The great tight end debate has existed with the Bengals for years, do they need a tight end? Marvin Lewis insists the team's system does not demand the need for a receiving tight end. Instead, the team's offense excels on solid blocking from the position. Reggie Kelly has provided great value to the team. His role often goes unnoticed and unappreciated by the casual fan.

I am on the side of the argument that believes that while Kelly (and a player of his type) is critical for the system's execution, the time to evolve the offense a bit has come. Some of the league's top offenses rely greatly on the play of a tight end as a receiver. It keeps the defense from doubling wide every time. Look at what the likes of Jason Witten, Kellen Winslow, Dallas Clark, and Antonio Gates have had on their teams' success.

The Bengals haven't had a receiving tight end that drew the opposing secondary's attention since Tony McGee and haven't had a player excel in that role significantly since Rodney Holman in the late 1980's. The team could look to address the need in the draft, but this year's crop of tight ends appears thin and there are greater needs to address in the portion of the draft where you could find a legitimate threat.

Conversley, free agency seems an easier route to go. Alge Crumpler, who like Kelly a few years before him, was released by the Atlanta Falcons last week as the team begins to go through rebuild mode. The thirty-year old is clearly on the downside of his career and coming off an injury-riddled 2007 campaign. With questions surrounding his conditioning and health, he will come cheap.

Crumpler finished the season with 42 catches for 444 yards and five touchdowns, but he averaged 56 receptions for 810 ReYd per season and 19 total touchdowns in three previous seasons. You have to take in to account the weapons around him. If healthy, Crumpler would pose big problems for teams that are trying to contend with Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Chris Henry. The Panthers have already expressed interest and there will likely be other teams that take a look, I just hope one of them is the Bengals.

When it comes to drafting a second baseman in fantasy baseball, the first players that come to mind are Chase Utley and now Brandon Phillips. If you aren't able to get either of those guys, don't fret. There are a bunch of other players that could fill your 2B position and put up numbers pretty comparable to Utley and Phillips. One of those guys is the guy that plays the position for the Florida Marlins, Dan Uggla.

Uggla burst onto the fantasy baseball scene a couple years ago when he hit 27 homers, scored 105 times, and knocked in 90 runs while hitting .282. Those fortunate enough to snatch him up off the free agent wire ended up being very pleased with his efforts. Last year his numbers were pretty similar with the exception of his batting average. He hit 31 homeruns, scored 113 times and knocked in 88 runs. His batting average, however, slipped to .245. Thats a pretty significant drop-off from one season to the next. The reason for his BA plummeting almost 40 points was because he struck out over 40 more times in 2007 (167) than he did in 2006 (123). Fortunately he came through in all the other categories in a basic 5X5 style league. Last season Uggla finished atop the leader board in runs and home runs for second basemen. He also finished in the top top five in RBIs.

This season you should expect to get about the same out of Uggla. One thing that might effect his production this year is the fact that Miguel Cabrera was traded to the Detroit Tigers during the offseason. With Cabrera gone, Uggla becomes one of just two hitters on the team that has the ability to put up good power numbers. The other would be SS Hanley Ramirez. There is the possibility that Uggla could end up moving from 2B to 3B with the departure of Cabrera and the signing of INF Jose Castillo back in January. A move to 3B would drop Uggla's value as 3B is a deeper position than 2B, but that wouldn't effect anything for this season since he would still have 2B eligibility.

In the GSI mock draft that is currently taking place, I selected Uggla as my starting 2B late in the 8th round. A few of the other guys on my team will balance out the low batting average I'm expecting to get from him. His power numbers are the reason I drafted him. He'll add to every other category (minus the stolen base category, he only had 2 last season) and should end up putting together another solid season for those that draft him. Don't reach too earl though. The eighth or ninth rounds are about the right spot to take him if you're still looking to fill your 2B needs.

As we head into the middle rounds of the GSI Mock Draft, owners look to be filling in some key positions. One more catcher was chosen and four middle infielders. There was also a little run on some low-average, home run hitting outfielders. Take a look:

ROUND 1 | ROUND 2 | ROUND 3 | ROUND 4 | ROUND 5 | ROUND 6 | ROUND 7

85) HUMBERT #2 - Jorge Posada, C, NYY

86) POLKING - Michael Young, SS, TEX

87) WETZEL - Howie Kendrick. 2B, LAA

88) BOLTON - Rich Hill, SP, CHC

89) BARTEL - Jermaine Dye, OF, CHW

90) DINSMORE - Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, CHW

91) MUEHLENKAMP - Vernon Wells, OF, TOR

92) FISCHER - Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP, BOS

93) HUMBERT #1 - Hideki Matsui, OF, NYY

94) MURDICO - Dan Uggla, 2B, FLA

95) SIMONS - Paul Konerko, 1B, CHW

96) CLASGENS - Rafael Furcal, SS, LAD

Over the past couple of decades NASCAR has emerged as America's favorite racing series. How it got there is an amazing, one of which is largely based the Daytona International Speedway, site of Sunday's infamous Daytona 500.

This year's edition marks the 50th running of "The Great American Race" and there is no denying the race's spot at the top of the heap. Still, it is interesting to note that NASCAR starts their season with the biggest event, yet every other major professional sport (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) does it in just reverse.  Many people get all revved up early in the season about NASCAR, but 36 weeks later only the extreme diehards are tuning in.

It was only in recent years that NASCAR added the "Chase for the Cup" to bring higher interest to the season's final 10 races. In the end, it hasn't mattered much. There could be four drivers within spittin' distance of each other on the last race of the year, the TV draw would not match the one that the season's first race will bring.

There is no doubt that the buzz around NASCAR has somewhat leveled out. Don't kid yourself, it has come a long way in the number of fans but it is not growing at nearly the rate it was just five years ago. The problem is that NASCAR does great to grab these fans in early in the year for the big race, but then can't retain them. Many of the people that jumped on the bandwagon just a short time ago are starting to jump off!

Nick Swisher is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. In the off-season, the White Sox, despite being rich in hitters of Swisher's ilk, traded for him anyway. There has to be a reason for that. Swisher, who is first base and outfield eligible, will supposedly anchor CF for the White Sox and perhaps bat second. Now, the two hole is a great spot for Swisher, especially in the potent White Sox lineup. No doubt the Sox are hoping that the Swisher who hit 35 homers in the 2006 season is the one they'll see this year. Last year his HR production dropped significantly to 22 and his average isn't that good to where you can accept a 15-homer drop in production. But, as a 27-year-old, Swisher still has enormous ceiling and playing in one of the AL's most hitter friendly parks, Swisher has an enormous ceiling. If I would give him a comparison, I would say he matches up with Adam Dunn-like ability (with better defense). Swisher has 40-HR potential, but does strikeout a lot and won't hit for average.

Swisher's multi-position eligibility makes him a little more draftable than one of his teammates like Paul Konerko. I had the choice of the two of them and I opted for a younger player who looks more on the upswing than an aging guy like Konerko. That being said anyone who drafts Swisher as anything more than a Corner Infielder/flex guy or fourth outfielder is taking a major risk. Swisher hasn't proven to generate the power numbers expected from a #1 first baseman and doesn't have the average or speed of a fantasy center fielder. So, buyer beware. Swisher is bargain or bust.

In this mock draft, I am looking at Swisher as my starting first baseman, unless something changes. If he comes up to his potential and hits over 30 HRs and drives in 100 runs (which is certainly possible), then I'll have gotten a steal. If his season more mirrors last season, then I better be finding another first baseman, just in case.

For those of you with a birthday coming up, Gerald Green would like to extend his best wishes:

I'd hoped to have done a longer post on today's race, but time seems to have gotten away from me.  So, here are some quick predictions for the Daytona 500:

• Sam Hornish Jr. will finish in the top 15, which would be a respectable finish for the former Indy 500 winner.  I'd give Dario Franchitti a chance to get there too if he wasn't starting in the 20th row.
• Kurt Busch will find a way to finish in the top 5, even from his starting position of #43.
• Dale Jarrett will struggle in what will likely be his final Daytona.  Too bad, he's one of the classiest drivers in the history of the sport.
• One of the Hendricks cars is going to go out early; I'll guess Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• My predicted top 5: Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin.

Your picks welcome below.