Dream Team: In Hindsight

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Express' Chris Mincher recaps the fantasy football season.

WELL, THE SEASON'S over. I've been evaluating players all season long, I thought I'd turn my special mystic evaluation powers onto myself for a change. How did I do? Well, I got some right. Aaaannnd I probably really messed things up for a few of you, who likely were disgusted by my advice and aren't reading this column anymore. To which I say: Ha! I'm glad I ruined your team, you non-reader, you!

Anyway, here's a recap of some of my most proud predictions, and some picks which showed why I'm not currently working as an NFL scout. To start, a few in which I was right, they're ...
GOOD:

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
What I said: "No quarterback throwing to wide receiver Terrell Owens should have less than an 80 QB rating."
What happened: Romo finished up with a 95.1 QB rating, is going to the Pro Bowl, yada yada, you know the rest.

Travis Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
What I said: "Henry has never disappointed as a starter, and this year will be no different. As quarterback Vince Young gets more comfortable letting the ball leave his hands, Henry should find fewer defenders taking numbers and standing in line to tackle him, so his season should be more than respectable."
What happened: Henry scrambled for more than 1,200 rushing yards in just 13 games — that's an average of 92 yards on the ground per start — at a very impressive 4.5 yards a carry. Hey, Buffalo, don't look now, but that's better than Willis McGahee.

Ron Dayne, RB, Houston Texans
What I said: "Admit it, you — just like every other football fan — have long had a soft spot in your heart for ol' Thunder."
What happened: Dayne showed he could be the Denver-style back that coach Gary Kubiak desperately needed to fit his system, with 612 rushing yards in just 6 starts — that's an average of 102 a game — and a serviceable 4.1 yards a carry. Most amazingly, he was able to accomplish all this while suffering the disadvantage of being Ron Dayne.

I was right, they're ...
BAD:
Joe Horn, WR, New Orleans Saints
What I said; "His 34-year-old body may be getting a little too stretchable to hold up the whole year.„
What happened: Horn only started nine games, and missed six altogether. And out to pasture he goes.

Dan Campbell, TE, Detroit Lions
What I said: "You won't hear anything of him all year long."
What happened: Unless someone felt the need to tell you about his 28-yards-a-game average, you probably didn't hear anything about him. In fact, I don't even remember who I'm talking about.

Arlen Harris, RB, Detroit Lions
What I said: "The Lions will turn to Harris for the first four carries, but then they'll be down by 35 points, so they won't bother to run it anymore."
What happened: Harris averaged a measly 58 yards a game, and took a ton of handoffs just to even get that far, averaging only 3.2 yards a carry. Clearly, there's only one thing the Lions can do to fix this situation next year — draft a top wide receiver.

I was wrong, they're actually:
GOOD:

Ahman Green, RB, Green Bay Packers
What I said: "His legs are almost a complete collection of surgically installed titanium rods."
What happened: Green was a 1,000-yard back this year, helping the Packers to an improbable 8-8 record. Guess surgically-installed-titanium-rod legs can actually be pretty durable. Hey, all you ailing veterans out there, get some of them titanium rods before the league regulates 'em.

Tim Rattay, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What I said: "He's been deemed by coaches to be worse than a sixth-round rookie. There's a reason for that."
What happened: Guess the Buccaneers coaches don't know everything, as their humiliating performance this season showed. The sixth-round rookie, Bruce Gradkowski, had 15 turnovers and only nine touchdowns — not to mention a 3-8 record — to go with his 65.9 QB rating. Rattay took over, had more touchdowns than turnovers, won half his starts, earned an 88.2 QB rating and likely has a shot to compete with the starting job in Tampa Bay next year. Hey Bucs coaches, next year — don't go with your gut. It's not working out for you.

Jay Cutler, QB, Denver Broncos
What I said: "Cutler doesn't know who his playmakers are. Attention, Jay: Your job is to make the tough play in coverage. It's called football, son."
What happened: I chastised Cutler for ignoring who I thought should have been his go-to guys. Instead, with the expanded roles of youngsters Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler, Cutler created a whole new set of go-to guys that helped propel him to a 9-5 TD-to-turnover ration and an 88.5 rating. It's always a pleasent surprise when you think you're drafting a quarterback and get a general manager to boot.

I was wrong, they're ...
BAD:

Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers
What I said: "Geez, just give him Rookie of the Year already so everybody will shut up about it."
What happened: Chronic injuries meant he only started half of the season, but even if there was a Rookie Of The Half Season award, his measly 33-yards-a-start average wouldn't even have put him in contention for that.

Deion Branch, WR, Seattle Seahawks
What I said: "Branch seems to waste no time in getting chummy with quarterbacks. Matt Hasselbeck will only continue to find his new best buddy."
What happened: Seattle's quarterbacks didn't look for him often enough for it to matter, giving Branch a disappointing 55-yards-a-start average. Time to start making friendship bracelets for someone else, Deion.

Bo Scaife, TE, Tennessee Titans
What I said: "Scaife gives quarterback Vince Young a consistent safe option — the guy can catch. But, most importantly, the guy can still stand after the game."
What happened: Young never found any receivers he relied on week-in, week-out, and Scaife had to settle with only an average of 30 yards a game. Apparently, Young doesn't like options.

Photos by Ronald Martinez and Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images