For those of you that followed the Mock Draft last month here on GSI.com, you already know I like the Giants' Ahmad Bradshaw and now is time to tell you why.

Really, it amazes me that this guy isn't getting more hype right now than he is.  Am I the only guy out there that watched the playoffs last year. Bradshaw came in handy for the Giants after both Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward went down with injuries and WAS the reason the Giants went to the Super Bowl. Sure, the defense was great and Eli Manning played smart but Bradshaw made the plays time and time again.

Most owners are assuming that Jacobs is going to be the man in New York, but he has never proven he can handle the full load and last year injuries got him in trouble. However, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride says the Giants will "ride the hot hand" this season when choosing which tailback to feature in a given week.

"Each of them has their strengths and areas that you like to take advantage of," Gilbride told the team's website when camp began. "They really serve as a nice complement to each other."

If healthy, expect Jacobs to be the touchdown maker. The numbers don't lie - 16 TD's on just 134 carries in the two years before Tiki's retirement. He left the season opener with a sprained MCL, and missed three games. He missed two more with an ankle injury, and left another three midway through. The Giants know the key to success is mixing it up and keep the big guy fresh.

Bradshaw though is a game-breaker. His 88-yard TD run last season was the NFL's longest of the year. He hits the hole well and has surpsingly good power for a back his size (5-foot-9, 198 lbs). In limited action, Bradshaw averaged 5.6 YPC on 71 attempts.

Tom Couglin loves to run the football, the Giants were fourth in the league last year in rushing offense and will use a stable of backs to be amongst the elite this year.

Bradshaw was facing some legal issues that raised some concern, but it does not appear to be an issue any longer.  NFL Network's Adam Schefter reported earlier this week that the league has determined Bradshaw is not in violation of the personal conduct policy. He will not be suspended. Bradshaw served 30 days in a Virginia jail earlier this offseason and must serve 30 more next year, but his violation predated his NFL career. 

Even if Jacobs stays healthy, I see Bradshaw being a legitimate RB3 right out of the gate this season, and a guy that could be a top-15 running back given the opportunity this year. In keeper leagues, he's even more appealing as Jacobs is facing a contract year.

I nabbed him with the 119th overall pick in the mock draft and would easily put him inside of the top 100 if I needed to, but too many owners are keeping him too far down on their list to warrant going after him too early. That makes him a legitimate fantasy sleeper.

Did you miss our RB Breakdown on GetSportsRadio.com? Check it out below:
Fantasy Playbook - RB Breakdown - join myself and Larry Schmitt as we preview fantasy wideouts.

The trading deadline sent many players into new lineups on Friday night and it quite an impact that a few of these guys made:

KEN GRIFFEY JR - WHITE SOX
Although admitting he still is adjusting to his new environment, Griffey became an instant hit because he had a pair of two-out RBI singles to help the Sox stay a half-game ahead of Minnesota in the American League Central with a 4-2 victory at Kansas City. These guys, they're different," Griffey said as he watched his teammates joke around in the clubhouse. "From 1 to 25, you will get talked about. I found out first-hand. So, it's just a matter of trying to fit and throw my jabs at them on the second day." ...MORE

MANNY RAMIREZ - DODGERS
Ramirez, making his debut for the Dodgers on Friday against the Diamondbacks, went 2-for-4 with two singles. However, the Dodgers lost a big game to the Diamondbacks. Ramirez had a chance to get something going in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on and nobody out, but D-Back's closer Brandon Lyon forced him to bounce into a double play. "I think I was trying to do too much," said Ramirez, who came in 2-for-3 lifetime against Lyon with a home run. "I was just trying to see the ball and hit it. He made a good pitch and got me out, but tomorrow's another day." ...MORE

JASON BAY - RED SOX
He made a splash in his debut with the Red Sox by tripling and scoring the winning run in the 12th inning as Boston began the post-Manny Ramirez era with a 2-1 win over the Oakland A's. The former Pirate admitted he thought he had a chance for a walkoff home run.  "When it left the bat, yeah,” said Bay, who scored both Red Sox runs. “It started drifting on me toward center field, but we’ll take what we can get. But (a homer) would’ve been something else.” ...MORE

Let's not forget about the pitcher that Reds got in return for Ken Griffey Jr...

NICK MASSET - REDS
Masset, a 26-year-old right-hander, was in Washington Friday and got an early call, entering the game in the bottom of the third inning. He pitched three shutout innings in relief of Homer Bailey, allowing one hit, striking out one and walking one in a 5-2 Reds' loss at Nationals' Park.  Masset has pitched in relief and and as a starter, but at this point Reds manager Dusty Baker plans to use him in middle relief. ...MORE

With the summer heating up, so are things here at GSI.com as we start our new series, Hottest Athletes (female):

LAURE MANAUDOU

Date of birth: October 6, 1986
Birth place: Villeurbanne, France
Sport: Olympic Swimmer

Bio: Manaudou currently holds the world records for the 400 m freestyle (Short Course) and 200 m freestyle (Long Course). She won the gold medal in the women's 400 m freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Controversy surrouned the gold medalist in 2007 though as former lover, an Italian swimmer named Luca Marin, leaked photos and videos of her over the Internet.  She seems like quite the crazy girl and one you will want to watch in this month's Olympics.

MORE PHOTOS

Other Post From Hottest Athlete Series:

• Victoria Vanucci
• Kristi Leskinen

A few weeks ago in one of my fantasy baseball leagues I lost a head-to-head matchup to Dan Clasgens. Over the years I have lost to Dan a number of times and it is always annoying. But this defeat was more difficult than usual. Yes, he put up a ton of points and seriously kicked my butt. But my team actually outscored 10 other teams in the league that week. In other words, if I was playing just about anyone else I would have won.

This week I am up against Dan again. It is Saturday morning as I put this piece together and I have a small lead over him and a bit of edge in the final two days. The big problem is we both hold the top two scores in the league for the week. One of us is going to outscore every other a team and still take a loss. So why am I explaining all this? Well, I think it's time to discuss the single largest factor in playing head-to-head in fantasy sports - luck.  

Many fantasy owners prepare more for their drafts than they did for their SAT's. They employ numerous draft strategies depending on the type of league, where they pick and how the draft is flowing. When the season begins they sort through the waiver wires each week and tweak lineups for maximum performance. But at the end of the week, there is one thing they can't control. No matter how many points a team puts up, no one can stop their opponent from outscoring them. That is nothing but luck.

Last year in one of my long lasting football keeper leagues, my wife put together a pretty good team. Without boring you with details, she consistently put up a ton of points and finished the season third in total scoring. But she lost four weeks to the team that had the most points and missed the playoffs. Had she played any other team in those weeks she would have been a top seed in the post-season and had a good chance at winning it all. Instead she eked out a victory in the Loser Bowl. That was just bad luck. 

I'm not bitter. I'm really not. After playing in numerous fantasy leagues over the past 10 years I have just learned to accept that there are somethings I cannot control. Sometimes everything just comes down to blind luck.

Unless, of course, I end up beating Dan. Then it was skill!!!