of the pocket, Rodgers unleashed a dart through a very small window to his tight end for what turned out to be the game-winning score. That looked like Aaron Rodgers at his best. If that guy is able to show up for 60 minutes this Sunday at CenturyLink Field, Green Bay has a very good shot of advancing to yet another Super Bowl.

49ers promote Jim Tomsula to head coach

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 05:56 PM PST

The 49ers stayed in-house for their replacement to Jim Harbaugh. On Wednesday, they hired Jim Tomsula to be their next head coach. San Francisco is the only team the 46-year-old Tomsula has known in the NFL, and he had spent the past eight seasons as its defensive line coach. He was also the team's interim head coach for the final game of the 2010 season after Mike Singletary was fired. He won that game over the Cardinals, 38-7. quot;After conducting a thorough coaching search, and meeting with a number of outstanding candidates, Jim Tomsula clearly is the right man to lead this team," 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. "Jim is a great teacher and a tremendous mentor who conducts himself with great class and integrity." FANTASY ANALYSIS: The Niners' defense has Tomsula's back, and this promotion signifies the franchise's desire to stick with a defense-first mindset. Offensively, you can assume the team will remain run-heavy, but that really depends on who is picked to be the offensive coordinator. The former OC, Greg Roman, is now working in Buffalo. There are still plenty of question marks surrounding what this offense will look like next season, but my initial thought is this hiring is most likely good news for Carlos Hyde and the 49ers' running game.

Jack Del Rio hired as Raiders' new head coach

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 05:31 PM PST

Oakland has hired its new head coach, and he comes by way of a divisional foe. Former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has accepted the head coaching position for the Raiders. Del Rio has head-coaching experience, having guided the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine years. The Jags were 68-71 under Del Rio, making two playoff appearances. He had been the defensive coordinator for Denver for the past three seasons. FANTASY ANALYSIS: This is a start for the Raiders. Del Rio brings a strong defensive background. Rumors are swirling that he is recruiting former Bears head coach Marc Trestman and former Falcons head coach Mike Smith to lead the Raiders' offense and defense, respectively. If the Raiders can put that trio together, they will have one of the stronger coaching staffs in the league.

Golf Rankings for Sony Open

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 12:12 PM PST

Our expert picks the top 30 PGA tour golfers for this week's tournament: 1. Jason Day, 2. Jimmy Walker, 3. Chris Kirk, 4. Russell Henley, 5. Charles Howell III, 6. Matt Kuchar, 7. Hideki Matsuyama, ...

NFL WRITERS NAME ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:10 AM PST

The Professional Football Writers of America announced its all-rookie team, with Odell Beckham Jr. taking top honors.

WILL WINSTON/MARIOTA BREAK THE HEISMAN CURSE?

Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:09 AM PST

Since 1990, how many Heisman winning quarterbacks have led their team to NFL playoff wins? Two: Tim Tebow and Cam Newton. So is there a "Heisman curse"?