 Chargers WR Jackson arrested for DUI
Vincent Jackson, WR SD
News: Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of drunken driving. Jackson failed sobriety tests shortly after 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning and was taken to the San Diego County jail and released. He was on probation for a previous DUI arrest, according to a Highway Patrol Officer. Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said he was aware of Jackson's situation. "Obviously we're disappointed," Smith said. "We take these issues very seriously. Moving forward, we will monitor the situation and have no further comment."
Analysis: Jackson just had the first 1,000-yard season of his career, for a team-high 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns. He became the first Chargers wide receiver to have 1,000 yards receiving since Curtis Conway in 2001. Jackson caught 59 passes, second on the team behind Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates, but didn't catch any in Saturday's 23-17 overtime playoff win over Indianapolis. We doubt that Jackson will miss the team's Divisional Playoff Game at Pittsburgh on Sunday, but clearly this is a distraction that he or the Chargers didn't need. He could be subject to a suspension by the NFL, but it might not happen until next year. Consider him a No. 2 Fantasy WR in playoff formats and a No. 3 WR in 2009 Fantasy play.
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 Titans D-line getting healthy
Titans, DST TEN
News: The Tennessee Titans got Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and end Kyle Vanden Bosch back on the practice field Tuesday. Haynesworth sat out the final two regular-season games with a sprained left knee. Vanden Bosch missed the final three and had minor surgery to repair a groin muscle Dec. 16. Coach Jeff Fisher had said he expected both Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch back for their divisional playoff game.
Analysis: Naturally, the Titans DST should be considered a good option in the Divisional Playoffs against the Ravens, though there are better elite options among the final eight teams standing.
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Packers scatter defensive coaches
Packers, DST GB
News: The Packers fired five defensive assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Bob Sanders. The club ranked 26th against the run and 12th against the pass in 2008.
Analysis: Such a move was to be expected, particularly after the club's defensive line struggled to put pressure on the quarterback (only 27 sacks). Also, the Packers were awful against the run, especially once they lost LB Nick Barnett to a season-ending injury. Ultimately, this unit won't be any better than a No. 2 option and a good bye-week replacement in 2009.
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Harrison gun case still unresolved
Marvin Harrison, WR IND
News: A gun owned by Colts WR Marvin Harrison was used in an April shooting, but investigators still can't determine who pulled the trigger, the city's chief prosecutor said Tuesday. Five of the six bullet casings found at the North Philadelphia shooting scene came from Harrison's weapon, but investigators have conflicting witness accounts of who fired it, Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham said. No charges have been filed in the April 28 shooting and the investigation remains open. The victim has sued Harrison and law enforcement will be keeping tabs on that proceeding to see if any new evidence emerges that could help the criminal investigation, Abraham said.
Analysis: Harrison finished the regular season with 60 catches for 638 as the torch has clearly been passed to the younger group of receivers in Indy with Harrison no longer the go-to guy. If the veteran returns next season, he will be a matchup-type receiver who won't be much more than a third option when he plays at home in favorable matchups.
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Patriots plan to franchise Cassel
Matt Cassel, QB NE
News: The New England Patriots plan to put the franchise tag on quarterback Matt Cassel, according to a published report. Cassel's future hinges heavily on Tom Brady's recovery from a season-ending knee injury in the first game this season. Franchising Cassel would keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent and give the Patriots an option if they feel Brady might not be ready for the start of the 2009 season. If they're confident that Brady will be ready, they'd be able to trade Cassel. The Patriots' plan for Cassel was first reported by the National Football Post. "It's been talked about quite a bit (publicly)," Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Monday. "We won't be commenting on it until something happens. And if we don't use it (the tag), we probably won't comment."
Analysis: Without a franchise tag, Cassel would become an unrestricted free agent starting Feb. 27. The period in which a team can designate a franchise player is Feb. 5 to Feb. 19. A team can put the franchise tag on one player a year. It would have to pay that player at least the minimum of the average of the five highest salaries of players at the same position, estimated at $14 million for Cassel. Cassel hadn't started in four years at Southern California and three years with the Patriots until the second game of his fourth NFL season, one week after Brady was hurt. Cassel started the remaining 15 games for the Patriots, who missed the playoffs despite finishing at 11-5. He completed 327 passes for 516 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 3,693 yards passing were fourth-most in the AFC, and his 63.4 completion percentage was third-best in Patriots history. It looks as though Cassel has a very good chance of being a starting quarterback in 2009, but we just don't know where yet. This is a situation that Fantasy owners will need to follow in the offseason. If Cassel stays with the Patriots, he has potential to be a low-end No. 1 Fantasy QB. If he gets traded to a non-contender, we are probably looking at Cassel as a No. 2 Fantasy option on Draft Day.
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 Cardinals still unsure about Boldin
Anquan Boldin, WR ARI
News: Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin has a strained left hamstring, and his status is uncertain for Saturday night's NFC divisional playoff game at Carolina. "We'll see how it goes this week," coach Ken Whisenhunt said at his Monday news conference. Boldin was injured on a 71-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner in the second quarter of Arizona's 30-24 Wild Card playoff victory over the Falcons last Saturday. He returned to play one more series, then limped off the field for good. "When you're dealing with hamstrings you just never know," Whisenhunt said. "I've seen guys that have come back and played a couple of days later, I've seen guys who are out three or four weeks."
Analysis: Boldin had sat out the final two games of the regular season with a sore shoulder. He scored 11 touchdowns and topped 1,000 yards on the season even though he played in only 12 games, and his injury came on the same kind of big play he so often delivers -- when he's actually in the lineup, that is. You'll obviously want to keep an eye on his status during the week, but if he can suit up this weekend, he's an obvious must-start in Fantasy playoff formats.
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Tomlinson injury his 'toughest' yet
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB SD
News: Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson isn't sure if a week's worth of treatment and rest is going to be enough to allow him to play. "I don't know. It's tough," Tomlinson said after the Chargers' light workout on Monday. "This is a tough injury. I would probably venture to say it's probably the toughest of my career. We'll see what happens." Asked about his short-term health one day earlier, Tomlinson said: "I'm worried about my health. I'm very concerned." The Chargers continue to say Tomlinson has a strained groin. Reports surfaced Saturday that Tomlinson has a detached tendon. "It's a strained groin. That's what our medical report is," coach Norv Turner said. "I don't think it's any worse, but it isn't any better."
Analysis: A glum Tomlinson didn't clarify the nature of his injury after Saturday's win over the Colts. "It's a medical issue," he said. "That's all I'll say about it. I'm not a doctor, and I'm not going to stand up here and act like one." Asked if he was advised to have surgery, he said: "I can't answer that." Darren Sproles got most of the team's carries Saturday and played well, so right now, you have to think Tomlinson's prospects for the rest of the playoffs look pretty grim. Keep an eye on this situation because if he needs surgery in the offseason, he might no longer project as a first rounder entering 2009.
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Big Ben back on the practice field
Steelers, TQB PIT
News: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger practiced Monday for the first time since sustaining a concussion late in the second quarter of a meaningless 31-0 win over Cleveland on Dec. 28. He has had ongoing headaches, but until Monday didn't pass the memory tests given players who receive a concussion. He took three or four such tests last week. The Steelers host the Chargers in a Divisional Playoff game this week.
Analysis: Two years ago, Roethlisberger played perhaps his worst game, throwing four interceptions in a loss to Oakland, only a week after getting a concussion. That might be the Steelers' biggest worry this week, how Roethlisberger responds to what he called a "scary" hit against Cleveland. He had only 17 touchdown passes during the regular season, though, making him just a low-end No. 1 QB in Fantasy playoff leagues. And in 2009 drafts, he might only be a No. 2. Keep an eye on he performs in practice this week.
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