I have decided to start writing this article on Fridays. There have been some weeks that I have forgotten to update it on Friday, so this will solve that problem.
Arizona Cardinals - Anquan Boldin re-injured his ankle in week 8, but is again trying to work his way into the lineup. He'll likely be on snap count, and he'll again be a very risky fantasy start. Steve Breaston is a stronger play with Boldin's limiting injury.
Atlanta Falcons - Roddy White has been very limited in practice all week, but he is expected to start in week 9. Check the game day inactives to make sure.
Baltimore Ravens - None.
Buffalo Bills - Bye week.
Carolina Panthers - Jonathan Stewart owners should know the drill by now. He misses some practice time, gets listed as questionable, and then plays on Sundays. He's in no danger of missing week 9.
Cincinnati Bengals - Chris Henry says he feels much better coming out of the bye, but he's only a situational player in a WR rotation across from Chad Ochocinco. He's always a decent bet to score being the great red zone target that he is, but he's very risky thanks to a lack of yardage.
Chicago Bears - Devin Hester is battling a sprained ankle, but all indications are that he will be ready in week 9. Check the game day inactives just to be sure.
Cleveland Browns - Bye week.
Dallas Cowboys - Roy Williams continues to run his mouth by stating that he's still the Cowboys #1 receiver. The dude is just straight stupid.
Denver Broncos - Much like with Cincy and Ochocinco, the use a WR rotation opposite Brandon Marshall, making all other WRs worthless.
Detroit Lions - Mathew Stafford, Kevin Smith, and Calvin Johnson all practiced this week and the beat reporters expect all of them to play. There's been a lot of talk about Kevin Smith losing some of his playing time, but he's still a strong RB2 thanks to his receiving value and goal line RB status. Don't lose faith until you actually see him losing carries when he's healthy.
Green Bay Packers - Their offensive line is finally getting healthy with Chad Clifton expected to return, and Mark Tauscher as well. Hopefully this will open up the deep ball moving forward. Donald Driver has been missing practice time with a stinger, but all indications are that he will start in week 9. Check the game day inactives to make sure.
Houston Texans - Joel Dreesen will replace Owen Daniels at TE, but he's not a fantasy option at this time. You could try stashing him to see what happens if you are desperate at TE. The main beneficiary here is Kevin Walter...make sure he is owned in all leagues, and he's a sneaky WR3 this week. He has taken a back seat to Daniels so far this season, but I expect him to come on down the stretch this year as the new #2 option opposite Andre Johnson. Expect more of what he did last season.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez is rumored to not be done for the season quite yet, but to be unproductive for the rest of the season whenever he does return. I've had him stashed for a while in one league, but I have finally cut bait. He can safely be dropped for better options like the aforementioned Kevin Walter, or Malcolm Floyd if he slipped through waivers.
Jacksonville Jaguars - None.
Kansas City Chiefs - Jamaal Charles will start for Larry Johnson this week, and his performance in this game will go a long way to determining what role he'll have over the rest of the season.
Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins are employing a full WR rotation right now, and given their ineffective passing attack, it's pretty obvious that nobody is even worth owning, much less starting.
Minnesota Vikings - Bye week.
New England Patriots - Sammy Morris is still out, so Maroney will once again start. He's again a risky RB2 with upside. If he's ineffective, expect Benjarvis Green-Ellis to take over carries.
New Orleans Saints - There is a full RB rotation in effect here as Reggie Bush received a goal line carry on a toss play last week, and Pierre Thomas was in near the goal line to take a sweep-style screen pass into the end zone as well. Pierre Thomas is currently the best start here among the 3 for yardage purposes, but Bell will get his including the normal goal line runs, and Bush will make appearances as well.
New York Giants - Eli Manning is still not 100% and needs to remain on benches. Odds are this strategy will force you to miss he rebound game, assuming he has one, but there's been no indication since his injury that he's ready to be your QB1 again. Jacobs has taken the majority role in the backfield thanks to his more effective running over the past 3 weeks, but Bradshaw will continue to take some carries. Bradshaw is no longer an RB2 candidate with the current carry split. Hakeem Nicks started last week thanks to Manningham's injury, but Manningham is expected to play this week. Whether or not he resumes starting probably won't be known until game time, but Nicks is a WR3 possibility as he continues to excel on the field.
New York Jets - Bye week.
Oakland Raiders - Bye week.
Philadelphia Eagles - Brian Westbrook will return this week and resume his committee role, although expect him to see more touches than LeSean McCoy. Maclin will start the rest of the season opposite DeSean Jackson.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Parker claims he's feeling 100%, but this is Mendenhall's job to lose. Mendenhall looked great in his breakout game, but he hasn't received more than 17 carries in a game since then, although he's been averaging almost 5 yards a carry with those totes. This can be attributed to the new no-huddle, pass-first offense the Steelers have been employing recently. If they can get a lead to nurse, expect Mendenhall to be huge in the 4th quarter.
San Diego Chargers - Malcolm Floyd has replaced Chris Chambers as the starting WR, and he's a good WR3 moving forward.
San Francisco 49ers - None.
Seattle Seahawks - Expect Justin Forsett to finally see some more touches this week at the expense of Julius Jones. Neither are worth using, however.
St. Louis Rams - Bye week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Fantasy wasteland.
Tennessee Titans - Young will look to build off of his success of last week, but until he establishes a comfort zone with his WRs, they are poor fantasy bets thanks to their likely lack of yardage.
Washington Redskins - I hope you've dealt Clinton Portis already, and you should also consider dealing Santana Moss as well. This offense is hurting in a bad way, and there's no reason to think it will get better this season. As is, Portis is an OK RB2, and Moss is only a match up WR3.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Week 9 Waiver Wire
We're getting into the part of the season where there's very few people worth picking up. I'll note down the best of what's left here this week.
QB:
Vince Young - He's probably not going to be asked to do much, but he looked solid in a good match up. He was a QB1 down the stretch in his rookie year, and his talent hasn't gone away. His head is another story, but he could emerge as a good QB2.
Alex Smith - Just another reminder that he should be owned as he's a reasonable QB2.
RB:
Ryan Moats - Let's not get too excited because Steve Slaton isn't going anywhere, but Moats certainly earned playing time after carving up Buffalo last week. He has a solid all-around game, and Slaton's fumbles are a real problem. Slaton remains way too talented in the receiving game, however, so the exact carry split is unknown at this point. He's definitely worth owning, though.
Jamaal Charles - Another reminder. He's going to start in week 9 and needs to be owned to see what comes of it.
Justin Forsett - I've mentioned him once before, but with the release of Edgerrin James, he's the clear number two with only Julius Jones ahead of him. Jones has had a few moments this year, but he's been mostly unimpressive. Expect them to get Forsett more involved as they need to be a pass-first offense moving forward despite their offensive line issues.
WR:
Malcolm Floyd - Hope you stashed him like I suggested last week. He's worth using the #1 waiver priority on this week. Floyd started last week, and while he caught only 2 passes, he showed his usual big play potential. Chris Chambers has since been released, which is a good vote of confidence for Floyd. He'll be #3 in the passing game picking order behind VJax and Gates, but SD passes plenty to make him a WR3.
TE:
Dustin Keller - In case someone dropped him during his slump, you should grab him again after a great week 8. He'll be inconsistent on a run-first offense with Edwards and Cotchery demanding targets, but he's by far the best of what's out there, especially for Owen Daniels owners.
Chris Cooley - Cooley went from being out for the year to being out for only a month. The Skins passing attack sucks, but Cooley had been productive and should be owned for when he comes back in a few weeks.
QB:
Vince Young - He's probably not going to be asked to do much, but he looked solid in a good match up. He was a QB1 down the stretch in his rookie year, and his talent hasn't gone away. His head is another story, but he could emerge as a good QB2.
Alex Smith - Just another reminder that he should be owned as he's a reasonable QB2.
RB:
Ryan Moats - Let's not get too excited because Steve Slaton isn't going anywhere, but Moats certainly earned playing time after carving up Buffalo last week. He has a solid all-around game, and Slaton's fumbles are a real problem. Slaton remains way too talented in the receiving game, however, so the exact carry split is unknown at this point. He's definitely worth owning, though.
Jamaal Charles - Another reminder. He's going to start in week 9 and needs to be owned to see what comes of it.
Justin Forsett - I've mentioned him once before, but with the release of Edgerrin James, he's the clear number two with only Julius Jones ahead of him. Jones has had a few moments this year, but he's been mostly unimpressive. Expect them to get Forsett more involved as they need to be a pass-first offense moving forward despite their offensive line issues.
WR:
Malcolm Floyd - Hope you stashed him like I suggested last week. He's worth using the #1 waiver priority on this week. Floyd started last week, and while he caught only 2 passes, he showed his usual big play potential. Chris Chambers has since been released, which is a good vote of confidence for Floyd. He'll be #3 in the passing game picking order behind VJax and Gates, but SD passes plenty to make him a WR3.
TE:
Dustin Keller - In case someone dropped him during his slump, you should grab him again after a great week 8. He'll be inconsistent on a run-first offense with Edwards and Cotchery demanding targets, but he's by far the best of what's out there, especially for Owen Daniels owners.
Chris Cooley - Cooley went from being out for the year to being out for only a month. The Skins passing attack sucks, but Cooley had been productive and should be owned for when he comes back in a few weeks.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Week 8 Thoughts
Arizona Cardinals - Warner threw up a disaster, key phrase here being threw up. While he managed 2 TD passes, he almost offset those (and did in 4 point passing TD leagues) with 5 INTs. It's worth repeating that Warner continues to not look right, and his inability to throw the ball down the field along with the Cardinals inability to run the ball is a poor match. The Cardinals need to get Chris Wells more involved, but thanks to their need to get into pass-heavy situations, it's not possible. Boldin got banged up yet again, and there's already rumors that he'll miss the next week.
Atlanta Falcons - Monday night game.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco did the best he could in a defensive slugfest, and Ray Rice did the heavy lifting on the ground. Gone are the times that Rice lost lots of carries to McGahee, but since there wasn't a goal line carry in this game, we don't know if Rice will get those carries as well moving forward.
Buffalo Bills - Back to earth for Ryan Fitzpatrick, and unfortunately Evans went down with him. Owens showed plenty of burst and a second gear on his end-around for a TD, and in my mind, it proved that he hasn't lost it yet. Evans and Owens are arguably one of the best WR duos in the NFL, but their values have been annihilated by the horrid QB play. Lynch and Jackson split carries evenly in this one, but Lynch looked better with his.
Carolina Panthers - Carolina did exactly what they need to do going forward, lean on their great running game and reduce Jake Delhomme to a pure game manager. Steve Smith owners don't want to hear this, but given Delhomme's horrid play this year, this has to happen. Arizona had the #1 run D in football this year, but Carolina shredded them all game long. DeAngelo Williams owners, despite another good yardage game, need to be aware that Stewart has been far more effective at the goal line this year. There's a chance Stewart could take over that role full time. Stewart could work himself into an RB2 if that happens, and Williams will lose even more value, although he'll likely still continue to receive more of the carries.
Cincinnati Bengals - Bye week.
Chicago Bears - This bi-polar offense continued it's recent downward trend. Don't let the 30-6 score fool you as Cleveland's turnovers and offensive ineptitude were the reason Chicago scored that many points. Jay Cutler again looks out of sync with his WRs, who simply aren't that good outside of Devin Hester. Bennett and Knox have both shown potential, but they clearly are not consistent. Matt Forte finally put some TDs on the board, but he turned in yet another poor YPC day against a bad defense. The root of the problem, as I have mentioned before, is the offensive line. Despite the upgrades made in the off-season, this unit looks out of sync in both forms of blocking.
Cleveland Browns - Fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo loves him some Miles Austin. While Austin didn't have a 3rd monster week in a row, he has completely made over this passing game with his ability to make big plays. He allows all the other receivers to settle into doing what they do well, and it's made a huge different for Tony Romo. Roy Williams continues to look like a turd despite the TD this week. He's catching an abysmal percentage of his targets. Barber looked healthier, and with the passing game clicking again, he's going to see more potential TDs moving forward.
Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton remained accurate against a swarming Baltimore defense, but he did not challenge them down the field, and he wound up with a horrific YPA. Denver has to get him to throw the ball down the field more to open things up. Moreno put up a workman-like effort against a tough D, and also tossed in a TD. Thanks to their inability to sustain drives and necessity to play catch-up in the 2nd half, he didn't get many carries.
Detroit Lions - This offense welcomed Stafford back this week, but without Calvin Johnson, their passing game has no hope. Bryant Johnson continues to not make plays and drop passes, and there's nobody else on this team that can do anything with the ball after catching it. Kevin Smith has resumed struggling, and there's a chance he's going to start losing carries moving forward. He's simply not making things happen right now, although his receiving contributions are saving his fantasy value.
Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers spent most of the game on his back, but thanks to a monster 2nd half, he posted yet another great fantasy day. The offensive line continues to be a real drain on this passing game as they aren't giving Rodgers the protection he needs to get the ball down field. As such, Greg Jennings has been reduced to a possession receiver, although he did manage to finally score this week. Ryan Grant was predictably eaten up by the MIN run defense.
Houston Texans - In a very unpredictable event, Matt Schaub took a back seat to the running game in this one, posting his worst game since week 1. Furthermore, it wasn't Steve Slaton who dominated the rushing attack as he fumbled yet again on his first carry and was shown the bench. Ryan Moats was the fantasy star in this one, leaving Slaton owners fuming while he carved up Buffalo's soft run defense. This is a serious concern moving forward for Slaton. I don't know what got into him last year, but he was a fumble machine in college, and that problem has re-surfaced. It's hard to get too excited about Moats given the opponent, but he's earn carries moving forward until he proves otherwise. Slaton still remains way too valuable in the passing game to be benched, and with the unfortunate season-ending injury to Owen Daniels, Houston needs someone to step up alongside Andre Johnson.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning was ravaged by SF's defense in the first half, but he settled in and put together another great performance despite not throwing for a TD. His owners had to be irate after hearing Reggie Wayne had caught a TD...from Joseph Addai. Wayne continues to dominate, and Collie has clearly passed Garcon to be the 3rd option in the passing game. Addai got a big workload with Donald Brown out, but showed off his usual mediocre running. The Colts should seriously consider a switch at RB when Brown gets healthy, at least in terms of their committee. Brown needs to touch the ball more as the far more explosive runner.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Garrard sucks. This was a weird day for MJD. Let me show you Jacksonville's first 3 drive recaps: 1) 5 yard pass, incomplete pass, incomplete pass, punt. 2) 4 yard pass, sack/recovered own fumble, incomplete pass, punt. 3) Incomplete pass, WR end-around, interception. Seriously. On MJD's first carry on the fourth drive...80 yard TD run. Jacksonville went back to normal on their last drive of the first half, and then MJD opened up the 2nd half with a 79 yard TD run. After that, TEN dominated the game and Jacksonville fell way behind, necessitating a pass-heavy offense for most of the 2nd half. Dirk Koetter's job should be on the line with MJD's inconsistent usage this year...he should be following what the Rams are doing with Steven Jackson. Luckily MJD produced an outrageous day on only 8 carries, but feed him the damn ball.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bye week.
Miami Dolphins - There's not too much to say about Miami's offense this week as their defense and special teams accounted for 3 TDs, keeping New York's offense on the field quite a bit. They were mostly ineffective when they were on the field as New York swarmed their rushing attack and kept both RBs in check. Ricky Williams seemingly makes a play in the passing game every week, and it's an annoying drain on Ronnie Brown's value as he was previously one of the best 3rd down RBs in football.
Minnesota Vikings - I'm sick of hearing the name. The QB that plays for the Vikings had a great outing, although he spread the ball around and Sidney Rice wasn't as dominant as he had been. Percy Harvin continues to make plays and could eventually push Bernard Berrian to the bench, although Minnesota probably won't fix what isn't broken. Adrian Peterson cranked out yet another great performance and continues to chug along as the best fantasy RB.
New England Patriots - Bye week.
New Orleans Saints - Monday night game.
New York Giants - Eli Manning is still struggling. Given how great he looked up until the heel injury, we'll chalk up his continued problems to his nagging injury. Even Tom Coughlin stated that he's not pushing off his foot on every pass like he should be. The Giants are in a free-fall and need Eli to get healthy, as do Steve Smith owners. Manningham sat out with a shoulder injury, so Nicks played the majority of the game and did as much as he could with his targets. Jacobs dominated the ground work with Bradshaw taking more of a true backup roll in this one, and that could be a trend that continues moving forward given the uncertain nature of Bradshaw's foot injury.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had his best game in a long time, and there's two reasons for this. First of all, Jericho Cotchery returned, and he deflected attention away from Braylon Edwards, which will benefit both of them going forward. Edwards is still the more attractive fantasy property because he's great around the goal line. Secondly, Miami started both of their rookie CBs, and having them go against 2 talented, veteran WRs was a mismatch. I'd like to see Sanchez do more in a tougher match-up, but Cotchery's return is great news for the entire offense. Thomas Jones also benefited greatly from Leon Washington's absence, racking up a huge day on 27 carries. Shonn Greene is less of a threat for carries as he's more of a backup than a complement to Jones.
Oakland Raiders - I was going to say fantasy wasteland, but Justin Fargas has emerged as a reasonable RB2/3 while Darren McFadden is out. With the current state of this team, McFadden probably won't return until he's 100%, and Michael Bush isn't challenging him for carries. Zach Miller also continues to be a lower TE1 despite the miserable passing attack.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb rebounded from a very poor effort against the Redskins last week and shows why you need to stick with him through his bad games. He torched the Giants before Philly started killing the clock. DeSean Jackson is a walking big play, and Jeremy Maclin got on the board for the first time since his breakout game a couple weeks ago. Brent Celek continues to impress, and he's very much a top 5 TE with Gates, Gonzalez, Clark...and Vernon Davis. Maclin hasn't been putting up numbers, but he's looked pretty good on the field. McCoy made up for a fairly lousy day with a huge 66 yard TD run in the 2nd half, making his fantasy owners happy they started him.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Bye week.
San Diego Chargers - Rivers looked solid again, although LT's resurgence around the goal line in this one took a few TDs away. Vincent Jackson continues his breakthrough as his size and speed combination is just scary. Speaking of LT, he looked more spry in this one despite the weak YPC. He's no longer going to break big plays, but he has enough life left in his legs and a great surrounding offense to close strong. He's not going to be great in yardage, but he should score a good amount as SD clearly still wants to use him in the red zone.
San Francisco 49ers - Alex Smith did an admirable job in such a tough match-up. He only had one turn over and didn't force too many throws despite some heavy pressure. Plus, much to the liking of Vernon Davis owners, he found him again for a score. Michael Crabtree also posted his best yardage of the season and will have the ability to come on down the stretch as a WR3. Thankfully Gore busted off another huge TD run as he did very little on his carries outside of that impressive effort. Still, the new life of the passing game with Smith, Crabtree, and Davis is great news for Gore moving forward.
Seattle Seahawks - Hasselbeck posted a good fantasy day despite heavy pressure, but he's an injury waiting to happen at this point thanks to the state of his offensive line. I would attempt to deal him to a QB-desperate owner after this if you can find someone willing to take him. Outside of Burleson's solid yardage day (he lost a fumble to negate some of that), nobody did much of anything.
St. Louis Rams - The Rams rode the Steven Jackson train to their first win in 17 games, and he was about as excited as anyone after scoring his first TD of the season, a game winning 25 yard run with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. There's nothing much else to say about this team other than how scary it is that Jackson is posting the numbers he is on such an awful team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bye week.
Tennessee Titans - Vince Young looked like an NFL QB again, although he was mostly a game manager thanks to the Chris Johnson show. Young was accurate, although he didn't use his WRs much, and he made a few plays with his legs as well. It's hard to draw anything from this given the good match-up he had, but it's a start. Chris Johnson posted his 2nd insane game of the season, rushing for 220 yards and 2 TDs, both coming from 52 and 89 yards out. Johnson has actually posted 90+ yards in 5/7 games, but all 5 of his TDs have come in the 2 insane games.
Washington Redskins - Bye week.
Atlanta Falcons - Monday night game.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco did the best he could in a defensive slugfest, and Ray Rice did the heavy lifting on the ground. Gone are the times that Rice lost lots of carries to McGahee, but since there wasn't a goal line carry in this game, we don't know if Rice will get those carries as well moving forward.
Buffalo Bills - Back to earth for Ryan Fitzpatrick, and unfortunately Evans went down with him. Owens showed plenty of burst and a second gear on his end-around for a TD, and in my mind, it proved that he hasn't lost it yet. Evans and Owens are arguably one of the best WR duos in the NFL, but their values have been annihilated by the horrid QB play. Lynch and Jackson split carries evenly in this one, but Lynch looked better with his.
Carolina Panthers - Carolina did exactly what they need to do going forward, lean on their great running game and reduce Jake Delhomme to a pure game manager. Steve Smith owners don't want to hear this, but given Delhomme's horrid play this year, this has to happen. Arizona had the #1 run D in football this year, but Carolina shredded them all game long. DeAngelo Williams owners, despite another good yardage game, need to be aware that Stewart has been far more effective at the goal line this year. There's a chance Stewart could take over that role full time. Stewart could work himself into an RB2 if that happens, and Williams will lose even more value, although he'll likely still continue to receive more of the carries.
Cincinnati Bengals - Bye week.
Chicago Bears - This bi-polar offense continued it's recent downward trend. Don't let the 30-6 score fool you as Cleveland's turnovers and offensive ineptitude were the reason Chicago scored that many points. Jay Cutler again looks out of sync with his WRs, who simply aren't that good outside of Devin Hester. Bennett and Knox have both shown potential, but they clearly are not consistent. Matt Forte finally put some TDs on the board, but he turned in yet another poor YPC day against a bad defense. The root of the problem, as I have mentioned before, is the offensive line. Despite the upgrades made in the off-season, this unit looks out of sync in both forms of blocking.
Cleveland Browns - Fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo loves him some Miles Austin. While Austin didn't have a 3rd monster week in a row, he has completely made over this passing game with his ability to make big plays. He allows all the other receivers to settle into doing what they do well, and it's made a huge different for Tony Romo. Roy Williams continues to look like a turd despite the TD this week. He's catching an abysmal percentage of his targets. Barber looked healthier, and with the passing game clicking again, he's going to see more potential TDs moving forward.
Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton remained accurate against a swarming Baltimore defense, but he did not challenge them down the field, and he wound up with a horrific YPA. Denver has to get him to throw the ball down the field more to open things up. Moreno put up a workman-like effort against a tough D, and also tossed in a TD. Thanks to their inability to sustain drives and necessity to play catch-up in the 2nd half, he didn't get many carries.
Detroit Lions - This offense welcomed Stafford back this week, but without Calvin Johnson, their passing game has no hope. Bryant Johnson continues to not make plays and drop passes, and there's nobody else on this team that can do anything with the ball after catching it. Kevin Smith has resumed struggling, and there's a chance he's going to start losing carries moving forward. He's simply not making things happen right now, although his receiving contributions are saving his fantasy value.
Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers spent most of the game on his back, but thanks to a monster 2nd half, he posted yet another great fantasy day. The offensive line continues to be a real drain on this passing game as they aren't giving Rodgers the protection he needs to get the ball down field. As such, Greg Jennings has been reduced to a possession receiver, although he did manage to finally score this week. Ryan Grant was predictably eaten up by the MIN run defense.
Houston Texans - In a very unpredictable event, Matt Schaub took a back seat to the running game in this one, posting his worst game since week 1. Furthermore, it wasn't Steve Slaton who dominated the rushing attack as he fumbled yet again on his first carry and was shown the bench. Ryan Moats was the fantasy star in this one, leaving Slaton owners fuming while he carved up Buffalo's soft run defense. This is a serious concern moving forward for Slaton. I don't know what got into him last year, but he was a fumble machine in college, and that problem has re-surfaced. It's hard to get too excited about Moats given the opponent, but he's earn carries moving forward until he proves otherwise. Slaton still remains way too valuable in the passing game to be benched, and with the unfortunate season-ending injury to Owen Daniels, Houston needs someone to step up alongside Andre Johnson.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning was ravaged by SF's defense in the first half, but he settled in and put together another great performance despite not throwing for a TD. His owners had to be irate after hearing Reggie Wayne had caught a TD...from Joseph Addai. Wayne continues to dominate, and Collie has clearly passed Garcon to be the 3rd option in the passing game. Addai got a big workload with Donald Brown out, but showed off his usual mediocre running. The Colts should seriously consider a switch at RB when Brown gets healthy, at least in terms of their committee. Brown needs to touch the ball more as the far more explosive runner.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Garrard sucks. This was a weird day for MJD. Let me show you Jacksonville's first 3 drive recaps: 1) 5 yard pass, incomplete pass, incomplete pass, punt. 2) 4 yard pass, sack/recovered own fumble, incomplete pass, punt. 3) Incomplete pass, WR end-around, interception. Seriously. On MJD's first carry on the fourth drive...80 yard TD run. Jacksonville went back to normal on their last drive of the first half, and then MJD opened up the 2nd half with a 79 yard TD run. After that, TEN dominated the game and Jacksonville fell way behind, necessitating a pass-heavy offense for most of the 2nd half. Dirk Koetter's job should be on the line with MJD's inconsistent usage this year...he should be following what the Rams are doing with Steven Jackson. Luckily MJD produced an outrageous day on only 8 carries, but feed him the damn ball.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bye week.
Miami Dolphins - There's not too much to say about Miami's offense this week as their defense and special teams accounted for 3 TDs, keeping New York's offense on the field quite a bit. They were mostly ineffective when they were on the field as New York swarmed their rushing attack and kept both RBs in check. Ricky Williams seemingly makes a play in the passing game every week, and it's an annoying drain on Ronnie Brown's value as he was previously one of the best 3rd down RBs in football.
Minnesota Vikings - I'm sick of hearing the name. The QB that plays for the Vikings had a great outing, although he spread the ball around and Sidney Rice wasn't as dominant as he had been. Percy Harvin continues to make plays and could eventually push Bernard Berrian to the bench, although Minnesota probably won't fix what isn't broken. Adrian Peterson cranked out yet another great performance and continues to chug along as the best fantasy RB.
New England Patriots - Bye week.
New Orleans Saints - Monday night game.
New York Giants - Eli Manning is still struggling. Given how great he looked up until the heel injury, we'll chalk up his continued problems to his nagging injury. Even Tom Coughlin stated that he's not pushing off his foot on every pass like he should be. The Giants are in a free-fall and need Eli to get healthy, as do Steve Smith owners. Manningham sat out with a shoulder injury, so Nicks played the majority of the game and did as much as he could with his targets. Jacobs dominated the ground work with Bradshaw taking more of a true backup roll in this one, and that could be a trend that continues moving forward given the uncertain nature of Bradshaw's foot injury.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had his best game in a long time, and there's two reasons for this. First of all, Jericho Cotchery returned, and he deflected attention away from Braylon Edwards, which will benefit both of them going forward. Edwards is still the more attractive fantasy property because he's great around the goal line. Secondly, Miami started both of their rookie CBs, and having them go against 2 talented, veteran WRs was a mismatch. I'd like to see Sanchez do more in a tougher match-up, but Cotchery's return is great news for the entire offense. Thomas Jones also benefited greatly from Leon Washington's absence, racking up a huge day on 27 carries. Shonn Greene is less of a threat for carries as he's more of a backup than a complement to Jones.
Oakland Raiders - I was going to say fantasy wasteland, but Justin Fargas has emerged as a reasonable RB2/3 while Darren McFadden is out. With the current state of this team, McFadden probably won't return until he's 100%, and Michael Bush isn't challenging him for carries. Zach Miller also continues to be a lower TE1 despite the miserable passing attack.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb rebounded from a very poor effort against the Redskins last week and shows why you need to stick with him through his bad games. He torched the Giants before Philly started killing the clock. DeSean Jackson is a walking big play, and Jeremy Maclin got on the board for the first time since his breakout game a couple weeks ago. Brent Celek continues to impress, and he's very much a top 5 TE with Gates, Gonzalez, Clark...and Vernon Davis. Maclin hasn't been putting up numbers, but he's looked pretty good on the field. McCoy made up for a fairly lousy day with a huge 66 yard TD run in the 2nd half, making his fantasy owners happy they started him.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Bye week.
San Diego Chargers - Rivers looked solid again, although LT's resurgence around the goal line in this one took a few TDs away. Vincent Jackson continues his breakthrough as his size and speed combination is just scary. Speaking of LT, he looked more spry in this one despite the weak YPC. He's no longer going to break big plays, but he has enough life left in his legs and a great surrounding offense to close strong. He's not going to be great in yardage, but he should score a good amount as SD clearly still wants to use him in the red zone.
San Francisco 49ers - Alex Smith did an admirable job in such a tough match-up. He only had one turn over and didn't force too many throws despite some heavy pressure. Plus, much to the liking of Vernon Davis owners, he found him again for a score. Michael Crabtree also posted his best yardage of the season and will have the ability to come on down the stretch as a WR3. Thankfully Gore busted off another huge TD run as he did very little on his carries outside of that impressive effort. Still, the new life of the passing game with Smith, Crabtree, and Davis is great news for Gore moving forward.
Seattle Seahawks - Hasselbeck posted a good fantasy day despite heavy pressure, but he's an injury waiting to happen at this point thanks to the state of his offensive line. I would attempt to deal him to a QB-desperate owner after this if you can find someone willing to take him. Outside of Burleson's solid yardage day (he lost a fumble to negate some of that), nobody did much of anything.
St. Louis Rams - The Rams rode the Steven Jackson train to their first win in 17 games, and he was about as excited as anyone after scoring his first TD of the season, a game winning 25 yard run with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. There's nothing much else to say about this team other than how scary it is that Jackson is posting the numbers he is on such an awful team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bye week.
Tennessee Titans - Vince Young looked like an NFL QB again, although he was mostly a game manager thanks to the Chris Johnson show. Young was accurate, although he didn't use his WRs much, and he made a few plays with his legs as well. It's hard to draw anything from this given the good match-up he had, but it's a start. Chris Johnson posted his 2nd insane game of the season, rushing for 220 yards and 2 TDs, both coming from 52 and 89 yards out. Johnson has actually posted 90+ yards in 5/7 games, but all 5 of his TDs have come in the 2 insane games.
Washington Redskins - Bye week.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Week 8 Injury/Depth Chart Report
Arizona Cardinals - Anquan Boldin is slowly getting better, but he's still not 100%. He's still productive when hurt, as evidenced by 70+ yards last week, but it's definitely hurting his explosion. Chris Wells, while not the starter yet, has taken over the lead back in terms of amount of carries.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco battled through a sprained ankle in week 6, but the bye week should have him close to, if not 100%. Ray Rice will dominate this backfield for the rest of the season, and it'd be great to see some goal line carries.
Buffalo Bills - Fitzpatrick will start again, giving hope to Lee Evans owners and making him a WR3. Lynch has taken over the lead back, and Fred Jackson is now only his backup rather than his committee partner.
Carolina Panthers - None.
Cincinnati Bengals - Bye week.
Chicago Bears - None.
Cleveland Browns - Fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Roy Williams continues to be limited by his rib injury, not that he was very effective before that. I wouldn't use him, even with bye weeks. Despite Tashard Choice's great play and all-around game, Felix Jones went right back to being Barber's committee partner. Jones is an injury waiting to happen, so I wouldn't drop Tashard Choice if you don't have to.
Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton and company return from their bye week, and I think you know what to expect. Brandon Marshall will dominate targets, Eddie Royal will be insanely inconsistent, and Moreno/Buckhalter will split backfield duties, with Moreno getting the inside and goal line carries.
Detroit Lions - Stafford despite being limited, took all of the #1 snaps in practice this week, giving a strong indication that he'll return. Despite some bright spots in his play prior to his injury, he'll likely be without Calvin Johnson. Johnson did some practicing with his hip injury, but it's doubtful that he'll play this week.
Green Bay Packers - Grudge match #2 against the Minnesota Favres, although I expect GB to be really pumped for this one with the crowd. Expect a big game from Rodgers, although the protection of his offensive line will get their biggest test against Jared Allen and company.
Houston Texans - Andre Johnson suffered a scary rib injury in week 7, but he's expected to be fine for week 8. If he can put in a full practice by Friday, he'll likely avoid a game time decision status.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez still isn't ready, so Collie and Garcon will continue to start, although Collie has passed him for targets and now has the better chance to start when Gonzalez returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville returns from their bye week healthy at all positions.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bye week.
Miami Dolphins - Ted Ginn has essentially lost his starting role. He might continue to start, although that's far from certain, and he's going to lose snaps to Brian Hartline. There's going to be some rotation between Ginn, Harline, Camraillo, and Bess, making them all worthless on this run-heavy offense.
Minnesota Vikings - Bernard Berrian is going against the odds and putting some practice in, so there's a chance he might play. There's no reason for you to start Berrian if he's not 100%, though. Sidney Rice is the go-to receiver of this offense anyways, and Percy Harvin can be used as a WR3 if Berrian sits out.
New England Patriots - Bye week.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell continue their carry split, with Bell getting the carries down the stretch of games.
New York Giants - Eli Manning appears to be struggling a bit with his heel injury as he has not looked sharp the last two weeks despite playing the entire game. He's a risky QB1 until he looks comfortable moving around again. Bradshaw went to see a specialist about his ankle, so we'll keep an eye on his practice schedule. Nicks and Manningham will continue to split snaps across Steve Smith, although both are on the field in 3 WR sets.
New York Jets - Jerricho Cotchery is expected to return, which is good news for everyone involved on this offense. Defenses have doubled Braylon relentlessly, and his best game as a Jet so far came with Cotchery detracting attention away from him. With Leon Washington done for the year, Thomas Jones is a safer RB2 play, and Shonn Greene will get most of the other carries. Expect new 3rd RB Danny Woodhead to get some 3rd down work as well.
Oakland Raiders - Justin Fargas can be used as a desperate RB2 this week as Robert Gallery's return will help open more holes for him. Michael Bush has faded behind him.
Philadelphia Eagles - Brian Westbrook will miss at least one week. No matter what Philly says, don't believe them as they have an important game with the Giants this weekend. Westbrook won't play, and McCoy will start and be a decent RB2 in a tough match up.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Bye week.
San Diego Chargers - None.
San Francisco 49ers - Alex Smith is the new starting QB, so hopefully the combination of his ascension and Michael Crabtree's appearance will give this passing game some life over the rest of the season for the sake of Frank Gore.
Seattle Seahawks - Seattle returns from it's bye week mostly healthy. Hasselbeck is a decent QB2, while Housh and Burleson are decent WR3s. I would try my best to deal Burleson if anyone believe he'll keep this up. The running game is worthless for fantasy purposes.
St. Louis Rams - None.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bye week.
Tennessee Titans - Vince Young will be the starting QB this week, and given the enticing match up against the decimated Jacksonville secondary, whoever has some big balls could try starting him if they are that desperate for a starter. It's hard to recommend any of the WRs with Young behind center despite the great match up, but I'd favor Washington the most if I had to pick.
Washington Redskins - Bye week.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco battled through a sprained ankle in week 6, but the bye week should have him close to, if not 100%. Ray Rice will dominate this backfield for the rest of the season, and it'd be great to see some goal line carries.
Buffalo Bills - Fitzpatrick will start again, giving hope to Lee Evans owners and making him a WR3. Lynch has taken over the lead back, and Fred Jackson is now only his backup rather than his committee partner.
Carolina Panthers - None.
Cincinnati Bengals - Bye week.
Chicago Bears - None.
Cleveland Browns - Fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Roy Williams continues to be limited by his rib injury, not that he was very effective before that. I wouldn't use him, even with bye weeks. Despite Tashard Choice's great play and all-around game, Felix Jones went right back to being Barber's committee partner. Jones is an injury waiting to happen, so I wouldn't drop Tashard Choice if you don't have to.
Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton and company return from their bye week, and I think you know what to expect. Brandon Marshall will dominate targets, Eddie Royal will be insanely inconsistent, and Moreno/Buckhalter will split backfield duties, with Moreno getting the inside and goal line carries.
Detroit Lions - Stafford despite being limited, took all of the #1 snaps in practice this week, giving a strong indication that he'll return. Despite some bright spots in his play prior to his injury, he'll likely be without Calvin Johnson. Johnson did some practicing with his hip injury, but it's doubtful that he'll play this week.
Green Bay Packers - Grudge match #2 against the Minnesota Favres, although I expect GB to be really pumped for this one with the crowd. Expect a big game from Rodgers, although the protection of his offensive line will get their biggest test against Jared Allen and company.
Houston Texans - Andre Johnson suffered a scary rib injury in week 7, but he's expected to be fine for week 8. If he can put in a full practice by Friday, he'll likely avoid a game time decision status.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez still isn't ready, so Collie and Garcon will continue to start, although Collie has passed him for targets and now has the better chance to start when Gonzalez returns.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville returns from their bye week healthy at all positions.
Kansas City Chiefs - Bye week.
Miami Dolphins - Ted Ginn has essentially lost his starting role. He might continue to start, although that's far from certain, and he's going to lose snaps to Brian Hartline. There's going to be some rotation between Ginn, Harline, Camraillo, and Bess, making them all worthless on this run-heavy offense.
Minnesota Vikings - Bernard Berrian is going against the odds and putting some practice in, so there's a chance he might play. There's no reason for you to start Berrian if he's not 100%, though. Sidney Rice is the go-to receiver of this offense anyways, and Percy Harvin can be used as a WR3 if Berrian sits out.
New England Patriots - Bye week.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell continue their carry split, with Bell getting the carries down the stretch of games.
New York Giants - Eli Manning appears to be struggling a bit with his heel injury as he has not looked sharp the last two weeks despite playing the entire game. He's a risky QB1 until he looks comfortable moving around again. Bradshaw went to see a specialist about his ankle, so we'll keep an eye on his practice schedule. Nicks and Manningham will continue to split snaps across Steve Smith, although both are on the field in 3 WR sets.
New York Jets - Jerricho Cotchery is expected to return, which is good news for everyone involved on this offense. Defenses have doubled Braylon relentlessly, and his best game as a Jet so far came with Cotchery detracting attention away from him. With Leon Washington done for the year, Thomas Jones is a safer RB2 play, and Shonn Greene will get most of the other carries. Expect new 3rd RB Danny Woodhead to get some 3rd down work as well.
Oakland Raiders - Justin Fargas can be used as a desperate RB2 this week as Robert Gallery's return will help open more holes for him. Michael Bush has faded behind him.
Philadelphia Eagles - Brian Westbrook will miss at least one week. No matter what Philly says, don't believe them as they have an important game with the Giants this weekend. Westbrook won't play, and McCoy will start and be a decent RB2 in a tough match up.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Bye week.
San Diego Chargers - None.
San Francisco 49ers - Alex Smith is the new starting QB, so hopefully the combination of his ascension and Michael Crabtree's appearance will give this passing game some life over the rest of the season for the sake of Frank Gore.
Seattle Seahawks - Seattle returns from it's bye week mostly healthy. Hasselbeck is a decent QB2, while Housh and Burleson are decent WR3s. I would try my best to deal Burleson if anyone believe he'll keep this up. The running game is worthless for fantasy purposes.
St. Louis Rams - None.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bye week.
Tennessee Titans - Vince Young will be the starting QB this week, and given the enticing match up against the decimated Jacksonville secondary, whoever has some big balls could try starting him if they are that desperate for a starter. It's hard to recommend any of the WRs with Young behind center despite the great match up, but I'd favor Washington the most if I had to pick.
Washington Redskins - Bye week.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Week 8 Waiver Wire
QB:
Alex Smith - Smith took over for Shaun Hill in week 8, posting 206 yards and 3 TDs in the 2nd half. That is obviously out of character for a team that employs a run-first offense, but Smith is definitely the most physically talented QB on the 49ers roster. With Michael Crabtree in the fold along with youngster Josh Morgan and TE Vernon Davis, he has some talented pass catchers to get the ball to. I think Smith will be a reasonable QB2 over the rest of the season, provided he stays healthy for once.
RB:
Jamaal Charles - With LJ The Retard blasting his head coach, KC fans, and probably you as well, he's yapped his mouth right out of the starting lineup. Jamaal Charles is hardly a 20 carry-a-game RB, but he's very explosive and catches the ball well. He's a good fit with the current state of the KC offense, and he should be targeted with your waiver pick. He's not an immediate RB2, but I think he should have RB3 value as KC returns from it's bye in week 9.
Shonn Greene - Leon Washington is out for the season with a broken leg, so Greene will step in as Thomas Jones' primary backup. He won't fill the exact role that Washington had because he's not the accomplished pass catcher that Washington is, but he will be #2 for carries and probably get at least 33% of them.
Jason Snelling - He looked good on limited carries in week 7. If Michael Turner were to go down, Snelling would likely step in as the primary ball carrier. That being said, he's a great stash for Turner owners who have a bench spot that can be used on his true backup.
WR:
Malcolm Floyd - This is a speculation pick, but as I've been saying for several weeks, SD really needs to get Chris Chambers out of the starting lineup. Floyd would replace him, and I think he could put together some productive weeks. He's worth stashing.
TE:
Fred Davis - Chris Cooley is done for the year with a broken ankle, so Fred Davis will step in and assume the pass catching TE role for the Redskins. He's limited as a blocker so exactly how much he'll be out there is unknown, but he's definitely a threat and should post some decent games. He's a TE2.
Alex Smith - Smith took over for Shaun Hill in week 8, posting 206 yards and 3 TDs in the 2nd half. That is obviously out of character for a team that employs a run-first offense, but Smith is definitely the most physically talented QB on the 49ers roster. With Michael Crabtree in the fold along with youngster Josh Morgan and TE Vernon Davis, he has some talented pass catchers to get the ball to. I think Smith will be a reasonable QB2 over the rest of the season, provided he stays healthy for once.
RB:
Jamaal Charles - With LJ The Retard blasting his head coach, KC fans, and probably you as well, he's yapped his mouth right out of the starting lineup. Jamaal Charles is hardly a 20 carry-a-game RB, but he's very explosive and catches the ball well. He's a good fit with the current state of the KC offense, and he should be targeted with your waiver pick. He's not an immediate RB2, but I think he should have RB3 value as KC returns from it's bye in week 9.
Shonn Greene - Leon Washington is out for the season with a broken leg, so Greene will step in as Thomas Jones' primary backup. He won't fill the exact role that Washington had because he's not the accomplished pass catcher that Washington is, but he will be #2 for carries and probably get at least 33% of them.
Jason Snelling - He looked good on limited carries in week 7. If Michael Turner were to go down, Snelling would likely step in as the primary ball carrier. That being said, he's a great stash for Turner owners who have a bench spot that can be used on his true backup.
WR:
Malcolm Floyd - This is a speculation pick, but as I've been saying for several weeks, SD really needs to get Chris Chambers out of the starting lineup. Floyd would replace him, and I think he could put together some productive weeks. He's worth stashing.
TE:
Fred Davis - Chris Cooley is done for the year with a broken ankle, so Fred Davis will step in and assume the pass catching TE role for the Redskins. He's limited as a blocker so exactly how much he'll be out there is unknown, but he's definitely a threat and should post some decent games. He's a TE2.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Week 7 Thoughts
Arizona Cardinals - At this point, you know what you're getting with the Cardinals. Warner just doesn't go deep much anymore, but he's still effective. Fitzgerald is limited to a possession receiver, but luckily the large amount of red zone looks help keep his value up as a WR1. Beanie Wells is starting to come on, and he's slowly passing Tim Hightower as the lead back. Hightower remains the starter, but he's showing the same problems as last year, while Wells looks decisive, explosive, and finishes his runs. He put another ball on the ground, but there's no question he's a better runner.
Atlanta Falcons - Just a bad game. They fell flat on their face. I wouldn't worry too much about the passing game in this one, but Michael Turner again looks slow. Luckily he keeps scoring thanks to his offense.
Baltimore Ravens - Bye week.
Buffalo Bills - Well, at least Fitzpatrick is using Lee Evans more than Trent Edwards did. Evans has emerged as a WR3 option with Fitzpatrick behind center. Lynch was stuffed quite a bit, but he did manage to score and post a decent fantasy day.
Carolina Panthers - Steve Smith was targeted more, and he posted a good yardage day, falling 1 short of 100 on the day. Williams also looked good again, and it's amazing that Carolina didn't pound the ball more. Delhomme is about done, and Carolina has to be thinking about using either AJ Feeley at this point.
Cincinnati Bengals - There's the Palmer we've been waiting for. He executed a perfect game plan against the Bears Cover 2, finding all the soft spots and repeatedly hitting Chad Johnson for big gains. They were constantly in the red zone, and Palmer tossed 5 TDs to various receivers. He was perfect, so hopefully this jump starts him into a big second half. Benson torched the Bears D as well, and unfortunately for his owners, it was mostly the Carson Palmer show near the end zone as Benson only scored once despite ripping off long gains at will.
Chicago Bears - The Bears seem to be quite bi-polar this year. Thanks to their defense, they were down big before they could find a rhythm on offense, and the ended up passing the ball almost all game. Forte again had no holes to run through, and Cutler made some poor throws trying to force things to happen. You gotta take the good with the bad with Cutler, and Forte has dropped all the way to a RB2 at this point.
Cleveland Browns - I'm not going to waste any words beyond these to describe this fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Holy Miles Austin. Romo has a new toy, and he's back rolling again. Austin, playing the role of Terrell Owens, is lighting up secondaries with his blend of size and speed. He runs well, jumps high, and is great after the catch. Expect him to open up this entire offense moving forward. The rushing attack took a backseat in this one, but this is good news for everyone involved in this offense.
Denver Broncos - Bye week.
Detroit Lions - Bye week.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers continues to spread the ball around to all of his receivers, and Donald Driver is the one making big plays. This has become a serious problem for Greg Jennings as teams are keeping him from getting deep while letting other players beat them. Expect this to change as the season moves along, but after nominating Greg Jennings as my top buy-low guy, this is disappointing to say the least. Ryan Grant, the winter wonder man, turned in his best game of the season. The dude digs running in cold weather for some reason.
Houston Texans - Schaub continues to roll along, and it looks like they survived a scare with AJ's chest as it doesn't appear to be a serious injury. Owen Daniels is fantasy's top TE, and it doesn't appear like he'll slow down any time soon. Slaton continues to be more productive in the passing game than the running game, and it was also encouraging that he scored from 1 yard out in the 1st half. He fumbled again, but as long as he's productive, the coaching staff will apparently put up with it.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning had his 300 yard game streak snapped, but it's not like they needed it against the lowly Rams. It appears as though Collie has passed Garcon in terms of targets, and he's the more desirable receiver to start.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Bye week.
Kansas City Chiefs - Right after singing Cassel's praises last week, he shits the bed this week. He had been good at avoiding turnovers, but then he threw up the worst game of his season, including 3 interceptions. This isn't surprising considering he lost his best offensive lineman on a poor offensive line. As long as LT Brandon Albert is out hurt, he's going to be in trouble. Dwayne Bowe continues to save his fantasy value by scoring. Larry Johnson probably tweeted himself out of a job (he blasted just about everyone in another retarded rant), which isn't a bad thing considering that he's worthless as a RB right now. Haley has been far too patient with the washed up windbag.
Miami Dolphins - Epic fail. After going up 24-3 on the undefeated Saints, they allowed a TD sneak at the end of the 1st half, and it was all downhill from there. This team has trouble passing the ball because no receiver can consistently make a play. Ginn and Fasano, arguably the two most talented pass catchers on the team, both had bad drops that killed offensive drives. Much to the dismay of Ronnie Brown owners, Ricky Williams had two 4 yard TD runs, at least one of which he took a direct snap out of the Wildcat. Ugh.
Minnesota Vikings - The Steelers defense finally put an end to Favre-mania, much to the delight of almost every non-Vikings fan out there. Favre had a bad fumble that was returned for a defensive TD, and Chester Taylor also had a bad dropped pass that was also returned for a defensive TD. Both of those prevented probably scores, but the Vikings moved the ball fairly well against a tough defense. Sidney Rice is turning into a stud.
New England Patriots - Business as usual for the Patriots, although more was expected of Moss in this one. Maroney, ever the fantasy tease, saved his fantasy day with a late TD. He certainly didn't take the job and run with it like Mendenhall did a few weeks ago.
New Orleans Saints - Brees had a pretty bad day in this one, taking 5 sacks and tossing 3 INTs, but he righted the ship in the 2nd half and led a ridiculous comeback. Colston and Shockey both had big days, although all of Shockey's damage came in the 2nd half. The Phins successfully stuffed Pierre Thomas, but then Mike Bell ripped them up down the stretch.
New York Giants - The Giants suddenly look vulnerable after being destroyed by the Saints, and then being dink and dunked to death by the new look Cardinals. Eli mostly looked solid, but Manningham dropped some big plays, including a sure TD. Steve Smith did his damage down the stretch, and Eli has to get him more involved early on after these last two games. Jacobs looked much better, and it's surprising the Giants didn't try to run him more as he was as effective as he's been all year. This is good news heading forward for Jacobs' owners.
New York Jets - Sanchez went back to managing the game in this one as the rushing attack dominated the putrid Oakland Raiders. It's a shame for everyone, including myself, that started Leon Washington this week as a bye week fill-in as he would have posted his best game of the season. Instead, on his 2nd touch of the game, he suffered a compound leg fracture and is done for the season. Shonn Greene ripped it up in his absence, and he'll take on the lesser committee role with Thomas Jones moving forward. Braylon Edwards in NY looks like Braylon Edwards in CLE. Hopefully Cotchery can return soon.
Oakland Raiders - No.
Philadelphia Eagles - Monday night game.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben posted his worst game of the season, as did Hines Ward, in what looked like a great match up on paper against the Winfield-less Vikings' secondary. Mendenhall struggled a bit against the Williams wall, but don't put too much stock in it. It was simply an off-game for the entire offense, but they still managed a win.
San Diego Chargers - Rivers loves him some Vincent Jackson. Jackson obliterated the KC secondary in the first half, and then took the 2nd half off as the Chargers went into kill-the-clock mode almost from the first minute. LT looked spry on his first several carries, but repeated attempts to get him a TD resulted in a lot of stuffed runs. It's hard to tell if it's the offensive line or LT's inability to finish runs anymore, but he doesn't have that goal line magic anymore. He was stuffed on a LOT of carries inside the 5, so this could affect play calling down there moving forward.
San Francisco 49ers - Shaun Hill finally played himself out of the game, and Alex Smith gave the offense a much needed spark in the 2nd half. I wouldn't get too excited about this, but Crabtree (who made some plays), Morgan, and Vernon Davis could give Smith enough weapons to close the season strong. At the very least, it should help open things up for Frank Gore if Smith can continue to throw the ball well. This warrants monitoring.
Seattle Seahawks - Bye week.
St. Louis Rams - Steven Jackson continues to give it his all, but the passing game and the defense are pretty much non-existent. Donnie Avery did look mostly healthy, but had a touch match up against the stingy Colts pass D, although he did burn them long once. A match up against Detroit looms...good news for Jackson and Avery.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson has also played himself out of a job, with rookie Josh Freeman set to take over. Bryant finally looked healthy, catching his first bomb of the season, but the QB play will harm him over the rest of the season. He could be a WR3 in the right match up. Caddy and Derrick Ward are back to splitting time, but neither are worth using.
Tennessee Titans - Bye week.
Washington Redskins - Monday night game.
Atlanta Falcons - Just a bad game. They fell flat on their face. I wouldn't worry too much about the passing game in this one, but Michael Turner again looks slow. Luckily he keeps scoring thanks to his offense.
Baltimore Ravens - Bye week.
Buffalo Bills - Well, at least Fitzpatrick is using Lee Evans more than Trent Edwards did. Evans has emerged as a WR3 option with Fitzpatrick behind center. Lynch was stuffed quite a bit, but he did manage to score and post a decent fantasy day.
Carolina Panthers - Steve Smith was targeted more, and he posted a good yardage day, falling 1 short of 100 on the day. Williams also looked good again, and it's amazing that Carolina didn't pound the ball more. Delhomme is about done, and Carolina has to be thinking about using either AJ Feeley at this point.
Cincinnati Bengals - There's the Palmer we've been waiting for. He executed a perfect game plan against the Bears Cover 2, finding all the soft spots and repeatedly hitting Chad Johnson for big gains. They were constantly in the red zone, and Palmer tossed 5 TDs to various receivers. He was perfect, so hopefully this jump starts him into a big second half. Benson torched the Bears D as well, and unfortunately for his owners, it was mostly the Carson Palmer show near the end zone as Benson only scored once despite ripping off long gains at will.
Chicago Bears - The Bears seem to be quite bi-polar this year. Thanks to their defense, they were down big before they could find a rhythm on offense, and the ended up passing the ball almost all game. Forte again had no holes to run through, and Cutler made some poor throws trying to force things to happen. You gotta take the good with the bad with Cutler, and Forte has dropped all the way to a RB2 at this point.
Cleveland Browns - I'm not going to waste any words beyond these to describe this fantasy wasteland.
Dallas Cowboys - Holy Miles Austin. Romo has a new toy, and he's back rolling again. Austin, playing the role of Terrell Owens, is lighting up secondaries with his blend of size and speed. He runs well, jumps high, and is great after the catch. Expect him to open up this entire offense moving forward. The rushing attack took a backseat in this one, but this is good news for everyone involved in this offense.
Denver Broncos - Bye week.
Detroit Lions - Bye week.
Green Bay Packers - Rodgers continues to spread the ball around to all of his receivers, and Donald Driver is the one making big plays. This has become a serious problem for Greg Jennings as teams are keeping him from getting deep while letting other players beat them. Expect this to change as the season moves along, but after nominating Greg Jennings as my top buy-low guy, this is disappointing to say the least. Ryan Grant, the winter wonder man, turned in his best game of the season. The dude digs running in cold weather for some reason.
Houston Texans - Schaub continues to roll along, and it looks like they survived a scare with AJ's chest as it doesn't appear to be a serious injury. Owen Daniels is fantasy's top TE, and it doesn't appear like he'll slow down any time soon. Slaton continues to be more productive in the passing game than the running game, and it was also encouraging that he scored from 1 yard out in the 1st half. He fumbled again, but as long as he's productive, the coaching staff will apparently put up with it.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning had his 300 yard game streak snapped, but it's not like they needed it against the lowly Rams. It appears as though Collie has passed Garcon in terms of targets, and he's the more desirable receiver to start.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Bye week.
Kansas City Chiefs - Right after singing Cassel's praises last week, he shits the bed this week. He had been good at avoiding turnovers, but then he threw up the worst game of his season, including 3 interceptions. This isn't surprising considering he lost his best offensive lineman on a poor offensive line. As long as LT Brandon Albert is out hurt, he's going to be in trouble. Dwayne Bowe continues to save his fantasy value by scoring. Larry Johnson probably tweeted himself out of a job (he blasted just about everyone in another retarded rant), which isn't a bad thing considering that he's worthless as a RB right now. Haley has been far too patient with the washed up windbag.
Miami Dolphins - Epic fail. After going up 24-3 on the undefeated Saints, they allowed a TD sneak at the end of the 1st half, and it was all downhill from there. This team has trouble passing the ball because no receiver can consistently make a play. Ginn and Fasano, arguably the two most talented pass catchers on the team, both had bad drops that killed offensive drives. Much to the dismay of Ronnie Brown owners, Ricky Williams had two 4 yard TD runs, at least one of which he took a direct snap out of the Wildcat. Ugh.
Minnesota Vikings - The Steelers defense finally put an end to Favre-mania, much to the delight of almost every non-Vikings fan out there. Favre had a bad fumble that was returned for a defensive TD, and Chester Taylor also had a bad dropped pass that was also returned for a defensive TD. Both of those prevented probably scores, but the Vikings moved the ball fairly well against a tough defense. Sidney Rice is turning into a stud.
New England Patriots - Business as usual for the Patriots, although more was expected of Moss in this one. Maroney, ever the fantasy tease, saved his fantasy day with a late TD. He certainly didn't take the job and run with it like Mendenhall did a few weeks ago.
New Orleans Saints - Brees had a pretty bad day in this one, taking 5 sacks and tossing 3 INTs, but he righted the ship in the 2nd half and led a ridiculous comeback. Colston and Shockey both had big days, although all of Shockey's damage came in the 2nd half. The Phins successfully stuffed Pierre Thomas, but then Mike Bell ripped them up down the stretch.
New York Giants - The Giants suddenly look vulnerable after being destroyed by the Saints, and then being dink and dunked to death by the new look Cardinals. Eli mostly looked solid, but Manningham dropped some big plays, including a sure TD. Steve Smith did his damage down the stretch, and Eli has to get him more involved early on after these last two games. Jacobs looked much better, and it's surprising the Giants didn't try to run him more as he was as effective as he's been all year. This is good news heading forward for Jacobs' owners.
New York Jets - Sanchez went back to managing the game in this one as the rushing attack dominated the putrid Oakland Raiders. It's a shame for everyone, including myself, that started Leon Washington this week as a bye week fill-in as he would have posted his best game of the season. Instead, on his 2nd touch of the game, he suffered a compound leg fracture and is done for the season. Shonn Greene ripped it up in his absence, and he'll take on the lesser committee role with Thomas Jones moving forward. Braylon Edwards in NY looks like Braylon Edwards in CLE. Hopefully Cotchery can return soon.
Oakland Raiders - No.
Philadelphia Eagles - Monday night game.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben posted his worst game of the season, as did Hines Ward, in what looked like a great match up on paper against the Winfield-less Vikings' secondary. Mendenhall struggled a bit against the Williams wall, but don't put too much stock in it. It was simply an off-game for the entire offense, but they still managed a win.
San Diego Chargers - Rivers loves him some Vincent Jackson. Jackson obliterated the KC secondary in the first half, and then took the 2nd half off as the Chargers went into kill-the-clock mode almost from the first minute. LT looked spry on his first several carries, but repeated attempts to get him a TD resulted in a lot of stuffed runs. It's hard to tell if it's the offensive line or LT's inability to finish runs anymore, but he doesn't have that goal line magic anymore. He was stuffed on a LOT of carries inside the 5, so this could affect play calling down there moving forward.
San Francisco 49ers - Shaun Hill finally played himself out of the game, and Alex Smith gave the offense a much needed spark in the 2nd half. I wouldn't get too excited about this, but Crabtree (who made some plays), Morgan, and Vernon Davis could give Smith enough weapons to close the season strong. At the very least, it should help open things up for Frank Gore if Smith can continue to throw the ball well. This warrants monitoring.
Seattle Seahawks - Bye week.
St. Louis Rams - Steven Jackson continues to give it his all, but the passing game and the defense are pretty much non-existent. Donnie Avery did look mostly healthy, but had a touch match up against the stingy Colts pass D, although he did burn them long once. A match up against Detroit looms...good news for Jackson and Avery.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson has also played himself out of a job, with rookie Josh Freeman set to take over. Bryant finally looked healthy, catching his first bomb of the season, but the QB play will harm him over the rest of the season. He could be a WR3 in the right match up. Caddy and Derrick Ward are back to splitting time, but neither are worth using.
Tennessee Titans - Bye week.
Washington Redskins - Monday night game.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Week 7 Injury/Depth Chart Report
Arizona Cardinals - Anquan Boldin has missed some practices, and he's questionable to play this weekend. It has already been reported that he'll probably be a game time decision, so make sure to check on game day as to whether or not he's active.
Atlanta Falcons - Jerious Norwood is likely out for a while, so Jason Snelling will take his role on passing downs. Turner even caught a couple passes last week, so perhaps he'll see a couple more looks as well.
Baltimore Ravens - Bye week.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards is out at least one week, so Ryan Fitzpatrick will replace him as the starter. As we saw with Cincy last year, it's not a good thing for the fantasy value of the wideouts. Evans had a great game last week, but keep in mind he was facing a hobbled Lito Sheppard. Fred Jackson was moved onto returns, so this is an indication that Marshawn Lynch is back as the lead RB.
Carolina Panthers - Steve Smith bitched about not getting the ball, which was poor timing on his part since his team had just picked up a win. Regardless, expect him to respond with a good game this week.
Cincinnati Bengals - Benson gets a revenge game against the Bears, so this should be interesting. Perhaps the Bears D will focus on him and allow Palmer to have his overdue breakout game.
Chicago Bears - None.
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson will continue to start for reasons unknown to any logical football fan.
Dallas Cowboys - Miles Austin has officially won the starting job opposite Roy Williams, so this is good news for Tony Romo and the entire offense. Marion Barber claims he's alright, but his performance so far has indicated otherwise. Expect Barber and Choice to continue sharing snaps moving forward. Felix Jones is supposed to return, but don't expect him to play a major role.
Denver Broncos - Bye week.
Detroit Lions - Bye week.
Green Bay Packers - The offensive line continues to be a problem, and thanks to Clifton's re-injury and Tauscher's lack of readiness, no immediate help is on the way. Luckily they play Cleveland this week.
Houston Texans - It's worth repeating that Owen Daniels has passed Kevin Walter as the secondary option of this passing game. Walter is not a WR3, although he will have some good weeks mixed in.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez, in a disappointing bit of news, is still not ready to return. Given how the Colts have handled news regarding knee injuries in the past, this isn't surprising in hindsight. Continue to stash Gonzalez, however. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie will continue to play plenty, and both are WR3 options for bye weeks.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Bye week.
Kansas City Chiefs - None.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - Adrian Peterson nicked his ankle last week, but it is not a concern. Sidney Rice has emerged as a fantasy force.
New England Patriots - With Sammy Morris likely out this week, Laurence Maroney returns as the featured runner, and he's a RB2 option this week in a great match up. Understand that there's some downside to using him given the nature of this team, especially if he struggles early on, but the upside for this game is great.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas is still the featured RB early on, but Mike Bell is the goal line RB, and he's also considered the closer when the Saints are winding out the clock. Thomas is a risky RB2 play, but he can be used as a bye week replacement.
New York Giants - Mario Manningham continues to hold off Hakeem Nicks for now, with Manningham remaining the starter, but both are splitting snaps. Nicks has looked excellent when on the field. Both are very risky WR3s thanks to the fact they don't play all game.
New York Jets - Jerricho Cotchery is still struggling with his hamstring injury, and while there's a chance he plays this week, I would not advise using him until he shows that he's close to 100%. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are a good RB2s this week against the Raiders run defense, especially since I think you'll see New York pass less with Sanchez's recent struggles.
Oakland Raiders - Justin Fargas seems to have passed Michael Bush as the starter, but using either against the Jets is a poor idea.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kevin Curtis is out indefinitely, so Jeremy Maclin will start the rest of the season. He's a WR3.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mendenhall was announced as the starter, and Parker is still battling the effects of his turf toe. Mendenhall is a borderline RB1 moving forward.
San Diego Chargers - None.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore has returned to a full practice and will resume his RB1 status. Michael Crabtree will play plenty, but there are conflicting reports on whether or not he's starting, and there's a chance he'll split snaps with Josh Morgan. The 49ers would be best served by starting both Crabtree and Morgan, but they don't appear to be interested in doing that.
Seattle Seahawks - Bye week.
St. Louis Rams - Donnie Avery is battling a hip injury that knocked him out of week 6, and he's questionable this week. I wouldn't use him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Cadillac is the featured Bucs runner, leaving high priced free agent acquisition Derrick Ward to clean up the scraps. Earnest Graham was officially moved back to fullback with the season-ending injury to B.J. Askew, so he can safely be dropped in all leagues.
Tennessee Titans - Bye week.
Washington Redskins - Campbell will start again this week, but he's clearly on a short leash. He is in no way a fantasy option.
Atlanta Falcons - Jerious Norwood is likely out for a while, so Jason Snelling will take his role on passing downs. Turner even caught a couple passes last week, so perhaps he'll see a couple more looks as well.
Baltimore Ravens - Bye week.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards is out at least one week, so Ryan Fitzpatrick will replace him as the starter. As we saw with Cincy last year, it's not a good thing for the fantasy value of the wideouts. Evans had a great game last week, but keep in mind he was facing a hobbled Lito Sheppard. Fred Jackson was moved onto returns, so this is an indication that Marshawn Lynch is back as the lead RB.
Carolina Panthers - Steve Smith bitched about not getting the ball, which was poor timing on his part since his team had just picked up a win. Regardless, expect him to respond with a good game this week.
Cincinnati Bengals - Benson gets a revenge game against the Bears, so this should be interesting. Perhaps the Bears D will focus on him and allow Palmer to have his overdue breakout game.
Chicago Bears - None.
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson will continue to start for reasons unknown to any logical football fan.
Dallas Cowboys - Miles Austin has officially won the starting job opposite Roy Williams, so this is good news for Tony Romo and the entire offense. Marion Barber claims he's alright, but his performance so far has indicated otherwise. Expect Barber and Choice to continue sharing snaps moving forward. Felix Jones is supposed to return, but don't expect him to play a major role.
Denver Broncos - Bye week.
Detroit Lions - Bye week.
Green Bay Packers - The offensive line continues to be a problem, and thanks to Clifton's re-injury and Tauscher's lack of readiness, no immediate help is on the way. Luckily they play Cleveland this week.
Houston Texans - It's worth repeating that Owen Daniels has passed Kevin Walter as the secondary option of this passing game. Walter is not a WR3, although he will have some good weeks mixed in.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Gonzalez, in a disappointing bit of news, is still not ready to return. Given how the Colts have handled news regarding knee injuries in the past, this isn't surprising in hindsight. Continue to stash Gonzalez, however. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie will continue to play plenty, and both are WR3 options for bye weeks.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Bye week.
Kansas City Chiefs - None.
Miami Dolphins - None.
Minnesota Vikings - Adrian Peterson nicked his ankle last week, but it is not a concern. Sidney Rice has emerged as a fantasy force.
New England Patriots - With Sammy Morris likely out this week, Laurence Maroney returns as the featured runner, and he's a RB2 option this week in a great match up. Understand that there's some downside to using him given the nature of this team, especially if he struggles early on, but the upside for this game is great.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas is still the featured RB early on, but Mike Bell is the goal line RB, and he's also considered the closer when the Saints are winding out the clock. Thomas is a risky RB2 play, but he can be used as a bye week replacement.
New York Giants - Mario Manningham continues to hold off Hakeem Nicks for now, with Manningham remaining the starter, but both are splitting snaps. Nicks has looked excellent when on the field. Both are very risky WR3s thanks to the fact they don't play all game.
New York Jets - Jerricho Cotchery is still struggling with his hamstring injury, and while there's a chance he plays this week, I would not advise using him until he shows that he's close to 100%. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are a good RB2s this week against the Raiders run defense, especially since I think you'll see New York pass less with Sanchez's recent struggles.
Oakland Raiders - Justin Fargas seems to have passed Michael Bush as the starter, but using either against the Jets is a poor idea.
Philadelphia Eagles - Kevin Curtis is out indefinitely, so Jeremy Maclin will start the rest of the season. He's a WR3.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mendenhall was announced as the starter, and Parker is still battling the effects of his turf toe. Mendenhall is a borderline RB1 moving forward.
San Diego Chargers - None.
San Francisco 49ers - Gore has returned to a full practice and will resume his RB1 status. Michael Crabtree will play plenty, but there are conflicting reports on whether or not he's starting, and there's a chance he'll split snaps with Josh Morgan. The 49ers would be best served by starting both Crabtree and Morgan, but they don't appear to be interested in doing that.
Seattle Seahawks - Bye week.
St. Louis Rams - Donnie Avery is battling a hip injury that knocked him out of week 6, and he's questionable this week. I wouldn't use him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Cadillac is the featured Bucs runner, leaving high priced free agent acquisition Derrick Ward to clean up the scraps. Earnest Graham was officially moved back to fullback with the season-ending injury to B.J. Askew, so he can safely be dropped in all leagues.
Tennessee Titans - Bye week.
Washington Redskins - Campbell will start again this week, but he's clearly on a short leash. He is in no way a fantasy option.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Week 7 Waiver Wire
QB:
Vince Young - You can officially stash Vince Young. The Titans go on bye in week 7, but there's little question that Kerry Collins is just about done as the starter. The Titans have nothing to lose anymore, and they need to see what they have in Young to determine if they'll need to take a QB next year. Young still has physical talent, and he's worth stashing to see how he does. He'll have solid weapons around him.
RB:
Laurence Maroney - You probably shouldn't have dropped him off the end of your roster unless you really needed the spot, but now is the time for Maroney. With Fred Taylor out indefinitely and Sammy Morris now out as well, Maroney is the lone dog for early down carries with Faulk replacing him on passing downs. He tore up what was previously a stingy Titans run defense, so he has some upside moving forward. If you need RB help, use your waiver spot on him.
Justin Fargas - I hesitantly write this, but he's seemingly passed Michael Bush as the starter. He'll get a good number of carries, though, so he's worth owning. He'd only be usable in the right match up for desperate owners.
WR:
Michael Crabtree - Not only has he signed, but he's already passed Josh Morgan on the depth chart, and he'll start in week 7. Add him immediately...he's worth the #1 waiver priority on a team that badly needs someone to step up at WR.
Hakeem Nicks - Nicks is officially breaking out, although he did his serious damage in garbage time, connecting with David Carr on a 37 yard TD. He can't be relied upon immediately as Manningham is still starting and sharing snaps with him, but Nicks could pass him soon enough as Manningham keeps getting banged up. Stash him.
Lance Moore - Moore finally showed signs of life, posting his best game of the season in week 6. He's worth adding to see if he can replicate his great stretch run last season.
TE:
Zach Miller - He's back! Miller has posted back to back solid games, and has re-emerged as a viable TE1 possiblity despite Jamarcus Russell. We're all aware of the downside, but he's playing well again and is worth using again.
Vince Young - You can officially stash Vince Young. The Titans go on bye in week 7, but there's little question that Kerry Collins is just about done as the starter. The Titans have nothing to lose anymore, and they need to see what they have in Young to determine if they'll need to take a QB next year. Young still has physical talent, and he's worth stashing to see how he does. He'll have solid weapons around him.
RB:
Laurence Maroney - You probably shouldn't have dropped him off the end of your roster unless you really needed the spot, but now is the time for Maroney. With Fred Taylor out indefinitely and Sammy Morris now out as well, Maroney is the lone dog for early down carries with Faulk replacing him on passing downs. He tore up what was previously a stingy Titans run defense, so he has some upside moving forward. If you need RB help, use your waiver spot on him.
Justin Fargas - I hesitantly write this, but he's seemingly passed Michael Bush as the starter. He'll get a good number of carries, though, so he's worth owning. He'd only be usable in the right match up for desperate owners.
WR:
Michael Crabtree - Not only has he signed, but he's already passed Josh Morgan on the depth chart, and he'll start in week 7. Add him immediately...he's worth the #1 waiver priority on a team that badly needs someone to step up at WR.
Hakeem Nicks - Nicks is officially breaking out, although he did his serious damage in garbage time, connecting with David Carr on a 37 yard TD. He can't be relied upon immediately as Manningham is still starting and sharing snaps with him, but Nicks could pass him soon enough as Manningham keeps getting banged up. Stash him.
Lance Moore - Moore finally showed signs of life, posting his best game of the season in week 6. He's worth adding to see if he can replicate his great stretch run last season.
TE:
Zach Miller - He's back! Miller has posted back to back solid games, and has re-emerged as a viable TE1 possiblity despite Jamarcus Russell. We're all aware of the downside, but he's playing well again and is worth using again.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Sad Truth
I decided I wanted to write a small article called The Sad Truth this week. One of the toughest things to do in fantasy football is swallow your pride and adjust the value of some of your players...downward. Now that we are 6 weeks into the season, simple 1-2 week worries have emerged as true downward trends, and we must act accordingly in both our lineups and in our trade demands. As I do with everything, I'm going to break it down by position and highlight the players that we drafted high, but are simply not the player that we thought we drafted.
QB:
Tony Romo - Romo had great weeks against poor defenses in weeks 1 and 5, but was horrible in the other three weeks. The reason behind this is his weapons...the best talent on this team is at the RB position. Jason Witten still remains an excellent TE, but losing Owens has really hurt this team. Roy Williams hasn't looked any better this season, and nobody else stepped up until week 5. Miles Austin provides some hope for Romo moving ahead, but as it stands right now, Romo is best used as a match up QB1 until he proves that he can post a good game against a good defense.
Kurt Warner - Thanks to a slow recovery to his offseason hip surgery, Warner is currently ranked as the 14th best QB in terms of FPPG (fantasy points per game). He is simply not healthy enough to have the same velocity and distance on his throws, and his lack of big plays are a direct result of that. As such, his fantasy value has plummeted. His owners can hope that his hip feels better come stretch time, but odds are what you're seeing is what you'll get from him.
Matt Cassel - There's no secret as to why Cassel has not played well...his surrounding offensive situation is as bad as it gets in the NFL. I do forsee some improvement in the 2nd half, and his 7:2 TD:INT is promising, but he will continue to be limited by his situation. He can be a match up QB1, but nothing more.
Carson Palmer - Much to my dismay, Carson Palmer has not lived up to expectations. Despite being taken on the fringe of a QB1, He's the 20th best QB in FPPG. His offensive line was considered a weakness heading into the season, but he's only been sacked 11 times in 6 games. I actually think part of the problem is the running game...Cedric Benson has been so good that they haven't felt the need to throw, and I bet very few people saw that coming. Chad Ochocinco has bounced back and looks great, but Chris Henry has battled nagging injuries, and Coles has looked horrible. Andre Caldwell has been solid, but he's not a game breaker. The thing that gives me hope is that Palmer missed so much of last year and most of the preseason, so some rust should have been expected.
RB:
Michael Turner - Turner has not shown the same burst as last season, and he's only had 1 game with a YPC above 4.0. Thanks to the surrounding offense, Turner has scored enough TDs to maintain solid fantasy value, but his YPC has crashed and I don't see this magically turning itself around. If someone is willing to give top 5 value for him, do it.
Matt Forte - Forte also hasn't shown the same burst as last season, but his offensive line has been a major problem as well. I imagine Forte is among the league leaders in being hit behind the line of scrimmage, and he's not a special enough RB to overcome that situation. Few are. His workload keeps his value reasonable, but he's seeing less receptions, and most importantly, he's struggling at the goal line. He's going to be solid over the rest of the season, but he's not returning to elite.
Steven Jackson - Jackson has actually been pretty amazing given what's he's accomplished so far with his putrid surrounding offensive situation, but he hasn't scored yet, and that is murdering his fantasy value. Much like Forte, his workload (and pure determination) keeps him valuable, but he's more of a RB2 until STL can get him on the goal line more often.
DeAngelo Williams - His value shot up in the last week or two before drafts thanks to Jonathan Stewart's lingering achillies problem, but after barely doing anything all offseason, Stewart went right back to his same role as last season. Williams still looks good more often than not, but thanks to the struggles of the passing game and the presence of a healthy Stewart, his value is limited to a match up RB2...a far cry from his RB1 draft day value.
LaDainian Tomlinson - Disappointing RB #5 from this year's first round. LT started off with a solid first performance, got hurt mid-game, and has barely done anything since. He's 30, injury prone, lost several steps, and is replaced on 3rd downs and in the 2 minute drill. Age has simply caught up to one of the NFL's best RBs in history.
Brian Westbrook - He's been serviceable when he's played, but he's been hurt more often than not, and it's clear that he's a part of a committee with LeSean McCoy moving forward. His body is breaking down on him as he ages, and he's no longer the centerpiece of the Eagles offense. He's a RB2 when he plays, but that's it.
Brandon Jacobs - For reasons completely unknown to anyone except maybe the Giants staff, Jacobs has NOT been the same RB this year. There's nothing wrong with his team as Eli and his young WRs have taken a huge step forward this year, and Ahmad Bradshaw is running just fine behind the same line Jacobs. He's admitted to a bit of a "knee thing" a few weeks ago, and it would not surprise me if he's hiding an injury. As has become common on this list, his workload keeps him valuable, but he needs to start scoring more.
Clinton Portis - Portis has shown a few glimmers of hope on his runs, but he's mostly looked a step slow, and he's getting zero help from his surrounding offense. He might have been drafted as a RB1 by owners who went QB or WR in the 1st round, and he's hardly lived up to that billing. Portis is nearing the end, and his owners need to sell high while they can.
WR:
Calvin Johnson - He was actually building some momentum with Matthew Stafford, but then Stafford got hurt, and so did he. The bye week should fix what ails him, but Stafford's season is in question until we know more about exactly what's wrong with his knee. He does the best he can, but he's clearly limited by the current state of his offense.
Steve Smith - Much like a RB with the same first name, Smith is also looking for his first TD of the year. Delhomme has looked bad, and he's getting zero help from the receiving "threats" that line up opposite him. A regressing QB, regressing offense, and no help have meant constant double teams, and there's no end in sight.
Anquan Boldin - He's posted fairly solid numbers in the games he's played, but he's been limited by his usual array of nagging injuries. He simply cannot shake the injury bug, and it's had a big effect on his game thus far this season. With Warner not looking the same and apparently another injury added onto his current ailments, Boldin is not going to live up to his draft value.
Terrell Owens - It's hard to tell if his age is catching up to him since he never gets the ball. The Bills simply don't have the coaching staff or the quarterback to make use of Owens and Evans, and Owens is nothing more than a possible WR3 option this year. Owners have to pray that a miraculous trade gets him out of Buffalo, but that seems highly unlikely.
Antonio Bryant - His offseason knee surgery combined with poor quarterback play are to blame. All the warning signs were there before the season started, and unfortunately for those who still drafted him, they've all proven to be true. He's a match up WR3 at best right now.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - He's had a 100 yard game and a 2 TD game so far, but 3 other games where he hasn't done much. Their offensive line is the root of the problem, and that's not going away. He's a solid WR3, but that's not what he was drafted to be.
Roy Williams - Outside of week 1, he's done almost nothing. He was expected to replace T.O., and he hasn't come close to doing it. Furthermore, Miles Austin might just be more talented than Williams is, and he's going to lose even more targets to Austin if he emerges. He's not even a WR3 right now.
Eddie Royal - Heading into the season, Royal was expected to man the slot and play the Wes Welker role in this offense. Instead, Royal has lined up wide and gone deep a lot. While Royal undoubtedly has deep speed, he doesn't have the size to be a consistent deep threat, and with Marshall around, he's not going to score many TDs. Week 5 provided some hope, but he's going to need to really break out to make it past being a possible WR3.
TE:
Jason Witten - Romo's struggles have hurt Witten, and Owens leaving has allowed defenses to play up closer and pay a lot more attention to the Cowboys' best receiving threat. As mentioned above, if Miles Austin can emerge, it will give Witten more room to work with over the middle. He does have some hope, but he's not going to re-emerge as the top TE in fantasy football.
Greg Olsen - After an offseason of hype, defenses were ready and Olsen has been doubled relentlessly. Moving forward, Cutler is showing improved chemistry with Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox, so hopefully their work outside will give Olsen more room to work over the middle. Also, the lack of a running game is hurting their play action, and those plays are often beneficial to getting the TE open. He'll improve, but he's not taking that huge leap that many expected.
QB:
Tony Romo - Romo had great weeks against poor defenses in weeks 1 and 5, but was horrible in the other three weeks. The reason behind this is his weapons...the best talent on this team is at the RB position. Jason Witten still remains an excellent TE, but losing Owens has really hurt this team. Roy Williams hasn't looked any better this season, and nobody else stepped up until week 5. Miles Austin provides some hope for Romo moving ahead, but as it stands right now, Romo is best used as a match up QB1 until he proves that he can post a good game against a good defense.
Kurt Warner - Thanks to a slow recovery to his offseason hip surgery, Warner is currently ranked as the 14th best QB in terms of FPPG (fantasy points per game). He is simply not healthy enough to have the same velocity and distance on his throws, and his lack of big plays are a direct result of that. As such, his fantasy value has plummeted. His owners can hope that his hip feels better come stretch time, but odds are what you're seeing is what you'll get from him.
Matt Cassel - There's no secret as to why Cassel has not played well...his surrounding offensive situation is as bad as it gets in the NFL. I do forsee some improvement in the 2nd half, and his 7:2 TD:INT is promising, but he will continue to be limited by his situation. He can be a match up QB1, but nothing more.
Carson Palmer - Much to my dismay, Carson Palmer has not lived up to expectations. Despite being taken on the fringe of a QB1, He's the 20th best QB in FPPG. His offensive line was considered a weakness heading into the season, but he's only been sacked 11 times in 6 games. I actually think part of the problem is the running game...Cedric Benson has been so good that they haven't felt the need to throw, and I bet very few people saw that coming. Chad Ochocinco has bounced back and looks great, but Chris Henry has battled nagging injuries, and Coles has looked horrible. Andre Caldwell has been solid, but he's not a game breaker. The thing that gives me hope is that Palmer missed so much of last year and most of the preseason, so some rust should have been expected.
RB:
Michael Turner - Turner has not shown the same burst as last season, and he's only had 1 game with a YPC above 4.0. Thanks to the surrounding offense, Turner has scored enough TDs to maintain solid fantasy value, but his YPC has crashed and I don't see this magically turning itself around. If someone is willing to give top 5 value for him, do it.
Matt Forte - Forte also hasn't shown the same burst as last season, but his offensive line has been a major problem as well. I imagine Forte is among the league leaders in being hit behind the line of scrimmage, and he's not a special enough RB to overcome that situation. Few are. His workload keeps his value reasonable, but he's seeing less receptions, and most importantly, he's struggling at the goal line. He's going to be solid over the rest of the season, but he's not returning to elite.
Steven Jackson - Jackson has actually been pretty amazing given what's he's accomplished so far with his putrid surrounding offensive situation, but he hasn't scored yet, and that is murdering his fantasy value. Much like Forte, his workload (and pure determination) keeps him valuable, but he's more of a RB2 until STL can get him on the goal line more often.
DeAngelo Williams - His value shot up in the last week or two before drafts thanks to Jonathan Stewart's lingering achillies problem, but after barely doing anything all offseason, Stewart went right back to his same role as last season. Williams still looks good more often than not, but thanks to the struggles of the passing game and the presence of a healthy Stewart, his value is limited to a match up RB2...a far cry from his RB1 draft day value.
LaDainian Tomlinson - Disappointing RB #5 from this year's first round. LT started off with a solid first performance, got hurt mid-game, and has barely done anything since. He's 30, injury prone, lost several steps, and is replaced on 3rd downs and in the 2 minute drill. Age has simply caught up to one of the NFL's best RBs in history.
Brian Westbrook - He's been serviceable when he's played, but he's been hurt more often than not, and it's clear that he's a part of a committee with LeSean McCoy moving forward. His body is breaking down on him as he ages, and he's no longer the centerpiece of the Eagles offense. He's a RB2 when he plays, but that's it.
Brandon Jacobs - For reasons completely unknown to anyone except maybe the Giants staff, Jacobs has NOT been the same RB this year. There's nothing wrong with his team as Eli and his young WRs have taken a huge step forward this year, and Ahmad Bradshaw is running just fine behind the same line Jacobs. He's admitted to a bit of a "knee thing" a few weeks ago, and it would not surprise me if he's hiding an injury. As has become common on this list, his workload keeps him valuable, but he needs to start scoring more.
Clinton Portis - Portis has shown a few glimmers of hope on his runs, but he's mostly looked a step slow, and he's getting zero help from his surrounding offense. He might have been drafted as a RB1 by owners who went QB or WR in the 1st round, and he's hardly lived up to that billing. Portis is nearing the end, and his owners need to sell high while they can.
WR:
Calvin Johnson - He was actually building some momentum with Matthew Stafford, but then Stafford got hurt, and so did he. The bye week should fix what ails him, but Stafford's season is in question until we know more about exactly what's wrong with his knee. He does the best he can, but he's clearly limited by the current state of his offense.
Steve Smith - Much like a RB with the same first name, Smith is also looking for his first TD of the year. Delhomme has looked bad, and he's getting zero help from the receiving "threats" that line up opposite him. A regressing QB, regressing offense, and no help have meant constant double teams, and there's no end in sight.
Anquan Boldin - He's posted fairly solid numbers in the games he's played, but he's been limited by his usual array of nagging injuries. He simply cannot shake the injury bug, and it's had a big effect on his game thus far this season. With Warner not looking the same and apparently another injury added onto his current ailments, Boldin is not going to live up to his draft value.
Terrell Owens - It's hard to tell if his age is catching up to him since he never gets the ball. The Bills simply don't have the coaching staff or the quarterback to make use of Owens and Evans, and Owens is nothing more than a possible WR3 option this year. Owners have to pray that a miraculous trade gets him out of Buffalo, but that seems highly unlikely.
Antonio Bryant - His offseason knee surgery combined with poor quarterback play are to blame. All the warning signs were there before the season started, and unfortunately for those who still drafted him, they've all proven to be true. He's a match up WR3 at best right now.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - He's had a 100 yard game and a 2 TD game so far, but 3 other games where he hasn't done much. Their offensive line is the root of the problem, and that's not going away. He's a solid WR3, but that's not what he was drafted to be.
Roy Williams - Outside of week 1, he's done almost nothing. He was expected to replace T.O., and he hasn't come close to doing it. Furthermore, Miles Austin might just be more talented than Williams is, and he's going to lose even more targets to Austin if he emerges. He's not even a WR3 right now.
Eddie Royal - Heading into the season, Royal was expected to man the slot and play the Wes Welker role in this offense. Instead, Royal has lined up wide and gone deep a lot. While Royal undoubtedly has deep speed, he doesn't have the size to be a consistent deep threat, and with Marshall around, he's not going to score many TDs. Week 5 provided some hope, but he's going to need to really break out to make it past being a possible WR3.
TE:
Jason Witten - Romo's struggles have hurt Witten, and Owens leaving has allowed defenses to play up closer and pay a lot more attention to the Cowboys' best receiving threat. As mentioned above, if Miles Austin can emerge, it will give Witten more room to work with over the middle. He does have some hope, but he's not going to re-emerge as the top TE in fantasy football.
Greg Olsen - After an offseason of hype, defenses were ready and Olsen has been doubled relentlessly. Moving forward, Cutler is showing improved chemistry with Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox, so hopefully their work outside will give Olsen more room to work over the middle. Also, the lack of a running game is hurting their play action, and those plays are often beneficial to getting the TE open. He'll improve, but he's not taking that huge leap that many expected.
Week 6 Thoughts
Arizona Cardinals - Business as usual for the Cardinals. Lots of passing, some running, and standard stat lines for just about everyone. Steve Breaston is worth mentioning as a solid WR3 not getting a lot of press. He's kinda like Wes Welker where he catches a good amount of passes but doesn't score a lot.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan had a low yardage game, but the Bears defense played well and kept the Falcons offense a bit out of sync. Turner is still not consistently churning out yardage whatsoever, but his scores are keeping his value afloat.
Baltimore Ravens - The conversion to a pass-first offense is officially in full effect, and despite minimal carries, Ray Rice is killing it right now with ridiculous efficiency per touch. Rice has moved into RB1 territory, and he stands to become even more involved as the season moves along.
Buffalo Bills - Lynch has taken over as the lead back of the committee, but Jackson is still plenty involved. Both are hurt quite a bit by the offensive situation, but Lynch is more valuable right now. The passing game continues to kill both Owens and Evans, although Evans showed good chemistry with Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Carolina Panthers - The Panthers ran like it was 2008 thanks to the horrid Bucs rushing defense, but both RBs remain match up RB2s thanks to the putrid passing game. Said passing game is killing Steve Smith, who's only a WR3 thanks to his situation. Steve Smith is a reminder to never stay married to just talent...you have to analyze the team situation as it most certainly can kill elite talent (Steven Jackson and Lee Evans also come to mind).
Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer continues to disappoint. Not even a great match up against Houston allowed him to turn in a breakthrough performance. There's no question he has the talent and also the talent around him, so I still believe that he'll come through eventually this season. Until then, he's only a very low end QB1.
Chicago Bears - The offensive line is killing Matt Forte. He's constantly dodging defenders in the backfield on his carries and can never seem to truly get going. Luckily he continues to get plenty of touches, so you can continue playing him on a weekly basis.
Cleveland Browns - Complete disaster. I believe it's only a matter of time before Brady Quinn gets his job back, but nobody on this offense is worth thinking about right now.
Dallas Cowboys - Bye week.
Denver Broncos - Monday night game.
Detroit Lions - The offense was predictably impotent without both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Kevin Smith continues to do the best he can, but he's getting no help when his surrounding talent level is this depleted due to injuries. He's still a RB2 thanks to his workload.
Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers lived off of the short passing game, and unfortunately with the re-injury of Chad Clifton, this will probably be their identity for the near future. Given the favorable match ups against Detroit yesterday and Cleveland this upcoming Sunday, I don't know why Clifton was allowed back out there. This will continue to hurt Greg Jennings as his specialty is getting down field.
Houston Texans - The Arizona Cardinals of the AFC. With a horribly inefficient rushing attack, they will continue to go pass heavy, benefiting all owners of Schaub, AJ, Daniels, and Slaton (PPR leagues only). Unfortunately for those who own Kevin Walter, we're seeing Daniels pass him as the #2 target.
Indianapolis Colts - Bye week.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD got what he wanted and responded in a huge way, likely winning many fantasy match ups this weekend. Sims-Walker also got back on track with a big game. Those are the only two guys worth mentioning on this offense.
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs got their first win against the Redskins this week, although it wasn't pretty on offense with Cassel throwing for less than 200 yards and taking 5 sacks. Luckily he was locked onto Dwayne Bowe, who proved he was healthy with a nice showing.
Miami Dolphins - Bye week.
Minnesota Vikings - Brett Favre continues to throw like a QB1. Sidney Rice exploded with a week-high 176 yards, further cementing himself as one of the breakthrough WRs of 2009. He's a weekly WR3 who's the top receiving target in an explosive offense.
New England Patriots - I think it's safe to say the passing attack rebounded yesterday. Let's hope this jump starts them to a strong finish as the big three all had excellent games. Laurence Maroney had his best game of the season, and there's a chance he could emerge as the primary ball carrier here thanks to Sammy Morris' injury.
New Orleans Saints - Brees rebounded in a big way, and Lance Moore finally posted a good game as well. Thomas and Bell are officially in a committee, although Thomas is definitely the lead back as Bell got more of his carries when the game was out of hand. However, Bell is the preferred goal line option now, and that kills Thomas' value as he'll have to score from distance. Thomas is a solid RB2, but lacks upside with Bell taking the goal line carries.
New York Giants - This was an all-around ugly game that should be forgotten. Luckily Bradshaw scored after Jacobs left with an injury, which allowed him to be quite useful as a RB2 this week.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had another meltdown, although this time it came against a mediocre Buffalo defense. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington did their best to save him, but it was to no avail. Take this opportunity to sell high on Thomas Jones...he's had 2 huge games sandwiched around a bunch of crap. Washington continues to be heavily involved in this offense, and for good reason.
Oakland Raiders - Dog's ass, meet sunshine. Justin Fargas has passed Michael Bush again, although it really doesn't matter. Zach Miller abused Philly and remains on the fantasy radar despite the crappy situation around him.
Philadelphia Eagles - Much like the Giants, although against the most polar opposite opponent you could find. This, too, is worth forgetting. Keep your Eagles going next week.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben is winging it all over the field, and while Holmes and Ward put up good games, it's worth mentioning Heath Miller. He is finally being consistently utilized in the passing game, and he's a TE1 going forward. Mendenhall is officially the lead back of the Steelers' running committee, and while he didn't have his best game in the YPC department, he got the majority of the carries, scored, and caught a couple passes.
San Diego Chargers - Monday night game.
San Francisco 49ers - Bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Horrible. Seattle's decimated offensive line caved in against a tough Arizona front 7, and this is good information moving forward. You must not only consider the secondary when deciding to use Hasselbeck, but you must also consider the pass rush he's facing. This line can't protect him against a good front.
St. Louis Rams - The Rams looked great on the first drive, and then Donnie Avery left hurt again, and it imploded once more. The line is actually doing a solid job of protection, but with Robinson done for the year and Avery hurt again, there is no talent left at the WR position. Needless to say, this is killing Steven Jackson as he failed to score again, and has zero TDs on the year thus far.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Johnson took 4 more sacks and tossed another INT without managing a TD. Tampa scored 21, but can thank their special teams and defense for 14 of that. Caddy had a nice game, but outside of Winslow, there's no one here I'd want to start every week.
Tennessee Titans - Expect Kerry Collins to lose his job. He's making the Titans look terrible for giving him that extension this offseason. Chris Johnson salvaged his day with a couple long runs, but nobody else on this team did anything positive.
Washington Redskins - The Skins have hit rock bottom, even benching Jason Campbell for old man Todd Collins. This team is doing nowhere.
Atlanta Falcons - Ryan had a low yardage game, but the Bears defense played well and kept the Falcons offense a bit out of sync. Turner is still not consistently churning out yardage whatsoever, but his scores are keeping his value afloat.
Baltimore Ravens - The conversion to a pass-first offense is officially in full effect, and despite minimal carries, Ray Rice is killing it right now with ridiculous efficiency per touch. Rice has moved into RB1 territory, and he stands to become even more involved as the season moves along.
Buffalo Bills - Lynch has taken over as the lead back of the committee, but Jackson is still plenty involved. Both are hurt quite a bit by the offensive situation, but Lynch is more valuable right now. The passing game continues to kill both Owens and Evans, although Evans showed good chemistry with Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Carolina Panthers - The Panthers ran like it was 2008 thanks to the horrid Bucs rushing defense, but both RBs remain match up RB2s thanks to the putrid passing game. Said passing game is killing Steve Smith, who's only a WR3 thanks to his situation. Steve Smith is a reminder to never stay married to just talent...you have to analyze the team situation as it most certainly can kill elite talent (Steven Jackson and Lee Evans also come to mind).
Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer continues to disappoint. Not even a great match up against Houston allowed him to turn in a breakthrough performance. There's no question he has the talent and also the talent around him, so I still believe that he'll come through eventually this season. Until then, he's only a very low end QB1.
Chicago Bears - The offensive line is killing Matt Forte. He's constantly dodging defenders in the backfield on his carries and can never seem to truly get going. Luckily he continues to get plenty of touches, so you can continue playing him on a weekly basis.
Cleveland Browns - Complete disaster. I believe it's only a matter of time before Brady Quinn gets his job back, but nobody on this offense is worth thinking about right now.
Dallas Cowboys - Bye week.
Denver Broncos - Monday night game.
Detroit Lions - The offense was predictably impotent without both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Kevin Smith continues to do the best he can, but he's getting no help when his surrounding talent level is this depleted due to injuries. He's still a RB2 thanks to his workload.
Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers lived off of the short passing game, and unfortunately with the re-injury of Chad Clifton, this will probably be their identity for the near future. Given the favorable match ups against Detroit yesterday and Cleveland this upcoming Sunday, I don't know why Clifton was allowed back out there. This will continue to hurt Greg Jennings as his specialty is getting down field.
Houston Texans - The Arizona Cardinals of the AFC. With a horribly inefficient rushing attack, they will continue to go pass heavy, benefiting all owners of Schaub, AJ, Daniels, and Slaton (PPR leagues only). Unfortunately for those who own Kevin Walter, we're seeing Daniels pass him as the #2 target.
Indianapolis Colts - Bye week.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD got what he wanted and responded in a huge way, likely winning many fantasy match ups this weekend. Sims-Walker also got back on track with a big game. Those are the only two guys worth mentioning on this offense.
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs got their first win against the Redskins this week, although it wasn't pretty on offense with Cassel throwing for less than 200 yards and taking 5 sacks. Luckily he was locked onto Dwayne Bowe, who proved he was healthy with a nice showing.
Miami Dolphins - Bye week.
Minnesota Vikings - Brett Favre continues to throw like a QB1. Sidney Rice exploded with a week-high 176 yards, further cementing himself as one of the breakthrough WRs of 2009. He's a weekly WR3 who's the top receiving target in an explosive offense.
New England Patriots - I think it's safe to say the passing attack rebounded yesterday. Let's hope this jump starts them to a strong finish as the big three all had excellent games. Laurence Maroney had his best game of the season, and there's a chance he could emerge as the primary ball carrier here thanks to Sammy Morris' injury.
New Orleans Saints - Brees rebounded in a big way, and Lance Moore finally posted a good game as well. Thomas and Bell are officially in a committee, although Thomas is definitely the lead back as Bell got more of his carries when the game was out of hand. However, Bell is the preferred goal line option now, and that kills Thomas' value as he'll have to score from distance. Thomas is a solid RB2, but lacks upside with Bell taking the goal line carries.
New York Giants - This was an all-around ugly game that should be forgotten. Luckily Bradshaw scored after Jacobs left with an injury, which allowed him to be quite useful as a RB2 this week.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had another meltdown, although this time it came against a mediocre Buffalo defense. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington did their best to save him, but it was to no avail. Take this opportunity to sell high on Thomas Jones...he's had 2 huge games sandwiched around a bunch of crap. Washington continues to be heavily involved in this offense, and for good reason.
Oakland Raiders - Dog's ass, meet sunshine. Justin Fargas has passed Michael Bush again, although it really doesn't matter. Zach Miller abused Philly and remains on the fantasy radar despite the crappy situation around him.
Philadelphia Eagles - Much like the Giants, although against the most polar opposite opponent you could find. This, too, is worth forgetting. Keep your Eagles going next week.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben is winging it all over the field, and while Holmes and Ward put up good games, it's worth mentioning Heath Miller. He is finally being consistently utilized in the passing game, and he's a TE1 going forward. Mendenhall is officially the lead back of the Steelers' running committee, and while he didn't have his best game in the YPC department, he got the majority of the carries, scored, and caught a couple passes.
San Diego Chargers - Monday night game.
San Francisco 49ers - Bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Horrible. Seattle's decimated offensive line caved in against a tough Arizona front 7, and this is good information moving forward. You must not only consider the secondary when deciding to use Hasselbeck, but you must also consider the pass rush he's facing. This line can't protect him against a good front.
St. Louis Rams - The Rams looked great on the first drive, and then Donnie Avery left hurt again, and it imploded once more. The line is actually doing a solid job of protection, but with Robinson done for the year and Avery hurt again, there is no talent left at the WR position. Needless to say, this is killing Steven Jackson as he failed to score again, and has zero TDs on the year thus far.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Johnson took 4 more sacks and tossed another INT without managing a TD. Tampa scored 21, but can thank their special teams and defense for 14 of that. Caddy had a nice game, but outside of Winslow, there's no one here I'd want to start every week.
Tennessee Titans - Expect Kerry Collins to lose his job. He's making the Titans look terrible for giving him that extension this offseason. Chris Johnson salvaged his day with a couple long runs, but nobody else on this team did anything positive.
Washington Redskins - The Skins have hit rock bottom, even benching Jason Campbell for old man Todd Collins. This team is doing nowhere.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Week 6 Injury/Depth Chart Report
Arizona Cardinals - Hightower will continue to get more touches than Beanie Wells thanks to the pass-first philosophy of the offense, and Wells is becoming a liability as the defense knows what to expect when he's in the game.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Rice got the vast majority of touches in week 5, and as the Ravens move towards more of a pass-first offense, Rice will see the field more accordingly. He's thriving in his current role, even with his inconsistent touches, so there's untapped upside if they choose to use him the majority of the time. He certainly has the skills for it.
Buffalo Bills - Lynch is slowly working his way back towards the lead back of the committee, and it seems like despite the impressive start that Fred Jackson had to the season, they prefer Lynch as their lead guy. I think Lynch can be used as an RB2 in the right match ups, but since this offense is far from explosive, you can't use him each week. Jackson is definitely worth hanging onto, though.
Carolina Panthers - Unlike last year, Stewart is arguably more productive with his touches, and could start getting more. Expect close to an even share of carries each week.
Cincinnati Bengals - Caldwell continues to outproduce Coles, and it's annoying that he hasn't passed him on the depth chart yet. He's a reasonable low-end WR3 in the right match ups as is, and he could be an every week option there if he can finally start.
Chicago Bears - Hester is expected to return this week and resume being a WR3 play. Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox will continue splitting snaps opposite Devin Hester.
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson will continue to start, and while he was a victim of drops in week 5, it's safe to wonder why at this point. The Browns should continue to see what they have with Brady Quinn...it's obvious that Anderson is not the future of this team. Jamal Lewis is officially back as the primary ball carrier, and Harrison goes back to his situational role.
Dallas Cowboys - Bye week.
Denver Broncos - Knowshon Moreno has officially moved into the starting RB position, but Buckhalter will return in week 6. Moreno is a RB2 regardless as the primary ball carrier in a solid match up against SD this week.
Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will both miss week 6, so plan on alternatives. Dennis Northcutt will take CJ's place and is only a desperation play.
Green Bay Packers - Greg Jennings took to the media about demanding the ball more earlier this week, and I expect the Packers to get the ball to him more in week 6. Chad Clifton's return will be a boost to Rodgers' protection this week.
Houston Texans - Chris Brown continues to get the short yardage work, but after a critical fumble earlier in the season followed by getting stuffed on 4th and 1 last week to tie the game, you have to wonder if the Texans are considering alternatives here.
Indianapolis Colts - Bye week.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD went off on the offense today, so expect a heavy dose of him in week 6, and I'm also expecting a big game against a weak STL defense. Mike Sims-Walker: from fantasy gold to fantasy doghouse. Supposedly he stayed out too late getting laid on Saturday night, so he was punished in week 5, along with most of his fantasy owners. This was especially annoying as he was a surprise inactive during the late games, and I am extremely lucky to have Eddie Royal behind him so I could plug someone in. This is not a long term concern, and Sims-Walker has probably learned his lesson. Get him back out there in week 6.
Kansas City Chiefs - Dwayne Bowe looked 100% in week 5 and is safe to use as a WR2 moving forward. If Cassel can build off of his strong week 5 showing, Bowe could flirt with WR1 numbers. The other WR position is a fantasy wasteland.
Miami Dolphins - Bye week.
Minnesota Vikings - Sidney Rice continues to improve as the secondary receiver, and he's actually outproducing Bernard Berrian so far. Both are potential WR3s options, with Rice being a better bet for TDs. Rice is quietly emerging as a very nice NFL WR.
New England Patriots - Moss and Welker continue to miss some practices, but both are fine. If there's a week to get this passing attack back on track, it's this week's match up against the banged up TEN secondary.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas continues to battle minor injuries as he's battling an ankle problem now. Mike Bell has returned to practice at 100%. I would not be surprised if there is some sort of committee forming here given Thomas' inability to stay healthy, but Thomas is listed as probable for week 6, and I would still roll with him as a RB2.
New York Giants - Eli Manning looked great in limited action in week 5, and while he'll be limited in practice this week, there's no question in my mind that he'll start in week 6 in a battle of the unbeatens against the Saints. Jacobs continues to frustrate owners, but he's getting plenty of touches...enough to be useful. Bradshaw has been wildly productive each Sunday, and he's a solid RB2 for bye week purposes...perhaps even on non-bye week purposes depending on who else you have. I'd rather be using him than guys like Portis and Thomas Jones...
New York Jets - Thomas Jones and Leon Washington continue to split snaps, with Washington looking better. Both are reasonable RB3s, with TJ the better bet for TDs and Washington the better bet for yardage and catches. Braylon Edwards looked right at home and dominated targets...he's a WR2 with upside in NY. Cotchery is out for week 6, so David Clowney will start for him. He's only a desperation play.
Oakland Raiders - Darren McFadden is still out while recovering from his knee injury, and Michael Bush will start and see more carries each week. However, he's only a last ditch RB2 in a horrible match up against PHI this week. Oakland's schedule has been brutal with McFadden out.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb looked great in week 5. Westbrook looked pretty solid as well, but split carries with LeSean McCoy. There's a good chance that will continue moving forward given Westbrook's inability to stay healthy, and also McCoy's effectiveness when he's played. Jeremy Maclin took over for Kevin Curtis in week 5...and he's probably taken his job for good. He's a WR3 until he proves otherwise, but he might get a lot of Asomugha in coverage this week.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mendenhall is battling an illness that has prevented him for practicing while Willie Parker has returned to practice in full so far this week. Thankfully, Mendenhall returned to practice on Friday and should receive the majority of the carries in week 6. Use him.
San Diego Chargers - LT figures to have benefited from a bye week, but he's still going to split work with Sproles, coming out on passing downs and in the hurry up offense. This will be a solid test of what exactly LT has left...if he can't regain some explosiveness after a week off, it'll be about time to write him off as anything more than a RB3 moving forward. He also has a stern test against DEN's surprising D.
San Francisco 49ers - Bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck is back, and he carved up a horrible Jacksonville secondary. Arizona provides another positive match up, and he's still a good bye week fill-in. The running game has resumed being worthless. Burleson is apparently for real while Hasselbeck is starting...he's the #5 receiver so far!! Housh is also a WR3.
St. Louis Rams - Marc Bulger came in to clean up Boller's mess and looked pretty good. He's back starting this week against a weak Jacksonville secondary, so he's a decent QB2 this week if you're lacking options. Donnie Avery is a sneaky WR3 this week as well. Also, after 5 weeks of waiting, I think this is the week that Steven Jackson finally scores a TD.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson will start again, but he's looked poor thus far. The running game, thought in the preseason to be a strength, has been a bit of a wasteland as Caddy/Ward split carries behind a defense that can't stop anyone. Antonio Bryant is putting up reasonable numbers, but his knee continues to limit him. He's a risky WR3.
Tennessee Titans - None.
Washington Redskins - Portis again busted in the yardage department, but 2 TDs saved his fantasy day. The current coaching staff remains loyal to him for his years of service, but if Zorn and company are fired, it might not stay that way. I would try to deal him immediately if you can.
Atlanta Falcons - None.
Baltimore Ravens - Rice got the vast majority of touches in week 5, and as the Ravens move towards more of a pass-first offense, Rice will see the field more accordingly. He's thriving in his current role, even with his inconsistent touches, so there's untapped upside if they choose to use him the majority of the time. He certainly has the skills for it.
Buffalo Bills - Lynch is slowly working his way back towards the lead back of the committee, and it seems like despite the impressive start that Fred Jackson had to the season, they prefer Lynch as their lead guy. I think Lynch can be used as an RB2 in the right match ups, but since this offense is far from explosive, you can't use him each week. Jackson is definitely worth hanging onto, though.
Carolina Panthers - Unlike last year, Stewart is arguably more productive with his touches, and could start getting more. Expect close to an even share of carries each week.
Cincinnati Bengals - Caldwell continues to outproduce Coles, and it's annoying that he hasn't passed him on the depth chart yet. He's a reasonable low-end WR3 in the right match ups as is, and he could be an every week option there if he can finally start.
Chicago Bears - Hester is expected to return this week and resume being a WR3 play. Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox will continue splitting snaps opposite Devin Hester.
Cleveland Browns - Derek Anderson will continue to start, and while he was a victim of drops in week 5, it's safe to wonder why at this point. The Browns should continue to see what they have with Brady Quinn...it's obvious that Anderson is not the future of this team. Jamal Lewis is officially back as the primary ball carrier, and Harrison goes back to his situational role.
Dallas Cowboys - Bye week.
Denver Broncos - Knowshon Moreno has officially moved into the starting RB position, but Buckhalter will return in week 6. Moreno is a RB2 regardless as the primary ball carrier in a solid match up against SD this week.
Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will both miss week 6, so plan on alternatives. Dennis Northcutt will take CJ's place and is only a desperation play.
Green Bay Packers - Greg Jennings took to the media about demanding the ball more earlier this week, and I expect the Packers to get the ball to him more in week 6. Chad Clifton's return will be a boost to Rodgers' protection this week.
Houston Texans - Chris Brown continues to get the short yardage work, but after a critical fumble earlier in the season followed by getting stuffed on 4th and 1 last week to tie the game, you have to wonder if the Texans are considering alternatives here.
Indianapolis Colts - Bye week.
Jacksonville Jaguars - MJD went off on the offense today, so expect a heavy dose of him in week 6, and I'm also expecting a big game against a weak STL defense. Mike Sims-Walker: from fantasy gold to fantasy doghouse. Supposedly he stayed out too late getting laid on Saturday night, so he was punished in week 5, along with most of his fantasy owners. This was especially annoying as he was a surprise inactive during the late games, and I am extremely lucky to have Eddie Royal behind him so I could plug someone in. This is not a long term concern, and Sims-Walker has probably learned his lesson. Get him back out there in week 6.
Kansas City Chiefs - Dwayne Bowe looked 100% in week 5 and is safe to use as a WR2 moving forward. If Cassel can build off of his strong week 5 showing, Bowe could flirt with WR1 numbers. The other WR position is a fantasy wasteland.
Miami Dolphins - Bye week.
Minnesota Vikings - Sidney Rice continues to improve as the secondary receiver, and he's actually outproducing Bernard Berrian so far. Both are potential WR3s options, with Rice being a better bet for TDs. Rice is quietly emerging as a very nice NFL WR.
New England Patriots - Moss and Welker continue to miss some practices, but both are fine. If there's a week to get this passing attack back on track, it's this week's match up against the banged up TEN secondary.
New Orleans Saints - Pierre Thomas continues to battle minor injuries as he's battling an ankle problem now. Mike Bell has returned to practice at 100%. I would not be surprised if there is some sort of committee forming here given Thomas' inability to stay healthy, but Thomas is listed as probable for week 6, and I would still roll with him as a RB2.
New York Giants - Eli Manning looked great in limited action in week 5, and while he'll be limited in practice this week, there's no question in my mind that he'll start in week 6 in a battle of the unbeatens against the Saints. Jacobs continues to frustrate owners, but he's getting plenty of touches...enough to be useful. Bradshaw has been wildly productive each Sunday, and he's a solid RB2 for bye week purposes...perhaps even on non-bye week purposes depending on who else you have. I'd rather be using him than guys like Portis and Thomas Jones...
New York Jets - Thomas Jones and Leon Washington continue to split snaps, with Washington looking better. Both are reasonable RB3s, with TJ the better bet for TDs and Washington the better bet for yardage and catches. Braylon Edwards looked right at home and dominated targets...he's a WR2 with upside in NY. Cotchery is out for week 6, so David Clowney will start for him. He's only a desperation play.
Oakland Raiders - Darren McFadden is still out while recovering from his knee injury, and Michael Bush will start and see more carries each week. However, he's only a last ditch RB2 in a horrible match up against PHI this week. Oakland's schedule has been brutal with McFadden out.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb looked great in week 5. Westbrook looked pretty solid as well, but split carries with LeSean McCoy. There's a good chance that will continue moving forward given Westbrook's inability to stay healthy, and also McCoy's effectiveness when he's played. Jeremy Maclin took over for Kevin Curtis in week 5...and he's probably taken his job for good. He's a WR3 until he proves otherwise, but he might get a lot of Asomugha in coverage this week.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Mendenhall is battling an illness that has prevented him for practicing while Willie Parker has returned to practice in full so far this week. Thankfully, Mendenhall returned to practice on Friday and should receive the majority of the carries in week 6. Use him.
San Diego Chargers - LT figures to have benefited from a bye week, but he's still going to split work with Sproles, coming out on passing downs and in the hurry up offense. This will be a solid test of what exactly LT has left...if he can't regain some explosiveness after a week off, it'll be about time to write him off as anything more than a RB3 moving forward. He also has a stern test against DEN's surprising D.
San Francisco 49ers - Bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck is back, and he carved up a horrible Jacksonville secondary. Arizona provides another positive match up, and he's still a good bye week fill-in. The running game has resumed being worthless. Burleson is apparently for real while Hasselbeck is starting...he's the #5 receiver so far!! Housh is also a WR3.
St. Louis Rams - Marc Bulger came in to clean up Boller's mess and looked pretty good. He's back starting this week against a weak Jacksonville secondary, so he's a decent QB2 this week if you're lacking options. Donnie Avery is a sneaky WR3 this week as well. Also, after 5 weeks of waiting, I think this is the week that Steven Jackson finally scores a TD.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson will start again, but he's looked poor thus far. The running game, thought in the preseason to be a strength, has been a bit of a wasteland as Caddy/Ward split carries behind a defense that can't stop anyone. Antonio Bryant is putting up reasonable numbers, but his knee continues to limit him. He's a risky WR3.
Tennessee Titans - None.
Washington Redskins - Portis again busted in the yardage department, but 2 TDs saved his fantasy day. The current coaching staff remains loyal to him for his years of service, but if Zorn and company are fired, it might not stay that way. I would try to deal him immediately if you can.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Week 6 Waiver Wire
QB:
Matt Hasselbeck - It is highly unlikely that he's available, but I could see someone dropping him after his injury. He's a great bye week fill-in, and can be started in favorable match ups until his next injury. Get him if he's out there.
Matt Stafford - He's worth the stash as a QB2 as long as you don't need him before week 8. Culpepper will likely start in week 6, and then they have their bye in week 7. He was doing a solid job prior to his knee injury, so odds are there's a team out there that could use him as a backup.
Chad Henne - If you're in a deep league, there's not much out there, and you need help at QB, Henne isn't a horrible add. He will be limited in attempts, isn't on the field all the time thanks to the Wildcat, and his surrounding weapons are poor, but he'll likely be efficient with his throws and has plenty of starting experience from college. He's a low end QB2.
RB:
Mike Bell - Bell will return in week 6, but his exact role is unclear. Some believe he'll split time with Pierre Thomas, but Thomas has looked way too good in the two games after returning from a knee injury. Some believe he'll take over short yardage, but Thomas has never struggled there. Thomas also holds the edge in talent. I believe Bell will see the field some as a backup, but he's not a true threat to carries. Regardless of all of this, he needs to be owned as the clear-cut backup on a powerful offense. Pierre Thomas owners especially should keep him on the end of their bench.
Ladell Betts - Portis has not looked good, even in great match ups. Changes are on the horizon for the Redskins, and there's always a chance Betts could pick up a bigger role. Plus, if Portis keeps getting 20 carries a week, he's going to break down again. There's not a lot of upside here given the state of the Redskins offense, but if you don't have a better use for a bench spot, you could speculate here.
Jamaal Charles - Another speculatory pick. Head coach Todd Haley says he's sticking with Larry Johnson and puts most of the blame for his poor performance on his offensive line. While the offensive line is no doubt a problem, LJ simply can't make things happen on his own. Charles is hardly a workhorse back, but he's a good fit into a spread offense and offers far more passing down ability than LJ does. Same opinion on stashing Betts applies to Charles.
WR:
Miles Austin - Austin is worth using your #1 waiver priority on. He carries some risk as he's always been long on talent but short on production, but the Cowboys badly need someone to step up at the receiver position. Roy Williams simply isn't cutting it, and Austin has the size, speed, and leaping ability to be their big play guy. There's a very good chance Crayton will get put into the slot with Austin replacing him out wide. If you need an immediate starting WR, Austin is your guy.
Jeremy Maclin - Maclin is also worth using your #1 waiver priority on. Kevin Curtis is too banged up to make any sort of impact as he continues to have problems with his knees, and he hasn't looked right all season. Maclin is a great fit into the west coast offense as a solid route runner with burner speed and good hands. Jackson will continue to be the #1 receiver on the team, but Maclin will explode for some good games as well, and he's an immediate WR3 candidate for your lineup.
Andre Caldwell - I know I've listed him here before, but he has to be close to replacing Coles in the starting lineup after outperforming him the past couple weeks. He's faster and even more reliable catching the ball at this stage in Coles' career. Once Caldwell overtakes him, he'll be another WR3 candidate.
Donnie Avery - I think I've listed him before as well, but with Marc Bulger expected back under center, he's going to have the same QB he built chemistry with last season. The Rams will undoubtedly be trailing a lot, and he's their best chance at making plays in the passing game. He's a sneaky WR3 against a horrible Jacksonville secondary this weekend, but he's only a match up play at this point.
Josh Morgan - He was probably dropped by a lot of teams after his slow start, but he's coming around with 2 solid fantasy weeks in a row. He'll continue to be limited by the run-first nature of the SF offense, but he's plenty talented and should be their #1 receiver for the rest of the year. He's a great guy to have on the end of your bench.
TE:
None.
Thoughts: WR is obviously very deep this week with a lot of interesting talent, but those are the only guys worth using a waiver position on. Nobody else that I listed at QB or RB (unless you need a QB and Hasselbeck is somehow available) is worth burning a waiver position on. If you can't get one of the WRs, this is a great week to take it easy and move up a few spots while the guys ahead of you use their position.
Matt Hasselbeck - It is highly unlikely that he's available, but I could see someone dropping him after his injury. He's a great bye week fill-in, and can be started in favorable match ups until his next injury. Get him if he's out there.
Matt Stafford - He's worth the stash as a QB2 as long as you don't need him before week 8. Culpepper will likely start in week 6, and then they have their bye in week 7. He was doing a solid job prior to his knee injury, so odds are there's a team out there that could use him as a backup.
Chad Henne - If you're in a deep league, there's not much out there, and you need help at QB, Henne isn't a horrible add. He will be limited in attempts, isn't on the field all the time thanks to the Wildcat, and his surrounding weapons are poor, but he'll likely be efficient with his throws and has plenty of starting experience from college. He's a low end QB2.
RB:
Mike Bell - Bell will return in week 6, but his exact role is unclear. Some believe he'll split time with Pierre Thomas, but Thomas has looked way too good in the two games after returning from a knee injury. Some believe he'll take over short yardage, but Thomas has never struggled there. Thomas also holds the edge in talent. I believe Bell will see the field some as a backup, but he's not a true threat to carries. Regardless of all of this, he needs to be owned as the clear-cut backup on a powerful offense. Pierre Thomas owners especially should keep him on the end of their bench.
Ladell Betts - Portis has not looked good, even in great match ups. Changes are on the horizon for the Redskins, and there's always a chance Betts could pick up a bigger role. Plus, if Portis keeps getting 20 carries a week, he's going to break down again. There's not a lot of upside here given the state of the Redskins offense, but if you don't have a better use for a bench spot, you could speculate here.
Jamaal Charles - Another speculatory pick. Head coach Todd Haley says he's sticking with Larry Johnson and puts most of the blame for his poor performance on his offensive line. While the offensive line is no doubt a problem, LJ simply can't make things happen on his own. Charles is hardly a workhorse back, but he's a good fit into a spread offense and offers far more passing down ability than LJ does. Same opinion on stashing Betts applies to Charles.
WR:
Miles Austin - Austin is worth using your #1 waiver priority on. He carries some risk as he's always been long on talent but short on production, but the Cowboys badly need someone to step up at the receiver position. Roy Williams simply isn't cutting it, and Austin has the size, speed, and leaping ability to be their big play guy. There's a very good chance Crayton will get put into the slot with Austin replacing him out wide. If you need an immediate starting WR, Austin is your guy.
Jeremy Maclin - Maclin is also worth using your #1 waiver priority on. Kevin Curtis is too banged up to make any sort of impact as he continues to have problems with his knees, and he hasn't looked right all season. Maclin is a great fit into the west coast offense as a solid route runner with burner speed and good hands. Jackson will continue to be the #1 receiver on the team, but Maclin will explode for some good games as well, and he's an immediate WR3 candidate for your lineup.
Andre Caldwell - I know I've listed him here before, but he has to be close to replacing Coles in the starting lineup after outperforming him the past couple weeks. He's faster and even more reliable catching the ball at this stage in Coles' career. Once Caldwell overtakes him, he'll be another WR3 candidate.
Donnie Avery - I think I've listed him before as well, but with Marc Bulger expected back under center, he's going to have the same QB he built chemistry with last season. The Rams will undoubtedly be trailing a lot, and he's their best chance at making plays in the passing game. He's a sneaky WR3 against a horrible Jacksonville secondary this weekend, but he's only a match up play at this point.
Josh Morgan - He was probably dropped by a lot of teams after his slow start, but he's coming around with 2 solid fantasy weeks in a row. He'll continue to be limited by the run-first nature of the SF offense, but he's plenty talented and should be their #1 receiver for the rest of the year. He's a great guy to have on the end of your bench.
TE:
None.
Thoughts: WR is obviously very deep this week with a lot of interesting talent, but those are the only guys worth using a waiver position on. Nobody else that I listed at QB or RB (unless you need a QB and Hasselbeck is somehow available) is worth burning a waiver position on. If you can't get one of the WRs, this is a great week to take it easy and move up a few spots while the guys ahead of you use their position.
Rant: Braylon Edwards Overturned TD Catch
I was irate at that catch Braylon Edwards made last night that was called a TD on the field, but it was eventually ruled not a TD. At the beginning of the year, the NFL stated that they wanted to have reviews not overturn calls on the field unless there was no doubt the call should be overturned. Out of all the angles they showed last night, it looked like he was probably short when his knee hit, but I didn't see a definitive angle that proved without a doubt that he was. On top of all of that, the refs and announcers completely missed the fact that he wasn't touched until he had slid into the end zone. He jumped for the catch, made it, came down and his knee probably hit when the ball was a bit short of the goal line, but the Dolphins defender didn't touch him until he had slid forward a little and the ball has broken the plane. Maybe I missed something, but after he made the catch, I don't think he was touched until the safety ran over a second later. How the hell does a paid ref, and paid NFL announcers, miss the fact you need to be touched before being considered down?
This is likely something that affected a few fantasy match ups as it cost Braylon Edwards 6 points. Luckily in both leagues I had him, the Ronnie Brown TD later on sealed a win, but you always want more points for tie breaking purposes. The Jets scored on the next play, so it became a moot point within the actual game, but I felt this was an embarrassing call on two different levels.
This is likely something that affected a few fantasy match ups as it cost Braylon Edwards 6 points. Luckily in both leagues I had him, the Ronnie Brown TD later on sealed a win, but you always want more points for tie breaking purposes. The Jets scored on the next play, so it became a moot point within the actual game, but I felt this was an embarrassing call on two different levels.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Buy Low Candidates
I wanted to write this article last week, and I regret it as I wanted to highlight Roddy White as an excellent buy low heading into this past weekend. Unfortunately I didn't get around to it, but now's not a bad time to go through everything. After 4-5 weeks in, you start to realize the trends of the new season, but it's also a great time to capitalize on the mirages of slow starts. I'm going to run through a couple guys, broken down by position, to go after in trade talks. Now when I say buy low, I don't mean send an insulting low offer and try to get them for nothing. Leagues vary with knowledge from league to league, and also from owner to owner within each league. A buy low isn't always a player you can get on the cheap, but it's also a player that someone might be willing to trade after a couple cold games when in normal circumstances he wouldn't think of it. I always suggest coming in a bit low to give yourself some wiggle room, but don't send offers that insult the other owner's intelligence.
QB:
Drew Brees - Brees is the perfect example of someone whom you might be able to land in a trade during a cold streak, when in normal circumstances his owner wouldn't think of trading him. Coming off of 2 straight TD-less weeks, you might find someone who's a bit frustrated with his recent trends, plus another huge bonus is that he is done with his bye week. You'll have to pay full price, most likely, but maybe his owner will consider it.
Tom Brady - Brady has certainly not lived up to the lofty preseason expectations, but he does figure to get better as the season moves along. Outside of Phillip Rivers last year, almost every QB that suffers a torn ACL (McNabb and Palmer come to mind for recent examples) struggle during the 1st half, and then tend to turn it on during the 2nd half. Brady should do the same, so see if you can pry him away for the stretch run.
Matt Cassel - Like I mentioned before, Cassel is playing well given his situation, but he's not doing much to help fantasy teams outside of last week. There's no question owners who drafted him as a borderline QB1 are very down on him so far, so he's a cheaper alternative if you don't have the firepower to land Brees or Brady. The running attack is simply not working for KC, so KC is going to throw it a lot. He's someone who can be a serviceable QB1 starter thanks to volume throwing, and he's someone you can get for cheap. His receivers limit his upside, but he'll get better know that he's a few weeks removed from his knee surgery and is getting to know his offensive system better.
RB:
Matt Forte - Perhaps the bye week will be the time necessary for his owners to get over his solid week 4, and if not, you could try to play up the fact he's not doing much with his touches on the season. I can only imagine things will get better for Forte as the season progresses and the offense falls into its true identity. He's playing way below his talent level, and while the offensive line isn't built to move people off the ball, Cutler will keep extra defenders out of the box, opening up more running lanes for Forte. He should be a reliable RB1 the rest of the way, but he won't come close to his receptions from last year due to Cutler's willingness to throw down the field.
Frank Gore - His ideal buy-low time would have been right after his injury since it was initially reported as a 2 week injury, but now is a good time to inquire. He's the centerpiece of a run-first offense, and while there's some risk here as he's had ankle injuries before, he's always been productive on the field, and the bye week should get him close to 100%. His owner will probably hang on, but you could try to offer a lesser RB and some of your depth to fill one of his lineup weaknesses.
Marion Barber - Barber has been suffering through a quad injury sustained three weeks ago, and it has impacted his performance over the past two. Owners might be getting frustrated, but he is still the centerpiece of this offense, and the bye week should fix his leg. He's going to score plenty when he gets healthy. Try to see if you can land him, especially if you have RB depth and the Barber owner is struggling through his bye week.
WR:
Randy Moss - I will suggest Moss for the exact same reasons as Brady above. As Brady gets better, Moss will get better. Perhaps you can get in before he inevitably has a true breakthrough game.
Greg Jennings - Jennings is my best buy low guy here. He has been hampered a bit by a minor wrist injury, and he's also been held back by the lack of protection for Aaron Rodgers...Rodgers hasn't had the time to get it to him down the field. Outside of a strong week 1, he's been very inconsistent with his targets and his production. With Chad Clifton returning and the re-signing of Mark Tauscher, Rodgers' protection is going to improve. Another bonus is that his bye week is now past him. Try your best to land him.
Dwayne Bowe - Bowe has struggled out of the gates, and he can only go as far as Cassel will allow him to. Cassel has suffered from even worse protection than Rodgers and has been abysmal so far, but he's slowly coming around, and KC's schedule lightens up. Bowe, unlike Jennings above, isn't reliant on the deep ball to post great numbers as he's more like Anquan Boldin. Now Bowe has scored 3 times, which hurts his buy low ability, but his yardage has remained very low. See if you can land him as he has the ability to post low end WR1 numbers.
Eddie Royal - This is a very cautious recommendation, but for the price he'll likely command, it's worth a WR3 shot. He finally posted a solid week 5 after 4 weeks of barf, and the coaching staff indicated that his solid performance was more of a reaction to the game than a preconceived effort to get him the ball, but this is a minor move you could make for your bench with the ability to get back to an every week starter.
Anthony Gonzalez - He's due back after the bye week, and despite the contributions of Garcon and Collie in his absence, Gonzalez should move right back into the middle of a passing attack that is on fire. His bye week is coming up, and then he is on schedule to return after that in week 7. He'd have the ability to post WR2 numbers in the 2nd half for what could be a fraction of the price.
TE:
Greg Olsen - Olsen has obviously struggled out of the gate after big preseason expectations, but you can bet the Bears worked on ways to get him the football during their bye week. Olsen still has a chance to lead this team in receiving, especially from here on out. He's a great talent, and he has a QB who has found his groove since week 1. Expect increased production moving forward, and see if you can land him on the cheap.
QB:
Drew Brees - Brees is the perfect example of someone whom you might be able to land in a trade during a cold streak, when in normal circumstances his owner wouldn't think of trading him. Coming off of 2 straight TD-less weeks, you might find someone who's a bit frustrated with his recent trends, plus another huge bonus is that he is done with his bye week. You'll have to pay full price, most likely, but maybe his owner will consider it.
Tom Brady - Brady has certainly not lived up to the lofty preseason expectations, but he does figure to get better as the season moves along. Outside of Phillip Rivers last year, almost every QB that suffers a torn ACL (McNabb and Palmer come to mind for recent examples) struggle during the 1st half, and then tend to turn it on during the 2nd half. Brady should do the same, so see if you can pry him away for the stretch run.
Matt Cassel - Like I mentioned before, Cassel is playing well given his situation, but he's not doing much to help fantasy teams outside of last week. There's no question owners who drafted him as a borderline QB1 are very down on him so far, so he's a cheaper alternative if you don't have the firepower to land Brees or Brady. The running attack is simply not working for KC, so KC is going to throw it a lot. He's someone who can be a serviceable QB1 starter thanks to volume throwing, and he's someone you can get for cheap. His receivers limit his upside, but he'll get better know that he's a few weeks removed from his knee surgery and is getting to know his offensive system better.
RB:
Matt Forte - Perhaps the bye week will be the time necessary for his owners to get over his solid week 4, and if not, you could try to play up the fact he's not doing much with his touches on the season. I can only imagine things will get better for Forte as the season progresses and the offense falls into its true identity. He's playing way below his talent level, and while the offensive line isn't built to move people off the ball, Cutler will keep extra defenders out of the box, opening up more running lanes for Forte. He should be a reliable RB1 the rest of the way, but he won't come close to his receptions from last year due to Cutler's willingness to throw down the field.
Frank Gore - His ideal buy-low time would have been right after his injury since it was initially reported as a 2 week injury, but now is a good time to inquire. He's the centerpiece of a run-first offense, and while there's some risk here as he's had ankle injuries before, he's always been productive on the field, and the bye week should get him close to 100%. His owner will probably hang on, but you could try to offer a lesser RB and some of your depth to fill one of his lineup weaknesses.
Marion Barber - Barber has been suffering through a quad injury sustained three weeks ago, and it has impacted his performance over the past two. Owners might be getting frustrated, but he is still the centerpiece of this offense, and the bye week should fix his leg. He's going to score plenty when he gets healthy. Try to see if you can land him, especially if you have RB depth and the Barber owner is struggling through his bye week.
WR:
Randy Moss - I will suggest Moss for the exact same reasons as Brady above. As Brady gets better, Moss will get better. Perhaps you can get in before he inevitably has a true breakthrough game.
Greg Jennings - Jennings is my best buy low guy here. He has been hampered a bit by a minor wrist injury, and he's also been held back by the lack of protection for Aaron Rodgers...Rodgers hasn't had the time to get it to him down the field. Outside of a strong week 1, he's been very inconsistent with his targets and his production. With Chad Clifton returning and the re-signing of Mark Tauscher, Rodgers' protection is going to improve. Another bonus is that his bye week is now past him. Try your best to land him.
Dwayne Bowe - Bowe has struggled out of the gates, and he can only go as far as Cassel will allow him to. Cassel has suffered from even worse protection than Rodgers and has been abysmal so far, but he's slowly coming around, and KC's schedule lightens up. Bowe, unlike Jennings above, isn't reliant on the deep ball to post great numbers as he's more like Anquan Boldin. Now Bowe has scored 3 times, which hurts his buy low ability, but his yardage has remained very low. See if you can land him as he has the ability to post low end WR1 numbers.
Eddie Royal - This is a very cautious recommendation, but for the price he'll likely command, it's worth a WR3 shot. He finally posted a solid week 5 after 4 weeks of barf, and the coaching staff indicated that his solid performance was more of a reaction to the game than a preconceived effort to get him the ball, but this is a minor move you could make for your bench with the ability to get back to an every week starter.
Anthony Gonzalez - He's due back after the bye week, and despite the contributions of Garcon and Collie in his absence, Gonzalez should move right back into the middle of a passing attack that is on fire. His bye week is coming up, and then he is on schedule to return after that in week 7. He'd have the ability to post WR2 numbers in the 2nd half for what could be a fraction of the price.
TE:
Greg Olsen - Olsen has obviously struggled out of the gate after big preseason expectations, but you can bet the Bears worked on ways to get him the football during their bye week. Olsen still has a chance to lead this team in receiving, especially from here on out. He's a great talent, and he has a QB who has found his groove since week 1. Expect increased production moving forward, and see if you can land him on the cheap.
Week 5 Thoughts
Arizona Cardinals - Talk about bi-polar when it comes to Warner. He lit up Houston in the 1st half, and then sucked in the 2nd half as Houston almost came all the way back. Luckily his 1st half was so good that he put up a great fantasy outing. Fitz turned in a big game, and Boldin put up a solid receiving performance, but hurt his owners by losing a fumble. Wells and Hightower split carries evenly, but neither impressed as Arizona continues to pass as often as they can.
Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan was great again, and I hope you were able to buy low on Roddy White as the window of opportunity slammed shut with his ridiculous performance. Michael Turner looked much better coming out of the bye, putting up his first good game with respect to YPC and also scoring 3 TDs. Gonzalez took a backseat in the high scoring affair this week. This was a very impressive performance against a good defense. Ryan, Turner, White, and Gonzalez are all great options moving forward, but I maintain my concern regarding Michael Turner's workload.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco has officially become a QB1 as the Ravens have moved from a run-first to a pass-first offense. Flacco struggled in this one, but still tossed a TD thanks to a ridiculous play from Ray Rice on a dump-off pass. Heap managed 7 catches, which was huge for PPR leaguers. Speaking of Ray Rice, he dominated touches in the backfield in this one. He has been one of the most productive RBs in football this year on a per-touch basis, and he's even scored twice despite not being the preferred goal line runner. I apologize to anyone who used McGahee on my "solid bye-week replacement" recommendation from last week...he saw two touches all game. We'll continue to monitor this seemingly inconsistent backfield, but there's no question that Rice is here to stay as a RB2.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards still sucks, and this has dragged Owens down to a WR3 and Evans to a "stay on the bench" WR. In hindsight, we all should have seen this coming from a conservative coach with a conservative QB. Lynch lead the team in both carries and catches, although he only had 4 more than Fred Jackson. Most noteworthy, however, is the fact Lynch was definitely more productive with his touches. Lynch is sneaking his way back into RB2 territory, but with an upcoming game against the Jets, he's got a touch match up ahead.
Carolina Panthers - Carolina tried to run the ball more coming out of the bye week, but they weren't very effective doing it. Delhomme looked blah again. Williams posted a miserable day including a fumble while Jonathan Stewart was more productive per rush and added a TD run. Steve Smith did about as well as expected given his current situation, but he has regressed into a WR2 with the state of this offense. Williams and Stewart are both RB2/3 moving forward and that's it. Williams better not do so little again with his touches or he's going to lose his lead back title of this committee.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer started off hot with a big first half in regards to yardage, but then Cincy turned to the ground game as Benson became the first 100 yard runner against Baltimore in quite some time. Palmer then saved his best for last, again, marching his team down the field and throwing the go-ahead TD pass late in the 4th quarter. He posted another solid, but not spectacular fantasy line as he's moving along as a lower-end QB1 right now.
Chicago Bears - Bye week.
Cleveland Browns - Absolute barf. Jamal Lewis came back to wreck Jerome Harrison's day by taking 31 carries and being somewhat productive with them. He's a RB3 in the right match up, but that's about all I can say regarding this offense.
Dallas Cowboys - Romo's pretty productive when his WRs make ridiculous plays for him, as they did in both week 1 and week 5. He looked shaky again, even against KC, but Miles Austin obviously made things happen after the catch. We'll try not to over-react to one big game given he hasn't done much in his career thus far, but Austin has the skills and the opportunity to be the leading receiver for the Cowboys over the rest of the year. Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton aren't doing anything, and Witten is doing a bit more blocking than usual. Someone has to step up, and Austin has the talent to do just that. Barber was again hampered by his quad injury, so once again Choice stepped in and made the most of his touches. This has been the case for two weeks now, so the bye week comes at the perfect time for Barber.
Denver Broncos - They are for real. Orton played the best game of his year as this offense is starting to get comfortable with each other. Marshall has predictably emerged as the top target, using his size and speed to get open and make plays after the catch. The rest of the receivers are still in a rotation, but Eddie Royal finally gave his owners something to cheer about with a 10/90 performance. Until he shows some consistency, and given the coaching staff said his performance was match up-based even, it's not safe to say he's back. Moreno was good with his touches, but a fumble hurt him. Unfortunately he didn't get a crack at the end zone in this one
Detroit Lions - Well, that was about as much as could be expected. Culpepper was solid, and after Calvin left in the first drive with a knee injury, he spread the ball around and also made a play or two with his legs. He'll remain the starter while Stafford recovers, but with Green Bay and their tough secondary up next, he's a low end bye week fill-in. They aren't opening up holes for Kevin Smith, but thanks to his passing game production, he's posting solid weekly yardage totals.
Green Bay Packers - Bye week.
Houston Texans - Schaub posted another monster week thanks to the nature of this offense. With Slaton not providing the same spark on the ground that he provided last year, expect Houston to pass as much as ever this season, which means big things for Schaub in most weeks. It also means big things for AJ, who posted another monster week. He's been more inconsistent than last year, but his numbers are there. Daniels continues to rack up solid yardage as well and seems to be the secondary option for Schaub. Slaton was again ineffective on the ground, but thanks to his receiving yardage, he posted another solid yardage performance.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning continues to be on fire. Wayne would have had an even bigger game had he not dropped an easy TD in the end zone at the end of the game. Clark continues to see a ton of targets, and Garcon actually took a back seat to Austin Collie in this one. I think this was because TEN used a decent bit of zone and over-the-top coverage, so the Colts passed plenty to Clark and Collie over the middle. Collie has solid tackle breaking ability. The Colts weren't able to run, but Addai benefited quite a bit from the Colts underneath passing attack, hauling in 10 passes.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Mike Sims-Walker was declared inactive right before the game for violating teams rules, and unfortunately they haven't released exactly what he did wrong. Garrard and the rest of the passing attack sorely missed the downfield element that Sims-Walker gives them, so they struggled mightily against Seattle. Holt posted the best day of the season, but don't think he's back since they had no one else to throw to. Jones-Drew was hit in the backfield quite a bit, but luckily the handful of yards he picked up in the passing game saved it from being an absolute disaster. He probably would have scored, but a reception that he took to the 1 was called back by a stupid illegal formation penalty.
Kansas City Chiefs - Well, for one week this looked like a reasonable offensive attack. Cassel has done pretty well in a real football sense so far despite getting little help, and against a mediocre Dallas defense, he actually posted a solid fantasy day. His line still has him on the run quite a bit. Dwayne Bowe benefited too, although he again posted most of his damage late in the game on the last drive, including the game tying TD. The rushing attack is miserable, and LJ is barely worth owning at this point.
Miami Dolphins - Chad Henne still isn't being asked to do much yet, but his running game is making his life easy. When he was asked to make a play, he hit Ted Ginn on a perfectly thrown play-action bomb. He's definitely a game manager, he's out there less than most quarterbacks thanks to the continued success of the Wildcat, and his receiving targets are among the worst in the league, so it's hard to recommend him as a QB2 despite the solid numbers last night. Still, there are worse options out there. The running game continues to dominate thanks to Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Brown has cemented himself as the top dog in this backfield since week 1, but Williams plays a very important part. Both have shown their all-around games in what makes this the best rushing attack in football through 5 weeks.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre posted another solid game this week, and while Peterson's work load was limited by the game situation, he was plenty productive with his touches, and he scored twice to make his fantasy owners plenty happy. Minnesota keeps humming along, and their defense is creating havoc.
New England Patriots - Once again, Brady looked a bit off. He's overthrowing Moss on big plays when Moss gets open, and he just doesn't look right. His ridiculous preseason performance definitely gave some false hope to all who drafted him as he has struggled to start the year, but expect him to get better. Welker continues to benefit from the situation, hauling in a bunch of passes and scoring this week. Without Fred Taylor, it appears as though Sammy Morris will carry the load of carries each week. Maroney isn't doing anything with his touches, but he's still worth stashing as a RB5 to see what happens.
New Orleans Saints - Bye week.
New York Giants - Eli Manning rewarded all who had the balls to start him by posting ridiculous numbers considering he didn't even play the full first half. Manningham bounced back with a big play TD, and Nicks also scored while Steve Smith was the leading receiver again. Jacobs continues to struggle and took a backseat production-wise to Bradshaw who posted a monster game. Jacobs continues to get his carries, but he's not doing much with them, and this has now become a serious concern. He couldn't even score from inside the 5 on their first drive, and Bradshaw replaced him on 4th down to plunge it in for the first of his two TDs.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had his 2nd straight shaky outing, but it was much improved over last week. He's still a decent QB2 that will improve as the season moves along. Edwards arrival gave him a big play threat, and he loved throwing it to him. It was perfect timing, too, as Cotchery did not look 100% last night and was barely targeted. Edwards is a WR3 with WR2 potential for the rest of the season now that he's in a solid offense, and the rushing attack will open up some big plays in the play-action game for him. Thomas Jones looks his age, but he's still the preferred option at the goal line, scoring twice last night. His YPC is way down, and he's a dicey RB2 moving forward who is reliant upon TDs. Leon Washington was more involved and looked great with his touches, but he tends to get himself in trouble sometimes with his dancing. He's a solid RB3.
Oakland Raiders - What's to say? Russell continues to prove his the worst QB in the NFL, and the entire team is suffering. Bush and Fargas split carries, but Bush tossed in a TD to reward those who used him on a bye week. Bush is the great part of this committee, but the fact Fargas is stealing carries on a bad offense severely limits whatever upside he could muster out of this offensive mess.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb looked perfectly healthy on his way to carving up the Bucs secondary, and both he and Westbrook took it easy in the 2nd half as the offense wasn't called upon to do much. Jeremy Maclin exploded onto the scene with Curtis' injury, so he'll be a hot add this week. Celek continues to rack up targets and catches. Westbrook scored to save his fantasy day.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben posted another big day by tossing 3 TDs. The Steelers inexplicably went to the air in the 2nd half despite nursing a lead, so Mendenhall was limited to 17 carries and was a slight disappointment from a fantasy standpoint, although he still generated solid yardage and a TD. The coaching staff acknowledged this mistake, so don't expect it to happen again.
San Diego Chargers - Bye week.
San Francisco 49ers - The whole team sucked this week, but at least Josh Morgan is showing some signs of life. This team will be happy to get Frank Gore back after the bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck continues to prove me wrong. Given he was playing at home against a bad Jacksonville secondary, I should have recommended him. It's obvious that he still has it and this offense can move the ball in the air when he's healthy. Housh and Burleson are both solid WR3s when Hasselbeck is starting. The running game can be ignored thanks to their horrible offensive line.
St. Louis Rams - Boller sucked it up again, and Bulger actually came in and looked great, although it was with an out-of-hand 31-3 game. He hooked up with Donnie Avery several times, including a TD, providing a glimmer of hope for this offense moving forward. He'll likely end up hurt again, however. Steven Jackson continues to amaze with the yardage he's cranking out behind the most inept offense in football, but he killed his owners by fumbling at the 1.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson actually put up solid yardage, but he didn't look that great doing it. He was under constant pressure and isn't very accurate when he has his feet set, much less throwing off of his back foot. 240 yards and 2 TDs looks good, but not when you contrast that with a 52% completion rate, 4.8 YPA, and 3 INTs. Winslow posted a huge game and Bryant looked solid, but they will be limited by Johnson for as long as he's starting. If you can sell high on Winslow after this game and get a proven stud TE on a better offense, go for it.
Tennessee Titans - 0-5...wow. What a difference a year makes. Their defensive holes are killing this team as it is not built to pass and score a lot of points. Collins looked poor again, and Chris Johnson is being held back by the state of this team. Johnson can be viewed as a RB1/2 moving forward, and Washington is a decent WR3 as their most explosive passing game option, but this has been bad news.
Washington Redskins - Campbell continues to look mediocre and will likely be gone at season's end. Moss suffered from this performance, but at least posted a few catches. Portis saved his day with 2 TDs, but he again wasn't productive with his touches. Nothing much has changed here.
Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan was great again, and I hope you were able to buy low on Roddy White as the window of opportunity slammed shut with his ridiculous performance. Michael Turner looked much better coming out of the bye, putting up his first good game with respect to YPC and also scoring 3 TDs. Gonzalez took a backseat in the high scoring affair this week. This was a very impressive performance against a good defense. Ryan, Turner, White, and Gonzalez are all great options moving forward, but I maintain my concern regarding Michael Turner's workload.
Baltimore Ravens - Flacco has officially become a QB1 as the Ravens have moved from a run-first to a pass-first offense. Flacco struggled in this one, but still tossed a TD thanks to a ridiculous play from Ray Rice on a dump-off pass. Heap managed 7 catches, which was huge for PPR leaguers. Speaking of Ray Rice, he dominated touches in the backfield in this one. He has been one of the most productive RBs in football this year on a per-touch basis, and he's even scored twice despite not being the preferred goal line runner. I apologize to anyone who used McGahee on my "solid bye-week replacement" recommendation from last week...he saw two touches all game. We'll continue to monitor this seemingly inconsistent backfield, but there's no question that Rice is here to stay as a RB2.
Buffalo Bills - Trent Edwards still sucks, and this has dragged Owens down to a WR3 and Evans to a "stay on the bench" WR. In hindsight, we all should have seen this coming from a conservative coach with a conservative QB. Lynch lead the team in both carries and catches, although he only had 4 more than Fred Jackson. Most noteworthy, however, is the fact Lynch was definitely more productive with his touches. Lynch is sneaking his way back into RB2 territory, but with an upcoming game against the Jets, he's got a touch match up ahead.
Carolina Panthers - Carolina tried to run the ball more coming out of the bye week, but they weren't very effective doing it. Delhomme looked blah again. Williams posted a miserable day including a fumble while Jonathan Stewart was more productive per rush and added a TD run. Steve Smith did about as well as expected given his current situation, but he has regressed into a WR2 with the state of this offense. Williams and Stewart are both RB2/3 moving forward and that's it. Williams better not do so little again with his touches or he's going to lose his lead back title of this committee.
Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer started off hot with a big first half in regards to yardage, but then Cincy turned to the ground game as Benson became the first 100 yard runner against Baltimore in quite some time. Palmer then saved his best for last, again, marching his team down the field and throwing the go-ahead TD pass late in the 4th quarter. He posted another solid, but not spectacular fantasy line as he's moving along as a lower-end QB1 right now.
Chicago Bears - Bye week.
Cleveland Browns - Absolute barf. Jamal Lewis came back to wreck Jerome Harrison's day by taking 31 carries and being somewhat productive with them. He's a RB3 in the right match up, but that's about all I can say regarding this offense.
Dallas Cowboys - Romo's pretty productive when his WRs make ridiculous plays for him, as they did in both week 1 and week 5. He looked shaky again, even against KC, but Miles Austin obviously made things happen after the catch. We'll try not to over-react to one big game given he hasn't done much in his career thus far, but Austin has the skills and the opportunity to be the leading receiver for the Cowboys over the rest of the year. Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton aren't doing anything, and Witten is doing a bit more blocking than usual. Someone has to step up, and Austin has the talent to do just that. Barber was again hampered by his quad injury, so once again Choice stepped in and made the most of his touches. This has been the case for two weeks now, so the bye week comes at the perfect time for Barber.
Denver Broncos - They are for real. Orton played the best game of his year as this offense is starting to get comfortable with each other. Marshall has predictably emerged as the top target, using his size and speed to get open and make plays after the catch. The rest of the receivers are still in a rotation, but Eddie Royal finally gave his owners something to cheer about with a 10/90 performance. Until he shows some consistency, and given the coaching staff said his performance was match up-based even, it's not safe to say he's back. Moreno was good with his touches, but a fumble hurt him. Unfortunately he didn't get a crack at the end zone in this one
Detroit Lions - Well, that was about as much as could be expected. Culpepper was solid, and after Calvin left in the first drive with a knee injury, he spread the ball around and also made a play or two with his legs. He'll remain the starter while Stafford recovers, but with Green Bay and their tough secondary up next, he's a low end bye week fill-in. They aren't opening up holes for Kevin Smith, but thanks to his passing game production, he's posting solid weekly yardage totals.
Green Bay Packers - Bye week.
Houston Texans - Schaub posted another monster week thanks to the nature of this offense. With Slaton not providing the same spark on the ground that he provided last year, expect Houston to pass as much as ever this season, which means big things for Schaub in most weeks. It also means big things for AJ, who posted another monster week. He's been more inconsistent than last year, but his numbers are there. Daniels continues to rack up solid yardage as well and seems to be the secondary option for Schaub. Slaton was again ineffective on the ground, but thanks to his receiving yardage, he posted another solid yardage performance.
Indianapolis Colts - Manning continues to be on fire. Wayne would have had an even bigger game had he not dropped an easy TD in the end zone at the end of the game. Clark continues to see a ton of targets, and Garcon actually took a back seat to Austin Collie in this one. I think this was because TEN used a decent bit of zone and over-the-top coverage, so the Colts passed plenty to Clark and Collie over the middle. Collie has solid tackle breaking ability. The Colts weren't able to run, but Addai benefited quite a bit from the Colts underneath passing attack, hauling in 10 passes.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Mike Sims-Walker was declared inactive right before the game for violating teams rules, and unfortunately they haven't released exactly what he did wrong. Garrard and the rest of the passing attack sorely missed the downfield element that Sims-Walker gives them, so they struggled mightily against Seattle. Holt posted the best day of the season, but don't think he's back since they had no one else to throw to. Jones-Drew was hit in the backfield quite a bit, but luckily the handful of yards he picked up in the passing game saved it from being an absolute disaster. He probably would have scored, but a reception that he took to the 1 was called back by a stupid illegal formation penalty.
Kansas City Chiefs - Well, for one week this looked like a reasonable offensive attack. Cassel has done pretty well in a real football sense so far despite getting little help, and against a mediocre Dallas defense, he actually posted a solid fantasy day. His line still has him on the run quite a bit. Dwayne Bowe benefited too, although he again posted most of his damage late in the game on the last drive, including the game tying TD. The rushing attack is miserable, and LJ is barely worth owning at this point.
Miami Dolphins - Chad Henne still isn't being asked to do much yet, but his running game is making his life easy. When he was asked to make a play, he hit Ted Ginn on a perfectly thrown play-action bomb. He's definitely a game manager, he's out there less than most quarterbacks thanks to the continued success of the Wildcat, and his receiving targets are among the worst in the league, so it's hard to recommend him as a QB2 despite the solid numbers last night. Still, there are worse options out there. The running game continues to dominate thanks to Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Brown has cemented himself as the top dog in this backfield since week 1, but Williams plays a very important part. Both have shown their all-around games in what makes this the best rushing attack in football through 5 weeks.
Minnesota Vikings - Favre posted another solid game this week, and while Peterson's work load was limited by the game situation, he was plenty productive with his touches, and he scored twice to make his fantasy owners plenty happy. Minnesota keeps humming along, and their defense is creating havoc.
New England Patriots - Once again, Brady looked a bit off. He's overthrowing Moss on big plays when Moss gets open, and he just doesn't look right. His ridiculous preseason performance definitely gave some false hope to all who drafted him as he has struggled to start the year, but expect him to get better. Welker continues to benefit from the situation, hauling in a bunch of passes and scoring this week. Without Fred Taylor, it appears as though Sammy Morris will carry the load of carries each week. Maroney isn't doing anything with his touches, but he's still worth stashing as a RB5 to see what happens.
New Orleans Saints - Bye week.
New York Giants - Eli Manning rewarded all who had the balls to start him by posting ridiculous numbers considering he didn't even play the full first half. Manningham bounced back with a big play TD, and Nicks also scored while Steve Smith was the leading receiver again. Jacobs continues to struggle and took a backseat production-wise to Bradshaw who posted a monster game. Jacobs continues to get his carries, but he's not doing much with them, and this has now become a serious concern. He couldn't even score from inside the 5 on their first drive, and Bradshaw replaced him on 4th down to plunge it in for the first of his two TDs.
New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had his 2nd straight shaky outing, but it was much improved over last week. He's still a decent QB2 that will improve as the season moves along. Edwards arrival gave him a big play threat, and he loved throwing it to him. It was perfect timing, too, as Cotchery did not look 100% last night and was barely targeted. Edwards is a WR3 with WR2 potential for the rest of the season now that he's in a solid offense, and the rushing attack will open up some big plays in the play-action game for him. Thomas Jones looks his age, but he's still the preferred option at the goal line, scoring twice last night. His YPC is way down, and he's a dicey RB2 moving forward who is reliant upon TDs. Leon Washington was more involved and looked great with his touches, but he tends to get himself in trouble sometimes with his dancing. He's a solid RB3.
Oakland Raiders - What's to say? Russell continues to prove his the worst QB in the NFL, and the entire team is suffering. Bush and Fargas split carries, but Bush tossed in a TD to reward those who used him on a bye week. Bush is the great part of this committee, but the fact Fargas is stealing carries on a bad offense severely limits whatever upside he could muster out of this offensive mess.
Philadelphia Eagles - McNabb looked perfectly healthy on his way to carving up the Bucs secondary, and both he and Westbrook took it easy in the 2nd half as the offense wasn't called upon to do much. Jeremy Maclin exploded onto the scene with Curtis' injury, so he'll be a hot add this week. Celek continues to rack up targets and catches. Westbrook scored to save his fantasy day.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben posted another big day by tossing 3 TDs. The Steelers inexplicably went to the air in the 2nd half despite nursing a lead, so Mendenhall was limited to 17 carries and was a slight disappointment from a fantasy standpoint, although he still generated solid yardage and a TD. The coaching staff acknowledged this mistake, so don't expect it to happen again.
San Diego Chargers - Bye week.
San Francisco 49ers - The whole team sucked this week, but at least Josh Morgan is showing some signs of life. This team will be happy to get Frank Gore back after the bye week.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck continues to prove me wrong. Given he was playing at home against a bad Jacksonville secondary, I should have recommended him. It's obvious that he still has it and this offense can move the ball in the air when he's healthy. Housh and Burleson are both solid WR3s when Hasselbeck is starting. The running game can be ignored thanks to their horrible offensive line.
St. Louis Rams - Boller sucked it up again, and Bulger actually came in and looked great, although it was with an out-of-hand 31-3 game. He hooked up with Donnie Avery several times, including a TD, providing a glimmer of hope for this offense moving forward. He'll likely end up hurt again, however. Steven Jackson continues to amaze with the yardage he's cranking out behind the most inept offense in football, but he killed his owners by fumbling at the 1.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Johnson actually put up solid yardage, but he didn't look that great doing it. He was under constant pressure and isn't very accurate when he has his feet set, much less throwing off of his back foot. 240 yards and 2 TDs looks good, but not when you contrast that with a 52% completion rate, 4.8 YPA, and 3 INTs. Winslow posted a huge game and Bryant looked solid, but they will be limited by Johnson for as long as he's starting. If you can sell high on Winslow after this game and get a proven stud TE on a better offense, go for it.
Tennessee Titans - 0-5...wow. What a difference a year makes. Their defensive holes are killing this team as it is not built to pass and score a lot of points. Collins looked poor again, and Chris Johnson is being held back by the state of this team. Johnson can be viewed as a RB1/2 moving forward, and Washington is a decent WR3 as their most explosive passing game option, but this has been bad news.
Washington Redskins - Campbell continues to look mediocre and will likely be gone at season's end. Moss suffered from this performance, but at least posted a few catches. Portis saved his day with 2 TDs, but he again wasn't productive with his touches. Nothing much has changed here.
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