Friday, October 24, 2008
Week 8 Injury Updates
I have updated all players in the Walking Wounded area below. The biggest news is probably Steven Jackson's gametime decision status. Boldin will play, and Cotchery is also a gametime decision as well.
Steelers WR Santonio Holmes Suspended For 1 Game
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Santonio Holmes will be deactivated in week 8 on a team suspension for being arrested with marijuana possession.
Holmes has had prior run-ins with the law, so there's a possibility that the NFL will nail him with another suspension.
Fantasy Impact: Holmes will not play in week 8, so bench him. His replacement, Nate Washington, immediately becomes a solid WR3 play if you're hurting at the position. He's assume Holmes' deep threat role and should post solid numbers against the Giants vulnerable corners.
Holmes has had prior run-ins with the law, so there's a possibility that the NFL will nail him with another suspension.
Fantasy Impact: Holmes will not play in week 8, so bench him. His replacement, Nate Washington, immediately becomes a solid WR3 play if you're hurting at the position. He's assume Holmes' deep threat role and should post solid numbers against the Giants vulnerable corners.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Chiefs RB Larry Johnson Suspended For 1 Game
As I wrote earlier this week to expect, the Chiefs (not the NFL yet) have suspended Larry Johnson another game for violating team policy.
This is likely just a placeholder until the NFL steps in and suspends LJ even further for his abuse charges.
Fantasy Impact: LJ will miss week 8, and likely more games beyond that. Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles will again split the load, but the Chiefs don't have it any easier this week facing the quietly 4th ranked rush defense (yards per game) of the New York Jets. Avoid the situation again.
This is likely just a placeholder until the NFL steps in and suspends LJ even further for his abuse charges.
Fantasy Impact: LJ will miss week 8, and likely more games beyond that. Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles will again split the load, but the Chiefs don't have it any easier this week facing the quietly 4th ranked rush defense (yards per game) of the New York Jets. Avoid the situation again.
Browns TE Kellen Winslow Suspended For 1 Game
The Cleveland Browns have suspended TE Kellen Winslow for 1 game for conduct detrimental to the team.
Winslow's outburst of frustration against the team concerning his staph infection earlier this week will cost him a game. He has a point given that Cleveland is building up an interesting (and sad) reputation of players developing staph infections. They seemingly tried to bury the fact behind a different injury, and then the truth came out. Regardless, a team will usually suspend a player when he speaks out against the organization through a public outlet. The relationship between Winslow and the Browns is deteriorating, and it's becoming increasingly likely that he'll be traded in the offseason, which would probably be good news for his fantasy value at this point.
Fantasy Impact: Winslow will not play in week 8, so you must find an alternative. The TE options are not attractive at this point in the season, but you could try your luck with someone like Anthony Fasano, Marcedes Lewis, or even Billy Miller if Shockey sits again. I would not use Winslow's backup, Steve Heiden, as his productive came in the one good game Derek Anderson has had all season.
Winslow's outburst of frustration against the team concerning his staph infection earlier this week will cost him a game. He has a point given that Cleveland is building up an interesting (and sad) reputation of players developing staph infections. They seemingly tried to bury the fact behind a different injury, and then the truth came out. Regardless, a team will usually suspend a player when he speaks out against the organization through a public outlet. The relationship between Winslow and the Browns is deteriorating, and it's becoming increasingly likely that he'll be traded in the offseason, which would probably be good news for his fantasy value at this point.
Fantasy Impact: Winslow will not play in week 8, so you must find an alternative. The TE options are not attractive at this point in the season, but you could try your luck with someone like Anthony Fasano, Marcedes Lewis, or even Billy Miller if Shockey sits again. I would not use Winslow's backup, Steve Heiden, as his productive came in the one good game Derek Anderson has had all season.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Week 8 Waiver Wire Possibilities
QB:
Jeff Garcia - You have to temper enthusiasm given Seattle's defense is a mess right now. Regardless, Garcia did start the year playing hurt, and he looked way better last weekend. If you have some serious issues at QB2, he's worth a look, especially with a match up against Dallas' shambled secondary this week. Antonio Bryant is settling in and looking great as his primary target.
Matt Cassel - You could possibly spot-start him at home against STL this week, but he's a bottom level QB2 thanks to his horrible inconsistency.
Dan Orlovsky - Um, no.
RB:
Sammy Morris - He should obviously be owned as I already mentioned in my Maroney article, but if he's still out there, grab him. He did leave after a monster 1st half with a knee injury, and given the Patriots knack for hiding injury information, you need to be careful here. He's going to be a RB2 the rest of the year if it's not a big problem, though.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis - Ellis ran well on Monday night, although it was against Denver's disgusting run defense, so his 13 carries for 65 yards needs a bit of a star on it. If Sammy Morris misses time and Jordan continues to be injured, I see no reason why Green-Ellis wouldn't at least split time with Kevin Faulk, if not take Morris' role. He's more of a speculation pick.
Ahman Green - Ya know, he hasn't looked bad since returning. He's really only a deep depth option for Slaton owners and not much else, though.
WR:
Josh Morgan - Morgan has finally cashed in on the preseason hype and will be starting for the 49ers for the rest of the year. He celebrated with 86 yards and a TD last week, and he should be their top big play target with his speed. He'll be inconsistent, but he can be used as a WR3 in the right matchups.
Donnie Avery - Another rookie finally emerging. He's starting across from Holt, so he'll see lots of single coverage, and the dude is fast. Another possible WR3 in the right matchup, and solid bench depth.
Mike Furrey - Furrey will see decent single coverage as well, taking Roy Williams' spot across from Calvin Johnson. He should see a decent number of targets, but I just can't see him being a WR3 except for desparate owners in ideal match ups.
Marty Booker - No thanks. The Bears are still employing the first WRBC I've ever seen. He doesn't get enough targets, nor is he on the field enough.
TE:
Zach Miller - This guy shouldn't be unowned in any leagues, but I still see him available. If you drafted someone like Vernon Davis or Todd Heap, you need to be using Miller instead. Russell trusts him, and he's been pretty solid with his yardage outputs.
This was a solid week for TEs getting yardage, but I don't see any staying power for these guys. Jerramy Stevens can be watched given his talent level and the lack of receiving options behind Antonio Bryant, but that's about it.
Jeff Garcia - You have to temper enthusiasm given Seattle's defense is a mess right now. Regardless, Garcia did start the year playing hurt, and he looked way better last weekend. If you have some serious issues at QB2, he's worth a look, especially with a match up against Dallas' shambled secondary this week. Antonio Bryant is settling in and looking great as his primary target.
Matt Cassel - You could possibly spot-start him at home against STL this week, but he's a bottom level QB2 thanks to his horrible inconsistency.
Dan Orlovsky - Um, no.
RB:
Sammy Morris - He should obviously be owned as I already mentioned in my Maroney article, but if he's still out there, grab him. He did leave after a monster 1st half with a knee injury, and given the Patriots knack for hiding injury information, you need to be careful here. He's going to be a RB2 the rest of the year if it's not a big problem, though.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis - Ellis ran well on Monday night, although it was against Denver's disgusting run defense, so his 13 carries for 65 yards needs a bit of a star on it. If Sammy Morris misses time and Jordan continues to be injured, I see no reason why Green-Ellis wouldn't at least split time with Kevin Faulk, if not take Morris' role. He's more of a speculation pick.
Ahman Green - Ya know, he hasn't looked bad since returning. He's really only a deep depth option for Slaton owners and not much else, though.
WR:
Josh Morgan - Morgan has finally cashed in on the preseason hype and will be starting for the 49ers for the rest of the year. He celebrated with 86 yards and a TD last week, and he should be their top big play target with his speed. He'll be inconsistent, but he can be used as a WR3 in the right matchups.
Donnie Avery - Another rookie finally emerging. He's starting across from Holt, so he'll see lots of single coverage, and the dude is fast. Another possible WR3 in the right matchup, and solid bench depth.
Mike Furrey - Furrey will see decent single coverage as well, taking Roy Williams' spot across from Calvin Johnson. He should see a decent number of targets, but I just can't see him being a WR3 except for desparate owners in ideal match ups.
Marty Booker - No thanks. The Bears are still employing the first WRBC I've ever seen. He doesn't get enough targets, nor is he on the field enough.
TE:
Zach Miller - This guy shouldn't be unowned in any leagues, but I still see him available. If you drafted someone like Vernon Davis or Todd Heap, you need to be using Miller instead. Russell trusts him, and he's been pretty solid with his yardage outputs.
This was a solid week for TEs getting yardage, but I don't see any staying power for these guys. Jerramy Stevens can be watched given his talent level and the lack of receiving options behind Antonio Bryant, but that's about it.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Chiefs RB Larry Johnson In Line For A Further Suspension
Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson has been allegedly involved in multiple physical altercations with females this season, and combining that with 2 other instances prior to this year, it seems very likely the NFL will punish LJ further coming off his 1 game suspension (sorry I didn't post about it) in week 7 for missing team meetings and the like.
I don't have much to say about pieces of trash that do stuff like this. I wish he'd be permanently removed from the NFL at this point.
Fantasy Impact: His owners have no other choice than to wait it out to see what happens. He probably won't get suspended the rest of the season given the NFL has not suspended him for these incidents yet, but a 2-4 game suspension seems reasonable to expect. Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles will split time in his place. Smith is a between-the-tackles runner and the likely favorite for goal line carries, while Charles is very fast and solid in the passing game. If you're forced to use one of them you'll have to consider your league settings (TD heavy, PPR, etc) before picking a preference. They should only be used as an emergency RB2 in great matchups.
I don't have much to say about pieces of trash that do stuff like this. I wish he'd be permanently removed from the NFL at this point.
Fantasy Impact: His owners have no other choice than to wait it out to see what happens. He probably won't get suspended the rest of the season given the NFL has not suspended him for these incidents yet, but a 2-4 game suspension seems reasonable to expect. Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles will split time in his place. Smith is a between-the-tackles runner and the likely favorite for goal line carries, while Charles is very fast and solid in the passing game. If you're forced to use one of them you'll have to consider your league settings (TD heavy, PPR, etc) before picking a preference. They should only be used as an emergency RB2 in great matchups.
Patriots RB Laurence Maroney To IR
The New England Patriots placed "starting" RB Laurence Maroney on IR with a shoulder injury today, ending his season.
Maroney continues to disappoint Patriots fans and fantasy owners alike with shoddy on-field performance and injuries. After a very promising close to 2007 with a great playoff run, Maroney went back to being inconsistent and mostly irrelevant. This shoulder injury has kept him out of the lineup for 2 weeks, but we probably won't know exactly what is wrong with him for some time.
Fantasy Impact: Drop Maroney in all redraft leagues, obviously. Sammy Morris, although he should have been owned already, is the #1 WW pickup this week. He'll be the starting RB for the rest of the season while Kevin Faulk gets 3rd down work.
Maroney continues to disappoint Patriots fans and fantasy owners alike with shoddy on-field performance and injuries. After a very promising close to 2007 with a great playoff run, Maroney went back to being inconsistent and mostly irrelevant. This shoulder injury has kept him out of the lineup for 2 weeks, but we probably won't know exactly what is wrong with him for some time.
Fantasy Impact: Drop Maroney in all redraft leagues, obviously. Sammy Morris, although he should have been owned already, is the #1 WW pickup this week. He'll be the starting RB for the rest of the season while Kevin Faulk gets 3rd down work.
Week 8 Walking Wounded
QB:
Tony Romo - Romo will again come down to a game time decision in week 8. There will be pressure to get him on the field given how horrible the Cowboys looked last week with Brad Johnson at the helm. *edit* Tony Romo is out in week 8.
Carson Palmer - Palmer has already been ruled out for week 8, and there are again concerns that he may still need Tommy John surgery. Wait for definitive word, but with the Bengals facing a lost season, exercising caution with their franchise QB is their best choice.
Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck is highly unlikely to play again in week 8, although more will be known later this week. *edit* Hasselbeck is out in week 8.
Brodie Croyle - Welcome back Brod...there he goes again. Croyle tore his MCL and is out for the season, not that he should have been on your roster anyways.
Damon Huard - Huard decided to get the hell out of there as well with a thumb injury. No report on the severity, but owners of Bowe and Gonzalez are praying that he's OK. Behind Huard? Tyler Thigpen. *edit* Huard was placed in IR with thumb ligament damage. He's done for the year.
RB:
Brian Westbrook - Initial reports about Westbrook playing in week 8 are positive, but you never know for sure with Westbrook. Rib injuries can be very tricky. Keep a close eye on his practice schedule, but if you've owned Westbrook before, you know the drill. *edit* Westbrook is putting in full practices and will start in week 8.
Steven Jackson - Jackson pulled his quad in week 7, and his status in week 8 is not known as of now. *edit* Jackson put in a limited practice on Friday, is listed as questionable and will be a gametime decision.
Reggie Bush - Bush was finally putting together the fantasy season owners were dreaming of, especially in leagues that count return TDs, but Bush tore his meniscus and will miss 2-4 weeks. He is out in week 8.
Joseph Addai - Addai is unlikely to play in week 8, but we'll see if the Colts are actually telling the truth by his practice schedule this week. Keep an eye on him, but TEN looms next, and unless Addai is 100%, you don't want him in your lineup. *edit* Only went through one limited practice. Expect him to either backup Rhodes, or be out on Monday night. Still, with the matchup against TEN, I wouldn't use either given the lingering uncertainty.
Willie Parker - Parker is a complete question mark for week 8, so keep an eye on his practice schedule. Moore was outstanding in his place during week 7. *edit* Parker suffered another setback in practice and is out in week 8.
Willis McGahee - McGahee finally broke through with 150 total yards and a score, most of that coming when the Phins lost mammoth NT Jason Ferguson and their run D fell apart. Still, McGahee looked the best he has all year, but he also played through pain in the knee he injured during the preseason. As usual, keep an eye on his practice schedule. *edit* McGahee is probable and will start. Use him against Oakland.
Warrick Dunn - Dunn suffered a pinched nerve in his back last night, and given his older body, this is worth keeping track of. Should he miss time, Earnest Graham would get all the carries and be an excellent fantasy play. *edit* Dunn is questionable and a gametime decision.
WR:
Anquan Boldin - Boldin's week 8 status is up the air. The Cardinals came out this week and stated that there was more to the injury, adding a concussion and broken bones in his jaw to the list of injuries he suffered on that nasty hit. He did however return to a non-contact practice today, and could be cleared tomorrow. I'll update once I find out. *edit* Boldin will play in week 8, although limited snaps. Still, start him.
Chris Chambers - Another week of uncertainty for Chambers, who has missed 2 weeks with his ankle injury now. More will be known later this week. *edit* Chambers is questionable and not worth using this week even if he does play.
Jerricho Cotchery - Cotchery left hurt for a bit in week 7, but returned and did nothing. I'm far more likely to blame this on being covered by the best corner in the NFL (Nnamdi Asomugha) than anything, but I'll keep an eye on any additional injury information. *edit* Cotchery is questionable and a gametime decision. Use him if he plays.
Laveraneous Coles - Coles suffered a head injury during week 7, but since Jets' coach Eric Mangini hails from the Belichick "dodge the injury report" thought process, we might not find out if it was a concussion. This is worth monitoring. *edit* Coles is probable and will start, so no concerns here. The concussion was mild.
Kevin Curtis - There's a decent chance he returns this week. We'll find out via practice reports. *edit* Curtis has returned to full practices and will start in week 8.
TE:
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey returned in week 7, but didn't look that great despite posting decent receiving numbers. He made the team flight to London for the overseas game, but keep an eye on his practice schedule. *edit* Shockey is probable and will start, so go ahead and use him, but keep expectations in check.
Tony Romo - Romo will again come down to a game time decision in week 8. There will be pressure to get him on the field given how horrible the Cowboys looked last week with Brad Johnson at the helm. *edit* Tony Romo is out in week 8.
Carson Palmer - Palmer has already been ruled out for week 8, and there are again concerns that he may still need Tommy John surgery. Wait for definitive word, but with the Bengals facing a lost season, exercising caution with their franchise QB is their best choice.
Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck is highly unlikely to play again in week 8, although more will be known later this week. *edit* Hasselbeck is out in week 8.
Brodie Croyle - Welcome back Brod...there he goes again. Croyle tore his MCL and is out for the season, not that he should have been on your roster anyways.
Damon Huard - Huard decided to get the hell out of there as well with a thumb injury. No report on the severity, but owners of Bowe and Gonzalez are praying that he's OK. Behind Huard? Tyler Thigpen. *edit* Huard was placed in IR with thumb ligament damage. He's done for the year.
RB:
Brian Westbrook - Initial reports about Westbrook playing in week 8 are positive, but you never know for sure with Westbrook. Rib injuries can be very tricky. Keep a close eye on his practice schedule, but if you've owned Westbrook before, you know the drill. *edit* Westbrook is putting in full practices and will start in week 8.
Steven Jackson - Jackson pulled his quad in week 7, and his status in week 8 is not known as of now. *edit* Jackson put in a limited practice on Friday, is listed as questionable and will be a gametime decision.
Reggie Bush - Bush was finally putting together the fantasy season owners were dreaming of, especially in leagues that count return TDs, but Bush tore his meniscus and will miss 2-4 weeks. He is out in week 8.
Joseph Addai - Addai is unlikely to play in week 8, but we'll see if the Colts are actually telling the truth by his practice schedule this week. Keep an eye on him, but TEN looms next, and unless Addai is 100%, you don't want him in your lineup. *edit* Only went through one limited practice. Expect him to either backup Rhodes, or be out on Monday night. Still, with the matchup against TEN, I wouldn't use either given the lingering uncertainty.
Willie Parker - Parker is a complete question mark for week 8, so keep an eye on his practice schedule. Moore was outstanding in his place during week 7. *edit* Parker suffered another setback in practice and is out in week 8.
Willis McGahee - McGahee finally broke through with 150 total yards and a score, most of that coming when the Phins lost mammoth NT Jason Ferguson and their run D fell apart. Still, McGahee looked the best he has all year, but he also played through pain in the knee he injured during the preseason. As usual, keep an eye on his practice schedule. *edit* McGahee is probable and will start. Use him against Oakland.
Warrick Dunn - Dunn suffered a pinched nerve in his back last night, and given his older body, this is worth keeping track of. Should he miss time, Earnest Graham would get all the carries and be an excellent fantasy play. *edit* Dunn is questionable and a gametime decision.
WR:
Anquan Boldin - Boldin's week 8 status is up the air. The Cardinals came out this week and stated that there was more to the injury, adding a concussion and broken bones in his jaw to the list of injuries he suffered on that nasty hit. He did however return to a non-contact practice today, and could be cleared tomorrow. I'll update once I find out. *edit* Boldin will play in week 8, although limited snaps. Still, start him.
Chris Chambers - Another week of uncertainty for Chambers, who has missed 2 weeks with his ankle injury now. More will be known later this week. *edit* Chambers is questionable and not worth using this week even if he does play.
Jerricho Cotchery - Cotchery left hurt for a bit in week 7, but returned and did nothing. I'm far more likely to blame this on being covered by the best corner in the NFL (Nnamdi Asomugha) than anything, but I'll keep an eye on any additional injury information. *edit* Cotchery is questionable and a gametime decision. Use him if he plays.
Laveraneous Coles - Coles suffered a head injury during week 7, but since Jets' coach Eric Mangini hails from the Belichick "dodge the injury report" thought process, we might not find out if it was a concussion. This is worth monitoring. *edit* Coles is probable and will start, so no concerns here. The concussion was mild.
Kevin Curtis - There's a decent chance he returns this week. We'll find out via practice reports. *edit* Curtis has returned to full practices and will start in week 8.
TE:
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey returned in week 7, but didn't look that great despite posting decent receiving numbers. He made the team flight to London for the overseas game, but keep an eye on his practice schedule. *edit* Shockey is probable and will start, so go ahead and use him, but keep expectations in check.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Week 7 Injury Updates
Better late than never, and on Sunday morning just when you need it! All the latest is in my Walking Wounded column below.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Colts RB Joseph Addai Out 2-4 Weeks With Torn Hamstring
The Indianapolis Colts have stated that RB Joseph Addai is expected to miss 2-4 weeks after an MRI revealed a partial tear in Addai's hamstring that caused him to exit early in week 6.
Dominic Rhodes will replace Addai as the starter and must be owned in all leagues. The Colts play Green Bay this week, and GB's run defense has not been good, ranking dead last in YPC and 27th in rushing yards per game.
Fantasy Impact: Addai owners probably should have drafted Rhodes in the last round given Addai's injury problems last year, and they definitely should have attempted to grab Rhodes on the WW this week as I stated in my WW article. Rhodes will be an excellent RB to use this week, although he does have some tough matchups over the next couple weeks, including Tennessee in week 8 and Pittsburgh in week 10. Addai is proving to be a bust with poor play and continued injury problems. He should not be "bought low", and if you own him, hopefully he heels quickly and has a strong finish to the season.
Dominic Rhodes will replace Addai as the starter and must be owned in all leagues. The Colts play Green Bay this week, and GB's run defense has not been good, ranking dead last in YPC and 27th in rushing yards per game.
Fantasy Impact: Addai owners probably should have drafted Rhodes in the last round given Addai's injury problems last year, and they definitely should have attempted to grab Rhodes on the WW this week as I stated in my WW article. Rhodes will be an excellent RB to use this week, although he does have some tough matchups over the next couple weeks, including Tennessee in week 8 and Pittsburgh in week 10. Addai is proving to be a bust with poor play and continued injury problems. He should not be "bought low", and if you own him, hopefully he heels quickly and has a strong finish to the season.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lions WR Roy Williams Traded To The Dallas Cowboys
The Detroit Lions have traded WR Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for 1st, 3rd, and 6th round draft picks.
Dallas isn't going to be able to sit for a week. A 1st, 3rd, and 6th for a WR who has proven little on the field other than a lack of focus, and whose contract is expiring at the end of the year? Now Dallas HAS to re-sign him to a big contract for the trade to be even close to worth it. Detroit cashed in huge by dealing a player who wasn't going to do anything for them over the course of the year (Unless you count dropped passes, wrong routes, and public bitching. I don't.), and who gave them zero reason to re-sign come year's end when he would have walked away for nothing. Sure, Williams upgrades the offensive talent and will probably re-focus himself in Dallas, but he'll have to do so with Brad Johnson for a month. This will cause even less targets for Owens, and given Witten is there as well, less targets for Williams as he is arguably the 3rd option in the passing game now, and arguably the 4th option in the offense. Good times.
However, if Dallas does re-sign him, Roy Williams finds his focus, and he plays to his talent level, then Dallas has found Owens' eventual replacement as Williams possesses a similar skill set as a big, physical receiver who can get open deep. They certainly overpaid, but there's at least a possibility that they'll get some value back from this trade moving forward.
Fantasy Impact: Roy Williams' fantasy stock probably stays as is with Brad Johnson under center, plus he'll have to learn the playbook, but it increases a bit once Romo returns and he's comfortable in the offense. He'll have to do more with less as he's no longer battling for the primary focus of the passing game. However, I do bet he'll focus more while playing on a winning team and back home in Texas. Crayton is the big loser here as he'll move to the slot and see much less time on the field. Romo, Owens, Witten, and Barber all stay about the same.
Dallas isn't going to be able to sit for a week. A 1st, 3rd, and 6th for a WR who has proven little on the field other than a lack of focus, and whose contract is expiring at the end of the year? Now Dallas HAS to re-sign him to a big contract for the trade to be even close to worth it. Detroit cashed in huge by dealing a player who wasn't going to do anything for them over the course of the year (Unless you count dropped passes, wrong routes, and public bitching. I don't.), and who gave them zero reason to re-sign come year's end when he would have walked away for nothing. Sure, Williams upgrades the offensive talent and will probably re-focus himself in Dallas, but he'll have to do so with Brad Johnson for a month. This will cause even less targets for Owens, and given Witten is there as well, less targets for Williams as he is arguably the 3rd option in the passing game now, and arguably the 4th option in the offense. Good times.
However, if Dallas does re-sign him, Roy Williams finds his focus, and he plays to his talent level, then Dallas has found Owens' eventual replacement as Williams possesses a similar skill set as a big, physical receiver who can get open deep. They certainly overpaid, but there's at least a possibility that they'll get some value back from this trade moving forward.
Fantasy Impact: Roy Williams' fantasy stock probably stays as is with Brad Johnson under center, plus he'll have to learn the playbook, but it increases a bit once Romo returns and he's comfortable in the offense. He'll have to do more with less as he's no longer battling for the primary focus of the passing game. However, I do bet he'll focus more while playing on a winning team and back home in Texas. Crayton is the big loser here as he'll move to the slot and see much less time on the field. Romo, Owens, Witten, and Barber all stay about the same.
NFL Week 6 Trading Deadline
The NFL 2008 trading deadline is today, FYI. There have been some fantasy-relevant players like Roy Williams and Tony Gonzalez mentioned in trade rumors, but it's just talk for now.
The NFL trading deadline used to be a buried story as no teams tried to deal players, but last season Chris Chambers was traded from Miami to San Diego, so there's a possibility that a bigger name player could be dealt before the deadline. I'll shoot out a new post if anything gets done.
Owners of both Williams and Gonzalez should be rooting for a trade as they would obviously see an increase in fantasy value moving to a better offense.
The NFL trading deadline used to be a buried story as no teams tried to deal players, but last season Chris Chambers was traded from Miami to San Diego, so there's a possibility that a bigger name player could be dealt before the deadline. I'll shoot out a new post if anything gets done.
Owners of both Williams and Gonzalez should be rooting for a trade as they would obviously see an increase in fantasy value moving to a better offense.
Week 7 Waiver Wire Possibilities
QB:
Matt Ryan - Ryan appears to be for real. He might have been picked up already, but his performance against a tough Bears defense was impressive. Now the Bears lost Tillman mid-game and Vasher was out, and they don't blitz, so the performance does have a caveat, but he's benefiting from the attention Turner is attracting, and Roddy White is consistently making plays for him. He's a match up play, but with the QB turnover the past couple weeks, he can help your team.
Gus Frerotte - He seems to be taking well to Minnesota's offense. He's using the 8 defenders in the box to find Berrian deep consistently. Now he's strictly a match up play only, but he could be a bye-week fill-in for the QB carnage going on these days.
Jeff Garcia - Desparate times call for desparate measures. He's a possibility if nothing else is out there and you need another QB. He actually posted semi-respectable numbers against a tough Carolina pass defense.
RB:
Dominic Rhodes - Your #1 waiver priority. With Addai going down with a hamstring injury, and the Colts refusing to talk about it, it's worth it to nab a potential starting RB for a week or three. Now it's possible Addai returns this week, but I'd personally take the chance if you need immediate RB help, and especially if you own Addai.
Sammy Morris - Maroney and Jordan were scratches, and Morris got the backfield work. He was hardly impressive with 10 carries for 26 yards, but he tossed in a TD and 49 receiving yards. He's the current alpha dog of the NE backfield and is worth owning.
Patrick Cobbs - If I need to tell you that last week was a fluke, stop playing fantasy football.
WR:
Lance Moore - Moore might get dropped with Colston coming back, but there's no reason to drop him. He's going to be entrenched opposite Colston in the starting lineup, and I apologize for being lukewarm on adding him 2 weeks ago. He's claimed the starting position, and with Shockey possibly out again, he'd be WR3 material this week even with Colston back as he'll divert attention.
Malcolm Floyd - If Chambers misses another game, Floyd will start and take his role in the offense. He's very much like Devery Henderson in that he'll only catch 2-3 passes, but he'll be targeted deep. He's the ultimate boom/bust, but you might need him.
TE:
Marcedes Lewis - We probably just saw Lewis' best game of the season on Sunday with 64 yards and a TD, but he's quietly in the top 10 of TEs for targets and makes for a worthwhile add. He isn't going to be consistent, but at this point, not many are at the TE position.
Matt Ryan - Ryan appears to be for real. He might have been picked up already, but his performance against a tough Bears defense was impressive. Now the Bears lost Tillman mid-game and Vasher was out, and they don't blitz, so the performance does have a caveat, but he's benefiting from the attention Turner is attracting, and Roddy White is consistently making plays for him. He's a match up play, but with the QB turnover the past couple weeks, he can help your team.
Gus Frerotte - He seems to be taking well to Minnesota's offense. He's using the 8 defenders in the box to find Berrian deep consistently. Now he's strictly a match up play only, but he could be a bye-week fill-in for the QB carnage going on these days.
Jeff Garcia - Desparate times call for desparate measures. He's a possibility if nothing else is out there and you need another QB. He actually posted semi-respectable numbers against a tough Carolina pass defense.
RB:
Dominic Rhodes - Your #1 waiver priority. With Addai going down with a hamstring injury, and the Colts refusing to talk about it, it's worth it to nab a potential starting RB for a week or three. Now it's possible Addai returns this week, but I'd personally take the chance if you need immediate RB help, and especially if you own Addai.
Sammy Morris - Maroney and Jordan were scratches, and Morris got the backfield work. He was hardly impressive with 10 carries for 26 yards, but he tossed in a TD and 49 receiving yards. He's the current alpha dog of the NE backfield and is worth owning.
Patrick Cobbs - If I need to tell you that last week was a fluke, stop playing fantasy football.
WR:
Lance Moore - Moore might get dropped with Colston coming back, but there's no reason to drop him. He's going to be entrenched opposite Colston in the starting lineup, and I apologize for being lukewarm on adding him 2 weeks ago. He's claimed the starting position, and with Shockey possibly out again, he'd be WR3 material this week even with Colston back as he'll divert attention.
Malcolm Floyd - If Chambers misses another game, Floyd will start and take his role in the offense. He's very much like Devery Henderson in that he'll only catch 2-3 passes, but he'll be targeted deep. He's the ultimate boom/bust, but you might need him.
TE:
Marcedes Lewis - We probably just saw Lewis' best game of the season on Sunday with 64 yards and a TD, but he's quietly in the top 10 of TEs for targets and makes for a worthwhile add. He isn't going to be consistent, but at this point, not many are at the TE position.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Week 7 Walking Wounded
Sorry to everyone for missing my usual Friday injury updates for week 6. Let's get back to it with the week 7 injuries. I will not cover injured players on bye in week 7 as they'll be on your bench anyways.
QB:
Tony Romo - Fantasy owners are no doubt freaking with the news that Romo fractured his pinkie finger and will miss 4-5 weeks. Which means 3-4 games. Brad Johnson will take his place, and while he is an interesting (albeit conservative) week 7 option against STL, he's not recommended beyond that. Downgrade all Cowboys, especially T.O. *edit* Tony Romo will not start in week 7.
Carson Palmer - Palmer has already been ruled out for week 7, and again looks like a dicey bet for the rest of the season. He's going to see the New York Mets pitching doctor, so hopefully some definitive news beyond this week will be known soon. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been a disaster in his place, and will continue to be such. *edit* Carson Palmer is again facing the threat of season-ending surgery. I'd still hold onto him until news is official.
Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck is out in week 7, but with a bulging disc in his back as opposed to his knee. It's very possible he'll miss multiple weeks beyond this.
Trent Edwards - Edwards practiced on Monday and will be starting again in week 7 after missing week 5 with a concussion. Losman will head back to the bench. *edit* Edwards is starting in week 7.
Jon Kitna - Kitna's week 7 status is in doubt, and so is his starting job for the rest of the season. If he's your QB2 you need to drop him and find someone better on the waiver wire. *edit* Kitna is out in week 7, and was placed on IR. Drop him immediately if you didn't after I suggested doing it the first 8 times.
Ben Roethlisberger / Aaron Rodgers - 2 fantasy starters who have been dealing with injuries, but have looked fine on gameday. Big Ben has hopefully mostly healed over the bye week, and Rodgers continues to look fine on gameday. *edit* Both are starting in week 7 and have excellent matchups.
RB:
Joseph Addai - Addai suffered a potentially serious hamstring injury, and the Colts haven't been forthcoming with any sort of information about it. Dominic Rhodes will start should Addai miss time, and he needs to be added in every league. *edit* Addai is out 2-4 weeks. The Colts are denying it, but I'm not buying it.
Willie Parker - Parker practiced on Monday and is ready to start in week 7. *edit* Parker re-injured his knee in practice and is out for week 7. Mewelde Moore will start in his place.
Willis McGahee - McGahee also suffered some sort of injury that knocked him from the game in week 6, and little is known about it. Last week was the one week McGahee could have totally redeemed himself, but unlike Lloyd Christmas, he failed to do so. Keep him rostered, but don't let him anywhere near your lineup. *edit* McGahee will start in week 7, and I guess you could do worse for an emergency if you didn't get Rhodes/Moore/Morris.
Selvin Young - Young missed week 6 with a groin injury, and his status for week 7 is uncertain. Given the way Michael Pittman played, Young has probably lost his starting job. It was clear Shanahan didn't trust him as a featured RB this season. *edit* Young is out again in week 7. With Pittman running well and Torain close to returning, you can drop Young if you like someone better out there.
Kevin Smith - Smith left with a shoulder injury in week 6, did not return, and his status for week 7 is uncertain. Rudi would dominate the backfield should Smith miss week 7, but given the disastrous state of the Lions offense, it'd be hard to recommend him, although Houston's defense is allowing 4.5 YPC on the season. *edit* Smith returned to practice on Friday and will resume his timeshare role.
Chris Perry - No injury, he just sucks. After a couple promising outings against tough defenses in weeks 2 and 3, he's been absolute crap. I plan on dropping him from both of my teams if I can land Rhodes. Kenny Watson and Cedric Benson will likely battle to start in week 7 as there's strong rumors of him being benched. *edit* Cedric Benson is the new starter. Drop Perry.
Laurence Maroney - In the lineup, out of the lineup. Who knows what's really wrong with him, and if you see someone like Michael Pittman or Dominic Rhodes on your waiver wire, cut bait with Maroney. He still has untapped talent, but it's starting to become clear that he again won't put it on display this season. *edit* Maroney is doubtful, and Sammy Morris will dominate the carries in his place.
WR:
Marques Colston - Oh so close to playing in week 6, but it would be a shock if he didn't play in week 7. He should be all systems go, and back to being a borderline WR1. *edit* Colston is starting in week 7. Get him in your lineup.
Chris Chambers - Chambers missed week 6 with an ankle injury, and nothing is known about his week 7 status as the Chargers haven't identified what exactly the injury is. That being said, I would guess it's a multi-week injury. *edit* Chambers is out in week 7. Malcolm Floyd will start in his place.
Eddie Royal - Royal missed week 6 with an ankle sprain, but there's some optimism about returning in week 7. We'll know more later this week. *edit* Royal will resume starting in week 7, so start him if you were on the fence.
Brandon Stokley - Stokley was a solid one week fill-in for Royal owners with a couple catches and a TD, but was concussed in the first half and didn't return. His status for week 7 is in question. *edit* Stokley is unlikely to play in week 7. Do not use him.
Deion Branch - Branch missed week 6 with a heel injury, and even though he might return in week 7, he's not worth using with Hasselbeck out unless Frye shows improvement in his next game. *edit* Branch is out in week 7.
TE:
Kellen Winslow - Winslow probably won't play this evening with some gross swollen testicle issue, but odds are he'll be ready for week 7 as he seemed somewhat close to play this week. *edit* Winslow will start in week 7, so you should start him too.
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey seemingly came close to playing in week 6, but he's still uncertain for week 7 as he only put in limited practices last week. I'll update him further later this week. *edit* Shockey will start in week 7, so you should start him too.
Tony Scheffler - Scheffler missed week 6 with a groin injury, and his status for week 7 is in question as of now. *edit* Scheffler looks unlikely to play, and his bye week is next week, so there's no reason for Denver to force him back out there. Don't use him.
QB:
Tony Romo - Fantasy owners are no doubt freaking with the news that Romo fractured his pinkie finger and will miss 4-5 weeks. Which means 3-4 games. Brad Johnson will take his place, and while he is an interesting (albeit conservative) week 7 option against STL, he's not recommended beyond that. Downgrade all Cowboys, especially T.O. *edit* Tony Romo will not start in week 7.
Carson Palmer - Palmer has already been ruled out for week 7, and again looks like a dicey bet for the rest of the season. He's going to see the New York Mets pitching doctor, so hopefully some definitive news beyond this week will be known soon. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been a disaster in his place, and will continue to be such. *edit* Carson Palmer is again facing the threat of season-ending surgery. I'd still hold onto him until news is official.
Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck is out in week 7, but with a bulging disc in his back as opposed to his knee. It's very possible he'll miss multiple weeks beyond this.
Trent Edwards - Edwards practiced on Monday and will be starting again in week 7 after missing week 5 with a concussion. Losman will head back to the bench. *edit* Edwards is starting in week 7.
Jon Kitna - Kitna's week 7 status is in doubt, and so is his starting job for the rest of the season. If he's your QB2 you need to drop him and find someone better on the waiver wire. *edit* Kitna is out in week 7, and was placed on IR. Drop him immediately if you didn't after I suggested doing it the first 8 times.
Ben Roethlisberger / Aaron Rodgers - 2 fantasy starters who have been dealing with injuries, but have looked fine on gameday. Big Ben has hopefully mostly healed over the bye week, and Rodgers continues to look fine on gameday. *edit* Both are starting in week 7 and have excellent matchups.
RB:
Joseph Addai - Addai suffered a potentially serious hamstring injury, and the Colts haven't been forthcoming with any sort of information about it. Dominic Rhodes will start should Addai miss time, and he needs to be added in every league. *edit* Addai is out 2-4 weeks. The Colts are denying it, but I'm not buying it.
Willie Parker - Parker practiced on Monday and is ready to start in week 7. *edit* Parker re-injured his knee in practice and is out for week 7. Mewelde Moore will start in his place.
Willis McGahee - McGahee also suffered some sort of injury that knocked him from the game in week 6, and little is known about it. Last week was the one week McGahee could have totally redeemed himself, but unlike Lloyd Christmas, he failed to do so. Keep him rostered, but don't let him anywhere near your lineup. *edit* McGahee will start in week 7, and I guess you could do worse for an emergency if you didn't get Rhodes/Moore/Morris.
Selvin Young - Young missed week 6 with a groin injury, and his status for week 7 is uncertain. Given the way Michael Pittman played, Young has probably lost his starting job. It was clear Shanahan didn't trust him as a featured RB this season. *edit* Young is out again in week 7. With Pittman running well and Torain close to returning, you can drop Young if you like someone better out there.
Kevin Smith - Smith left with a shoulder injury in week 6, did not return, and his status for week 7 is uncertain. Rudi would dominate the backfield should Smith miss week 7, but given the disastrous state of the Lions offense, it'd be hard to recommend him, although Houston's defense is allowing 4.5 YPC on the season. *edit* Smith returned to practice on Friday and will resume his timeshare role.
Chris Perry - No injury, he just sucks. After a couple promising outings against tough defenses in weeks 2 and 3, he's been absolute crap. I plan on dropping him from both of my teams if I can land Rhodes. Kenny Watson and Cedric Benson will likely battle to start in week 7 as there's strong rumors of him being benched. *edit* Cedric Benson is the new starter. Drop Perry.
Laurence Maroney - In the lineup, out of the lineup. Who knows what's really wrong with him, and if you see someone like Michael Pittman or Dominic Rhodes on your waiver wire, cut bait with Maroney. He still has untapped talent, but it's starting to become clear that he again won't put it on display this season. *edit* Maroney is doubtful, and Sammy Morris will dominate the carries in his place.
WR:
Marques Colston - Oh so close to playing in week 6, but it would be a shock if he didn't play in week 7. He should be all systems go, and back to being a borderline WR1. *edit* Colston is starting in week 7. Get him in your lineup.
Chris Chambers - Chambers missed week 6 with an ankle injury, and nothing is known about his week 7 status as the Chargers haven't identified what exactly the injury is. That being said, I would guess it's a multi-week injury. *edit* Chambers is out in week 7. Malcolm Floyd will start in his place.
Eddie Royal - Royal missed week 6 with an ankle sprain, but there's some optimism about returning in week 7. We'll know more later this week. *edit* Royal will resume starting in week 7, so start him if you were on the fence.
Brandon Stokley - Stokley was a solid one week fill-in for Royal owners with a couple catches and a TD, but was concussed in the first half and didn't return. His status for week 7 is in question. *edit* Stokley is unlikely to play in week 7. Do not use him.
Deion Branch - Branch missed week 6 with a heel injury, and even though he might return in week 7, he's not worth using with Hasselbeck out unless Frye shows improvement in his next game. *edit* Branch is out in week 7.
TE:
Kellen Winslow - Winslow probably won't play this evening with some gross swollen testicle issue, but odds are he'll be ready for week 7 as he seemed somewhat close to play this week. *edit* Winslow will start in week 7, so you should start him too.
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey seemingly came close to playing in week 6, but he's still uncertain for week 7 as he only put in limited practices last week. I'll update him further later this week. *edit* Shockey will start in week 7, so you should start him too.
Tony Scheffler - Scheffler missed week 6 with a groin injury, and his status for week 7 is in question as of now. *edit* Scheffler looks unlikely to play, and his bye week is next week, so there's no reason for Denver to force him back out there. Don't use him.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Week 6 Waiver Wire Possibilities
QB:
Marc Bulger - If you have recent lost your QB2, someone like Jon Kitna, seriously consider an upside pick like Marc Bulger. Bulger won't return to his pre-2007 performance with the current state of the Rams offense, but like I said last week, I expect better things with the coaching change. The Rams never should have benched him to begin with.
Gus Frerotte - If someone like Bulger isn't available, you can try taking a shot with Frerotte. He looked solid last night. The Vikings will undoubtedly be a run first team, but Frerotte will be trusted to throw it deep to Berrian and Rice (when he returns). He showed last night that he's much more accurate with the deep ball than Jackson, and he should be able to take advantage of the defenses putting 8 in the box.
RB:
Justin Fargas - If for some reason he was dropped, get him. All indications point to him starting this week, and he should continue to start until he gets hurt again. McFadden still appears to be ailing, and the coaching staff apparently isn't thrilled with Michael Bush despite his impressive performances when given the chance.
Correll Buckhalter - All Westbrook owners need him anyways. If he was dropped with Westbrook returning last week, and you're either a Westbrook owner or someone in need of an RB2 this week, grab him. It would be stupid for Westbrook to play this week, and Buckhalter has a solid matchup against the 49ers in week 6.
Michael Pittman - If you can't get Buckhalter and are really hurting for an RB2 this week, it might be worth a shot to snag Pittman. Shanahanigans are in full effect this year, but Pittman is the Broncos' RB with the most value. He's getting the goal line carries, and he might be in line for more regular work if Young's groin is giving him problems.
Ryan Torain - If you drafted prior to Torain's elbow injury, he was dropped in redraft leagues. If you drafted after Torain's elbow injury, he wasn't drafted at all. If you have a spot that you're not doing much with, pick up Torain and wait for his possibly week 9 return. Torain had a serious shot at starting week 1 with a big preseason, but his elbow injury prevented that. Given the injury was to his elbow and not his legs, Torain has a good chance of making some sort of impact immediately. This is the type of waiver pickup that could really pay off down the stretch.
WR:
Lance Moore/Robert Meachem/Devery Henderson - I would imagine all these guys are owned in your league, but with the way Brees is spreading the ball around with the absences of Colston and Shockey, all are worth owning, and possibly using depending on your WR3 situation.
Brandon Stokley - With the injuries to both Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler this weekend, Cutler needs some new targets to throw to other than Brandon Marshall. Stokley should emerge as his top secondary target, although do keep an eye on Darrell Jackson as well, if he even plays.
Mike Walker - Walker had a breakout game in week 5 with 6 catches for 107 yards. He's a talented speedster who has battled knee injuries, and he might have suffered another knee injury this past week, but he's someone to toss on your bench to see what happens. Matt Jones is also there, Jerry Porter is still working his way back, and the Jags will probably remain run-first despite the offensive line issues, but he's a solid upside WR5 guy. Just don't got wasting a high waiver pick on him unless you're really hurting at WR. Even then, I think Stokley is a better option, but Walker remains interesting.
Sinorice Moss - I know he scored 2 TDs last week, but Burress returns from his suspension this week, and the only reason Moss was targeted so much was the in-game injury to Dominik Hixon. Pass.
TE:
Zach Miller - You might have forgotten about him with the Raiders bye week in week 5, but he's worth picking up as a bye week/injury replacement.
Nate Jackson - Jackson will take the injured Scheffler's role as the pass catching TE in Denver's offense, so he's worth a look if you don't have a starter for this week.
Marc Bulger - If you have recent lost your QB2, someone like Jon Kitna, seriously consider an upside pick like Marc Bulger. Bulger won't return to his pre-2007 performance with the current state of the Rams offense, but like I said last week, I expect better things with the coaching change. The Rams never should have benched him to begin with.
Gus Frerotte - If someone like Bulger isn't available, you can try taking a shot with Frerotte. He looked solid last night. The Vikings will undoubtedly be a run first team, but Frerotte will be trusted to throw it deep to Berrian and Rice (when he returns). He showed last night that he's much more accurate with the deep ball than Jackson, and he should be able to take advantage of the defenses putting 8 in the box.
RB:
Justin Fargas - If for some reason he was dropped, get him. All indications point to him starting this week, and he should continue to start until he gets hurt again. McFadden still appears to be ailing, and the coaching staff apparently isn't thrilled with Michael Bush despite his impressive performances when given the chance.
Correll Buckhalter - All Westbrook owners need him anyways. If he was dropped with Westbrook returning last week, and you're either a Westbrook owner or someone in need of an RB2 this week, grab him. It would be stupid for Westbrook to play this week, and Buckhalter has a solid matchup against the 49ers in week 6.
Michael Pittman - If you can't get Buckhalter and are really hurting for an RB2 this week, it might be worth a shot to snag Pittman. Shanahanigans are in full effect this year, but Pittman is the Broncos' RB with the most value. He's getting the goal line carries, and he might be in line for more regular work if Young's groin is giving him problems.
Ryan Torain - If you drafted prior to Torain's elbow injury, he was dropped in redraft leagues. If you drafted after Torain's elbow injury, he wasn't drafted at all. If you have a spot that you're not doing much with, pick up Torain and wait for his possibly week 9 return. Torain had a serious shot at starting week 1 with a big preseason, but his elbow injury prevented that. Given the injury was to his elbow and not his legs, Torain has a good chance of making some sort of impact immediately. This is the type of waiver pickup that could really pay off down the stretch.
WR:
Lance Moore/Robert Meachem/Devery Henderson - I would imagine all these guys are owned in your league, but with the way Brees is spreading the ball around with the absences of Colston and Shockey, all are worth owning, and possibly using depending on your WR3 situation.
Brandon Stokley - With the injuries to both Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler this weekend, Cutler needs some new targets to throw to other than Brandon Marshall. Stokley should emerge as his top secondary target, although do keep an eye on Darrell Jackson as well, if he even plays.
Mike Walker - Walker had a breakout game in week 5 with 6 catches for 107 yards. He's a talented speedster who has battled knee injuries, and he might have suffered another knee injury this past week, but he's someone to toss on your bench to see what happens. Matt Jones is also there, Jerry Porter is still working his way back, and the Jags will probably remain run-first despite the offensive line issues, but he's a solid upside WR5 guy. Just don't got wasting a high waiver pick on him unless you're really hurting at WR. Even then, I think Stokley is a better option, but Walker remains interesting.
Sinorice Moss - I know he scored 2 TDs last week, but Burress returns from his suspension this week, and the only reason Moss was targeted so much was the in-game injury to Dominik Hixon. Pass.
TE:
Zach Miller - You might have forgotten about him with the Raiders bye week in week 5, but he's worth picking up as a bye week/injury replacement.
Nate Jackson - Jackson will take the injured Scheffler's role as the pass catching TE in Denver's offense, so he's worth a look if you don't have a starter for this week.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Week 6 - Walking Wounded
QB:
Trent Edwards - Edwards received a HUGE hit from Adrian Wilson in the first quarter yesterday, and was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Luckily he has the bye week to get better, and all indications are that he'll be ready to play when the Bills return to action in week 7.
Matt Schaub - Schaub was a gametime scratch from the starting lineup thanks to an illness that put him in the hospital on Saturday. Despite playing well for most of the game, Rosenfels lost the game for the Texans with a couple boneheaded plays at the end of the game. Schaub will resume starting in week 6.
Damon Huard - Huard did not look right at all during his abysmal week 5 performance, and indications are that he is hurt in some fashion. It is assumed that Brodie Croyle will resume starting in week 6.
Jon Kitna - It was originally reported that Kitna was removed at halftime due to poor performance, but apparently he was removed due to back spasms. His job security still remains a large question mark, and if he is your QB2, you need to seriously consider the waiver wire for a new backup.
Brian Griese - Griese was knocked out of his week 5 game with a bruised elbow which immediately caused swelling that the medical team could not help subside. His job security is again in question as he was ineffective up til that point, and he has thrown way too many interceptions since taking over for Jeff Garcia. Garcia could be starting again in week 6.
Carson Palmer/Ben Roethlisberger/Aaron Rodgers - All 3 QBs had uncertain injury situations leading up to week 5, but all 3 played and played well. Most notable here (injury aside) is Carson Palmer, who is continuing to disappoint in the stat line. It's a combination of 2 things: 1 is the fact that he and his WRs are not on the same page...he throws way too many passes into empty space where you presume a WR ran the wrong route. I can't imagine it's always the WR's fault, but Palmer, the WRs, and mostly the coaches have to be chastized for how often this happens. It's absolutely ridiculous. Palmer also had Chris Perry open twice for TDs in the redzone, but threw awful passes that both resulted in incompletions.
RB:
LaDainian Tomlinson - LT had his injured toe stepped on in week 5, and that caused yet another setback. Odds are that he'll either not practice or be limited, and then he'll suit up in week 6, but who knows exactly how productive he'll be. Still, there's no way you bench him.
Brian Westbrook - Well, just when Westbrook was looking good on his ankle...he breaks 2 ribs. The Eagles have a bye week in week 7 and could play it safe by keeping Westbrook on the shelf against the 49ers in week 6, but he'll likely be a gametime decision yet again.
Selvin Young - Young strained his groin in week 5, and could be on the injury report for week 6. He's nowhere close to fantasy value as the Denver backfield and the NE backfield are battling for the most muddled situations in all the NFL.
Justin Fargas - Fargas returned to practice on Monday and is likely to reclaim his starting job in week 6. The carry split between Fargas, McFadden (if his toe is healthy), and Bush should be monitored in week 6 as the new coaching staff and offensive direction might change.
WR:
Marvin Harrison - No new injury to report this yera, but Harrison just doesn't look right so far. It might be time to consider selling low off his name value and getting something a lesser named, but more productive WR.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin doesn't appear likely to play in week 6 despite positive reports regarding his surgery last week. I'll update again on Friday.
Chris Chambers - Chambers suffered a "lower leg injury" that knocked him out of week 5. The exact nature of this injury is unknown, so I'll update as soon as I know more.
Eddie Royal - Royal suffered some sort of sprained ankle, and he did not return in week 5. It's looking like he'll be out in week 6. I'll update for sure on Friday.
Deion Branch - Branch returned from his torn ACL this week...and promptly left again with a heel injury. Who knows how long he'll be out this time.
Brandon Lloyd - I completely missed him last week, so I apologize. He missed the game with a knee injury, and reports indicate that he'll be out a couple weeks. He probably has a knee sprain of some sort.
Marques Colston / Joey Galloway - Both are still out. Colston isn't due back for a couple of weeks, and it looks like Galloway might be out for a while still.
TE:
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey is still out with hernia-ish surgery.
Tony Scheffler - Scheffler strained his groin in week 5, and he has already been ruled out for week 6. All his owners need to comb the waiver wire for a starting TE, possibly for the next 3 weeks as the Broncos have their bye in week 8.
Trent Edwards - Edwards received a HUGE hit from Adrian Wilson in the first quarter yesterday, and was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Luckily he has the bye week to get better, and all indications are that he'll be ready to play when the Bills return to action in week 7.
Matt Schaub - Schaub was a gametime scratch from the starting lineup thanks to an illness that put him in the hospital on Saturday. Despite playing well for most of the game, Rosenfels lost the game for the Texans with a couple boneheaded plays at the end of the game. Schaub will resume starting in week 6.
Damon Huard - Huard did not look right at all during his abysmal week 5 performance, and indications are that he is hurt in some fashion. It is assumed that Brodie Croyle will resume starting in week 6.
Jon Kitna - It was originally reported that Kitna was removed at halftime due to poor performance, but apparently he was removed due to back spasms. His job security still remains a large question mark, and if he is your QB2, you need to seriously consider the waiver wire for a new backup.
Brian Griese - Griese was knocked out of his week 5 game with a bruised elbow which immediately caused swelling that the medical team could not help subside. His job security is again in question as he was ineffective up til that point, and he has thrown way too many interceptions since taking over for Jeff Garcia. Garcia could be starting again in week 6.
Carson Palmer/Ben Roethlisberger/Aaron Rodgers - All 3 QBs had uncertain injury situations leading up to week 5, but all 3 played and played well. Most notable here (injury aside) is Carson Palmer, who is continuing to disappoint in the stat line. It's a combination of 2 things: 1 is the fact that he and his WRs are not on the same page...he throws way too many passes into empty space where you presume a WR ran the wrong route. I can't imagine it's always the WR's fault, but Palmer, the WRs, and mostly the coaches have to be chastized for how often this happens. It's absolutely ridiculous. Palmer also had Chris Perry open twice for TDs in the redzone, but threw awful passes that both resulted in incompletions.
RB:
LaDainian Tomlinson - LT had his injured toe stepped on in week 5, and that caused yet another setback. Odds are that he'll either not practice or be limited, and then he'll suit up in week 6, but who knows exactly how productive he'll be. Still, there's no way you bench him.
Brian Westbrook - Well, just when Westbrook was looking good on his ankle...he breaks 2 ribs. The Eagles have a bye week in week 7 and could play it safe by keeping Westbrook on the shelf against the 49ers in week 6, but he'll likely be a gametime decision yet again.
Selvin Young - Young strained his groin in week 5, and could be on the injury report for week 6. He's nowhere close to fantasy value as the Denver backfield and the NE backfield are battling for the most muddled situations in all the NFL.
Justin Fargas - Fargas returned to practice on Monday and is likely to reclaim his starting job in week 6. The carry split between Fargas, McFadden (if his toe is healthy), and Bush should be monitored in week 6 as the new coaching staff and offensive direction might change.
WR:
Marvin Harrison - No new injury to report this yera, but Harrison just doesn't look right so far. It might be time to consider selling low off his name value and getting something a lesser named, but more productive WR.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin doesn't appear likely to play in week 6 despite positive reports regarding his surgery last week. I'll update again on Friday.
Chris Chambers - Chambers suffered a "lower leg injury" that knocked him out of week 5. The exact nature of this injury is unknown, so I'll update as soon as I know more.
Eddie Royal - Royal suffered some sort of sprained ankle, and he did not return in week 5. It's looking like he'll be out in week 6. I'll update for sure on Friday.
Deion Branch - Branch returned from his torn ACL this week...and promptly left again with a heel injury. Who knows how long he'll be out this time.
Brandon Lloyd - I completely missed him last week, so I apologize. He missed the game with a knee injury, and reports indicate that he'll be out a couple weeks. He probably has a knee sprain of some sort.
Marques Colston / Joey Galloway - Both are still out. Colston isn't due back for a couple of weeks, and it looks like Galloway might be out for a while still.
TE:
Jeremy Shockey - Shockey is still out with hernia-ish surgery.
Tony Scheffler - Scheffler strained his groin in week 5, and he has already been ruled out for week 6. All his owners need to comb the waiver wire for a starting TE, possibly for the next 3 weeks as the Broncos have their bye in week 8.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Week 5 Injury Updates
I have updated all of the week 5 injuries. Palmer, Rodgers, and Westbrook are all gametime decisions. McGahee might be as well, but there's no point using him even if he does play.
One player I assumed would be OK, but isn't, is Ben Roethlisberger. I did not have him as a part of my week 5 walking wounded segment, but his situation has taken a step back, and he did not fully practice all week. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and he was only a limited participant on Friday. If you have another solid option at QB, use him, as Pittsburgh doesn't play until Sunday night. If you are stuck with Big Ben, you either have to have Garrard/Brees/Frerotte on your roster as well, and if you have Brees, you're not worried about Big Ben anyways. Leftwich would start if Big Ben can't go, but given the problems that Pittsburgh has been having protecting a mobile Roethlisberger, the immobile Leftwich, while a strong QB, which be a lame duck in the pocket. If you don't have a choice, you have to grab Leftwich, and you'll probably get a decent game out of him.
One player I assumed would be OK, but isn't, is Ben Roethlisberger. I did not have him as a part of my week 5 walking wounded segment, but his situation has taken a step back, and he did not fully practice all week. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and he was only a limited participant on Friday. If you have another solid option at QB, use him, as Pittsburgh doesn't play until Sunday night. If you are stuck with Big Ben, you either have to have Garrard/Brees/Frerotte on your roster as well, and if you have Brees, you're not worried about Big Ben anyways. Leftwich would start if Big Ben can't go, but given the problems that Pittsburgh has been having protecting a mobile Roethlisberger, the immobile Leftwich, while a strong QB, which be a lame duck in the pocket. If you don't have a choice, you have to grab Leftwich, and you'll probably get a decent game out of him.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
1/4 Season Review: Sell High Candidates
QB:
Kurt Warner - If Warner remains healthy and the Cardinals stay in the NFC West race, he will continue to rack up great stats with the talent he has at the WR position. He needs to avoid turnover-fests like he put up in week 4. Warner is also an injury risk, and if the Cardinals start losing, there's no reason to continue starting a veteran QB. It's not a bad idea to strike while the iron is hot and use him to upgrade another position, especially since he was probably drafted as your QB2. If you can get good QB1 value for him, then do it, because the Cardinals have to keep winning, and Warner has to stay healthy in order for him to maintain his current value.
RB:
Michael Turner - Turner should be a solid RB2 all season long, but his production will directly be tied to the strength of the defense and team he's facing. Since he offers very little in the passing game, and the Falcons possess an explosive passing game option in Jerious Norwood, Turner will find production hard to come by when his team is behind. What's worse is that the stronger defenses will be better equipped to focus on him as the primary offensive threat on this offense, enabling them to shut him down like Tampa Bay and Carolina have. See if you can get RB1 given how gaudy his stats are after two weeks.
Reggie Bush - This is another tough call. The problem is that Bush is still the same, uninspiring runner he's always been, but there's no doubt he's a passing game ace. He'll be plenty involved all season long in the offense, but given his inability to run between the tackles, he's going to have a hard time being consistent. Plus, Deuce is back to take care of the inside running. If someone is willing to pay RB1 value for his name, go for it.
Larry Johnson - Obvious call here. He's racked up a couple big games against horrendous defenses, but much like Turner, he's going to be horribly inconsistent. If you can cash in after his huge week 4 on a believer that he's back to his 2006 level of production, don't think twice about dealing him.
WR:
Terrell Owens - Owens has now had his first argument with Tony Romo, coming after last week's game where Owens was clearly frustrated about what was going on in the offense. Owens might settle down with a big game in week 5, but you always have to wonder with his extended past of turning these things into distractions from his on-field play. If you can deal him for someone like Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, etc, do it and rid yourself of a potential future headache. I would not move him unless you get another top tier WR in return, or if you're very deep at WR and get a huge upgrade somewhere else.
Chad Johnson - This is more selling low, but if Palmer has a season-ending injury, deal him for his name value and get what you can for him. There's no way he'll be a consistent fantasy producer with someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the offense. Do NOT attempt to trade him until you hear about Palmer, because if Palmer's elbow is actually OK, then it's only a matter of time before CJ get's going again, and CJ becomes a buy low target.
Greg Jennings - Jennings has truly surprised me by becoming the go-to guy in the GB offense. However, if anything is wrong with Aaron Rodgers, you need to deal him. Matt Flynn will not continue to lead a proficient passing attack like Rodgers has been doing so far this season.
Kurt Warner - If Warner remains healthy and the Cardinals stay in the NFC West race, he will continue to rack up great stats with the talent he has at the WR position. He needs to avoid turnover-fests like he put up in week 4. Warner is also an injury risk, and if the Cardinals start losing, there's no reason to continue starting a veteran QB. It's not a bad idea to strike while the iron is hot and use him to upgrade another position, especially since he was probably drafted as your QB2. If you can get good QB1 value for him, then do it, because the Cardinals have to keep winning, and Warner has to stay healthy in order for him to maintain his current value.
RB:
Michael Turner - Turner should be a solid RB2 all season long, but his production will directly be tied to the strength of the defense and team he's facing. Since he offers very little in the passing game, and the Falcons possess an explosive passing game option in Jerious Norwood, Turner will find production hard to come by when his team is behind. What's worse is that the stronger defenses will be better equipped to focus on him as the primary offensive threat on this offense, enabling them to shut him down like Tampa Bay and Carolina have. See if you can get RB1 given how gaudy his stats are after two weeks.
Reggie Bush - This is another tough call. The problem is that Bush is still the same, uninspiring runner he's always been, but there's no doubt he's a passing game ace. He'll be plenty involved all season long in the offense, but given his inability to run between the tackles, he's going to have a hard time being consistent. Plus, Deuce is back to take care of the inside running. If someone is willing to pay RB1 value for his name, go for it.
Larry Johnson - Obvious call here. He's racked up a couple big games against horrendous defenses, but much like Turner, he's going to be horribly inconsistent. If you can cash in after his huge week 4 on a believer that he's back to his 2006 level of production, don't think twice about dealing him.
WR:
Terrell Owens - Owens has now had his first argument with Tony Romo, coming after last week's game where Owens was clearly frustrated about what was going on in the offense. Owens might settle down with a big game in week 5, but you always have to wonder with his extended past of turning these things into distractions from his on-field play. If you can deal him for someone like Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, etc, do it and rid yourself of a potential future headache. I would not move him unless you get another top tier WR in return, or if you're very deep at WR and get a huge upgrade somewhere else.
Chad Johnson - This is more selling low, but if Palmer has a season-ending injury, deal him for his name value and get what you can for him. There's no way he'll be a consistent fantasy producer with someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the offense. Do NOT attempt to trade him until you hear about Palmer, because if Palmer's elbow is actually OK, then it's only a matter of time before CJ get's going again, and CJ becomes a buy low target.
Greg Jennings - Jennings has truly surprised me by becoming the go-to guy in the GB offense. However, if anything is wrong with Aaron Rodgers, you need to deal him. Matt Flynn will not continue to lead a proficient passing attack like Rodgers has been doing so far this season.
1/4 Season Review: Buy Low Candidates
The whole buy low, sell high concept complete varies by league, but once 4 weeks are in, the smarter owners are generally less concerned about where they drafted players, and they are more concerned with how the players are actually performing. If an owner is too concerned with where he/she drafted a player, the ability to buy low is pretty much impossible, so understand the owners of your league before attempt to construct a trade with them.
The other thing to consider is how to make an offer for a buy low candidate. Trying to lowball the owner for him is usually insulting, and the offer won't be taken seriously. Some of these are players that would usually be on their owner's "I'm not trading" list, but they could be available for a solid offer. The point isn't to rob the owner, but simply to improve a position on your team by acquiring someone who would demand a king's ransom to acquire if they were playing up to expectations.
Peyton Manning - He seems pretty obvious. The time lost in the offseason due to multiple knee surgeries killed his timing, and he showed obvious rust during his first 3 games. With the bye week to get things straight, I think you see the Peyton Manning you expected in the pre-season starting from week 5. If you could use a hot starter like Kurt Warner in a package to get Manning, do it.
Ben Roethlisberger - I was right in marking him as over-valued heading into the season as he's pretty much been a disaster during the first month, but I believe times are a changing. He has one more potentially tough matchup against Jacksonville (depending on the health of their secondary - Schaub lit up the injured version last week), and then a bye week to rest his hand and shoulder. He's not going to start tossing TDs like crazy like last year, but I believe he can still be a lower QB1 over the rest of the year despite the lesser amount of passing attempts compared to most QBs.
Matt Schaub - Unfortunately the window might have closed after last week's 300 yard, 3 TD performance, but his overall numbers still look pretty sickly. I think he can be a lower QB1 over the rest of the season as Houston will pass plenty, and he has good talent around him at all the skill positions.
RB:
Joseph Addai - Addai was another guy I marked as over-valued (after my primary posting of the draft guide) heading into the season because this is not a guy that can carry the Colts offense if Manning isn't opening lanes for him. Addai suffered from both the rust of Manning and the loss of center Jeff Saturday. I believe he'll come out after the bye week and post better production, although expecting a repeat of the first half of last year would be overly optimistic.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs had a big first week as he carved up Washington's defense on his 21 carries, but he didn't receive more than 15 carries in the next two games, including a horrible 35 yard effort versus a blah Cincy run defense. The Giants will continue to mix Ward and Bradshaw in, but Jacobs should still be a solid RB2, and his owner might be a bit down on him after the strong first week.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney was drafted in the 1st round last year, and was a bust. Maroney was drafted in the 4th round this year...and he's still been a bust. I'm trying to trade for him in one of my leagues right now. My thought is that NE, coming out of the bye week, will start to focus on the running game. They simply can't run the same spread offense with Cassel as they did with Brady, so they're going to have to run the ball and play defense. Maroney is the 2nd most talented player on offense behind Randy Moss, and they need to get him the ball. He killed it down the stretch last year and throughout the playoffs, so all he needs is the carries. Given Morris sucked in week 3 when he started, I don't see any reason why NE won't start featuring Maroney again.
Willie Parker - Parker tore it up in week 1, posted a solid week 2, and then disappeared with an injury. He'll eventually return from his sprained knee, and he will take over the primary ball carrier position when he does with Mendenhall out for the year. If his owner is depleted at the RB position, and you have RB depth, attempt to get him with an eye on him returning after their bye week.
LenDale White - White has lost his primary RB position to Chris Johnson, but he still remains the goal line runner and the between-the-tackles specialist. Chris Johnson is a very talented rookie, and he has a bright future, but I forsee him hitting the rookie wall at some point, especially since he's not built like a true workhorse. White would unquestionably benefit in that scenario, so he is an interesting guy to stash as a RB3/4 type with an eye towards RB2 value should something happen to Johnson.
WR:
Andre Johnson - AJ posted 112 yards in week 1, but has struggled in back to back games, not going for more than 40 yards in either. He hasn't scored yet, either. That, however, is his own fault as he dropped 2 TDs in week 3. With Schaub righting the ship last week, it's only a matter of time before AJ starts posting the numbers we expected heading into the season.
Santonio Holmes - Holmes has alternated bad and good games so far, so he's been more of a WR3 than the WR2 you drafted him to be. While I feel that he'll be fairly inconsistent because the Steelers just don't throw the ball enough, he's the top WR on this team, and Big Ben's improvement will lead to improvement for Holmes as well.
There really aren't a lot of underperforming WRs. Cincy WRs would be toast if Palmer has a serious elbow injury, so despite their slow starts, I can't recommend acquiring them. Braylon's situation is tied to his QB, and Anderson is lost. Quinn would provide stability for him, but not as many big plays. He might be worth going after, but not at a WR1 price.
TE:
Kellen Winslow - I think he'll come at a discounted rate with the Browns offense looking like a disaster. Quinn would be a big boost to Winslow, who's great in the short-intermediate game. Quinn doesn't have the arm of Anderson to bomb it downfield to Edwards all the time, and his game is well suited to make use of Winslow's talent. Quinn used his TEs in college a decent bit as well. Either Anderson rights the ship, or Quinn takes over...both of which are positives for Winslow.
The TEs are a freakin' mess this season so far, but Winslow is the only one I have confidence in to rebound right now.
The other thing to consider is how to make an offer for a buy low candidate. Trying to lowball the owner for him is usually insulting, and the offer won't be taken seriously. Some of these are players that would usually be on their owner's "I'm not trading" list, but they could be available for a solid offer. The point isn't to rob the owner, but simply to improve a position on your team by acquiring someone who would demand a king's ransom to acquire if they were playing up to expectations.
Peyton Manning - He seems pretty obvious. The time lost in the offseason due to multiple knee surgeries killed his timing, and he showed obvious rust during his first 3 games. With the bye week to get things straight, I think you see the Peyton Manning you expected in the pre-season starting from week 5. If you could use a hot starter like Kurt Warner in a package to get Manning, do it.
Ben Roethlisberger - I was right in marking him as over-valued heading into the season as he's pretty much been a disaster during the first month, but I believe times are a changing. He has one more potentially tough matchup against Jacksonville (depending on the health of their secondary - Schaub lit up the injured version last week), and then a bye week to rest his hand and shoulder. He's not going to start tossing TDs like crazy like last year, but I believe he can still be a lower QB1 over the rest of the year despite the lesser amount of passing attempts compared to most QBs.
Matt Schaub - Unfortunately the window might have closed after last week's 300 yard, 3 TD performance, but his overall numbers still look pretty sickly. I think he can be a lower QB1 over the rest of the season as Houston will pass plenty, and he has good talent around him at all the skill positions.
RB:
Joseph Addai - Addai was another guy I marked as over-valued (after my primary posting of the draft guide) heading into the season because this is not a guy that can carry the Colts offense if Manning isn't opening lanes for him. Addai suffered from both the rust of Manning and the loss of center Jeff Saturday. I believe he'll come out after the bye week and post better production, although expecting a repeat of the first half of last year would be overly optimistic.
Brandon Jacobs - Jacobs had a big first week as he carved up Washington's defense on his 21 carries, but he didn't receive more than 15 carries in the next two games, including a horrible 35 yard effort versus a blah Cincy run defense. The Giants will continue to mix Ward and Bradshaw in, but Jacobs should still be a solid RB2, and his owner might be a bit down on him after the strong first week.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney was drafted in the 1st round last year, and was a bust. Maroney was drafted in the 4th round this year...and he's still been a bust. I'm trying to trade for him in one of my leagues right now. My thought is that NE, coming out of the bye week, will start to focus on the running game. They simply can't run the same spread offense with Cassel as they did with Brady, so they're going to have to run the ball and play defense. Maroney is the 2nd most talented player on offense behind Randy Moss, and they need to get him the ball. He killed it down the stretch last year and throughout the playoffs, so all he needs is the carries. Given Morris sucked in week 3 when he started, I don't see any reason why NE won't start featuring Maroney again.
Willie Parker - Parker tore it up in week 1, posted a solid week 2, and then disappeared with an injury. He'll eventually return from his sprained knee, and he will take over the primary ball carrier position when he does with Mendenhall out for the year. If his owner is depleted at the RB position, and you have RB depth, attempt to get him with an eye on him returning after their bye week.
LenDale White - White has lost his primary RB position to Chris Johnson, but he still remains the goal line runner and the between-the-tackles specialist. Chris Johnson is a very talented rookie, and he has a bright future, but I forsee him hitting the rookie wall at some point, especially since he's not built like a true workhorse. White would unquestionably benefit in that scenario, so he is an interesting guy to stash as a RB3/4 type with an eye towards RB2 value should something happen to Johnson.
WR:
Andre Johnson - AJ posted 112 yards in week 1, but has struggled in back to back games, not going for more than 40 yards in either. He hasn't scored yet, either. That, however, is his own fault as he dropped 2 TDs in week 3. With Schaub righting the ship last week, it's only a matter of time before AJ starts posting the numbers we expected heading into the season.
Santonio Holmes - Holmes has alternated bad and good games so far, so he's been more of a WR3 than the WR2 you drafted him to be. While I feel that he'll be fairly inconsistent because the Steelers just don't throw the ball enough, he's the top WR on this team, and Big Ben's improvement will lead to improvement for Holmes as well.
There really aren't a lot of underperforming WRs. Cincy WRs would be toast if Palmer has a serious elbow injury, so despite their slow starts, I can't recommend acquiring them. Braylon's situation is tied to his QB, and Anderson is lost. Quinn would provide stability for him, but not as many big plays. He might be worth going after, but not at a WR1 price.
TE:
Kellen Winslow - I think he'll come at a discounted rate with the Browns offense looking like a disaster. Quinn would be a big boost to Winslow, who's great in the short-intermediate game. Quinn doesn't have the arm of Anderson to bomb it downfield to Edwards all the time, and his game is well suited to make use of Winslow's talent. Quinn used his TEs in college a decent bit as well. Either Anderson rights the ship, or Quinn takes over...both of which are positives for Winslow.
The TEs are a freakin' mess this season so far, but Winslow is the only one I have confidence in to rebound right now.
Week 5 Waiver Wire Possibilities
QB:
Marc Bulger - Bulger has been re-installed as the Rams QB. I have more confidence in their offense with Linehan leaving and Saunders having full offensive control, so I think Bulger could re-emerge as a decent QB2. If you have crap behind your starter, or you have 2 good QBs and you're thinking about trading one, I'd grab Bulger to see how the offense looks with Linehan gone.
Brady Quinn - Don't give up on Quinn, and make sure to pick him up. Anderson bought himself a little more time with a decent 2nd half that led to a win, but he was brutal in the 1st half, and he really wasn't overly impressive at all in the 2nd half. I still think you see Quinn starting sooner than later.
RB:
Duece McAllister - McAllister racked up 20 carries in week 4, re-emerging in his 2006 role of being the punishing, inside runner that complements Reggie Bush. All reports indicate that he's going to maintain that role for as long as he stays healthy, so he's certainly worth a top waiver wire addition.
Leon Washington - Thomas Jones is struggling out in Jets land, and should the coaching staff feel a need to inject some life into a rather lifeless rushing attack since week 1, Washington would be the guy. He's an interesting speculatory pickup.
Derrick Ward - Brandon Jacobs owners should really have him handcuffed with Ward. Ward was great last season during his starts with Jacobs out, and he appears to be firmly ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw on the depth chart. Other teams with an empty spot could speculate with him as well.
Kenny Watson - Chris Perry owners should do the same with Watson. Watson has been inactive due to nagging injuries, but he is the best bet in the Cincy backfield to take over for Perry once Perry inevitably gets hurt.
WR:
Lance Moore - I'd be careful blowing a top waiver wire pick on Moore unless you need WR help immediately. He'll unquestionably have value as the possession receiver (who did get open down the field as well) who balances out the deep threats that are Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, but Moore should be valuable for as long as Colston is out.
Robert Meachem - He'll get deep, but it seems like those are the only passes he catches. He's obviously a massive PPR risk, but in standard scoring leagues, all that matters are yards and TDs.
Steve Breaston - Boldin owners should pick him up to cover Q if he doesn't play, but I don't see enough value here given Q escaped serious injury for anyone else to waste their time.
TE:
Zach Miller - 2 bad games, 1 great game. He's a decent TE2 whom Russell should continue using as much as he can.
Greg Olsen - He might have been dropped in your league, and he's still interesting TE2 material, but given he's still splitting time and targets with Desmond Clark, you cannot rely on him on a weekly basis.
Marc Bulger - Bulger has been re-installed as the Rams QB. I have more confidence in their offense with Linehan leaving and Saunders having full offensive control, so I think Bulger could re-emerge as a decent QB2. If you have crap behind your starter, or you have 2 good QBs and you're thinking about trading one, I'd grab Bulger to see how the offense looks with Linehan gone.
Brady Quinn - Don't give up on Quinn, and make sure to pick him up. Anderson bought himself a little more time with a decent 2nd half that led to a win, but he was brutal in the 1st half, and he really wasn't overly impressive at all in the 2nd half. I still think you see Quinn starting sooner than later.
RB:
Duece McAllister - McAllister racked up 20 carries in week 4, re-emerging in his 2006 role of being the punishing, inside runner that complements Reggie Bush. All reports indicate that he's going to maintain that role for as long as he stays healthy, so he's certainly worth a top waiver wire addition.
Leon Washington - Thomas Jones is struggling out in Jets land, and should the coaching staff feel a need to inject some life into a rather lifeless rushing attack since week 1, Washington would be the guy. He's an interesting speculatory pickup.
Derrick Ward - Brandon Jacobs owners should really have him handcuffed with Ward. Ward was great last season during his starts with Jacobs out, and he appears to be firmly ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw on the depth chart. Other teams with an empty spot could speculate with him as well.
Kenny Watson - Chris Perry owners should do the same with Watson. Watson has been inactive due to nagging injuries, but he is the best bet in the Cincy backfield to take over for Perry once Perry inevitably gets hurt.
WR:
Lance Moore - I'd be careful blowing a top waiver wire pick on Moore unless you need WR help immediately. He'll unquestionably have value as the possession receiver (who did get open down the field as well) who balances out the deep threats that are Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, but Moore should be valuable for as long as Colston is out.
Robert Meachem - He'll get deep, but it seems like those are the only passes he catches. He's obviously a massive PPR risk, but in standard scoring leagues, all that matters are yards and TDs.
Steve Breaston - Boldin owners should pick him up to cover Q if he doesn't play, but I don't see enough value here given Q escaped serious injury for anyone else to waste their time.
TE:
Zach Miller - 2 bad games, 1 great game. He's a decent TE2 whom Russell should continue using as much as he can.
Greg Olsen - He might have been dropped in your league, and he's still interesting TE2 material, but given he's still splitting time and targets with Desmond Clark, you cannot rely on him on a weekly basis.
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