Football

Final Preseason Power Rankings
<p>With the 2010 NFL season upon us, we've dusted off, livened up, and updated the About Football Power Rankings to reflect our view of the teams around the league.</p> <p> We've taken into account player and coaching changes, OTA and preseason performances, and of course, gut feeling. <p> So check out our latest <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/nationalfootballleague/tp/About-Footballs-Nfl-Power-Rankings.htm">power rankings</a>!<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/06/final-preseason-power-rankings.htm">Final Preseason Power Rankings</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 21:26:19.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/06/final-preseason-power-rankings.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/06/final-preseason-power-rankings.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/06/final-preseason-power-rankings.htm&zItl=Final Preseason Power Rankings">Email this</a></p>

Third-Year Wide Receiver Upside List
<p>The third year in the NFL is often a breakout season for wide receivers, so About Football has put together this list of receivers who are entering year three, along with some comments on their fantasy football potential. Some of these guys are already established contributors, but a sleeper or two might be found among the rest.</p> <p>Included are all receivers entering their third year, listed in the order they were selected on draft day. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasybasicsstrateg1/a/thirdyearWR.htm">Read more</a>...</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/02/third-year-wide-receiver-upside-list.htm">Third-Year Wide Receiver Upside List</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 03:52:55.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/02/third-year-wide-receiver-upside-list.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/02/third-year-wide-receiver-upside-list.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/09/02/third-year-wide-receiver-upside-list.htm&zItl=Third-Year Wide Receiver Upside List">Email this</a></p>

Beginners, It's Not Too Late to Learn
<p>With the NFL preseason winding down, some of you beginners might be wishing you had a better understanding of how this seemingly confusing game works. To a beginner, the game of football can seem very complicated, but it's really very simple once you learn the basics. That's why we've put together this <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/c/ec/7.htm">three-step course</a> designed to arm you with all the knowledge you need to enjoy this year's action.</p> <p>In three easy-to-follow lessons, you'll learn all the basics, from the object of the game and the various ways to score, to the layout of the football field and the components of the team itself. We've also created a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/football101/l/bl_glossary.htm">glossary</a> that defines hundreds of football terms you can bookmark for quick reference when needed.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/30/beginners-its-not-too-late-to-learn.htm">Beginners, It's Not Too Late to Learn</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 00:44:36.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/30/beginners-its-not-too-late-to-learn.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/30/beginners-its-not-too-late-to-learn.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/30/beginners-its-not-too-late-to-learn.htm&zItl=Beginners, It's Not Too Late to Learn">Email this</a></p>

Funny Fantasy Football Team Names
<p>Part of the fun of owning a fantasy football team is getting to come up with a clever name for said team. Myself, I've been going by the name "Can of WhoopAss" for several years now in honor of my all-time favorite wrassler, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wwerawwrestlers/p/steveaustin.htm">Stone Cold Steve Austin</a>. The Misses, who's relatively new to fantasy football, goes by the highly-appropriate moniker of "Yo Momma".</p> <p>For those of you who are fantasy football veterans, I'm sure you're aware of the plethora of incredibly creative team names that are affixed to teams throughout the thousands and thousands of fantasy leagues. So we're asking for your help in assembling a list of some of the more clever, witty, humorous, and perhaps obnoxious nicknames ever assigned to a fantasy team.</p> <p>We'll start the list off with a few of our favorites, and you can leave your contributions in the comments section below.</p> <p>No Punt Intended</p> <p>Orton's Neckbeards</p> <p>Favre's Flip Flops</p> <p>Urine Trouble</p> <p>Rings Around Uranus</p> <p>Victorious Secret</p> <p>The Cereal Killers</p> <p><em>(Editor's Note: I've assembled a list of submitted team names that I feel are the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyfootball/tp/Funny_Fantasy_Team_Names.htm">top 10 funniest fantasy football team names</a> based on my own warped sense of humor.)</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/28/funny-fantasy-football-team-names.htm">Funny Fantasy Football Team Names</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Saturday, August 28th, 2010 at 02:31:36.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/28/funny-fantasy-football-team-names.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/28/funny-fantasy-football-team-names.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/28/funny-fantasy-football-team-names.htm&zItl=Funny Fantasy Football Team Names">Email this</a></p>

Which Type of Fantasy League Should You Join?
<p>With the growth of the internet has come an explosion of interest in fantasy football, along with a plethora of information designed to aid everyone from the beginner to the most shrewd and experienced fantasy football owners.</p> <p>For the beginner, just figuring out which type of league to join can be as confusing as <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/c/ht/03/03/How_Calculate_Quarterback_Rating1048560068.htm">figuring a quarterback's passer rating</a> without a calculator, so About Football has put together an explanation of some of the more popular types of fantasy football leagues. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasygames/a/fantasyleagues.htm">Read more</a>...</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/24/which-type-of-fantasy-league-should-you-join.htm">Which Type of Fantasy League Should You Join?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 at 05:23:52.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/24/which-type-of-fantasy-league-should-you-join.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/24/which-type-of-fantasy-league-should-you-join.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/24/which-type-of-fantasy-league-should-you-join.htm&zItl=Which Type of Fantasy League Should You Join?">Email this</a></p>

Fantasy Football's Top 10 Hot Finishers
<p>As fantasy footballers, we're constantly looking for even the slightest of edges over our opponent. Finding players on the rise, of course, is one of the ways to gain an advantage. And one way to find those up-and-coming players is to look for the previous season's hot finishers.</p> <p>So, with that in mind, we've compiled a list of the last year's top 10 hot finishers based on the final quarter of the season.</p> <p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyresearch/a/Fantasy-Footballs-Hot-Finishers.htm">So check it out!</a></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/22/fantasy-footballs-top-10-hot-finishers.htm">Fantasy Football's Top 10 Hot Finishers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 at 12:15:23.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/22/fantasy-footballs-top-10-hot-finishers.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/22/fantasy-footballs-top-10-hot-finishers.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/22/fantasy-footballs-top-10-hot-finishers.htm&zItl=Fantasy Football's Top 10 Hot Finishers">Email this</a></p>

Dominate Your Fantasy Draft With Peer Values
<p>When it comes to formulating your fantasy draft strategy, it's simple to load up on running backs early in your league's draft. But understanding when it's time to go a different direction is key. When do you jump on that top tight end? Should you take a quarterback in round two, three, or four? When's the best time to look at wide receiver?</p> <p>That's where peer values (also known as tiers) come in.</p> <p>What are peer values?</p> <p>Simple. It's a player's value as it relates to other players. So what does that mean? Take a deeper look and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyfootball/a/fantasydrafttip.htm">Learn to Dominate Your Draft With Peer Values</a>.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/20/dominate-your-draft-with-peer-values.htm">Dominate Your Fantasy Draft With Peer Values</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Friday, August 20th, 2010 at 07:41:08.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/20/dominate-your-draft-with-peer-values.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/20/dominate-your-draft-with-peer-values.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/20/dominate-your-draft-with-peer-values.htm&zItl=Dominate Your Fantasy Draft With Peer Values">Email this</a></p>

Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets Updated
<p>For those of you still preparing for the fantasy football season -- which is pretty much most of us -- About Football's collection of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/7/u/Fantasy_Football.htm#s3">cheat sheets</a> have been updated:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheat.htm">Top 200 Players Overall</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheetQB.htm">Quarterbacks</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheatRB.htm">Running Backs</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheatWR.htm">Wide Receivers</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheatTE.htm">Tight Ends</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheatK.htm">Kickers</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/cheatsheets/a/bl_cheatDEF.htm">Defensive Units</a> </li> </ul> <p>Also, be sure to check out About Football's <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyfootball/a/fantasysleepers.htm">sleepers</a>, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyfootball/a/ffbusts.htm">busts</a>, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/fantasyfootball/a/SuperSleepers.htm">super sleepers</a>, and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/7/u/Fantasy_Football.htm#s3">more</a>. Or join in the latest <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?folderId=7&listMode=13&nav=messages&webtag=ab-profootball">fantasy football discussions</a> with some diehard fantasy football players.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/16/fantasy-football-cheat-sheets-updated-2.htm">Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets Updated</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 00:02:18.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/16/fantasy-football-cheat-sheets-updated-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/16/fantasy-football-cheat-sheets-updated-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/16/fantasy-football-cheat-sheets-updated-2.htm&zItl=Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets Updated">Email this</a></p>

Top 5 Unusual Football Injuries
<p>Injuries are a big part of the game of football. Rarely does a team escape a contest completely unscathed. And generally the dings, bruises, and sprains associated with the game are the result of the viciousness of the sport.</p> <p>Sometimes, however, a player gets hurt through some freak action. Sometimes because of his own carelessness or stupidity, which, of course makes it all that much more interesting. Thus we felt compelled to compile this list of the most unusual football injuries the NFL has seen. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/tp/Unusual_Football_Injuries.htm">Read more</a>...</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/15/top-5-unusual-football-injuries.htm">Top 5 Unusual Football Injuries</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Sunday, August 15th, 2010 at 02:03:19.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/15/top-5-unusual-football-injuries.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/15/top-5-unusual-football-injuries.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/15/top-5-unusual-football-injuries.htm&zItl=Top 5 Unusual Football Injuries">Email this</a></p>

Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?
<p>Football officials... they're the men on the field we all love to hate and complain about. But without these keepers of the rules, a football game could not progress with any sort of structure or sanity. <img src="http://z.about.com/d/football/1/0/V/N/official1.jpg" border="0" alt="" hspace="5" width="200" align="right" /></p> <p>Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping things moving along to making sure the athletes don't unnecessarily hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of play, and recording all rule infractions.</p> <p>You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven in college and NFL games) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_officials.htm">Read more...</a></p> <p>And if you've ever wondered what it takes to become an NFL official, we have <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/nflofficial.htm">all the details</a>.</p> <p><em>Photo: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/13/officials-referees-and-umpires-whats-the-difference.htm">Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/">About.com Football</a> on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 02:40:36.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/13/officials-referees-and-umpires-whats-the-difference.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/13/officials-referees-and-umpires-whats-the-difference.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://football.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://football.about.com/b/2010/08/13/officials-referees-and-umpires-whats-the-difference.htm&zItl=Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?">Email this</a></p>