big american NFL preview: NFC East

I like to think I know football. And then fantasy sports cancel out my confidence.

My first attempt at fantasy football was a general mockery, as I attempted to put together a fantasy team that would win a championship. I took a tight end with my first pick (17th overall) because I found him to be the best available player on the board. What I found I should have been doing is finding the biggest stat-whores in the NFL and drafting them quickly.

So on my second attempt, I think I put together a solid enough fantasy team consisting of players that I think will rack up points and a few Chicago Bears(I did not, however, make good on my promise to draft Kyle Orton in a late round). My only real problem came when I would see what I thought would make a great pick still on the board and wondered if he'd just shattered his spine or found his way into some other injury I didn't know about to be on the board so late.

No one openly mocked my picks, so I may be okay. Maybe.

I have no players from -and therefore no natural transition to- the

NFC East

4. Washington - With apologies to Laul Peeland, the NFC East is just too hard for a Redskins team that's got "pretty good" written all over them to do any better than 4th place in the division. I never go with first year coaches to do well, and sometimes they prove me wrong. So here's your shot, Zorn.

3. New York Football Giants - The conventional wisdom is that one of the Super Bowl teams misses the playoffs in the following season. I have New England in the playoffs, so now I have The New York Football Giants falling just short. Could be the worst reason for a ranking since I started doing this.

2. Philadelphia - I like the addition of Asante Samuel to the defense. I like Westbrook running the ball. I am holding onto the idea that Donovan F. McNabb has one more pro bowl year in him. I like the Eagles as a playoff team.

1. Dallas - Too much defense. Too many weapons on offense. Too much to prove. The Cowboys are going to rip through the regular season. But can they get it done in the playoffs?