Denver Broncos RB Travis Henry has reportedly tested positive for marijuana use. Considering Henry has already received a 4 game suspension as a result for testing positive for marijuana use in 2005, Henry now faces a 1 year suspension from the league. Henry has filed a grievence stating that his "experts" were not present when the testing took place, but that suit likely has no ground and will probably be dismissed. It's a last-ditch effort from Henry to avoid a suspension, but it seems imminent at this point. It's a huge blow to those who drafted Henry in the late 1st/early 2nd round.
Fantasy Impact: I apologize for not posting this last night when I first read about it as I was on my way out the door for softball. If he's available, pick up Selvin Young immediately as he'll likely be the Denver starter. Unfortunately with Henry out of the picture, who knows what Shanahan will do in his backfield. With Henry, he had a reliable veteran and almost a financial obligation to use him as the primary ball carrier. Young overtook Mike Bell in the preseason with a very strong performance, and he has looked great running the ball in limited regular season work. If he starts faltering or shows a propensity to put the ball on the ground, Shanahan has shown that he has no problem mixing and matching in his backfield. Should Henry be suspended, Young's backup is currently unknown. Ahmad Hall, Cecil Sapp, and Mike Bell could all get a chance.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
NFL Week 5: Injury Report
QB:
J.P. Losman - Losman suffered a sprained MCL in week 3, and he is out for week 5. It looks like he'll return in week 7 after Buffalo's bye. Rookie Trent Edwards will start in his place.
Tavaris Jackson - Jackson strained his groin in week 2, missed weeks 3 and 4, and is on bye in week 5. He expects to start in week 6. Kelly Holcomb would start again if Jackson can't go.
Jake Delhomme - Delhomme strained his throwing elbow in week 3, he missed week 4, and he's out for week 5. David Carr will start in his place again, and makes for a weak option despite a favorable matchup.
Matt Leinart - No injury here, but this bizarre QBBC is in full effect. Keep Leinart firmly on your bench until he's playing all game. I wouldn't drop him as he still has upside and this could be a motivational tactic, but you can't use him this week not knowing what will come of this. Kurt Warner is worth stashing depending on your roster size as he'd be a QB1 if he'd play all game.
Alex Smith - Smith separated his shoulder in week 4, and he is out for week 5. When he'll return is in question right now, and Trent Dilfer will start in his place. Dilfer is a poor QB2.
Marc Bulger - Bulger suffered broken ribs in week 2, and he is out for week 5. Gus Frerotte willl start in his place, and he makes for a decent QB2.
RB:
Laurence Maroney - Maroney injured his groin in week 3, he missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He was limited in practice all week and will be a gametime decision. If he can't start, Sammy Morris will, and he would be a great RB2.
Rudi Johnson - Johnson suffered a an injured hamstring in week 3, missed week 4, and he is on bye in week 5. He hopes to return in week 6. Kenny Watson would start again if Rudi can't go.
Ahman Green - Green sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. He was limited in practice all week, and will likely be a gameday inactive. Ron Dayne will start if Green can't go, and he has a favorable matchup against the Dolphins.
Joseph Addai - Addai bruised his shoulder in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice all week, but participated in walk-throughs. If I had to guess, he'll start in week 5. He'll be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go. Kenton Keith will start if Addai can't go, and he'd make a solid RB2 option.
Travis Henry - Henry spranied his knee in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but returned to practice on Friday. He'll be a gametime decision, and Selvin Young will start if Henry can't go. Young would be a quality RB2 option.
LaMont Jordan - Jordan hurt his back in week 4, but he is on bye in week 5. Jordan seemed to be in quite a bit of pain after the injury, but X-Rays came back negative, so hopefully he'll return to the field in week 6. Dominic Rhodes and Justin Fargas would likely split the workload if Jordan can't go.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs sprained his knee in week 1, missed weeks 2-4, but will play in week 5. Jacobs started the year as the every down RB, but given the emergence of Derrick Ward while Jacobs was injured, Ward will likely get extensive work on passing downs at least. Given Jacobs hasn't played in a month, he'll likely be limited somewhat, but he'll get the goalline carries and makes for a fine flex/bye-week fill-in.
Brian Westbrook - Westbrook strained his abs in week 3, missed week 4, and is on bye in week 5. He hopes to return in week 6.
Clinton Portis - Portis hurt his knee in week 3, but he will start in week 5.
Kevin Jones - Jones has returned from his foot fracture, but he's still being eased into the offense. He split carries almost evenly in week 4, but still remains a very questionable play in week 5. Until he gets a solid workload, it's very hard to recommend him, although he's obviously the preferred option at the goalline.
Brandon Jackson - Jackson strained his shin in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. With the return of Vernand Morency and the continued use of DeShawn Wynn, dumping him for a more attractice waiver wire option is a solid idea. There's no way he's earned the majority of the carries, and he won't return to a featured role anytime soon.
Cadillac Williams - Williams tore his patella tendon in week 4 and is out for the year. Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham will split the workload in his place. Pittman will probably see more carries overall and more work in the passing game, but Graham appears to be the preferred option at the goalline.
Steven Jackson - Jackson tore his groin in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. He'll likely need a few more weeks to heal. Brian Leonard will start in his place, but he's nothing more than a RB3 given the struggling Rams offense around him.
WR:
Hines Ward - Ward sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. Santonio Holmes and Heath Miller would benefit from Ward's absence.
Andre Johnson - Johnson sprained his knee in week 2, missed weeks 3 and 4, and is out for week 5. He still hasn't practiced yet and reports indicate that he's still walking with a limp, so it would be surprising if he played in week 6.
Marvin Harrison - Harrison strained his knee in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice all week. He'll be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go.
Javon Walker - Walker experienced soreness in his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. Brandon Marshall is the biggest benefactor. Brandon Stokley will start in his place, but is a very weak fantasy option.
Plaxico Burress - Burress injured his ankle in week 2, but he played well in weeks 3 and 4. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He's expected to play in week 5, and he'll remain a solid redzone threat, but this injury could limit his downfield effectiveness.
Santana Moss - Moss strained his groin in week 3, and is out in week 5. Antwaan Randle El would be a risky WR3 option, but he has a favorable matchup against Detroit. Chris Cooley will likely benefit the most from Moss' absence.
Calvin Johnson - Johnson bruised his back in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He was limited in practice all week, so while it seems like he's expected to play, have an alternative ready in case he doesn't.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin hurt his hip in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. He missed practice all week. He's listed as doubtful. Bryant Johnson will likely start in his place, but isn't a fantasy option.
TE:
Todd Heap - Heap injured his hamstring in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He'll probably be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go.
Kellen Winslow - Winslow suffered a partially separated shoulder in week 3, but played well in week 4, and should play in week 5. He was limited in practice all week, so check the gameday inactives to make sure. Having a TE2 ready is a good idea, just in case.
Vernon Davis - Davis sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. He's expected to return in week 7 after the 49ers' bye week.
D:
Chicago - Chicago's defense was hit hard with injuries in week 3, and it looks like CB Charles Tillman, CB Nathan Vasher, and LB Lance Briggs will miss the game in week 5. Their D-Line appears healthy, but their secondary is a mess. I apologize for suggesting looking for other options in week 4 given the turnover-prone Kitna, but Favre and the Packers should do a better job of torching the defense. I'd again consider other options.
J.P. Losman - Losman suffered a sprained MCL in week 3, and he is out for week 5. It looks like he'll return in week 7 after Buffalo's bye. Rookie Trent Edwards will start in his place.
Tavaris Jackson - Jackson strained his groin in week 2, missed weeks 3 and 4, and is on bye in week 5. He expects to start in week 6. Kelly Holcomb would start again if Jackson can't go.
Jake Delhomme - Delhomme strained his throwing elbow in week 3, he missed week 4, and he's out for week 5. David Carr will start in his place again, and makes for a weak option despite a favorable matchup.
Matt Leinart - No injury here, but this bizarre QBBC is in full effect. Keep Leinart firmly on your bench until he's playing all game. I wouldn't drop him as he still has upside and this could be a motivational tactic, but you can't use him this week not knowing what will come of this. Kurt Warner is worth stashing depending on your roster size as he'd be a QB1 if he'd play all game.
Alex Smith - Smith separated his shoulder in week 4, and he is out for week 5. When he'll return is in question right now, and Trent Dilfer will start in his place. Dilfer is a poor QB2.
Marc Bulger - Bulger suffered broken ribs in week 2, and he is out for week 5. Gus Frerotte willl start in his place, and he makes for a decent QB2.
RB:
Laurence Maroney - Maroney injured his groin in week 3, he missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He was limited in practice all week and will be a gametime decision. If he can't start, Sammy Morris will, and he would be a great RB2.
Rudi Johnson - Johnson suffered a an injured hamstring in week 3, missed week 4, and he is on bye in week 5. He hopes to return in week 6. Kenny Watson would start again if Rudi can't go.
Ahman Green - Green sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. He was limited in practice all week, and will likely be a gameday inactive. Ron Dayne will start if Green can't go, and he has a favorable matchup against the Dolphins.
Joseph Addai - Addai bruised his shoulder in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice all week, but participated in walk-throughs. If I had to guess, he'll start in week 5. He'll be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go. Kenton Keith will start if Addai can't go, and he'd make a solid RB2 option.
Travis Henry - Henry spranied his knee in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but returned to practice on Friday. He'll be a gametime decision, and Selvin Young will start if Henry can't go. Young would be a quality RB2 option.
LaMont Jordan - Jordan hurt his back in week 4, but he is on bye in week 5. Jordan seemed to be in quite a bit of pain after the injury, but X-Rays came back negative, so hopefully he'll return to the field in week 6. Dominic Rhodes and Justin Fargas would likely split the workload if Jordan can't go.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs sprained his knee in week 1, missed weeks 2-4, but will play in week 5. Jacobs started the year as the every down RB, but given the emergence of Derrick Ward while Jacobs was injured, Ward will likely get extensive work on passing downs at least. Given Jacobs hasn't played in a month, he'll likely be limited somewhat, but he'll get the goalline carries and makes for a fine flex/bye-week fill-in.
Brian Westbrook - Westbrook strained his abs in week 3, missed week 4, and is on bye in week 5. He hopes to return in week 6.
Clinton Portis - Portis hurt his knee in week 3, but he will start in week 5.
Kevin Jones - Jones has returned from his foot fracture, but he's still being eased into the offense. He split carries almost evenly in week 4, but still remains a very questionable play in week 5. Until he gets a solid workload, it's very hard to recommend him, although he's obviously the preferred option at the goalline.
Brandon Jackson - Jackson strained his shin in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. With the return of Vernand Morency and the continued use of DeShawn Wynn, dumping him for a more attractice waiver wire option is a solid idea. There's no way he's earned the majority of the carries, and he won't return to a featured role anytime soon.
Cadillac Williams - Williams tore his patella tendon in week 4 and is out for the year. Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham will split the workload in his place. Pittman will probably see more carries overall and more work in the passing game, but Graham appears to be the preferred option at the goalline.
Steven Jackson - Jackson tore his groin in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. He'll likely need a few more weeks to heal. Brian Leonard will start in his place, but he's nothing more than a RB3 given the struggling Rams offense around him.
WR:
Hines Ward - Ward sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. Santonio Holmes and Heath Miller would benefit from Ward's absence.
Andre Johnson - Johnson sprained his knee in week 2, missed weeks 3 and 4, and is out for week 5. He still hasn't practiced yet and reports indicate that he's still walking with a limp, so it would be surprising if he played in week 6.
Marvin Harrison - Harrison strained his knee in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice all week. He'll be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go.
Javon Walker - Walker experienced soreness in his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. Brandon Marshall is the biggest benefactor. Brandon Stokley will start in his place, but is a very weak fantasy option.
Plaxico Burress - Burress injured his ankle in week 2, but he played well in weeks 3 and 4. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He's expected to play in week 5, and he'll remain a solid redzone threat, but this injury could limit his downfield effectiveness.
Santana Moss - Moss strained his groin in week 3, and is out in week 5. Antwaan Randle El would be a risky WR3 option, but he has a favorable matchup against Detroit. Chris Cooley will likely benefit the most from Moss' absence.
Calvin Johnson - Johnson bruised his back in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He was limited in practice all week, so while it seems like he's expected to play, have an alternative ready in case he doesn't.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin hurt his hip in week 3, missed week 4, and his status for week 5 is in doubt. He missed practice all week. He's listed as doubtful. Bryant Johnson will likely start in his place, but isn't a fantasy option.
TE:
Todd Heap - Heap injured his hamstring in week 4, and his status for week 5 is in question. He missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He'll probably be a gametime decision, so have an alternative at the same time or later ready to go.
Kellen Winslow - Winslow suffered a partially separated shoulder in week 3, but played well in week 4, and should play in week 5. He was limited in practice all week, so check the gameday inactives to make sure. Having a TE2 ready is a good idea, just in case.
Vernon Davis - Davis sprained his knee in week 3, missed week 4, and is out for week 5. He's expected to return in week 7 after the 49ers' bye week.
D:
Chicago - Chicago's defense was hit hard with injuries in week 3, and it looks like CB Charles Tillman, CB Nathan Vasher, and LB Lance Briggs will miss the game in week 5. Their D-Line appears healthy, but their secondary is a mess. I apologize for suggesting looking for other options in week 4 given the turnover-prone Kitna, but Favre and the Packers should do a better job of torching the defense. I'd again consider other options.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
NFL Week 4: Monday Night Game Wrapup
New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals
Tom Brady - 25/32, 231 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. What's crazy is that this was his worst game of the season so far.
Carson Palmer - 21/35, 234 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. The NE defense is tough, but Palmer missed several open targets and was not on top of his game. The Bengals have a bye week to figure out what's wrong with their offense as it hasn't looked right the last 2 games.
Sammy Morris - 21/117, 2/15, 1 TD. Morris was a beast against a beat up Bengals rush defense, cranking out yardage and scoring late in the game. He's a must-have for Maroney owners, and he's a solid pickup for other guys as well given the uncertain health of Maroney.
Kenny Watson - 13/55, 2/8. Watson looked very good running the ball, but with the Bengals falling behind so fast, he didn't get many touches. He's a must-have for Rudi owners, but other owners should look elsewhere with Cincy on bye this week. That might give Rudi enough time to heal.
Randy Moss - 9/102, 2 TD. The steal of the fantasy draft? It's looking that way so far. He's as good as he's ever been, and he and Brady are sharing a very special chemistry right now. The Bengals took away the deep ball, so Moss was content to carve them up underneath. Cleveland's up next, and they can't cover anyone.
Wes Welker - 3/22, 1/27. A bit disappointing given the weak opponent, but Stallworth emerged as an option this week, which could mean problems for Welker's value moving forward. A nice run on a reverse gave him a decent yardage total.
Donte Stallworth - 4/49. He finally broke through with his best game of the season. With Moss hogging all the fun and Welker owning the slot, he'll be inconsistent, but he could re-emerge as a fantasy factor with another solid week. Pick him up if you have a hole in your WR core, and taking a chance with him against the Browns this week probably won't hurt you.
Ben Watson - 2/12. He's a forgotten man in terms of yardage, and he's going to do this when he doesn't score, as I mentioned before. He's a better TE2 than a TE1 thanks to the lack of yardage.
Chad Johnson - 3/53. CJ was visibly frustrated for much of the game as he was able to get open, but Palmer threw errantly towards him a number of times. CJ made an outstanding catch having to come back towards the ball in the 1st half. Expect improvement after the bye week.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 10/100, 1 TD. He's been a WR1 this year so far thanks to his consistent catches and TDs. He's been gold in PPR leagues. The Bengals are stuggling a bit, but Housh's owners haven't noticed.
Tom Brady - 25/32, 231 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. What's crazy is that this was his worst game of the season so far.
Carson Palmer - 21/35, 234 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. The NE defense is tough, but Palmer missed several open targets and was not on top of his game. The Bengals have a bye week to figure out what's wrong with their offense as it hasn't looked right the last 2 games.
Sammy Morris - 21/117, 2/15, 1 TD. Morris was a beast against a beat up Bengals rush defense, cranking out yardage and scoring late in the game. He's a must-have for Maroney owners, and he's a solid pickup for other guys as well given the uncertain health of Maroney.
Kenny Watson - 13/55, 2/8. Watson looked very good running the ball, but with the Bengals falling behind so fast, he didn't get many touches. He's a must-have for Rudi owners, but other owners should look elsewhere with Cincy on bye this week. That might give Rudi enough time to heal.
Randy Moss - 9/102, 2 TD. The steal of the fantasy draft? It's looking that way so far. He's as good as he's ever been, and he and Brady are sharing a very special chemistry right now. The Bengals took away the deep ball, so Moss was content to carve them up underneath. Cleveland's up next, and they can't cover anyone.
Wes Welker - 3/22, 1/27. A bit disappointing given the weak opponent, but Stallworth emerged as an option this week, which could mean problems for Welker's value moving forward. A nice run on a reverse gave him a decent yardage total.
Donte Stallworth - 4/49. He finally broke through with his best game of the season. With Moss hogging all the fun and Welker owning the slot, he'll be inconsistent, but he could re-emerge as a fantasy factor with another solid week. Pick him up if you have a hole in your WR core, and taking a chance with him against the Browns this week probably won't hurt you.
Ben Watson - 2/12. He's a forgotten man in terms of yardage, and he's going to do this when he doesn't score, as I mentioned before. He's a better TE2 than a TE1 thanks to the lack of yardage.
Chad Johnson - 3/53. CJ was visibly frustrated for much of the game as he was able to get open, but Palmer threw errantly towards him a number of times. CJ made an outstanding catch having to come back towards the ball in the 1st half. Expect improvement after the bye week.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 10/100, 1 TD. He's been a WR1 this year so far thanks to his consistent catches and TDs. He's been gold in PPR leagues. The Bengals are stuggling a bit, but Housh's owners haven't noticed.
NFL Week 4: Late Game Wrapup
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Matt Hasselbeck - 23/31, 281 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 3/-3. Another solid game from Hasselbeck, especially considering the 49ers secondary has been playing very well. He's settling into a nice groove with his WRs and remains a low-end QB1.
Alex Smith - 0/1. - He separated his shoulder and will miss time. Dilfer was horrible in his absence.
Shaun Alexander - 25/78. A disappointing effort from Alexander, although the 49ers run D has been pretty solid thus far. He remains likely to disappoint this season, and he also remains a health risk.
Frank Gore - 16/79, 3/42, 1 FL. I'll declare that Gore is back. The lost fumble was disappointing, but he averaged almost 5 yards a carry, and he produced in the passing game again, suggesting that his broken hand is healthy. He faces a stern test at Baltimore this weekend.
Deion Branch - 7/130. Another huge game from Branch who's clearly clicking with Hasselbeck now. He's a soild WR2 moving forward.
Darrell Jackson - 3/38. He'll possibly get worse with Dilfer now starting for a while. I wouldn't use him as anything more than a WR4 until Dilfer proves that he'll use the veteran consistently.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals
Ben Roethlisberger - 17/32, 244 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 4/26. Thanks to garbage time, Big Ben put up a reasonable stat line. He was barely doing anything until two late drives which gave him about 100 yards and a TD, along with an INT. I'm very disappointed in his performance so far as the Steelers seem content to run the ball. I thought the new offensive coordinator, which usually runs a pass-happy offense, would change things. Still, he's the 8th ranked QB in standard formats and has been consistent.
Matt Leinart/Kurt Warner - No stats necessary. They split time with Warner being far more effective again. Warner would prove to be a QB1 if he were to get all the playing time, but Wisenhunt is trying to be cute by doing this. Either win now with Warner, or live through the growing pains of Leinart. This system is ridiculous for both fantasy football and real football.
Willie Parker - 19/37, 4/29. He saved his day with a 20 yard run late in the game, leaving him with modest yardage totals. Arizona has played the run surprisingly well so far, presumably thanks to the new defensive philosophy. Nothing to worry about here as Parker did this several times last year as well.
Edgerrin James - 21/77, 1/7, 1 TD. He struggled with his yardage thanks to the stout Pittsburgh D, but tossed in a TD to post a quality RB2 afternoon. He has definitely been a solid value for those who gambled on him in the late 2nd/early 3rd round.
Santonio Holmes - 6/128, 2 TDs. Holmes, as expected, posted a big game with the absence of Hines Ward. I believe you'll see Holmes become the top receiver for Pittsburgh, even if Ward returns, as some suggested prior to the season starting.
Heath Miller - 3/46. Another solid yardage afternon for Miller, although I expected more with Ward missing the game. He remains a low-end TE1.
Larry Fitzgerald - 11/123, 1 FL. Fitzgerald put up big yardage totals with the absence of Boldin, and probably would have had an even bigger game had Warner played all of it. He still hasn't found the endzone yet, which has been extremely disappointing. He's a solid WR2.
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts
Jay Cutler - 13/21, 131 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/11, 1 TD, 1 FL. As many assumed, he struggled against the solid Colts pass D, but produced 2 TDs to put together a solid fantasy effort. SD's disappointing defense and their porous secondary is up next and presents a favorable matchup for him.
Peyton Manning - 20/27, 193 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 4/-3, 1 TD. The stout Denver secondary limited Manning's day, but he was efficient, using Clark over the middle of the field, and letting his running game batter the poor Denver rushing D. All his TDs came from within the 10 yardline, and he called his own number after Addai drove them down the field as Addai's frustrated owners watched.
Travis Henry - 26/131. He gashed the Indy run D, but ended his afternoon early by awkwardly bending his knee in a pile. He initially feared the worst, but it appears that he escaped a major injury. His status for week 5 is in question.
Joseph Addai - 19/136, 3/10, 1 TD. Addai torched the Denver D all afternoon, but left early with a bruised shoulder. Addai was seen similing on the sidelines and said he could have played had the game been close. He might not practice much, and Indy might mess with the injury report this week by listing him as questionable, but I fully believe that he'll start and be fine.
Brandon Marshall - 3/23, 1 TD. He was held in check thanks to the Indy secondary, but found a way to score and post a solid afternoon. If Walker misses week 5, he should be able to own the SD secondary for a nice afternoon.
Marvin Harrison - 1/8. He left the game with a knee injury of some sort and never returned. The Colts didn't need to pass much and pretty much had control of this one, but I'm not sure if he would have returned. His status is a mystery right now.
Reggie Wayne - 5/38, 1 TD. Champ shut him down for the most part, but he wiggled free for a TD and saved his fantasy afternoon. If Harrison were to miss week 5, Wayne could have a huge day against Tampa Bay.
Dallas Clark - 6/76, 2 TD. He smoked the middle of the Broncos defense on a day when the Colts smartly kept the ball away from Bailey and Bly. Clark has turned into an elite TE1 and is owning the middle of the field for a team that's always a threat to throw deep down the sidelines.
Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers
Damon Huard - 17/29, 284 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 2/-3. Huard showed how weak the Chargers secondary is right now by burning them numerous times down the field. He's gaining job security with each solid performance and could become a QB2 option soon.
Phillip Rivers - 21/42, 211 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT. Ridiculous. The Chargers are having trouble finding an offensive identity with the new coaching staff, and Rivers is a victim of these problems. Bench him against Denver.
Larry Johnson - 25/123, 3/25, 1 TD. He lives! In what projected to be a tough matchup for him, LJ finally broke through for a big day. I still remain worried about his health, and Jacksonville could provide a tough test. They've been erratic with their run D, however.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 20/132, 5/22, 1 TD. As promised, LT delivered in a big way against a weak KC run D. Unfortuantely SD collapsed in the 2nd half and cost Tomlinson some touches.
Dwayne Bowe - 8/164, 1 TD. He's for real, and has become an every week start. This could be the 2007 version of Marques Colston. Huard looks for him often, and with Kennison returning, it could keep double teams off of him.
Tony Gonzalez - 5/71, 1 TD. A great afternoon for the veteran who will benefit if KC stays with Huard for the season.
Antonio Gates - 6/79. A down game by his 2007 standards. He will likely draw Champ Bailey often in week 5 and Denver has done a good job against him in the past, but he remains a must start.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Donovan McNabb - 15/31, 138 yards, 4/4, 1 FL. He was sacked an NFL record 12 times as the Giants defensive line and blitzers lived in the Eagles backfield all night long. This was hardly his fault, and he really needs All-Pro William Thomas to return at LT. 2nd year man Winston Justice was abused by Umenyiora. He has a bye week in week 5 to lick his wounds.
Eli Manning - 14/26, 135 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/-5. The Eagles have done a number on Eli in his short career, and this actually qualifies as one of his best outings against them. He would have had a very nice afternoon had Amani Toomer not been dragged down by a defender on what would have been a sure long TD.
Correll Buckhalter - 17/103, 4/35. Who needs Westbrook? Just kidding of course, but Buckhalter is a must-own while Westbrook is on the mend. He led his team in both rushing and receiving, but you can forget about him this week with the Eagles on bye.
Derrick Ward - 19/80, 3/26. If this was Ward's last start with Jacobs set to return in week 5, he went out in an impressive fashion, doing what he does best by gaining solid yardage all game long.
Kevin Curtis - 2/21. An indirect victim of the relentless Giants pass rush. The Eagles have a bye week to fix their offensive problems, and hopefully Curtis will emerge as a consistent fantasy option after the break.
Reggie Brown - 3/17. See above.
Plaxico Burress - 4/24, 1 TD. He's not getting deep as he's presumably slowed by his bum ankle. He'll continue to play through it, and he remains one of the best redzone targets in the game. Hopefully he'll start making more plays down the field, however.
Jeremy Shockey - 1/17. The Eagles held the entire passing game in check, and Shockey was a victim. He's still a great TE1.
Matt Hasselbeck - 23/31, 281 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 3/-3. Another solid game from Hasselbeck, especially considering the 49ers secondary has been playing very well. He's settling into a nice groove with his WRs and remains a low-end QB1.
Alex Smith - 0/1. - He separated his shoulder and will miss time. Dilfer was horrible in his absence.
Shaun Alexander - 25/78. A disappointing effort from Alexander, although the 49ers run D has been pretty solid thus far. He remains likely to disappoint this season, and he also remains a health risk.
Frank Gore - 16/79, 3/42, 1 FL. I'll declare that Gore is back. The lost fumble was disappointing, but he averaged almost 5 yards a carry, and he produced in the passing game again, suggesting that his broken hand is healthy. He faces a stern test at Baltimore this weekend.
Deion Branch - 7/130. Another huge game from Branch who's clearly clicking with Hasselbeck now. He's a soild WR2 moving forward.
Darrell Jackson - 3/38. He'll possibly get worse with Dilfer now starting for a while. I wouldn't use him as anything more than a WR4 until Dilfer proves that he'll use the veteran consistently.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals
Ben Roethlisberger - 17/32, 244 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 4/26. Thanks to garbage time, Big Ben put up a reasonable stat line. He was barely doing anything until two late drives which gave him about 100 yards and a TD, along with an INT. I'm very disappointed in his performance so far as the Steelers seem content to run the ball. I thought the new offensive coordinator, which usually runs a pass-happy offense, would change things. Still, he's the 8th ranked QB in standard formats and has been consistent.
Matt Leinart/Kurt Warner - No stats necessary. They split time with Warner being far more effective again. Warner would prove to be a QB1 if he were to get all the playing time, but Wisenhunt is trying to be cute by doing this. Either win now with Warner, or live through the growing pains of Leinart. This system is ridiculous for both fantasy football and real football.
Willie Parker - 19/37, 4/29. He saved his day with a 20 yard run late in the game, leaving him with modest yardage totals. Arizona has played the run surprisingly well so far, presumably thanks to the new defensive philosophy. Nothing to worry about here as Parker did this several times last year as well.
Edgerrin James - 21/77, 1/7, 1 TD. He struggled with his yardage thanks to the stout Pittsburgh D, but tossed in a TD to post a quality RB2 afternoon. He has definitely been a solid value for those who gambled on him in the late 2nd/early 3rd round.
Santonio Holmes - 6/128, 2 TDs. Holmes, as expected, posted a big game with the absence of Hines Ward. I believe you'll see Holmes become the top receiver for Pittsburgh, even if Ward returns, as some suggested prior to the season starting.
Heath Miller - 3/46. Another solid yardage afternon for Miller, although I expected more with Ward missing the game. He remains a low-end TE1.
Larry Fitzgerald - 11/123, 1 FL. Fitzgerald put up big yardage totals with the absence of Boldin, and probably would have had an even bigger game had Warner played all of it. He still hasn't found the endzone yet, which has been extremely disappointing. He's a solid WR2.
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts
Jay Cutler - 13/21, 131 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/11, 1 TD, 1 FL. As many assumed, he struggled against the solid Colts pass D, but produced 2 TDs to put together a solid fantasy effort. SD's disappointing defense and their porous secondary is up next and presents a favorable matchup for him.
Peyton Manning - 20/27, 193 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 4/-3, 1 TD. The stout Denver secondary limited Manning's day, but he was efficient, using Clark over the middle of the field, and letting his running game batter the poor Denver rushing D. All his TDs came from within the 10 yardline, and he called his own number after Addai drove them down the field as Addai's frustrated owners watched.
Travis Henry - 26/131. He gashed the Indy run D, but ended his afternoon early by awkwardly bending his knee in a pile. He initially feared the worst, but it appears that he escaped a major injury. His status for week 5 is in question.
Joseph Addai - 19/136, 3/10, 1 TD. Addai torched the Denver D all afternoon, but left early with a bruised shoulder. Addai was seen similing on the sidelines and said he could have played had the game been close. He might not practice much, and Indy might mess with the injury report this week by listing him as questionable, but I fully believe that he'll start and be fine.
Brandon Marshall - 3/23, 1 TD. He was held in check thanks to the Indy secondary, but found a way to score and post a solid afternoon. If Walker misses week 5, he should be able to own the SD secondary for a nice afternoon.
Marvin Harrison - 1/8. He left the game with a knee injury of some sort and never returned. The Colts didn't need to pass much and pretty much had control of this one, but I'm not sure if he would have returned. His status is a mystery right now.
Reggie Wayne - 5/38, 1 TD. Champ shut him down for the most part, but he wiggled free for a TD and saved his fantasy afternoon. If Harrison were to miss week 5, Wayne could have a huge day against Tampa Bay.
Dallas Clark - 6/76, 2 TD. He smoked the middle of the Broncos defense on a day when the Colts smartly kept the ball away from Bailey and Bly. Clark has turned into an elite TE1 and is owning the middle of the field for a team that's always a threat to throw deep down the sidelines.
Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers
Damon Huard - 17/29, 284 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 2/-3. Huard showed how weak the Chargers secondary is right now by burning them numerous times down the field. He's gaining job security with each solid performance and could become a QB2 option soon.
Phillip Rivers - 21/42, 211 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT. Ridiculous. The Chargers are having trouble finding an offensive identity with the new coaching staff, and Rivers is a victim of these problems. Bench him against Denver.
Larry Johnson - 25/123, 3/25, 1 TD. He lives! In what projected to be a tough matchup for him, LJ finally broke through for a big day. I still remain worried about his health, and Jacksonville could provide a tough test. They've been erratic with their run D, however.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 20/132, 5/22, 1 TD. As promised, LT delivered in a big way against a weak KC run D. Unfortuantely SD collapsed in the 2nd half and cost Tomlinson some touches.
Dwayne Bowe - 8/164, 1 TD. He's for real, and has become an every week start. This could be the 2007 version of Marques Colston. Huard looks for him often, and with Kennison returning, it could keep double teams off of him.
Tony Gonzalez - 5/71, 1 TD. A great afternoon for the veteran who will benefit if KC stays with Huard for the season.
Antonio Gates - 6/79. A down game by his 2007 standards. He will likely draw Champ Bailey often in week 5 and Denver has done a good job against him in the past, but he remains a must start.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Donovan McNabb - 15/31, 138 yards, 4/4, 1 FL. He was sacked an NFL record 12 times as the Giants defensive line and blitzers lived in the Eagles backfield all night long. This was hardly his fault, and he really needs All-Pro William Thomas to return at LT. 2nd year man Winston Justice was abused by Umenyiora. He has a bye week in week 5 to lick his wounds.
Eli Manning - 14/26, 135 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/-5. The Eagles have done a number on Eli in his short career, and this actually qualifies as one of his best outings against them. He would have had a very nice afternoon had Amani Toomer not been dragged down by a defender on what would have been a sure long TD.
Correll Buckhalter - 17/103, 4/35. Who needs Westbrook? Just kidding of course, but Buckhalter is a must-own while Westbrook is on the mend. He led his team in both rushing and receiving, but you can forget about him this week with the Eagles on bye.
Derrick Ward - 19/80, 3/26. If this was Ward's last start with Jacobs set to return in week 5, he went out in an impressive fashion, doing what he does best by gaining solid yardage all game long.
Kevin Curtis - 2/21. An indirect victim of the relentless Giants pass rush. The Eagles have a bye week to fix their offensive problems, and hopefully Curtis will emerge as a consistent fantasy option after the break.
Reggie Brown - 3/17. See above.
Plaxico Burress - 4/24, 1 TD. He's not getting deep as he's presumably slowed by his bum ankle. He'll continue to play through it, and he remains one of the best redzone targets in the game. Hopefully he'll start making more plays down the field, however.
Jeremy Shockey - 1/17. The Eagles held the entire passing game in check, and Shockey was a victim. He's still a great TE1.
NFL Week 4: Early Game Wrapup
Houston Texans at Atlanta Falcons
Matt Schaub - 28/40, 317 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/19, 1 FL. Another solid game from Schaub who is almost proving that he's startable as a QB2 in the right matchup even without Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones. Miami's poor secondary next week is one of those matchups.
Joey Harrington - 23/29, 223 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/-1. Harrington is also elevating himself to QB2 status and should be picked up in 12 team leagues. Again, like Schaub above, he's only a quality QB2 in the right matchup. He gets Tennessee next, but they've been the 5th hardest team against fantasy QBs this year. That doesn't bode well for using him in week 5.
Ron Dayne - 15/62, 2/12. He was solid, but thanks to Atlanta getting out to an early lead, Houston was forced to abandon the run game. It's a shame because Dayne ran well all game. Keep an eye on Ahman Green's health next week if you're up for using him again.
Warrick Dunn - 18/62. Another poor game from Dunn, although Houston has been pretty solid against the run so far this year. He's still the lead man in the backfield, but is a very unexciting RB3 option.
Andre Davis - 5/117, 1 TD. Party like it's...2003. You know, the last year when anyone gave a damn about Andre Davis. It appears he'll have value while both Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones are out, so he remains a WR3 option next week against Miami.
Owen Daniels - 5/69. Another solid game from Daniels who continues to post consistent yardage. He's a solid TE1.
Michael Jenkins - 6/64, 2 TD. This came out of nowhere. Jenkins is a solid redzone target, but remains behind Joe Horn and Roddy White. Given Horn's poor performances so far, Jenkins has a shot to overtake him in the starting lineup. He's not a bad idea to stash as a WR5/6, but I wouldn't risk using him unless he's starting.
Roddy White - 3/64. He continues to make plays downfield, and Harrington looks like a decent pro QB this year thus far. Does Bobby Petrino really have that sort of magic? At any rate, White is a matchup WR3.
Alge Crumpler - 3/34. A poor game for Crumpler, but with Petrino's enjoyment of throwing downfield, Crumpler remains a solid TE1.
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
Chad Pennington - 32/39, 290 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/1. Well, it's official. Anyone can pass on the Bills. Pennington has his faults, but it seems like you can use him as a bye-week fill-in during the proper matchup. Start any and all players against the Bills defense.
Trent Edwards - 22/28, 234 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. Edwards made a solid debut against the Jets, but given the poor Jets secondary, not too much can be read into this game. Still, he moved the ball fairly well, but is not a QB2 option.
Thomas Jones - 12/35, 2/20. A miserable effort from Jones against a very porous Buffalo run D. Leon Washington continues to look better than he does, and it's very possible that Jones will lose his primary RB role in the Jets offense moving forward.
Marshawn Lynch - 23/79, 1 TD. I'm sure his owners expected a 100 yard day against the Jets defense, but a TD helped him turn in another solid RB2 performance. Given the new faces on the Buffalo offensive line, he might start putting up better numbers as they continue to gel. Still, he's a quality RB2 providing solid draft day value.
Jerricho Cotchery - 8/106. It's a shame he didn't score to cap his day off, but his owners won't complain about the 100+ yards. Cotchery is a solid WR3, but Pennington still prefers Coles in the redzone.
Laveraneous Coles - 8/65, 1 TD. Another workman-like day from Coles with Pennington under center. He's a great WR3 with Pennington starting and is the preferred option in the redzone.
Lee Evans - 6/72. There we go. He still hasn't gotten deep on a defense yet, and Edwards underthrew him on a jumpball in the endzone that would have made his day even better. Still, Edwards looks for him, and it's a great sign for Evans moving forward. Buy low.
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
Steve McNair - 34/53, 307 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. Sure, the yardage total is nice, but it's pretty damn hard not to throw for 300+ yards when you put the ball in the air 50+ timees. Despite the solid numbers, his job security is a threat, as is his health.
Derek Anderson - 10/18, 204 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Better than expected against the Ravens D, with a big thanks to Braylon Edwards. He's looking like a decent QB2 used in the right matchups, but the Browns will have to keep winning for Anderson to keep his job.
Willis McGahee - 14/104, 2/32. It's a shame the Ravens had to abandon the running game because McGahee was slashing up the weak Cleveland defense when given the chances. He remains a solid RB2 who will put up consistent yardage, but it's annoying that he hasn't scored a TD on the ground yet.
Jamal Lewis - 23/64, 1 TD. Thanks to the TD, Lewis turned in a respectable fantasy day. His yardage was still poor, but this is the statline we've come to expect from this sluggish turd.
Derrick Mason - 10/78. He's PPR gold this year. In standard leagues, however, he's a solid WR4, or a WR3 if you don't like upside.
Todd Heap - 4/36. Heap suffered a hamstring injury, which likely lead to his subpar afternoon. His week 5 availability is in question, so keep an eye on him.
Braylon Edwards - 3/97, 1 TD. Baltimore mostly kept him in check, but he busted out a long 78 yard TD in the 1st quarter to ensure a solid fantasy day. This was better than expected against a tough Ravens D.
Kellen Winslow - 4/96. Winslow played through his partially separated shoulder, and he was the same old Winslow. His consistency despite a truly good QB is remarkable and he remains an elite TE1.
St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys
Marc Bulger - 11/24, 114 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/-2. Bulger took himself out of the game after not being able to throw effectively through his injuries, and he'll be out in week 4. It's a loss for his owners, but given his health history besides last season, hopefully you drafted a solid QB2.
Tony Romo - 21/33, 339 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3/24, 1 TD. There's Manning, Palmer...and Romo. He is the top scoring QB in most fantasy formats and continues to shred any defense put on the field in front of him. He's been the best value among all QBs thus far.
Brian Leonard - 16/58, 1/1. A pedestrian first start from Leonard, although I read he ran more like a fullback than a runningback in his first professional start. Given the time he spent at FB in college, this is not a surprise. He'll be limited by the offense, but with Frerotte starting in week 5, it will hopefully open things up for him. Arizona has been tough on RBs, so he's a weak bye week fill-in for week 5.
Julius Jones - 13/52, 1/11, 1 TD. Jones' best fantasy day on the season a week after Barber destroyed the Bears defense. Despite the effort, however, Barber continues to outplay him, but the stubborn Dallas coaching staff seemingly has no plans to start Barber anytime soon.
Marion Barber - 8/50, 2/22. For once, Barber owners were cursing out Julius Jones as Jones stole a goalline carry, the first since threats to give Jones more work around the goalline surfaced prior to the season starting. Barber remains a solid RB2 despite not starting.
Torry Holt - 5/52. Bulger's hurt and can't get him the ball, and it's apparent that Holt's still hurting from his offseason knee surgery as he's struggling to separate. Holt can't be viewed as anything more than a WR2 right now as my concerns about his performance this season are proving to be valid. Hopefully Frerotte will restore some of his value.
Isaac Bruce - 1/24. Bench him. He started off like a solid WR3, but Bulger's injury hurts his fantasy value. It remains to be seen how he'll do with Frerotte behind center.
Patrick Crayton - 7/184, 2 TD. There he is. He finally looks healed from the pinky finger injury that was limiting his effectiveness, and his patient owners were rewarded with a huge performance. Consider him a solid WR3 moving forward.
Jason Witten - 6/71, 1 TD. Romo's step to the next level has helped Witten take a step into the elite TE1 catagory. He's been the best value at the TE position so far this year.
Terrell Owens - 3/33. Owners had to be upset after the stinker TO threw in despite Romo going for over 300 yards against a weak secondary. Players will inexplicably do this from time to time, so hopefully it didn't cost you this week.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Brian Griese - 34/52, 286 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 2/8. Grossman, Griese...what's the difference? Griese posted solid yardage totals thanks to the Bears throwing so much, but it was hardly an impressive performance. Not all the INTs were his fault, but he definitely made a few Grossman-esque throws and was not solid. Ignore him for now, but he might prove to be relatively effective later on.
Jon Kitna - 20/24, 247 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/-1, 1 FL. I'm sure owners expected more yardage against the 2nd string Bears secondary, but Kitna played a solid game, and the lack of yardage can be attributed towards Martz's horrible playcalling in the first half. With only the defensive line of the Bears defense being 100%, Martz decided to run the ball and attempt to throw deep against them, playing right into their hands. He finally stopped being a dumbass in the 2nd half and killed the Bears with the intermediate passing game.
Cedric Benson - 15/50, 5/24. Another dud. More was expected from Benson against such a weak defense, but he continues to disappoint. The Bears are talking about using him more like a workhorse moving forward, so more touches would obviously be a good thing for Benson's fantasy value. It'd be nice if he did something constructive with them, too. He's a weak RB2.
Kevin Jones - 10/38, 1 TD. Another goalline TD for Jones, which is great for his value moving forward, but he's still getting worked into the offense. I'd hold off one more week, and Tatum Bell didn't help his cause for touches by losing another fumble, a problem that plagued him in Denver.
Bernard Berrian - 8/99. Berrian was the beneficiary of the large amount of passing the Bears did, but again struggled with drops. He has to fix that problem in order to take the next step as a WR in the NFL.
Desmond Clark - 7/44, 1 TD. Don't think about picking him up. It's obvious that Olsen isn't 100% recovered from his knee injury, but Clark shares too much time on a bad passing offense to be worth a roster spot.
Roy Williams - 6/53. Owners expected more against the banged up Chicago secondary, but like Owens, this tends to happen at times. McDonald and Walters stole the TDs.
Mike Furrey - 5/91. The biggest beneficiary yardage-wise in this game. He's a solid WR4, but nothing more than that. He seems like the 4th option on the offense right now.
Shaun McDonald - 3/31, 1 TD. Keep using him while he's hot! This has to end at some point, though. I'd suggest selling high if you can sucker someone into giving you a more reliable receiver in return.
Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins
Daunte Culpepper - 5/12, 75 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 7/28, 3 TD. Don't let the 5 TDs fool you, Culpepper was not great in this game. While he made a few nice passes, his completion percentage was low against a bad secondary, and his RBs did almost all of the work. Still, this was his first NFL game in over a year, so I can't fault him too much. He's a very interesting QB2.
Trent Green - 14/25, 158 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. The Oakland secondary is playing like it did last year after a slow start, so I won't fault Green too much for this game. If anything, this proves my previous statement that in order for Green to be useful for your fantasy team, you have to use him in the right matchups.
LaMont Jordan - 15/74, 1/7. He would have had a huge game had he not twisted his back, forcing him to leave the game. It looked bad at the time, but X-rays were negative and he has a bye week to heal up. Culpepper also vultured one of his TDs.
Ronnie Brown - 15/134, 6/73, 1 TD. He's playing at the RB1 level I always knew he was capable of. Chatman is an afterthought and Brown has become an every-week starter.
Jerry Porter - 3/52, 2 TD. The recipient of 3 of the 5 Culepper completions. Don't be fooled into thinking you should start him, but Culpepper could turn him into waiver wire fodder. If you're short on WRs, pick him up and see what happens.
Ronald Curry - 1/16. A victim of a day where the Raiders didn't need to pass. He'll have better days, and unless you sold high on him after week 1, hang on.
Chris Chambers - 2/21. Oakland shut down the passing game, and Chambers suffered as a result. He's still a solid WR3.
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Brett Favre - 32/45, 344 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/1, 1 FL. Favre is looking like his prime self so far, so continue starting him as a QB1. His rebirth seems for real as he's surrounded with some of the best weapons in the passing game since his SB runs, and GB's rushing attack is horrible.
Kelly Holcomb - 21/39, 258 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/0. Dunno why I bothered writing that out.
DeShawn Winn - 10/20. With Jackson out hurt and Morency just returning to action, the Packers decided to run Winn into the wall that is the Vikings run defense with miserable results. Nothing to see here, for now.
Adrian Peterson - 12/112, 1/6. Yeah, Chester Taylor really deserves the starting job. It's a good idea to use Taylor to keep Peterson fresh in his rookie year, but Taylor was on the field far more often. Peterson did an outstanding job of making the most of his touches, but Taylor could turn Peterson into an inconsistent option.
Donald Lee - 4/66, 1 FL. Lee is the Packers TE to own, and a soild TE2 with as much as they'll throw the ball.
Donald Driver - 7/58. Solid effort from Driver, but the Packers are going to spread the ball around, so Driver is more of a WR2 this season than the WR1 he performed like last year as the only viable option.
Greg Jennings - 3/43, 1 TD. He caught the famous one, and will be the answer to the sports trivia question down the line. He's a decent WR3.
Sidney Rice - 6/75, 1 TD. He's a flashy rookie, but don't waste a roster spot on him with Tavaris Jackson likely returning next week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Jeff Garcia - 15/25, 176 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/10, 1 TD. Another workman-like effort from Garcia who continues to perform like a solid QB2.
David Carr - 19/41, 155 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 5/28. Same old David Carr. He's likely going to drag down the fantasy value of all receivers on the Panthers, of which Steve Smith and Jeff King are the most notable.
Cadillac Williams - 6/41. He was running well before tearing the patella tendon in his knee, ending his season. He can be dropped in redraft leagues.
Michael Pittman - 15/90. Pittman will be the starter and play the passing downs, but Earnest Graham will get his carries and likely the goalline work. Depending on the matchup, you could plug Pittman in during a bye week.
Earnest Graham - 17/48, 1/8, 1 TD. See above.
DeShaun Foster - 15/64, 3/17, 1 FL. That's another fumble for Foster, but he dominated the carries again and looks like the primary ball carrier for the Panthers right now. He'll have to stop putting the ball on the ground to maintain that role.
Ike Hilliard - 7/114, 1 FL. Don't even think about it.
Joey Galloway - 1/7. Much like Owens and Roy before him, this will happen. No worries.
Steve Smith - 5/32. 2 bum games in a row, and this one can be blamed on David Carr. His value is questionable with Carr at the helm, but he's a must start either way. Hopefully Carr will look his way more often, and better yet hopefully Delhomme returns soon.
Jeff King - 1/14. Send him back to the waiver wire while Carr is starting.
Matt Schaub - 28/40, 317 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/19, 1 FL. Another solid game from Schaub who is almost proving that he's startable as a QB2 in the right matchup even without Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones. Miami's poor secondary next week is one of those matchups.
Joey Harrington - 23/29, 223 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/-1. Harrington is also elevating himself to QB2 status and should be picked up in 12 team leagues. Again, like Schaub above, he's only a quality QB2 in the right matchup. He gets Tennessee next, but they've been the 5th hardest team against fantasy QBs this year. That doesn't bode well for using him in week 5.
Ron Dayne - 15/62, 2/12. He was solid, but thanks to Atlanta getting out to an early lead, Houston was forced to abandon the run game. It's a shame because Dayne ran well all game. Keep an eye on Ahman Green's health next week if you're up for using him again.
Warrick Dunn - 18/62. Another poor game from Dunn, although Houston has been pretty solid against the run so far this year. He's still the lead man in the backfield, but is a very unexciting RB3 option.
Andre Davis - 5/117, 1 TD. Party like it's...2003. You know, the last year when anyone gave a damn about Andre Davis. It appears he'll have value while both Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones are out, so he remains a WR3 option next week against Miami.
Owen Daniels - 5/69. Another solid game from Daniels who continues to post consistent yardage. He's a solid TE1.
Michael Jenkins - 6/64, 2 TD. This came out of nowhere. Jenkins is a solid redzone target, but remains behind Joe Horn and Roddy White. Given Horn's poor performances so far, Jenkins has a shot to overtake him in the starting lineup. He's not a bad idea to stash as a WR5/6, but I wouldn't risk using him unless he's starting.
Roddy White - 3/64. He continues to make plays downfield, and Harrington looks like a decent pro QB this year thus far. Does Bobby Petrino really have that sort of magic? At any rate, White is a matchup WR3.
Alge Crumpler - 3/34. A poor game for Crumpler, but with Petrino's enjoyment of throwing downfield, Crumpler remains a solid TE1.
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
Chad Pennington - 32/39, 290 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1/1. Well, it's official. Anyone can pass on the Bills. Pennington has his faults, but it seems like you can use him as a bye-week fill-in during the proper matchup. Start any and all players against the Bills defense.
Trent Edwards - 22/28, 234 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. Edwards made a solid debut against the Jets, but given the poor Jets secondary, not too much can be read into this game. Still, he moved the ball fairly well, but is not a QB2 option.
Thomas Jones - 12/35, 2/20. A miserable effort from Jones against a very porous Buffalo run D. Leon Washington continues to look better than he does, and it's very possible that Jones will lose his primary RB role in the Jets offense moving forward.
Marshawn Lynch - 23/79, 1 TD. I'm sure his owners expected a 100 yard day against the Jets defense, but a TD helped him turn in another solid RB2 performance. Given the new faces on the Buffalo offensive line, he might start putting up better numbers as they continue to gel. Still, he's a quality RB2 providing solid draft day value.
Jerricho Cotchery - 8/106. It's a shame he didn't score to cap his day off, but his owners won't complain about the 100+ yards. Cotchery is a solid WR3, but Pennington still prefers Coles in the redzone.
Laveraneous Coles - 8/65, 1 TD. Another workman-like day from Coles with Pennington under center. He's a great WR3 with Pennington starting and is the preferred option in the redzone.
Lee Evans - 6/72. There we go. He still hasn't gotten deep on a defense yet, and Edwards underthrew him on a jumpball in the endzone that would have made his day even better. Still, Edwards looks for him, and it's a great sign for Evans moving forward. Buy low.
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
Steve McNair - 34/53, 307 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. Sure, the yardage total is nice, but it's pretty damn hard not to throw for 300+ yards when you put the ball in the air 50+ timees. Despite the solid numbers, his job security is a threat, as is his health.
Derek Anderson - 10/18, 204 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Better than expected against the Ravens D, with a big thanks to Braylon Edwards. He's looking like a decent QB2 used in the right matchups, but the Browns will have to keep winning for Anderson to keep his job.
Willis McGahee - 14/104, 2/32. It's a shame the Ravens had to abandon the running game because McGahee was slashing up the weak Cleveland defense when given the chances. He remains a solid RB2 who will put up consistent yardage, but it's annoying that he hasn't scored a TD on the ground yet.
Jamal Lewis - 23/64, 1 TD. Thanks to the TD, Lewis turned in a respectable fantasy day. His yardage was still poor, but this is the statline we've come to expect from this sluggish turd.
Derrick Mason - 10/78. He's PPR gold this year. In standard leagues, however, he's a solid WR4, or a WR3 if you don't like upside.
Todd Heap - 4/36. Heap suffered a hamstring injury, which likely lead to his subpar afternoon. His week 5 availability is in question, so keep an eye on him.
Braylon Edwards - 3/97, 1 TD. Baltimore mostly kept him in check, but he busted out a long 78 yard TD in the 1st quarter to ensure a solid fantasy day. This was better than expected against a tough Ravens D.
Kellen Winslow - 4/96. Winslow played through his partially separated shoulder, and he was the same old Winslow. His consistency despite a truly good QB is remarkable and he remains an elite TE1.
St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys
Marc Bulger - 11/24, 114 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/-2. Bulger took himself out of the game after not being able to throw effectively through his injuries, and he'll be out in week 4. It's a loss for his owners, but given his health history besides last season, hopefully you drafted a solid QB2.
Tony Romo - 21/33, 339 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3/24, 1 TD. There's Manning, Palmer...and Romo. He is the top scoring QB in most fantasy formats and continues to shred any defense put on the field in front of him. He's been the best value among all QBs thus far.
Brian Leonard - 16/58, 1/1. A pedestrian first start from Leonard, although I read he ran more like a fullback than a runningback in his first professional start. Given the time he spent at FB in college, this is not a surprise. He'll be limited by the offense, but with Frerotte starting in week 5, it will hopefully open things up for him. Arizona has been tough on RBs, so he's a weak bye week fill-in for week 5.
Julius Jones - 13/52, 1/11, 1 TD. Jones' best fantasy day on the season a week after Barber destroyed the Bears defense. Despite the effort, however, Barber continues to outplay him, but the stubborn Dallas coaching staff seemingly has no plans to start Barber anytime soon.
Marion Barber - 8/50, 2/22. For once, Barber owners were cursing out Julius Jones as Jones stole a goalline carry, the first since threats to give Jones more work around the goalline surfaced prior to the season starting. Barber remains a solid RB2 despite not starting.
Torry Holt - 5/52. Bulger's hurt and can't get him the ball, and it's apparent that Holt's still hurting from his offseason knee surgery as he's struggling to separate. Holt can't be viewed as anything more than a WR2 right now as my concerns about his performance this season are proving to be valid. Hopefully Frerotte will restore some of his value.
Isaac Bruce - 1/24. Bench him. He started off like a solid WR3, but Bulger's injury hurts his fantasy value. It remains to be seen how he'll do with Frerotte behind center.
Patrick Crayton - 7/184, 2 TD. There he is. He finally looks healed from the pinky finger injury that was limiting his effectiveness, and his patient owners were rewarded with a huge performance. Consider him a solid WR3 moving forward.
Jason Witten - 6/71, 1 TD. Romo's step to the next level has helped Witten take a step into the elite TE1 catagory. He's been the best value at the TE position so far this year.
Terrell Owens - 3/33. Owners had to be upset after the stinker TO threw in despite Romo going for over 300 yards against a weak secondary. Players will inexplicably do this from time to time, so hopefully it didn't cost you this week.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Brian Griese - 34/52, 286 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 2/8. Grossman, Griese...what's the difference? Griese posted solid yardage totals thanks to the Bears throwing so much, but it was hardly an impressive performance. Not all the INTs were his fault, but he definitely made a few Grossman-esque throws and was not solid. Ignore him for now, but he might prove to be relatively effective later on.
Jon Kitna - 20/24, 247 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 2/-1, 1 FL. I'm sure owners expected more yardage against the 2nd string Bears secondary, but Kitna played a solid game, and the lack of yardage can be attributed towards Martz's horrible playcalling in the first half. With only the defensive line of the Bears defense being 100%, Martz decided to run the ball and attempt to throw deep against them, playing right into their hands. He finally stopped being a dumbass in the 2nd half and killed the Bears with the intermediate passing game.
Cedric Benson - 15/50, 5/24. Another dud. More was expected from Benson against such a weak defense, but he continues to disappoint. The Bears are talking about using him more like a workhorse moving forward, so more touches would obviously be a good thing for Benson's fantasy value. It'd be nice if he did something constructive with them, too. He's a weak RB2.
Kevin Jones - 10/38, 1 TD. Another goalline TD for Jones, which is great for his value moving forward, but he's still getting worked into the offense. I'd hold off one more week, and Tatum Bell didn't help his cause for touches by losing another fumble, a problem that plagued him in Denver.
Bernard Berrian - 8/99. Berrian was the beneficiary of the large amount of passing the Bears did, but again struggled with drops. He has to fix that problem in order to take the next step as a WR in the NFL.
Desmond Clark - 7/44, 1 TD. Don't think about picking him up. It's obvious that Olsen isn't 100% recovered from his knee injury, but Clark shares too much time on a bad passing offense to be worth a roster spot.
Roy Williams - 6/53. Owners expected more against the banged up Chicago secondary, but like Owens, this tends to happen at times. McDonald and Walters stole the TDs.
Mike Furrey - 5/91. The biggest beneficiary yardage-wise in this game. He's a solid WR4, but nothing more than that. He seems like the 4th option on the offense right now.
Shaun McDonald - 3/31, 1 TD. Keep using him while he's hot! This has to end at some point, though. I'd suggest selling high if you can sucker someone into giving you a more reliable receiver in return.
Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins
Daunte Culpepper - 5/12, 75 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 7/28, 3 TD. Don't let the 5 TDs fool you, Culpepper was not great in this game. While he made a few nice passes, his completion percentage was low against a bad secondary, and his RBs did almost all of the work. Still, this was his first NFL game in over a year, so I can't fault him too much. He's a very interesting QB2.
Trent Green - 14/25, 158 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. The Oakland secondary is playing like it did last year after a slow start, so I won't fault Green too much for this game. If anything, this proves my previous statement that in order for Green to be useful for your fantasy team, you have to use him in the right matchups.
LaMont Jordan - 15/74, 1/7. He would have had a huge game had he not twisted his back, forcing him to leave the game. It looked bad at the time, but X-rays were negative and he has a bye week to heal up. Culpepper also vultured one of his TDs.
Ronnie Brown - 15/134, 6/73, 1 TD. He's playing at the RB1 level I always knew he was capable of. Chatman is an afterthought and Brown has become an every-week starter.
Jerry Porter - 3/52, 2 TD. The recipient of 3 of the 5 Culepper completions. Don't be fooled into thinking you should start him, but Culpepper could turn him into waiver wire fodder. If you're short on WRs, pick him up and see what happens.
Ronald Curry - 1/16. A victim of a day where the Raiders didn't need to pass. He'll have better days, and unless you sold high on him after week 1, hang on.
Chris Chambers - 2/21. Oakland shut down the passing game, and Chambers suffered as a result. He's still a solid WR3.
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Brett Favre - 32/45, 344 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 4/1, 1 FL. Favre is looking like his prime self so far, so continue starting him as a QB1. His rebirth seems for real as he's surrounded with some of the best weapons in the passing game since his SB runs, and GB's rushing attack is horrible.
Kelly Holcomb - 21/39, 258 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/0. Dunno why I bothered writing that out.
DeShawn Winn - 10/20. With Jackson out hurt and Morency just returning to action, the Packers decided to run Winn into the wall that is the Vikings run defense with miserable results. Nothing to see here, for now.
Adrian Peterson - 12/112, 1/6. Yeah, Chester Taylor really deserves the starting job. It's a good idea to use Taylor to keep Peterson fresh in his rookie year, but Taylor was on the field far more often. Peterson did an outstanding job of making the most of his touches, but Taylor could turn Peterson into an inconsistent option.
Donald Lee - 4/66, 1 FL. Lee is the Packers TE to own, and a soild TE2 with as much as they'll throw the ball.
Donald Driver - 7/58. Solid effort from Driver, but the Packers are going to spread the ball around, so Driver is more of a WR2 this season than the WR1 he performed like last year as the only viable option.
Greg Jennings - 3/43, 1 TD. He caught the famous one, and will be the answer to the sports trivia question down the line. He's a decent WR3.
Sidney Rice - 6/75, 1 TD. He's a flashy rookie, but don't waste a roster spot on him with Tavaris Jackson likely returning next week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Jeff Garcia - 15/25, 176 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/10, 1 TD. Another workman-like effort from Garcia who continues to perform like a solid QB2.
David Carr - 19/41, 155 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 5/28. Same old David Carr. He's likely going to drag down the fantasy value of all receivers on the Panthers, of which Steve Smith and Jeff King are the most notable.
Cadillac Williams - 6/41. He was running well before tearing the patella tendon in his knee, ending his season. He can be dropped in redraft leagues.
Michael Pittman - 15/90. Pittman will be the starter and play the passing downs, but Earnest Graham will get his carries and likely the goalline work. Depending on the matchup, you could plug Pittman in during a bye week.
Earnest Graham - 17/48, 1/8, 1 TD. See above.
DeShaun Foster - 15/64, 3/17, 1 FL. That's another fumble for Foster, but he dominated the carries again and looks like the primary ball carrier for the Panthers right now. He'll have to stop putting the ball on the ground to maintain that role.
Ike Hilliard - 7/114, 1 FL. Don't even think about it.
Joey Galloway - 1/7. Much like Owens and Roy before him, this will happen. No worries.
Steve Smith - 5/32. 2 bum games in a row, and this one can be blamed on David Carr. His value is questionable with Carr at the helm, but he's a must start either way. Hopefully Carr will look his way more often, and better yet hopefully Delhomme returns soon.
Jeff King - 1/14. Send him back to the waiver wire while Carr is starting.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
NFL Week 4: Late Game Notable Actives/Inactives
Inactive
Hines Ward - Ward is down, giving Holmes and Cedric Wilson more chances.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin is down, making Fitzgerald the focal point of the passing game.
Javon Walker - Walker is down, making Marshall the go-to guy, and Stokley will start in his place.
Hines Ward - Ward is down, giving Holmes and Cedric Wilson more chances.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin is down, making Fitzgerald the focal point of the passing game.
Javon Walker - Walker is down, making Marshall the go-to guy, and Stokley will start in his place.
NFL Week 4: Early Game Notable Actives/Inactives
Active
Greg Jennings - He'll play and has a favorable matchup.
Kellen Winslow - Make sure he's in your starting lineup. He's dealing with a partially separated shoulder, so his pain tolerance will be tested.
Inactive
J.P. Losman - He's dealing with a knee sprain and he'll be back in a few weeks.
Ahman Green - His knee sprain will keep him on the bench this week. Ron Dayne will start and has a very favorable matchup.
Brandon Jackson - His shin injury was too much for him to play this week. Rumor has Vernand Morency starting, but this appears to have become a situation to avoid using on your active roster.
Calvin Johnson - The back injury was too much to overcome. This will mean more targets for Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald.
Andre Johnson/Jacoby Jones - The knee sprain and separated shoulder, respectively, will keep these guys on the sideline.
Bears D (Briggs, Tillman, Vasher, Archuleta) - Kitna, Roy Williams, Shaun McDonald, and Mike Furrey all make for great starts against an entirely 2nd string Bears secondary.
Greg Jennings - He'll play and has a favorable matchup.
Kellen Winslow - Make sure he's in your starting lineup. He's dealing with a partially separated shoulder, so his pain tolerance will be tested.
Inactive
J.P. Losman - He's dealing with a knee sprain and he'll be back in a few weeks.
Ahman Green - His knee sprain will keep him on the bench this week. Ron Dayne will start and has a very favorable matchup.
Brandon Jackson - His shin injury was too much for him to play this week. Rumor has Vernand Morency starting, but this appears to have become a situation to avoid using on your active roster.
Calvin Johnson - The back injury was too much to overcome. This will mean more targets for Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald.
Andre Johnson/Jacoby Jones - The knee sprain and separated shoulder, respectively, will keep these guys on the sideline.
Bears D (Briggs, Tillman, Vasher, Archuleta) - Kitna, Roy Williams, Shaun McDonald, and Mike Furrey all make for great starts against an entirely 2nd string Bears secondary.
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