Fantasy Football Week 10 Friday Injury Update: Steve Smith, Marshawn Lynch, Ryan Torain, and many more

November 12, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

A lot of people asked about Roddy White before last night’s game. He was limited in practice with a knee issue and listed as questionable.

I told everyone on Twitter (@FantasyMSF) and in the comment sections here at MSF Fantasy Sports that if he plays, you have to play him. With supreme talents like White, you play them if their team feels comfortable doing so.

And all Roddy White did was go out at put up 100+ yards and 2 TDs. Let that be a lesson as we delve into every fantasy-relevant Week 10 injury.

In other WR news, Steve Smith (the Giants one…you know, the one who is actually worth starting this year) ticked off a few of his fantasy owners by straining a pectoral muscle in practice yesterday.

There is no official word on his status other that “questionable”, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll play. Make sure you have a solid replacement and see if Mario Manningham is out there on waivers. His value jumps up since the Giants are playing the lowly Cowboys.

Marshawn Lynch was my start ‘em RB in this week’s start ‘em, start ‘em post, and I am not changing my mind just because he has a thigh injury and has been limited practice this week. We’ll have to see what happens on Friday with Lynch, but you want him playing against Arizona’s D if he’s out there on Sunday. To be safe, grab Justin Forsett if you have the roster flexibility.

In Carolina, the running back position is more like a M.A.S.H. unit. DeAngelo Williams is dealing with a foot injury and is not expected to play. Jonathan Stewart has a concussion and is not expected to play. Third string back Tyrell Sutton has an ankle injury, and he is also expected to miss Sunday. Mike Goodson is the guy you want, and it’s not a bad pickup since Tampa Bay is not very good against the run.

The running back situation remains murky in Washington. Both Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain have been limited in practice this week. Torain appears healthier and it is expected that he’ll start, though this is not a sure thing. You may want to grab Keiland Williams as insurance, especially since this game isn’t until Monday night and you’ll have no flexibility at that point if the expectations change here.

Vince Young should be back this week. He practiced on a limited basis Thursday and is expected to start against Miami.

In Cleveland, both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace were limited in practice. Even when both are fully healthy, you have to think that Colt McCoy will continue to start as long as he plays solidly and the team is competing/winning.

Carson Palmer is dealing with a right shoulder injury that has kept him out of practice this week. He expects to play against the Colts, but this warrants monitoring just to be sure. His backup is his brother Jordan Palmer.

Chad Ochocino is on the injury report with an ankle malady, though he practiced fully. The true injury Ocho is dealing with is one of pride, as he continues to not produce.

The Indianapolis Colts continue to have one of the busiest injury reports of any team. Let’s run it down bullet-point style like we did last week:

Joseph Addai has not been practicing as he deals with his neck/shoulder injury. He is questionable for Week 10 but not expected to play. Still, monitor his health if you’re planning on Donald Brown starting for you.
Speaking of Donald Brown…he made it through a week without getting banged up! He’s not on the injury report! Rejoice! Right now Brown appears like the safest bet to get 15-20 carries out of the Colts backfield. I know Javarris James scored two TDs last week, but I still like Brown this week against a Bengals D that can be run on.
And in other Colts RB needs, Mike Hart has not been practicing because of an ankle injury. He is questionable for Week 10.
Austin Collie continues to deal with the effects of a concussion. He is improving but not practicing, and he is not expected to play in Week 10.
Everyone’s favorite scrappy sleeper Blair White has been missing practicing with a shoulder injury. He is questionable for Week 10. You’ll have to track this one.
Jacob Tamme practiced in full on Thursday and will be good to go on Sunday.

Andre Johnson has missed the first two days of practice this week as he continues to try to get his ankle fully healthy. He’s expected to play though, so he’s safe to have in your lineups for what is a tasty matchup versus Jacksonville.

Percy Harvin has been playing very well recently, despite a persistent ankle injury. Now he has migraines added to it, and he hasn’t practiced this week. As usual with Harvin, it will be a day-to-day thing that won’t be resolved until Sunday. Hey, you know it would be like this when you drafted him. Deal with it.

In more exciting Vikings injury news, Sidney Rice is not even on the injury report! He will play Sunday against the Bears; the question is how much? Everything I’ve heard has indicated they’ll bring him back to game action somewhat slowly, and it will depend on how he recovers today from a hard workout Thursday. Considering the matchup against a very good Bears pass D, I am sitting Rice in the leagues I have him, unless I hear that he’ll start and 30-40+ plays.

Brett Favre is expected to start. Why do I feel the need to tell you the obvious? I don’t know. But he and his photogenic pleasure pole will be out there having fun as usual.

The Detroit Lions are starting to rival the Indianapolis Colts for injury annoyance. Let’s go bullet points for them too:

Matthew Stafford is dealing with yet another shoulder injury. So far, there has not been an official announcement about his future status, just that he’ll be week-to-week. The expectation though is that he’ll miss at least 4-6 weeks, which means he’s probably not going to have much fantasy value. I’d be okay with you dropping him, especially if you can pick up…
Shaun Hill will be the starting QB for the Lions this week. He is still dealing with a broken left forearm, but he apparently can hand off and do everything he needs to do. I would be cautious about starting him because he’s a serious risk to be knocked out early if he takes a bad shot, but the matchup against the Bills is awfully inviting.
Jahvid Best is on the injury report with that damn toe again, but he is expected to play. The Bills are an excellent matchup, so you’ll want Best playing if he suits up on Sunday.
And Calvin Johnson is…not on the injury report! Yes! Okay Detroit, I lied. You aren’t as bad as the Colts. Give me a healthy MegaTron and we’re cool.

Earnest Graham continues to miss practice for the Tampa Bay Bucs. This is good news if you have LeGarrette Blount. Their teammate Kellen Winslow is on the injury report as always but is practicing fully.

In Buffalo, Lee Evans has been resurgent with Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has a dinged ankle, but practiced fully on Thursday and should be a solid option for Sunday. Teammate Roscoe Parrish did not practice and is out.

Dexter McCluster is back practicing, but he is still limited and questionable for Sunday.

Mr. Inconsistent and No Touchdown Mike Williams (the sucky Seattle version) has been limited in practice because of a finger injury. It looks like he’ll play against Arizona, which is not a bad matchup for him since Matt Hasselbeck is hasselback this week.

Beanie Wells and his troublesome knee are back on the injury report this week, and Wells is not practicing. That does not bode well. Tim Hightower would get the majority of the carries if Wells is out. Let’s see how practice shakes out today.

Steven Jackson is on the injury report with his finger injury, and is only practicing on a limited basis, but he’ll play Sunday. Teammate Danario Alexander has not been practicing because of knee surgery. You shouldn’t be counting on him anyway, but if you are, don’t this week.

Alex Smith is close to being recovered from his shoulder injury, but he has not been practicing this week. That means Troy Smith will be the QB for San Fran once again.

Tom Brady made some waves earlier this week when it was announced that he was dealing with an injury more serious than his ever-lingering “right Shoulder” injury. Brady has a sprained foot, but he’ll play Sunday and shouldn’t be limited much if at all.

In ominous news for owners of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead…Fred Taylor is nearing a return. He has even practiced this week and may play against Pittsburgh. What this means, of course, is that there is one more person to split carries in the perpetual revolving running back door in New England. Assuming Taylor is back, The Lawfirm and Woodhead both get downgraded a bit from their already low rankings due to the opponent (Pittsburgh).

Heath Miller has not done much so far this year, and now he’s missing practice with a knee injury. See if practices Friday because the Patriots will give up points to opposing tight ends.

Donovan McNabb continues to be listed on the injury report with his hamstring problem. He has been practicing though, and should be motivated to play well against Philly on Monday night.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks

November 8, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

How important are waiver wire sleeper picks? I’ll tell you.

As you know, I’m currently competing for a pair of Super Bowl tickets in the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League*. I faced one of my stiffest opponents in Week 9, and I only had a chance to win because of one move: less than 30 minutes before kickoffs of the early games on Sunday I picked up Chargers WR Seyi Ajirotutu.

With Antonio Gates out, and the Chargers facing the Texans, I figured Seyi had a chance to have a good week. Two TDs and 20+ fantasy points later, it turned out to be one of the best moves I made all season.

Granted, I didn’t highlight Ajirotutu in last week’s waiver wire sleeper column, but I did highlight names like Josh Freeman, Willis McGahee, and Nate Burleson, all of whom helped you win if you were paying attention.

Who are this week’s waiver wire steals? Read on and I’ll highlight a bunch of guys with a chance to be the different between winning and losing in Week 10.

Special note: as you know, I’ve been giving away a free P&G gift pack each week to one participant of our Sunday morning live chat. This week’s gift pack is awarded to live chatter AJ Purps. Make sure to tune in next Sunday, as I’ll probably be giving away TWO gift packs!

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks

The following teams are on by in Week 10:

Green Bay Packers
New Orleans Saints
San Diego Chargers
Oakland Raiders

Remember, the rules for this post are: a player must be owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues to be included; and, I focus on guys who are playing in Week 10, although I’ll recommend players on bye if they especially stand out as valuable long-term acquisitions.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: QB

Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams (at San Francisco, 41%)

Bradford has been a frequent entrant in this space over the last few weeks, mainly because this article is geared towards exactly who Bradford is at this point is very young career: a decent bye week fill-in option.

The 49ers recently made Matt Moore a startable quarterback. Bradford is light years ahead of Moore in terms of presence, poise, and accuracy. Sam’s 11:8 TD:INT ratio isn’t anything special, but he’s a decent option if you own Rdogers, Brees, or Rivers.

David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars (v Houston, 27%)

This is the gold star pickup of the week.

Houston has given up 20 passing TDs in 8 games this year. They have by far the worst secondary in the NFL. And in Garrard’s last time out (two weeks ago at Dallas) he accounted for 5 TDs. Oh, and Garrard is usually a much better play at home.

This is as much of a slam dunk as you’ll get for a QB owned in barely more than a quarter of leagues. I imagine he’ll make my top 10 this week, maybe the top 5. I’m not kidding.

Derek Anderson, Arizona Cardinals (v Seattle, 6%)

Derek Anderson is awful as a real quarterback. Ask any Browns or Cardinals fans. However, he can be slightly productive for your fantasy team, because he will take chances down field and has some decent receiving options at his disposal.

In Week 9, Anderson threw for 179 yards and a TD, which is passable for a bye week fill-in. The Seahawks were awful in Week 9 against the Giants, their second week in a row of terrible defense. Since Anderson is available in almost all leagues, desperate owners could do much worse.

Note: I am writing this before anything definitive is known about Matthew Stafford‘s injury. If he is out for Week 10, Shaun Hill is an outstanding sleeper candidate with Buffalo on the schedule if he is healthy enough to play. He’s owned in 95% of leagues, and he had many good weeks filling in for Stafford earlier in the season. Hill returned to practice last week and was the Lions’ emergency QB Sunday.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: RB

Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens (at Atlanta, 31%)

Look, I know this is Willis’ 3rd or 4th (5th?) appearance in this column. He and Sam Bradford end up here almost every week. Well guess what? He warrants it.

McGahee scored another touchdown in Week 9, his 5th of the season and the 4th straight game he’s had a carry in which he’s scored a TD. McGahee won’t get more than 8-12 touches per week, but he’s been making the most of them. If you own Darren McFadden and need someone for a flex, why not go for a proven touchdown creator like McGahee?

Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts (v Cincinnati, 33%)

With Joseph Addai and Mike Hart unable to stay healthy, Donald Brown is the guy running with the Indy first team right now. He hasn’t exactly taken the job by the horns and made it his, but he does have Peyton Manning as his QB. And with Indy having so many injuries, he is perhaps the third most talented playmaker on offense after Wayne and Garcon.

I know Brown has been disappointing, but anyone playing RB for the Colts is worth starting. (So if for some reason Javarris James ends up as the starter between when I post this and next Sunday, I give you my permission to grab him also.)

Chester Taylor, Chicago Bears (v Minnesota, 12%)

Taylor is like a poor man’s Willis McGahee. He is clearly Matt Forte’s backup, but he had 11 touches and scored a TD in Week 9. Plus, he apparently will get the goalline carries. And I always like taking flyers on guys with something to prove. Taylor will be facing his old squad the Minnesota Vikings in a huge NFC North battle. If you’re desperate, Taylor is a decent option.

Some other names I like at RB:

The Carolina backfield is a quagmire right now. Jonathan Stewart started for the injured DeAngelo Williams, then got hurt and left the Week 9 game early. Tyrel Sutton came in a ran okay. Who will start next week? Who knows. But it’s worth watching.
If you’re really desperate, LaRod Stephens-Howling gets a few carries a game and is an excellent kick returner. If your league counts return yards, he’s a fill-in option.
Speaking of the Cardinals, Tim Hightower is an obvious pickup candidate if Beanie Wells doesn’t play next week after Beanie’s 1-carry dud this week.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: WR

There are some big names out at WR this week. Greg Jennings, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and the Chargers are all on a bye. If you read this site, you know that I’ve been high on all of these guys almost every week. Needless to say, I’m hurting in many leagues this week. Here are some of the guys I’m going to go after to fill in.

Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings (at Chicago, 45%)

I have him in a few leagues and have been patiently awaiting his return. With Randy Moss now gone, Rice’s potential to pay huge dividends is increased.

I don’t particularly like Sidney Rice for Week 10, for two reasons: 1) because I’m not sure that he’ll play, and 2) because the Bears are typically very good against opposing passing games. But from Week 11 on, Rice could be a guy who impacts fantasy playoffs in a big way. He’ll be Brett Favre’s #1 downfield option as soon as he’s ready, and patient, forward-thinking owners will be rewarded.

Note: I like Vincent Jackson a lot too, for many of the same reasons as Rice (although he doesn’t have the ceiling that Rice has, since Philip Rivers has SO many options he is comfortable with now). Jackson is on a bye in Week 10, but he’s only owned in 45% of leagues. Prediction: with good reason, VJax and SRice will be owned in 100% of leagues by Thanksgiving.

Danny Amendola, St. Louis Rams (at San Francisco, 35%)

It’s not often that you can get a good QB’s #1 WR option as a bye week fill-in, but that’s exactly what you get if you pick up Amendola. (And note that he’s even more valuable in leagues that count return yards.) Danny has 45 catches in 8 games this year (5+ per game), and he has scored TDs in two straight games.

The 49ers have made guys like David Gettis huge fantasy stars. Amendola will be solid, and that’s what you need for guys who are filling in for your stars.

Mike Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars (v Houston, 18%)

Scroll up and read what I wrote about David Garrard. Guess what? Someone has to catch those passes. Mike Thomas will be one of those guys. (If Mike Sims-Walker is available, snatch him up too.)

Nate Burleson, Detroit Lions (at Buffalo, 9%)

I didn’t like Burleson’s matchup in Week 9 (Jets), yet all he did was catch 7 passes for 113 yards and a TD. The matchup against Buffalo is much better, and Burleson now has 20 catches over the last three weeks. He’s becoming a great option, certainly for being available in 91% of leagues.

Other names I like owned in less than 10% of leagues: Brian Hartline, MIA; Bernard Berrian, MIN; Blair White, IND; Anthony Armstrong, WAS; Michael Jenkins, ATL;

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: TE

Benjamin Watson, Cleveland Browns (v New York Jets, 44%)

Watson was a disappointment with only 1 catch and 24 yards in Week 9, but Brandon Pettigrew caught a touchdown against the Jets in Week 9 and almost had a second. I think New York will blitz the heck out of rookie Colt McCoy, who will respond by calmly dumping it to Watson, Evan Moore, and Peyton Hillis. Watson is hit or miss, but I like him as a hit this week if you need a replacement for Gates, Zach Miller, or Jeremy Shockey.

Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears, (v Minnesota, 48%)

I’m not a huge fan of Olsen, and he’s notorious for screwing you the moment you start to trust him, but he did catch his 3rd TD pass in Week 9. It also marked the fourth straight game in which he’s had at least three catches.

If you’re desperate, Ron Gronkowski (NE) and Kevin Boss (NYG) are halfway decent, but not great, options.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: Defense

Kansas City Chiefs (at Denver, 34%)

It boggles my mind that the Chiefs are still out there in 66% of leagues. This is a good defense that should be owned in nearly all leagues. Against the Broncos one-dimensional offense, the Chiefs are a solid start.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (v Carolina, 18%)

This isn’t as much a vote of confidence for the Bucs – who don’t have a great fantasy defense – as it is a vote of no confidence in Carolina. The Panthers are the worst offensive team in the NFL, and the Bucs have feasted on the NFL’s bad teams this year. I see it happening again this week.

**********

* – The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 digital sports influencers competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win P&G product, a donation to a local charity, and a trip to Super Bowl XLV, all furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in any way.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: anthony armstrong fantasy, beanie wells fantasy, benjamin watson fantasy, bernard berrian fantasy, blair white fantasy, brian hartline fantasy, chester taylor fantasy, danny amendola fantasy, david garrard fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, derek anderson fantasy, donald brown fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, Football Sleepers, greg olsen fantasy, jonathan stewart fantasy, kevin boss fantasy, larod stephens-howling fantasy, matthew stafford fantasy, michael jenkins fantasy, mike thomas fantasy, nate burleson fantasy, rob gronkowski fantasy, sam bradford fantasy, shaun hill fantasy, sidney rice fantasy, tim hightower fantasy, tyrel sutton fantasy, vincent jackson fantasy, willis mcgahee fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 9 Friday Injury Updates: Gates, DeSean, Harvin, and more

November 5, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

For yet another week, Antonio Gates is the most important name on the injury report. And with Houston on the schedule, Gates owners should be licking their chops. Unfortunately, not only does Gates have turf toe but he is also dealing with an injured plantar fascia.

The latest injury update on Gates is that he is officially questionable right now, he has not been practicing, and Norv Turner said he doesn’t know if Gates will play. My guess? He plays, because Gates always plays. Luckily San Diego plays an early game, so you’ll know if he’s active or inactive. Make sure you have a replacement ready just in case.

Malcom Floyd will miss another game because of his hamstring issue. Teammate Legedu Naanee also is not expected to play. Seyi Ajirotutu is a name to know. He will start opposite Patrick Crayton.

Another big name on the Week 9 injury report is Percy Harvin, who continues to deal with an ankle injury. He has not practiced this week and there is a chance he might not play. Have a replacement ready. I he plays, his QB will of course be the hobble Iron Man Brett Favre.

The Colts have a ton of guys on the injury report…again, all the usual suspects. Here we go:

Joseph Addai still has not been practicing because of his neck. He likely won’t play.
Mike Hart still hasn’t practicing either this week and is likely to be a game-time decision.
Donald Brown is the healthiest of all the Colts backs and should see an increase in workload this weekend. He is the one to start if you’re going to start any.
Austin Collie has been practicing this week, but whether he plays Sunday is another story. He’ll be a game-time decision.
Anthony Gonzalez shocked no one by getting dinged up in Week 8, and he is questionable for Week 9.

In Philadelphia, the big name is DeSean Jackson, who is attempting to return from his concussion. He is back practicing full time and has been cleared to play. He’ll have Michael Vick tossing him the pigskin.

In Detroit, Kevin Smith did not practice Thursday because of a knee issue. There is no word on whether he will play or not, but the matchup isn’t good anyway (Jets). Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson are both on the injury report, but both have been practicing fully and will play.

Todd Heap is still recovering from being banged up, but he has played well recently and has been practicing coming off the Ravens’ bye. He’s fine.

Derrick Mason had to have surgery on his finger during Baltimore’s bye week, but he says it won’t affect him. His new teammate Donte Stallworth is also expected to play in Week 9, but he is not worth starting or owning.

In New England, Deion Branch has been limited in practice because of a hamstring issue. He is, however, expected to play against Cleveland.

Fred Taylor still has not been practicing because of his toe injury. He is unlikely to play this weekend, which is good news for BenJarvus Green-Ellis owners.

Peyton Hillis owners can rejoice because the Browns RB is not on the injury report. Where the Browns have issues is at QB. Seneca Wallace has not been practicing because of his ankle injury, and neither has Jake Delhomme. Expect Colt McCoy to get another start this weekend.

Texans WR Andre Johnson was hobbling around at the end of the Texans’ Monday loss to Indy. He is apparently fine, however, and expected to play this weekend.

Steve Breaston has not practiced much this week, but that seems more precautionary than anything. He had 8 catches for 147 yards last week, so he seems to be back from the knee injury that hobbled him earlier in the year. Teammate Early Doucet is also practicing on a limited basis but should play.

Perpetual injury report name Beanie Wells is officially questionable for Sunday, but he says the practice he missed was due to an allergic reaction to an injection. He’s expected to play and start Sunday.

Kellen Winslow is another name you often see on the injury report. He plays most weeks though and is expected to play this week.

In New Orleans there have been conflicting reports about whether or not Drew Brees is injured. He’s not on the injury report and Sean Payton says he’s not. We’ll go with that. Regardless, he’s playing.

Pierre Thomas remains out this week. He’s still in a walking boot and crutches. New Orleans has a bye next week so the extra rest makes sense. Reggie Bush has been able to practice some this week and may play Sunday. I wouldn’t start even if he does play, and look for New Orleans to probably rest him until after the bye week as well.

Marques Colston is on the injury report, but have no ear, he’ll start and play well. The same is true for Chris Ivory.

Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams continues to be hobbled and is not expected to play in Week 9.

In Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck is dealing with the effects of a concussion and will not play. Charlie Whitehurst will start at QB if you’re desperate. Mike Williams has not been practicing but is expected to play.

Dexter McCluster will be a game-time decision for Kansas City.

In Oakland, Jason Campbell will start again this week as Bruce Gradkowski continues to deal with a shoulder injury. Unfortunately for Campbell, he goes into the Week 9 matchup against KC with a banged up receiving corps:

Zach Miller has not been practicing with a foot injury, although he is expected to play.
Louis Murphy has not been practicing and likely won’t play in Week 9.
Likewise, Chaz Schilens is not expected to play in Week 9.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, who finally had a good game last week, has not been practicing because of a shoulder injury. He is questionable and probably a game-time decision.

Honestly, with Campbell at QB and the Chiefs’ D playing really well this year, I’d stay away from Oakland pass catchers.

In Dallas, Felix Jones was back practicing Thursday. What that means is that he was probably back taking handoffs and then doing nothing with them. Because he sucks, healthy or not. And yes, I’m bitter about it.

Donald Driver is unlikely play to Week 9 for the Packers.

Sources: Official NFL Injury Report and CBS Sports player pages.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: andre johnson fantasy, anthony gonzalez fantasy, antonio gates fantasy, austin collie fantasy, beanie wells fantasy, benjarvus green-ellis fantasy, brett favre fantasy, bruce gradkowski fantasy, calvin johnson fantasy, charlie whitehurst fantasy, chaz schilens fantasy, chris ivory fantasy, colt mccoy fantasy, darrius heyward-bey fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, deion branch fantasy, derrick mason fantasy, desean jackson fantasy, dexter mccluster fantasy, donald brown fantasy, donald driver fantasy, donte stallworth fantasy, drew brees fantasy, early doucet fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, fantasy football injuries, fantasy football week 9, felix jones fantasy, Football Injury Updates, fred taylor fantasy, jahvid best fantasy, jake delhomme fantasy, jason campbell fantasy, joseph addai fantasy, kellen winslow fantasy, kevin smith fantasy, legedu naanee fantasy, louis murphy fantasy, malcom floyd fantasy, marques colston fantasy, matt hasselbeck fantasy, michael vick fantasy, mike hart fantasy, mike williams fantasy, percy harvin fantasy, peyton hillis fantasy, pierre thomas fantasy, reggie bush fantasy, seneca wallace fantasy, seyi ajirotutu fantasy, steve breaston fantasy, todd heap fantasy, zach miller fantasy

Friday Injury Updates: Favre, Gates, SJax, DAW, the Colts, and more

October 29, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

Brett Favre is injured everyone. Seriously.

What? You hadn’t heard yet? Yeah, he’s got a bum ankle. He’s been in a walking boot all week. Hasn’t practiced. The streak – the streak – is in jeopardy.

Look, let’s just get the Brett Favre portion of this injury update out of the way right off the bat. I will believe that Brett Favre is not going to start on Sunday when Tarvaris Jackson is under center and has taken the first snap of the game. Until then, I don’t care if practices or doesn’t practice. I don’t care if he says he’s going to play or not. I don’t care if Brad Childress says Favre will play or not.

If we’ve learned one thing from all of the Favre nonsense over the past few years, it’s this: no matter what, when the issue is Brett Favre playing football, expect him to play. That’s it, it’s that simple.

When you can find me one, just one, example of the opposite being true, then we’ll talk. Until then, you simply have to assume he’ll play – the only debate is over how well he’ll play. For the record, I have Favre ranked #21 in this week’s player rankings.

So there’s your Brett Favre injury update. Now onto all of the other Week 8 injury updates for all fantasy-relevant offensive players.

In San Diego, the injury report is still filled up with pass catchers. Antonio Gates has not been practicing because of his toe injury. But like Brett Favre, I’ll believe Gates won’t play when he’s listed as inactive, not before. Furthermore, if and when he plays, you have to start him. Last week he had 4 receptions and 50 yards with a TD on one foot. He’s amazing.

Malcom Floyd, however, is not quite so amazing, at least in terms of getting on the field. It looks like he’ll miss another week as he tries to battle back from a hamstring injury. Buster Davis had a nice Week 7 helping to fill in for Floyd, but has a rib injury of his own. He has yet to practice this week, so you’ll need to monitor his situation. The same is true for the still-injured Legedu Naanee. If either Naanee or Davis play, they are solid options because of the offense they’re in.

It looks like DeAngelo Williams will probably be a game time decision as he tries to recover from his own foot injury. He hasn’t practiced yet this week. Check to see if he practices today. If he doesn’t it’s doubtful he’d play Sunday, and it’s not like he’s been putting up great numbers when healthy anyway.

Steven Jackson has a finger injury that required surgery earlier this week. It has caused him to miss practice all week. But you know what? Steven Jackson is a football player, which means he’s not like the rest of us. Surgery? Pfft. I’ll be out there! I can’t confirm that Jackson used that exact phrasing, but he has said that he’ll play this weekend.

Joseph Addai remains out for the Colts with a neck injury. He could miss a few weeks. Similarly, Austin Collie is out after have surgery on his hand. He will also likely miss a few weeks.

Stepping in for Addai will be, well, we’re not quite sure yet. Donald Brown is supposed to be the guy, but he continues to be slowed by a hamstring injury and still hasn’t practiced. WTF Donald!? The problem here is that the Colts play Monday night, so you need to know who is starting for them Sunday or use an alternative. The best case would be for you to snatch up Mike Hart and then just start whoever ends up playing. At this point, Hart is a decent guy to have with the inability of Addai and Brown to stay healthy.

Stepping in for Austin Collie could be Anthony Gonzalez, another guy who hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Gonzo has practiced all week and should play. How well? Who knows. We haven’t seen him on the field in a while.

Concerning me as I go through the injury report is that Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, my top two WRs for Week 8 thanks to the matchup versus the Texans, are both on there with hamstring injuries. Garcon did not practice Thursday. Wayne practiced some. Both are expected to play, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. With the injuries the Colts have had, look for Peyton Manning to lean on these two guys heavily against a Texans’ pass D that is simply awful.

Carson Palmer has not been practicing because of a hip issue. He is expected to play Sunday against the Dolphins, and should have another solid day. He’ll be throwing to Terrell Owens who is on the injury report but also expected to play.

Eddie Royal has been limited in practice this week with his groin issue, but the Broncos took him to London with them. He was limited last week also but played in the game. He has not, however, been very productive recently. So while he’ll likely play, I’d temper my expectations.

Vernon Davis hasn’t been practicing this week because of an ankle malady, but he is expected to play. He’ll have a new quarterback because Alex Smith is definitely out. Troy Smith is in.

David Garrard was cleared to play at the beginning of the week after suffering a concussion two weeks ago. He’s back and will start against the Cowboys.

Tony Romo will not start this week or any week. He’s out with a broken clavicle.

Dez Bryant is on the injury report again, but he’s been practicing. Play him.

Dexter McCluster has the dreaded high ankle sprain and will likely be out a few weeks. Bench him for now, if you were planning to play him at all anyway.

Chris Cooley is on the injury report but is fine. He could be in line for a very big week against Detroit. His quarterback Donovan McNabb could also be in line for a big day, which would be his first big day of the season. McNabb has been limited in practice with a hamstring issue but he is expected to play.

Jahvid Best continues to deal with the toe injury that has been hobbling him for a while. He has only been a limited practice participant but all reports indicate that the toe is getting better. He’s a solid play this week, and he’ll have his quarterback Matthew Stafford back. He’s been out since Week 1 with a shoulder injury.

Donald Driver is still hobbled by a quad injury. He’s expected to play Sunday, but he only has 10 catches over the last four games. Also, Darrelle Revis is back for the Jets, which should improve their surprisingly porous (to date) pass defense.

Vince Young is back and will start against the Chargers on Sunday. Keep in mind though, San Diego has a very good defense statistically, and they better at home. Chris Johnson is on the injury report, but he’ll be fine for Sunday. He’s been practicing all week.

Deion Branch has been limited in practice but should play Sunday.

LeGarrette Blount miss practice on Thursday with an illness, but is expected to play and see an increased role in Week 8.

Steve Breaston and Early Doucet made their returns to the lineup last week and should be in there again despite still being on the injury report. Max Hall has practiced fully after being knocked out of last week’s game early. He’ll start.

Louis Murphy will not start this week and could be out for a little while with a bruised lung…which just sounds ominous. That stinks because Murphy has a nice rapport with Bruce Gradkowski, who should be back in the starting lineup soon, perhaps as soon as this week against Seattle.

Neither Reggie Bush nor Pierre Thomas has been practicing this week. Even if they are miraculously ready to go by Sunday night, I wouldn’t play either against Pittsburgh.

Andre Johnson is still on the injury report with his ankle issue. He’s fine. He’ll play.

* – Injury update info sources: Official NFL injury report and CBS Sports fantasy player pages.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: alex smith fantasy, andre johnson fantasy, anthony gonzalez fantasy, antonio gates fantasy, brett favre fantasy, bruce gradkowski fantasy, buster davis fantasy, carson palmer fantasy, chris cooley fantasy, chris johnson fantasy, darrelle revis fantasy, david garrard fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, deion branch fantasy, dexter mccluster fantasy, dez bryant fantasy, donald brown fantasy, donald driver fantasy, donovan mcnabb fantasy, early doucet fantasy, eddie royal fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, fantasy football week 8, Football Injury Updates, jahvid best fantasy, joseph addai fantasy, legarrette blount fantasy, legedu naanee fantasy, louis murphy fantasy, malcom floyd fantasy, matthew stafford fantasy, max hall fantasy, mike hart fantasy, pierre garcon fantasy, pierre thomas fantasy, reggie bush fantasy, reggie wayne fantasy, steve breaston fantasy, steven jackson fantasy, tarvaris jackson fantasy, terrell owens fantasy, tony romo fantasy, troy smith fantasy, vernon davis fantasy, vince young fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start em, Sit em Projections and Lineup Q&A [Updated 10/28]

October 28, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

We are now 7 weeks into the 2010 Fantasy Football season and my combined record in six leagues is 32-10. In only one league am I not at least two games over .500. I don’t keep records of these sorts of things, but I cannot ever remember jumping out to such a strong start in so many leagues.

Making this especially exciting is that in one of my leagues, the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League*, the stakes are a trip to the Super Bowl for the winner. Those are the highest stakes I’ve ever played for. Add in the potential for bragging rights among my blogging buddies, and you can undoubtedly understand why I spend so much time attempting to optimize my lineup each week.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, do yourself a favor and check out the Text It To The House promotion. It’s a fun, easy weekly game you should be taking part in where you pick the five players who will have longest plays from scrimmage this week (Pierre Garcon! Pierre Garcon!).

Anyway, so far in BFL2010, despite making a few boneheaded decisions (dropping Thomas Jones) and losing one of my top WRs before the season even started (Sidney Rice), I’m sitting in a three-way tie for the best record in the league. Please, if you would, do me a favor and knock on some wood.

All of this early season success, of course, has me terrified.

Success in fantasy football is oftentimes as much about injuries and the whims of head-to-head matchups as it is about making good lineup choices. Oh sure, you have to know what you’re doing to have a chance to win, but you could also finish second in your league in points every week…and still never win a game, through no fault of your own.

So how will I deal with this unprecedented success? Work harder to make sure I am leaving no stone unturned on the waiver wire or with regard to my lineups. I have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs in every league, and there is no time for resting on laurels. Now is the time to up the ante and increase the focus. That way, once the whims of injuries and head-to-head decide to make me their target, I can at least be in the best possible position to overcome them.

So let’s turn our attention to our Week 8 lineups with this week’s Start ‘em, Sit em recommendations.

First, as always, here is how I did in Week 7 with the top-line picks:

Start ‘em hits: Joe Flacco, Knowshon Moreno, Seattle Seahawks
Start ‘em misses: Jeremy Maclin, Heath Miller,
Sit ‘em hits: Jay Cutler, Ronnie Brown & Ricky Williams, Deion Branch, Dallas Cowboys
Sit ‘em misses: Zach Miller

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start / Sit Projections and Q&A

Note: the Falcons, Ravens, Bears, Browns, Giants, and Eagles are on bye in Week 8.

Remember when reading this post that everything is relative. Just because I say “sit Player X” doesn’t mean I’d sit him in all cases. It just means that, in comparison to the general opinion of that player, who likely is not a consensus must-start (because that is who I try to pick for these columns, so that they are useful), I either like him or dislike him more than others.

If you want specific player-to-player comparisons, I’ll be posting my rankings later in this week, which will give you a more clear indication of how I view one guy versus another. This post is meant to provide general guidance on borderline starters and whether I think, generally, they should be in lineups or not.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans (vs Pittsburgh)

You might think that this is an obvious choice – it’s Drew Brees! - but I guarantee that if you troll the comments and Twitter questions this week, lots of people will be questioning Brees after his 4-INT performance against the Browns. That’s just the nature of the beast. We are all prone to overreacting; my job is to tell you when such a reaction is warranted and when it’s not.

I had Brees as my #1 overall QB last, so no one was more disappointed or surprised by his Week 7 performance than I was. But Brees still has thrown a TD in every game this year, and two or more in five out of seven games. So while he’s not Brees vintage 2009, he’s still a guy you need to have in your lineups every single week.

The other reason I feel compelled to list Brees here is that when you look at his matchup and see Pittsburgh, you might be intimidated. If you have Chris Ivory or Pierre Thomas? Yes, be intimidated. But the fact that the Steelers shut down every running game means that teams will throw on them. If Chad Henne could have a productive day against Pittsburgh, Brees certainly can as well. The Steelers don’t give up a lot of passing TDs, but they do give up a lot of yards.

I think the pride of Drew Brees and the Saints was wounded against the Browns. This team is too talented and too experienced to not bounce back with a vengeance. Being at home only helps the cause. I like Drew Brees a lot in Week 7, and you’ll regret it immeasurably if you sit him.

Drew Brees fantasy football week 8 projection: 300 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 8:

I like all of the guys I highlighted in our Week 8 sleepers post: Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Matt Cassel, and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
If you have Donovan McNabb, he’s not a bad start this week against Detroit.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em QB: Matt Schaub, Houston (at Indianapolis)

I have recommended Matt Schaub consistently this season. Because of the emergence of Arian Foster, and injuries to his receiving corps, Schaub has rewarded me with some decent games but also some clunkers.

Week 1 against the Colts – perhaps the biggest win in the Texans’ history – was one of Schaub’s clunkers. He completed just 9 passes for 107 yards and only 1 TD. Granted, Arian Foster ran wild…but he just might run wild against Indy in Week 8 as well. Remember that the Colts are terrible against the run, but they are pretty solid against the pass (206 yards per game, 7 TDs total).

In his career, Schaub has started four games against the Colts and has thrown just 5 TDs against 7 INTs against the Colts. That’s a decent sample size. Add in the fact that the game is in Indy, and there are are lots of QBs who are usually backups who have great matchups this week, and this is a good week to sit Matt Schaub on your bench.

Matt Schaub fantasy football Week 8 projection: 205 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 8:

I don’t like whoever starts for Tennessee, whether it’s Vince Young or Kerry Collins. The San Diego Chargers entered Week 7 #1 in the NFL against the pass and then held Tom Brady to just 159 yards and 1 TD. Plus, the Chargers’ D plays its best at home.

Honestly, it’s hard to find other guys to tell you to sit that you wouldn’t be sitting anyway. You either have studs playing good defenses, so you’ll play them anyway, or lower-tier guys with good matchups. Looks like an advantageous week for six teams to be on bye.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em RB: Ryan Torain, Washington (at Detroit)

Here is the first positive stat about Ryan Torain: he has carried the ball at least 16 times in four straight games.

Here is the second positive stat about Ryan Torain: he has rushed for 100+ yards in two straight games.

Here is the third positive stat about Ryan Torain: in Week 8 the Redskins play the Lions, and the Lions give up nearly 140 yards per game on the ground.

Add all of that up, plus the fact that six running backs who usually start are on bye, and Ryan Torain is an absolute must start in Week 8.

Ryan Torain fantasy football Week 8 projection: 125 yards, 1 TD, 1 reception, 10 yards

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 8:

Wow Darren McFadden. Wow. Uhh, start him. He’s healthy again. And if you needed me to tell you that, just quit right now.
Beanie Wells showed signs of life in Week 7. He ran for 54 yards and a TD on only 14 carries against Seattle’s very good run D. In Week 8, Wells gets to face a Tampa Bay run defense that has been good this year. This is the week to play Beanie.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis has scored TDs in four straight weeks. Granted, his yardage has dipped a lot in the last two weeks, but TDs are TDs, and I think the Patriots will score a few in Week 8. In a week with this many bye weeks, a guy who gets goalline carries for a good offense is valuable. Play The Lawfirm.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em RB: Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas, and all New Orleans RBs (vs Pittsburgh)

The Steelers have the best run D in the NFL and they shut out the 1-2 punch of Ronnie Brown-Ricky Williams in Week 8. Seeing as how Chris Ivory could barely run the ball against the Browns – the Browns! – how the hell can you trust any New Orleans running back with the Steelers coming to town?

You know I love Drew Brees, and I think the New Orleans passing attack will have a solid day, but whether it’s Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas, or anyone else, the Saints’ RBs are going to find the going very tough in Week 8. Stay away.

Chris Ivory / Pierre Thomas fantasy football Week 8 projection: 50 yards rushing, 0 TD

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 8:

I am sick and goddamn tired of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Okay? There, I said it. The San Francisco 49ers shut them down in Week 7 and the St. Louis Rams have only given up two rushing TDs all season. I hope that by finally giving up on DAW it will signal a resurrection. We’ll see.
The San Diego running game is also pissing me off. While the Patriots have a decent run defense, the Chargers didn’t even try to run the ball in Week 8. 14 carries and 27 yards between Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert, and Darren Sproles? And now Tennessee is up next? I’ll pass.
Marshawn Lynch had 24 carries to Justin Forsett’s 9. That’s a pretty clear sign of who the #1 back is in Seattle. If you have Forsett, you should sit him unless you’re in a deep PPR league.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em WR: Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis (vs Houston)

I really hope that this is obvious. (I also hope it’s wrong, as my opponent in BFL2010 has Garcon. Drat.) I actually feel bad listing Garcon here, but I want to make sure you don’t even consider sitting him. With Dallas Clark and Austin Collie out, and probably Joseph Addai too, Garcon will be the guy getting 1-on-1 coverage opposite the sure-to-be-double-teamed Reggie Wayne.

Oh, and did I mention that Houston has the worst pass defense in the NFL? They have given up 14 TDs in 6 games. The redefines the word terrible. Playing Peyton Manning at home, even with an injured receiving corps, will not help matters.

Garcon has 10 catches for 160 yards and a TD the last two weeks. I think there is a chance he equals that against the Texans. He’ll be in my top 10 WR for sure this week. Make sure that you start him.

Pierre Garcon fantasy football Week 8 projection: 8 catches, 135 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 8:

Mike Wallace and Hines Ward have both caught TDs in the last two games, the first two Roethlisberger starts of 2010. Keep them in your lineups.
Marques Colston came through in a big way in Week 7 (10 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD) and I think he plays well in Week 8 against Pittsburgh. His targets and catches have been consistent. TDs can fluctuate.
Dwayne f’ing Bowe. I’ve doubted him for two straight weeks and he’s come through. It pains me to say this, but you should start him against the Buffalo Bills.
The Broncos WRs were terrible in Week 7 against Oakland. Remember that Oakland is decent against the pass. Denver’s Week 8 opponent, San Francisco, let David Gettis and Brandon LaFell look like Jerry Rice and John Taylor in Week 7. Start Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, and Eddie Royal in Week 8.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em WR: Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville (at Dallas)

Go ahead, try and predict how the Jags’ receivers will do from week to week.

Remember when Mike Sims-Walker was a popular sleeper heading into 2010 after his “breakout” 2009? Well despite his three TDs in 2010, he’s thrown up two donuts. With MSW, you just never know when they’ll come.

And how about Mike Thomas? He’s actually been the consistent one this year, catching at least four passes in five out of six games heading into Week 7. And how about Week 7? Thomas did his best Mike Sims-Walker impression by catching no passes.

Add in the fact that Jacksonville has major QB issues, starting the immortal Todd Bouman in Week 7, plus the fact that Dallas gives up only 181 yards per game (and just a shade over 1 TD per game), and the Jags WRs are strong sit candidates for Week 7.

Mike Thomas fantasy football Week 8 projection: 5 catches, 60 yards, 0 TDs

Mike Sims-Walker fantasy football Week 8 projection: 3 catches, 35 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 8:

If David Carr is starting for the 49ers, Michael Crabtree’s value takes a huge hit, even against Denver. Carr is that bad.
Steve Breaston did not catch a pass in Week 7. Hmm…maybe he’s not back from his injury yet after all. I’d sit him until he starts producing.
Kevin Walter started off the season hot, catching TDs in three straight weeks. However, over the last two weeks Walter has caught just 6 passes and no TDs. With Jacoby Jones back healthy and the strong Indy pass D on the Week 8 slate, Walter is not a strong option.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em TE: Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay (at Arizona)

There is lots of flux at the TE position. Jermichael Finley and Dallas Clark are out. Antonio Gates is banged up (though still catching TDs). Vernon Davis may be forced to deal with David Carr. Sure things are tough to come by.

Kellen Winslow, though without a TD in 2010, is averaging almost five catches and 50 yards per game. That’s nothing to write home about, but it’s consistent. And I have a random hunch that he finally finds the end zone in Week 8 with the underrated, maturing Josh Freeman as his QB.

Kellen Winslow fantasy football Week 8 projection: 5 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 8:

I like Tony Moeaki against Buffalo a lot, especially after Todd Heap scored two TDs against the Bills in Week 7.
Jermaine Greshman continues to get consistent targets. He’s ultimately going to have a huge breakout game. TEs against Miami have done well this year, so I’d keep Gresham in your lineup.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (vs Washington)

If you follow this site, you now I like Brandon Pettigrew. That said, I wouldn’t mind sitting him during Matthew Stafford’s first week back from injury. The reason is that Pettigrew had only 1 catch for 6 yards in Week 1, which was the only game Stafford has played this year. Last year, when both were rookies, Pettigrew had only two games with more than four catches.

I do think Pettigrew is a solid option for the rest of the season, and that Stafford will get him involved, but with tight end so deep this year, why not take a week to see how they two do together?

Brandon Pettigrew fantasy football Week 8 projection: 4 receptions, 34 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 8:

This was supposed to be the week John Carlson stepped it up. He had one catch for three yards. Stop starting this guy.
Look, you pretty much have to start Vernon Davis if you have him, especially in a week with 6 byes, but just understand that once David Carr got in there, the 49ers didn’t even look Davis’ way. I sure hope they get this figured out, but Davis’ value decreases every game Alex Smith is not in the lineup.

*********Make sure you read the update before proceeding**********

Update 10/28/10: I am going to leave the Defense picks up below as they were originally posted. However, I have done a complete 180 since delving a bit more into the numbers as this week has gone on. Also, I’ve realized that I just cannot trust the Cowboys.

So here is what I am going to tell you: switch the start ‘em and sit ‘em D’s below. That’s right. Start the Redskins – who give up a lot of yards but not a lot of points, whilst forcing turnovers and having the playmakers to get defensive scores – and sit the Cowboys – who don’t give up a lot of yards, but do give up a lot of points and rarely get turnovers.

Dallas still has a nice matchup versus Jacksonville, and they aren’t a horrible play, (I have them ranked 12th this week), but you can probably grab a D with more upside. Try St. Louis, Tampa Bay, or Kansas City. Washington does have to face a surprising Detroit offense, but we do not yet know how Matt Stafford will play. He is prone to INTs, and DeAngelo Hall has proven he can get ‘em and take ‘em to the house.

My apologies to anyone who saw this early in the week and doesn’t make it back. This has been gnawing at me ever since I posted it, so I figure better late than never.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em Defense: Dallas Cowboys (vs Jacksonville)

You may think I’m crazy for listing the Cowboys here after they got slaughtered by the New York Giants in Week 7, but playing the Jacksonville offense can help to cure what ails any defense. With Tony Romo out, the defense now has to lead the Cowboys if they want to have any hope of turning their season around. The talent and coaching are there for this defense to be better that it’s been. Perhaps it is not the elite unit we thought it would be, but I have to think the Cowboys can at least be productive against the Jags.

Dallas Cowboys fantasy football Week 8 projection: 14 or fewer points, 3 or more sacks, 1 TO

Other start ‘em Defense / Special Teams units for Week 8:

Tampa Bay’s D has been solid this year. They face an Arizona team alternating between Derek Anderson and an undrafted rookie free agent. I them them odds.
The St. Louis Rams have been much better at home than on the road this year. They face Carolina’s woeful offense in Week 8. This is another solid though unspectacular start.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em Defense: Washington Redskins (at Detroit Lions)

The Redskins were fantasy darlings in Week 7. Just remember that the offense they owned was the Chicago Bears. In Week 8, they face a Detroit offense that has been surprisingly potent this year and that gets their field general, Matthew Stafford, back from injury. Especially on the turf in Detroit, where Javhid is at his best, Washington is an uninspiring defense.

Washington Redskins fantasy football Week 8 projection: 20 or more points, 2 sacks, 1 TO

Other sit ‘em Defense / Special Teams units for Week 8:

Tennessee’s defense has been very good this year. This week they face a San Diego offense that puts up 20 points even in their worst weeks.
Miami and Cincinnati have fringe defenses every week. They are playing eachother this week and I have a funny feeling it turns into an offensive game.

Okay, there are your Week 8 start ‘em, sit ‘ems. As you normally do, use the comment section liberally to ask your Week 8 questions. I’ll answer them as quickly as I get to them, all the way up until kickoff on Sunday.

**********

* – The P&G Blogger Fantasy League (BFL) is a group of 12 digital sports influencers competing on the NFL.com fantasy platform for the chance to win P&G product, a donation to a local charity, and a trip to Super Bowl XLV, all furnished by P&G. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored the sweepstakes in any way.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: beanie wells fantasy, benjarvus green-ellis fantasy, brandon lafell fantasy, brandon lloyd fantasy, brandon pettigrew fantasy, brett favre fantasy, chris ivory fantasy, darren mcfadden fantasy, darren sproles fantasy, david gettis fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, donovan mcnabb fantasy, drew brees fantasy, dwayne bowe fantasy, eddie royal fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, hines ward fantasy, jabar gaffney fantasy, jermaine gresham fantasy, john carlson fantasy, jonathan stewart fantasy, justin forsett fantasy, kellen winslow fantasy, kerry collins fantasy, kevin walter fantasy, marques colston fantasy, marshawn lynch fantasy, matt cassel fantasy, matt schaub fantasy, matthew stafford fantasy, michael crabtree fantasy, Mike Sims-Walker fantasy, mike thomas fantasy, mike tolbert fantasy, mike wallace fantasy, pierre garcon fantasy, pierre thomas fantasy, ryan fitzpatrick fantasy, ryan mathews fantasy, ryan torain fantasy, sam bradford fantasy, Start Em Sit Em, steve breaston fantasy, tony moeaki fantasy, tony romo fantasy, vernon davis fantasy, vince young fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 5 Friday Injury Updates: McFadden, McCoy, Bradshaw, PT, and more

October 8, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

We do it every Friday: run down all of the fantasy-relevant injuries that you need to be paying attention to as Sunday approaches. So let’s jump right in with this week’s injury updates.

Darren McFadden is still dealing with an injured hamstring and it now appears that he will not be able to play. Michael Bush will step in and assume the carries against San Diego.

In positive Raider injury news, Louis Murphy is not on the injury report and should be ready for a strong game. His favorite QB, Bruce Gradkowski, is on the injury report but also expected to play.

Eagles RB LeSean McCoy has not been practicing this week because of a rib injury. He appears to be a game time decision, which sucks because the Eagles play Sunday night. That means you need to either make your decision to sit McCoy early in the day or Sunday, or have Mike Bell or someone from the Monday night game to deploy in case McCoy is a late scratch.

In Cleveland, running back revelation Peyton Hillis has a thigh issue that has limited him in practice. As of right now, all signs point to him playing, but monitor this situation. Jerome Harrison would be a solid start candidate if Hillis can’t play.

At QB for the Browns, Jake Delhomme is slowly working his way back into the lineup and will start over Seneca Wallace if he’s feeling good enough. Keep tabs on this if your team is in such dire straits that you have to start Cleveland’s QB. (Actually, if that’s the case, just quit. You’re done.)

Ahmad Bradshaw, who is quietly compiling nice numbers this year, missed practice on Thursday. He is dealing with an ankle issue. Check to see if he practices today. Houston is pretty strong against the run, but Bradshaw should still have scoring opportunities if he plays.

For the Texans, both Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones are game-time decisions. Not much more I can say other than that. At least Johnson practiced on a limited basis Thursday. Jones missed it completely. (Moral of the story: get Kevin Walter ready to start.)

In New Orleans, it looks like half their damn team is on the injury report. Pierre Thomas is the main player fantasy owners are worried about, and he has missed practice again this week. It looks like he’ll miss Sunday’s plum matchup versus Arizona. Ladell Betts and Chris Ivory are the two backs you want, and both have value, as we saw last week when both Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert scored against the Cardinals. Jeremy Shockey missed practice Thursday with a knee issue. He’s expected to play, and it’s a great matchup if he does.

Maurice Jones-Drew is on the injury report with an ankle. He also participated fully in Thursday’s practice and is a horse; he’s fine.

Knowshon Moreno did not practice Thursday because of his hamstring issue. Baltimore has been giving up rushing yards, so he’s a decent play if he’s active Sunday, but I’m not holding my breath. Have an alternative ready.

Ray Rice has been practicing all week and will be ready to bust loose on Sunday.

Austin Collie did not practice on Thursday because of the football injury that’s been ailing him. He played last week with the injury, so I assume he’ll do the same this week and have a good week. Pierre Garcon is also back practicing fully, so keep an eye on him and see how many targets he gets in his first week back.

Clinton Portis is out for 4-6 weeks with a groin injury. Get Ryan Torain ready to go.

Steven Jackson has been limited in practice because of a lingering groin issue, but he played pretty well with it last week. Detroit offers a nice matchup so have Jackson in your lineups.

Matthew Stafford remains out for at least one more week.

Jahvid Best is dealing with a toe injury that has forced him to be limited in practice this week. Still, he is expected to play on Sunday.

Jay Cutler is dealing with the effects of a concussion suffered last Sunday. He won’t play this weekend. Todd Collins will start in his place.

Steve Smith is still in a walking boot and will most likely miss this weekend’s game against the Bears. He should return after the Panthers’ Week 6 bye. Smith’s teammate DeAngelo Williams missed practice earlier this week because of an illness. He’ll be fine for Sunday.

Jordan Shipley is still dealing with a concussion and did not practice Thursday.

Steve Breaston remains out for the Cardinals. Early Doucet also is not practicing.

Justin Gage has a hamstring injury that is forcing him to miss practice. He’s supposed to play, but it looks like a game time decision.

Dez Bryant appears fully healed from his rib injury and should play Sunday against Tennessee.

Visanthe Shiancoe is limited in practice. Check his status Sunday.

Make sure to check the official NFL injury report to see how does and does not practice today and what their status is for Sunday.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: ahmad bradshaw fantasy, andre johnson fantasy, austin collie fantasy, bruce gradkowski fantasy, chris ivory fantasy, clinton portis fantasy, darren mcfadden fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, dez bryant fantasy, early doucet fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, Football Injury Updates, jacoby jones fantasy, jahvid best fantasy, jake delhomme fantasy, jay cutler fantasy, jeremy shockey fantasy, jerome harrison fantasy, jordan shipley fantasy, justin gage fantasy, kevin walter fantasy, knowshon moreno fantasy, ladell betts fantasy, lesean mccoy fantasy, louis murphy fantasy, matthew stafford fantasy, maurice jones-drew fantasy, michael bush fantasy, mike bell fantasy, mike tolbert fantasy, peyton hillis fantasy, pierre garcon fantasy, pierre thomas fantasy, ray rice fantasy, ryan mathews fantasy, ryan torain fantasy, seneca wallace fantasy, steve breaston fantasy, steve smith fantasy, steven jackson fantasy, todd collins fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start em, Sit em Projections, Roster Advice, Q&A

October 4, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

All week, I told you to start guys like DeAngelo Williams, Bruce Gradkowski, and Dustin Keller. And boy did all three produce well. Unfortunately, none of them were top-line picks.

While predicting Peyton Hillis and Vernon Davis to have strong days proved accurate, I whiffed on Carson Palmer and Matt Ryan. Had I flipped them, I would have been in good shape!

Such is the frustration of try to predict the unpredictable. But I love the challenge. So let’s quickly review my Week 4 start ‘em, sit ‘em picks and then move on to Week 5.

Start ‘em hits: Peyton Hillis, Vernon Davis
Start ‘em misses: Matt Ryan, Cincinnati D, Santana Moss
Sit ‘em hits: Jahvid Best, Todd Heap
Sit ‘em misses: Carson Palmer, Derrick Mason & TJ Houshmandzadeh

Still to play: Miami Dolphins

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

Note that the following teams have byes in Week 5: Dolphins, Patriots, Steelers, Seahawks
Click to see our complete Week 5 rankings.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em QB: Eli Manning, New York Giants (at Houston)

Is it really as easy as just picking whichever QB is playing against the Houston Texans? Why yes, it certainly appears that it is.

The Texans were by the far the worst defense against the pass coming into Week 4, and so far as I write this on Sunday afternoon, Bruce Gradkowski – Bruce Gradkowski! - is 10-14 for 119 yards and a TD, and he hasn’t even completed a pass to Louis Murphy yet. (Note: Gradkowski finished with 278 yards and 2 TDs.)

Even without seeing what Eli does against Chicago tonight, I’ll gladly pencil him into the start ‘em spot. (Update: Eli threw for close to 200 yards but no TDs.) He’s thrown too many INTs and really made some bone-headed decisions, but he’s a good QB with a good receiver corps and the matchup is too delicious to ignore.

Eli Manning fantasy football Week 5 projection: 315 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 5:

Friends, you know I don’t like recommending rookies. However, I love Sam Bradford, and I especially love him this week. Bradford now has two 2-TD performances in his first four games as a starter, and that’s without a legitimate #1 receiver. In Week 5 he gets the Lions’ secondary, which just isn’t very good.
Tony Romo‘s last time out was very productive, though it was against the Texans. In Week 5 he gets a Titans secondary that had been pretty good the first two weeks but that gave up 300+ yards and two TDs to Kyle Orton in Week 5. I like Romo for about the same.
What else can be said about Mark Sanchez? He has put his awful Week 1 performance behind him and become one of the most productive QBs in fantasy with 8 TDs and no INTs over the last three weeks. I don’t expect him to continue at this pace, but the Jets face a very good Minnesota run D that will force them to pass. That doesn’t seem so scary for Jets fans anymore.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em QB: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals (vs Tampa Bay)

I guess you could say I’m stubborn.

I picked Palmer as my sit ‘em QB last week, then he promptly went out and torched the Cleveland pass D. In hindsight, after seeing what Baltimore’s then-crappy pass attack did to Cleveland in Week 3, I probably should not have been so bold in my assessment of their ability to rebound and limit Palmer.

However, I do think the Buccaneers can limit Palmer and the Bengals.

Not only is Tampa Bay coming off of a bye, but they are playing very good pass D this year. Through three games, the Bucs are giving up less than 200 yards per game and have picked off 6 passes against only 5 TDs; and two of those TDs were by Pittsburgh on plays that easily could have been incompletions with the coverage Tampa Bay had.

But this pick is more about my lack of faith in Palmer. He has been trending downward for years and I simply don’t have faith in him as a consistent top-12 starter. I don’t think Palmer will be terrible, but if you’re thinking of starting him I challenge you to see if someone like Sam Bradford or Mark Sanchez is available. I’d start either over Palmer this week.

Carson Palmer fantasy football Week 5 projection: 215 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 5:

Brett Favre. He’s at the Jets and Sidney Rice still isn’t there. Plus, Revis might be back. I don’t like it, even though the Jets have given up more passing yards this year that we would have expected.
I’m not particularly high on Jay Cutler. He’s not an awful play, but Carolina’s D has played much better over the past two weeks. If they held Drew Brees in check, which they did, that doesn’t make me very confident in putting Cutler in there against them.
I know I usually have three extra QB it ‘ems, but no one really stands out. Anyone else I put would be rather obvious, so just pose any specific questions in the comment section.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em RB: Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, Kansas City (at Indianapolis)

Coming into Week 4, the Colts were 28th in the NFL against the rush (141.3 yards per game) and they had given up 3 TDs (though, granted, all came in Week 1 against the Texans). As I write this it’s halftime of the Colts game against the Jags, and Jacksonville has 124 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. (Note: they finished with 174 yards on the ground.) Remember that neither the Giants nor the Broncos run the ball especially well, so Indy’s seeming improvement against the run was more of a mirage than a trend.

Kansas City, however, is a very good running team and I think both of their backs have value this week. Jamaal Charles is a big play threat and the Colts give up big plays on the ground. Thomas Jones is the one who gets the most carries, and the old man will be rested after the bye week. With Matt Cassel still struggling and the Colts very good against the pass, Todd Haley will undoubtedly want to ride his backs in this one. Take advantage.

Jamaal Charles fantasy football Week 5 projection: 75 yards rushing, 35 yards receiving, 1 TD

Thomas Jones fantasy football Week 5 projection: 70 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, 1 TD

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 5:

See what I mean about DeAngelo Williams? Just be patient people. He finally scored in Week 4 and I like him to have another solid day against the Bears, despite their strong start against the run this year. Much of that has to do with matchups and Williams is still a guy who needs to be started. His teammate Jonathan Stewart has now scored two weeks in a row and isn’t a horrible start either if you’re hurt by the bye week.
I know that you are probably frustrated by Cedric Benson‘s up and down production so far this year. I know I expected more out of him in Week 4. The Bengals play the Bucs this week, however, a team that is much better against the pass than they are the run. I think Benson can take advantage.
The demise of Mike Tolbert was vastly overrated…by me. I thought Ryan Mathews would get more touches once he got healthy, but Tolbert dominated the first half against the Cardinals and ended up with 7 more carries than the rookie on the day. Oakland is an inviting matchup in Week 5. Both guys have strong value.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets (vs Minnesota)

Look, I’m excited about the LT resurgence too…just not in Week 5.

LaDainian has lit up New England, Miami, and Buffalo the last three weeks…none of whom have a run defense that I’d rank in the top 15 of the NFL. In Week 5, LT and the Jets face off against a Minnesota D that is fresh off the bye and that allowed just one rushing TD through the season’s first three weeks.

Tomlinson isn’t a terrible play, but keep in mind that he isn’t a featured back and will top out in the 15-17 touch range in a game like this. While he still has a nose for the end zone, and is a decent flex option, I think the Jets will need to beat the Vikings through the air, rather than on the ground. With Tomlinson splitting carries with Shonn Greene, that limits what you can expect from him.

LaDainian Tomlinson fantasy football Week 5 projection: 60 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 5:

Well, after having a good fantasy day in Week 4, CJ Spiller was limited to three touches in Week 5. He’s so talented, but that doesn’t matter if he’s not touching the ball.
Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain are splitting carries right now and they have a tough matchup in Week 5. I’d prefer to stay away from both.
I’m not terribly high on Jahvid Best this week. He has not been as good as his 5 TDs suggest and St. Louis has been better against the run than you might think. If you have two good alternatives, I’d probably go with them. Best is more of a flex-value play this week.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em WR: Mark Clayton, St. Louis (at Detroit)

You saw above that I like Sam Bradford this week against the Lions’ not-so-good secondary. It stands to reason then that I also like his receivers. And Mark Clayton is clearly Bradford’s go-to guy. Other than Week 2, Clayton has caught at least 5 balls and 72 yards in every game. And in Week 2, Clayton scored 2 TDs despite only catching two passes.

The Lions held Aaron Rodgers in check from a yardage standpoint in Week 4, but they still relinquished 3 TDs though the air. That brings their season total to 8, or two per game. If Sam Bradford tosses a couple of TD scores, as I expect he will, chances are good that Clayton will be on the receiving end of at least one of them.

Clayton is a very solid guy for the rest of the year. Grab him if he is somehow still on the waiver wire in your league.

Mark Clayton fantasy football Week 5 projection: 5 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 5:

It pains me to say this…and I mean it really pains me to say this…but Braylon Edwards clearly has a solid rapport with Mark Sanchez. Mr. New York Essence (and Mr. DUI) has now caught a TD pass in three consecutive games and is flashing the talent he showed for Cleveland in 2007. I might puke from typing this, but he’s pretty much a must-start right now.
Marques Colston owners, I know you’re frustrated. Don’t give up hope. He’s still the option you want on the Saints receiving corps, and Arizona is a very inviting matchup. In fact, Lance Moore and Devery Henderson aren’t bad options this week either.
Brandon Lloyd had another 100-yard receiving game in Week 4. Eddie Royal also had a solid outing and has now caught at least 4 balls in every game this year. The Broncos face Baltimore’s pass D, which has been outstanding this year, but I think that’s the function of who they’ve played. Denver won’t care and will chuck it around the field. Lloyd and Royal are separating themselves as the two Broncos WRs you want.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em WR: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (at Indianapolis)

You know I like the KC running backs this week, but I am not a big fan of the Chiefs’ receivers. Part of it is the matchup and the other part of it is how bad Matt Cassel has looked so far this year.

Dwayne Bowe has just 7 catches and one TD on the season. This comes on the heels of a sophomore season that saw him produce almost exactly half of the very strong output from his rookie campaign. I think Bowe may be a bit overrated right now because of how strong he came out of the gates as a rookie. I don’t trust him and I cannot recommend that you trust him either.

Dwayne Bowe fantasy football Week 5 projection: 3 receptions, 45 yards, 0 TD

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 5:

T.O. went off in Week 4. Good for him. He still has three weeks in which he wasn’t worthy of being a fantasy starter. Against a pretty good pass D I’d rather have T.O. on my bench, assuming I have some decent options.
Steve Smith had to leave the Panthers’ Week 4 game early because of an injury. He only had two receptions and 11 yards at the time. Even if he’s healthy, there are serious doubts about Jimmy Clausen’s ability to get him the ball.
The 49ers did get the ball to Michael Crabtree more, but everything was relatively short. Right now, San Francisco just doesn’t score enough and doesn’t put their receivers in a position to make big plays. Philadelphia has a good enough secondary that I’m not ready to remove the shackles from Crabtree quite yet.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (vs St. Louis)

Over the last three weeks, the second-year tight end has: 7 catches for 108 yards; 6 catches for 44 yards; and, 8 catches for 91 yards. He does not have a touchdown, but any of those games would provide you with adequate production from the TE spot.

Pettigrew is clearly a favorite of Shaun Hill, who continues to start for Matthew Stafford. Even if Stafford plays in Week 5, he has seen Pettigrew’s production and surely will keep him involved. If Pettigrew ever becomes a red zone target, he could be a consistent top 10 tight end. Against St. Louis, I think Pettrigrew can continue to catch 6-8 passes and provide value even if he doens’t hit paydirt.

Brandon Pettigrew fantasy football Week 5 projection: 7 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 5:

If Michael Vick is out for an extended period of time, Kevin Kolb becomes the starter and Brent Celek immediately becomes a top 10 tight end option again.
The Packers gave up 8 catches and 91 yards to the tight end in Week 4. Chris Cooley caught a TD pass from Donovan McNabb in Week 4, his second of the year. Cooley has been consistent this year and is a solid start candidate.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em TE: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (vs Tennessee)

Jason Witten was once a top notch fantasy tight end, but do you realize that he has just 6 TDs in his last 39 games? Wow. That’s not very efficient production.

Now, in a PPR league, Witten is a decent choice. He will almost always get you 5-7 catches and at least provide some value. But with guys like Dustin Keller, Brandon Pettigrew, and Jermaine Greshman emerging as solid plays at tight end, Witten’s days as a must start are over.

Add in the fact that Tony Romo has TD makers in Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Dez Bryant on the outside, plus the fact that Tennessee has been decent against the pass this year, and Witten is a prime candidate for the pine this week.

Jason Witten fantasy football Week 5 projection: 5 receptions, 50 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 5:

Todd Heap is very similar to Jason Witten. He’s older, and still a good bet for 4-5 catches per week, but the ceiling is very low.
Kellen Winslow doesn’t have more than 4 catches in a game this year. He’s not an awful option, especially since Cincy’s D gave up a TD to the Browns’ tight end in Week 4, but I bet you can do better. Like Witten and Heap, don’t let Winslow’s reputation blind you to the reality of his current production.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em D/ST: Chicago Bears (at Carolina)

While I do think DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have some value this week, the Panthers’ anemic passing attack means that Julius Peppers and the Bears’ D could have a very productive day.

Jimmy Clausen actually did a decent job of keeping Carolina competitive in Week 4, but he’s a rookie, and a rookie who isn’t ready to be a starting QB in the NFL. Given how well Chicago’s D has played to start the season, I like the odds of the Bears getting you 10+ points at a minimum in Week 5.

Chicago Bears D/ST fantasy football Week 5 projection: 14 or less points, 3 sacks, 2 TOs

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 5:

Philadelphia faces a San Francisco offense that just isn’t explosive at all. It should be a solid week for the Eagles.
Dallas is rested, doing a good job against the run this year, and facing a Titans offense that is a mixed bag based on which Vince Young shows up.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em D/ST: Washington Redskins (vs Green Bay)

Washington’s offense did a nice job in Week 4 against the Eagles, but that was with Michael Vick missing the second half. Washington has been inconsistent all year and that does not bode well against a Packers offense that can put up 22 points even in a week when they’re not clicking, as happened in Week 4 against the Lions (6 of their 28 points came on an INT return).

Washington Redskins D/ST fantasy football Week 5 projection: 21 or more points, 2 sacks, 0 TOs

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 5:

I’m not particularly high on the Colts D this week. I think the rested Chiefs will be able to run on them.
Baltimore’s pass D is not as good as it’s looked so far this year. Denver has the commitment to the pass to exploit this. The Ravens aren’t a terrible option, but I bet you can do better.

The comment section awaits your questions. I’ll be here all week. Let’s all get some wins in Week 5.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: brandon lloyd fantasy, brandon pettigrew fantasy, braylon edwards fantasy, brent celek fantasy, brett favre fantasy, carson palmer fantasy, cedric benson fantasy, chris cooley fantasy, cj spiller fantasy, clinton portis fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, devery henderson fantasy, dwayne bowe fantasy, eddie royal fantasy, eli manning fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, jahvid best fantasy, jamaal charles fantasy, jason witten fantasy, jay cutler fantasy, jonthan stewart fantasy, kellen winslow fantasy, kevin kolb fantasy, ladainian tomlinson fantasy, lance moore fantasy, mark clayton fantasy, mark sanchez fantasy, marques colston fantasy, michael crabtree fantasy, michael vick fantasy, mike tolbert fantasy, ryan mathews fantasy, ryan torain fantasy, sam bradford fantasy, Start Em Sit Em, steve smith fantasy, terrell owens fantasy, thomas jones fantasy, todd heap fantasy, tony romo fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start, Sit Roster Advice and Q&A

September 26, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

Well, Week 3 was a lot like Week 1.

My top-line start ‘em, sit ‘em picks didn’t fare so well, but my secondary picks and Q&A recommendations were mostly solid.

Let’s hope this bad week followed by good week trend continues with the top-line choices in Week 4. I have a lot of making up to do to Joe Flacco and Mike Wallace owners…

Here is the carnage:

Start ‘em hits: Tony Romo, Dustin Keller
Start ‘em misses: Dez Bryant (so close on this one!), New England
Sit ‘em hits: Kellen Winslow
Sit ‘em misses: Joe Flacco, All Dallas RBs (Barber had a solid day), Mike Wallace (HUGE miss), Philly D

(Note: I recommended Knowshon Moreno but he injured his hamstring and was inactive for Sunday.)

Update: This week’s Fantasy Football 3-2-1 video has been posted:

———-

Now onto the Week 4 picks.

Remember that the Cowboys, Chiefs, Vikings, and Buccaneers all have their byes in Week 4.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Picks

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em QB: Matt Ryan, ATL (vs SF)

It’s time to start taking Matt Ryan seriously as a #1 fantasy QB. Here are his stats the last two weeks:

Week 2: 225 yards, 3 TDs (vs Arizona)
Week 3: 228 yards, 2 TDs (vs New Orleans)

In Week 4, Ryan has a nice matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, a team that supposedly had a good defense. Well, after being torched by Matt Hasselbeck (2 TDs) in Week 1 and then by Drew Brees in Week 2 (2 TDs), Matt Cassel threw 3 TDs in Week 3. Keep in mind, Cassel had been terrible coming into this game.

The 49ers may play well because at 0-3 their backs will be against the wall, but Ryan is proving that he, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez are one of the most potent QB-WR-TE trios in the NFL. It’s time to start getting him in your lineup regularly.

Matt Ryan fantasy football Week 4 projection: 230 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 4:

Tom Brady has another seemingly tough matchup against the Dolphins. After throwing multiple TDs versus the Jets and Bills, two very good pass defenses, it’s time to understand that Brady never comes out of your lineup.
The Eagles’ D in 2010 is not what we’ve come to expect. I think Donovan McNabb will have a nice day in his return to Philly.
The New York Giants are not very good right now, especially on defense. Jay Cutler should be able to take advantage.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em QB: Carson Palmer, CIN (at Cleveland)

You may have seen Joe Flacco light up the Cleveland Browns and think that Carson Palmer might be a good option against them in Week 4. If you think this, I disagree with you.

It’s not that the Browns are great against the pass, they aren’t. They’re just okay. Truth be told, Anquan Boldin simply outplayed Eric Wright and Joe Flacco found him. I don’t think the Browns were quite as bad as the numbers indicate; just that one matchup was.

The Bengals, on the other hand, have a terrible passing attack and will likely start trending more and more towards the run. Look at Carson Palmer’s numbers the last two weeks:

Week 2: 167 yards, 0 TDs (v Baltimore)
Week 3: 195 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs (v Carolina)

That is putrid. And keep in mind, the Panthers had been giving up multiple TD passes to everyone. And the one passing TD was to Cedric Benson out of the backfield. Where are OchoCinco and T.O.?

If it weren’t for some garbage time yards in Week 1 when the Patriots game was already decided, Palmer’s numbers would look even worse than they do. This guy is basically Trent Dilfer now. If he couldn’t do anything against Carolina, who do you trust him against?

Carson Palmer fantasy football Week 4 projection: 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 4:

Eli Manning struggled to get the ball to his receivers in Week 3 against a Tennessee pass defense that is nothing special. I like him still this season, but a matchup with the Bears may not be ideal.
Joe Flacco finally got in sync with Anquan Boldin in Week 3. Unfortunately, the Ravens now face the Steelers. Anyone else foresee a 9-6 game?
There are a bunch of other QBs like Alex Smith and David Garrard that you should sit, but do you need me to tell you that?

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em RB: Peyton Hillis, CLE (vs Cincinnati)

How can you not take notice of Peyton Hillis after what he did in Week 3? Against the always stout Ravens’ run defense, Hillis rumbled for 144 yards and a TD on 22 carries. He also added 36 yards on 7 receptions.

Yes, these were the type of numbers we were expecting from Jerome Harrison. And yes, this is me publicly eating crow for being so high on Harrison before the season and during Weeks 1 and 2. But stubbornness gets you nowhere in fantasy football. I watched a lot of the Browns-Ravens game and Hillis was the second-best player on the field (after Anquan Boldin).

One of the reasons so many people were high on Harrison is that the Browns have a solid O-Line and will be able to run on people this year. Cincinnati is very good against the pass, but did give up a decent YPC average in Week 3. With no passing game to speak of, Cleveland will keep riding Hillis.

Peyton Hillis fantasy football Week 4 projection: 105 yards rushing, TD, 5 receptions, 30 yards

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 4:

Too many people are too worried about Michael Turner. Folks, when he is healthy, you start him. San Francisco is supposed to have a good run defense, but I haven’t really seen it yet. Turner should have a strong day.
I know that you’re getting very worried about DeAngelo Williams right now…but this is not the week to sit him. New Orleans gives up rushing yards and lots of fantasy points to opposing runners. If I hadn’t already typed out the Hillis recommendation above, I would switch it to DAW. Keep him in your lineups.
Ahmad Bradshaw keeps on producing. The fumbles and brain farts won’t help, but the Giants have no one else and Bradshaw, based on his production, is inching into top-20 RB territory.
Well, Darren McFadden just keeps producing. So keep starting him.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em RB: Jahvid Best, DET (at Green Bay)

The Packers play the run well, which makes this a tough matchup for Best. Add to that the fact that he struggled against a good run D in Week 3, plus had to leave the game with an injury, and it equals a less than optimal week for Best owners.

Don’t be completely blinded by the five TDs he has so far this season. He scored two on goalline carries in Week 1, then exploded in Week 2 against an Eagles defense that has not been great this year. He’s been good, don’t get me wrong…but probably not quite as good as his numbers suggest.

Exercise caution with Best this season and remember that he is just a rookie, and this may be one of those weeks when you go with an alternative.

Jahvid Best fantasy football Week 4 projection: 55 yards, 0 TDs, 3 receptions, 30 yards

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 4:

Until further notice, Jerome Harrison has to be on your bench. Hillis is going to be the guy, at least for now, in Cleveland.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis stepped up for New England this week after Fred Taylor got hurt. Once again, let me reiterate: stay away from the New England backfield. It’s just too much of a crapshoot.
Consider Ray Rice’s automatic position in your lineup this week. You know that I say always play your stars, but this might an exception. Pittsburgh’s run D is ferocious and Rice has yet to get into the endzone this year. He also had to leave the Week 3 game early, so he could be a bit dinged up. Don’t sit him unless you have some really good alternatives. If you are so blessed, it’s something to think about about.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em WR: Santana Moss, WAS (at Philadelphia)

Santana Moss is entering must-start territory now that he and Donovan McNabb have found some rhythm together. Moss had 16 catches coming into Week 2 and was one of the most targeted WRs in the league. In Week 3, he continued to be a favorite of Donovan McNabb and finally got into the endzone.

This week, the Redskins head into Philadelphia, which marks the return of Donovan McNabb to his old city. I have a feeling McNabb is going to want to throw a few of his patented deep balls and remind the Eagles what they are missing. Those deep balls will likely go to Moss. I’ll never guarantee a TD for anyone…but I feel really strongly that Moss gets into the endzone at least once this week.

Santana Moss fantasy football Week 4 projection: 6 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 4:

Kevin Walter got into the endzone again. That’s three weeks in a row. You have to respect that.
Too many people are asking me about Steve Smith of the Giants. I play him every week. He hasn’t gotten into the endzone this year, but he had 9 catches for 103 yards last week. He’s Eli Manning’s favorite target.
Jeremy Maclin scored again this week..twice. Michael Vick keeps looking to him. You know DeSean Jackson is a must-start, but it’s time that Maclin got some respect too. This is a solid top 30 WR.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em WR: Derrick Mason and TJ Houshmandzadeh, BAL (at Pittsburgh)

How much do I dislike these two this week and moving forward? Let me count the ways…

First off there is the matchup. Baltimore plays Pittsburgh, which means that scoring opportunities will be limited.
Secondly, there is the lack of production so far this year. Mason scored in Week 2, but otherwise neither of these two has done much of anything yet this year.
Thirdly, there is the emergence of Anquan Boldin in Week 3. He caught 3 TDs, a couple of which Flacco just launched blindly in his direction. I think Flacco continues going to to Boldin.
Fourth, there is the fact that Ray Rice and Todd Heap are above Mason and Housh in the Baltimore offensive pecking order.

Add all of this up…and you have a couple of guys that I’d sit on a regular basis.

Derrick Mason and TJ Houshmandzadeh fantasy football Week 4 projection (combined): 6 receptions, 60 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 4:

All 49ers WRs. This team absolutely cannot pass the ball. Stay away. Stay far away.
It’s safe to stick a fork in Bernard Berrian. He only had two catches against Detroit, which was supposed to be his breakout game. H
Strongly consider sitting Steve Smith (CAR) in Week 4 if you have good alternatives. The Panthers have a better matchup in Week 4 for their passing game (New Orleans) but it’s pretty clear that Jimmy Clausen is going struggle…a lot. That hurts everyone on the Carolina offense.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em TE: Vernon Davis, SF (at Altanta)

I already know that the Vernon Davis questions are coming this week, so I figured I’d issue this preemptive strike: start him.

Davis only had 3 catches in Week 3, and didn’t get into the endzone, but he had 12 catches in the two weeks prior and at least 70 receiving yards in both games. Unfortunately, the 49ers offense is just struggling right now and not offering Davis the same number of red zone opportunities that he got last year en route to 13 TD catches. While no one expected that number to be repeated, no one thinks he’ll only catch 2 (his amount in ’08) either.

The Falcons gave up 70+ yards and a TD to Jeremy Shockey in Week 3. With the 49ers desperate for a win, they’ll have to feed their best receiver. I think Davis steps it up and has his first big week of 2010.

Vernon Davis fantasy football Week 4 projection: 7 catches, 95 yards, TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 4:

Zach Miller caught a TD in Week 3 and faces a Houston defense that will give up a lot through the air. He’s a solid start this week.
Aaron Hernandez led the Patriots in catches and yards in Week 3 (6, 65). He plays a Miami defense that will give up some fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em TE: Todd Heap, BAL (at Pittsburgh)

Todd Heap has just four catches against the Steelers over the past two seasons. Granted, two of those went for touchdowns in one game last season, but I consider that more of a fluke. The overall lack of production is the trend.

Heap is having a nice bounce back year so far in 2010, but I don’t see Baltimore having many scoring opportunities against Pittsburgh. Plus, with Troy Polamalu roaming around out there, Heap might have one or two catches taken away by big hits.

Todd Heap fantasy football Week 4 projection: 3 receptions, 30 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 4:

Owen Daniels still isn’t quite back to his must-start self. I still say resist the urge to start him until he starts catching 5-6 passes again.
Michael Vick clearly doesn’t have the same rapport with Brent Celek that Kevin Kolb did. Celek is not a must-start anymore, though I wouldn’t drop him.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em D/ST: Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland)

Much was made of the Bengals’ wide receiving corps in the offseason, but the defense is clearly the dominant unit on this team. Perhaps if the Bengals start running the ball more, the offense can catch up.

While there won’t be as many fumbles in Week 4 as there were against rookie Jimmy Clausen in Week 3, the Browns remain a one-dimensional offense. As long as the Bengals contain Peyton Hillis, they should have, at worst, a decent day.

Cincinnati Bengals fantasy football Week 4 projection: 14 or less points, 2 sacks, 2 TOs

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 4:

The Falcons are playing the 49ers. Right now, I shouldn’t need to say anything more.
The Saints are playing the Panthers. Again, right now, I shouldn’t need to say anything more.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em D/ST: Miami Dolphins (vs New England)

I like the Dolphins defense this year, but the Patriots are putting up points against everyone. If the Jets and Bills couldn’t contain Tom Brady and the passing attack (at least from a fantasy perspective), then I doubt the Dolphins will either.

Miami Dolphins fantasy football Week 4 projection: 20 or more points, 2 sacks, 1 TO

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 4:

I think the Giants-Bears game will be high scoring. I would prefer not have either starting for me.
The 49ers defense was supposed to be good this year. It’s not. Sit them. It’s probably okay to drop them at this point.

As always, the comment section awaits your questions. We’ll have the rankings and sleepers posted later this week, plus our regular live chats. Good luck everyone!

**********

* – Matt Ryan photo credit: Phil Skinner via Atlanta Journal Constituion

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: aaron hernandez fantasy, alex smith fantasy, anquan boldin fantasy, benjarvus green-ellis fantasy, bernard berrian fantasy, brent celek fantasy, carson palmer fantasy, darren mcfadden fantasy, david garrard fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, derrick mason fantasy, donovan mcnabb fantasy, eli manning fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, jahvid best fantasy, jay cutler fantasy, jeremy maclin fantasy, jerome harrison fantasy, joe flacco fantasy, kevin walter fantasy, matt ryan fantasy, michael turner fantasy, owen daniels fantasy, peyton hillis fantasy, ray rice fantasy, santana moss fantasy, Start Em Sit Em, steve smith fantasy, tj houshmandzadeh fantasy, todd heap fantasy, tom brady fantasy, vernon davis fantasy, zach miller fantasy

Monday Morning Observations: Tony Romo, Michael Vick, Steve Breaston, and more

September 13, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

As I’ll try to do every Monday morning, here is a smorgasbord of quick hit observations after a full slate of Sunday games.

If I’m a Tony Romo owner, and I am in one keeper league, I am both encouraged and concerned by what I saw last night.

I’m encouraged because Miles Austin looks as good as ever, Dez Bryant is talented and involved in the gameplan, and Roy Williams actually made a tough catch before getting drilled. I’m concerned, however, because the Cowboys’ offensive line is awful and they are inept once they get in the red zone. And if I had to weigh the two feelings, I’m probably a little more concerned than encouraged.

Arian Foster owners should temper their expectations a little bit because they just experience the best fantasy day he’ll ever have, but we now have one more piece of evidence pointing to Foster being the real deal and a weekly start at RB.

I would not overreact to Frank Gore‘s rough day against Seattle. He’s the focal point of the offense, and the six receptions are encouraging. I would, however, react to Michael Crabtree‘s terrible showing (2 receptions, 12 yards). I can already tell you he’ll be my “sit ‘em” WR for this week as the rust from playing no preseason games was evident.

David Garrard will always try to lull you in with the random 3 TD performance, which he did twice last year. Don’t get overly excited. Unfortunately, he only threw 9 TDs in the other 14 games; and the Jaguars were playing Denver, remember.

We all thought the Seahawks backfield rotation was a bit more clear after Julius Jones was cut and Justin Forsett was named the starter. Well…not so much. The Seahawks re-signed Jones and then split the carries 7-8-6 between Forsett, Jones, and Leon Washington, respectively. This could be a weekly merry-go-round.

If the Browns continue to display their abject hate for Jerome Harrison next week, against the team he torched for 286 yards in 2009, then it’s time to start getting very worried. Until then, resist the urge.

How can you not be encouraged by Matt Forte‘s first day in Mike Martz’s system? Not only did Forte get 17 carries (which he could only turn into 50 yards thanks to his porous O-Line) but he also caught 7 passes for 151 yards and 2 TDs. And while Forte has historically owned the Lions, I don’t think Week 1 was a fluke.

Until further notice, I wouldn’t start anyone on the Washington offense expect Chris Cooley. Dallas has a really good defense, but the Redskins also need some time to gel.

If you own any offensive players on Carolina, I think it’s a good time to get your finger near the panic button. Don’t push it yet; it’s only Week 1, but seeing Matt Moore lay an egg against the Giants, then get hurt, means that there could be more days of 237 total yards and only one TD in Carolina’s future. On the other hand, the Panthers’ QB struggles could also mean they simply chuck the passing game and start pounding DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Those two combined for 21 carries in Week 1. My prediction is that number is their lowest combined carry total of the year.

Michael Vick is back to tempt us all, including his coach in real life. If you own Kevin Kolb, it goes without saying that Vick is a must-own handcuff. In deep or 2 QB leagues, Vick is also a very intriguing add this week. Certainly he has value next week if he starts, and you may just want to speculate here on the off chance that he eventually takes over this Eagles’ offense.

The discouraging news for Brandon Marshall owners in Week 1 is that he didn’t get into the endzone and accumulated only 53 yards. The good news is that Buffalo is very good against the pass yet Marshall was still able to hook up with Chad Henne eight times. Marshal will have many bigger days and will be PPR gold this season, like he always is.

See what I mean about C.J. Spiller being hit or miss? Incredibly Spiller accounted for only 14 total yards and still came close to fellow rookie Jahvid Best’s total for Detroit. The difference is that Best was able to score on two short TD runs, which is why I’ve liked Best’s value more as a weekly start. He won’t be as explosive, and you cannot count on two TDs or even one every week, but Best will get more such opportunities because the Lions’ offense is better (especially once Matthew Stafford returns).

One question you don’t need to ask anymore: should I start Hakeem Nicks? The answer is yes. He will have a Plaxico-like season this year.

I was wrong about Steve Breaston and Derek Anderson not being able to hook up consistently. While Larry Fitzgerald caught the touchdown, Breaston became Anderson’s security blanket, catching 7 passes for 132 yards. I should have remembered how often Anderson looked to Joe Jurevicius during his Pro Bowl 2007 season. Looks like Breaston could fill that role in a more explosive way here in 2010.

Wes Welker is back. I don’t regret telling you to take a wait-and-see approach with his knee in Week 1, but know that we’ve waited and seen…get him in your lineup and leave him there. And yes, do the same with Randy Moss, despite his post-game comments. And no, I would not be shocked to see Tom Brady end up as the #1 fantasy QB this year.

Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson will have many better days in 2010. Worry not.

I’m not buying Matt Hasselbeck, Mike Williams, or anyone else on the Seattle offense. Not yet. Strange things happen in Week 1, and I want to see how this team looks once the Pete Carroll Honeymoon of Exuberance is over and they realize how depleted their roster is. San Francisco is going to look back at Week 1 later in the season and just shake their heads.

I’m also not buying the other Mike Williams in Tampa Bay. He had 5 catches for 30 yards and a touchdown, but he’s a rookie. Rookie WRs are inconsistent. If you can find someone who will trade you a consistent #3 WR like Jabar Gaffney for him, do it. Now.

Of course there are many, many more observations, but I’ll have to save some for my Start em, Sit em column, which should be ready to go tomorrow.

What I’m looking for tonight

We have two Monday night games tonight, and here are the key storylines I’m interested in:

If the Ravens get the ball inside the 5 yard line, who is taking the snaps at running back?
How do the Jets split up the carries between Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson?
Who is the #1 receiving option for Mark Sanchez? Is it Dustin Keller?
Can the Ravens contain a rather porous Jets passing attack?
How do the Chiefs split up the carries between Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones?
How comfortable is Philip Rivers going to Malcolm Floyd as his go-to guy?
Is Ryan Mathews as good as everyone says he is? If so, he should romp all over Kansas City.

How about you? What were your observations from yesterday’s game? What are you watching for tonight?

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: andre johnson fantasy, arian foster fantasy, brandon marshall fantasy, chad henne fantasy, chris cooley fantasy, cj spiller fantasy, david garrard fantasy, deangelo williams fantasy, derek anderson fantasy, dez bryant fantasy, dustin keller fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, frank gore fantasy, hakeem nicks fantasy, jabar gaffney fantasy, jahvid best fantasy, jamaal charles fantasy, jerome harrison fantasy, jonathan stewart fantasy, julius jones fantasy, justin forsett fantasy, ladainian tomlinson fantasy, larry fitzgerald fantasy, leon washington fantasy, malcolm floyd fantasy, mark sanchez fantasy, matt forte fantasy, matt hasselbeck fantasy, matt moore fantasy, matt schaub fantasy, michael crabtree fantasy, michael vick fantasy, mike williams fantasy, miles austin fantasy, Monday Morning Observations, philip rivers fantasy, randy moss fantasy, roy williams fantasy, ryan mathews fantasy, shonn greene fantasy, steve breaston fantasy, thomas jones fantasy, tony romo fantasy, wes welker fantasy

Fantasy Football Tip of the Day: Don’t be scared about Jamaal Charles

September 2, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

post thumbnail

I’ve heard a lot of grumbling about whether or not Jamaal Charles is really a stud fantasy RB in 2010 because he now must compete with Thomas Jones for touches. Heck, I’ve even wondered about it myself.

This morning, I’m here to tell you to stop the grumbling.

First of all, consider that Charles was already a stud last year and he only had 190 carries. It’s what he did with those 190 carries that matters, and Charles certainly made the most of them, finishing the season with 1,120 yards (a sterling 5.9 yard average) and 7 TDs. He also – importantly – tacked on 40 receptions for an additional 297 yards and another TD.

So that’s 1,400+ total yards and 8 TDs. By way of comparison, DeAngelo Williams had about 1,375 total yards and 7 TDs last year with almost 3o more carries.

And remember, Charles didn’t even start getting consistent touches until Week 10. Before that game against Oakland, Charles had not carried the ball more than six times in a single game. From Week 10 on, he never carried it less than 14 times and finished the season with 20, 25, 24, and 25 carries in consecutive weeks. That, of course, is when he exploded.

If you take Charles’ Week 10-17 performance and extrapolate it over an entire season, you’d get 1,936 yards on 322 carries…which is just ridiculous production. But that’s how good Charles was during the season’s second half last year. No one really expects Charles to get that many touches, especially with Jones in the picture, but he certainly will remain a featured part of the Chiefs’ offense.

Let’s say that Charles carries the ball 17 times per game, a reasonable and conservative estimate. His career average is 5.7 yards per carry, which he almost certainly will not maintain, but let’s say he averages a modest 4.5. That’s still 1,224 yards. If he tacks on another 40-50 receptions, which he almost certainly will, that’s another 300-400 yards. Assuming he gets 8-10 touchdowns, another modest assumption, you’re talking about a back who eclipses 1,500 yards and with 8-10 TDs.

That’s easily 2nd round material at a position as tough and competitive as running back – and it’s worst-case-scenario type stuff. Based on what we saw last year, Charles has the talent to get 1,500+ rushing yards even without toting the rock 300 times.

I know that people are worried Thomas Jones will steal some of Charles’ thunder this year, but I would not be overly concerned about it. While Jones was monstrous in his own right last year, he is 32 years old and approaching the inevitable running back cliff. At this point in his career, he is best served by accepting a reduced role and excelling in it, especially coming off of a 331-carry season.

The Chiefs will be better on offense this year than people think (Charlie Weis baby!), and I believe there will be plenty of scoring opportunities for Charles to be a solid #2 RB or even a #1 guy if you go QB or WR in Round 1. I also think Jones will have some flex value getting 10-12 touches per game and the occasional score.

But do not – I repeat do not - downgrade Jamaal Charles because Thomas Jones is around.

In fact, consider this: the knock on Charles has always been his size, leading to people questioning whether or not he can take a pounding. Well, having Jones around means Charles won’t have to carry 300+ times, which should theoretically keep him fresher and mitigate the risk of injury. A reasonable argument could be made that the presence of Jones actually increases Charles’ value. It’s counter-intuitive, I know. But you don’t win fantasy leagues by just following the herd of groupthink all the time.

Final thought: Teams know that they need two competent RBs in this day and age, but the fresher, more talented legs almost always win out. Jamaal Charles clearly has both, and he is in line to pick up right where he left off in 2009.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Featured
Tagged: deangelo williams fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, Football - NFL, Football Tip of the Day, jamaal charles fantasy, thomas jones fantasy, tip of the day

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: QB

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: RB

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: WR

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: TE

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Sleeper Picks: Defense

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start / Sit Projections and Q&A

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans (vs Pittsburgh)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em QB: Matt Schaub, Houston (at Indianapolis)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em RB: Ryan Torain, Washington (at Detroit)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em RB: Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas, and all New Orleans RBs (vs Pittsburgh)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em WR: Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis (vs Houston)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em WR: Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville (at Dallas)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em TE: Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay (at Arizona)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (vs Washington)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘em Defense: Dallas Cowboys (vs Jacksonville)

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit ‘em Defense: Washington Redskins (at Detroit Lions)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em QB: Eli Manning, New York Giants (at Houston)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em QB: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals (vs Tampa Bay)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em RB: Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, Kansas City (at Indianapolis)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets (vs Minnesota)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em WR: Mark Clayton, St. Louis (at Detroit)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em WR: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (at Indianapolis)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (vs St. Louis)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em TE: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (vs Tennessee)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘em D/ST: Chicago Bears (at Carolina)

Fantasy Football Week 5 Sit ‘em D/ST: Washington Redskins (vs Green Bay)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Picks

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em QB: Matt Ryan, ATL (vs SF)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em QB: Carson Palmer, CIN (at Cleveland)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em RB: Peyton Hillis, CLE (vs Cincinnati)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em RB: Jahvid Best, DET (at Green Bay)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em WR: Santana Moss, WAS (at Philadelphia)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em WR: Derrick Mason and TJ Houshmandzadeh, BAL (at Pittsburgh)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em TE: Vernon Davis, SF (at Altanta)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em TE: Todd Heap, BAL (at Pittsburgh)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Start ‘em D/ST: Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland)

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit ‘em D/ST: Miami Dolphins (vs New England)

What I’m looking for tonight

Recent Dallas Sports Fans Posts

Fantasy Sports News