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.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Week 3 Injury/Depth Chart Report
I'm going to organize this different this year. Last yeah I grouped it by position, but then I have to go through each team for each position which I feel is inefficient. This year, I will group them by teams (which will be sorted alphabetically by city), which is probably easier for the readers when they want to look for a specific player.
*update* I have updated this through Friday.
Arizona Cardinals - I still worry about Kurt Warner's health, he put some concerns aside with a very solid week 2 performance. I'd like to see him start throwing the ball down the field more before claiming he's 100%. Hightower will continue to start at RB thanks to Wells' 2 fumbles in week 2, but he is not guaranteed to last the year as the starter because Wells is clearly the more talented runner. Boldin looked good in week 2, so he appears back to full health.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are apparently in an unpredictable committee. We knew McGahee was the goal line runner after the preseason, but he got twice as many carries as Rice in week 2 after the opposite happening in week 1. Neither are reliable enough as RB2s until this situation gains some clarity, if ever. Both are great RB3s, however. Mark Clayton was outproduced by Kelley Washington in week 2, and it's worth keeping an eye on as Clayton was probably grabbed as a WR5.
Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch is suspended through week 3, and the impressive Fred Jackson will start in his place.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme rebounded nicely in week 2 and gave himself some job security. Williams and Stewart continue to split time, and neither has a specific role as both possess a great all-around game. This is a drain to Williams' value, and a pleasant surprise to those who got a draft-day discount on Stewart after the injury concerns.
Cincinnati Bengals - While Coles remains the starter, it's clear that the targets will be spread around between Coles, Henry, and Caldwell. Ochocinco is the only WR worth starting here.
Chicago Bears - Keep an eye on the Bennett vs. Knox position battle. As I mentioned in my waiver column, Knox has a lot more upside and I think he'll overtake Bennett, but not in week 3.
Cleveland Browns - After the cries for Quinn last year, Quinn's slow start in 2009 has the cries going back the other way for Anderson. The Browns will stick with Quinn for now, but if he keeps losing and looks mediocre while doing it, a switch could be made. Jamal Lewis hurt his hamstring, and with James Davis returning, this could get interesting. We'll keep an eye on Lewis' practice schedule.
Dallas Cowboys - Marion Barber suffered a strained quad in week 2, but is already practicing on a limited basis. It would make me feel much better about starting him if he turned in a full practice by Friday, especially with 2 other healthy, capable RBs on the roster.
Denver Broncos- Knowshon Moreno looked much better in week 2 and seems likely to get the majority of carries, although Correll Buckhalter has looked very good and will remain in the picture each week. The WRs are a bit of a mess right now, and I think it's safe to bench Marshall for the time being. I would remain patient with Royal...he's the best fit for this offense.
Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford needs to stop turning the ball over so much, or he's going to force the coaching staff to make a change at QB. Calvin Johnson owners should hope Stafford gets it figured out because the rookie QB loves throwing to him.
Green Bay Packers - No skill position injuries to note, but Chad Clifton's injury will hurt the offensive line in pass protection. Rodgers figures to suffer a bit, but McCarthy is a good enough play caller to compensate and move Rodgers around more.
Houston Texans - Steve Slaton isn't going to lose his job, but he's clearly having a ton of problems this year, especially with ball security. Expect Chris Brown to get even more carries. I hope Slaton is your RB2. Walter is again optimistic about his status for week 3, so hopefully he can avoid another setback.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. I wouldn't drop him unless the Colts put him on IR...he'll have value when he returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Troy Williamson suffered a torn labrum and is out for the season. Mike Sims-Walker will replace him in the starting lineup, and he has a good chance to lead the Jaguars in yards this season if he can stay healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bobby Wade has seemingly replaced Mark Bradley as the secondary target for this week. He fits better in the slot with Mark Bradley outside, but he could replace Bradley if coach Haley remains upset with his all-around performances. Dantrell Savage also replaced Jamaal Charles as the #2 RB in week 2, so clearly Haley was upset with Charles as well. It's safe to drop Charles in pursuit of better waiver wire options.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - None.
New England Patriots - Wes Welker is probably going be limited in practice again this week, and he'll likely be a gametime decision. Hopefully you picked up Julian Edelman after he proved that he can essentially do the same thing, fantasy-wise.
New Orleans Saints - In an ironic twist, Mike Bell suffered a sprained MCL and is at risk for week 3. Pierre Thomas has returned to practice this week, and if he can put in a full week, he'll start and possibly win his job back. Lance Moore suffered a hamstring injury, and he might not play in week 3. After his horrific start, it'd be smart to keep him benched even if he does play.
New York Giants - Mario Manningham has overtaken Domenik Hixon and is the starter opposite Steve Smith.
New York Jets - None.
Oakland Raiders - Chaz Schilens is expected to be out several more weeks with his foot sprain. Louis Murphy will continue to start in his place.
Philadelphia Eagles - Donovan McNabb looks unlikely to play again in week 3 due to his rib injury, and Kevin Kolb will start in his place. Kolb is a high risk/reward QB1 this week. DeSean Jackson suffered a slight groin injury, but it isn't expected to be a problem for week 3.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mike Tomlin has vowed to get Rashard Mendenhall more involved, and there's no reason not to with Willie Parker not doing much of anything. Parker is not a RB2 anymore, and Mendenhall has the upside to be one if he can finally look like an NFL RB now that he's being given a chance. Santonio Holmes suffered a wrist injury, but it isn't expected to affect his week 3 status.
San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson is expected to miss week 3 with his ankle injury, so Darren Sproles will again start in his place and make for a solid RB2 play.
San Francisco 49ers - Frank Gore suffered a slightly sprained ankle towards the end of week 2, but it isn't expected to be a problem for week 3.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck suffered a broken rib on a play that looked exactly like the one Donovan McNabb was injured on. Expect him to miss week 3. Housh also suffered a back injury and is slowly playing his way out of fantasy lineups.
St. Louis Rams - No skill position injuries here, but rookie Jason Smith suffered a sprained knee that will keep him out a week or two. It shouldn't affect Steven Jackson too much.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant is still struggling with his surgically repaired knee, and he will likely miss week 3.
Tennessee Titans - None.
Washington Redskins - None.
*update* I have updated this through Friday.
Arizona Cardinals - I still worry about Kurt Warner's health, he put some concerns aside with a very solid week 2 performance. I'd like to see him start throwing the ball down the field more before claiming he's 100%. Hightower will continue to start at RB thanks to Wells' 2 fumbles in week 2, but he is not guaranteed to last the year as the starter because Wells is clearly the more talented runner. Boldin looked good in week 2, so he appears back to full health.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are apparently in an unpredictable committee. We knew McGahee was the goal line runner after the preseason, but he got twice as many carries as Rice in week 2 after the opposite happening in week 1. Neither are reliable enough as RB2s until this situation gains some clarity, if ever. Both are great RB3s, however. Mark Clayton was outproduced by Kelley Washington in week 2, and it's worth keeping an eye on as Clayton was probably grabbed as a WR5.
Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch is suspended through week 3, and the impressive Fred Jackson will start in his place.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme rebounded nicely in week 2 and gave himself some job security. Williams and Stewart continue to split time, and neither has a specific role as both possess a great all-around game. This is a drain to Williams' value, and a pleasant surprise to those who got a draft-day discount on Stewart after the injury concerns.
Cincinnati Bengals - While Coles remains the starter, it's clear that the targets will be spread around between Coles, Henry, and Caldwell. Ochocinco is the only WR worth starting here.
Chicago Bears - Keep an eye on the Bennett vs. Knox position battle. As I mentioned in my waiver column, Knox has a lot more upside and I think he'll overtake Bennett, but not in week 3.
Cleveland Browns - After the cries for Quinn last year, Quinn's slow start in 2009 has the cries going back the other way for Anderson. The Browns will stick with Quinn for now, but if he keeps losing and looks mediocre while doing it, a switch could be made. Jamal Lewis hurt his hamstring, and with James Davis returning, this could get interesting. We'll keep an eye on Lewis' practice schedule.
Dallas Cowboys - Marion Barber suffered a strained quad in week 2, but is already practicing on a limited basis. It would make me feel much better about starting him if he turned in a full practice by Friday, especially with 2 other healthy, capable RBs on the roster.
Denver Broncos- Knowshon Moreno looked much better in week 2 and seems likely to get the majority of carries, although Correll Buckhalter has looked very good and will remain in the picture each week. The WRs are a bit of a mess right now, and I think it's safe to bench Marshall for the time being. I would remain patient with Royal...he's the best fit for this offense.
Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford needs to stop turning the ball over so much, or he's going to force the coaching staff to make a change at QB. Calvin Johnson owners should hope Stafford gets it figured out because the rookie QB loves throwing to him.
Green Bay Packers - No skill position injuries to note, but Chad Clifton's injury will hurt the offensive line in pass protection. Rodgers figures to suffer a bit, but McCarthy is a good enough play caller to compensate and move Rodgers around more.
Houston Texans - Steve Slaton isn't going to lose his job, but he's clearly having a ton of problems this year, especially with ball security. Expect Chris Brown to get even more carries. I hope Slaton is your RB2. Walter is again optimistic about his status for week 3, so hopefully he can avoid another setback.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. I wouldn't drop him unless the Colts put him on IR...he'll have value when he returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Troy Williamson suffered a torn labrum and is out for the season. Mike Sims-Walker will replace him in the starting lineup, and he has a good chance to lead the Jaguars in yards this season if he can stay healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bobby Wade has seemingly replaced Mark Bradley as the secondary target for this week. He fits better in the slot with Mark Bradley outside, but he could replace Bradley if coach Haley remains upset with his all-around performances. Dantrell Savage also replaced Jamaal Charles as the #2 RB in week 2, so clearly Haley was upset with Charles as well. It's safe to drop Charles in pursuit of better waiver wire options.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - None.
New England Patriots - Wes Welker is probably going be limited in practice again this week, and he'll likely be a gametime decision. Hopefully you picked up Julian Edelman after he proved that he can essentially do the same thing, fantasy-wise.
New Orleans Saints - In an ironic twist, Mike Bell suffered a sprained MCL and is at risk for week 3. Pierre Thomas has returned to practice this week, and if he can put in a full week, he'll start and possibly win his job back. Lance Moore suffered a hamstring injury, and he might not play in week 3. After his horrific start, it'd be smart to keep him benched even if he does play.
New York Giants - Mario Manningham has overtaken Domenik Hixon and is the starter opposite Steve Smith.
New York Jets - None.
Oakland Raiders - Chaz Schilens is expected to be out several more weeks with his foot sprain. Louis Murphy will continue to start in his place.
Philadelphia Eagles - Donovan McNabb looks unlikely to play again in week 3 due to his rib injury, and Kevin Kolb will start in his place. Kolb is a high risk/reward QB1 this week. DeSean Jackson suffered a slight groin injury, but it isn't expected to be a problem for week 3.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mike Tomlin has vowed to get Rashard Mendenhall more involved, and there's no reason not to with Willie Parker not doing much of anything. Parker is not a RB2 anymore, and Mendenhall has the upside to be one if he can finally look like an NFL RB now that he's being given a chance. Santonio Holmes suffered a wrist injury, but it isn't expected to affect his week 3 status.
San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson is expected to miss week 3 with his ankle injury, so Darren Sproles will again start in his place and make for a solid RB2 play.
San Francisco 49ers - Frank Gore suffered a slightly sprained ankle towards the end of week 2, but it isn't expected to be a problem for week 3.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck suffered a broken rib on a play that looked exactly like the one Donovan McNabb was injured on. Expect him to miss week 3. Housh also suffered a back injury and is slowly playing his way out of fantasy lineups.
St. Louis Rams - No skill position injuries here, but rookie Jason Smith suffered a sprained knee that will keep him out a week or two. It shouldn't affect Steven Jackson too much.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant is still struggling with his surgically repaired knee, and he will likely miss week 3.
Tennessee Titans - None.
Washington Redskins - None.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Week 3 Waiver Wire
I promise to get this article written before Tuesday night as most leagues run waivers that night. :) As always, I'm speaking from the premise of a 12 team league that starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, and 1 TE.
QB:
Byron Leftwich - Leftwich has now produced 2 very good weeks and is a legit QB2 pickup. He's putting up numbers thanks to a weak defense and mediocre weapons, and it will get better if Bryant can get back on the field. He's looking like a solid backup.
Kevin Kolb - Possible 1 week starter. McNabb is likely out for week 3, and Kolb posted QB1 numbers against the Saints. The problem that I see in week 3 is the game situation. Thanks to the Saints' offense, the Eagles were passing all game in an attempt to keep up. Despite Kolb facing a weak KC defense in week 3, they're probably going to run a lot more. Still, it's a good match up, and if you have a pair of QBs like McNabb and Hasselbeck, Kolb would be a solid 1 week fix.
Jake Delhomme - Delhomme might have been dumped after his week 1 disaster, but I think he'll be a decent QB2 from here on out. He's worth owning if he has a favorable match up on your starting QB's bye week.
Matt Leinart - Continued sleeper. Warner rebounded nicely in week 2, but I still feel he's not going to last the season. Warner owners need to stash Leinart, and others with an unused spot can speculate.
RB:
Tashard Choice - He's a must-add for Barber owners, and he's a solid add to everyone looking for a 1 week fix. Choice will play extensively in week 3 while sharing carries with Felix Jones in place of Barber. Choice produced very well last season, so there's no reason to think he won't do the same again this year.
WR:
Mario Manningham - Manningham is now the clear starter opposite Steve Smith in New York, and if you didn't add him last week, he's worth using the top waiver pick on this week. His skills are legit, and there's a chance he can start the rest of the season for a good offense. He's already a WR3. Go get him.
Johnny Knox - There's a good chance that Knox will overtake Earl Bennett to start, and judging from the first 2 weeks, Cutler likes throwing to him. Temper your expectations, obviously, as a rookie playing on a run-first team, but he's a solid WR5 add to see what happens.
Mike Sims-Walker - My deep sleeper that woke up. If you didn't stash him last week, make sure to grab him this week. Troy Williamson is out for the season with a torn labrum, so Sims-Walker will start opposite Holt and be the big play threat that the Jaguars need. He's a health risk, but he's a starter on a team desperate for a reliable receiving threat with Holt not showing much of anything. Get him for your bench.
Julian Edelman - Edelman burst onto the scene with 98 yards in week 2, so Welker owners at least need to go get him. Since we obviously have no idea what Welker's injury is, and Edelman's production is directly tied to Welker's healthy, it's impossible to recommend burning a high waiver pick on him for non-Welker owners. He's a week-to-week WR3 whose status will be determined at game time each week.
TE:
Zach Miller - Crazily enough after I recommended adding him, he posts a zero. I'm not worried as Miller produced just fine last season with the Raiders' crappy passing attack, so there's no reason he won't rebound in week 3. He's probably even more available now after the week 2 disaster.
Todd Heap - He only caught one pass in week 2, but it was for a TD. He's a borderline TE1 while he's healthy, so make sure he's owned as at least a TE2.
QB:
Byron Leftwich - Leftwich has now produced 2 very good weeks and is a legit QB2 pickup. He's putting up numbers thanks to a weak defense and mediocre weapons, and it will get better if Bryant can get back on the field. He's looking like a solid backup.
Kevin Kolb - Possible 1 week starter. McNabb is likely out for week 3, and Kolb posted QB1 numbers against the Saints. The problem that I see in week 3 is the game situation. Thanks to the Saints' offense, the Eagles were passing all game in an attempt to keep up. Despite Kolb facing a weak KC defense in week 3, they're probably going to run a lot more. Still, it's a good match up, and if you have a pair of QBs like McNabb and Hasselbeck, Kolb would be a solid 1 week fix.
Jake Delhomme - Delhomme might have been dumped after his week 1 disaster, but I think he'll be a decent QB2 from here on out. He's worth owning if he has a favorable match up on your starting QB's bye week.
Matt Leinart - Continued sleeper. Warner rebounded nicely in week 2, but I still feel he's not going to last the season. Warner owners need to stash Leinart, and others with an unused spot can speculate.
RB:
Tashard Choice - He's a must-add for Barber owners, and he's a solid add to everyone looking for a 1 week fix. Choice will play extensively in week 3 while sharing carries with Felix Jones in place of Barber. Choice produced very well last season, so there's no reason to think he won't do the same again this year.
WR:
Mario Manningham - Manningham is now the clear starter opposite Steve Smith in New York, and if you didn't add him last week, he's worth using the top waiver pick on this week. His skills are legit, and there's a chance he can start the rest of the season for a good offense. He's already a WR3. Go get him.
Johnny Knox - There's a good chance that Knox will overtake Earl Bennett to start, and judging from the first 2 weeks, Cutler likes throwing to him. Temper your expectations, obviously, as a rookie playing on a run-first team, but he's a solid WR5 add to see what happens.
Mike Sims-Walker - My deep sleeper that woke up. If you didn't stash him last week, make sure to grab him this week. Troy Williamson is out for the season with a torn labrum, so Sims-Walker will start opposite Holt and be the big play threat that the Jaguars need. He's a health risk, but he's a starter on a team desperate for a reliable receiving threat with Holt not showing much of anything. Get him for your bench.
Julian Edelman - Edelman burst onto the scene with 98 yards in week 2, so Welker owners at least need to go get him. Since we obviously have no idea what Welker's injury is, and Edelman's production is directly tied to Welker's healthy, it's impossible to recommend burning a high waiver pick on him for non-Welker owners. He's a week-to-week WR3 whose status will be determined at game time each week.
TE:
Zach Miller - Crazily enough after I recommended adding him, he posts a zero. I'm not worried as Miller produced just fine last season with the Raiders' crappy passing attack, so there's no reason he won't rebound in week 3. He's probably even more available now after the week 2 disaster.
Todd Heap - He only caught one pass in week 2, but it was for a TD. He's a borderline TE1 while he's healthy, so make sure he's owned as at least a TE2.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Week 2 Thoughts
Week 2 is now in the books, so let's take a look at each team and determine what trends are beginning to emerge, and what we need to start getting excited and worried about.
Arizona Cardinals - Warner put up a much better stat line, but he's still not taking shots down the field like he did last season. You have to assume that's related to his hip issue as it's affecting his throwing velocity and distance. He's obviously still a solid QB1, but you can't get too excited about his rebound in week 2 as it was against one of the league's worst secondaries. Wells fumbled twice, and that's going to kill his ability to overtake Hightower. His first fumble got him yanked before a goal line chance, and the second got him yanked from the game. Hightower will continue to start, but Wells has the talent to overtake him if he can hold onto the ball.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan looked great in week 2, and it's obvious that Atlanta is willing to throw the ball more this season. Ryan is taking the next step and is a good QB1. Tony Gonzalez is playing like a stud, but unfortunately it's affecting Roddy White as they are now splitting the role of the primary read, especially around the goal line. Still, since Atlanta is continuing to throw the ball, White will get his. Thanks to 28 carries, Turner broke 100 yards and scored once as well. Given the poor Carolina run defense, owners probably expected more, and his 3.4 YPC is a bit concerning.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco, turned in another solid fantasy performance despite Baltimore being in the lead for most of this one, tossing 2 TDs. Of most concern is the mess that is the Baltimore backfield once again. Despite Rice being used as the primary ball carrier throughout the preseason and in week 1, he started and posted 52 total yards in the first quarter, but barely played after that point. McGahee ran well, but what really confused me was how Rice did not play his way out of that game. Nothing about an injury or the coach's doghouse surfaced after the game, so it's safe to say the backfield is a mess right now.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards appeased Terrell Owens, at least for two throws, by taking two shots down the field. The first was a 32 yard TD to Lee Evans on the first drive, and then later he connected with Owens on a 43 yard TD. Outside of that, however, he was perfectly content to dump off to RBs and TEs, and it severely limits the upside of both Owens and Evans. Both are arguably nothing more than WR3s right now. Fred Jackson continues to kill it on the ground and has been an outstanding RB2 while Lynch has been suspended. His owners get one more week of it.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme put Steve Smith owners at ease by coming back with a solid game, and if he can keep this up, he'll be back to a reasonable QB2. Smith was also back to being himself as well after a week 1. The backfield continues to be split, with a 16/9 advantage of DeAngelo. This is looking like the same thing as last year, although Carolina just isn't going to repeat the same dominance on the ground. Luckily DeAngelo tossed in a TD after a drive anchored by Stewart, or else the fantasy numbers would have been switched. With Stewart re-emerging as a major threat for carries, DeAngelo is going to have to keep scoring consistently to be a RB1. I know it's only two weeks in, but if someone is willing to pay a full RB1 price for Williams, do it. He's not getting enough touches.
Chicago Bears - Cutler rebounded in a big way against a great Pittsburgh defense, although they were without Polamalu. Still, his owners loved the improved accuracy and 2 TDs, and the Bears fans loved the redemption by leading a game winning drive. Chicago is clearly not set on their WR depth chart with rookie Johnny Knox leading the team in receiving this week, and he was often playing over Earl Bennett. We could see a switch here...Knox gets open and Bennett doesn't. Forte is killing his owners so far, and they couldn't have liked seeing Benson run all over GB's defense while Forte got stuffed against them last week. His owners have no choice other than to stay the course.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer rebounded from a couple horrible early picks by making some big plays and totaling 4 TDs. Benson continues to tear it up, and he's showing much quicker feet and decision making than in Chicago. I think Benson will be a solid RB2 this season assuming he holds up to the workload...his skill set is very close to Rudi Johnson's. Chad Ochocinco continued to impress, but the WRs opposite him are a rotation right now. Cincy really needs to consider starting Chris Henry.
Cleveland Browns - Double ugh. Brady Quinn continues to look bad, but at least he allowed Braylon to post a very good game. Jamal Lewis was mostly ineffective. Outside of Edwards, this is a wasteland right now.
Dallas Cowboys - So, maybe Romo needs TO after all. He posted his worst game in a long time, especially considering it was at home. He was mostly inaccurate, and all 3 INTs were completely his fault. Roy Williams is not seeing top WR targets, and you have to wonder how much of this is him simply not getting open. On the flipside, both Marion Barber and Felix Jones looked great against a tough Giants defense, but Barber came up lame with a pulled leg muscle, so keep an eye on that.
Denver Broncos - Orton started shaky again, but then settled down. The biggest news is how he seems to use all of his targets, and also how Denver is rotating their WRs. Marshall and Royal, despite easily being the most talented WRs on the roster, aren't being targeted like it. I suggest owners stay the course and continue using both as a WR3 as these guys are too talented to continue posting blah lines like they have been.
Detroit Lions - Stafford continues to throw INTs as he's up to 5 through the first two weeks, but at least for CJ owners, he found him for a TD. Stafford is going to have to stop turning the ball over to avoid going to the bench. We all know this team isn't playing for anything and Stafford will benefit from the playing time, but the coaching staff isn't going to sit back and watch him have multiple turnovers each week. Stafford and Johnson's chemistry will continue to develop, so it's promising that CJ has posted the numbers he has so far while the two get comfortable with each other. Kevin Smith posted another workmanlike performance, although the lost fumble hurts.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers is getting no protection while taking 10 sacks through his first two games. He also suffered from a couple awful drops. The protection is a problem and needs to be monitored...Rodgers isn't going to post big numbers unless he has sufficient time to throw, but luckily he's mobile enough to make some plays. I'm going to suggest Rodgers as a buy-low. Jennings simply had a bad game, no worries. Ryan Grant posted another TD to save his fantasy day.
Houston Texans - Patience rewarded. Schaub and AJ posted monster days, but Slaton is still not doing anything on the ground yet. I doubt there's much concern about the passing game anymore, and Jacoby Jones has the talent to step up and be a weapon for this team. I wouldn't pick him up as Walter should return next week, but he could emerge as their slot WR. Slaton has faced two very tough run defenses so far with NYJ and TEN, but it's still a concern. He made things happen last year, and he's not doing it this season.
Indianapolis Colts - Monday night game.
Jacksonville Jaguars - The offense continues to look putrid, and Garrard only put up numbers in garbage time once the game had been decided. MJD was held in check thanks to the game circumstances, and hopefully for his sake, this offense can right the ship. Torry Holt again only posted modest numbers, and it's clear that he's only a shadow of himself even post-STL. Mike Sims-Walker emerged, and I think he's here to stay as long as he's healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Cassel returned, and it's safe to assume if he wondered why he came back at all. He was chased around all game, but hung in enough to find Dwayne Bowe and newly signed Bobby Wade for 5-6 catches a piece. Bowe is clearly the only player on this team worth starting right now.
Miami Dolphins - Monday night game.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre threw a lot more in week 2, but he's not going down the field at all. It's hard to recommend anyone from this passing game right now until the bye weeks start, but expect Berrian to start to build chemistry with Favre as they get more time together. Peterson posted another solid game despite limited carries.
New England Patriots - Brady was on the run all game, and Moss was completely shut down. Julian Edelman showed that he can step in and post Welker-like stats, although the Patriots definitely missed Welker's reliability in a game where the Jets blitzed relentlessly. The backfield remains a mess.
New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees was a monster once again, this time with Colston dominating the targets. Lance Moore left with a hamstring injury, so keep an eye on that. His absence would mean good things for Jeremy Shockey, who wasn't as big of the game plan with the WRs constantly getting open. Mike Bell again posted a solid game, although he left in the 2nd half with a knee sprain. Pierre Thomas might get his job back in the same way it was threatened while he was out.
New York Giants - Eli looked good once again with his young WRs stepping up. I think Eli is a borderline QB1 at this point. Steve Smith and Mario Manningham both posted big games, and Manningham showed his explosiveness on several of his catches, including a circus-style one in the endzone. While Nicks is out, it's clear these are the two starters and are WR3 plays. Jacobs and Bradshaw mostly took a backseat as Dallas loaded up to stop the run, but don't worry about either.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez looked great once again, showing good poise after starting the game off in a rough fashion. Cotchery and Keller continue to dominate targets and are every week starters. Thomas Jones had a rough game and actually split carries with Leon Washington evenly. It's clear that Washington is going to be a drain on TJ's carries as he's no longer a workhorse.
Oakland Raiders - Russell looked horribly inaccurate once more and is arguably the worst QB in the NFL. I apologize for suggesting Louis Murphy for a team that clearly cannot throw the ball down the field. Zach Miller threw up a goose egg, but don't be down on him as he'll bounce back next week. McFadden and Bush continue to split carries, and observers noted that McFadden continues to go down too easily. McFadden did get the red zone carry and converted by bouncing it outside, but his inside running is what draws the ire of some scouts. Expect this split to continue as Bush is much more adept at running inside.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kolb posted some huge numbers thanks to Philly being in throw-first mode most of the game, but his 3 turnovers certainly didn't adhere him to the coaching staff. He did enough to start again next week, and he can be considered as a risk/reward QB1 next week for McNabb owners, depending on their QB2, against KC. One has to wonder how often they'll throw the ball, however. Westbrook and the rest of the running game where held in check touch-wise thanks to the rhythm of the game.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers lit up the Ravens secondary for 400+ yards as SD found themselves behind most of the game. Sproles is clearly an explosive option as a receiving back, and Vincent Jackson might have overtaken Antonio Gates as the go-to receiver for this team. Gates is still posting very good numbers, however. The running game simply wasn't used much, and Rivers certainly benefited from the passing attempts.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore simply exploded with two 80ish yard TD runs, but he suffered a slightly sprained ankle at the end of the game that should be monitored. The passing offense simply doesn't really exist right now, and none of them are worth talking about. That being said, Morgan and Davis should continue to be stashed on benches as upside players.
Seattle Seahawks - Ugh, back to normal here. Hasselbeck took a big shot and probably broke a rib, leaving his week 3 status in doubt. Seneca Wallace came in and posted reasonable numbers, but the passing game just wasn't the same. All receiving threats (Housh, Burleson, Carlson) posted nearly identical 4-6 catch, 40-60 yard performances that are pretty boring to most owners. The running game was atrocious, and Justin Forsett looked much more explosive. Julius Jones saved his owners with a 1 yard TD reception, but was utterly worthless for most of the game. We'll see what type of split happens going forward...Seattle needs to get Forsett on the field more.
St. Louis Rams - Bulger still looks horrible, and it's killing the offense. Laurent Robinson continues to impress regardless, and he's possibly a WR3 candidate as he's seemingly overtaken Donnie Avery as the primary WR while Avery recovers from his foot sprain and gets his timing back. Steven Jackson is doing everything he can, but his teammates are letting him down once again. Jason Brown and Jason Smith both suffered injuries, and that warrants monitoring as they mean a lot to Jackson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich again posted good numbers, utilizing all of his weapons down the field to help move the ball. Michael Clayton disappeared yet again, this time with Maurice Stovall stepping up. Kellen Winslow remains the only every week starter on this passing offense, and Leftwich should clearly be owned as a QB2. Cadillac Williams surprisingly got a lot of work in the passing game, catching 7 passes, including a TD. The rushing attack was non-existent, as was Derrick Ward. This committee remains very confusing, although I would favor Caddy as a RB2 at the moment if I had to choose.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre...once again. Portis continues to be a decent RB2, although if he's not scoring, he's not posting big numbers. Chris Cooley is still the only receiver from this team that I'd start each week. Santana Moss is best used as a match up WR3 until he proves otherwise.
Arizona Cardinals - Warner put up a much better stat line, but he's still not taking shots down the field like he did last season. You have to assume that's related to his hip issue as it's affecting his throwing velocity and distance. He's obviously still a solid QB1, but you can't get too excited about his rebound in week 2 as it was against one of the league's worst secondaries. Wells fumbled twice, and that's going to kill his ability to overtake Hightower. His first fumble got him yanked before a goal line chance, and the second got him yanked from the game. Hightower will continue to start, but Wells has the talent to overtake him if he can hold onto the ball.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan looked great in week 2, and it's obvious that Atlanta is willing to throw the ball more this season. Ryan is taking the next step and is a good QB1. Tony Gonzalez is playing like a stud, but unfortunately it's affecting Roddy White as they are now splitting the role of the primary read, especially around the goal line. Still, since Atlanta is continuing to throw the ball, White will get his. Thanks to 28 carries, Turner broke 100 yards and scored once as well. Given the poor Carolina run defense, owners probably expected more, and his 3.4 YPC is a bit concerning.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco, turned in another solid fantasy performance despite Baltimore being in the lead for most of this one, tossing 2 TDs. Of most concern is the mess that is the Baltimore backfield once again. Despite Rice being used as the primary ball carrier throughout the preseason and in week 1, he started and posted 52 total yards in the first quarter, but barely played after that point. McGahee ran well, but what really confused me was how Rice did not play his way out of that game. Nothing about an injury or the coach's doghouse surfaced after the game, so it's safe to say the backfield is a mess right now.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards appeased Terrell Owens, at least for two throws, by taking two shots down the field. The first was a 32 yard TD to Lee Evans on the first drive, and then later he connected with Owens on a 43 yard TD. Outside of that, however, he was perfectly content to dump off to RBs and TEs, and it severely limits the upside of both Owens and Evans. Both are arguably nothing more than WR3s right now. Fred Jackson continues to kill it on the ground and has been an outstanding RB2 while Lynch has been suspended. His owners get one more week of it.
Carolina Panthers - Delhomme put Steve Smith owners at ease by coming back with a solid game, and if he can keep this up, he'll be back to a reasonable QB2. Smith was also back to being himself as well after a week 1. The backfield continues to be split, with a 16/9 advantage of DeAngelo. This is looking like the same thing as last year, although Carolina just isn't going to repeat the same dominance on the ground. Luckily DeAngelo tossed in a TD after a drive anchored by Stewart, or else the fantasy numbers would have been switched. With Stewart re-emerging as a major threat for carries, DeAngelo is going to have to keep scoring consistently to be a RB1. I know it's only two weeks in, but if someone is willing to pay a full RB1 price for Williams, do it. He's not getting enough touches.
Chicago Bears - Cutler rebounded in a big way against a great Pittsburgh defense, although they were without Polamalu. Still, his owners loved the improved accuracy and 2 TDs, and the Bears fans loved the redemption by leading a game winning drive. Chicago is clearly not set on their WR depth chart with rookie Johnny Knox leading the team in receiving this week, and he was often playing over Earl Bennett. We could see a switch here...Knox gets open and Bennett doesn't. Forte is killing his owners so far, and they couldn't have liked seeing Benson run all over GB's defense while Forte got stuffed against them last week. His owners have no choice other than to stay the course.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer rebounded from a couple horrible early picks by making some big plays and totaling 4 TDs. Benson continues to tear it up, and he's showing much quicker feet and decision making than in Chicago. I think Benson will be a solid RB2 this season assuming he holds up to the workload...his skill set is very close to Rudi Johnson's. Chad Ochocinco continued to impress, but the WRs opposite him are a rotation right now. Cincy really needs to consider starting Chris Henry.
Cleveland Browns - Double ugh. Brady Quinn continues to look bad, but at least he allowed Braylon to post a very good game. Jamal Lewis was mostly ineffective. Outside of Edwards, this is a wasteland right now.
Dallas Cowboys - So, maybe Romo needs TO after all. He posted his worst game in a long time, especially considering it was at home. He was mostly inaccurate, and all 3 INTs were completely his fault. Roy Williams is not seeing top WR targets, and you have to wonder how much of this is him simply not getting open. On the flipside, both Marion Barber and Felix Jones looked great against a tough Giants defense, but Barber came up lame with a pulled leg muscle, so keep an eye on that.
Denver Broncos - Orton started shaky again, but then settled down. The biggest news is how he seems to use all of his targets, and also how Denver is rotating their WRs. Marshall and Royal, despite easily being the most talented WRs on the roster, aren't being targeted like it. I suggest owners stay the course and continue using both as a WR3 as these guys are too talented to continue posting blah lines like they have been.
Detroit Lions - Stafford continues to throw INTs as he's up to 5 through the first two weeks, but at least for CJ owners, he found him for a TD. Stafford is going to have to stop turning the ball over to avoid going to the bench. We all know this team isn't playing for anything and Stafford will benefit from the playing time, but the coaching staff isn't going to sit back and watch him have multiple turnovers each week. Stafford and Johnson's chemistry will continue to develop, so it's promising that CJ has posted the numbers he has so far while the two get comfortable with each other. Kevin Smith posted another workmanlike performance, although the lost fumble hurts.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers is getting no protection while taking 10 sacks through his first two games. He also suffered from a couple awful drops. The protection is a problem and needs to be monitored...Rodgers isn't going to post big numbers unless he has sufficient time to throw, but luckily he's mobile enough to make some plays. I'm going to suggest Rodgers as a buy-low. Jennings simply had a bad game, no worries. Ryan Grant posted another TD to save his fantasy day.
Houston Texans - Patience rewarded. Schaub and AJ posted monster days, but Slaton is still not doing anything on the ground yet. I doubt there's much concern about the passing game anymore, and Jacoby Jones has the talent to step up and be a weapon for this team. I wouldn't pick him up as Walter should return next week, but he could emerge as their slot WR. Slaton has faced two very tough run defenses so far with NYJ and TEN, but it's still a concern. He made things happen last year, and he's not doing it this season.
Indianapolis Colts - Monday night game.
Jacksonville Jaguars - The offense continues to look putrid, and Garrard only put up numbers in garbage time once the game had been decided. MJD was held in check thanks to the game circumstances, and hopefully for his sake, this offense can right the ship. Torry Holt again only posted modest numbers, and it's clear that he's only a shadow of himself even post-STL. Mike Sims-Walker emerged, and I think he's here to stay as long as he's healthy.
Kansas City Chiefs - Cassel returned, and it's safe to assume if he wondered why he came back at all. He was chased around all game, but hung in enough to find Dwayne Bowe and newly signed Bobby Wade for 5-6 catches a piece. Bowe is clearly the only player on this team worth starting right now.
Miami Dolphins - Monday night game.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre threw a lot more in week 2, but he's not going down the field at all. It's hard to recommend anyone from this passing game right now until the bye weeks start, but expect Berrian to start to build chemistry with Favre as they get more time together. Peterson posted another solid game despite limited carries.
New England Patriots - Brady was on the run all game, and Moss was completely shut down. Julian Edelman showed that he can step in and post Welker-like stats, although the Patriots definitely missed Welker's reliability in a game where the Jets blitzed relentlessly. The backfield remains a mess.
New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees was a monster once again, this time with Colston dominating the targets. Lance Moore left with a hamstring injury, so keep an eye on that. His absence would mean good things for Jeremy Shockey, who wasn't as big of the game plan with the WRs constantly getting open. Mike Bell again posted a solid game, although he left in the 2nd half with a knee sprain. Pierre Thomas might get his job back in the same way it was threatened while he was out.
New York Giants - Eli looked good once again with his young WRs stepping up. I think Eli is a borderline QB1 at this point. Steve Smith and Mario Manningham both posted big games, and Manningham showed his explosiveness on several of his catches, including a circus-style one in the endzone. While Nicks is out, it's clear these are the two starters and are WR3 plays. Jacobs and Bradshaw mostly took a backseat as Dallas loaded up to stop the run, but don't worry about either.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez looked great once again, showing good poise after starting the game off in a rough fashion. Cotchery and Keller continue to dominate targets and are every week starters. Thomas Jones had a rough game and actually split carries with Leon Washington evenly. It's clear that Washington is going to be a drain on TJ's carries as he's no longer a workhorse.
Oakland Raiders - Russell looked horribly inaccurate once more and is arguably the worst QB in the NFL. I apologize for suggesting Louis Murphy for a team that clearly cannot throw the ball down the field. Zach Miller threw up a goose egg, but don't be down on him as he'll bounce back next week. McFadden and Bush continue to split carries, and observers noted that McFadden continues to go down too easily. McFadden did get the red zone carry and converted by bouncing it outside, but his inside running is what draws the ire of some scouts. Expect this split to continue as Bush is much more adept at running inside.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kolb posted some huge numbers thanks to Philly being in throw-first mode most of the game, but his 3 turnovers certainly didn't adhere him to the coaching staff. He did enough to start again next week, and he can be considered as a risk/reward QB1 next week for McNabb owners, depending on their QB2, against KC. One has to wonder how often they'll throw the ball, however. Westbrook and the rest of the running game where held in check touch-wise thanks to the rhythm of the game.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers lit up the Ravens secondary for 400+ yards as SD found themselves behind most of the game. Sproles is clearly an explosive option as a receiving back, and Vincent Jackson might have overtaken Antonio Gates as the go-to receiver for this team. Gates is still posting very good numbers, however. The running game simply wasn't used much, and Rivers certainly benefited from the passing attempts.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore simply exploded with two 80ish yard TD runs, but he suffered a slightly sprained ankle at the end of the game that should be monitored. The passing offense simply doesn't really exist right now, and none of them are worth talking about. That being said, Morgan and Davis should continue to be stashed on benches as upside players.
Seattle Seahawks - Ugh, back to normal here. Hasselbeck took a big shot and probably broke a rib, leaving his week 3 status in doubt. Seneca Wallace came in and posted reasonable numbers, but the passing game just wasn't the same. All receiving threats (Housh, Burleson, Carlson) posted nearly identical 4-6 catch, 40-60 yard performances that are pretty boring to most owners. The running game was atrocious, and Justin Forsett looked much more explosive. Julius Jones saved his owners with a 1 yard TD reception, but was utterly worthless for most of the game. We'll see what type of split happens going forward...Seattle needs to get Forsett on the field more.
St. Louis Rams - Bulger still looks horrible, and it's killing the offense. Laurent Robinson continues to impress regardless, and he's possibly a WR3 candidate as he's seemingly overtaken Donnie Avery as the primary WR while Avery recovers from his foot sprain and gets his timing back. Steven Jackson is doing everything he can, but his teammates are letting him down once again. Jason Brown and Jason Smith both suffered injuries, and that warrants monitoring as they mean a lot to Jackson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich again posted good numbers, utilizing all of his weapons down the field to help move the ball. Michael Clayton disappeared yet again, this time with Maurice Stovall stepping up. Kellen Winslow remains the only every week starter on this passing offense, and Leftwich should clearly be owned as a QB2. Cadillac Williams surprisingly got a lot of work in the passing game, catching 7 passes, including a TD. The rushing attack was non-existent, as was Derrick Ward. This committee remains very confusing, although I would favor Caddy as a RB2 at the moment if I had to choose.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre...once again. Portis continues to be a decent RB2, although if he's not scoring, he's not posting big numbers. Chris Cooley is still the only receiver from this team that I'd start each week. Santana Moss is best used as a match up WR3 until he proves otherwise.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Week 2 Injury/Depth Chart Report
I'm going to organize this different this year. Last yeah I grouped it by position, but then I have to go through each team for each position which I feel is inefficient. This year, I will group them by teams (which will be sorted alphabetically by city), which is probably easier for the readers when they want to look for a specific player.
*update* I have updated this through Friday.
Arizona Cardinals - Anquan Boldin feels better this week. He says he's still not quite 100%, but he's close. Of greater concern is Kurt Warner's performance, but I would start Boldin this week as a WR2/3. Understand there's a slight risk starting him when he's not 100%, but I don't think you can bench him this week as he'll play more. Steve Breaston aggravated his MCL sprain and should not be used this week.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - None.
Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch is suspended through week 3, and the impressive Fred Jackson will start in his place.
Carolina Panthers - Jake Delhomme has contracted The Suck and will hope to shake that off in week 2.
Cincinnati Bengals - Keep an eye on Laveraneus Coles. No injury here, but if he continues to struggle with drops, he's probably going to lose his starting job because the Bengals are deep at WR. Make him earn his way back into your fantasy lineup in the mean time.
Chicago Bears - Cutler suffered a bruised ego, which might shrink it down to a tolerable level.
Cleveland Browns - James Davis played after his auto accident, but he wasn't effective. Jamal Lewis will make Davis earn the job after a solid week 1. Jamal Lewis will start in week 2 with Jerome Harrison behind him. James Davis might sit out.
Dallas Cowboys - Felix Jones suffered a bruised thigh in week 1, but he's fine for week 2.
Denver Broncos - Knowshon Moreno's snaps were limited in week 1, and while I expect him to see more work in week 2, I would not use him as a RB2 until his exact "100% healthy" role is clear. Brandon Marshall is obviously starting again and playing a full complement of snaps.
Detroit Lions - None.
Green Bay Packers - Greg Jennings supposedly has a minor wrist injury, but it will not cause him to miss week 2.
Houston Texans - Kevin Walter was expected to return in week 2, and put in a full practice earlier in the week, but he had a limited practice on Friday and will be listed as questionable. This leads some to believe he suffered a setback, so he'll be a GTD on Sunday.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. I wouldn't drop him unless the Colts put him on IR...he'll have value when he returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - None.
Kansas City Chiefs - Matt Cassel reportedly looks better this week, and I'd expect him to start in week 2 barring a setback. I would not use him as a QB1 yet.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - None.
New England Patriots - Wes Welker is probably going be limited in practice again, but he's going to start in week 2.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas's week 2 status is completely up in the air currently, so I'll continue to monitor this. He's been limited all week, and the Saints don't need him with Mike Bell running well. I'll guess that he will be inactive again, but at any rate, he is not startable in any format.
New York Giants - Hakeem Nicks will miss a couple weeks with his minor foot sprain. Domenik Hixon and Mario Manningham will pick up additional snaps while Nicks is out with Manningham having higher upside.
New York Jets - None.
Oakland Raiders - Chaz Schilens is expected to be out several more weeks with his foot sprain. Louis Murphy will continue to start in his place.
Philadelphia Eagles - The signing of Jeff Garcia makes it appear as though Donovan McNabb will miss at least 1 week with his broken ribs. Philly will probably play coy for a bit, but the signing shows what McNabb's true status is.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Willie Parker blamed his week 1 struggles on a hamstring issue, but says he feels better. Thanks to a lack of better options on the roster, he'll have to shit the bed some more before losing his starting job.
San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson suffered an ankle injury in the 1st quarter, but looked fine running over the rest of the game. Despite this, LT is out for week 2. Darren Sproles will start and is a solid RB2 play despite a tough match up against Baltimore. Michael Bennett will back him up.
San Francisco 49ers - None.
Seattle Seahawks - Julius Jones is clearly the featured RB and can be considered as a RB2 option in the right match ups.
St. Louis Rams - Marc Bulger could lose his job shortly if he doesn't turn things around. Reports have him scared of the blitz, which is obviously very bad news.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant is struggling with his surgically repaired knee, and he will miss week 2. Keep him benched until he proves that he's healthy.
Tennessee Titans - Nate Washington is expected to return and play a full complement of snaps in week 2, but I'd hold off on starting him as a WR until it's clear that Kenny Britt won't cut into his playing time.
Washington Redskins - None.
*update* I have updated this through Friday.
Arizona Cardinals - Anquan Boldin feels better this week. He says he's still not quite 100%, but he's close. Of greater concern is Kurt Warner's performance, but I would start Boldin this week as a WR2/3. Understand there's a slight risk starting him when he's not 100%, but I don't think you can bench him this week as he'll play more. Steve Breaston aggravated his MCL sprain and should not be used this week.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - None.
Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch is suspended through week 3, and the impressive Fred Jackson will start in his place.
Carolina Panthers - Jake Delhomme has contracted The Suck and will hope to shake that off in week 2.
Cincinnati Bengals - Keep an eye on Laveraneus Coles. No injury here, but if he continues to struggle with drops, he's probably going to lose his starting job because the Bengals are deep at WR. Make him earn his way back into your fantasy lineup in the mean time.
Chicago Bears - Cutler suffered a bruised ego, which might shrink it down to a tolerable level.
Cleveland Browns - James Davis played after his auto accident, but he wasn't effective. Jamal Lewis will make Davis earn the job after a solid week 1. Jamal Lewis will start in week 2 with Jerome Harrison behind him. James Davis might sit out.
Dallas Cowboys - Felix Jones suffered a bruised thigh in week 1, but he's fine for week 2.
Denver Broncos - Knowshon Moreno's snaps were limited in week 1, and while I expect him to see more work in week 2, I would not use him as a RB2 until his exact "100% healthy" role is clear. Brandon Marshall is obviously starting again and playing a full complement of snaps.
Detroit Lions - None.
Green Bay Packers - Greg Jennings supposedly has a minor wrist injury, but it will not cause him to miss week 2.
Houston Texans - Kevin Walter was expected to return in week 2, and put in a full practice earlier in the week, but he had a limited practice on Friday and will be listed as questionable. This leads some to believe he suffered a setback, so he'll be a GTD on Sunday.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. I wouldn't drop him unless the Colts put him on IR...he'll have value when he returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - None.
Kansas City Chiefs - Matt Cassel reportedly looks better this week, and I'd expect him to start in week 2 barring a setback. I would not use him as a QB1 yet.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - None.
New England Patriots - Wes Welker is probably going be limited in practice again, but he's going to start in week 2.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas's week 2 status is completely up in the air currently, so I'll continue to monitor this. He's been limited all week, and the Saints don't need him with Mike Bell running well. I'll guess that he will be inactive again, but at any rate, he is not startable in any format.
New York Giants - Hakeem Nicks will miss a couple weeks with his minor foot sprain. Domenik Hixon and Mario Manningham will pick up additional snaps while Nicks is out with Manningham having higher upside.
New York Jets - None.
Oakland Raiders - Chaz Schilens is expected to be out several more weeks with his foot sprain. Louis Murphy will continue to start in his place.
Philadelphia Eagles - The signing of Jeff Garcia makes it appear as though Donovan McNabb will miss at least 1 week with his broken ribs. Philly will probably play coy for a bit, but the signing shows what McNabb's true status is.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Willie Parker blamed his week 1 struggles on a hamstring issue, but says he feels better. Thanks to a lack of better options on the roster, he'll have to shit the bed some more before losing his starting job.
San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson suffered an ankle injury in the 1st quarter, but looked fine running over the rest of the game. Despite this, LT is out for week 2. Darren Sproles will start and is a solid RB2 play despite a tough match up against Baltimore. Michael Bennett will back him up.
San Francisco 49ers - None.
Seattle Seahawks - Julius Jones is clearly the featured RB and can be considered as a RB2 option in the right match ups.
St. Louis Rams - Marc Bulger could lose his job shortly if he doesn't turn things around. Reports have him scared of the blitz, which is obviously very bad news.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant is struggling with his surgically repaired knee, and he will miss week 2. Keep him benched until he proves that he's healthy.
Tennessee Titans - Nate Washington is expected to return and play a full complement of snaps in week 2, but I'd hold off on starting him as a WR until it's clear that Kenny Britt won't cut into his playing time.
Washington Redskins - None.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Week 2 Waiver Wire
I promise to get this article written before Tuesday night as most leagues run waivers that night. :) As always, I'm speaking from the premise of a 12 team league that starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, and 1 TE.
QB:
Kyle Orton / Trent Edwards - These guys should have been drafted, but they didn't post huge numbers in week 1. These guys have the weapons around them to contend for QB1 status should things break right. They should be owned and on your bench.
Byron Leftwich - I question the weapons around him, especially since Antonio Bryant isn't 100%. That said, he looked good in the 1st week, so if you don't have anything that resembles a QB2 on your roster, go ahead and grab him. He's always been talented, but he's been held back by his lack of mobility and a slow release. He isn't going to fix that, but he's a starting QB in the NFL assuming he has a solid line in front of him, which Tampa Bay has.
Mark Sanchez - He has a decent #1 target in Jerricho Cotchery and a good TE in Dustin Keller. He will be protected by his running game and defense, so he's not going to throw a lot either. That all being said, he's a decent QB2. Think Flacco of last season, especially since the coaching staff and philosophy is very much the same as Baltimore. I think he has more poise thank Flacco, however, more along the line of Matt Ryan thanks to the quality competition he faced last season in the college ranks.
Matt Leinart - Sleeper. Kurt Warner looks bad, and some are predicting that Leinart will take over at some point this season. His weapons speak for themselves, and he's a great stash if you have a roster spot you're not doing much with. He could flirt with QB1 value should he take over at some point. Warner owners are strongly encouraged to handcuff him, especially with the price paid in drafts to get Warner.
RB:
Michael Bush - He should have been drafted, but in case he's still out there, Monday night proved why. He's my RB5 in all leagues. He's a big, powerful back who has some wiggle and quickness, plus he was excellent catching passes in college. He'll sit behind McFadden in per week touches, but he's still going to get 10+ carries, and he's favored at the goal line. He would be a great RB2 should anything happen to McFadden.
Cadillac Williams - He also should have been picked up prior to week 1 after his big preseason week 4 performance and perch atop the final week 1 depth chart, but he backed it up with a big week 1 despite only 12 carries. He's a good stash, but don't go throwing him into your yet lineup when he's only getting 10-12 carries, despite his week 1 numbers.
Mike Bell - He should have been picked up prior to week 1, especially by Pierre Thomas owners. That being said, he's available in one of my leagues (I didn't like him better than Michael Bush, my "worst" RB), so he's probably still out there in some others. If you have 4-5 RBs on your team that have a defined role, and you'd have to drop one of them to get him, pass. Otherwise, he's definitely the best waiver option this week. He might start again in week 2, and rumor has him forcing himself into a role even when Pierre Thomas gets healthy.
Kevin Faulk - He's worth a stash on the end of your bench as a RB4/5, but his upside is limited. He's going to see plenty of time on the field, catch passes, and run a few draws...but he just doesn't get the ball enough to have RB2 upside. That being said, depth is important, and he has a defined role.
Ladell Betts - Portis owners with a spot on their bench would be advised to grab Betts.
WR:
Louis Murphy - He's the best WR and the best deep threat Oakland has going for them. Once Chaz Schillens returns, there's no question in my mind that he'll start opposite Schilens and DHB will move to the 3rd WR role. He's probably better than a number of WR5s currently on a roster, so grab him. he has some upside as a big play WR even though he's limited by Russell's continued accuracy problems.
Laurent Robinson - He proved it was no fluke that he won the job by posting a solid week 1 despite poor QB play. His upside is dimmed by Bulger's steep decline, but he has more of the look of a top WR than Donnie Avery does thanks to his size/speed combination. Good WR5 to toss on your bench with upside.
Nate Burleson - Burleson has apparently recovered from last season's torn ACL by posting a great week 1. Given TJ Housh's inability to make plays down the field, Burleson could actually emerge as the guy to own in Seattle. All bets are off if Hasselbeck has more issues with his back, but it's worth riding the hot streak in the mean time.
Brandon Stokley - His numbers obviously rank him among the best WRs on the waiver wire, but if you didn't know, he caught a ridiculously fluky 87 yard TD off of a tipped pass. Don't add him.
Mark Clayton - He's always had the talent, and he's always had the injuries that have held him back. I don't like him as much as Murphy, but much like Murphy, he's probably better than many WR5s currently owned. Clayton will start as long as he's healthy.
Chansi Stuckey - He had a solid first game, and he got open for a TD on a blown coverage. He's not a bad WR, but he's 3rd on the target list behind Cotchery and Keller for a run-first team, so I'd leave him on the waiver wire.
Mario Manningham - With Hakeem Nicks set to miss 2-3 weeks with a foot sprain, there will be more targets to go around for WRs playing opposite Steve Smith. Manningham will be the biggest beneficiary here, and he could nail down a starting job for a while with a solid performance. He's not a bad speculator add.
Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem - The Saints will mix-and-match these 2 deep threats while Colston, Moore, and Shockey dominate the targets. They will be very high risk/reward WRs each and every week due to how the Saints use them, but they can be stashed and used to catch lightning in a bottle if you don't have other more solid options.
Michael Clayton - Remember him? 1193/7 his rookie year, and about that cumulatively over the last 4 years. It's hard to say what happened, but I do know he's had knee problems since there. The Bucs badly need someone to step up at WR while Bryant deals with his own knee issues, so he can be stashed.
Mark Bradley - The Chiefs also need a WR to step up opposite Dwayne Bowe, and Bradley certainly has the talent. Much like Mark Clayton, injuries have constantly held him back. He's also worth stashing as a WR5 to see how it shakes out.
Mike Sims-Walker - Deep sleeper here. He did nothing in week 1, but the Jaguars badly need someone to step up opposite Torry Holt and provide big play potential. Sims-Walker has the talent, but just like Clayton and Bradley, injuries have held him back. When the Jaguars eventually tire of Troy Williamson, Sims-Walker will step up and produce while he's healthy. Total speculatory stash.
TE:
Zach Miller - It boggles me that he's available in one of my leagues. This guy should be starting for a team in every 12+ team league, and arguably in 10 team leagues as well. I know the Raiders passing attack sucks, but he produced last year and will again this year. He's a TE1.
Todd Heap - Rebound candidate? He's likely available in all leagues, but he looked as good last Sunday as he's looked since 2006. Odds are he'll get hurt again, but he's worth owning until then. He could flirt with TE1 value if he can avoid all the nagging injuries.
Ben Watson - We've seen this before with his TD explosions, but he did catch 6 passes in all. He's never lacked the talent, but he has lacked the instincts and hands. The Patriots need someone other than Moss and Welker to threaten defenses, and Watson is most certainly a seam-buster. Grab him as a TE2.
Robert Royal - 60 yards and a TD from a TE certainly warrants consideration, and he's produced in a limited sense of the word in Buffalo before. I wouldn't waste a roster spot on him yet, but keep an eye to see if he repeats again in week 2.
QB:
Kyle Orton / Trent Edwards - These guys should have been drafted, but they didn't post huge numbers in week 1. These guys have the weapons around them to contend for QB1 status should things break right. They should be owned and on your bench.
Byron Leftwich - I question the weapons around him, especially since Antonio Bryant isn't 100%. That said, he looked good in the 1st week, so if you don't have anything that resembles a QB2 on your roster, go ahead and grab him. He's always been talented, but he's been held back by his lack of mobility and a slow release. He isn't going to fix that, but he's a starting QB in the NFL assuming he has a solid line in front of him, which Tampa Bay has.
Mark Sanchez - He has a decent #1 target in Jerricho Cotchery and a good TE in Dustin Keller. He will be protected by his running game and defense, so he's not going to throw a lot either. That all being said, he's a decent QB2. Think Flacco of last season, especially since the coaching staff and philosophy is very much the same as Baltimore. I think he has more poise thank Flacco, however, more along the line of Matt Ryan thanks to the quality competition he faced last season in the college ranks.
Matt Leinart - Sleeper. Kurt Warner looks bad, and some are predicting that Leinart will take over at some point this season. His weapons speak for themselves, and he's a great stash if you have a roster spot you're not doing much with. He could flirt with QB1 value should he take over at some point. Warner owners are strongly encouraged to handcuff him, especially with the price paid in drafts to get Warner.
RB:
Michael Bush - He should have been drafted, but in case he's still out there, Monday night proved why. He's my RB5 in all leagues. He's a big, powerful back who has some wiggle and quickness, plus he was excellent catching passes in college. He'll sit behind McFadden in per week touches, but he's still going to get 10+ carries, and he's favored at the goal line. He would be a great RB2 should anything happen to McFadden.
Cadillac Williams - He also should have been picked up prior to week 1 after his big preseason week 4 performance and perch atop the final week 1 depth chart, but he backed it up with a big week 1 despite only 12 carries. He's a good stash, but don't go throwing him into your yet lineup when he's only getting 10-12 carries, despite his week 1 numbers.
Mike Bell - He should have been picked up prior to week 1, especially by Pierre Thomas owners. That being said, he's available in one of my leagues (I didn't like him better than Michael Bush, my "worst" RB), so he's probably still out there in some others. If you have 4-5 RBs on your team that have a defined role, and you'd have to drop one of them to get him, pass. Otherwise, he's definitely the best waiver option this week. He might start again in week 2, and rumor has him forcing himself into a role even when Pierre Thomas gets healthy.
Kevin Faulk - He's worth a stash on the end of your bench as a RB4/5, but his upside is limited. He's going to see plenty of time on the field, catch passes, and run a few draws...but he just doesn't get the ball enough to have RB2 upside. That being said, depth is important, and he has a defined role.
Ladell Betts - Portis owners with a spot on their bench would be advised to grab Betts.
WR:
Louis Murphy - He's the best WR and the best deep threat Oakland has going for them. Once Chaz Schillens returns, there's no question in my mind that he'll start opposite Schilens and DHB will move to the 3rd WR role. He's probably better than a number of WR5s currently on a roster, so grab him. he has some upside as a big play WR even though he's limited by Russell's continued accuracy problems.
Laurent Robinson - He proved it was no fluke that he won the job by posting a solid week 1 despite poor QB play. His upside is dimmed by Bulger's steep decline, but he has more of the look of a top WR than Donnie Avery does thanks to his size/speed combination. Good WR5 to toss on your bench with upside.
Nate Burleson - Burleson has apparently recovered from last season's torn ACL by posting a great week 1. Given TJ Housh's inability to make plays down the field, Burleson could actually emerge as the guy to own in Seattle. All bets are off if Hasselbeck has more issues with his back, but it's worth riding the hot streak in the mean time.
Brandon Stokley - His numbers obviously rank him among the best WRs on the waiver wire, but if you didn't know, he caught a ridiculously fluky 87 yard TD off of a tipped pass. Don't add him.
Mark Clayton - He's always had the talent, and he's always had the injuries that have held him back. I don't like him as much as Murphy, but much like Murphy, he's probably better than many WR5s currently owned. Clayton will start as long as he's healthy.
Chansi Stuckey - He had a solid first game, and he got open for a TD on a blown coverage. He's not a bad WR, but he's 3rd on the target list behind Cotchery and Keller for a run-first team, so I'd leave him on the waiver wire.
Mario Manningham - With Hakeem Nicks set to miss 2-3 weeks with a foot sprain, there will be more targets to go around for WRs playing opposite Steve Smith. Manningham will be the biggest beneficiary here, and he could nail down a starting job for a while with a solid performance. He's not a bad speculator add.
Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem - The Saints will mix-and-match these 2 deep threats while Colston, Moore, and Shockey dominate the targets. They will be very high risk/reward WRs each and every week due to how the Saints use them, but they can be stashed and used to catch lightning in a bottle if you don't have other more solid options.
Michael Clayton - Remember him? 1193/7 his rookie year, and about that cumulatively over the last 4 years. It's hard to say what happened, but I do know he's had knee problems since there. The Bucs badly need someone to step up at WR while Bryant deals with his own knee issues, so he can be stashed.
Mark Bradley - The Chiefs also need a WR to step up opposite Dwayne Bowe, and Bradley certainly has the talent. Much like Mark Clayton, injuries have constantly held him back. He's also worth stashing as a WR5 to see how it shakes out.
Mike Sims-Walker - Deep sleeper here. He did nothing in week 1, but the Jaguars badly need someone to step up opposite Torry Holt and provide big play potential. Sims-Walker has the talent, but just like Clayton and Bradley, injuries have held him back. When the Jaguars eventually tire of Troy Williamson, Sims-Walker will step up and produce while he's healthy. Total speculatory stash.
TE:
Zach Miller - It boggles me that he's available in one of my leagues. This guy should be starting for a team in every 12+ team league, and arguably in 10 team leagues as well. I know the Raiders passing attack sucks, but he produced last year and will again this year. He's a TE1.
Todd Heap - Rebound candidate? He's likely available in all leagues, but he looked as good last Sunday as he's looked since 2006. Odds are he'll get hurt again, but he's worth owning until then. He could flirt with TE1 value if he can avoid all the nagging injuries.
Ben Watson - We've seen this before with his TD explosions, but he did catch 6 passes in all. He's never lacked the talent, but he has lacked the instincts and hands. The Patriots need someone other than Moss and Welker to threaten defenses, and Watson is most certainly a seam-buster. Grab him as a TE2.
Robert Royal - 60 yards and a TD from a TE certainly warrants consideration, and he's produced in a limited sense of the word in Buffalo before. I wouldn't waste a roster spot on him yet, but keep an eye to see if he repeats again in week 2.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Week 1 Thoughts
Since the first week is complete, I'm going to go through each team with some week 1 analysis. I feel this is particularly important as fantasy owners tend to want to panic too early each year, so I'd like to address what I feel is actually worth worrying about. I have sorted the teams so it's easier to find who you're looking for.
Arizona Cardinals - Warner looked old, just like he did in the preseason. This simply isn't going to be the same offense this season, and it's a concern for Warner/Fitz/Boldin owners. Boldin didn't look 100% yet, and he was on a snap count. Hightower was still dancing too much, and Beanie Wells ran with no nonsense. Wells will eventually dominate carries here if he can stay healthy, so he's a high upside RB3. The Cardinals will have to run more this year.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan was a bit inaccurate down the field, missing on some big plays where receivers got open. I'll attribute that to rust as his final numbers still were solid. Michael Turner was bottled up by a good run D, and this is a bit concerning as Turner will be facing much better run defenses this year than last. Plus, Tony Gonzalez gives them another option at the goal line. I still stand firm that Turner will not live up to his top 3 draft billing this year, but will definitely put up some big games mixed in. It's the consistency that will be a problem thanks to a lack of receiving ability.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco was given the green light and set a career high in both attempts and yardage while tossing 3 TDs. Now this is the Chiefs defense we're talking about here, so we can't get too excited, especially with his mundane weapons. However, Flacco is looking like a stronger QB2 than expected at the moment. Ray Rice looked great, but McGahee was exclusive at the goal line. I'd like to see how Rice does against a tough defense first, but it's clear that he'll get his carries and receptions this year. Mark Clayton and Todd Heap are healthy, which helps Flacco quite a bit, but with as injury prone as those two are, it's hard to say for how long.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards did a good job with his play calling, keeping the Patriots off balance for a lot of the game, but he again was completely reliant on underneath passing despite having 2 excellent deep threats. I did hear during the game that the Patriots were often doubling both WRs, which makes sense given the lack of other receiving options they possess. Both Owens and Evans were undertargeted and not very effective. Fred Jackson, however, looked very impressive and will be forcing a timeshare with Marshawn Lynch if he keeps this up. He's a complete RB.
Carolina Panthers - What a disaster. Delhomme is going to kill Steve Smith at this rate. I don't want to overreact to one game, but he looked just as bad as he did in the playoff game against Arizona last season, and that can't be good for his confidence. If Delhomme goes in the tank, newly signed AJ Feeley will start. Furthermore, Stewart completely cut into DeAngelo's carries with a 14/11 split in favor of DA. Luckily Williams made up for some of it in the air (4/42), but Stewart actually replaced him on the goal line a few times. This has the potential to turn into a mess, and it's something that Williams owners have to honestly be concerned about. The fact they nursed Stewart's injury for so long totally threw me off, but a healthy Stewart was going to play more.
Chicago Bears - I swear Grossman underwent plastic surgery and had us all fooled out there, looks-wise at least. The offense looked pretty brutal, but Cutler did have a couple nice deep throws to Knox who stepped out of bounds, and to Hester for a TD. Olsen was doubled relentlessly, so they'll need to find a way to fix that. There's going to be some growing pains here, but I still think Cutler will manage borderline QB1 numbers when all is said and done. He's more of a match-up play this season though. Forte was completely bottled up and will need the passing game to come around to give him some room. He wasn't quite as explosive, which is a concern. With the Steelers up next, it doesn't get any easier.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer looked good, and both of his INTs were not really his fault. One came on a ball that bounced high up in the air on an attempted catch, and the other came as a last second heave. Coles dropped a ton of passes, and he could arguably be the 4th best WR on this team behind Ochocinco (very solid first game), Chris Henry, and Andre Caldwell. Benson also looked solid with workman-like numbers and a TD. Feel confident with Palmer and Ochocinco moving forward, but I'd probably shy away from Coles until he bounces back. Since he's a veteran, he'll have a chance.
Cleveland Browns - Ugh. Quinn looked bad, and it killed Edwards. Lewis looked surprisingly spry, so he's not giving up his job without a fight. James Davis did nothing, but he did suffer through an auto accident earlier in the weekend, so we'll give him a week 1 pass. This passing game worries me.
Dallas Cowboys - Who needs TO? Romo looked great, and Roy Williams showed he still has explosion the slant he busted for a 66 yard TD. On top of this, Barber dominated the backfield (14-6) while back in his closer role. If the passing attack can keep this up, Barber will be a borderline RB1 again, just like he was in 2006/2007. He'll score 10+ times. Crayton had a fluky game aided by an uncharacteristic 80 yard TD. Don't rush to throw him in your lineup.
Denver Broncos - Orton was shaky again, but this was to be expected as he works out the kinks in the new offense. I know I sound like an Orton apologist, but I believe in the players he has around him. Marshall was back to dropping passes again, and he didn't target Royal enough. Stay with the Broncos passing game; it'll come around. Their backfield looks like a nightmare right now, and Moreno can't be started.
Detroit Lions - That went about as well as could be expected. Stafford wasn't accurate and threw 3 INTs, but he was clearly willing to throw the ball down the field, which is an extension from the preseason. That's great news for CJ who produced 90 yards on only 3 catches. He should have had a TD, but the refs blew the call on the field, and then blew the challenge. Ridiculous. Kevin Smith didn't generate much on the ground, but he scored and got 22 touches thanks to 7 catches. He might threaten RB1 value in PPR leagues this year.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers had trouble, but the Bears defensive pressure was dominant and forced some bad throws when WRs were open. No worries...Rodgers won't be facing this sort of pass rush each week. He salvaged his day with a game winning bomb to Jennings with just over a minute left, which was the opposite of last year when he posted huge numbers and often came up short late in games. Ryan Grant had a good burst and looked like a solid RB2 on the field. I think I might have been wrong about him this year, assuming he can stay healthy.
Houston Texans - Disaster. Also, patience. They faced a ferocious Jets defense who attacked them all game long with a very aggressive pass rush. There is way too much talent on the Houston offense to be worried. Darrell Revis is evolving into one of the elite shutdown corners in the NFL, and he held AJ in check.
Indianapolis Colts - It wasn't pretty, but they got it done. Manning looked good outside of an awful forced throw to Wayne on a fade in the endzone. Wayne was absolutely dominant. Gonzalez's injury will help Dallas Clark's fantasy value. The running game looked bad, especially Addai, and Brown actually got most of the 4th quarter work. The committee is in full effect, but if Addai can't make some plays, he could start losing even more touches.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD was featured, and was really the only offense. Garrard did the best he could to make some plays, but his receivers didn't help him out at all. Holt struggled to separate, and there's nothing going on opposite him. They badly need the talented Mike Sims-Walker to cash in on his talent and start producing.
Kansas City Chiefs - Nobody expected 24 points against Baltimore, but a blocked punt TD and a long INT return inside the 10 certainly helped change that. Croyle did a reasonable job filling in for Cassel, but only lead one good TD drive all game. LJ was completely ineffective. Bowe scored to save his owners on his first catch in the 3rd quarter, and he didn't catch another pass until hauling in a couple in the 4th quarter. He is going to be doubled relentlessly, so we'll have to keep an eye on how he handles that. Mark Bradley's good game was definitely a positive moving forward. He certainly has the talent to help Bowe out opposite him.
Miami Dolphins - Despite a lot of outlets talking about Ricky Williams looking slow in the preseason, he looked plenty quick, and the 13/9 touch ratio between Ronnie and Ricky is a true concern moving forward. This looked exactly like last year, and when Ricky replaced Ronnie at the 9 and caught a TD pass, it felt like a kick to the crotch. Miami clearly needs to establish the run next game as they looked lost on offense. Ronnie Brown is still this team's best offensive weapon. I'm not overly worried as Ronnie is probably everyone's RB2, and he'll be able to produce at that level, but his RB1 upside will be killed if they continue to use the same split as last year.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre spent most of the game handing off to Peterson, who mauled in the 2nd half and posted a monster game. As Favre gets up to speed, expect better things from Bernard Berrian. Percy Harvin was used all over and got 5 touches, so also expect him to become more involved as well. Sydney Rice looks like a red zone weapon with his size. He's going to score some TDs this year.
New England Patriots - Brady certainly didn't start as hot as he showed in the preseason, but he certainly finished that way. He's definitely back, using Welker underneath and Moss down the field exactly as you'd expect. Watson also turned in a huge game, and he's worth owning as a TE2. They do need a 3rd receiving option to continue to leave things open for Moss and Welker. True to form they used a full out committee, and Taylor even scored on a goal line carry. Maroney and Taylor are worth RB5 roster stashes, and Faulk is definitely worth owning in PPR.
New Orleans Saints - That went according to plan. Everyone looked great, although I'm sure Colston owners were fuming a bit...thankfully he scored once. Mike Bell looked terrific, and this is pretty much worst case scenario for Pierre Thomas owners. Bell might have just forced his way into a 3 man committee, but let's not overreact yet until Thomas returns. Thomas owners need to own Bell, obviously.
New York Giants - Eli actually looked good...he spread the ball around to all his receivers. Unfortunately, Nicks sustained a sprained foot and will be lost for a few weeks. Jacobs struggled, but the Skins' defense projected to be tougher this year. No worries. Bradshaw looked great with his touches and will be a RB3 this season...he has clearly assumed Derrick Ward's role from last year.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez looked great, spreading the ball around to his receivers well and remaining calm. Thomas Jones looked explosive again, so Shonn Greene is an afterthought for now, but I don't believe he'll last the season. Leon Washington, as promised, was given 15 carries and 4 catches as well. Washington looks like a good RB3 this season as he's clearly a bigger part of the offense. Cotchery and Keller both look like good options moving forward, but expect ups and downs as you normally would with a rookie QB. It won't always look this good.
Oakland Raiders - Russell looked horribly inaccurate yet again for most of the game, which is his biggest downfall right now. DHB also continued his dropped passes.Louis Murphy, on the other hand, looked pretty good and will probably start opposite Chaz Schilens when he returns. Zach Miller dominated the middle of the field and put up TE1 numbers. He's a favorite of Russell's, and there's no reason he shouldn't be owned. The rushing attack looked dominant in the 1st half, but San Diego caught on and started slowing it down in the 2nd half. The Raiders used a full committee of McFadden and Bush, and both looked very good, with Bush getting the call at the goal line. Expect this to be their strategy this year.
Philadelphia Eagles - Thanks to the defense doing the heavy lifting, McNabb and Westbrook weren't asked to do much, and luckily both scored at least once to keep the owners happy. McNabb's rib injury needs to be monitored this week, and the fact they signed Jeff Garcia is probably indicative that he won't play. They've lost a ton of confidence in Kevin Kolb. Westbrook looked great, helping ease concerns about his offseason surgeries. I'm not confident he'll last (who is?), but he's the man while healthy. McCoy looked good filling in, but most of his carries came with the game out of hand. The receivers will bounce back, but they need to be downgraded if McNabb misses time.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers started slow, but turned it on the 4th quarter when it was time to step up. He finished with respectable numbers. Vincent Jackson posted a solid game despite being blanketed by Nnamdi Asomugha all game, and Gates dominated the middle of the field while looking healthy again...he missed a TD by inches. Sorry LT owners, your high pick is in a full out committee. He also sprained an ankle in the 1st quarter and was constantly coming out of the game after a rush. Sproles looked explosive while LT did not, and Sproles is the official 3rd down RB.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore was the clear focal point of the offense, and while he certainly didn't impress with his YPC, he scored twice and caught some passes to turn in a good fantasy day. Josh Morgan was absent the entire 2nd half after posting a solid 1st half. I would assume an injury would have been announced, so my guess was he did something wrong and Singletary isn't making a spectacle out of it like he erroneously did with Vernon Davis last year. Speaking of Davis, he looked solid and they tried to get him the ball. Make sure he's owned as a TE2.
Seattle Seahawks - Wow, I was totally surprised by this. Now they were playing the Rams, so like with the Ravens, expectations have to be kept in check, but Hasselbeck did a great job spreading the ball around. He's going to be effective while healthy. Housh caught 6 passes, but had a long of 9. I read he did absolutely nothing after the catch, so he's going to have a very hard time fulfilling fantasy expectations if that continues. Carlson looked good, but he's going to have to block more than he did this game against better defensive fronts. I'm not sold on him as a TE1 despite the big game. Julius Jones dominated carries until the game got out of hand, so he's the clear starter here, and a low end RB2/solid RB3 much like Cedric Benson. He's only a match up play.
St. Louis Rams - Steve Spagnolo's season couldn't have started off any worse. Marc Bulger reportedly looks shell shocked out there, and people are calling for him to be benched immediately. Steven Jackson started hot, but the game got way out of hand. The most disappointing part of this was Jackson's lack of involvement in the passing game, but don't worry, I guarantee you they'll fix that. Laurent Robinson looked very good and along with Donnie Avery, the Rams actually have a good duo at WR. Now if only they had a QB...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich, per usual, took some hits but moved the offense. Cadillac most certainly is back, but he's evenly splitting with Derrick Ward. Earnest Graham owners can forget about him for the time being. Cadillac will be a popular add this week, but he's not worth starting if he's only seeing 10-15 carries, especially since neither Caddy nor Ward are the official goal line back. Both can succeed in that role as evidenced by their 1 yard TDs. Caddy has a better chance of staying healthy in this timeshare situation. Antonio Bryant's knee acted up again, and this is a serious concern. I'd keep him benched until he proves he's healthy. Winslow looked solid.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre. Cambell was OK, Portis did nothing outside of his 34 yard first run, Cooley turned in a fine day, and Randle-El surprised people (don't go picking him up). Blah all around. I wouldn't start anyone but Cooley here.
Arizona Cardinals - Warner looked old, just like he did in the preseason. This simply isn't going to be the same offense this season, and it's a concern for Warner/Fitz/Boldin owners. Boldin didn't look 100% yet, and he was on a snap count. Hightower was still dancing too much, and Beanie Wells ran with no nonsense. Wells will eventually dominate carries here if he can stay healthy, so he's a high upside RB3. The Cardinals will have to run more this year.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan was a bit inaccurate down the field, missing on some big plays where receivers got open. I'll attribute that to rust as his final numbers still were solid. Michael Turner was bottled up by a good run D, and this is a bit concerning as Turner will be facing much better run defenses this year than last. Plus, Tony Gonzalez gives them another option at the goal line. I still stand firm that Turner will not live up to his top 3 draft billing this year, but will definitely put up some big games mixed in. It's the consistency that will be a problem thanks to a lack of receiving ability.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco was given the green light and set a career high in both attempts and yardage while tossing 3 TDs. Now this is the Chiefs defense we're talking about here, so we can't get too excited, especially with his mundane weapons. However, Flacco is looking like a stronger QB2 than expected at the moment. Ray Rice looked great, but McGahee was exclusive at the goal line. I'd like to see how Rice does against a tough defense first, but it's clear that he'll get his carries and receptions this year. Mark Clayton and Todd Heap are healthy, which helps Flacco quite a bit, but with as injury prone as those two are, it's hard to say for how long.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards did a good job with his play calling, keeping the Patriots off balance for a lot of the game, but he again was completely reliant on underneath passing despite having 2 excellent deep threats. I did hear during the game that the Patriots were often doubling both WRs, which makes sense given the lack of other receiving options they possess. Both Owens and Evans were undertargeted and not very effective. Fred Jackson, however, looked very impressive and will be forcing a timeshare with Marshawn Lynch if he keeps this up. He's a complete RB.
Carolina Panthers - What a disaster. Delhomme is going to kill Steve Smith at this rate. I don't want to overreact to one game, but he looked just as bad as he did in the playoff game against Arizona last season, and that can't be good for his confidence. If Delhomme goes in the tank, newly signed AJ Feeley will start. Furthermore, Stewart completely cut into DeAngelo's carries with a 14/11 split in favor of DA. Luckily Williams made up for some of it in the air (4/42), but Stewart actually replaced him on the goal line a few times. This has the potential to turn into a mess, and it's something that Williams owners have to honestly be concerned about. The fact they nursed Stewart's injury for so long totally threw me off, but a healthy Stewart was going to play more.
Chicago Bears - I swear Grossman underwent plastic surgery and had us all fooled out there, looks-wise at least. The offense looked pretty brutal, but Cutler did have a couple nice deep throws to Knox who stepped out of bounds, and to Hester for a TD. Olsen was doubled relentlessly, so they'll need to find a way to fix that. There's going to be some growing pains here, but I still think Cutler will manage borderline QB1 numbers when all is said and done. He's more of a match-up play this season though. Forte was completely bottled up and will need the passing game to come around to give him some room. He wasn't quite as explosive, which is a concern. With the Steelers up next, it doesn't get any easier.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer looked good, and both of his INTs were not really his fault. One came on a ball that bounced high up in the air on an attempted catch, and the other came as a last second heave. Coles dropped a ton of passes, and he could arguably be the 4th best WR on this team behind Ochocinco (very solid first game), Chris Henry, and Andre Caldwell. Benson also looked solid with workman-like numbers and a TD. Feel confident with Palmer and Ochocinco moving forward, but I'd probably shy away from Coles until he bounces back. Since he's a veteran, he'll have a chance.
Cleveland Browns - Ugh. Quinn looked bad, and it killed Edwards. Lewis looked surprisingly spry, so he's not giving up his job without a fight. James Davis did nothing, but he did suffer through an auto accident earlier in the weekend, so we'll give him a week 1 pass. This passing game worries me.
Dallas Cowboys - Who needs TO? Romo looked great, and Roy Williams showed he still has explosion the slant he busted for a 66 yard TD. On top of this, Barber dominated the backfield (14-6) while back in his closer role. If the passing attack can keep this up, Barber will be a borderline RB1 again, just like he was in 2006/2007. He'll score 10+ times. Crayton had a fluky game aided by an uncharacteristic 80 yard TD. Don't rush to throw him in your lineup.
Denver Broncos - Orton was shaky again, but this was to be expected as he works out the kinks in the new offense. I know I sound like an Orton apologist, but I believe in the players he has around him. Marshall was back to dropping passes again, and he didn't target Royal enough. Stay with the Broncos passing game; it'll come around. Their backfield looks like a nightmare right now, and Moreno can't be started.
Detroit Lions - That went about as well as could be expected. Stafford wasn't accurate and threw 3 INTs, but he was clearly willing to throw the ball down the field, which is an extension from the preseason. That's great news for CJ who produced 90 yards on only 3 catches. He should have had a TD, but the refs blew the call on the field, and then blew the challenge. Ridiculous. Kevin Smith didn't generate much on the ground, but he scored and got 22 touches thanks to 7 catches. He might threaten RB1 value in PPR leagues this year.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers had trouble, but the Bears defensive pressure was dominant and forced some bad throws when WRs were open. No worries...Rodgers won't be facing this sort of pass rush each week. He salvaged his day with a game winning bomb to Jennings with just over a minute left, which was the opposite of last year when he posted huge numbers and often came up short late in games. Ryan Grant had a good burst and looked like a solid RB2 on the field. I think I might have been wrong about him this year, assuming he can stay healthy.
Houston Texans - Disaster. Also, patience. They faced a ferocious Jets defense who attacked them all game long with a very aggressive pass rush. There is way too much talent on the Houston offense to be worried. Darrell Revis is evolving into one of the elite shutdown corners in the NFL, and he held AJ in check.
Indianapolis Colts - It wasn't pretty, but they got it done. Manning looked good outside of an awful forced throw to Wayne on a fade in the endzone. Wayne was absolutely dominant. Gonzalez's injury will help Dallas Clark's fantasy value. The running game looked bad, especially Addai, and Brown actually got most of the 4th quarter work. The committee is in full effect, but if Addai can't make some plays, he could start losing even more touches.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD was featured, and was really the only offense. Garrard did the best he could to make some plays, but his receivers didn't help him out at all. Holt struggled to separate, and there's nothing going on opposite him. They badly need the talented Mike Sims-Walker to cash in on his talent and start producing.
Kansas City Chiefs - Nobody expected 24 points against Baltimore, but a blocked punt TD and a long INT return inside the 10 certainly helped change that. Croyle did a reasonable job filling in for Cassel, but only lead one good TD drive all game. LJ was completely ineffective. Bowe scored to save his owners on his first catch in the 3rd quarter, and he didn't catch another pass until hauling in a couple in the 4th quarter. He is going to be doubled relentlessly, so we'll have to keep an eye on how he handles that. Mark Bradley's good game was definitely a positive moving forward. He certainly has the talent to help Bowe out opposite him.
Miami Dolphins - Despite a lot of outlets talking about Ricky Williams looking slow in the preseason, he looked plenty quick, and the 13/9 touch ratio between Ronnie and Ricky is a true concern moving forward. This looked exactly like last year, and when Ricky replaced Ronnie at the 9 and caught a TD pass, it felt like a kick to the crotch. Miami clearly needs to establish the run next game as they looked lost on offense. Ronnie Brown is still this team's best offensive weapon. I'm not overly worried as Ronnie is probably everyone's RB2, and he'll be able to produce at that level, but his RB1 upside will be killed if they continue to use the same split as last year.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre spent most of the game handing off to Peterson, who mauled in the 2nd half and posted a monster game. As Favre gets up to speed, expect better things from Bernard Berrian. Percy Harvin was used all over and got 5 touches, so also expect him to become more involved as well. Sydney Rice looks like a red zone weapon with his size. He's going to score some TDs this year.
New England Patriots - Brady certainly didn't start as hot as he showed in the preseason, but he certainly finished that way. He's definitely back, using Welker underneath and Moss down the field exactly as you'd expect. Watson also turned in a huge game, and he's worth owning as a TE2. They do need a 3rd receiving option to continue to leave things open for Moss and Welker. True to form they used a full out committee, and Taylor even scored on a goal line carry. Maroney and Taylor are worth RB5 roster stashes, and Faulk is definitely worth owning in PPR.
New Orleans Saints - That went according to plan. Everyone looked great, although I'm sure Colston owners were fuming a bit...thankfully he scored once. Mike Bell looked terrific, and this is pretty much worst case scenario for Pierre Thomas owners. Bell might have just forced his way into a 3 man committee, but let's not overreact yet until Thomas returns. Thomas owners need to own Bell, obviously.
New York Giants - Eli actually looked good...he spread the ball around to all his receivers. Unfortunately, Nicks sustained a sprained foot and will be lost for a few weeks. Jacobs struggled, but the Skins' defense projected to be tougher this year. No worries. Bradshaw looked great with his touches and will be a RB3 this season...he has clearly assumed Derrick Ward's role from last year.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez looked great, spreading the ball around to his receivers well and remaining calm. Thomas Jones looked explosive again, so Shonn Greene is an afterthought for now, but I don't believe he'll last the season. Leon Washington, as promised, was given 15 carries and 4 catches as well. Washington looks like a good RB3 this season as he's clearly a bigger part of the offense. Cotchery and Keller both look like good options moving forward, but expect ups and downs as you normally would with a rookie QB. It won't always look this good.
Oakland Raiders - Russell looked horribly inaccurate yet again for most of the game, which is his biggest downfall right now. DHB also continued his dropped passes.Louis Murphy, on the other hand, looked pretty good and will probably start opposite Chaz Schilens when he returns. Zach Miller dominated the middle of the field and put up TE1 numbers. He's a favorite of Russell's, and there's no reason he shouldn't be owned. The rushing attack looked dominant in the 1st half, but San Diego caught on and started slowing it down in the 2nd half. The Raiders used a full committee of McFadden and Bush, and both looked very good, with Bush getting the call at the goal line. Expect this to be their strategy this year.
Philadelphia Eagles - Thanks to the defense doing the heavy lifting, McNabb and Westbrook weren't asked to do much, and luckily both scored at least once to keep the owners happy. McNabb's rib injury needs to be monitored this week, and the fact they signed Jeff Garcia is probably indicative that he won't play. They've lost a ton of confidence in Kevin Kolb. Westbrook looked great, helping ease concerns about his offseason surgeries. I'm not confident he'll last (who is?), but he's the man while healthy. McCoy looked good filling in, but most of his carries came with the game out of hand. The receivers will bounce back, but they need to be downgraded if McNabb misses time.
San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers started slow, but turned it on the 4th quarter when it was time to step up. He finished with respectable numbers. Vincent Jackson posted a solid game despite being blanketed by Nnamdi Asomugha all game, and Gates dominated the middle of the field while looking healthy again...he missed a TD by inches. Sorry LT owners, your high pick is in a full out committee. He also sprained an ankle in the 1st quarter and was constantly coming out of the game after a rush. Sproles looked explosive while LT did not, and Sproles is the official 3rd down RB.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore was the clear focal point of the offense, and while he certainly didn't impress with his YPC, he scored twice and caught some passes to turn in a good fantasy day. Josh Morgan was absent the entire 2nd half after posting a solid 1st half. I would assume an injury would have been announced, so my guess was he did something wrong and Singletary isn't making a spectacle out of it like he erroneously did with Vernon Davis last year. Speaking of Davis, he looked solid and they tried to get him the ball. Make sure he's owned as a TE2.
Seattle Seahawks - Wow, I was totally surprised by this. Now they were playing the Rams, so like with the Ravens, expectations have to be kept in check, but Hasselbeck did a great job spreading the ball around. He's going to be effective while healthy. Housh caught 6 passes, but had a long of 9. I read he did absolutely nothing after the catch, so he's going to have a very hard time fulfilling fantasy expectations if that continues. Carlson looked good, but he's going to have to block more than he did this game against better defensive fronts. I'm not sold on him as a TE1 despite the big game. Julius Jones dominated carries until the game got out of hand, so he's the clear starter here, and a low end RB2/solid RB3 much like Cedric Benson. He's only a match up play.
St. Louis Rams - Steve Spagnolo's season couldn't have started off any worse. Marc Bulger reportedly looks shell shocked out there, and people are calling for him to be benched immediately. Steven Jackson started hot, but the game got way out of hand. The most disappointing part of this was Jackson's lack of involvement in the passing game, but don't worry, I guarantee you they'll fix that. Laurent Robinson looked very good and along with Donnie Avery, the Rams actually have a good duo at WR. Now if only they had a QB...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Leftwich, per usual, took some hits but moved the offense. Cadillac most certainly is back, but he's evenly splitting with Derrick Ward. Earnest Graham owners can forget about him for the time being. Cadillac will be a popular add this week, but he's not worth starting if he's only seeing 10-15 carries, especially since neither Caddy nor Ward are the official goal line back. Both can succeed in that role as evidenced by their 1 yard TDs. Caddy has a better chance of staying healthy in this timeshare situation. Antonio Bryant's knee acted up again, and this is a serious concern. I'd keep him benched until he proves he's healthy. Winslow looked solid.
Washington Redskins - The offense looked about as expected...mediocre. Cambell was OK, Portis did nothing outside of his 34 yard first run, Cooley turned in a fine day, and Randle-El surprised people (don't go picking him up). Blah all around. I wouldn't start anyone but Cooley here.
Friday, September 11, 2009
PIT/TEN Observations
Unfortunately I missed most of the 1st half, but it seems like in all reality I didn't miss much of anything. I tuned it right before the Titans went on their drive that led to Bironas' blocked FG, and saw the rest of the game from there.
Tennessee - The Titans did NOT do a good job trying to get Chris Johnson in space. I didn't see many screens, draws, or pass plays designed to spread the defense out and give Johnson room to run. I think this really hurt their offense in a game where they needed to be creative. LenDale White looked mostly unimpressive, and it proved that Chris Johnson is indeed the man of the backfield. Kerry Collins looked solid in the pocket, and Justin Gage was clearly his first read, especially on 3rd downs. Gage had one drop on a pass behind him, but other than that, he did a good job getting open against a tough defense. He could be a solid WR3. Nate Washington was limited, and Kenny Britt posted solid numbers in his absence, but outside of the 57 yard catch on a blown coverage, I'm pretty sure Washington will resume starting when he's 100% as he's the best deep threat on the roster. As far as Bironas is concerned...everyone who owns him should just forget that game. A bad snap and bad blocking were the reason he missed 2 FGs...it had nothing to do with him.
Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh's rushing attack looked awful. While some may chalk that up to TEN's stingy run defense, I read that Parker simply sucked. I missed the majority of his carries, but he apparently looked slow and danced too much. Mendenhall hasn't received any positive press since he arrived last year, so this could be a rough season for Pittsburgh on the ground. This further proves my claim that Big Ben will bounce back this season as odds are they will have to throw more than they'd prefer. Holmes looked awesome, and Ward continues to prove people wrong, like myself, that he's going to start declining as a fantasy factor. Barring another injury, he should post yet another WR3 season. Those who own PIT's defense had to cringe when Polamalu was buried doing the splits under a pile. They're calling it a MCL sprain at the moment, but an MRI is forthcoming. It would not shock me at all if he's torn his ACL. That would be a huge blow to their defense as he's a leader and the reason why their secondary is so imposing.
All in all, it was a very entertaining first game of the season!
Tennessee - The Titans did NOT do a good job trying to get Chris Johnson in space. I didn't see many screens, draws, or pass plays designed to spread the defense out and give Johnson room to run. I think this really hurt their offense in a game where they needed to be creative. LenDale White looked mostly unimpressive, and it proved that Chris Johnson is indeed the man of the backfield. Kerry Collins looked solid in the pocket, and Justin Gage was clearly his first read, especially on 3rd downs. Gage had one drop on a pass behind him, but other than that, he did a good job getting open against a tough defense. He could be a solid WR3. Nate Washington was limited, and Kenny Britt posted solid numbers in his absence, but outside of the 57 yard catch on a blown coverage, I'm pretty sure Washington will resume starting when he's 100% as he's the best deep threat on the roster. As far as Bironas is concerned...everyone who owns him should just forget that game. A bad snap and bad blocking were the reason he missed 2 FGs...it had nothing to do with him.
Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh's rushing attack looked awful. While some may chalk that up to TEN's stingy run defense, I read that Parker simply sucked. I missed the majority of his carries, but he apparently looked slow and danced too much. Mendenhall hasn't received any positive press since he arrived last year, so this could be a rough season for Pittsburgh on the ground. This further proves my claim that Big Ben will bounce back this season as odds are they will have to throw more than they'd prefer. Holmes looked awesome, and Ward continues to prove people wrong, like myself, that he's going to start declining as a fantasy factor. Barring another injury, he should post yet another WR3 season. Those who own PIT's defense had to cringe when Polamalu was buried doing the splits under a pile. They're calling it a MCL sprain at the moment, but an MRI is forthcoming. It would not shock me at all if he's torn his ACL. That would be a huge blow to their defense as he's a leader and the reason why their secondary is so imposing.
All in all, it was a very entertaining first game of the season!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Week 1 Injury/Depth Chart Report
QB:
Mark Sanchez - Sanchez has won the starting job. Given the run-first offensive system and the lack of explosive weapons, you're probably looking at Joe Flacco part 2.
Brady Quinn - Quinn has won the starting job. He does have an explosive WR1, but almost nothing else. He's a decent QB2.
Kyle Orton - Orton has been able to practice effectively despite his finger injury via reports from Denver's practices. He should start in week 1 barring a setback. He's a slightly risky QB2, but I still very much like his outlook for the 2009 season as a sleeper that everyone will laugh at you for owning.
Matt Cassel - Cassel's week 1 status is very much up in the air. Considering he's facing Baltimore, I would hope you're not relying on him to start for your team. Brodie Croyle would start in his place if he cannot go, and he's obviously not an option whatsoever either.
Matthew Stafford - Stafford has won the starting job. Much like Quinn, he has an explosive WR1, but almost nothing else. He's a very low-end QB2 as it stands right now, although he's probably worth watching a bit closer than Sanchez.
Byron Leftwich - Leftwich has won the starting job. He's going to be leading a run-heavy offense, but he has a mauling offensive line in front of him, and he has some good targets in Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow. He's a low-end QB2 right now.
Marc Bulger - Bulger has reportedly looked good in practice as he comes back from a fractured pinkie, and all reports have him ready to go in week 1. He's obviously not to be in your lineup, however.
RB:
Marshawn Lynch - Lynch is suspended for the first 3 weeks of the season. Fred Jackson will start and probably provide decent RB2 value, but his offensive line and offensive coordinator turnover threaten the stability of his surrounding offense.
Fred Taylor - Taylor will get the "starting" nod for the Patriots, but if they open in a spread offense on the first snap, Kevin Faulk will be in there. Faulk will continue to dominate passing downs while Taylor, Maroney, and Sammy Morris split carries in some fashion. Also keep an eye on Benjarvis Green-Ellis. All are worth owning as RB5s, but none should sniff your starting lineup.
Ray Rice - Rice was officially awarded the starting job, although all of us knew much earlier than this. He's a RB2 against the disaster that is KC's defense.
Willie Parker - Parker has won the goal line role, making him a solid RB2 while that lasts.
Maurice Jones-Drew - MJD has practiced all week with his shin bruise, and he's all systems go for week 1.
Knowshon Moreno - Moreno has practiced and will likely play in week 1, but he's not 100% quite yet. Look for him to split carries in some fashion, so he's a risky flex play at best. Look for players with a more defined role. He'll be the man in Denver before long.
Oakland Raiders - They have still not announced a starting RB. Why they're still messing around with Fargas I have no idea. Well I do actually, I'm lying. It's the fucking Raiders. McFadden is the only safe play here...he's going to be on the field plenty no matter who "starts".
Marion Barber / Felix Jones - The Cowboys announced a 50/50 split in carries for this season between these two guys, but I find this a bit harder to believe. While Felix Jones is undoubtedly more explosive, Barber is simply the better runner between the tackles. It'll probably come down to the game situation, but if it's close or the Cowboys need to run the clock, you can bet Barber will lead the team in carries.
Brian Westbrook - Westbrook is all systems go for week 1, and worth using as a RB2. Keep a close eye on his explosiveness after 2 offseason surgeries (knee, ankle).
Jonathan Stewart - In a big surprise, Stewart returned to a full practice and is not on the injury report. While Stewart shouldn't be anywhere close to your lineup, this could be a downer on DeAngelo Williams before long. It shouldn't be an issue in week 1, though.
Pierre Thomas - Thomas is still battling his sprained MCL and is questionable for week 1. He claims he's ready, but it remains to be seen if the team will risk him in what should be an easy win over the Lions. Mike Bell would start in his place and be a solid RB2.
Cadillac Williams / Derrick Ward - Williams is supposedly starting in week 1. I know Ward was likely drafted as a RB2, but you cannot risk using anyone in this backfield until we see how it plays out, especially with the 2-2-1 rotational series claim.
Tim Hightower / Beanie Wells - Another RB mess to avoid. I think Hightower will start, but Wells is the better RB here. Neither is worth using until one emerges, most likely Wells. If you have to, I'd use Wells.
WR:
Miami Dolphins - They have an absolute mess opposite Ted Ginn Jr., with Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline all competing still. Avoid using a roster spot on any of them for now.
Wes Welker - Welker's had a mysterious injury for a while, and with the Patriots being so secretive and also playing on Monday night, odds are you don't have another similar alternative in that time slot. Unless definitive news is made public prior to Sunday's games, I would opt for an alternative.
Mark Clayton - Clayton is expected to start this week despite missing most of the offseason with his usual assortment of leg injuries, but if you have him in your lineup, you're in bad shape anyways.
Chris Henry - Henry missed Thursday's practice with a thigh injury, so keep an eye on this for the weekend. I'd probably veer away from him anyways until it's clear what role he'll have in the offense, but if he's healthy, you can take a chance on him as a WR3.
Nate Washington - Washington is questionable for tonight's game, and with him not being 100%, he should not be started.
Kevin Walter - Walter will likely be limited in week 1 with his hamstring injury, so he's quite risky as a starter on your team.
Brandon Marshall - Everything points to Marshall starting on Sunday, so he's startable was a WR2/WR3.
Chaz Schilens - Schilens will miss week 1 as he rehabs with a broken foot.
New York Giants - Steve Smith is locked in at one spot, and Hixon will start across from him. However, expect to see plenty of Hakeem Nicks. Smith can be used in PPR leagues, but I would avoid the situation if I could until we see it play out. Smith, Hixon and Nicks are well worth owning on your bench though.
Bernard Berrian - Berrian has been limited in practice so far, and he has no game work with Favre, but he's expected to start. He's a high risk/reward WR3 play in week 1.
Antonio Bryant - Bryant is all systems go for week 1 after offseason knee surgery. He can be used safely as a WR3.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin's leg injuries are back already with him being limited by a hamstring injury. He's expected to play, but could be limited in the game on a snap count. He's too explosive to bench, but temper your expectations.
Donnie Avery - Avery is all systems go and has a good match up in week 1 against Seattle's banged up secondary. You can use him as a WR3.
Mark Sanchez - Sanchez has won the starting job. Given the run-first offensive system and the lack of explosive weapons, you're probably looking at Joe Flacco part 2.
Brady Quinn - Quinn has won the starting job. He does have an explosive WR1, but almost nothing else. He's a decent QB2.
Kyle Orton - Orton has been able to practice effectively despite his finger injury via reports from Denver's practices. He should start in week 1 barring a setback. He's a slightly risky QB2, but I still very much like his outlook for the 2009 season as a sleeper that everyone will laugh at you for owning.
Matt Cassel - Cassel's week 1 status is very much up in the air. Considering he's facing Baltimore, I would hope you're not relying on him to start for your team. Brodie Croyle would start in his place if he cannot go, and he's obviously not an option whatsoever either.
Matthew Stafford - Stafford has won the starting job. Much like Quinn, he has an explosive WR1, but almost nothing else. He's a very low-end QB2 as it stands right now, although he's probably worth watching a bit closer than Sanchez.
Byron Leftwich - Leftwich has won the starting job. He's going to be leading a run-heavy offense, but he has a mauling offensive line in front of him, and he has some good targets in Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow. He's a low-end QB2 right now.
Marc Bulger - Bulger has reportedly looked good in practice as he comes back from a fractured pinkie, and all reports have him ready to go in week 1. He's obviously not to be in your lineup, however.
RB:
Marshawn Lynch - Lynch is suspended for the first 3 weeks of the season. Fred Jackson will start and probably provide decent RB2 value, but his offensive line and offensive coordinator turnover threaten the stability of his surrounding offense.
Fred Taylor - Taylor will get the "starting" nod for the Patriots, but if they open in a spread offense on the first snap, Kevin Faulk will be in there. Faulk will continue to dominate passing downs while Taylor, Maroney, and Sammy Morris split carries in some fashion. Also keep an eye on Benjarvis Green-Ellis. All are worth owning as RB5s, but none should sniff your starting lineup.
Ray Rice - Rice was officially awarded the starting job, although all of us knew much earlier than this. He's a RB2 against the disaster that is KC's defense.
Willie Parker - Parker has won the goal line role, making him a solid RB2 while that lasts.
Maurice Jones-Drew - MJD has practiced all week with his shin bruise, and he's all systems go for week 1.
Knowshon Moreno - Moreno has practiced and will likely play in week 1, but he's not 100% quite yet. Look for him to split carries in some fashion, so he's a risky flex play at best. Look for players with a more defined role. He'll be the man in Denver before long.
Oakland Raiders - They have still not announced a starting RB. Why they're still messing around with Fargas I have no idea. Well I do actually, I'm lying. It's the fucking Raiders. McFadden is the only safe play here...he's going to be on the field plenty no matter who "starts".
Marion Barber / Felix Jones - The Cowboys announced a 50/50 split in carries for this season between these two guys, but I find this a bit harder to believe. While Felix Jones is undoubtedly more explosive, Barber is simply the better runner between the tackles. It'll probably come down to the game situation, but if it's close or the Cowboys need to run the clock, you can bet Barber will lead the team in carries.
Brian Westbrook - Westbrook is all systems go for week 1, and worth using as a RB2. Keep a close eye on his explosiveness after 2 offseason surgeries (knee, ankle).
Jonathan Stewart - In a big surprise, Stewart returned to a full practice and is not on the injury report. While Stewart shouldn't be anywhere close to your lineup, this could be a downer on DeAngelo Williams before long. It shouldn't be an issue in week 1, though.
Pierre Thomas - Thomas is still battling his sprained MCL and is questionable for week 1. He claims he's ready, but it remains to be seen if the team will risk him in what should be an easy win over the Lions. Mike Bell would start in his place and be a solid RB2.
Cadillac Williams / Derrick Ward - Williams is supposedly starting in week 1. I know Ward was likely drafted as a RB2, but you cannot risk using anyone in this backfield until we see how it plays out, especially with the 2-2-1 rotational series claim.
Tim Hightower / Beanie Wells - Another RB mess to avoid. I think Hightower will start, but Wells is the better RB here. Neither is worth using until one emerges, most likely Wells. If you have to, I'd use Wells.
WR:
Miami Dolphins - They have an absolute mess opposite Ted Ginn Jr., with Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline all competing still. Avoid using a roster spot on any of them for now.
Wes Welker - Welker's had a mysterious injury for a while, and with the Patriots being so secretive and also playing on Monday night, odds are you don't have another similar alternative in that time slot. Unless definitive news is made public prior to Sunday's games, I would opt for an alternative.
Mark Clayton - Clayton is expected to start this week despite missing most of the offseason with his usual assortment of leg injuries, but if you have him in your lineup, you're in bad shape anyways.
Chris Henry - Henry missed Thursday's practice with a thigh injury, so keep an eye on this for the weekend. I'd probably veer away from him anyways until it's clear what role he'll have in the offense, but if he's healthy, you can take a chance on him as a WR3.
Nate Washington - Washington is questionable for tonight's game, and with him not being 100%, he should not be started.
Kevin Walter - Walter will likely be limited in week 1 with his hamstring injury, so he's quite risky as a starter on your team.
Brandon Marshall - Everything points to Marshall starting on Sunday, so he's startable was a WR2/WR3.
Chaz Schilens - Schilens will miss week 1 as he rehabs with a broken foot.
New York Giants - Steve Smith is locked in at one spot, and Hixon will start across from him. However, expect to see plenty of Hakeem Nicks. Smith can be used in PPR leagues, but I would avoid the situation if I could until we see it play out. Smith, Hixon and Nicks are well worth owning on your bench though.
Bernard Berrian - Berrian has been limited in practice so far, and he has no game work with Favre, but he's expected to start. He's a high risk/reward WR3 play in week 1.
Antonio Bryant - Bryant is all systems go for week 1 after offseason knee surgery. He can be used safely as a WR3.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin's leg injuries are back already with him being limited by a hamstring injury. He's expected to play, but could be limited in the game on a snap count. He's too explosive to bench, but temper your expectations.
Donnie Avery - Avery is all systems go and has a good match up in week 1 against Seattle's banged up secondary. You can use him as a WR3.
NFL Season Opener!
It's football time ladies and gentlemen, and all of our draft preparation is about to enter it's first phase in week 1. Pittsburgh and Tennessee will start us off tonight. I wanted to do some live blogging of the game, but I have a doubleheader in softball and will probably catch most of the game at the bar.
As far as thoughts for tonight, keep a close eye on the TEN defense. They were probably overdrafted in most leagues simply given the fact that they lost arguably the most dominant defensive lineman, Albert Haynesworth, in the offseason. What type of ripple effect this loss will have on the rest of the defense is well worth watching not only for TEN defensive owners, but also for people on the fence about playing offensive skill position players against them.
Kerry Collins and Big Ben were drafted as QB2s most likely, so I doubt either of them are starting for many teams tonight. I'm predicting a bounce back season for Big Ben, so we'll see what type of start he gets off to tonight. Chris Johnson will have some tough sledding, but keep in mind how often TEN used him in space against Baltimore in the playoffs last year, and how effective he was prior to his ankle sprain. He's your first round pick, and while a big game is pretty much impossible, it'd be really hard to bench him in week 1 unless you have two obvious top ten guys also around (Ray Rice versus KC would be awfully tempting). Willie Parker won the goal line duties kinda by default with Mendenhall being unimpressive and nobody else stepping up, so he's a quality RB2 against the Haynesworth-less Titans D. Holmes is an obvious start at WR, but I wouldn't be ecstatic to start anybody else. Gage isn't a bad WR3, but he was probably drafted as your WR4 anyways. Ward should put up workman-like numbers with a chance for a TD. No TEs are worth using, which is a shame as Heath Miller continues to be under-utilized in the Pittsburgh offense.
It should be a great game between two physical teams, and I'm looking forward to week 1!
As far as thoughts for tonight, keep a close eye on the TEN defense. They were probably overdrafted in most leagues simply given the fact that they lost arguably the most dominant defensive lineman, Albert Haynesworth, in the offseason. What type of ripple effect this loss will have on the rest of the defense is well worth watching not only for TEN defensive owners, but also for people on the fence about playing offensive skill position players against them.
Kerry Collins and Big Ben were drafted as QB2s most likely, so I doubt either of them are starting for many teams tonight. I'm predicting a bounce back season for Big Ben, so we'll see what type of start he gets off to tonight. Chris Johnson will have some tough sledding, but keep in mind how often TEN used him in space against Baltimore in the playoffs last year, and how effective he was prior to his ankle sprain. He's your first round pick, and while a big game is pretty much impossible, it'd be really hard to bench him in week 1 unless you have two obvious top ten guys also around (Ray Rice versus KC would be awfully tempting). Willie Parker won the goal line duties kinda by default with Mendenhall being unimpressive and nobody else stepping up, so he's a quality RB2 against the Haynesworth-less Titans D. Holmes is an obvious start at WR, but I wouldn't be ecstatic to start anybody else. Gage isn't a bad WR3, but he was probably drafted as your WR4 anyways. Ward should put up workman-like numbers with a chance for a TD. No TEs are worth using, which is a shame as Heath Miller continues to be under-utilized in the Pittsburgh offense.
It should be a great game between two physical teams, and I'm looking forward to week 1!
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