We present to you a new series offering an in-depth look at some of the players who were in the news this past week in the NFL.  Where other articles have grazed the surface of a large number of players, this series will instead highlight only five players, but go into much more detail. 

We’ll do our homework and look for much more than just a stats line.  We’ll give the background, history, and outlook for each of the five featured players to keep you as informed as possible.  We’ll even include our own Fantasy Outlook for each going forward.

As to which five players we pick?  Well, we’ll try to feature more than just the weekly studs, although productive stats will be a big part of deciding who we choose.  We will mainly look for players with interesting stories to share.

In our inaugural issue, we’ll take a look at both the old and the new; some young stars and some well-known veterans; some offensive studs and a couple of IDP anchors; and each of them former first-round NFL draft picks.

So let’s Take Five from week six:

(1) Forum Discussion

QB Vinny Testaverde (CAR):

Do you remember where you were in late April of 1987?  If you’re younger than 20, the answer is obviously “no”.  OK -- even for those of us who are old enough to be able to remember it, the answer is probably still “no”.  Heck, I have trouble remembering where I was last week. 

But Vinny Testeverde remembers it.  That was when the Miami of Florida Heisman Trophy winner was drafted #1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And actually, the draft itself was a bit anti-climatic – Testaverde had already signed with the Bucs well in advance of the draft, and at the time his 6-year $8.2 million dollar contract was the highest ever for an NFL rookie.

When the names were officially called, Testaverde indeed went at 1.01, ahead of LB Cornelius Bennett (1.02), RB Alonzo Highsmith (1.03), RB Brent Fullwood (1.04), LB Mike Junkin (1.05), and the other first-round QB’s of Kelly Stouffer (1.06), Chris Miller (1.13), and Jim Harbaugh (1.26).  Now how’s that for a list of players for a rousing game of “Whatever Happened to…?”

Flash forward twenty years:  In week six of the 2007 NFL season, Testaverde returned from sitting at home and watching the NFL on TV, to again make history playing for the Panthers.  No – not for being the oldest QB to ever start a game in the modern era (since 1970).  That record still belongs to Falcons QB Steve DeBerg, who was 44 years and 279 days old when his last started on October 25, 1998.  Even Warren Moon was slightly older than Testaverde when he started for the Chiefs on November 26, 2000 at the age of 44 years and 7 days.  But Testaverde, at 43 years and 335 days, was the oldest QB ever to start and actually win a game.

Testaverde was signed by the Panthers last week to add depth after they lost Jake Delhomme to an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery and also lost Brett Basanez to IR before the season.  When new starter David Carr’s injured back proved too stiff to allow him to start, Testaverde was called into action, following only a few practices.  Luckily, all those years of experience were enough to rely on, lack of familiarity with the Panthers’ playbook be damned. 

So on Sunday, Testaverde led the Panthers to a 25-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals, who are suffering through their own QB issues (Matt Leinart is out for the season and recently-signed Tim Rattay ended up playing most of the game after Kurt Warner went down with an injury).  Ageless Vinny connected on 20 of 33 passes (60.6%) for 206 yards, no interceptions, and a TD.  Plus that 65-yard pass he threw in the fourth quarter to Steve Smith also gave him another record:  He is the only player in NFL history to throw a TD pass in 21 consecutive seasons (beating the previous mark of twenty seasons, which had been Testaverde’s too).

After being signed, Testaverde had been the butt of a lot of old-man jokes, including a few late-night jabs from Jay Leno, but a win makes it all good-natured fun.  Testaverde even managed to get one of his own in after the game, telling 37-year old kicker John Kasay after a four field-goal day, “good job, kid.”  Said Kasay afterwards, “You know how long it’s been since I heard that?”

Fantasy Outlook:  Testaverde’s win is a great story, but not one likely to repeat itself.  Look for David Carr to return when the Panthers face the Colts in week eight after Carolina’s bye in week seven, and unless Carr is utterly horrible or gets injured again, Carolina will keep Vinny on the bench.  They may even get him his own comfy rocking chair to pass the time in…

RB Adrian Peterson (MIN):

When Testaverde started his career in the NFL, Adrian Peterson was two years old.  Peterson was drafted a full twenty years after Vinny at 1.07 by Minnesota as the first RB taken in the 2007 draft.  But in only his first year in the league, Peterson is already setting his own records. 

In the Minnesota Viking’s 34-31 victory over the Chicago Bears in week six, there were two “Adrian Petersons” playing running back – one on each team.  But shortly into the game it became blatantly clear which one is the backup and which one is the star in the making. 

The Vikings’ Adrian “All Day” Peterson rushed 20 times for 224 yards (a jaw-dropping 11.2 yard-per-carry), giving him the Vikings record for the highest single-game rushing record of all time. The previous mark had been held by Chuck Foreman, who amassed 200 yards against Philadelphia on October 24, 1976.  Peterson’s wild total also stands as the most single-person rushing yards the Chicago Bears have given up in a single game – ever – breaking Rasta Ricky William’s 2002 record of 216 when he was playing for the Dolphins.  Peterson’s 224 is also the #5 all-time single-game rushing total for a rookie in the NFL (Mike Anderson holds the record with 251 yards in 2000).

Additionally Peterson’s record-setting day included three highlight-reel touchdown runs (35, 67, and 73 yards), a reception of 9 yards, and 4 kickoff returns totaling 128 yards, including a 53-yard return to set up Ryan Longwell’s 55-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.  Peterson’s 73-yard TD run is also a record for the longest rushing TD ever by a Vikings rookie. 

Adrian Peterson was the consensus number-one RB in this year’s draft, but scared off several teams due to a history of injuries at Oklahoma, and he fell to Minnesota at 1.07.  Now with the Vikings, he shows no real durability concerns and seems poised to be the first rookie to lead the league in rushing since Barry Sanders in 1989.  So far, Peterson has had four 100+ yardage games out of five weeks, and a total of 607 yards off 96 carries (6.3 yards per carry).  This makes him the #2 rookie rushing leader in NFL history through five games, not too far behind Eric Dickerson’s lead of 645 yards through five games in 1983.

Ironically, Peterson’s last carry for the day was backwards – he was tackled for a 4-yard loss that turned Longwell’s kick into a 55-yard attempt.  But no-one will care.  They’ll only remember that “All Day”, Peterson was moving forward, usually in huge chunks at a time…

Fantasy Outlook:  The #1 pick in every dynasty rookie draft, Peterson is a certifiable stud, and barring injury, will be one for years.  The Vikes have a tough series of games coming up, facing Dallas, Philadelphia, and San Diego in the next three weeks, but the Bears run defense was supposed to be pretty good, too.  If you own him, smile and keep starting him.

WR Braylon Edwards (CLE):

The familiar fantasy football adage covering wide receivers is that they tend to break out in their third year.  There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that this may not always be true, but individual cases can still be found which fit the pattern.  So, how about this one:

Year one (2005):  10 games, 512 yards (51.2 yards per game), 3 TDs (cut short by knee injury)
Year two (2006):  16 games, 884 yards (55.3 yards per game), 6 TDs.
Year three (2007):  5 games (so far), 552 yards (110.4 yards per game), 7 TDs.

In the case of Braylon Edwards, this sure seems to be a breakout year in the making – through the first five games, he’s on pace for 80 receptions for 1,472 yards and 19 TDs.

University of Michigan alum Edwards was selected at 1.03 in the 2005 draft, and in his third year, he’s finally growing into the player that the Browns hoped for with that early pick.  In week six against the Dolphins, he didn’t break 100 yards receiving, catching only 5 passes for 67 yards.  But three of those receptions were for TDs – from 5, 16 and 24 yards.   Edwards is becoming both a consistent red-zone target and a deep threat from anywhere on the field.  His seven TDs lead the Browns and have him tied for second in the NFL, and his 29 catches for 552 yards also lead the team and put him at third in the league.

Edward’s stats are growing at the same time his attitude is.  He came into the league full of first-round WR swagger, flash, and wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions.  The only problem was he often couldn’t back it up on the field.  Now he’s cultivating maturity and patience, and the results are starting to show.  Edwards says, “I knew what I could do, but I wasn’t necessarily doing it, and I wasn’t being patient with the game.  Now the game is just coming to me.  I’m being patient…and it’s working for me.”

Fellow receiver Joe Jurevicius is also watching that maturity setting in, and adds, “He’s becoming our go-to guy.  If you watch his blocking, he’s doing it. He’s becoming an all-around receiver.”

During his senior year at Michigan, Edwards set season records with 97 receptions and 1,330 yards, and career records for receptions (252), yards (3,541), and TDs (39).  Now it appears he is finally developing into a player who might yet set some of his very own records in the NFL.

Fantasy Outlook:  Improving steadily, Edwards has become a reliable starting WR, especially with Derek Anderson throwing him the ball.  The Browns have a bye in week seven and face the Rams in week eight.  Edwards is a strong start against the Rams, and should be a solid WR going forward, even against some tougher defenses coming up (Seattle, Pittsburgh, Baltimore).

DE Julius Peppers (CAR):

Early in the week-six game against Arizona, while Vinny Testaverde was resting his aged frame on the sidelines, fellow Panther defensive-end Julius Peppers was on the field trying to break a career-long streak of six games without a sack (going back through the last game of 2006). 

It didn’t take too long.  The streak ended in the first quarter – first with a half-sack of Kurt Warner, shared with Damione Lewis, then with a solo sack that knocked Warner to the ground, jarred the ball loose, and allowed Peppers to recover it.  In that single play, Peppers got his first solo sack in six games, notched both a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and sent Warner to the sidelines for the rest of the game with an injured elbow, leaving the Cardinals to try and rally around newly-signed QB Tim Rattay.  For the game, Peppers ended with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.  It was the kind of week that fantasy owners and fans had been waiting less-than-patiently for, we just hope they started him.

A North Carolina native, Peppers excelled at the University of North Carolina and is second in the university’s history with 30.5 sacks, and was drafted by the Panthers at 1.02 in the 2002 draft (behind 1.01 pick QB David Carr, who coincidentally is also on the Panthers roster this year).  Now through six games in his sixth year, Peppers has accumulated 222 solo tackles, 50 assists, and 55.0 sacks.

Fans, Fantasy Football owners, and sportswriters have all been getting noticeably worried about the lack of sacks and defensive productivity from Peppers this season – but Peppers wasn’t worried.  “You ain’t thinking about it.  When they come, they come in bunches.  Hopefully they will keep coming,” Peppers said.  Addressing the media, he added, “Now you have to find something else to write about.”

It’s understandable why Peppers wasn’t concerned.  In spite of what his high career totals might suggest, Peppers has had four straight years where he had sack-less streaks of five games – so it’s not like this hasn’t happened to him before.  Coach Fox has also seen it, “he’s made a couple of plays throughout the season; they just haven’t been sacks…I think Julius has continued to try to work. It’s like a batter when he’s in a slump. Sometimes it’s about going back to basics.”

The basics for Julius Peppers are harassing QB’s and notching sacks, and it’s great to see him getting back to them.

Fantasy Outlook:  Throughout his career, Peppers has had dry spells.  Fantasy owners can only hope that Sunday’s game marks the end of his dry spell for 2007.  IDP scoring is often feast-or-famine, but Peppers remains a top-level DL option.  The Panthers are on a bye in week seven, and Peppers faces a hard-to-sack QB week eight in Peyton Manning, when Carolina plays the Colts, but even then, it’s hard to not start Peppers who is always capable of putting up huge numbers  He becomes a must-start week 9 and 10 against the Titans and Falcons, respectively.

CB Charles Woodson (GBP):

Another first-round draft pick from the University of Michigan, Charles Woodson was selected at 1.04 by the Oakland Raiders in 1998’s draft.  Like Testaverde, Woodson is also a Heisman trophy winner, earning the award in 1997 during his junior, and final, season as a Wolverine.  Woodson was the first primarily-defensive player to ever win the Heisman, and won it with 282 more points than runner-up Peyton Manning.

Woodson spent eight productive seasons with Oakland, collecting 17 interceptions as part of a stellar career that included many Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl appearance.  But after spending 2005 as the Raiders’ franchise player, Woodson became a free agent and signed a 7-year contract with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.  With Green Bay he had his best single season ever, scoring 12 passes defended, 8 interceptions (tying Walt Harris for third in the NFL), a return TD, 48 tackles, 11 assists, and a sack.  He was also instrumental in the special-teams return game, returning 41 punts for 363 yards.

This season, as part of the newly potent Packers defense, Woodson has been accumulating solid tackle numbers (23 solos and 5 assists in the first five weeks), but it has been five long weeks without an interception.  In week six of this season against the Washington Redskins, Woodson finally got his first interception of the year when a Jason Campbell pass bounced off of the hands of Santana Moss and right into Woodson’s, who also had to wrestle Antwaan Randell El to keep the ball. 

But while the interception was great to finally get, Woodson’s big play of the day was scooping up a Santana Moss fumble caused by Corey Williams and carrying it 57 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.  It was Woodson’ first career fumble return for a touchdown, and also turned out to be the last score of the day as the Packers beat the Redskins 17-14.  Packers coach Mike McCarthy called it the “biggest play of the game.” 

Woodson himself said that he had, “prayed before the game that God would allow me to be a difference-maker today.  And today He gave me favor.”  Woodson also recognized that it took a lot more than just that one play to win the game. “There was a lot of plays there in the game that contributed to the win. A lot of pressure by our D-line late in the game, getting to Campbell.”

Yet he still added, “(My play) was a big play.  Hopefully I have many more to come.”  With the way the Packers defense is playing, he may get his wish…

Fantasy Outlook:  Woodson is a seasoned veteran on a defense that is playing very well.  The Packers get a bye in week seven, but go on to face the Broncos and Chiefs in weeks eight and nine.  As a CB, Woodson may not generate the consistent tackle numbers of some stud safeties, but he has been a good fantasy player so far this year (26 solo, 6 assists) and is trying to continue the productivity he had in 2006.  Unless you have some elite alternatives to choose from, there’s no reason not to keep Woodson in your line-up when he’s playing.  Start him and hope for those big plays to keep coming…

Until next week – Good luck in all your leagues!