More Fantasy Football Suggestions

Here's a new Fantasy Football rule: Draft a player with a long injury history, and you're not allowed to complain when he goes down in Week 1. Don't want to violate that rule? Pick from the Made to Last crew and absolutely avoid the Damaged Goods.

Made to last players:
Rudi Johnson, the Running Back for the Cincinnati Bengals, is maybe the toughest guy at his position. The grinding runner takes numerous direct hits but hasn't missed a game since the 2003 season.

Peyton Manning, the Quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, is solidly built, but the reason he hasn't missed a game in his nine-year career is his vision: He sees big hits coming and avoids them at all costs.

Marvin Harrison is a Wide Receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. Eyeball his tiny frame, and you would figure he'd be lucky to last one week in the NFL. But supreme conditioning and route-running precision have kept him in all but six games in 11 seasons.

Tom Brady, the Quarterback for the New England Patriots, seems like he's listed on the injury report every other week, but he has started in 94 straight games.

LaDainian Tomlinson is the Running Back for the San Diego Chargers who set the Single-Season Touchdown Record. Every defense wants to take him out, making his hardiness (one missed game in six season) all the more amazing. Speed and elusiveness help him avoid some contact. But LT is just too tough.

Damaged Goods players:
Brian Westbrook, the Running Back for the Philadelphia Eagles, is the MVP of fragile guys and has missed at least one game in all five of his seasons. Don't expect him to break that streak in 2007, as he continues to be plagued by chronic knee swelling.

Rex Grossman, the Quarterback for the Chicago Bears, missed 13 games in 2004 with a broken ankle and 14 games in 2005 with a torn ACL before playing 16 games last season. If you think one out of three isn't bad, Mr. Grossman is your man.

DeShaun Foster, one of the two Running Backs for the Carolina Panthers, is also plagued by injuries. Name an injury, and he's has it since being drafted in 2002: torn keen cartilage, broken collarbone, broken ankle, hyperextended elbow. As if you needed another reason to favor DeAngelo Williams.

Fred Taylor, one of the Running Backs for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is pushing 32 years of age. You had to have known Fragile Fred was going to make my list. Guaranteed that last season's hamstring strain won't be the last of his leg injuries.

Darrel Jackson, one of the Wide Receivers for the 49ers acquired from the Seahawks, is a great talent and likely the top target for the 49ers. He's still battling the turf toe that held him back late last season.

Here are some other Tid-Bits of information that could be useful for your Fantasy Football League:
Over the past three seasons, only Chad Johnson and Torry Holt have more receiving yards than Donald Driver.

There were only 12 running backs with more yards than Ladell Betts last season-even though he was a starter for only eight games.

Only eight teams had more rushing touchdowns than the Jets-and that was with Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow. Now they have Thomas Jones from the Chicago Bears.

Only on team in the NFL attempted more passes than the Lions.
Larry Johnson has 2,200 total yards last season and he touched the ball 458 times. By comparison, Frank Gore had 2,180 total yards and touched the ball 373 times.
Only six Quarterbacks scored more fantasy points than Donovan McNabb, and he played in only 10 games.

No player in the NFL caught more passes than Andre Johnson in 2006. The second player was Mike Furrey. And the always underrated Laveranues Coles caught more than Steve Smith, Chad Johnson, Reggie Wayned, Anquan Boldin, and Terrell Owens, to name a few.

Check back for more Fantasy Football tips to follow later.