Arizona Cardinals - Bye week.
Atlanta Falcons - Bye week.
Baltimore Ravens - Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are still splitting carries, with McGahee getting the goal line looks, and Rice dominating passing down work. This will continue as it's obviously working well for the Ravens right now. Kelley Washington continues to outproduce Mark Clayton.
Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch returns in week 4, and all indications are that Lynch and Jackson will share carries just about down the middle. It's hard to recommend either of them in week 4, but given the prowess Fred Jackson has on passing downs, it's hard to imagine Jackson not being the RB of choice in those situations, giving his PPR value a boost.
Carolina Panthers - Bye week.
Cincinnati Bengals - The Coles/Caldwell watch continues, and it seems like it's a matter of "when" and not "if" Caldwell replaces him in the starting lineup.
Chicago Bears - Bennett struck back, looking better last week, even though Knox scored. This appears to be a timeshare for now, even though Bennett is technically the starter, but neither are worth starting.
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson has replaced Brady Quinn as the starter, and that's good news for Braylon Edwards. Anderson is far more willing to go down the field, and it's something this lame duck offense sorely needs. Give Edwards one more chance this week. The RB situation is a mess, but it looks like Jamal Lewis will miss another week, and Jerome Harrison will start. He's a reasonable bye week RB2 as James Davis did nothing with his limited chances last week.
Dallas Cowboys - Marion Barber should start in week 4. I don't think he'll play his usual set of snaps, but he'll be worth using as a RB2. Felix Jones is out, so Tashard Choice will probably split snaps in some fashion with Barber. Choice could be a decent RB3 play.
Denver Broncos- Moreno and Buckhalter are in a timeshare, although Moreno will get more carries and the goal line chances. Marshall has emerged as the top option, and I am done defending Eddie Royal. It's not the fault of Royal's...this coaching staff simply isn't using him the way they should. Don't start him until they do, although with injuries mounting on one of my teams, I have to give him another chance this week.
Detroit Lions -Stafford rebounded with no turnovers, and he led the team to their first win since 2007. He's safely entrenched as the starter. Kevin Smith is hurting and he'll be a game time decision this week. Check the game day inactives on Sunday.
Green Bay Packers - Greg Jennings is battling a wrist injury, but produced amazingly well despite only 2 catches. Keep him going.
Houston Texans - Steve Slaton rebounded well in week 3 and secured himself an even bigger role thanks to Chris Brown's goal line fumble. Kevin Walter returned and looked great, so no worries about him moving forward.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. Pierre Garcon has stepped up in his place and is a viable WR3 option while Gonzalez is out. Joseph Addai continues to lose serious snaps, especially late in the game, to Donald Brown. Neither are an RB2 option, but I would give a slight edge to Addai as he's the better short yardage runner.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Mike Sims-Walker cemented himself as the top option in the passing game, and I think he's a solid WR3.
Kansas City Chiefs - Dwayne Bowe is questionable to play in week 4, so plan on alternatives. Even if he plays, he has a horrible match up against the Giants. I'm going to keep him benched.
Miami Dolphins - Chad Pennington is done for the year, so Chad Henne will replace him as the starting QB. He's not a QB2 option yet, but keep an eye on his progress as he does possess some potential.
Minnesota Vikings - None.
New England Patriots - Wes Welker was limited in practice again this week, and he'll be a game time decision for the 3rd straight week. Julian Edelman crashed back down to earth next week, and his production differential between weeks 2 and 3 make him a dicey WR3 should Welker sit out again. Fred Taylor dominated carries in week 3, but he's far from a sure thing to do that on a weekly basis.
New Orleans Saints - Lance Moore might play in week 4, but he's far too risky to use until he shows something on the field this season. Pierre Thomas has obviously returned and reclaimed the starting RB job. He's immediately an RB2 for all owners.
New York Giants - Ahmad Bradshaw suffered a minor ankle injury that will limit him some in practice this week, but he appears to be set to play in week 4 in his usual role.
New York Jets - Thomas Jones continues to lose a significant amount of carries to Leon Washington, who is proving to be the better RB at this stage in their careers. Jones has regressed into a RB3.
Oakland Raiders - Chaz Schilens is expected to be out at least one more week with his foot sprain. Louis Murphy will continue to start in his place.
Philadelphia Eagles - Bye week.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Sure enough, the week after I say Willie Parker isn't a RB2, he posts RB2 numbers. However, he's suffered yet another injury, this time turf toe. He is out in week 4, so there will be some split between Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore. Moore has a chance to be a sleeper here as he was the most productive RB for the Steelers last year when given the opportunity.
San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson is practicing again, but it remains to be seen if he'll play. He'll probably be a game time decision this week, so Darren Sproles owners need to check the game day inactives to make sure LT isn't playing before using Sproles. Malcolm Floyd will probably be stealing Chris Chambers' starting job from him sometime soon.
San Francisco 49ers - Frank Gore re-injured his sprained ankle and looks to be out for 2-3 weeks. Glen Coffee will replace him in the starting lineup, and he will carry the full load with only Michael Robinson behind him. He's a solid RB2 with 2 good match ups the next two weeks while Gore is out.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck is likely out again in week 4, so Seneca Wallace will fill in for him again. Julius Jones played well again last week, so he'll keep the starting job for now, but he's not going to be on a long leash given he hasn't played consistently well in years.
St. Louis Rams - Marc Bulger is out for week 4, so Kyle Boller will start in his place. I wouldn't touch him in fantasy leagues, but the hope is that he'll use his big arm to keep the defense from putting 11 guys and a water boy into the box against Steven Jackson. Laurent Robinson is done for the year with a broken leg, so that doesn't help, and the Rams will need Donnie Avery to step up and beat defenses deep. Keenan Burton will replace Robinson, but he is not worth picking up.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant will supposedly be ready for week 4, but we'll see about that. He'll likely be a game time decision, and I wouldn't play him.
Tennessee Titans - None.
Washington Redskins - Clinton Portis is battling bone spurs in both ankles along with a sore calf, and he hasn't practiced all week. He'll be a game time decision. He's going against Tampa's horrible run D this week, so he's usable as a RB2 if he's up. Ladell Betts and Marcus Mason will split snaps in some fashion, and I think Betts would make a fine bye week fill-in should Portis not play.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Week 4 Waiver Wire
QB:
Seneca Wallace - Wallace has always proven to be a reasonable backup QB, and he posted a solid line against the Bears last weekend. Now the Bears secondary is hardly an imposing defensive unit, so discretion is advised, but Wallace is a reasonable QB2 for as long as Hasselbeck is out.
Kyle Boller - Boller has never lacked talent, especially with his big arm, but he's always been erratic and does not have many weapons around him. He's not recommended.
Chad Henne / Josh Johnson - The final 2 of the 4 new starters, and both of them lack a start at the NFL level. Henne is a pure pocket passer with a nice arm, but he plays for a run-first team with little receiving talent to talk about. Johnson is a very good athlete, but his surrounding situation is very similar to Henne's. Leave both alone for now, but I would favor Henne over Johnson as he's far less raw.
RB:
Glen Coffee - Frank Gore will miss a couple weeks, so Coffee will step in as the undisputed starting RB for the 49ers. Coffee is worth burning a top waiver position on, especially if you need RB depth. He posted a rough week 3 filling in for Gore, but he was facing a very good Minnesota rush defense, so I wouldn't hold that against him. What is worth noting, however, is SF's commitment to the run as Coffee racked up 20+ carries despite not churning out chunks of yardage. Coffee faces STL in week 4, so he's a solid RB2 in a very positive match up.
Tashard Choice - Choice filled in admirably when Felix Jones went down again in the wake of Barber's injury, and he'd be a great RB2 in week 4 if Barber misses another game. I wouldn't burn a high waiver pick on him if you're solid at RB because of the risk that Barber returns in week 4, but he'll most certainly have a Bradshaw-like role while Felix Jones is out.
Fred Taylor - I wouldn't go crazy over Taylor given the unpredictable usage of the Patriot's backfield, but he's not a bad guy to stash to see what happens. He's not going to get 20 carries each week at his age, and if he does, he won't hold up. However, he's the most valuable Patriots RB currently. If you own him already, try to sell him to an owner that needs RB help.
WR:
Pierre Garcon - Garcon had a coming out party of sorts the past two weeks, utilizing his speed to get into the end zone 2 Sunday nights ago, and then again last night. He's established himself as the outside receiver while Anthony Gonzalez is out. He's the third read behind Wayne and Clark, but Indy will continue to air it out, so Garcon can be used as a WR3 moving forward until Gonzalez returns.
Andre Caldwell - Caldwell will probably be starting sooner than later for the Bengals, and it's clear he has a nice chemistry with Carson Palmer. He's more of a possession WR than a deep threat, especially with Ochocinco and Henry dominated the downfield targets, but he could post WR3 type numbers if he gets the starting nod. He's a good bench stash.
Donnie Avery - With Laurent Robinson done for the season, the Rams need Avery to step up and show the promise of last season. He'll be the primary read on deep passes, and Kyle Boller definitely has the arm to get it to him. He's a guy to stash on your bench to see what happens.
Malcolm Floyd - Sleeper here. There's little question in my mind that he'll start over Chris Chambers sooner than later. He'd be the third option behind Jackson and Gates, so he doesn't have a lot of upside, but he could post some nice weeks with the Chargers passing so much. Speculatory add.
Jacoby Jones - He's scored two weeks in a row, but I wouldn't add him yet with Kevin Walter healthy again. He's a name to keep in mind down the line should another injury hit the Texans WR group.
TE:
Vernon Davis - He probably posted what will go down as his best week of the season on Sunday, but he's actually available in one of my two leagues. Go get him if you need TE help or depth. He's making a case to be a TE1 for someone in every league.
Seneca Wallace - Wallace has always proven to be a reasonable backup QB, and he posted a solid line against the Bears last weekend. Now the Bears secondary is hardly an imposing defensive unit, so discretion is advised, but Wallace is a reasonable QB2 for as long as Hasselbeck is out.
Kyle Boller - Boller has never lacked talent, especially with his big arm, but he's always been erratic and does not have many weapons around him. He's not recommended.
Chad Henne / Josh Johnson - The final 2 of the 4 new starters, and both of them lack a start at the NFL level. Henne is a pure pocket passer with a nice arm, but he plays for a run-first team with little receiving talent to talk about. Johnson is a very good athlete, but his surrounding situation is very similar to Henne's. Leave both alone for now, but I would favor Henne over Johnson as he's far less raw.
RB:
Glen Coffee - Frank Gore will miss a couple weeks, so Coffee will step in as the undisputed starting RB for the 49ers. Coffee is worth burning a top waiver position on, especially if you need RB depth. He posted a rough week 3 filling in for Gore, but he was facing a very good Minnesota rush defense, so I wouldn't hold that against him. What is worth noting, however, is SF's commitment to the run as Coffee racked up 20+ carries despite not churning out chunks of yardage. Coffee faces STL in week 4, so he's a solid RB2 in a very positive match up.
Tashard Choice - Choice filled in admirably when Felix Jones went down again in the wake of Barber's injury, and he'd be a great RB2 in week 4 if Barber misses another game. I wouldn't burn a high waiver pick on him if you're solid at RB because of the risk that Barber returns in week 4, but he'll most certainly have a Bradshaw-like role while Felix Jones is out.
Fred Taylor - I wouldn't go crazy over Taylor given the unpredictable usage of the Patriot's backfield, but he's not a bad guy to stash to see what happens. He's not going to get 20 carries each week at his age, and if he does, he won't hold up. However, he's the most valuable Patriots RB currently. If you own him already, try to sell him to an owner that needs RB help.
WR:
Pierre Garcon - Garcon had a coming out party of sorts the past two weeks, utilizing his speed to get into the end zone 2 Sunday nights ago, and then again last night. He's established himself as the outside receiver while Anthony Gonzalez is out. He's the third read behind Wayne and Clark, but Indy will continue to air it out, so Garcon can be used as a WR3 moving forward until Gonzalez returns.
Andre Caldwell - Caldwell will probably be starting sooner than later for the Bengals, and it's clear he has a nice chemistry with Carson Palmer. He's more of a possession WR than a deep threat, especially with Ochocinco and Henry dominated the downfield targets, but he could post WR3 type numbers if he gets the starting nod. He's a good bench stash.
Donnie Avery - With Laurent Robinson done for the season, the Rams need Avery to step up and show the promise of last season. He'll be the primary read on deep passes, and Kyle Boller definitely has the arm to get it to him. He's a guy to stash on your bench to see what happens.
Malcolm Floyd - Sleeper here. There's little question in my mind that he'll start over Chris Chambers sooner than later. He'd be the third option behind Jackson and Gates, so he doesn't have a lot of upside, but he could post some nice weeks with the Chargers passing so much. Speculatory add.
Jacoby Jones - He's scored two weeks in a row, but I wouldn't add him yet with Kevin Walter healthy again. He's a name to keep in mind down the line should another injury hit the Texans WR group.
TE:
Vernon Davis - He probably posted what will go down as his best week of the season on Sunday, but he's actually available in one of my two leagues. Go get him if you need TE help or depth. He's making a case to be a TE1 for someone in every league.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Week 3 Thoughts
Another week, another set of excitements and disappointments. Let's take a look:
Arizona Cardinals - Warner was simply abused by the Colts ends. He looked pretty solid when he had time, but that wasn't often. With the Cardinals still not running the ball, it's allowing pass rushers to pin their ears back and come after Warner without worrying about off-tackle runs and draws to make them pay for their aggression. This whole offense is under-achieving, and the play calling doesn't show that there's any light at the end of the tunnel. Continue using Warner/Fitzgerald/Boldin as you normally would, but understand that expectations need to be tempered, especially against teams with a strong pass rush.
Atlanta Falcons - Belichick get the best of Ryan and Turner as the Patriots game planned very well for this offense. Just a simple off-game for Ryan against a very clever coaching staff. Luckily, Turner scored again to make up for the fact that he's nowhere near as proficient on the ground this season. Roddy White has been a disappointment so far, but with Matt Ryan looking better the last season, White is an excellent buy-low candidate.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco simply can't be stopped, apparently. Those who took a chance on him, despite the lack of explosive passing game options and a run-first offense, have to be grinning to own one of the biggest QB surprises thus far this season. Rice and McGahee continue to split carries and annoy owners, although both are arguably RB2s with Rice generating solid yardage each week and McGahee scoring each week. Mason exploded and Heap also posted a solid outing.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards went back to his dink-and-dunk ways while also mis-firing on the couple deep throws he did attempt. This is shaping up to be yet another lost season for Lee Evans who continues to frustrate thanks to his horrible QB situation. Terrell Owens was held catch-less for the first time in almost 200 games. It's hard to say if it's the play calling or Edwards reluctance to look down field, but there is absolutely no excuse for the pathetic passing game thus far.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme was a mixed bag...he made a few nice throws and a few horrible ones, but mostly wasn't accurate throwing down the field. Steve Smith is going to have an up and down year if Delhomme can't get him the ball deep at least once a game. Given how little he threw the ball down the field, especially during crunch time after his pick six...I wonder if all these interceptions since the postseason last year are mentally affecting him. To combat that, it seems like the Panthers are panicking with the rushing attack. They're still busting off solid gains when they want, but they don't seem as committed to pounding the rock as they did last season. With Stewart continuously eating into DeAngelo's time, Williams is no longer a RB1 as Carolina can't seem to sustain drives. I apologize for reversing my opinion on Williams after Stewart's injury-wrecked preseason.
Chicago Bears - Cutler continued his week 2 rebound with another solid performance capped off by a game-winning drive. Hester has been producing at a WR3 level, and Greg Olsen is slowly getting better each week as the offense gets comfortable with each other. Forte finally posted good yardage, but he again frustrated with a horrible YPC. I think the problem is that their offensive line is built for pass blocking rather than run blocking. By moving Chris Williams to RT, they now have essentially 2 pass blocking specialists in Pace and Williams manning the perimeter, and they don't have 2 road-grading guards to balance it out. Things should get a little better for Forte once Cutler continues to open up the passing game, but I worry about the offensive line in regards to Forte.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer predictably struggled against a good Pittsburgh defense, but turned it on down the stretch by leading a game winning TD drive. Benson continued his resurgence by posting yet another quality game. He's an every week RB2 at this point. Caldwell continues to impress and has to be close to replacing Coles in the starting lineup.
Cleveland Browns - Boy what a mess. Quinn gets yanked after another mediocre start, and then Anderson comes in to toss 3 INTs. At least Anderson tries to go down the field. Edwards owners, like myself, should debate alternatives for the time being. Anderson would provide some upside, but it's in the Browns best interest to let Quinn continue to play and see what they have in him. They already know what they have in Anderson. This offense continues to be a wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Romo had a pretty solid game football-wise, but threw up another stinker fantasy-wise. He made mostly good decisions and also kept several plays alive with his feet, but with Roy Williams not making plays for him, his fantasy upside is extremely limited as there's no WR even close to Owens on this roster. He mauled Tampa's secondary, but that was heavily aided by multiple blown coverages leading to long TDs. Romo is a low-end QB1 thanks to the talent being on the running side of the offensive scheme. The rushing attack looked good, but I think it's officially time to call Felix Jones injury-prone. He flashes when on the field, but he's always seemingly getting nicked up, including last night when Choice played most of the 2nd half in their game without Barber.
Denver Broncos - Orton posted another workman-like game as the rushing attack took center stage. With Moreno finally healthy and Buckhalter hitting big plays, the Broncos have a great 1-2 punch to base their offense around. Moreno can be used as a RB2 now that he's healthy, but Buckhalter will definitely continue to be a part of the rushing attack. Marshall had a good game and is rounding into form. I think he can be started now that he has his attitude right and is getting consistent playing time. What a difference a week makes, huh? Eddie Royal is absolutely lost and can be benched now. I hate Josh McDaniels...this team is going to have a rude awakening when they stop racking up wins off of fluke plays and against the worst the NFL has to offer.
Detroit Lions - Stafford showed improved accuracy and decision making yesterday in the Lions first win since 2007. It appears he's still going to take shots down the field, so as long as the improvement doesn't take a toll on his willingness to go down the field to CJ and company, CJ owners will like it. Kevin Smith posted another solid game, but keep an eye on his mysterious shoulder injury.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers got right back on the horse with a big day, and Jennings also righted the ship, making the most of his 2 receptions for over 100 yards. Grant almost got 100 yards, falling 1 yard short, although it took him 26 carries to get there. Grant just isn't busting big plays like he made a habit of doing during the 2nd half of 2007, but with the lack of quality options to take carries for him, his volume will make him a solid RB2.
Houston Texans - Schaub again blew up with a big game, and Kevin Walter picked up right where he left off last season after missing the first two weeks with an injury. This passing game is cruising now, but Slaton continues to disappoint. He actually ran the ball very well, but he was always replaced in the red zone by Chris Brown. Brown lost a huge fumble at the end zone, however, so that warrants monitoring.
Indianapolis Colts - This passing game is absolutely on fire now with everyone except slot receiver Austin Collie posting good numbers. Addai continues disappointing, but at least he scored on a middle screen pass at the goal line. Donald Brown still looks like the better of the 2 RBs, although Manning did state that he views Addai as more reliable in the passing game right now. Brown's 72 yard reception utilizing his great acceleration begs to differ. Addai is nothing more than a RB3.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Apparently Houston's pathetic defense is all you need to rebound. Garrard looked pretty good, often looking to new #1 wideout Mike Sims-Walker, who posted another solid receiving game despite the lost fumble. MJD was a beast against a bad defense. Sims-Walker is a WR3 moving forward and has provided great bench depth to all who picked him up. I'd suggest attempting to sell high on him given his lengthy injury history, but few know who the hell he is. Expect continued production while healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Without Bowe, this offense looked even more awful. Nobody but Bowe from this sack of crap is worth starting.
Miami Dolphins - I'm a bit conflicted with Chad Pennington's injury. He's an excellent game manager and is very accurate, but his arm strength is well below average. Henne will probably take more shots down the field, but he's going to make more mistakes. This offense was having problems anyways, so change can't be bad, can it? None of the passing game was worth using anyways, but hopefully this doesn't mean even more men in the box to slow down Ronnie Brown and company.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre had the reigns removed, taking more shots down the field and posting a solid fantasy day. Peterson was a bit of a disappointment not getting into the end zone with the Vikings attempting to throw more than usual despite it being a close game. Consider this an anomaly.
New England Patriots - Brady posted another workman-like effort, failing to throw for 300 yards or multiple scores again. Certainly those who drafted him have been disappointed with the past two weeks, and I regret changing my stance after watching him light it up in the preseason. He's clearly rusty and is taking some time to get back into synch with his offense. Welker's injury certainly hurts as well, and Edelman wasn't nearly as productive as he was in week 2. Is there some clarity to the rushing attack? Fred Taylor dominated the carries and looked very good while doing it. He's definitely worth adding to find out.
New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees deferred to the rushing attack, especially Pierre Thomas, in week 3. Thomas must have had his owners shitting a brick after not receiving a carry in the first half, but he blew open the doors in the 2nd half with 14/126 and 2 TDs. Expect to see him starting from here on out...he's back.
New York Giants - Eli continues to post QB1 numbers with his young receivers as they develop before everyone's eyes. The rushing attack also got back on track with big days from both Jacobs and Bradshaw. With Nicks possibly back at practice, Manningham owners might need to start looking over their shoulders a bit. We'll have to see how this plays out when Nicks returns.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez is clearly the real deal as he singled handedly tore apart the TEN secondary after his rushing attack was stuffed by the vaunted TEN rushing defense. Cotchery is blowing away his ADP thanks to the maturity Sanchez has shown on the field as a true #1 WR. Thomas Jones has come back to earth after a huge 2nd half in week 1.
Oakland Raiders - Russell fucking sucks, and nobody on this offense can be started right now. My continued hyping of Zach Miller looks foolish as Russell continues to get worse. Miller is no longer Russell-proof and cannot be trust as a starter, but I wouldn't cut bait on him yet unless you can pick up a Vernon Davis type.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kolb posted QB1 numbers again, and I wish I had taken my own advice and started him. :) Brent Celek has been a favorite target of his and posted another huge game. Westbrook was a surprise inactive Sunday morning, and LeSean McCoy responded with a great day for those who plugged him in as a RB2. With Westbrook's continued injury problems and McCoy's great week 3, they have to be concerned a bit that McCoy will turn this into some sort of committee.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers continues to rack up the yardage as SD has transitioned into a run-first team. Vincent Jackson is enjoying a true breakout into the WR1 category while Chris Chambers disappears and probably won't be starting soon. Malcolm Floyd is a better WR at this point and should start soon. Unfortunately for Gates' owners, Jackson's emergence has dropped him to 2nd in the pecking order, but he's still posting fine numbers for the pass-first offense.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore re-injured his ankle on the first play and looks set to miss a few weeks, and Glen Coffee will be a popular waiver add with a favorable schedule the next two weeks. Coffee struggled, but that was against the vaunted MIN rushing defense. Hopefully Gore owners handcuffed him with the preseason star. Vernon Davis also posted the game of his life and most certainly should be owned. He's making a statement to be considered as a TE1.
Seattle Seahawks - Wallace actually looked pretty solid, and his favorite receiver was definitely Nate Burleson, who's proving to be quite the waiver add thus far. I think Wallace makes for a reasonable QB2 while Hasselbeck is out, which probably won't be for much longer. Burleson has stepped into the #1 receiver role while Housh earns a bunch of money and does nothing with the football. Consider Housh only a WR4 at this point. Carlson has crashed after his first two weeks...he's being asked to block a lot with their mangled offensive line. He's only a TE2. Julius Jones went right back to looking good after a horrid week 2, keeping Forsett off the field. I guess he's a RB3? I give up with him.
St. Louis Rams - Bulger might be done for a bit, and unfortunately for his replacement Kyle Boller, Laurent Robinson definitely done (broken leg) after such a promising start to the season. On the bright side, Boller moved the offense far better than Bulger did, so perhaps the lone startable option, Steven Jackson, might have some more success if Boller can keep the defenses back a bit. Donnie Avery stands to benefit a bit here...stash him as a WR5 if he was dropped after his awful start.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich...from rising QB2 to benched by his own team. After a horrible start against a tough Giants D, he was benched in favor of Josh Johnson, and head coach Raheem Morris made it official today moving forward. Seems like a harsh move so early in the season, but this team clearly isn't playing for much at 0-3 and already know what they have in Leftwich.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre...for the 3rd week in a row. Campbell was erratic. Santana Moss had a monster week against a weak defense, supporting my match-up WR3 projection for him last week. Hopefully you had him starting. Clinton Portis is about done as he can't even produce in a horrible match up. You can't start him any more.
Arizona Cardinals - Warner was simply abused by the Colts ends. He looked pretty solid when he had time, but that wasn't often. With the Cardinals still not running the ball, it's allowing pass rushers to pin their ears back and come after Warner without worrying about off-tackle runs and draws to make them pay for their aggression. This whole offense is under-achieving, and the play calling doesn't show that there's any light at the end of the tunnel. Continue using Warner/Fitzgerald/Boldin as you normally would, but understand that expectations need to be tempered, especially against teams with a strong pass rush.
Atlanta Falcons - Belichick get the best of Ryan and Turner as the Patriots game planned very well for this offense. Just a simple off-game for Ryan against a very clever coaching staff. Luckily, Turner scored again to make up for the fact that he's nowhere near as proficient on the ground this season. Roddy White has been a disappointment so far, but with Matt Ryan looking better the last season, White is an excellent buy-low candidate.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco simply can't be stopped, apparently. Those who took a chance on him, despite the lack of explosive passing game options and a run-first offense, have to be grinning to own one of the biggest QB surprises thus far this season. Rice and McGahee continue to split carries and annoy owners, although both are arguably RB2s with Rice generating solid yardage each week and McGahee scoring each week. Mason exploded and Heap also posted a solid outing.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards went back to his dink-and-dunk ways while also mis-firing on the couple deep throws he did attempt. This is shaping up to be yet another lost season for Lee Evans who continues to frustrate thanks to his horrible QB situation. Terrell Owens was held catch-less for the first time in almost 200 games. It's hard to say if it's the play calling or Edwards reluctance to look down field, but there is absolutely no excuse for the pathetic passing game thus far.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme was a mixed bag...he made a few nice throws and a few horrible ones, but mostly wasn't accurate throwing down the field. Steve Smith is going to have an up and down year if Delhomme can't get him the ball deep at least once a game. Given how little he threw the ball down the field, especially during crunch time after his pick six...I wonder if all these interceptions since the postseason last year are mentally affecting him. To combat that, it seems like the Panthers are panicking with the rushing attack. They're still busting off solid gains when they want, but they don't seem as committed to pounding the rock as they did last season. With Stewart continuously eating into DeAngelo's time, Williams is no longer a RB1 as Carolina can't seem to sustain drives. I apologize for reversing my opinion on Williams after Stewart's injury-wrecked preseason.
Chicago Bears - Cutler continued his week 2 rebound with another solid performance capped off by a game-winning drive. Hester has been producing at a WR3 level, and Greg Olsen is slowly getting better each week as the offense gets comfortable with each other. Forte finally posted good yardage, but he again frustrated with a horrible YPC. I think the problem is that their offensive line is built for pass blocking rather than run blocking. By moving Chris Williams to RT, they now have essentially 2 pass blocking specialists in Pace and Williams manning the perimeter, and they don't have 2 road-grading guards to balance it out. Things should get a little better for Forte once Cutler continues to open up the passing game, but I worry about the offensive line in regards to Forte.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer predictably struggled against a good Pittsburgh defense, but turned it on down the stretch by leading a game winning TD drive. Benson continued his resurgence by posting yet another quality game. He's an every week RB2 at this point. Caldwell continues to impress and has to be close to replacing Coles in the starting lineup.
Cleveland Browns - Boy what a mess. Quinn gets yanked after another mediocre start, and then Anderson comes in to toss 3 INTs. At least Anderson tries to go down the field. Edwards owners, like myself, should debate alternatives for the time being. Anderson would provide some upside, but it's in the Browns best interest to let Quinn continue to play and see what they have in him. They already know what they have in Anderson. This offense continues to be a wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Romo had a pretty solid game football-wise, but threw up another stinker fantasy-wise. He made mostly good decisions and also kept several plays alive with his feet, but with Roy Williams not making plays for him, his fantasy upside is extremely limited as there's no WR even close to Owens on this roster. He mauled Tampa's secondary, but that was heavily aided by multiple blown coverages leading to long TDs. Romo is a low-end QB1 thanks to the talent being on the running side of the offensive scheme. The rushing attack looked good, but I think it's officially time to call Felix Jones injury-prone. He flashes when on the field, but he's always seemingly getting nicked up, including last night when Choice played most of the 2nd half in their game without Barber.
Denver Broncos - Orton posted another workman-like game as the rushing attack took center stage. With Moreno finally healthy and Buckhalter hitting big plays, the Broncos have a great 1-2 punch to base their offense around. Moreno can be used as a RB2 now that he's healthy, but Buckhalter will definitely continue to be a part of the rushing attack. Marshall had a good game and is rounding into form. I think he can be started now that he has his attitude right and is getting consistent playing time. What a difference a week makes, huh? Eddie Royal is absolutely lost and can be benched now. I hate Josh McDaniels...this team is going to have a rude awakening when they stop racking up wins off of fluke plays and against the worst the NFL has to offer.
Detroit Lions - Stafford showed improved accuracy and decision making yesterday in the Lions first win since 2007. It appears he's still going to take shots down the field, so as long as the improvement doesn't take a toll on his willingness to go down the field to CJ and company, CJ owners will like it. Kevin Smith posted another solid game, but keep an eye on his mysterious shoulder injury.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers got right back on the horse with a big day, and Jennings also righted the ship, making the most of his 2 receptions for over 100 yards. Grant almost got 100 yards, falling 1 yard short, although it took him 26 carries to get there. Grant just isn't busting big plays like he made a habit of doing during the 2nd half of 2007, but with the lack of quality options to take carries for him, his volume will make him a solid RB2.
Houston Texans - Schaub again blew up with a big game, and Kevin Walter picked up right where he left off last season after missing the first two weeks with an injury. This passing game is cruising now, but Slaton continues to disappoint. He actually ran the ball very well, but he was always replaced in the red zone by Chris Brown. Brown lost a huge fumble at the end zone, however, so that warrants monitoring.
Indianapolis Colts - This passing game is absolutely on fire now with everyone except slot receiver Austin Collie posting good numbers. Addai continues disappointing, but at least he scored on a middle screen pass at the goal line. Donald Brown still looks like the better of the 2 RBs, although Manning did state that he views Addai as more reliable in the passing game right now. Brown's 72 yard reception utilizing his great acceleration begs to differ. Addai is nothing more than a RB3.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Apparently Houston's pathetic defense is all you need to rebound. Garrard looked pretty good, often looking to new #1 wideout Mike Sims-Walker, who posted another solid receiving game despite the lost fumble. MJD was a beast against a bad defense. Sims-Walker is a WR3 moving forward and has provided great bench depth to all who picked him up. I'd suggest attempting to sell high on him given his lengthy injury history, but few know who the hell he is. Expect continued production while healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Without Bowe, this offense looked even more awful. Nobody but Bowe from this sack of crap is worth starting.
Miami Dolphins - I'm a bit conflicted with Chad Pennington's injury. He's an excellent game manager and is very accurate, but his arm strength is well below average. Henne will probably take more shots down the field, but he's going to make more mistakes. This offense was having problems anyways, so change can't be bad, can it? None of the passing game was worth using anyways, but hopefully this doesn't mean even more men in the box to slow down Ronnie Brown and company.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre had the reigns removed, taking more shots down the field and posting a solid fantasy day. Peterson was a bit of a disappointment not getting into the end zone with the Vikings attempting to throw more than usual despite it being a close game. Consider this an anomaly.
New England Patriots - Brady posted another workman-like effort, failing to throw for 300 yards or multiple scores again. Certainly those who drafted him have been disappointed with the past two weeks, and I regret changing my stance after watching him light it up in the preseason. He's clearly rusty and is taking some time to get back into synch with his offense. Welker's injury certainly hurts as well, and Edelman wasn't nearly as productive as he was in week 2. Is there some clarity to the rushing attack? Fred Taylor dominated the carries and looked very good while doing it. He's definitely worth adding to find out.
New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees deferred to the rushing attack, especially Pierre Thomas, in week 3. Thomas must have had his owners shitting a brick after not receiving a carry in the first half, but he blew open the doors in the 2nd half with 14/126 and 2 TDs. Expect to see him starting from here on out...he's back.
New York Giants - Eli continues to post QB1 numbers with his young receivers as they develop before everyone's eyes. The rushing attack also got back on track with big days from both Jacobs and Bradshaw. With Nicks possibly back at practice, Manningham owners might need to start looking over their shoulders a bit. We'll have to see how this plays out when Nicks returns.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez is clearly the real deal as he singled handedly tore apart the TEN secondary after his rushing attack was stuffed by the vaunted TEN rushing defense. Cotchery is blowing away his ADP thanks to the maturity Sanchez has shown on the field as a true #1 WR. Thomas Jones has come back to earth after a huge 2nd half in week 1.
Oakland Raiders - Russell fucking sucks, and nobody on this offense can be started right now. My continued hyping of Zach Miller looks foolish as Russell continues to get worse. Miller is no longer Russell-proof and cannot be trust as a starter, but I wouldn't cut bait on him yet unless you can pick up a Vernon Davis type.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kolb posted QB1 numbers again, and I wish I had taken my own advice and started him. :) Brent Celek has been a favorite target of his and posted another huge game. Westbrook was a surprise inactive Sunday morning, and LeSean McCoy responded with a great day for those who plugged him in as a RB2. With Westbrook's continued injury problems and McCoy's great week 3, they have to be concerned a bit that McCoy will turn this into some sort of committee.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers continues to rack up the yardage as SD has transitioned into a run-first team. Vincent Jackson is enjoying a true breakout into the WR1 category while Chris Chambers disappears and probably won't be starting soon. Malcolm Floyd is a better WR at this point and should start soon. Unfortunately for Gates' owners, Jackson's emergence has dropped him to 2nd in the pecking order, but he's still posting fine numbers for the pass-first offense.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore re-injured his ankle on the first play and looks set to miss a few weeks, and Glen Coffee will be a popular waiver add with a favorable schedule the next two weeks. Coffee struggled, but that was against the vaunted MIN rushing defense. Hopefully Gore owners handcuffed him with the preseason star. Vernon Davis also posted the game of his life and most certainly should be owned. He's making a statement to be considered as a TE1.
Seattle Seahawks - Wallace actually looked pretty solid, and his favorite receiver was definitely Nate Burleson, who's proving to be quite the waiver add thus far. I think Wallace makes for a reasonable QB2 while Hasselbeck is out, which probably won't be for much longer. Burleson has stepped into the #1 receiver role while Housh earns a bunch of money and does nothing with the football. Consider Housh only a WR4 at this point. Carlson has crashed after his first two weeks...he's being asked to block a lot with their mangled offensive line. He's only a TE2. Julius Jones went right back to looking good after a horrid week 2, keeping Forsett off the field. I guess he's a RB3? I give up with him.
St. Louis Rams - Bulger might be done for a bit, and unfortunately for his replacement Kyle Boller, Laurent Robinson definitely done (broken leg) after such a promising start to the season. On the bright side, Boller moved the offense far better than Bulger did, so perhaps the lone startable option, Steven Jackson, might have some more success if Boller can keep the defenses back a bit. Donnie Avery stands to benefit a bit here...stash him as a WR5 if he was dropped after his awful start.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich...from rising QB2 to benched by his own team. After a horrible start against a tough Giants D, he was benched in favor of Josh Johnson, and head coach Raheem Morris made it official today moving forward. Seems like a harsh move so early in the season, but this team clearly isn't playing for much at 0-3 and already know what they have in Leftwich.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre...for the 3rd week in a row. Campbell was erratic. Santana Moss had a monster week against a weak defense, supporting my match-up WR3 projection for him last week. Hopefully you had him starting. Clinton Portis is about done as he can't even produce in a horrible match up. You can't start him any more.
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