Safety Blitz Mid-Season Report Card

Quarterbacks: B+

Starting quarterback Tony Romo was putting up top 10 numbers before suffering a broken collarbone against the New York Giants. Backup Matt Ryan is a capable replacement but one that takes what the defense gives him and doesn't force the big play. As such, expect Ryan to put up solid numbers on a weekly basis, but don't expect three plus touchdown performances from the Falocons' quarterback as the team utilizes a run first mentality. Current backup Ryan Fitzpatrick has put up good numbers in limited action this year, but he must prove that he can produce against the league's elite teams before becoming a reliable fantasy option.

Running Backs: A

"The Four Horsemen," as Coach Phillip Campbell refers to them, have had a solid year so far. After attaining LeSean McCoy and Steven Jackson in an early season trade, this group of mail carriers provides more depth than any team in the league. Three of the four backs are well on their way to 1,000+ yard seasons. Backup Shonn Greene has shown flashes of breaking out of late but will likely need an injury to LT to put up significant fantasy numbers. Safety Blitz needs more touchdowns out of this position, which is the only stat preventing them from earning an A+.

Wide Receivers: C

Roddy "The Hot Rod" White has proven to be one of the top five wide receivers in the league this year, as he is well on his way to 1,000+yards receiving and double digit touchdowns. The WR2 position has struggled so far this year for Safety Blitz in a complimentary role. Wes Welker is leading New England in receptions and receiving yards, but has failed to score a touchdown since Week 2. Waiver acquisition Steve Breaston failed to produce in his first crack at the starting lineup and is looking for consistent production on a weekly basis to get steady playing time. Either Welker or Breaston needs to step up for this team to make a run at the playoffs.

Tight End: C-

Following the loss of Jermichael Finley for the year, Chris Cooley took over the tight end duties. While he has put up steady numbers so far this year, he has yet to have any game changing performances that can make or break a fantasy season. Following a bye week, look for Cooley to become more involved in the passing game, especially for a red zone offense in Washington that has struggled so far this season.

Kicker: B-

After a slow start, Stephen Gostkowski got hot and produced a string of three straight double digit scoring games. A leg injury this past Sunday will sideline him indefinitely, forcing Saftey Blitz to make a change to their place kicking duties and sign free agent Lawrence Tynes for Week 10. Prior to his injury, Gostkowski kicked 10 field goals.

Defense: C-

Despite high expectations coming into the year, the usually solid Safety Blitz defense took a few weeks to get on track this year. Waiver acquisition Tampa Bay produced a standout performance in Week 8 and the return of Ed Reed to Baltimore has ignited their turnover party once more. Look for this unit to receive a higher grade at season's end.

Coaching: C

While the coaching hasn't been deplorable, Coach Phillip Campbell hasn't been able to put all of the pieces together so far this season as reflected by a 4-5 record. While a rash of injuries to three starters have forced some unexpected personnel moves, the replacements have put up better than average numbers so far. A telling stat is that since the bye weeks started in Week 4, Coach Campbell's squad has gone 2-4. With a full roster from this point forward, we expect those numbers to change but his decision making abilities have to be questioned following the poor performance. In four of his team's five losses, Campbell's squad scored 69 points or less. He will need to make better preparations the rest of the year for his team to have a shot at the playoffs.

Overall: C-

Despite having a losing record at the season's midpoint, Safety Blitz is only one game out of first place in the Thunder Division and only two games out of first place overall. In their four wins this year, they have scored 95 points or more. On the heels of an embarrassing 82 point loss to the Hit Squad, Week 10 could be a make or break year for this team. Look for Coach Campbell to rally his troops and make a playoff push as we enter the home stretch of the season.