* If I have not listed a player here, he's in no danger of missing this week's game.
QB
Trent Edwards - No injury here, but he has officially become the Buffalo Bills starter for the rest of the season.
Trent Green - Green suffered a severe concussion in week 5, he will not play again this year, and he could retire as a result. Drop him in all leagues. Cleo Lemon will start for the forseeable future, but he's probably just keeping the seat warm for rookie John Beck.
Chad Pennington - No injury here, but he's on a very short leash with youngster Kellen Clemens ready to take over. Pennington was declared the starter for week 8, but it's only a matter of time before he loses the job.
Steve McNair - McNair suffered a groin injury in week 5, and he hasn't played since. He is expected to return this week, but watch practice reports to make sure. Kyle Boller would start in his place if McNair can't go.
Matt Schaub - Schaub suffered several injuries in week 7, but he is expected to return this week. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. Sage Rosenfels would start in his place if Schaub can't go.
David Garrard - Garrard suffered a high ankle sprain in week 7, and he is out indefinitely. Quinn Gray will start.
Vince Young - Young suffered a strained quad in week 6, but he is expected to return this week. He returned to practice on Wednesday.
Josh McCown - McCown suffered a torn toe ligament in week 3, and he is questionable to return this week. Duante Culpepper still doesn't have the confidence of the coaching staff as they appear ready to start McCown again once he heals.
Tavaris Jackson - Jackson suffered a broken finger in week 7, and he is out this week. Kelly Holcomb will start.
Byron Leftwich - Leftwich suffered a high ankle sprain in week 7, and he is out indefinitely. Joey Harrington still start.
David Carr - Carr suffered a back injury in week 5, but he is likely to return this week. He practiced on Wednesday and Thursday.
Alex Smith - Smith suffered a separated shoulder in week 4, but he will return this week. He practiced on Wednesday.
RB
Ronnie Brown - Brown suffered a torn ACL in week 7, and he is out for the season. Jesse Chatman will start.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney suffered a groin injury in week 2, he returned in a limited fashion in week 7, and will return to full duty in week 8.
Rudi Johnson - Johnson suffered a hamstring injury in week 3, and he is expected to miss this week. Kenny Watson will start.
Jamal Lewis - Lewis suffered a foot injury in week 5, and he is questionable to return this week. If he can't play, Jason Wright will start again, and Jerome Harrison will be mixed in as well.
Joseph Addai - Addai suffered a hand injury in week 7, but he returned later in the game. The big news is that given Addai's penchant to get nicked up, even though it's never cost him more than a handful of snaps, Tony Dungy has decided to use Kenton Keith more in games. This will not be a 50/50 split, but apparently Dungy is worried that Addai just can't carry the full load. Don't panic as Addai will still be plenty valuable, but he's not going to receive 25-30 touches any more in all likelihood.
Maurice Jones-Drew - MJD suffered a sprained knee in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. He continues to say that it's nothing to worry about and that he's fine, but he missed practice on Wednesday.
Chris Brown - Brown suffered an ankle injury in week 6, and he is questionable for this week. If he misses another game, it'll make LenDale White a great play. He could eventually be replaced by Chris Henry.
Travis Henry - Henry suffered a rib injury in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday. Selvin Young would start in his place, but it sounds like Andre Hall will play a role as well.
DeShaun Foster - Foster suffered a turf toe injury in week 6, and he is questionable for this week. Even if he plays, he won't be worth using.
Frank Gore - Gore suffered a sprained ankle in week 7, but he is probable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday, but he is expected to return later this week.
Steven Jackson - Jackson suffered a torn groin in week 3, but he will return this week. He practiced on Wednesday.
WR
Andre Johnson - Johnson suffered a sprained knee in week 2, and he is out this week. He's likely to return in week 11, and he'll be replaced by some combination of Kevin Walter and Andre Davis.
Marvin Harrison - Harrison suffered a sprained knee in week 5, but he is probable for this week. He missed practice on Wednesday, but he is likely to return to practice later this week.
Javon Walker - Walker suffered a knee injury in week 3, and he is out indefinitely. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean his knee out, and his current timetable is 6 weeks.
Plaxico Burress - Burress suffered a severely sprained ankle in week 2, but he is probable for this week. He has missed every practice since the injury, but he hasn't missed a game yet.
Santana Moss - Moss suffered a hamstring injury in week 3, and he hasn't looked right since. He is probable for this week, but it seems very risky to use him given the 0s (or worse) that he's posted since returning.
Darrell Jackson - Jackson suffered a strained quad in week 7, and he is questionable for this week. Given what little he's offered his owners, I imagine you have better alternatives anyways. He missed practice on Wednesday.
D.J. Hackett - Hackett suffered a high ankle sprain in week 1, and he is on bye this week, but he seems probable to return in week 9. If you have WR depth problems or someone you want to drop, go get Hackett now. He's likely to be a solid fantasy contributor once he returns.
TE
Ben Watson - Watson suffered an ankle injury in week 6, and he is out indefinitely. Kyle Brady will start and can be used in a pinch.
Todd Heap - Heap suffered a strained hamstring in week 4, and he is expected to return after the team's bye this week.
Tony Scheffler - Scheffler suffered a sprained ankle in week 7, but he is probable for this week. He practiced on Wednesday. With Javon Walker out, he's a strong candidate to turn in a solid 2nd half, and can be picked up as a TE2.
L.J. Smith - Smith underwent hernia surgery prior to the season, and he is questionable this week. He's worth keeping an eye on if you have TE problems.
Bubba Franks - Franks suffered a sprained knee in week 5, and he is out for this week. Donald Lee becomes a great option at TE with Franks out.
Alge Crumpler - Crumpler is suffering from a knee injury that he had surgery on prior to the season, but he is expected to return after the team's bye this week. He has questionable TE1 value upon his return.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
NFL Week 7: Monday Night Game Wrapup
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Peyton Manning - 23/37, 259 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/0, 1 TD. Another solid fantasy game from Manning even against an elite pass D like JAX. He took what the defense gave him and also utilized a solid running game to move the ball and put points on the board.
Joseph Addai - 16/85, 4/22. A solid yardage game from Addai, but Dungy came out and stated that they want to get Kenton Keith more involved in the offense. Addai had to come out after hurting his hand on a 23 yard run, and that result in Kenton Keith picking up a TD. He had another nice 10 yard run down to the inside the 1, but he failed to reach the ball over the stripe, and then Manning plunged it in. Addai's fantasy value will drop, but he's still a very solid RB1.
Marvin Harrison - 3/16. Despite reports that he'd play a full set of plays, Harrison was limited in this outing and his production suffered. I expect improvement next week, especially against a ho-hum CAR secondary.
Reggie Wayne - 9/131. It's a shame he didnt' score, but he came up with big catch after big catch against a very tough opponent. His TDs are down currently, but expect him to pick up the scoring slack as the season moves along.
Dallas Clark - 4/66, 1 TD. Another game, another TD. He broke wide open late in the game off of a playaction and posted a 35 yard TD to ensure another solid fantasy performance.
David Garrard - 8/12, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. Garrard was playing alright, but he had to leave with an ankle injury and could be out a couple weeks. It's blow to his owners as he was playing like a borderline QB1.
Quinn Gray - 9/24, 56 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 2/8, 1 FL. Ugly. He's not a fantasy option, but 2 QB leaguers should pick him up.
Fred Taylor - 11/55, 1/-2. Not enough touches for him to be anything beyond a decent RB3. Given MJD's potential knee injury, Taylor could see a rise in fantasy value, however.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 13/52, 3/17, 1 TD. The TD made him turn in yet another solid RB2 performance, but his knee injury bears watching this week in practice as he limped off towards the end of the game.
Peyton Manning - 23/37, 259 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2/0, 1 TD. Another solid fantasy game from Manning even against an elite pass D like JAX. He took what the defense gave him and also utilized a solid running game to move the ball and put points on the board.
Joseph Addai - 16/85, 4/22. A solid yardage game from Addai, but Dungy came out and stated that they want to get Kenton Keith more involved in the offense. Addai had to come out after hurting his hand on a 23 yard run, and that result in Kenton Keith picking up a TD. He had another nice 10 yard run down to the inside the 1, but he failed to reach the ball over the stripe, and then Manning plunged it in. Addai's fantasy value will drop, but he's still a very solid RB1.
Marvin Harrison - 3/16. Despite reports that he'd play a full set of plays, Harrison was limited in this outing and his production suffered. I expect improvement next week, especially against a ho-hum CAR secondary.
Reggie Wayne - 9/131. It's a shame he didnt' score, but he came up with big catch after big catch against a very tough opponent. His TDs are down currently, but expect him to pick up the scoring slack as the season moves along.
Dallas Clark - 4/66, 1 TD. Another game, another TD. He broke wide open late in the game off of a playaction and posted a 35 yard TD to ensure another solid fantasy performance.
David Garrard - 8/12, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. Garrard was playing alright, but he had to leave with an ankle injury and could be out a couple weeks. It's blow to his owners as he was playing like a borderline QB1.
Quinn Gray - 9/24, 56 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 2/8, 1 FL. Ugly. He's not a fantasy option, but 2 QB leaguers should pick him up.
Fred Taylor - 11/55, 1/-2. Not enough touches for him to be anything beyond a decent RB3. Given MJD's potential knee injury, Taylor could see a rise in fantasy value, however.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 13/52, 3/17, 1 TD. The TD made him turn in yet another solid RB2 performance, but his knee injury bears watching this week in practice as he limped off towards the end of the game.
NFL Week 7: Late Game Wrapup
New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
Chad Pennington - 20/31, 272 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3/7, 1 FL. Pennington put up a solid game against a very weak defense, but he was picked off and it was return for a TD to seal the game for Cincy. This is probably not enough to hold off the calls for Kellen Clemens, especially with the team sporting a 1-6 record.
Thomas Jones - 19/67. A very disappointing effort from Jones against such a weak defense, especially with the game close throughout. Keep him in the lineup versus Buffalo in week 8.
Laveraneous Coles - 8/133, 2 TD. A huge last game from the Pennington/Coles connection, if that is indeed the end to Chad's run as the starter. There was no denying that the two had solid chemistry, so hopefully Coles will keep that up if Clemens takes over. He had a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.
Jerricho Cotchery - 6/60, 1 TD. A solid game from Cotchery, and he could start to receive more targets from Clemens. He too has a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.
Carson Palmer - 14/21, 226 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Owners were certainly left wanting more from Palmer in such a good matchup against the Jets, but Watson stole the scoring show, and Cincy was able to move the ball down the field very effectively on the ground. He faces a stern test against Pittsburgh in week 8.
Kenny Watson - 31/130, 3/27, 3 TD. Hello, Kenny Watson. The owners who used him with Rudi out were rewarded beyond their wildest dreams with a monster game. Given how well Watson has run, how poorly Rudi was running this year, and Rudi dealing with a lingering injury, there's a very good chance that Watson has carved himself a far more prominent role in the backfield.
Chad Johnson - 3/102. He had a couple long catches, but his targets were limited with Cincy choosing to run the ball down NYJ's throat. Owners are probably getting impatient with TJ stealing all the TD's, but Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 4/43, 1 TD. TJ is 6/6 in games with TDs this year, making him insanely consistent. Like I mentioned above, Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths, and it's certainly making TJ a far more valuable fantasy WR this year.
Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders
Damon Huard - 16/31, 177 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. A very subpar outing from Huard, but like I mentioned before, the Raiders secondary is very solid. This won't hurt his chances for starting the rest of the year, especially since the Chiefs won again.
Larry Johnson - 24/112, 6/21, 1 TD. LJ took advantage of a great matchup and posted another very solid game. He has entered the easier part of his schedule, so as long as he holds up, he should continue taking advantage of matchups against weaker defenses. I'm still wary on his healthy over the course of this season, but he's proving good to go for now.
Dwayne Bowe - 3/84. He hauled in a big 58 yard pass which saved his fantasy day in a game where he caught only 3 passes. Count the lack of catches up to a solid opponent, and feel lucky that he broke a big one to turn in a solid fantasy day.
Tony Gonzalez - 4/66. Another solid day from Gonzo who continues to thrive with Huard behind center. He's a TE1 like usual.
Duante Culpepper - 18/29, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/4. A decent game from Culpepper. I think expecting numbers like these in most weeks is very reasonable.
LaMont Jordan - 11/29, 4/40. Jordan struggled horribly again on the ground, but he avoided a disaster by catching passes later in the game. Given Rhodes logged 9 carries to Jordan's 11, it's time to start worrying that Jordan's back is limiting his effectiveness, and that it will lead to Rhodes getting more playing time. Rhodes hardly did anything (9/21) with his carries, though.
Ronald Curry - 4/45, 1 TD. Jerry Porter seems to make the big plays (1/59), but he's being targetted less frequently than Curry. Curry remains the guy to own and makes for a solid WR3.
Zach Miller - 4/48. Culpepper effectively used Jermaine Wiggins during his tenure with the Vikings, so Miller could emerge as a solid TE2 down the stretch.
Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys
Tavaris Jackson - 6/19, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/20. Worst QB in football. He has solid physical skills and is arguably the fastest QB in the NFL, but he's so raw and it's really showing this year. Brad Childress is really doing a disservice to his team by not starting a veteran until Jackson is ready.
Adrian Peterson - 12/63, 1/12, 1 TD, 1 FL. Peterson scored on a 20 yard run, but didn't get enough carries in this one to make a huge difference. Because of the erratic amount of times he touches the ball, he's a lower tiered RB1.
Chester Taylor - 10/47, 3/19. Taylor should not be unowned in leagues, and he's especially helpful as a handcuff to Peterson owners.
Tony Romo - 31/39, 277 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/4, 1 FL. I expected a better output from Romo against a weak Vikings secondary, but he still put up a solid effort in what has been one of is weaker outputs of the season thus far.
Marion Barber - 19/96, 4/9, 1 TD. Barber received 19 carries to Jones' 9, and while I wouldn't get too excited yet, this could be a step in Barber becoming the team's feature RB. He battered the vaunted MIN run D in the 2nd half.
Terrell Owens - 7/103, 1 TD. Owens sliced through the MIN secondary and put up his best game out of the last 3. Not that his owners were worried, but it's nice to see him put up another solid effort.
Patrick Crayton - 2/19, 1 FL. When you are the teams' 2B option in the receiving game, there's going to be games like this.
Jason Witten - 10/86. A monster PPR game from the talented Witten. He continues to be the best TE bargain in fantasy drafts with excellent consistency.
Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Griese - 27/41, 322 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/0. He was having a rather modest day until leading the Bears on a 97 yard TD drive in under 2 minutes with 0 timeouts, culminating in a 15 yard TD pass to Muhammad. Griese is turning into a solid QB2.
Cedric Benson - 17/46, 1/19. Pathetic. He runs with no burst, no power, and seemingly no effort. It's time for the Bears to give Adrian Peterson more work.
Muhsin Muhammad - 5/79, 1 TD. He should be owned in all leagues. He's not the deep threat he once was, but he suits the short passing game that Griese does well, and he's the best fit for the new Chicago passing game. He's still a very solid redzone target. He gets a favorable matchup against the Lions next.
Bernard Berrian - 4/65. Still solid numbers, but without the deep playaction TD bombs he was catching with consistency last year, he's not posting any big games.
Greg Olsen - 4/48. He's been consistently posting decent yardage totals and is a solid TE2 with further upside in the 2nd half.
Donovan McNabb - 21/34, 226 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/18. McNabb is looking quicker on his feet as the season moves on, and while he hasn't had a big game since the explosion versus the Lions, he's slowly making progress. He makes for a solid buy-low candidate in the 2nd half.
Brian Westbrook - 18/79, 6/40. Westbrook against posted a very good yardage total, but didn't find the endzone again. He'll get more chances as McNabb continues to improve.
Kevin Curtis - 5/62. McNabb talked about getting Reggie Brown more involved, and while he has definitely succeeded in doing that after the bye, Curtis remains the preferred target. He's quick, runs good routes, and has good hands.
Reggie Brown - 3/44. He's slowly coming around, but he's nothing more than a WR4 for now.
St Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks
Marc Bulger - 21/40, 225 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT. What a horrible disaster in his return. I feel very bad that I recommended him in my gameday active area as he was clearly rusty on an offense that just isn't accomplishing anything. Steven Jackson likely returns next week, so that should help. They get Cleveland next, so if your other QB is on bye, it's a solid matchup to try him again with.
Brian Leonard - 12/44. Leonard hardly capitalized on a solid matchup. He's likely headed back to the bench next week.
Torry Holt - 8/82. His knee continues to limit his ability to make downfield plays, and since the offense is struggling so badly, he's not scoring TDs to make up for it.
Isaac Bruce - 2/52. The deep-in route king. He'll improve down the stretch as the Rams offense figures to do so as well.
Matt Hasselbeck - 18/35, 195 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not a big yardage day, but he made up for it by tossing 2 TDs. He's still a low tier QB1. He's on bye this week, and he'll benefit from getting Deion Branch back after the bye.
Shaun Alexander - 19/47, 1/18. This has gotten ugly in a hurry, plus he got into an argument with his coach on the sideline. I'd stick a fork in him, but he'd probably yell at me too.
Bobby Engram - 6/73. Another solid outing from Engram, but with Branch scheduled to return after the bye week, he'll lose fantasy value and likely return to the slot. However, he'll probably remain Hasselbeck's secondary receiver.
Nate Burleson - 1/12. Thanks, Nate.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Ben Roethlisberger - 24/35, 290 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 3/20, 1 FL. Big Ben took full advantage of the DEN secondary with Bailey out by posting his best fantasy effort of the season. With Ward and Holmes both back at the WR position, expect him to improve his yardage in the 2nd half.
Willie Parker - 21/93, 2/34. Another fine yardage game, but the lack of TDs has to be frustrating his owners. He's been solid all year, otherwise.
Hines Ward - 7/78. He looked healthy and is safe to resume starting. Cincy is a great matchup in week 8.
Santonio Holmes - 6/54, 1 TD. Same as Ward.
Heath Miller - 5/50, 2 TD. Miller came through with a big game for those who chose to use him, and he'll likely retain his lower tier TE1 value all year long. He's a great redzone target.
Jay Cutler - 22/29, 248 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 3/41. A very solid fantasy day for Cutler who tossed a career-high 3 TDs. Given the competition, this was a very nice step forward this year for the youngster who seemed to have slightly regressed since last year. Expect continued modest improvement.
Travis Henry - 17/51. He was bottled up by a great PIT run D, and he also left a bit early with bruised ribs. He's really slowed down after a fast start. Check his practice status this week.
Brandon Marshall - 6/77. Another solid effort from Marshall who will be the go-to receiver for the Broncos with Javon Walker out at least 6 weeks. Expect better numbers against weaker defenses, but GB in week 8 isn't a weaker defense. He's still a WR3 with WR2 upside.
Brandon Stokley - 6/70, 1 TD. Perhaps he can be of WR3 assistance with Walker out? Pick him up to find out if he's available and you need WR depth.
Tony Scheffler - 5/50, 1 TD. He's a forgotten man after a strong finish to last season once Cutler took over. He was suffering from a foot injury to start the year, but with Walker down, Scheffler could emerge as a 2nd half sleeper if they get him more involved in the passing game. He certainly has the receiving skills.
Chad Pennington - 20/31, 272 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3/7, 1 FL. Pennington put up a solid game against a very weak defense, but he was picked off and it was return for a TD to seal the game for Cincy. This is probably not enough to hold off the calls for Kellen Clemens, especially with the team sporting a 1-6 record.
Thomas Jones - 19/67. A very disappointing effort from Jones against such a weak defense, especially with the game close throughout. Keep him in the lineup versus Buffalo in week 8.
Laveraneous Coles - 8/133, 2 TD. A huge last game from the Pennington/Coles connection, if that is indeed the end to Chad's run as the starter. There was no denying that the two had solid chemistry, so hopefully Coles will keep that up if Clemens takes over. He had a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.
Jerricho Cotchery - 6/60, 1 TD. A solid game from Cotchery, and he could start to receive more targets from Clemens. He too has a great matchup with Buffalo in week 8.
Carson Palmer - 14/21, 226 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Owners were certainly left wanting more from Palmer in such a good matchup against the Jets, but Watson stole the scoring show, and Cincy was able to move the ball down the field very effectively on the ground. He faces a stern test against Pittsburgh in week 8.
Kenny Watson - 31/130, 3/27, 3 TD. Hello, Kenny Watson. The owners who used him with Rudi out were rewarded beyond their wildest dreams with a monster game. Given how well Watson has run, how poorly Rudi was running this year, and Rudi dealing with a lingering injury, there's a very good chance that Watson has carved himself a far more prominent role in the backfield.
Chad Johnson - 3/102. He had a couple long catches, but his targets were limited with Cincy choosing to run the ball down NYJ's throat. Owners are probably getting impatient with TJ stealing all the TD's, but Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 4/43, 1 TD. TJ is 6/6 in games with TDs this year, making him insanely consistent. Like I mentioned above, Palmer obviously uses both to their strengths, and it's certainly making TJ a far more valuable fantasy WR this year.
Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders
Damon Huard - 16/31, 177 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/-2. A very subpar outing from Huard, but like I mentioned before, the Raiders secondary is very solid. This won't hurt his chances for starting the rest of the year, especially since the Chiefs won again.
Larry Johnson - 24/112, 6/21, 1 TD. LJ took advantage of a great matchup and posted another very solid game. He has entered the easier part of his schedule, so as long as he holds up, he should continue taking advantage of matchups against weaker defenses. I'm still wary on his healthy over the course of this season, but he's proving good to go for now.
Dwayne Bowe - 3/84. He hauled in a big 58 yard pass which saved his fantasy day in a game where he caught only 3 passes. Count the lack of catches up to a solid opponent, and feel lucky that he broke a big one to turn in a solid fantasy day.
Tony Gonzalez - 4/66. Another solid day from Gonzo who continues to thrive with Huard behind center. He's a TE1 like usual.
Duante Culpepper - 18/29, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3/4. A decent game from Culpepper. I think expecting numbers like these in most weeks is very reasonable.
LaMont Jordan - 11/29, 4/40. Jordan struggled horribly again on the ground, but he avoided a disaster by catching passes later in the game. Given Rhodes logged 9 carries to Jordan's 11, it's time to start worrying that Jordan's back is limiting his effectiveness, and that it will lead to Rhodes getting more playing time. Rhodes hardly did anything (9/21) with his carries, though.
Ronald Curry - 4/45, 1 TD. Jerry Porter seems to make the big plays (1/59), but he's being targetted less frequently than Curry. Curry remains the guy to own and makes for a solid WR3.
Zach Miller - 4/48. Culpepper effectively used Jermaine Wiggins during his tenure with the Vikings, so Miller could emerge as a solid TE2 down the stretch.
Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys
Tavaris Jackson - 6/19, 72 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/20. Worst QB in football. He has solid physical skills and is arguably the fastest QB in the NFL, but he's so raw and it's really showing this year. Brad Childress is really doing a disservice to his team by not starting a veteran until Jackson is ready.
Adrian Peterson - 12/63, 1/12, 1 TD, 1 FL. Peterson scored on a 20 yard run, but didn't get enough carries in this one to make a huge difference. Because of the erratic amount of times he touches the ball, he's a lower tiered RB1.
Chester Taylor - 10/47, 3/19. Taylor should not be unowned in leagues, and he's especially helpful as a handcuff to Peterson owners.
Tony Romo - 31/39, 277 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/4, 1 FL. I expected a better output from Romo against a weak Vikings secondary, but he still put up a solid effort in what has been one of is weaker outputs of the season thus far.
Marion Barber - 19/96, 4/9, 1 TD. Barber received 19 carries to Jones' 9, and while I wouldn't get too excited yet, this could be a step in Barber becoming the team's feature RB. He battered the vaunted MIN run D in the 2nd half.
Terrell Owens - 7/103, 1 TD. Owens sliced through the MIN secondary and put up his best game out of the last 3. Not that his owners were worried, but it's nice to see him put up another solid effort.
Patrick Crayton - 2/19, 1 FL. When you are the teams' 2B option in the receiving game, there's going to be games like this.
Jason Witten - 10/86. A monster PPR game from the talented Witten. He continues to be the best TE bargain in fantasy drafts with excellent consistency.
Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Griese - 27/41, 322 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/0. He was having a rather modest day until leading the Bears on a 97 yard TD drive in under 2 minutes with 0 timeouts, culminating in a 15 yard TD pass to Muhammad. Griese is turning into a solid QB2.
Cedric Benson - 17/46, 1/19. Pathetic. He runs with no burst, no power, and seemingly no effort. It's time for the Bears to give Adrian Peterson more work.
Muhsin Muhammad - 5/79, 1 TD. He should be owned in all leagues. He's not the deep threat he once was, but he suits the short passing game that Griese does well, and he's the best fit for the new Chicago passing game. He's still a very solid redzone target. He gets a favorable matchup against the Lions next.
Bernard Berrian - 4/65. Still solid numbers, but without the deep playaction TD bombs he was catching with consistency last year, he's not posting any big games.
Greg Olsen - 4/48. He's been consistently posting decent yardage totals and is a solid TE2 with further upside in the 2nd half.
Donovan McNabb - 21/34, 226 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/18. McNabb is looking quicker on his feet as the season moves on, and while he hasn't had a big game since the explosion versus the Lions, he's slowly making progress. He makes for a solid buy-low candidate in the 2nd half.
Brian Westbrook - 18/79, 6/40. Westbrook against posted a very good yardage total, but didn't find the endzone again. He'll get more chances as McNabb continues to improve.
Kevin Curtis - 5/62. McNabb talked about getting Reggie Brown more involved, and while he has definitely succeeded in doing that after the bye, Curtis remains the preferred target. He's quick, runs good routes, and has good hands.
Reggie Brown - 3/44. He's slowly coming around, but he's nothing more than a WR4 for now.
St Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks
Marc Bulger - 21/40, 225 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT. What a horrible disaster in his return. I feel very bad that I recommended him in my gameday active area as he was clearly rusty on an offense that just isn't accomplishing anything. Steven Jackson likely returns next week, so that should help. They get Cleveland next, so if your other QB is on bye, it's a solid matchup to try him again with.
Brian Leonard - 12/44. Leonard hardly capitalized on a solid matchup. He's likely headed back to the bench next week.
Torry Holt - 8/82. His knee continues to limit his ability to make downfield plays, and since the offense is struggling so badly, he's not scoring TDs to make up for it.
Isaac Bruce - 2/52. The deep-in route king. He'll improve down the stretch as the Rams offense figures to do so as well.
Matt Hasselbeck - 18/35, 195 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not a big yardage day, but he made up for it by tossing 2 TDs. He's still a low tier QB1. He's on bye this week, and he'll benefit from getting Deion Branch back after the bye.
Shaun Alexander - 19/47, 1/18. This has gotten ugly in a hurry, plus he got into an argument with his coach on the sideline. I'd stick a fork in him, but he'd probably yell at me too.
Bobby Engram - 6/73. Another solid outing from Engram, but with Branch scheduled to return after the bye week, he'll lose fantasy value and likely return to the slot. However, he'll probably remain Hasselbeck's secondary receiver.
Nate Burleson - 1/12. Thanks, Nate.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Ben Roethlisberger - 24/35, 290 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 3/20, 1 FL. Big Ben took full advantage of the DEN secondary with Bailey out by posting his best fantasy effort of the season. With Ward and Holmes both back at the WR position, expect him to improve his yardage in the 2nd half.
Willie Parker - 21/93, 2/34. Another fine yardage game, but the lack of TDs has to be frustrating his owners. He's been solid all year, otherwise.
Hines Ward - 7/78. He looked healthy and is safe to resume starting. Cincy is a great matchup in week 8.
Santonio Holmes - 6/54, 1 TD. Same as Ward.
Heath Miller - 5/50, 2 TD. Miller came through with a big game for those who chose to use him, and he'll likely retain his lower tier TE1 value all year long. He's a great redzone target.
Jay Cutler - 22/29, 248 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 3/41. A very solid fantasy day for Cutler who tossed a career-high 3 TDs. Given the competition, this was a very nice step forward this year for the youngster who seemed to have slightly regressed since last year. Expect continued modest improvement.
Travis Henry - 17/51. He was bottled up by a great PIT run D, and he also left a bit early with bruised ribs. He's really slowed down after a fast start. Check his practice status this week.
Brandon Marshall - 6/77. Another solid effort from Marshall who will be the go-to receiver for the Broncos with Javon Walker out at least 6 weeks. Expect better numbers against weaker defenses, but GB in week 8 isn't a weaker defense. He's still a WR3 with WR2 upside.
Brandon Stokley - 6/70, 1 TD. Perhaps he can be of WR3 assistance with Walker out? Pick him up to find out if he's available and you need WR depth.
Tony Scheffler - 5/50, 1 TD. He's a forgotten man after a strong finish to last season once Cutler took over. He was suffering from a foot injury to start the year, but with Walker down, Scheffler could emerge as a 2nd half sleeper if they get him more involved in the passing game. He certainly has the receiving skills.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
NFL Week 7: Early Game Wrapup
Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
Kyle Boller - 21/36, 191 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/7. Hardly the performance against a weak BUF secondary that Boller needed to unseat McNair. Expect McNair to return as the starter after the bye as long as he's healthy.
Willis McGahee - 19/114, 2/1, 1 TD. Despite the lack of touches, McGahee busted out for a 46 yard TD. Given the concern in the preseason about his explosiveness, that was certainly nice to see. The Ravens have a bye next week, and they could get both RT Adam Terry and LT Jonathan Ogden back at that point, which would be a big plus for McGahee's value.
Derrick Mason - 7/78, 1 TD. There's always a few veterans each year that are drafted for depth, but they take their fantasy owners by surprise and turn into a fantasy starter. Mason is certainly that, putting up solid performances on a weekly basis along catching a ton of passes.
Mark Clayton - 5/49. Clayton claims he's as healthy as he's been all year, and he certainly performed better this week. Don't forget about him. McNair's arm will certainly limit his upside, but he should definitely be viewed as no worse than a WR4.
Trent Edwards - 11/21, 153 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He managed the game well and led the Bills to victory. He even took a shot downfield and hit Lee Evans for a 54 yard gaine, which was nice to see. Still, he's nothing more than depth in 2 QB leagues.
Marshawn Lynch - 27/84, 3/14, 1 TD. Lynch has certainly become a very solid RB2, and this was an especially impressive performance against such a strong BAL run D. His schedule eases up in the 2nd half, making his first half performance even more impressive given the defenses he's had to face.
Lee Evans - 5/98. It was just a matter of time before Evans got going, and he's actually posted solid games in 2 of the last 3 outings. He's not going to replicate the explosion he saw last season, but he's certain re-establishing himself as a WR3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
Jeff Garcia - 37/45, 316 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 6/10, 2 FL. Owner who used him this week because their starter was on bye or because he had a good matchup were rewarded with a very solid fantasy day. Garcia continues his resurgence under Jon Gruden.
Earnest Graham - 19/92, 13/99. A monster PPR day for Graham who kept new acquisition Michael Bennett on the bench for most of the afternoon. Don't read too much into this as it was the Lions defense, but Graham has definitely given his owners hope for RB3 value and will probably receive the majority of touches against Jacksonville next week, but he's certainly not recommended as a starter.
Joey Galloway - 5/46. It seems like unless he catches a deep TD, he's not doing much. That trend contninued today, but he's still a solid WR3.
Ike Hilliard - 9/92, 1 TD. Add him to the surprise veteran list, and he's an even bigger one than Mason since he was likely not drafted. It's amazing what a Jon Gruden system can do.
Jon Kitna - 16/20, 147 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/9. Don't read too much into this as the Bucs have a very good pass defense. Kitna has put up back-to-back poor games, but they've come against top notch secondaries. KJ's return will mean the Lions will run the ball more, but that should eventually help the passing game as defenses can't sit deep all game. He gets an injury-ravaged Chicago D next week, so expect better numbers and don't give up on him as your starter yet.
Kevin Jones - 15/76, 6/34, 1 TD. KJ is back, and he's ready to resume being the RB1 he was before his injury last year. I wouldn't expect many 25 carry games from him, but he's certainly going to be involved plenty in the passing game and has been proficient near the goal line.
Roy Williams - 3/23. He caught all 3 passes thrown to him, so you can't ask for much more. Life gets easier.
Calvin Johnson - 2/37, 1/32, 1 TD. Thanks to a 32 TD run where CJ looked like LT while stiff arming through defenders, he saved his fantasy day. Much like I said about Kitna and Roy above, better days are ahead in the passing game.
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
Kerry Collins - 25/42, 280 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. He threw the ball downfield, which is something Vince Young still doesn't do very well yet. He might still have a start or two left in him with Young's status up in the air, but I don't recommend him next week against a strong OAK secondary.
LenDale White - 27/104, 4/22, 1 TD. A 28 yard run! White looked better in this effort, although he still couldn't manage 4 YPC. Regardless, he's the primary ball carrier with Chris Brown injured (who didn't see that coming), and he's a very strong play against a weak OAK run D next week.
Chris Henry - 11/57, 1 TD. He did a fine job of spelling White, and he could overtake Chris Brown as TEN's backup RB. Don't rush to pick him up, but if he's officially named the backup, he's worth rostering.
Roydell Williams - 5/124. As I said with Collins, he looked downfield far more often, and Williams was the main beneficiary. If you're deparate at WR you could try him with Brandon Jones out, but you should have better options.
Matt Schaub - 5/9, 23 yards. He got hammered a couple times and left injured. Reports indicate that he'll return nextx week.
Ahman Green - 11/39, 5.32. TEN's run D is actually strong, but Green is showing little to nothing these days on the ground. Luckily he's still proficient in the passing game.
Kevin Walter - 6/97, 1 TD. He strikes again. He gets the shaky SD secondary next week, so you can roll with him again as your WR3.
Andre Davis - 4/88, 1 TD. The Houston system is using Davis well down the field, and he caught an improbable 53 yard TD to put Houston ahead for a bit at the end of the game. Up until then he definitely took a back seat to Kevin Walter.
Owen Daniels - 2/20. Very frustrating day given the Texans threw for over 300 yards and had 4 TDs, including one thrown to his backup Jeb Putzier. Don't read too much into this as he's a solid lower tier TE1.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Tom Brady - 21/25, 354 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT. He did this is just over a half's worth of work. His owners are probably at least 5-2 at this point.
Laurency Maroney - 6/31. Frustrating for those who used him as I recommended starting him, but in hindsight I learned something. First of all, the Pats were going to blow out the Dolphins. That was a given. Knowing that, there was no reason for them to use Maroney much and risk re-injury. Expect him to get more work next week.
Randy Moss - 4/122, 2 TD. Teams are routinely double and triple covering him, but he's going to win jump balls in the endzone no matter how many guys are blanketing him. Both TDs were bombs thrown into tight coverage, but Moss just outleaped everyone. It's amazing what he can do when he tries.
Wes Welker - 9/138, 2 TD. Forget Brandon Stokley, he's the new whiteness. His incredible run continues, but I'd still try to sell him for a more established WR. See what you can get in return for him.
Donte Stallworth - 3/51, 1 TD. He continues performing like a great WR3 in one of the best offenses of all time.
Cleo Lemon - 24/37, 236 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/16, 1 TD, 1 FL. With the trade of Chris Chambers and the loss of Ronnie Brown, he has such little talent around him that it's impossible to recommend him as a QB2.
Ronnie Brown - 17/76, 5/33. Torn ACL, and he's done for the year. He's one of my favorite players, and this kills his owners as he was a draft bargain at the beginning of the 2nd round.
Jesse Chatman - 7/73, 1/9, 1 TD. He carved up the NE D in garbage time, and he'll be the #1 waiver priority for most teams this week. He has solid skills and I believe in Cameron's system, but it's going to be really hard for him to post solid RB2 numbers with the talent around him. Still, he's worth burning your waiver position for.
Marty Booker - 3/28. With the Phins at 0-7, he might start losing playing time to youngsters Derek Hagan and Ted Ginn Jr. They're battling to start opposite of Booker for now, but I wonder how much the Dolphins will attempt to get their youngsters playing time.
San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants
Trent Dilfer - 23/38, 209 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3/11, 2 FL. Pathetic. Alex Smith returns next week, thankfully.
Frank Gore - 14/88, 3/23. Another solid yardage game from Gore despite a lack of touches. He hurt his ankle in the 1st half and apparently played in quite a bit of pain in the 2nd half, so monitor his status. His backup, Michael Robinson, is not an attractive pickup.
Darrell Jackson - 2/6, 1 TD. I don't think even Alex Smith can revive him.
Vernon Davis - 4/22. Let's hope Alex Smith can get him more involved. It's such a waste of talent to not be using an athlete like Davis extensively, especially given the crap they have at the WR position.
Eli Manning - 18/31, 146 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not overly impressive, but the Giants had total control of this game throughout. Miami is a great matchup next.
Brandon Jacobs - 18/107, 1 TD. Jacobs ran all over SF's defense, but there are rumors that he re-injured the ankle that caused him to come out of last week's game prematurely. Keep an eye on his status this week as he has a tasty matchup against Miami up next.
Plaxico Burress - 5/43. The Giants didn't need to pass much, so his opportunities were limited.
Amani Toomer - 3/36, 1 TD. Toomer turned in another nice afternoon, and he's up there with veterans Derrick Mason and Ike Hilliard as surprise fantasy contributors.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/39, 1 TD. Same as above, but he got a redzone TD toss to give him a solid fantasy day.
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
Byron Leftwich - 15/23, 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/6. Lefty was putting up a solid afternoon until a high ankle sprain ended his day early. He could be out anywhere from 2 weeks to the rest of the year, making Harrington the starter again.
Warrick Dunn - 13/28, 1/1. Petrino is being a damned moron with his running game. Dunn has accomplished absolutely nothing while Norwood provides big plays (6/38, 30 yard run) almost every game. The team isn't going anywhere, so start Norwood already.
Roddy White - 8/110, 1 TD. A spectacular performance from White who is finally putting his talent on display. Unfortunately Leftwich went down, hurting his value, but he can still be a decent WR3.
Drew Brees - 22/34, 219 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/8. He's slowly rounding back into form, and if you're struggling at QB, try to buy low on him. I don't see him exploding like he did last year, but I think he's back to stay as a QB1.
Reggie Bush - 17/54, 5/19, 1 TD. He bulled his way into the endzone on his TD reception, but looked rather ineffective outside of that. He still has a ways to go, but he's a RB1.
Marques Colston - 3/45. He's just not making big plays, but expect improvement as long as Brees is improving. Nowhere to go but up, but he's recommended as only a WR3 for now.
Devery Henderson - 1/37, 1 TD. Don't even think about it.
Eric Johnson - 5/54. He was a bit more involved this week, but he's nothing more than a boring TE2 option.
Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins
Kurt Warner - 27/41, 282 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/0, 1 FL. Warner was a surprise starter, and he played very well all afternoon against a tough secondary. If he can do this with a bad arm against a great secondary, he'll emerge as a strong starter against weak defenses. He'll have a bye week to heal his off-arm up.
Edgerrin James - 27/83. He had a very tough matchup, and he got enough touches to put together a solid yardage effort.
Larry Fitzgerald - 6/97. Another solid yardage game from Fitz, but Boldin took both of the scores. Warner helps his value moving forward, although it won't be what it was with Boldin hurt.
Anquan Boldin - 8/29, 2 TD. What a bizarre statline. His owners will smile and take it. Warner prefers Boldin, so his health is great news for Boldin owners.
Jason Campbell - 12/18, 95 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/7. A horrible outing from Campbell against what projected to be a solid matchup. Definitely a step back from last week's effort.
Clinton Portis - 18/43, 2/14, 2 TD. Portis continues to not look himself, but the 2 TDs saved his afternoon. I'd sell high. He should get the ball plenty, but his explosion isn't there as his knee is likely still bothering him. He hasn't shown much life over the past month.
Santana Moss - 2/8. I'd like to punch him in the face. I gave him a chance to redeem himself after last week and he does this. Dammit. He's likely still hurting.
Antwaan Randle El - 3/54. You could do worse as a WR3 while Moss is still hurting. He seems to have improved as a WR, and Campbell doesn't mind using him.
Chris Cooley - 1-3. Yay! Awesome. A victim of Campbell's poor day. No worries.
Kyle Boller - 21/36, 191 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1/7. Hardly the performance against a weak BUF secondary that Boller needed to unseat McNair. Expect McNair to return as the starter after the bye as long as he's healthy.
Willis McGahee - 19/114, 2/1, 1 TD. Despite the lack of touches, McGahee busted out for a 46 yard TD. Given the concern in the preseason about his explosiveness, that was certainly nice to see. The Ravens have a bye next week, and they could get both RT Adam Terry and LT Jonathan Ogden back at that point, which would be a big plus for McGahee's value.
Derrick Mason - 7/78, 1 TD. There's always a few veterans each year that are drafted for depth, but they take their fantasy owners by surprise and turn into a fantasy starter. Mason is certainly that, putting up solid performances on a weekly basis along catching a ton of passes.
Mark Clayton - 5/49. Clayton claims he's as healthy as he's been all year, and he certainly performed better this week. Don't forget about him. McNair's arm will certainly limit his upside, but he should definitely be viewed as no worse than a WR4.
Trent Edwards - 11/21, 153 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He managed the game well and led the Bills to victory. He even took a shot downfield and hit Lee Evans for a 54 yard gaine, which was nice to see. Still, he's nothing more than depth in 2 QB leagues.
Marshawn Lynch - 27/84, 3/14, 1 TD. Lynch has certainly become a very solid RB2, and this was an especially impressive performance against such a strong BAL run D. His schedule eases up in the 2nd half, making his first half performance even more impressive given the defenses he's had to face.
Lee Evans - 5/98. It was just a matter of time before Evans got going, and he's actually posted solid games in 2 of the last 3 outings. He's not going to replicate the explosion he saw last season, but he's certain re-establishing himself as a WR3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
Jeff Garcia - 37/45, 316 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 6/10, 2 FL. Owner who used him this week because their starter was on bye or because he had a good matchup were rewarded with a very solid fantasy day. Garcia continues his resurgence under Jon Gruden.
Earnest Graham - 19/92, 13/99. A monster PPR day for Graham who kept new acquisition Michael Bennett on the bench for most of the afternoon. Don't read too much into this as it was the Lions defense, but Graham has definitely given his owners hope for RB3 value and will probably receive the majority of touches against Jacksonville next week, but he's certainly not recommended as a starter.
Joey Galloway - 5/46. It seems like unless he catches a deep TD, he's not doing much. That trend contninued today, but he's still a solid WR3.
Ike Hilliard - 9/92, 1 TD. Add him to the surprise veteran list, and he's an even bigger one than Mason since he was likely not drafted. It's amazing what a Jon Gruden system can do.
Jon Kitna - 16/20, 147 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 4/9. Don't read too much into this as the Bucs have a very good pass defense. Kitna has put up back-to-back poor games, but they've come against top notch secondaries. KJ's return will mean the Lions will run the ball more, but that should eventually help the passing game as defenses can't sit deep all game. He gets an injury-ravaged Chicago D next week, so expect better numbers and don't give up on him as your starter yet.
Kevin Jones - 15/76, 6/34, 1 TD. KJ is back, and he's ready to resume being the RB1 he was before his injury last year. I wouldn't expect many 25 carry games from him, but he's certainly going to be involved plenty in the passing game and has been proficient near the goal line.
Roy Williams - 3/23. He caught all 3 passes thrown to him, so you can't ask for much more. Life gets easier.
Calvin Johnson - 2/37, 1/32, 1 TD. Thanks to a 32 TD run where CJ looked like LT while stiff arming through defenders, he saved his fantasy day. Much like I said about Kitna and Roy above, better days are ahead in the passing game.
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
Kerry Collins - 25/42, 280 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT. He threw the ball downfield, which is something Vince Young still doesn't do very well yet. He might still have a start or two left in him with Young's status up in the air, but I don't recommend him next week against a strong OAK secondary.
LenDale White - 27/104, 4/22, 1 TD. A 28 yard run! White looked better in this effort, although he still couldn't manage 4 YPC. Regardless, he's the primary ball carrier with Chris Brown injured (who didn't see that coming), and he's a very strong play against a weak OAK run D next week.
Chris Henry - 11/57, 1 TD. He did a fine job of spelling White, and he could overtake Chris Brown as TEN's backup RB. Don't rush to pick him up, but if he's officially named the backup, he's worth rostering.
Roydell Williams - 5/124. As I said with Collins, he looked downfield far more often, and Williams was the main beneficiary. If you're deparate at WR you could try him with Brandon Jones out, but you should have better options.
Matt Schaub - 5/9, 23 yards. He got hammered a couple times and left injured. Reports indicate that he'll return nextx week.
Ahman Green - 11/39, 5.32. TEN's run D is actually strong, but Green is showing little to nothing these days on the ground. Luckily he's still proficient in the passing game.
Kevin Walter - 6/97, 1 TD. He strikes again. He gets the shaky SD secondary next week, so you can roll with him again as your WR3.
Andre Davis - 4/88, 1 TD. The Houston system is using Davis well down the field, and he caught an improbable 53 yard TD to put Houston ahead for a bit at the end of the game. Up until then he definitely took a back seat to Kevin Walter.
Owen Daniels - 2/20. Very frustrating day given the Texans threw for over 300 yards and had 4 TDs, including one thrown to his backup Jeb Putzier. Don't read too much into this as he's a solid lower tier TE1.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Tom Brady - 21/25, 354 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT. He did this is just over a half's worth of work. His owners are probably at least 5-2 at this point.
Laurency Maroney - 6/31. Frustrating for those who used him as I recommended starting him, but in hindsight I learned something. First of all, the Pats were going to blow out the Dolphins. That was a given. Knowing that, there was no reason for them to use Maroney much and risk re-injury. Expect him to get more work next week.
Randy Moss - 4/122, 2 TD. Teams are routinely double and triple covering him, but he's going to win jump balls in the endzone no matter how many guys are blanketing him. Both TDs were bombs thrown into tight coverage, but Moss just outleaped everyone. It's amazing what he can do when he tries.
Wes Welker - 9/138, 2 TD. Forget Brandon Stokley, he's the new whiteness. His incredible run continues, but I'd still try to sell him for a more established WR. See what you can get in return for him.
Donte Stallworth - 3/51, 1 TD. He continues performing like a great WR3 in one of the best offenses of all time.
Cleo Lemon - 24/37, 236 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 3/16, 1 TD, 1 FL. With the trade of Chris Chambers and the loss of Ronnie Brown, he has such little talent around him that it's impossible to recommend him as a QB2.
Ronnie Brown - 17/76, 5/33. Torn ACL, and he's done for the year. He's one of my favorite players, and this kills his owners as he was a draft bargain at the beginning of the 2nd round.
Jesse Chatman - 7/73, 1/9, 1 TD. He carved up the NE D in garbage time, and he'll be the #1 waiver priority for most teams this week. He has solid skills and I believe in Cameron's system, but it's going to be really hard for him to post solid RB2 numbers with the talent around him. Still, he's worth burning your waiver position for.
Marty Booker - 3/28. With the Phins at 0-7, he might start losing playing time to youngsters Derek Hagan and Ted Ginn Jr. They're battling to start opposite of Booker for now, but I wonder how much the Dolphins will attempt to get their youngsters playing time.
San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants
Trent Dilfer - 23/38, 209 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3/11, 2 FL. Pathetic. Alex Smith returns next week, thankfully.
Frank Gore - 14/88, 3/23. Another solid yardage game from Gore despite a lack of touches. He hurt his ankle in the 1st half and apparently played in quite a bit of pain in the 2nd half, so monitor his status. His backup, Michael Robinson, is not an attractive pickup.
Darrell Jackson - 2/6, 1 TD. I don't think even Alex Smith can revive him.
Vernon Davis - 4/22. Let's hope Alex Smith can get him more involved. It's such a waste of talent to not be using an athlete like Davis extensively, especially given the crap they have at the WR position.
Eli Manning - 18/31, 146 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Not overly impressive, but the Giants had total control of this game throughout. Miami is a great matchup next.
Brandon Jacobs - 18/107, 1 TD. Jacobs ran all over SF's defense, but there are rumors that he re-injured the ankle that caused him to come out of last week's game prematurely. Keep an eye on his status this week as he has a tasty matchup against Miami up next.
Plaxico Burress - 5/43. The Giants didn't need to pass much, so his opportunities were limited.
Amani Toomer - 3/36, 1 TD. Toomer turned in another nice afternoon, and he's up there with veterans Derrick Mason and Ike Hilliard as surprise fantasy contributors.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/39, 1 TD. Same as above, but he got a redzone TD toss to give him a solid fantasy day.
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
Byron Leftwich - 15/23, 145 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/6. Lefty was putting up a solid afternoon until a high ankle sprain ended his day early. He could be out anywhere from 2 weeks to the rest of the year, making Harrington the starter again.
Warrick Dunn - 13/28, 1/1. Petrino is being a damned moron with his running game. Dunn has accomplished absolutely nothing while Norwood provides big plays (6/38, 30 yard run) almost every game. The team isn't going anywhere, so start Norwood already.
Roddy White - 8/110, 1 TD. A spectacular performance from White who is finally putting his talent on display. Unfortunately Leftwich went down, hurting his value, but he can still be a decent WR3.
Drew Brees - 22/34, 219 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2/8. He's slowly rounding back into form, and if you're struggling at QB, try to buy low on him. I don't see him exploding like he did last year, but I think he's back to stay as a QB1.
Reggie Bush - 17/54, 5/19, 1 TD. He bulled his way into the endzone on his TD reception, but looked rather ineffective outside of that. He still has a ways to go, but he's a RB1.
Marques Colston - 3/45. He's just not making big plays, but expect improvement as long as Brees is improving. Nowhere to go but up, but he's recommended as only a WR3 for now.
Devery Henderson - 1/37, 1 TD. Don't even think about it.
Eric Johnson - 5/54. He was a bit more involved this week, but he's nothing more than a boring TE2 option.
Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins
Kurt Warner - 27/41, 282 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1/0, 1 FL. Warner was a surprise starter, and he played very well all afternoon against a tough secondary. If he can do this with a bad arm against a great secondary, he'll emerge as a strong starter against weak defenses. He'll have a bye week to heal his off-arm up.
Edgerrin James - 27/83. He had a very tough matchup, and he got enough touches to put together a solid yardage effort.
Larry Fitzgerald - 6/97. Another solid yardage game from Fitz, but Boldin took both of the scores. Warner helps his value moving forward, although it won't be what it was with Boldin hurt.
Anquan Boldin - 8/29, 2 TD. What a bizarre statline. His owners will smile and take it. Warner prefers Boldin, so his health is great news for Boldin owners.
Jason Campbell - 12/18, 95 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/7. A horrible outing from Campbell against what projected to be a solid matchup. Definitely a step back from last week's effort.
Clinton Portis - 18/43, 2/14, 2 TD. Portis continues to not look himself, but the 2 TDs saved his afternoon. I'd sell high. He should get the ball plenty, but his explosion isn't there as his knee is likely still bothering him. He hasn't shown much life over the past month.
Santana Moss - 2/8. I'd like to punch him in the face. I gave him a chance to redeem himself after last week and he does this. Dammit. He's likely still hurting.
Antwaan Randle El - 3/54. You could do worse as a WR3 while Moss is still hurting. He seems to have improved as a WR, and Campbell doesn't mind using him.
Chris Cooley - 1-3. Yay! Awesome. A victim of Campbell's poor day. No worries.
Monday, October 22, 2007
NFL Week 4: Monday Night Game Actives/Inactives
ACTIVE
Joseph Addai - He practiced all week, so this is not a surprise. Don't worry about some sort of new carry split with Kenton Keith given how well Keith ran in week 5. Addai is the unquestioned starter.
Fred Taylor - Despite being limited in practice, he's ready to go.
Maurice Jones-Drew - Same as Taylor.
Marvin Harrison - Reports today indicated that he'll be a full go, so get him in there if you were waivering between Harrison and someone like Aaron Moorehead or Anthony Gonzalez. Jacksonville's pass D is elite, but Manning and company had an extra week to prepare.
INACTIVE
Matt Jones - If you started him, you deserve this.
Joseph Addai - He practiced all week, so this is not a surprise. Don't worry about some sort of new carry split with Kenton Keith given how well Keith ran in week 5. Addai is the unquestioned starter.
Fred Taylor - Despite being limited in practice, he's ready to go.
Maurice Jones-Drew - Same as Taylor.
Marvin Harrison - Reports today indicated that he'll be a full go, so get him in there if you were waivering between Harrison and someone like Aaron Moorehead or Anthony Gonzalez. Jacksonville's pass D is elite, but Manning and company had an extra week to prepare.
INACTIVE
Matt Jones - If you started him, you deserve this.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
NFL Week 7: Late Game Actives/Inactives
Active
Marc Bulger - He put in a full week of practice, so this is no surprise. Start him.
Torry Holt - Holt's knee has definitely caused problem this year, but he should benefit from the return of Bulger.
Isaac Bruce - Bruce returns this week, and with the returt of Bulger, he back to being a usable WR3.
Deion Branch - Branch is still nursing his foot injury.
D.J. Hackett - Hackett was limited in practice this week, but he has a real chance of returning next week.
Inactive
Rudi Johnson - Rudi will sit this one out, and Kenny Watson will start in his place. Watson is a very solid RB2 play against the Jets.
Drew Bennett - Bennett is out again, although he should only be rostered in very deep leagues while he's injured.
Marc Bulger - He put in a full week of practice, so this is no surprise. Start him.
Torry Holt - Holt's knee has definitely caused problem this year, but he should benefit from the return of Bulger.
Isaac Bruce - Bruce returns this week, and with the returt of Bulger, he back to being a usable WR3.
Deion Branch - Branch is still nursing his foot injury.
D.J. Hackett - Hackett was limited in practice this week, but he has a real chance of returning next week.
Inactive
Rudi Johnson - Rudi will sit this one out, and Kenny Watson will start in his place. Watson is a very solid RB2 play against the Jets.
Drew Bennett - Bennett is out again, although he should only be rostered in very deep leagues while he's injured.
NFL Week 7: Early Game Actives/Inactives
Active
Vince Young - Young is active, but reportedly won't start. He's not worth using to find out.
Kurt Warner - He's active, and despite early reports, he will start. He's a very risky start at QB with a tough matchup against the very good Redskins secondary.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney will start and is an excellent play against the Dolphins. Sammy Morris is out, so while Maroney appears to be the favorite for goal line carries, there's an outside chance the Patriots could use Heath Evans in that role. He's well worth starting to find out.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs is active, will probably start, and will hopefully receive goal line carries (Droughns vultured one last week while Jacobs was dealing with various injuries). He's a bit risky, but unless you have another sure-fire starting RB, I'd use him.
Plaxico Burress - Burress' pattern of not practicing all week and then playing on Sunday stays in tact. He's a WR1.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin is back on the field and is worth using, but temper your expectations with Rattay starting against a tough Redskins pass D.
Santana Moss - Moss was listed as probably, so this isn't a surprise. I expect him to rebound from last week's dismal performance.
Inactive
Chris Brown - LenDale White becomes a solid RB2 play with Brown out.
Andre Johnson - Johnson is out again. Kevin Walter and Andre Davis are borderline WR3 options this week.
Alge Crumpler - 2007 is turning into a lost year for Crumpler who is now too banged up to play.
Vince Young - Young is active, but reportedly won't start. He's not worth using to find out.
Kurt Warner - He's active, and despite early reports, he will start. He's a very risky start at QB with a tough matchup against the very good Redskins secondary.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney will start and is an excellent play against the Dolphins. Sammy Morris is out, so while Maroney appears to be the favorite for goal line carries, there's an outside chance the Patriots could use Heath Evans in that role. He's well worth starting to find out.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs is active, will probably start, and will hopefully receive goal line carries (Droughns vultured one last week while Jacobs was dealing with various injuries). He's a bit risky, but unless you have another sure-fire starting RB, I'd use him.
Plaxico Burress - Burress' pattern of not practicing all week and then playing on Sunday stays in tact. He's a WR1.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin is back on the field and is worth using, but temper your expectations with Rattay starting against a tough Redskins pass D.
Santana Moss - Moss was listed as probably, so this isn't a surprise. I expect him to rebound from last week's dismal performance.
Inactive
Chris Brown - LenDale White becomes a solid RB2 play with Brown out.
Andre Johnson - Johnson is out again. Kevin Walter and Andre Davis are borderline WR3 options this week.
Alge Crumpler - 2007 is turning into a lost year for Crumpler who is now too banged up to play.
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