Are you desperate enough to use the Senior Bowl as an impetus to think about fantasy football?
My hand is up. Look, we all know the Senior Bowl is an exhibition game; the week of practice is where the NFL scouts do most of their evaluations. There were a few players who increased their stock over the weekend, however. Russ Lande put together some great evaluations here.
Here's our fantasy take, a look at five players who put themselves on the fantasy football radar over the weekend:
1. Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville. Owners must look at running backs first; they are the ones most likely to make a fantasy impact as rookies. Powell averaged five yards per carry with 10 carries for 50 yards, which capped an under-the-radar effort with the Cardinals (1,405 yards, 11 TDs). At 6-1, 215 pounds, Powell has the between-the-tackles look. Also, I like that he had five games with 140 or more rushing yards. Powell is a "Who?" guy, as in you'll say "Who?" after he gets his first NFL carry. Then you might be picking him up two weeks later. Remember when you did that with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and James Starks? Keep an eye on Powell at the Combine.
2. Von Miller, DE/LB, Texas A&M. Anybody who watched the Aggies knows Miller is a game-plan wrecker. Ask Oklahoma. Miller had 28 sacks the past two seasons. He had four tackles, including two for loss, on Saturday. Lande writes: "Look for Miller to be a top-10 pick by a team looking for a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme." If that happens, he'll be an IDP sleeper in '11.
3. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami, Fla. Hankerson hauled in five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. Hankerson enjoyed some big games for "The U" last season, and from a physical standpoint he'll remind some of Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne. Hankerson, however, has a long way to go to reach the level of his elite brethren. A long way. Lande writes: "Although he dropped one pass he should have caught easily, he made a number of other plays that eased any concerns about that mistake." He might be a late-round flier depending on the landing spot.
4. Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Ohio State. Every time I watch Sanzenbacher play I say, "He's destined to play with Peyton Manning." Much like Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Blair White, Sanzenbacher is an excellent route runner who gets in and out of breaks before the defender. He had five catches for 62 yards Saturday. He caught 17 TDs for the Buckeyes the past two seasons, and despite being undersized he'll be a solid possession receiver in the NFL. PPR leaguers, take note, especially if Sanzenbacher ends up in a pass-happy offense.
5. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State. Ponder outplayed Jake Locker and Greg McElroy. The former Seminole finished 7-for-13 for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Ponder battled injuries this season; he was knocked out of the Chick-fil-A Bowl with a concussion. He likely projects as a backup in the NFL, but stranger names have started on Sunday the past couple seasons (i.e. Todd Bouman, Brian St. Pierre, etc.).
