Fantasy Football Week 11 Start em, Sit em Projections and Lineup Advice Q&A

November 16, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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I enjoyed Week 10.

Not only did I hit more than I missed with my start/sit picks and comment advice in Week 10, but my team in the P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League also exploded for an easy and much-needed victory over the sublimely named Sweaty Ditkas.

What I loved best about my win in BFL2010 is that the two guys who carried me were unheralded players that I recommended to a lot of you in Week 10: Fred Jackson and Mike Thomas. There is nothing I love more than when I follow my own advice and it works out…because that means it’s working out for many of you too.

Just like these Week 11 start em, sit em picks will. (At least, that’s the gameplan…)

Before we delve into the Week 11 start ‘em, sit ‘em picks, here is a quick note and then recap of how I did with my Week 10 top-line picks:

Don’t forget to check out the Text It To The House promotion. It’s the fun, easy weekly game I told you about a couple weeks back. You pick the five players who will have longest plays from scrimmage this week

And now a quick look back at my Week 10 top-line picks:

Start em hits: David Garrard, Marshawn Lynch,
Start em misses: Steve Johnson, Marcedes Lewis, Minnesota Vikings D
Sit em hits: Brett Favre, LT and Shonn Greene, Brandon Marshall, Baltimore Ravens D
Sit em misses: Jermaine Gresham

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start em, Sit em Projections and Q&A

Note: no teams are on bye in Week 11.

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 11 Start ‘em QB: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets (v Houston)

Look, you might consider it cheap or obvious to keep picking the QB facing Houston’s defense as my start ‘em QB. And maybe it is. But you know what else it is? Correct.

Last week I told you to start David Garrard, not a guy you automatically start each week, and he went out and threw for 342 yards and 2 TDs. He only had 7 incomplete passes. Sure, one of his TDs was that fluky game-winning Hail Mary toss, but guess what? Such a completion is not so fluky against the worst pass defense in memory.

Houston has now given up 22 TD passes in just 9 games, and they have only intercepted 5 passes. For good measure, they also relinquish 300+ passing yards per game.

Enter Mark Sanchez and the Jets passing game.

After a solid start to the year (8 TDs, 0 picks through five games) Sanchez has struggled recently (2 TDs, 5 INTs during Weeks 6-9). Then he came through with a nice effort in the Jets’ OT win over the Browns in Week 10, tossing two TD passes (plus an INT). He also passed for 299 yards and threw 44 passes; and that attempt total is what makes me like Sanchez this week.

Despite the Jets being a “running team” and Sanchez struggling recently, he has thrown 44, 39, and 38 passes in the Jets’ last few games. If he throws the ball even close to that much against Houston, the numbers suggest he’s a virtual lock for 250+ yards and 2 TDs, and that’s a conservative estimate.

Until Houston holds an opposing QB to stats that you wouldn’t have wanted for your fantasy team, keep playing the QB they are facing. With Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, and LT out of the backfield, Sanchez has weapons. In Week 11 he also has a perfect matchup.

Mark Sanchez fantasy football Week 11 projection: 295 passing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 11:

Peyton Manning has thrown one TD and two INTs over the past two weeks. Well guess what? He’s still averaging nearly two TD passes per game this year, rarely gets picked off, and has a nice matchup against an inconsistent pass D. Do not sit Peyton.
The Giants got drilled by Dallas in Week 10, and Eli Manning threw two more INTs, but he also threw for 373 yards and two TDs. Eli now has 19 TD passes this season and has thrown at least two five straight games. Philly is a middle-of-the-pack pass D, so play Eli.
The Cleveland Browns have given up 19 TD passes in 9 games this year. Though David Garrard isn’t a sexy name, he has taken advantage of good matchups this year. His run of at least two TD passes in four of his last five games is proof of this. He’s a solid start option this week, especially at home

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at St. Louis)

Matt Ryan has thrown 7 TDs and just one INT over the last three weeks. Knowing that, you are probably wondering why in the world I’d tell you to sit him, and against St. Louis to boot.

Well here is why:

Ryan has thrown 5 TDs and 2 INTs in his four road games this year. That’s not terrible, but it pales in comparison to his 11 TDs in five home games.
The St. Louis Rams have given up only 10 TD passes in their 9 games this season. They also play much better defense at home than they do on the road.

Ryan is not necessarily a bad play. He has Roddy White to throw to, and most likely will throw a TD or two, but with the full player pool available I just don’t think Ryan is a top-12 option. He’s been nothing more than a mediocre fantasy QB on the road during his career, and against a defense that plays significantly better in its home stadium, that’s a trend worth respecting.

Matt Ryan fantasy football Week 11 projection: 235 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 11:

You’re watching Brett Favre throw INT after INT right? Against Green Bay in Week 11, he stays on your bench.
Josh Freeman had yet another good game in Week 10, but I don’t think he’s a top-12 option in Week 11. Playing at San Francisco’s improving D, Freeman could struggle to put up more than one TD.
Jay Cutler had a solid day in Week 10, throwing 3 TDs (but also two INTs). The Dolphins will give up some big passing plays and TDs, but they also keep the yardage low and can rush the passer. I’m not a big fan of Cutler on Thursday night.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em RB: Felix Jones, Dallas (v Detroit)

Few players have fluctuated in my mind more this season than Felix Jones. I thought he was a great mid-round sleeper pick in the preseason (though I wasn’t buying the 2nd/3rd round hype), then I stayed relatively confident in him through the season’s first 6 weeks, and then I finally soured enough on Felix that I dropped him in every league I had him.

And now I wish I had him back, at least for this week.

The firing of Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett’s insistence on discipline and accountability seemed to light a fire under the Cowboys in Week 10. This was definitely evident with Jones. With 17 touches (3 receptions), Felix accumulated 136 yards and a TD. That is an excellent day at the office, and what we all expected from Felix before the season started.

In Week 11, Jones and the Cowboys play the Detroit Lions…the same Detroit Lions that have lost 1,000 straight games on the road (only a slight exaggeration); the same Detroit Lions that give up 130.4 yards rushing per game and at least 1 TD; and, yes, the same Detroit Lions that allowed Fred Jackson to do his Adrian Peterson impression last week (170 total yards, 2 TDs).

Understand this: I’m not jumping on the Felix Jones bandwagon for the rest of the season. Dallas’ O-Line still sucks and Jones still remains an inconsistent talent, but I saw life in those legs again last week, and the matchup is very favorable. This is the week to play Felix.

Felix Jones fantasy football Week 11 projection: 60 yards rushing, 4 receptions, 55 yards receiving, 1 TD

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 11:

Any healthy San Diego running backs are good starts this week by virtue of their matchup against the Broncos. Ryan Mathews has been dinged up, so check his injury status, but I like Mike Tolbert this week and I even like Darren Sproles in deeper leagues.
I know that Darren McFadden is facing Pittsburgh this week, which is usually an auto-sit, but Cedric Benson scored a TD against the Steelers in Week 9 and the Pats rushed for 100+ yards against them in Week 10. It seems like injuries may be catching up to Pittsburgh, and McFadden has been among the very best running backs this year. Keep him in there. He’s earned that kind of trust.
Don’t question playing Jamaal Charles anymore. He’s a top 10 back, especially now that he’s getting the bulk of the carries. Against Arizona? Oh yeah. The Cardinals made Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch fantasy-relevant last week. Even Thomas Jones has some value this week.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em RB: Jahvid Best, Detroit (at Dallas)

This one really isn’t hard.

Realize the following about Jahvid Best, who came storming out of the gates with 5 TDs during the season’s first two weeks:

He hasn’t scored since.
He has not surpassed 59 yards rushing since.
He’s averaging less than 4.0 yards per rush.

There just isn’t much to like about Best right now. If he couldn’t produce last week, against the leagues’ worst run D (Buffalo), then when will he produce?

The Cowboys held both Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs to less than 4.0 yards per carry in Week 10 and kept both out of the end zone. On the season, the Cowboys have allowed only 6 rushing TDs. With Jahvid Best still perhaps not totally recovered from his toe injury, and his Lions having to play at Dallas, now is the time to sit him (unless you’re in a deep PPR league).

Jahvid Best fantasy football Week 11 projection: 45 yards rushing, 4 receptions, 30 yards receiving, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 11:

Okay, I’m not going to tell you to sit Michael Turner, per se, but I do think you should consider it if you have a deep stable of backs. Turner only has 1 TD on the road this year and faces a Rams D that has given up just 3 rushing TDs all year and that plays much better at home.
I know that everyone is excited about Reggie Bush‘s return to the Saints lineup, but I still would not consider playing him unless you’re in a PPR league.
Don’t get too pumped up about Cadillac Williams scoring a TD last week. He only had 7 touches and faces a tough SF run D in Week 11.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em WR: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City (v Arizona)

It is my hope that every consistent reader of MSF Fantasy Sports would feel comfortable saying the following about me: “Jerod is not afraid nor ashamed to admit when he is wrong.” I think if you are going to put yourself out there as a fantasy football analyst, it is a prerequisite that you be able to admit mistakes, because they happen often.

One of my biggest errors this season is being late to the Dwayne Bowe party. Sure, I feel like I had good reasons to withhold my trust, but I know that I’ve told people sit him during weeks when Bowe has exploded. Well no more. Dwayne Bowe has 9 TDs in 9 games and has now made a believer out of me.

Specific to Week 11, Bowe and the Chiefs face an Arizona defense that gives up nearly 270 passing yards per game and 1.5+ TDs per game. For perspective, Big Mike Williams from Seattle has looked like an All Pro against the Cardinals in two games this year. Dwayne Bowe is much better than Mike Williams, and I expect Bowe to follow his anomalous, garbage time induced 13-catch, 186-yard performance with another solid, though less spectacular, outing in Week 11.

Dwayne Bowe fantasy football Week 11 projection: 6 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 11:

Dez Bryant is a top 20 WR from here on out and a weekly must start, okay? Okay. Wow, what a talent. Now his QB and play-caller are clearly committed to getting the ball in his hands. Smart.
Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards are facing Houston. That really should be all I need to say.
Everyone needs to stop sleeping on Danny Amendola. He’s scored in three straight weeks and has an ultra-accurate QB throwing to him. This is a top-30 WR, easy.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em WR: Big Mike Williams, Seattle (at New Orleans)

I already know that tons of you are going to ask me about Big Mike Williams (that’s now the new way to differentiate between he and the Better Mike Williams in Tampa Bay) and with good reason. Big Mike had an 11-catch, 145 yard outburst in Week 10. This was his third game in 2010 with 10 or more catches.

The problem? Two of those 10-catch games came against Arizona, which has one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. In no other game but one has Big Mike caught more than four passes. That is the definition of feast or famine.

In Week 11, Big Mike faces a New Orleans defense that has been very good against the pass. The Saints lead the league in both passing yards against (166. 3 yards) and TDs against (6). While Big Mike did a nice job against the Bears’ very good pass D in Week 6 (10 catches, 123 yards), his six worthless weeks speak louder to me than his three good ones…especially against the Saints.

Big Mike Williams fantasy football Week 11 projection: 3 catches, 31 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 11:

I did not like Brandon Marshall in Week 10 against Tennessee and I definitely don’t like him against the Bears in Week 11. Until the Dolphins prove they can get Marshall in the end zone, I’m not going to trust him. He’s not a terrible play, but he’s not a slam-dunk #2 WR anymore.
I know that Sidney Rice will be back in Week 11, and everyone is excited about his return, but the Packers have given up only 9 TDs all year, and Rice has yet to play a down. I’d prefer to avoid this matchup and give him a week to test the hip and re-acclimate to game speed.
Wes Welker “exploded” for 8 receptions and 89 yards in Week 10. I say “exploded” because Mr. PPR hadn’t caught more than 4 passes since Week 6. Welker still hasn’t scored since Week 2 though, and faces an Indy team that he has not had great success against in the past (24 receptions, 190 yards, 1 TD in four career games).

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (at Dallas)

I do not like a lot of Detroit guys this week, especially because they are on the road. However, because the Cowboys have not covered tight ends well at all this year, I think Pettigrew is an outstanding choice. Consider that Kevin Boss went 5-81 with a TD against the Cowboys in Week 10 and two games prior Marcedes Lewis caught two TDs.

With Shaun Hill at QB for Detroit, who clearly targets Pettigrew more than Matthew Stafford, I expect a big game from the second-year emerging star.

Brandon Pettigrew fantasy football Week 11 projection: 6 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 11:

In Week 10, Troy Smith remembered that he has one of the best receiving weapons in football at his disposal in Vernon Davis. VD had a spectacular TD wiped off the board because of a penalty; otherwise his 4-catch, 79-yard day would have been outstanding. Expect more goodness against Tampa Bay.
Jacob Tamme has not caught fewer than 6 passes or 64 yards in any of the three games he’s started. He also has two TDs. He’s a must start. Trust it.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em TE: Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay (at San Francisco)

I know that K2 caught his first TD of the season in Week 10, but he had only four receptions in the previous two games combined. While San Francisco has been susceptible to the pass this year (13 TDs), most of the damage has been done by WRs.

The 49ers have athletic linebackers who can cover tight ends, and with a full player pool to choose from Winslow just hasn’t proven himself enough to be a solid start option.

Kellen Winslow fantasy football Week 11 projection: 4 receptions, 40 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 11:

Lots of people are going nuts about Rob Gronkowski after his 3-TD outburst in Week 10. If we know anything about New England, it’s that different guys step up each week. I actually like Aaron Hernandez more in Week 10, a guy whose athleticism may help him duplicate what Jermaine Gresham did to the Colts in Week 10.
Anthony Fasano had a real nice Week 10 with 100+ yards and a TD. Facing Chicago in Week 11, I don’t expect any kind of reprise of those numbers.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em Defense: Baltimore Ravens (at Carolina)

The Baltimore Ravens do not have an elite defense anymore, not from a fantasy standpoint nor a real-life standpoint. The Ravens do, however, still have play-makers like Ed Reed and Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata that can take advantage of good matchups.

With Tony Pike likely to start for Carolina if fellow rookie Jimmy Clausen is not recovered from his concussion, you know that the hungry, rested Ravens will be ready to tee off. This is a no-brainer.

Baltimore Ravens fantasy football Week 11 projection: 13 or fewer points, 4 sacks, 3 TOs, 1 TD

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 11:

Kansas City‘s defense was embarrassed by the Broncos in Week 10. Considering Todd Haley’s fire and Romeo Crennel’s success as a defensive coordinator, I think this young and talented unit rebounds against Derek Anderson and the Fightin’ Larry Fitzgeralds in Week 11.
The Seahawks are playing on the road, have an injured QB with a sucky backup, and will face the best pass defense in football. Yes, those New Orleans Saints are a must-start defense right now.

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em Defense: Washington Redskins (at Tennessee)

I am writing this while watching the Monday Night Football game between the Eagles and Redskins. As we speak, the scoreboard reads 35-0 and there are still 14:00+ minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Umm…

I know that Washington has play-makers like DeAngelo Hall who will get picks and score touchdowns, but those same play-makers also give up lots of big plays and TDs. I don’t trust Washington anymore and would be fine with you dropping them at this point, even against a team with QB turmoil like Tennessee.

Washington Redskins fantasy football Week 11 projection: 24 or more points, 1 sack, 1 TO

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 11:

The Cleveland Browns defense has been better as of late, but don’t get cute. This isn’t a defense that gets lots of sacks or turnovers, and the Jaguars offense is, dare I say it, damn close to a juggernaut right now.
Stay away from the Indy and New England defenses this week. It’s Peyton Manning v Tom Brady. Expect points, and lots of ‘em.

Okay, there you have it. The Week 11 start em, sit em pick and projections are in the books. Now the comment section awaits your questions.

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* – 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.

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

November 12, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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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.

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

October 28, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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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.

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.

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* – 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.

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Fantasy Football Week 6 Start em, Sit em Projections and Lineup Q&A

October 12, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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Now that we are five weeks into the season, I think it’s time to start reassessing the conventional wisdom.

Regular readers know that I always trust established track records over small sample sizes, and I try best never to overreact, but it is important to remember that each NFL season is its own unique being. Thus, while I’m not ready to jump off the Matt Schaub bandwagon yet, I think it’s okay to not consider him a must start anymore. The same is true for DeAngelo Williams, who has seen the awful Carolina offense torpedo his value.

Week 6 is also important because every is back from suspension. We got to see the impact of Brian Cushing (minimal) and Santanio Holmes (not huge, but flashes of potential), and this week we get to see Ben Roethlisberger back under center for Pittsburgh. And as a Mike Wallace owner, let me just exalt…Halalujah!

Does Big Ben show up in this week’s start/sit? Let’s take a quick look back at last week’s hits and misses, then find out.

Start ‘em hits: Eli Manning, Brandon Pettigrew, Chicago Bears D
Start ‘em misses: Jamaal Charles & Thomas Jones,
Sit ‘em hits: Carson Palmer, Dwayne Bowe, LaDainian Tomlinson
Sit ‘em misses: Washington D, Jason Witten

* – Mark Clayton was my start ‘em WR but was injured early in the Rams’ loss to Detroit.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start em Sit Em Projections

Note: The Cardinals, Bills, Panthers, and Bengals are off this week.

Remember: Everything is relative. Just because I say “start” Big Ben, doesn’t mean I’d play him over Peyton Manning. It just means that, in general, I think he is worth starting this week more than the conventional wisdom might suggest.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Wait, what?

But Jerod, how can you recommend Ben Roethlisberger? Not only do you hate him, it goes against your tenet of wanting to let a player coming off a layoff play a week before trusting him. What gives?

Here’s what gives:

187 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
371 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT
262 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
182 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Those are the last four games against the Cleveland Browns. Based on that, you can reasonably expect 200+ yards and 2 TDs from Big Ben. I also like the fact that the game is in Pittsburgh and that Ben had the bye week to get himself re-acclimated. Remember, the Steelers threw the ball all around the field last year. Mike Wallace and Hines Ward have to be licking their chops to have a guy under center who can deliver the ball consistently.

I don’t think Roethlisberger sets the world on fire, but I think he’ll be solid. Considering some of the matchups some of the elite QBs have (see below), Roethlisberger might not be a bad option for many of you.

Ben Roethlisberger fantasy football Week 5 projection: 225 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Other start ‘em QBs for Week 5:

Start Peyton Manning. Always. There’s been a lot of panic this season about different guys and Peyton struggled a bit last week, so I don’t want to see anyone do anything irrational like starting Shaun Hill over either of these guys. Don’t me myopic folks.
Keep Eli Manning in your lineup. Yes, he’ll throw INTs, but he usually takes advantage of decent matchups. He threw 3 TDs last week and I think he’ll throw 2-3 more this week against the Lions.
Tony Romo has thrown at least one TD pass in every week since Week 4 of last year. That’s consistency. Plus, the Cowboys will have to throw against a pretty solid Minnesota run D.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em QB: Tom Brady, New England (vs Baltimore)

I still like Tom Brady long-term this season. Really, I do. I’m just very nervous about starting him this week if you have a decent alternative.

First off, Brady is without Randy Moss. While I think the Patriots can adjust to this and still succeed as a team without Randy, I simply cannot devise an argument to say that it will do anything but hurt Brady’s fantasy value. Brady has 9 TD passes on the season and 3 of them are to Moss, and there is no telling how much Moss’ presence contributed to the other six.

Secondly, Brady has a tough matchup. Baltimore has been the best team against the pass all season (with most of Denver’s aerial work last week coming with the game already decided). Remember what happened in the playoffs last year? New England, with Moss, got throttled by the Ravens. Not that much has changed since then except that Moss is no longer there.

Add it all up, and this screams “sit” to me. Considering the matchup, I’d feel much more comfortable being able to sit Brady for a week and watch their new-look offense plays out.

Tom Brady fantasy football Week 5 projection: 230 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week 5:

It’s probably time to slow down the Sam Bradford train just a bit. I still like him, but losing Mark Clayton hurts and the offensive struggles against Detroit are a red flag. Playing against San Diego isn’t a great matchup
I know that Chad Henne has thrown for a lot of the yards the last couple of weeks, but I expect the Dolphins to start running the ball more. Miami plays Green Bay next week, which isn’t an awful matchup, but consider this more of a lack of faith in Henne right now.
Kansas City has been great defensively this season, most recently frustrating the hell out of the great Peyton Manning. After Houston dropped a turn against New York, my faith in Matt Schaub is a bit shaken. In most cases I’d still start him, but think twice about it if you have a really good alternative.
I know the Matt Cassel is going up against Houston’s secondary, which means he could have a decent game, but I still don’t trust him. Don’t try to get too smart here. Cassel has been terrible. He’s not a good start unless you’re desperate (in which case he’s an okay option simply because of the potential the opposing defense provides with its suckiness).

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em RB: Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs Detroit)

Bradshaw plays Detroit, which held St. Louis’ improved offense to six points in Week 5. Don’t be fooled. The Rams were still able to run the ball on the Lions, with Steven Jackson racking up 114 yards. The Rams just couldn’t score and didn’t have a good enough passing game to balance out the offense.

Bradshaw won’t have to worry about that as Eli Manning got into sync with both Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith last week. And Bradshaw ran well himself, despite not getting into the end zone. He had 67 yards on 16 carries and also caught 3 balls for 22 more yards. That’s solid. I expect he can add a TD to that kind of production in Week 6.

Ahmad Bradshaw fantasy football Week 6 projection: 85 yards rushing, 35 yards receiving, 1 TD

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 6:

Way too many people continue to treat Michael Turner like he’s not an automatic start. He is. Start him. Start whoever is playing RB for the Falcons.
Ray Rice is back. I like him against New England next week too. But you don’t need me to tell you that…
Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams get Green Bay’s injury-depleted defense in Week 6. Sure, the Packers shut down Ryan Torain last week, but I think Miami goes back to the run after two straight losses. And they can run on anyone when they commit to it. Get both of these guys back in your lineup.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em RB: Peyton Hillis, Cleveland (at Pittsburgh)

Peyton Hillis has been outstanding this year. He really has. In fact, he’s been a revelation and is the kind of guy that wins you fantasy leagues because you didn’t have to draft him to get his production.

That said, I don’t like him at all against the Steelers.

Not only will Pittsburgh be buoyed by the return of Ben Roethlisberger, but they are at home, coming off the bye, ranked #1 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (62.2), and the Browns have no passing offense to take pressure off of Hillis. Oh, and Colt McCoy is probably going to be starting at QB for Cleveland.

Ouch. That’s a lot of negative indicators.

Now look, don’t sit Hillis for someone who will only get 10-12 touches, but I’d sit him for most starting running backs. It’s just not a good matchup at all.

Peyton Hillis fantasy football Week 6 projection: 45 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 6:

Thomas Jones had a great Week 5 matchup against Indy…and responded with 19 yards on 8 carries. In Week 6 he faces the stiff Houston run defense. I’m not a big fan of that matchup.
I’m not high on any Cowboys’ running backs, as you know. I’m definitely not high on them against the Vikings. I’ve been burned by Felix Jones too many times to trust one game of 15+ carries as the start of a trend. Talk to me when it happens two weeks in a row.
The Bears held a really strong Panthers running game in check in Week 5. Seattle rarely plays well on the road, so I don’t think the Marshawn Lynch-Justin Forsett combo gets off to a great start.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em WR: Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Boy oh boy, if Cleveland ends up shutting out the Steelers, I sure am going to look like a fool huh? I’m going all in, naming Big Ben my start ‘em QB and now naming Wallace my start ‘em WR. It just seems to me like everything points to this being the right call.

Wallace really came into his own last year as a rookie with Roethlisberger airing the ball out to him. And the Browns have been prone to giving up big plays in the passing game this year. Wallace is the Steelers’ deep threat and you just know that Ben will want to air it out in his first game back.

Wallace is always going to be a hit or miss type guy. He’ll rarely catch more than 3-4 passes so he needs to get into the end zone to make it count. I’m going to be bold and say he gets into the end zone twice in Week 6.

(Full disclosure: Wallace had 4 catches for 61 yards in two games against Cleveland last year. I know that. I understand that. I also say it doesn’t matter in Week 6. The Browns were much better against the pass last year than they’ve been this year.)

Mike Wallace fantasy football Week 5 projections: 4 catches 90 yards, 2 TDs

Other start ‘em WRs for Week 6:

Mike Williams just keeps getting it done for Tampa Bay. I can only hold out for so long. A matchup against New Orleans isn’t bad. It’s time to start finding a place for this guy in your lineups.
Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith are always in my top 20 WRs and should be in your starting lineups most weeks. This is especially true against the Lions.
Roy Williams caught another touchdown in Week 5. That makes three on the year. I think Dallas has to throw the ball to beat Minnesota, and Tony Romo always throws at least one TD. If it doesn’t go to Miles Austin, chances are it’s Williams’.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em WR: Brandon Tate, New England (vs Baltimore)

I am going for symmetry with this week’s picks. I paired up a QB and a WR for the start ‘em picks, and not I’m doing it with the sit ‘em picks.

Brandon Tate is a hot name right now as the expected heir apparent for Randy Moss in New England. And while I think Tate certainly has some value, he is still a guy who has not caught an NFL TD, who averages only 12.3 yards per catch, and who has never had more than 4 catches or 39 yards in a game.

Considering that he and the Patriots are facing Baltimore’s D, I’d much prefer to wait a week and see how the Patriots’ passing game looks before trusting one of my spots to a guy with a hot name but very little production to back it up.

Brandon Tate fantasy football Week 5 projection: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week 6:

I’m worried about the Denver receivers, especially Brandon Lloyd. He’s been so good every week this year, and something tells me that the Jets will do everything in their power to take him out of the game. Call it a hunch. And remember, my hunch was that you should start him last week against Baltimore’s #1 ranked pass D…and he did great.
All Chicago and Carolina wide receivers are sits until further notice. Once Jay Cutler gets back, you can consider Bears WRs again. For now, sit, sit, sit.
I’ve been high on Louis Murphy, but that’s two bad weeks in a row. I think it’s time to sit him until further notice and he proves he’s healthy and that the Raiders’ passing game can produce again.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em TE: Chris Cooley, Washington (vs Indianapolis)

Chris Cooley has clearly become a favorite of Donovan McNabb. He has two TDs through the season’s first five games and has only been below 50 yards receiving once. Cooley won’t give you Gates/Clark explosiveness, but he makes up for it with consistency.

Indianapolis gave up 4 receptions for 50 yards to Tony Moeaki in Week 5, and Kansas City doesn’t have what anyone would call a good offense. McNabb may not be throwing a lot of TDs, but they are chucking it around the field pretty well. I assume the Redskins will be down, and that means McNabb will need to throw. Cooley should be the beneficiary.

Chris Cooley fantasy football Week 6 projection: 6 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week 6:

Brandon Pettigrew had another solid outing in Week 5. Keep him in your lineups.
Marcedes Lewis scored another TD in Week 5. He continues to produce, and even though it was against Buffalo, I can’t keep telling you to sit someone with 5 TDs in 5 weeks. Maybe Lewis is finally coming into his own this season.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em TE: Todd Heap, Baltimore (at New England)

People still think Todd Heap circa 2010 is Todd Heap circa 2007. Unfortunately he’s not. Heap had just one catch in Week 5 and only has one week in which he’s been over 50 yards receiving this year. He also doesn’t have a TD.

I think the Baltimore passing offense will be able to have a decent day against New England, but I don’t have much faith in Heap in being able to end his TD drought. And if he’s not scoring TDs, he doesn’t rack up enough catches or yards to have as much value as another option.

Todd Heap fantasy football Week 6 projection: 3 receptions, 35 yards, 0 TD

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week 6:

I’m still keeping Owen Daniels on the bench. Don’t get impatient. Let him do something productive first.
Jason Witten finally scored a TD last week, but that’s only 7 TDs in his last 40 games. The odds are he won’t do it two straight weeks and Minnesota did a pretty good job of bottling up the red hot Dustin Keller in Week 5.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em D/ST: Chicago Bears (vs Seattle)

Chicago has one of the best defenses in football this year. A healthy Brian Urlacher will do that to your defense. And this week the Bears get the Seahawks at Soldier Field. If there is one thing we know about Seattle, it’s that they are nowhere near as good on the road as they are at home. I expect Julius Peppers and Urlacher to take full advantage.

Chicago Bears fantasy football Week 6 projection: 13 or less points, 3 or more sacks, 2 or more TOs

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week 6:

The Steelers against the Browns. Hopefully you didn’t need me to tell you that.
The Giants’ pass rush is back to being its ferocious self. A week after holding down Houston’s offense, I think they are a good play against Detroit.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em D/ST: New England Patriots (vs Baltimore)

Don’t let the Patriots’ Week 4 performance fool you. While they were able to kill the Dolphins on special teams, this still is not a great defense. Baltimore sliced them and diced them in the playoffs last year, and I think they can do it against this year.

The Ravens will not be taken by surprise on special teams this week. They’ll have an answer for whatever the Pats did to the Dolphins last week. Remember that John Harbaugh was a special teams coach before he was a head coach.

New England Patriots fantasy football Week 6 projection: 21 or more points, 2 or fewer sacks, 1 or fewer TOs, no special teams TDs

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week 6:

Philadelphia faces Atlanta’s consistent offense. You can find better options.
Tennessee’s D did not look particularly good against the Cowboys and has been prone to some big plays this year. They go on the road to Jacksonville next week, where the Jags play their best football.

As always, the comment section sits patiently below for you to ask any and all start/sit questions. I get to them as fast as I’m able. Good luck in Week 6 everyone! Crunch time is getting close, so don’t take these middle weeks for granted.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: ahmad bradshaw fantasy, ben roethlisberger fantasy, brandon lloyd fantasy, brandon pettigrew fantasy, brandon tate fantasy, chad henne fantasy, chris cooley fantasy, eli manning fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, felix jones fantasy, hakeem nicks fantasy, jason witten fantasy, justin forsett fantasy, louis murphy fantasy, marcedes lewis fantasy, marshawn lynch fantasy, matt cassel fantasy, matt schaub fantasy, michael turner fantasy, mike wallace fantasy, mike williams fantasy, owen daniels fantasy, peyton hillis fantasy, peyton manning fantasy, ray rice fantasy, ricky williams fantasy, ronnie brown fantasy, roy williams fantasy, sam bradford fantasy, Start Em Sit Em, steve smith fantasy, thomas jones fantasy, todd heap fantasy, tom brady fantasy, tony romo fantasy

Fantasy Impact of Marshawn Lynch Trade on Forsett, Spiller, and Jackson

October 5, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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I just got back from my lunch workout and BAM, there is breaking fantasy football and NFL news.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported via Twitter just a few minutes ago that the Seattle Seahawks have traded a 4th round pick in 2011 and a conditional pick in 2010 for running back Marshawn Lynch.

marshawn-lynch-traded-to-seattle-seahawks

Rick Stewart / Getty Images

Here is the tweet from Glazer about the Marshawn Lynch trade:

Breaking news: I’m reporting seattle has traded for bills rb marshawn lynch for 4th in 2011 and cond pick 2012. Great move for ‘hawks

This obviously has tremendous fantasy implications for a bunch of running backs on both teams – Justin Forsett, CJ Spiller, Fred Jackson, and of course Lynch. Bear with me and I’ll analyze here in the next 10-15 minutes.

Fantasy Impact of Marshawn Lynch Trade in Seattle

Up until now, none of these four backs has been a legitimate fantasy starter. Lynch had been getting the majority of the carries in Buffalo, but he has yet to score a TD. He now joins a Seattle team that seemed ready to turn the feature back position over to Justin Forsett, but Forsett responded with subpar outings against San Diego and St. Louis, meaning that his job is anything but safe.

Right now, I wouldn’t overreact about either guy, mainly because Seattle’s offense is terrible so their potential ceilings are limited. Add to that the fact that they will likely split carries in some kind of time share and I am not particularly bullish on either guy.

It’s a different story in Buffalo.

Fantasy Impact of Marshawn Lynch Trade in Buffalo for CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson

This trade clears the way for CJ Spiller to start getting his hands on the ball more, and that means explosive plays that can provide fantasy value. We’ve already seen Spiller take a kick to the house, and he also has a receiving TD. This guy was a top 10 pick for a reason. With the Bills already at 0-4 and essentially playing for 2011, it makes sense to let Spiller have the ball and see what he can do.

The trade of Lynch also means that the underrated Fred Jackson can get regular touches again. After running for 1,062 yards last year and adding another 371 receiving, I thought Jackson could be a sneaky fantasy player this year. He has not been, getting only 20 carries through four games. That will change now. Even if Buffalo commits to Spiller, it won’t give him more than 12-15 carries per game. He’s simply not built to be a workhorse back. Jackson will pick up the slack and has value if he can get his hands on the ball 15 times.

Bottom line: Like Forsett and Lynch, the Bills’ offense limits the potential of Spiller or Jackson, but the value of each increases because of the trade. I’m not sure the value of Lynch or Forsett does anything but just tread water at best.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: cj spiller fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, fred jackson fantasy, justin forsett fantasy, marshawn lynch fantasy

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

September 13, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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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 Stock Up/Stock Down: Justin Forsett, Tony Romo, and more

September 8, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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Stock up/stock down…it’s a fantasy sports article idea almost as old as the Prodigy internet service (which, by the way, served as my introduction to fantasy baseball a looooong time ago). What it may lack in originality though, it more than makes up for usefulness and accessibility.

That’s why I’m going to make it a staple of our weekly fantasy football coverage here at MSF Fantasy Sports.

This morning, in the first edition of Fantasy Football Stock Up/Stock Down, I’ll run through a list of players whose stock is either rising or falling in my eyes due to a change in workload, injury concerns, matchups, or just a shift in my general trust level with them.

Remember: your fantasy football team is a lot like a relationship. (Huh?) If you don’t trust your significant other, it will lead to instability and turmoil in your relationship. If you don’t trust your starters and your bench players, instability and turmoil will similarly plague your fantasy football team.

And yes, I just went there for a comparison.

Who cares. Let’s talk names.

Stock WAY Up; Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle

In Saturday’s Fantasy Football 3-2-1, I told you that the Seattle backfield was one to keep an eye on. If you paid heed to my advice, you now know that Forsett has since been named the starter.

Why is this important? There were four games last year in which Forsett got 10 or more carries. Look at his output in those four games:

17 carries, 123 yards, TD
22 carries, 130 yards, 2 TD
14 carries, 70 yards
10 carries, 74 yards

Let’s call him the NFC version of Jerome Harrison.

Some guys just produce every time they get an opportunity. Forsett, like Harrison, has proven to be one of those guys. In PPR leagues, he is a bona fide #2 back right now (he had 41 catches for 350 yards last year). In standard leagues he is a great flex option and a definite #3 RB who has the potential to become a #2, a la Harrison last year.

If Forsett is somehow available in your league, stop reading this post RIGHT NOW and go pick him up. He has a tough matchup in Week 1 against San Francisco, but he’ll still do enough to bring value. Get him in your lineup.

Stock Down: Tony Romo, QB, Dallas

I live in Dallas, so you have to take this one with the caveat that my judgment could be clouded by listening to all of the nattering nabobs of negativity who break down the Cowboys on the radio. Still, I think there are concerns that Romo can live up to the preseason hype that has him lumped in with other 2nd tier QBs like Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub, and Tom Brady.

Among my reasons for concern:

I don’t fully trust that Miles Austin is a #1 receiver
I certainly don’t trust Romo’s 2nd and 3rd options yet, which are rookie Dez Bryant and veteran suckfest Roy Williams.
I don’t trust that the Cowboys running game will be a consistent force until Tashard Choice is featured more, and who knows when that will be.
The Cowboys have serious offensive line issues.

Now look, I’m not saying drop Romo. I’m not even saying don’t start him if your backup is, say, Matthew Stafford. This is a guy who has three straight years of a QB rating of 91.4 or better, and whose TD production is 36-26-26 over that span. Romo will have a good season.

But…I kept him in one league thinking there was a chance Romo could have a great season, and that he might even be able to challenge for upper tier status this year. He still could, but I also think that enough warning signs accumulated during training camp that suggest Romo could struggle, especially early.

Stock Up: Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore

Want a name of a QB who was drafted below Romo in most drafts but could exceed him in value? Try Joe Flacco, who had the productive TJ Houshmandzadeh added to a stable of receivers that already included Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason.

What this trio lacks in youth they more than make up for in veteran savvy, hands, and reliability. They aren’t going to beat you deep, but they will provide option after option for Flacco in the red zone. That’s a very good thing.

Stock Down: Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona

Having watched Derek Anderson play for three years in Cleveland, I know what he is and what he is not. Anderson has a rocket arm and is a guy who will take chances downfield, especially to his #1 target. This means Larry Fitzgerald owners can exhale a bit. Anderson is not, however, a patient nor accurate quarterback, which means that Steve Breaston and Early Doucet could suffer.

Stock Down: Randy Moss, WR, New England; Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami; Lee Evans, WR, Buffalo

This one is simple: Darrelle Revis is back. We know what he did to #1 receivers last year and it wasn’t pretty.

These three guys have to face Revis twice in 2010. While they all should be solid plays in their other 14 matchups (except for Evans, whose production will be up and down with his QB) the presence of Revis means you at least have to think about sitting them during their two Jets weeks.

With Moss and Marshall, two of the best receivers in the game, you probably don’t ever sit them, but their stock does take a bit of a hit because we can now expect lesser numbers in two of their games this year.

Stock Up: Patrick Crayton, WR, San Diego

He was lost in the shuffle in Dallas so nothing was better for him than being shipped out of town. The bonus is that he went to a WR-starved team with a very good QB who will be able to take advantage of Crayton’s skills, which are his precise route-running and reliable hands.

As our buddy Kurt from PFI pointed out, Crayton is just a few years removed from a 1,000-yard season when he was the #2 receiver in Dallas. He’ll be the #2 in San Diego and could post similar numbers this year.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Featured
Tagged: brandon marshall fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, Football - NFL, Football Stock Up Stock Down, joe flacco fantasy, justin forsett fantasy, lee evans fantasy, patrick crayton fantasy, randy moss fantasy, steve breaston fantasy, tony romo fantasy

Video: Fantasy Football 3-2-1 for Week 1

September 4, 2010 by Jerod-Morris · Comments Off

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One of the new features that I am stoked to bring you this year is video content. We’ve got a pretty badass setup in the office now, so I figured I better take advantage and use it as another excuse to study and talk about fantasy football during work hours.

Mission accomplished.

Our fantasy video content will evolve as the season goes along, but one weekly feature that I know we’ll publish consistently is the Fantasy Football 3-2-1 series. (And don’t you dare make fun of me for calling it “Fantasy Football 1-2-3″ in the introduction. I’m a blogger not a news anchor, and I was going off the top of my head.)

The content of the 3-2-1 series will obviously be dictated by that week’s relevant fantasy news, and will include key guys to watch for, waiver wire suggestions, general lineup tips, trade advice, start/sit recommendations, etc. It won’t be as rigid as I describe in the video.

Just know that I’ll bring the goods every week in my quest to help you all win your matchups.

This is my first foray into video, so your suggestions/critiques/analysis – positive and negative – are welcomed. I want this video series to be as useful as possible and as enjoyable as possible. Any feedback you have to help me improve it, I’m all ears.

What’s in this week’s edition of Fantasy Football 3-2-1?

I tell you three guys you need to pay attention to in Week 1. Their first week success could be predictive of how their respective seasons will go, at least in the early going on.
I provide two names you all need to check your waiver wire for. Both are great players to have on your bench for depth.
And I give you a sage piece of advice, based on experience, for how to treat unexpected Week 1 stats.

Oh, and get used to the beard. I think it might be around for awhile.

Filed Under: Fantasy
Tagged: brett favre fantasy, dexter mccluster fantasy, fantasy, Fantasy Football, fantasy football advice, fantasy football video, Football 3-2-1 Video Series, jabar gaffney fantasy, jacoby jones fantasy, justin forsett fantasy

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start em, Sit em Projections and Q&A

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em QB: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets (v Houston)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at St. Louis)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em RB: Felix Jones, Dallas (v Detroit)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em RB: Jahvid Best, Detroit (at Dallas)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em WR: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City (v Arizona)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em WR: Big Mike Williams, Seattle (at New Orleans)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit (at Dallas)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em TE: Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay (at San Francisco)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Start ‘em Defense: Baltimore Ravens (at Carolina)

Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit ‘em Defense: Washington Redskins (at Tennessee)

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 6 Start em Sit Em Projections

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em QB: Tom Brady, New England (vs Baltimore)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em RB: Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs Detroit)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em RB: Peyton Hillis, Cleveland (at Pittsburgh)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em WR: Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh (vs Cleveland)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em WR: Brandon Tate, New England (vs Baltimore)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em TE: Chris Cooley, Washington (vs Indianapolis)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em TE: Todd Heap, Baltimore (at New England)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Start ‘em D/ST: Chicago Bears (vs Seattle)

Fantasy Football Week 6 Sit ‘em D/ST: New England Patriots (vs Baltimore)

Fantasy Impact of Marshawn Lynch Trade in Seattle

Fantasy Impact of Marshawn Lynch Trade in Buffalo for CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson

What I’m looking for tonight

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