Alabama has been in this spot before, searching for a quarterback as it heads into a season, and usually it has worked out just fine.Coach Nick Sabans Crimson Tide has won four national titles since 2009 and three of those championships came with a first-time starting quarterback running the offense.So when talking about pivotal players in the Southeastern Conference, dont be so quick to mention Alabamas starting QB, whoever that might be. History suggests the Tide will be OK.No one player will ever hold the fortunes of a team and, notwithstanding Alabamas unique situation, the quarterback is going to be really important for every team. No need to name them all. With that said, here are six players who will play a big role in determining how things shake out in the SEC this season.Nick Chubb, RB, GeorgiaChubb was one of the best running backs in the country, right in the conversation with LSUs Leonard Fournette, when he blew out his knee last October. The sophomore was averaging 124.5 yards per game. New Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said he expects Chubb back by preseason camp but hedged on when he will be fully ready to roll and if he will play in the opener against North Carolina.Now Chubbs very capable backup, Sony Michel, is expected to be out six to eight weeks after breaking his arm. And the Bulldogs are unsettled at quarterback and receiver. The difference between a successful first season for Smart and a bumpy transition could come down to how soon Chubb is back to being the player he was before the injury.Gregory Little, OT, MississippiLaremy Tunsil is gone, leaving an NCAA mess and a big hole at left tackle behind in Oxford, Mississippi. In the 305-pound freshman from Texas, coach Hugh Freeze hopes he has another plug-and-play five-star lineman.The Rebels used redshirt freshman Alex Givens and senior Jeremy Liggins, a high school quarterback-turned-tight end and now 300-pound lineman, at tackle during the spring, and could even move center Sean Rawlings back outside. But getting Little established on quarterback Chad Kellys blind side could make a huge difference.Josh Dobbs, QB, TennesseeThe Volunteers are favored to win the East as coach Butch Jones rebuild appears to be nearing a peak. Dobbs has already established himself as dangerous dual-threat (2,291 yards passing, 671 yards rushing, 26 touchdowns accounted for) for a potentially powerful offense.The question is whether he can take the next step from good to great player by improving his accuracy (59.6 completion rate) and ability to stretch the field. It could be the difference between the Vols playing for an SEC championship or a national championship.Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&MThe Aggies already have maybe the best defensive end in the country in Myles Garrett. Paired with edge pass rusher Daeshon Hall, Texas A&M has one of the best combos in the country outside.Defensive coordinator John Chavis is hoping former five-star recruit Mack, who shed 25 pounds in the offseason to weigh-in at 315, can blossom into a steady run stuffer in the middle of a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league against the rush (5.01 yards per carry against).Carl Lawson, DE, AuburnIts a given that the Tigers need to solve a quarterback problem that was a big part of what ruined last season. Maybe JUCO transfer John Franklin is the next Nick Marshall? But for the second straight year Auburns defense was bad (5.37 yards per play allowed and just 19 sacks), and having a healthy Lawson could help change that.Lawson missed all of 2014 (knee) and much of 2015 (hip), but has the potential to solve Auburns pass rush problem.Antonio Callaway, WR, FloridaThe sophomores status with the team is murky. Callaways attorney says he has been held out due to a university conduct code issue. Coach Jim McElwain again this week said its still unclear when Callaway will be part of the team again.Solely from a football standpoint, the Gators are lacking established playmakers, breaking in a new quarterback and could really use Callaway, who averaged 19.4 yards per catch last season.Extra pointEight more pivotal players: Brandon Harris, QB, LSU; Kody Walker, RB, Arkansas; Alex Ross, RB, Missouri; Matt Elam, DT, Kentucky; AJ Jefferson, DE, Mississippi State; Ralph Webb, RB, Vanderbilt.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter/ralphDrussoAP Kevin Wyatt Jersey Retro . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Jordan Franks Jersey Retro . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/donald-payne-jersey-retro/ . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Bud Cooper Jersey Retro . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Nyle McFarlane Jersey Retro . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. The ink on Giannis Antetokounmpos new four-year, $100 million contract extension with Milwaukee hadnt even dried yet when the news came out on Sept. 21 that his teammate, Khris Middleton, had torn his left hamstring and would likely be out for six months.What a crushing blow to the Bucks, losing one of the games most underrated players for the majority of the 2016-17 NBA season.To me, all this did is drive home how much every players fantasy value is directly tied in with those around him. Losing Middleton, who quietly averaged 18.2 points and 1.8 3-pointers per game last season while shooting 88.8 percent from the free throw line, dishing out 4.2 assists and swiping 1.7 steals, means teammates like Antetokounmpo must step up to fill his void.For a player like Antetokounmpo, who already set career highs in just about every statistical category last season, the expectations suddenly rise to a whole new level. Hell likely play more than the 35.3 minutes he averaged last season, and theres a good chance his 21.8 usage rate will also rise. Thats why we have bumped the Greek Freak up two spots from No. 14 to No. 12 on our rankings. Keep in mind, too, that if Antetokounmpo adds a 3-point shot to his already impressive repertoire this season, hes a top 5 fantasy player for years to come.The ripple effects from Middletons injury dont stop there, however, as players like Michael Beasley -- acquired from Houston after Middleton went down -- and Mirza Teletovic, acquired as a free agent over the summer, now have a chance to see expanded roles with the Bucks. Beasley jumped from No. 173 to No. 141 and Teletovic from No. 134 to No. 118 in the rankings.Losing Middleton in fantasy this season also thins out the two positions he qualifies at, shooting guard and small forward, making players like Carmelo Anthony, Nicolas Batum, DeMar DeRozan, Evan Fournier and Trevor Ariza more valuable in that 30-50 range of the draft.As we move ahead, with the NBAs regular season set to tip off on Oct. 25, here are some of the other big changes to the ESPN fantasy basketball rankings since our last update on Sept. 1.Uncertainty with Chris Bosh: We already ranked Bosh fairly low in our previous rankings, putting him at No. 120, but he drops to No. 160 following the news of his failed physical with Miami. Heat president Pat Riley already came out and said that the team views Boshs career with Miami as over. Whether Bosh ever playss again for another team remains to be seen, but at this point theres a very real chance that his recurring blood clot issues in recent years could keep the 32-year-old off the court for good.ddddddddddddJrue Holidays situation: Shortly after our last rankings came out, which pegged Holiday No. 53 overall, the New Orleans point guard announced that he would miss the start of the season to be with his wife, Lauren, who faces brain surgery. My family comes before basketball, Holiday told The Times-Picayune. Im obviously blessed to play this game and be in the position I am in, but my wife is the most important thing in the world to me. She comes before anything else. Lauren has since given birth to a healthy baby girl, which is wonderful news, but now must prepare for surgery to remove a tumor. We wish her and the whole Holiday family well throughout this difficult time.The rise of Myles Turner and DAngelo Russell: In the dozens of mock drafts I took part in throughout September, no two players were consistently drafted well above their listed ranking than Turner and Russell. Its clear that both were listed too low in our earlier rankings, and therefore an adjustment is order for each of the talented second-year players. Turner moves up from No. 101 to No. 72, while Russell goes from No. 81 to No. 66.Biggest fallers: Aside from Middleton, Bosh and Holiday, who each slid in the rankings for very separate reasons, several others moved down because they were simply ranked too high. Notables from that list include Klay Thompson (27 to 32), Andre Iguodala (93 to 122), Dwyane Wade (57 to 64) and Bradley Beal (59 to 75). These adjustments are more in line with where these players are being drafted in most ESPN drafts.Hardens new position: You will find many players now qualify at multiple positions, but there is no bigger one to take note of than James Harden, who has moved to point guard. Ive mentioned over the past few weeks how important it is to draft a point guard in the top 30 picks of the draft, and with Harden now qualifying at both point guard and shooting guard -- and Rockets coach Mike DAntoni scheming to get the ball in Hardens hands more than ever before -- an argument can certainly be made for drafting Harden first overall ahead of Oklahoma Citys Russell Westbrook. ' ' '
