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Fantasy Football Strategy, Advice, and Commentary |
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 By: Dave Stringer — October 14, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
Braylon Edwards made a big splash in his Jets debut. Miles Austin had a monster game against the Chiefs. Roddy White finally lived up to his pre-season billing. Here are all the players moving up and down in value from Week 5.
Moving Up
- Braylon Edwards, Jets – That whole thing about needing to learn the offense apparently doesn’t apply to Edwards. The dropped potential TD pass was ugly but otherwise a sensational performance under the circumstances.
- Brandon Marshall, Broncos – Looks like Josh McDaniels has figured out that Marshall is far and away the team’s best receiver and offensive weapon. Hopefully he doesn’t forget.
- Cedric Benson, Bengals – The first running back in 39 games to put up 100 yards on the ground against the Ravens. Top 5 in the league in total yards. Enough said.
- Miles Austin, Cowboys – First start, first 250 yard receiving game. Maybe the light has come on. With Patrick Crayton struggling since his opening week performance and better suited to line up in the slot, Austin should be in the starting line-up for the remainder of the season.
- Jeremy Maclin, Eagles – Let’s be honest – Maclin benefitted this week because he was a big part of the game plan with DeSean Jackson being used as a decoy and Kevin Curtis out with a knee injury. Jackson is going to get more than 3 targets most weeks but this game marks Maclin’s arrival on the scene and there is no reason to expect the Eagles to move Curtis back into the starting line-up.
- Austin Collie, Colts – His targets are on the upswing (3, 3, 6, 7, 8) and he’s had 3 TD over the last 2 weeks. Collie is getting more targets than Pierre Garcon and now seems like the better bet when Anthony Gonzalez returns from his knee injury.
- Donnie Avery, Rams – Rams quarterback Marc Bulger is back next week and Avery just had his best game of the season with 5 receptions for 87 yards and a TD. The Rams offense is putrid but can’t stay this bad the whole season (at least Steven Jackson owners, myself included, hope not).
- Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks – Apparently the Seahawks duo were energized by Matt Hasselbeck‘s return, each going off for 2 TD and Burleson posting 98 yards to Houshmandzadeh’s 77.
- Roddy White, Falcons – Prime example of why you never give up on a top talent like White. With 17 fantasy points through 3 games, White was looking like a colossal bust. However, he broke out this week with 210 yards and 2 TD against a solid 49ers defense.
- Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants – At some point, the numbers don’t lie. After 5 weeks, Bradshaw has more yards and TD on far fewer touches than Brandon Jacobs, good enough for 14th overall at running back to 27th for Jacobs.
- Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings – Similar theme here. Last year, Shiancoe had 7 TD and this year he is on pace for 10. Brett Favre loves his TE from inside the 10 yard line.
- Jamal Lewis, Browns – Lewis returned from injury this week to post 117 yards on 31 carries. Supposed phenom Jerome Harrison had 8 carries for 21 yards. Now we know how the Browns coaches rank each player.
- Donovan McNabb, Eagles – McNabb came back strong this week and went 16 of 21 for 264 yards and 3 scores. The 30 rushing yards were a nice bonus. The Eagles offense is solid and McNabb should put up plenty of fantasy points over the remainder of the season.
- Eddie Royal, Broncos – Another example of a player being too good to stay bad for too long. Royal re-emerged this week to put up 10 catches for 90 yards. The 15 targets were particularly encouraging.
- Marshawn Lynch, Bills – The Bills offense can’t score but Lynch is getting the touches over Fred Jackson – 13 to 12 in Lynch’s first week back and 23 to 15 this week.
Moving Down
- Steven Jackson, Rams – 118 touches and no scores. Will he ever find the end zone? He’s on pace for over 1,700 total yards and no TD. Incredible.
- Kerry Collins, Titans – The Titans are 0-5, Collins is 36 years old and the team needs to find out if Vince Young can be their QB in 2010. Collins will be heading to the bench soon and the only reason it’s not this week is because Jeff Fisher doesn’t want to feed Vince Young to the Patriots and their bye comes after this week’s game.
- Derek Anderson, Browns – Just in case you thought he was capable of a renaissance season, he goes out and completes two measly passes.
- Larry Johnson, Chiefs – The Chiefs keep giving him the ball and LJ keeps doing nothing with it. At some point, head coach Todd Haley will read the stats – 93 carries for 226 yards or 2.4 a pop. Plus, the Chiefs need to throw it and LJ isn’t much of a receiving threat. Which begs the question – why is he in there?
- Justin Gage, Titans – In his last two games, Gage has two catches for 22 yards and that was against the Jaguars and Colts. If the team decides to go with Young, Gage and all of the Titans receivers are likely to struggle.
- Laveranues Coles, Bengals – He put up an 0-fer this week and it looks like he is completely washed up. With a number of young receivers waiting in the wings, the Bengals must be losing patience waiting for Coles to reclaim his past glory.
- Fred Jackson, Bills – Despite his fantastic start to the season, Jackson has clearly been relegated to backup duty in Buffalo. With the offense not scoring, his status as a solid flex option has been reduced.
- Jerome Harrison, Browns – Read Jamal Lewis, above.
Not Sold Yet
- Jerricho Cotchery, Jets – Edwards had a huge day in his first game as a Jet and Cotchery seemed to be an afterthought with 4 yards receiving on only 2 targets. However, that was due to a hamstring injury which will likely keep him out this week. It says here that Cotchery will be the Jets top producing wideout down the stretch so he’s a great target in trade talks.
- Sammy Morris, Patriots – With Fred Taylor out indefinitely and Laurence Maroney, well, Laurence Maroney, Morris figures to be The Man in the Patriots backfield. Unfortunately, translating that into fantasy points in your line-up has never been easy.
By: Dave Stringer — October 6, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
Week 4 is in the books and with four solid offensive teams on byes (Cardinals, Panthers, Falcons, Eagles), it was the first week for fantasy owners to find out if their bench players would rise to the occasion. Safe to say that some did and many didn’t given the scoring this week.
In other news, I feel like a converted man this week. I’m beginning to believe in a bunch of players that I’ve never believed in before. Hopefully they don’t let me down.
Moving Up
- Steve Smith, Giants – Now I believe. Meet fantasy football’s top WR after four weeks. It’s kind of embarrassing but it’s taken me four weeks to jump on the “other” Steve Smith bandwagon. This Steve Smith is averaging 16 fantasy points per game, is 2nd amongst WRs in targets and looks like Eli Manning’s go-to receiver in an offense that has been surprisingly pass heavy. Am I convinced he will keep it up? Absolutely not but I am convinced that he is now a mid-tier WR2.
- Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars – Now I believe. Meet fantasy football’s 4th ranked WR. Take out a Week 1 clunker (no points – is there a reason the Jags started Troy Williamson ahead of this guy?) and Sim-Walker has the 2nd highest average points per game. He’s aveaged 10 targets over the last 3 weeks and is clearly David Garrard‘s go-to guy. Sorry if I’m sounding redundant but the facts are the facts.
- Knowshon Moreno, Broncos – He’s hit double digit fantasy points two weeks in a row and scored a TD in each game. Plus, backup Correll Buckhalter suffered a sprained ankle this week that had him on crutches after the game although he indicated that he felt fine. Think new head coach Josh McDaniels’ Belichick-inspired injury policies are filtering down to the players? Up next are the Patriots (103 rushing yards to Ray Rice this week) and Chargers (28th ranked run defense).
- Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers – After getting benched in Week 3, Mendenhall came on strong this week against the Chargers putting up 165 yards and 2 TD on the ground to go with 26 receiving yards. With Willie Parker not producing on a consistent basis, Mendenhall’s performance increases the likelihood he will get a shot as the feature back. At worst, he’s earned more carries and likely the goal line work given his strong performance in that area this week.
- Ricky Williams, Dolphins – With another strong performance this week, Williams is on pace for 992 rushing yards, 248 receiving yards and 12 TD. The TD help put him in low RB2 status or make him an excellent play in flex leagues. With Chad Henne at QB, the Dolphins are going to run plenty so Williams should provide consistent production.
- Derek Anderson, Browns – He’s likely available on the waiver wire and he just put up solid numbers against a decent Bengals defense. If you’re in need of a starter in Week 5, you could do worse than Anderson going against a Bills pass defense that is ranked in the bottom half of the league and will be missing two or three starters.
- Jerome Harrison, Browns – Not that you want to own any Cleveland players, but they are coming off their best offensive performance of the season, Jamal Lewis may not be part of their plans going forward, rookie 6th round pick James Davis was just placed on injured reserve and Harrison had 121 rushing yards plus 31 through the air.
- Bernard Berrian, Vikings – Berrian was a forgotten many after three weeks with only 102 yards receiving, partially explained by a hamstring injury suffered during the pre-season. However, he got open deep this week for a score and finished with 75 yards on 6 receptions. Bottom line is that Berrian is the team’s best deep threat and Brett Favre likes to throw deep. So the question is – prior to this week, were the Vikings not going deep because they don’t want to or because Berrian was hurt?
- Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns – Braylon Edwards‘ disappearing act continues with an 0-fer this week. Massaquoi stepped into the breach with 148 yards on 8 receptions. If Anderson’s going to throw it to him 13 times every week, then he’s a decent option as a WR3 or bye week filler.
- Sam Hurd, Cowboys – Other than in Week 1 against the Bucs, Roy Williams hasn’t got it done. Ditto for Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin. And with those three guys leading the Cowboys WR corps, Tony Romo hasn’t gotten it done for the past three weeks. So, doesn’t it reason that it’s time for the Cowboys to give Hurd a shot? Of course, that would mean relying on Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett thinking logically so maybe it’s not such a sure thing.
- Earl Bennett, Bears – The good news for Bennett is that both Devin Hester and Johnny Knox suffered injuries this week. The bad news is that Bennett still only had two targets. So, the injury news later this week should tell us if the glass is half-full or half-empty.
- Michael Bush and Justin Fargas, Raiders – Hey, if you’re desperate, grab one of these guys. The Raiders are saying Darren McFadden is out 2-4 weeks with a torn meniscus but the typical recovery from this type of injury is 4-6 weeks. The smart money should be on Bush because he’s the younger of the two and the Raiders are going nowhere this year. However, good luck crawling into Al Davis’ head on this one. And yes, he is likely the one to decide who gets the bulk of the workload with McFadden out.
- Jermichael Finley, Packers – Finley was a clueless rookie in 2008 but there were reports in training camp that the light was coming on. In Week 4, it shone brightly with 6 receptions for 128 yards and a TD.
- Rashad Jennings, Jaguars – Jennings had 9 carries for 53 yards in mop-up duty this week against the Titans. Nothing to get excited about but he has apparently moved ahead of Montell Owens and Greg Jones to secure handcuff status behind Maurice Jones-Drew.
- Ryan Moats, Texans – Ditto for Moats who has supplanted Chris Brown as Steve Slaton‘s backup and had 56 yards on 15 carries after the Texans had put away the Raiders.
Moving Down
- Drew Brees, Saints – After Week 2, he was on pace for 5,352 passing yards and 72 TD passes. Since then, he’s thrown for 362 yards and no TDs. Hey, I’m not down on him but you have to admit that he’s moved down since Week 2. If you’ve got a chance to get him, go for it. The price might never be cheaper.
- Tony Romo, Cowboys – Romo looked like a stud in Week 1 against the Bucs with 29 fantasy points. Since then, he has averaged 14 points per game and that was aided by a Week 2 rushing TD. He was scattershot this week against the Broncos who took away TE Jason Witten with constant double coverage. The team’s wide receivers have struggled and until someone emerges at the position, Romo is going to continue to struggle.
- Eli Manning, Giants – Manning has put together a nice 4-game stretch, averaging over 21 fantasy points a game, which begs the question – why is he Moving Down? Well, methinks trying to plant and throw with plantar fasciitis is going to be a tad painful. The Giants are saying he’s had it for weeks but he aggravated it this week. This type of injury lingers once it’s been aggravated.
- Clinton Portis, Redskins – He’s been here before and he’s here again. In games against the Rams, Lions and Bucs, he has 234 total yards and no TD. Enough said.
- Darren McFadden, Raiders – The good news is that the Texans stacked the box and that mostly explains McFadden’s 6 carries for minus 3 yards. Or was it because he was playing with a torn meniscus? The bad news is that the previously forgotten Justin Fargas had 10 carries and quarterback JaMarcus Russell had another horrendous game. With Russell at the helm and no decent option at backup QB (Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski), the Raiders offense figures to struggle for the balance of the season. Looks like McFadden’s breakout season will not materialize this year or perhaps ever.
- Roy Williams, Cowboys – I gave up on Williams in a dynasty league after Week 2 when he had 1 reception for 18 yards. That followed a Week 1 performance that was aided by a blown coverage that went for a TD. Let’s just say that Thomas Jones and Williams for Moreno and Santana Moss is looking good right now. The Cowboys are saying that Williams wasn’t on the field for their final, last gasp attempt to tie the Broncos because he had an undisclosed injury. Presumably he had the wind knocked out of him on a hard hit. Frankly, it’s hard to conclude that his presence would have mattered in the outcome of the game. And his presence isn’t helping your fantasy roster either.
- Mario Manningham, Giants – Rookie 1st round pick Hakeem Nicks is back and had an explosive 54-yard catch and run TD this week while Manningham caught just 1 of the 8 passes that came his way, although it was for 43 yards. I wouldn’t move him just yet but it would be nice to see him step up when all of the team’s WR are healthy.
- JaMarcus Russell, Raiders – He’s horrible. Plain and simple. His wide receivers are horrible. There are no reasons why he should be on your fantasy roster. Be an adult. Own up to it. You blew it when you got this guy. Get rid of him. Now.
- Chris Brown, Texans – Lost his job to Moats and didn’t get a single carry in this week’s blowout win over the Raiders. Kiss him goodbye.
- Kyle Boller, Rams – In case you were thinking the Rams were going to give Boller a shot to keep the job when Marc Bulger returns from injury, this week’s performance should cause you to think otherwise.
Not Sold Yet
- Sammy Morris, Patriots – His Week 4 line goods good: 21 yards and a TD on the ground and 35 receiving yards. Unfortunately, the Patriots spread it around too much at RB for any one player to have value. Fred Taylor and Laurence Maroney each had 7 carries. Kevin Faulk had 5 and Morris had 6. The only difference on the stat line was the TD. Good luck predicting which RB gets that every week.
- Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars – 4 for 76 and a TD for the confounding Lewis this week. He looks the part and has now posted two games of 60-plus yards and a TD. Lewis has the talent and with little depth at WR behind Torry Holt and Sims-Walker, there is a decent chance that he will get consistent touches over the balance of the season. However, I’m not buying yet.
- Glen Coffee, 49ers – The rookie put up 106 total yards in his first start this week which seems decent enough. However, it took him 28 touches to get those yards, he never found the end zone and it all came against the pathetic Rams.
- Seneca Wallace, Seahawks – Matt Hasselbeck is apparently going to be back this week so Wallace’s 2-week run as the starter is over. Keep him in mind when Hasselbeck goes down again, likely sooner than later.
By: Dave Stringer — October 1, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Three weeks into the NFL season and there are a pile of high profile players struggling to meet the expectations of their fantasy owners. At this point, there’s a chance that a third of your league is sitting at 0-3 and likely convinced that 0-4 will doom their season. With a number of high quality fantasy stars on the sidelines this week courtesy of byes for the Cardinals, Falcons, Eagles and Panthers, there are bound to be some major holes in the lineups of teams that need wins this week. It’s time to pounce.
Sell High
- Pierre Thomas, Saints – Bit of risk with this one given that he is ostensibly the lead RB for the Saints powerful offense but a closer look reveals that all of his fantasy points this week came in the second half. Plus, he was apparently healthy enough to sub in for Mike Bell in Week 2 once Bell got hurt but didn’t get any carries before that. So in three weeks, he was hurt once, subbed in for Bell once and wasn’t used when the game was in doubt in the other game. Maybe I’m reading this one the wrong way but those are the facts.
- Jason Campbell, Redskins – After two lackluster performances, Campbell went off on the Lions this week for 340 yards and 2 TD passes. Throw in 21 yards on the ground and it was a tidy 27 fantasy points on the day. If somebody is viewing Campbell’s number 12 ranking at the QB position and making you an offer, think hard about it. The Redskins aren’t going to throw 41 times in game very often (once in 2008) plus there is a risk that Campbell will be benched if the team’s season continues to go south.
- Julius Jones, Seahawks – I had him here after his 20 point performance in Week 1 and he basically proved me right in Week 2 when he rushed for 9 yards and had -2 yards receiving. His fantasy performance was, however, saved by a receiving TD, making for one of the oddest stat lines you will ever see. It’s well known that Jones blows hot and cold and can’t be relied on when the Seahawks are on the road (4.5 fantasy points per game in 2008) or against tough defenses. There are 3 games over the remainder of the season where I would feel comfortable using him.
- Vernon Davis, 49ers – As I pointed out in this week’s Moving Up, Moving Down column, Davis has put up double digit fantasy points 5 times in 43 career games. He’s coming off a double digit game, he’s got a big name and the 49ers face the pathetic Rams this week. I’ll bet somebody in your league is willing to buy this snake oil.
Buy Low
- Tom Brady, Patriots – Whoever in your league has Brady likely paid dearly for him and may not be ready to throw in the towel just yet. However, Brady and the Patriots offense has struggled and faces a major test this week against the Ravens. If Brady doesn’t put up a nice performance on Sunday, have your offer ready for his owner on Monday morning.
- Clinton Portis, Redskins – No, I don’t like the Redskins offense. No, I don’t like Jason Campbell’s inability to generate many big plays. What I do like is Portis’ toughness (he hasn’t missed a game since 2006 despite being on the injury report on a regular basis) and his history of production. He has averaged between 13.1 and 21.1 fantasy points per game during his 7 year career. He’s currently at 7.0 PPG and that’s going to go up, starting this week against the Bucs 31st ranked run defense. He’s certainly not the Portis of old but his performance has to go up.
- Roddy White, Falcons – Entering the season, White was as high as the the 5th WR on many draft boards and generally no lower than 10th. After putting up 119 yards and 1 TD in three games, he’s nowhere near the top 10. The Falcons are on a bye and figure to spend a chunk of their time off devising ways to get White more involved.
- Braylon Edwards, Browns – With 139 yards and 10 receptions in three games, Edwards has basically done nothing to warrant much optimism. However, the Browns have moved Derek Anderson back into the stating QB role and he is much more of a downfield passer than Brady Quinn, which makes Edwards an interesting option. Edwards’ best season came in 2007 with Anderson under center. You won’t have to sell the farm to get fantasy football’s currently 62nd ranked WR.
- Terrell Owens, Buffalo – T.O.’s stock is so low that you can likely get him for a song. Granted his prospects aren’t great with Captain Checkdown (that would be Trent Edwards) at the controls of the Bills offense. Regardless, Owens has 16 fantasy points on the season mostly because he’s only had 13 targets which frankly, is a joke. As confounding as head coach Dick Jauron is, there’s no denying that the Bills need to get T.O. more involved. Buy low before that happens.
- Mike Bell, Saints – Read Pierre Thomas above. If you can grab this guy for next to nothing (which is very likely), then do it. This is as close to low risk, high reward as you can get.
By: Dave Stringer — September 29, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Week 3 of fantasy football season is in the books and it was an interesting week. While some players rebounded from a poor start to the season (Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, Santana Moss), others confirmed that it might be a long season for their fantasy owners (hello Clinton Portis, Terrell Owens and Darren McFadden). Plus, there were a couple of players who cemented their status with solid performances. Let’s get to them off the top.
Moving Up
- Cedric Benson, Bengals – It’s official: Benson has arrived. After solid performances against the Broncos and Packers, Benson faced a stiff test this week against the Steelers and put up 76 yards and a TD on the ground. Here’s what you need to know. The Bengals defense is solid, Benson isn’t splitting time, he’s scoring against solid defenses, he’s second in the league in touches to Fred Jackson and I can’t find a reason why any of this would change.
- Willis McGahee, Ravens – Fantasy afterthought to RB1 status. My how things can change in only three weeks. Whereas the Ravens backfield was a three-headed fantasy mess in 2008, the roles are clearly defined this year. Ray Rice gets the work between the 20’s while McGahee spells him, gets the goal line work and finishes games off. With 6 TD in 3 games, McGahee is the leading candidate for Fantasy’s Comeback Player of the Year Award (there’s no such award but it sounds nice and helps my argument).
- Ray Rice, Ravens – McGahee is getting all the pub in fantasy circles because he’s such been such a surprise. However, Rice is on pace for 1,475 combined yards and 5 TD which makes him a solid RB2.
- Santana Moss, Redskins – He wasn’t listed as moving down after putting up just five catches for 41 yards over the first two games because of his well earned reputation for being streaky. However, it was nice to see that head coach Jim Zorn finally figured out how to get him more involved this week against the Lions to the tune of 10 receptions for 178 yards and a score.
- Pierre Thomas, Saints – What is there to say? Whoever runs the ball for New Orleans is apparently guaranteed of putting up a stud performance. Thomas notched 24 fantasy points this week (124 yards and 2 TD) on just 14 touches. It’s worth noting that one of Thomas and Mike Bell have had a significant injury in every game this season so we don’t yet know how head coach Sean Payton will split the carries. Nonetheless, Thomas was supposed to be the starter entering the season and this performance was good enough for him to continue in that role.
- Knowshon Moreno, Broncos – Moreno and Correll Buckhalter split the carries in Week 1 but it’s been close to a 2-1 split since then in favour of Moreno and he has 24 fantasy points over the last two weeks. The next 8 weeks look tough with only the Chargers (twice) looking like a nice matchup but the last four weeks of the season could be bountiful for Moreno owners (Chiefs, Colts, Raiders, Eagles).
- Joe Flacco, Ravens – Flacco is off to a phenomenal start in his sophomore season and is averaging 280 passing yards and 2 TD per game. He hasn’t faced great defenses (Chiefs, Chargers and Browns) and there is an argument to sell high on him but he’s been much better than anticipated. While Matt Ryan was the consensus bust out sophomore QB candidate in most fantasy circles (not here), it looks like Flacco may take that title from him. Unfortunately, we can’t say we predicted that either.
- Donald Brown, Colts – It’s officially a time share in Indy. Joseph Addai has had more touches every week but the difference has been reduced each week (9 to 2 to 1). Although Addai seems to be getting more red zone work, Brown is finishing off the games.
- Brent Celek, Eagles – I liked him before the season (12th ranked TE) and I like him even more now. He’s had a pile of targets and converted them into 22 catches for 245 yards and 2 TD. The Eagles offense is moving and Celek is their leading receiver thus far.
- Donald Driver, Packers – Defenses have been rolling coverages towards Greg Jennings and Driver is taking advantage of it. At 34 years old entering the season, Driver seemed like a candidate for a drop off but he’s on pace for his best season since 2006.
- Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants – I wasn’t sold on Bradshaw entering the season, not because he isn’t talented but more because of his off the field issues and uncertainty surrounding how much trust the team would place on him. However, he went over 100 yards this week against the Bucs and is on pace to better Derrick Ward‘s 1,025 rushing yard campaign of a year ago. Unfortunately, he hasn’t found the end zone yet, a problem Ward also had a year ago when he only scored twice.
- Willie Parker, Steelers – I wrote him off last week and then he puts up 93 yards on the ground to go along with 36 and a TD through the air. He’s still RB3 material and you should peddle him if the matchups aren’t good for the weeks when your starters have byes.
- Glen Coffee, 49ers – The 3rd round pick was all the rage in the preseason but the buzz died down once he put up 10 yards on 10 carries over the first two weeks of the season. Coffee struggled this week against the Vikings tough run defense, putting up just 54 yards on 25 carries after subbing in for an injured Frank Gore. With Gore expected to miss time with an ankle strain, Coffee looks like a solid Week 4 play against a struggling Rams team.
- LeSean McCoy, Eagles – With Brian Westbrook out with inflammation in his ankle, McCoy stepped up this week against the Chiefs, posting 20 carries for 84 yards and a TD. McCoy also ran well in Week 1 against the Panthers. With Westbrook showing signs of wear and tear, McCoy is a must have handcuff and a decent option in deep flex leagues.
- Pierre Garcon, Colts – I said last week that Garcon may see significant time over the remainder of the season and he backed that up this week with 3 receptions for 64 yards and a nice TD.
- Jerome Harrison, Browns – With Jamal Lewis out with a hamstring injury, Harrison put up 85 yards on 21 touches against a tough Ravens defense. Rookie 6th round pick James Davis was relegated to the backup role behind Harrison and didn’t see significant time. With the Browns likely to struggle this season and uncertainty whether the 30-year old Lewis is in the team’s plans for next season, Harrison’s role could expand as the season progresses.
Moving Down
- Clinton Portis, Redskins – It was understandable that Portis struggled in Week 1 against the Giants but over the last two weeks against the Rams and Lions he put up 136 total yards and 0 TD. The Redskins had success through the air this week so there is some hope but the offensive line isn’t opening up any holes on the ground and Portis might finally be in decline.
- Terrell Owens, Bills – T.O. had his first 0-fer this week since Week 7 of his rookie season back in 1996, ending his consecutive games with a reception streak at 185. Surprisingly, Mount Owens didn’t erupt during his post-game press conference. But, yes, it is coming. The eruption, that is, not necessarily the production. T.O. hasn’t topped 100 yards FOR THE SEASON and rookie offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt doesn’t seem to know how to get him involved.
- Michael Turner, Falcons – It’s not so much that Turner hasn’t produced because he is on pace for just over 1,200 yards and 11 TD, which is fine production from your RB1. However, it’s also a far cry from last year’s 1,699 yard, 17 TD performance. With no truly bad defenses on the horizon until week 12 (the Bucs), it’s highly unlikely that Turner is going to approach his numbers from last year.
- Tom Brady, Patriots – Similar theme to Turner. The good news this week was that the team found a way to pass protect. The bad news is that they had to settle for 4 FG to go along with 2 TD. A couple of years ago, this would have been a 42-10 thrashing of the Falcons. Brady isn’t quite as accurate as he used to be, Moss isn’t quite as explosive, Welker may be iffy all year and Joey Galloway better improve or he’s headed for the unemployment line (7 receptions for 67 yards on 19 targets).
- Darren McFadden, Raiders – The 3 fumbles this week (4 on the year) aren’t going to cause McFadden to go to the bench because the Raiders aren’t going anywhere this year anyway. The problem is that the offense led by JaMarcus Russell is simply putrid and finding somebody now willing to predict a breakout year for McFadden is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
- T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks – With 145 yards and 0 TD over three games, he is on pace for just 77 fantasy points. He isn’t even the Seahawks best receiver (Nate Burleson is). Just saying.
- Darren Sproles, Chargers – I honestly never thought he was up to the task of replacing LaDainian Tomlinson and the last 2 games proved it. Removing his 81-yard TD against the Ravens which was courtesy of a blown coverage, Sproles had just 124 combined yards and 0 TD in his two starts. LT owners can breathe easy that Sproles won’t be taking the job other than because of injury.
- Chris Wells, Cardinals – It didn’t help that the Cardinals got behind early but the bottom line is that he fumbled twice in Week 2 and got 2 carries in Week 3. I guess there’s a reason they made him carry a football around all week and sent a message in how he was used this week. His time is coming but it might be further off than originally thought.
- Ted Ginn Jr., Dolphins – Ginn was moving up last week courtesy of an 11 reception, 108 yard performance in Week 2. However, he dropped a couple this week (one was difficult) and figures to suffer with Chad Henne stepping in for Chad Pennington, who suffered a shoulder injury this week and is out for the season.
- Donnie Avery, Rams – The plus for Avery owners is that Laurent Robinson went out a knee injury and may miss significant time. The bad news is that Robinson went down early this week and Avery still didn’t produce (3 catches for 12 yards). At this point, it’s safe to conclude that the ankle injury he suffered during the preseason is still affecting his performance.
- Chris Chambers, Chargers – I wrote him off last week and he had no catches on 3 targets this week. I like it when that happens. I just wish it would happen more.
- Chris Brown, Texans – When you’re the goal line back, you’re not supposed to fumble at the opponents 1-yard line with time winding down. Sorry but that’s just the way it is. It also doesn’t help when you haven’t scored a TD in three weeks. With the Texans offense looking like a potential juggernaut entering the season and Brown expected to get the goal line work, he seemed like a decent flex option. Now, not so much.
- Randy McMichael, Rams – He’s had some bad drops over the last two weeks and with Robinson out, Avery struggling and the team needing a big play, they twice went to backup TE Daniel Fells on out and up calls. End result – 2 TD for Fells and the end of McMichael’s fantasy relevance.
Not Sold Yet
- Julius Jones, Seahawks – It’s time for some honesty. There are only two categories you will see Jones in this year. One is Not Sold Yet and the other is Moving Down. It just doesn’t matter what he does. I’ve been burned too many times. Go somewhere else if you want objectivity on Jones.
- Nate Burleson, Seahawks – I said above that he is the Seahawks best receiver. That doesn’t mean I’m sold on him. In fact, I probably never will be but the bottom line is that he has 33 targets in 3 weeks and he’s putting up some numbers.
- Felix Jones, Cowboys – Watching the game on Monday night, I had decided it was a good idea to trade for Jones in one of my dynasty leagues. Then Jon Gruden said he was hurt. Which made me think, this guy is always hurt. On talent, he looks like the Cowboys best RB but I’d like to see him stay healthy for a few weeks before I make a move for him.
- Vernon Davis, 49ers – Davis had by far his best day as a pro this week, posting 96 receiving yards and 2 TD. The last time Davis scored double digit fantasy points was during Week 15. Of the 2007 season. In 43 career games, he’s hit double digit fantasy points 5 times. In case you’re not good at math, I’ll spell it out. Using the law of averages, he is likely to score double digit fantasy points one more time this season.
By: Dave Stringer — September 24, 2009 @ 11:29 am
Week 2 of the fantasy season has come to a close and there are likely numerous 0-2 teams whose owners are wondering what exactly happened at your league’s draft or auction. Although they aren’t likely ripe for the picking just yet, there’s always a chance they are ready to pull the trigger and give up on a player or players they were high on.
With a number of high profile players struggling to get fantasy points due mainly to poor schedules, it’s time to get aggressive on the trade front. As my gramma used to say, “if you snooze, you lose.”
Sell High
Cedric Benson, Bengals – Benson is here reluctantly and let me explain why. You likely got him cheaply in your draft or auction, he’s coming off two solid games and there are a number of disappointing backs whose owners would love to get some RB depth. The downside is that the Bengals will face the Ravens and Steelers twice and the Vikings once over the remainder of their schedule and last year they were not able to run against solid run defenses. Maybe that’s changed, maybe not. Benson’s likely your third back so check out when you need him. If those matchups aren’t favourable, move him now before his week 3 matchup against the Steelers.
Ronnie Brown, Dolphins – Hey, Brown is coming off a 2 TD, 136 yard performance – what’s not to like? Well, Ricky Williams showed Monday night why the platoon system in Miami isn’t going away any time soon. He’s too good to sit on the bench. The Dolphins run plenty so Brown will be useful against bad or mediocre run defenses but will likely have a number of 40-50 yard, 0 TD performances given their schedule. He’s worth hanging on to this week since they face a severely run challenged Charger defense. After that, it might be time to unload him.
Tim Hightower, Cardinals – Hightower is coming off two nice games. He benefitted in week 1 because the Chargers were hurting at wide receiver and playing from behind, hence his 121 yards receiving. In week 2, they got ahead early and ran often plus backup Chris Wells fumbled twice, hence 72 yards and a TD on the ground for Hightower. The schedule is soft with the Colts, Texans and Seahawks up next so his value could be up. Unfortunately, that could prove fatal if Wells moves ahead of Hightower on the depth chart during that time.
Cadillac Williams, Bucs – Williams is clearly a great story and his fantasy owners definitely got him on their rosters for ten cents on the dollar. However, he struggled in week 2 against a Bills run defense without Paul Posluszny at middle linebacker. His fantasy stats were saved by 56 yards and a TD through the air but that won’t happen many weeks. If Caddy is your RB4 and a team wants him as their RB3 and is willing to pay up, kiss him goodbye.
Trent Edwards, Bills – After two weeks, Edwards is the 8th ranked QB for fantasy purposes. However he has put up decent numbers against a Pats defense that struggled week 1 and a Bucs defense that might struggle all year. Bottom line is that he’s known as Mr. Checkdown for a reason and the weather in Buffalo isn’t exactly balmy in November and December. If someone is buying, you should be selling.
Buy Low
Matt Forte, Bears – Forte will likely never be considered a top five back in terms of talent but he is good enough to succeed in the NFL. He had an impressive rookie season but has struggled during the first two weeks of the season. However, Forte is ready to come out of his slumber with the Seahawks, Lions, Browns, Bengals and Cardinals on the schedule during the Bears next six games. Basically, it’s buy now on Forte before his stock begins to rise. It’s worth noting the Bears face the Ravens and Vikings in weeks 15 and 16.
Steve Slaton, Titans – Slaton’s poor start is even more understandable than Forte’s given he has had to face the Jets and Titans. However, head coach Gary Kubiak called him out this week, hinting the team was disappointed not to have signed Cedric Benson in the offseason. Ouch. With that extra piece of motivation and the Jags, Raiders, Cards and Bengals up next, Slaton should get it going. Week 14-16 matchups against the Seahawks, Rams and Dolphins enhance his attractiveness.
Brandon Jacobs, Giants – 121 total yards and 0 TD in two weeks isn’t what Jacobs owners envisioned. With the Giants surprisingly effective in the passing game and struggling on the ground, Jacbobs owners have to be concerned about the effectiveness of the team’s offensive line and the coming of age passing game. It says here that these are aberrations and the running game will click into high gear for the next several weeks with the Bucs, Chiefs, Raiders, Saints and Cards next on tap. Get aggressive on this one.
Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, Broncos – Marshall occupied this slot last week and this week he’s joined by his running mate in Denver. Both have been major fantasy disappointments but are too talented not to get it going. Marshall obviously carries some additional risk (editorial restraints restrict from listing all of his issues) but there’s a reason he caught 206 passes over the last two years. If you think Marshall and Royal are too good to be in a rotation with Brandon Stokley and Jabar Gaffney (and you should), then take a look at these two guys.
Carson Palmer, Bengals – With four picks in two games, the rust is clearly showing. However, the Bengals go four deep at wide receiver and Palmer is a big time talent. With Benson running well, the team’s offense could surprise this year provided the offensive line holds up its end of the bargain (no guarantee, mind you). If Palmer struggles this week against the Steelers, see what it would take to get him.
Fred Jackson, Bills – This one is for flex leagues only. He’s not here for poor performance but if Jackson’s owner is fixated on the fact Marshawn Lynch returns in week 4, then grab him. After two weeks, he has earned additional playing time when Lynch returns and there is no reason for Bills coaches to rush Lynch into the mix given Jackson’s outstanding performance. More likely, they will ease Lynch into the game plan, making Jackson pretty attractive over the next few weeks.
Donnie Avery, Rams – This isn’t a ringing endorsement for Avery. He’s been horrible over two weeks but he is the team’s most talented wide receiver. Sorry folks, there’s a reason the Falcons gave up on Laurent Robinson although he has looked good. Odds are decent that he’s available on the waiver wire in some leagues or viewed as a WR5 on many rosters. He’s worth taking a shot on if you can get him cheap.
Hold Tight
Willis McGahee, Ravens – Generally drafted as a RB3 or RB4, McGahee is looking like gold after two weeks. We had him as a sell high last week but he ran well this week and looked better than Ray Rice did. Plus, he’s been getting the goal line work.
By: Dave Stringer — September 22, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Week 1 in the NFL schedule generally is the one week of the season that you can put on the shelf and ignore. With teams not getting truly ready for the opening of the season due to injury concerns (hey, no point in losing your $15-million a year QB in the first game), upsets, shoddy play and poor performances are plentiful. However, by the end of week 2, trends are beginning to form. After week 1, it was a fluke that Willis McGahee scored 2 TD. After week 2, not so much.
Moving Up
- Willis McGahee, Ravens – After his 2 TD performance in week 1, I thought he may have had his last 2 TD performance of the year. This week, McGahee not only had 2 TD against an admittedly banged up Chargers defense but he topped Ray Rice in carries, 15 to 8, and got the end of game work. This was his best performance since his time in Buffalo.
- Kevin Kolb, Eagles – I had him down for 210 yards and 2 TD this week and he surpassed that by 181 yards. The 3 interceptions don’t help in leagues that take points away for INTs. However, he looked capable and Donovan McNabb owners can stick him in there this week against the Chiefs if McNabb isn’t ready and their backup is weak.
- Fred Jackson, Bills – Two games, 328 total yards and a TD. Jackson’s play will almost certainly result in him retaining a significant role in the offense when Marshawn Lynch returns. Plus, with Jackson performing, look for the coaching staff to bring Lynch along slowly when he does return.
- Santonio Holmes, Steelers – I wasn’t sold on Holmes entering the season mostly because of his history of inconsistent performances. However, after two solid games (14 receptions, 214 yards, 1 TD), it looks like he’s ready to contribute on a regular basis.
- Felix Jones, Cowboys – This week, Marion Barber reminded us how injury prone he is (strained left quadriceps) and Jones reminded us how explosive he is (7 carries for 96 yards and a TD).
- Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Well, the Steelers can’t run the ball so they’re going to have to throw it. Sometimes it’s that simple.
- Mario Manningham, Giants – Last week, we had Domenik Hixon in the moving down section and that seems prescient given Manningham’s 10 reception, 150 yard, 1 TD performance against Dallas on Sunday night. Steve Smith is getting more targets but Manningham is the team’s best big play threat at wide receiver and TDs in consecutive games likely warrant the coaching staff getting him involved on a weekly basis.
- Ted Ginn Jr., Dolphins – Ginn has clearly established himself as Chad Pennington‘s go to wideout. Although he is inconsistent and not a solid starter every week, Ginn looks capable of putting up solid numbers against mediocre and suspect secondaries.
- Laurent Robinson, Rams – Robinson followed up his 87 yard week 1 performance with 54 yards and a TD this week against the Redskins. The TD came in the end zone where he utilized his size to outleap DeAngelo Hall. With Donnie Avery looking abysmal, Keenan Burton a non-factor and Randy McMichael not exactly having a renaissance season, Robinson figures to get plenty of targets.
- Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars – The good news is that he caught 6 balls for 106 yards and a TD. The bad news is that it was in garbage time. The question is whether you think the Jags will be throwing it a lot in garbage time this year. It says here they will.
- Pierre Garcon, Colts – Nice little TD run on Monday night plus it sounds like the Colts coaches are high on this guy. With Collie more of a slot player and Gonzalez also best suited in the slot, there is a decent chance Garcon could see significant time lined up outside for the remainder of the season.
- Justin Forsett, Seahawks – Julius Jones is fantasy football’s Jekyll and Hyde. Gangbusters in week 1 against the Rams and then 9 yards on 11 touches this week (okay, he did get a receiving TD). Forsett stepped in with 92 yards on 11 touches. In deep leagues, he’s worth taking a flyer on.
Moving Down
- Matt Forte, Bears – It’s not so much that he had 29 yards on 13 carries against the Steelers. The bigger issue is that he had 55 yards on 25 carries against the Packers in week 1 and Cedric Benson put up 141 yards on 29 carries against Green Bay this week.
- Steve Slaton, Texans – Slaton and the entire Texans offense looked overmatched in week 1 against the Jets. However, while the passing game bounced back in week 2 against the Titans, Slaton did not, with 34 yards on 17 carries. After two games, he is averaging less than 2 yards per carry and has 51 yards rushing.
- Tom Brady, Patriots – Brady looked rusty in the first half against the Bills and the Jets neutralized the Pats passing game through a combination of blitzes and Darrelle Revis blanketing Randy Moss. Not every team has a Revis at their disposal but Brady can expect to see plenty of blitzes until his offensive line play improves. Matt Light looked especially bad this week. Julian Edelman looked decent this week but Wes Welker is Brady’s main option on blitzes and Brady will suffer until Welker returns.
- Carson Palmer, Bengals – His week 1 performance could be chalked up to being rusty but after two weeks, Palmer has just 432 yards and has thrown 4 picks and 3 TD. What’s really ugly is that it came against the Broncos and the Packers. What to expect against the Ravens and Steelers? Exactly.
- Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, Jets – For the Jets talented running back duo, it’s pick your fantasy poison. They’re going to split the carries with Jones getting the goal line work and the explosive Washington getting more opportunities in the passing game. It kills the value of both.
- Willie Parker, Steelers – It’s not a sin to struggle against the Titans and Bears run defenses (66 yards on 27 carries, 0 TD). While there were reports Parker had hamstring problems, the bottom line is that he looks bad running the ball and offers nothing as a pass catcher. His straight line speed doesn’t seem to be there anymore. Worse yet, he’s leaving yards on the table due to a reluctance to run up the middle. Unless Parker improves, at some point, the team has to give 2008 1st round pick Rashard Mendenhall a shot.
- Eddie Royal, Broncos – Seems like Royal is suffering a bit of a sophomore slump with five receptions for 38 yards in two games. The targets are there (13 in total) but the production isn’t.
- Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks – He had nice fantasy numbers in week 1 against the Rams but looked very bad in doing so (2 picks despite the Rams generating practically no pass rush). This week, he apparently suffered a fractured rib. Two weeks – ineffective once, hurt once. Oh yeah, he’s 34 and missed extensive time last year.
- Lance Moore, Saints – Wasn’t sold on him in the preseason (ranked 42nd and cited as a potential bust), and certainly not sold now that he has 38 yards on 2 receptions in two games. Moore was blanked this week, suffered a hamstring injury and is getting about 20 snaps a game in the Saints wide receiver rotation of Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and Moore. Oh, there’s also Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell looking for touches in New Orleans.
- Josh Morgan, 49ers – One of fantasy football’s biggest sleeper picks went 3 for 38 in week 1 and wasn’t targeted once in week 2. The bloom is off the rose.
- JaMarcus Russell, Raiders – Russell was just 7 for 24, 109 yards this week against the lowly Chiefs. On the season, he has completed just 35.2% of his passes. So much for the hype surrounding his nice three week run at the end of last season (626 yards passing with 6 TD and 2 interceptions).
- Chris Chambers, Chargers – Yeah, that’s right, I said he was a fantasy tease in the preseason (ranked 52nd) and he’s proven it after two games with nothing in week 1 and 30 yards this week. Despite 10 targets this week, he managed just 2 receptions. It’s worth noting that Malcom Floyd had two deep targets and hauled one of them in for 45 yards. At some point, the Chargers have to get Floyd or Legedu Naanee more involved at Chambers expense.
Not Sold Yet
- Darren Sproles, Chargers – The good news is that Sproles had 17 touches for 150 yards and a TD against the tough Ravens defense and Michael Bennett only had 6 touches. The bad news is that 81 yards (and the TD) came on a screen pass where the defense blew the coverage and there has been no word on how long LT will be out.
- Trent Edwards, Bills – Solid backup QB numbers with 442 passing yards and 4 TD augmented with 49 yards on the ground. However, his reluctance to go downfield leaves little upside.
- Julian Edelman, Pats – Eight catches for 98 looks good. However, the bottom line is that Edelman is a pure slot receiver and not big enough to be successful outside, if you were thinking he could be moved there to replace the disappointing Joey Galloway. Think of him as Wes Welker’s backup. If Welker goes down for a lengthy period, Edelman is worth owning. Otherwise, forget about it.
By: Dave Stringer — September 18, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books so its time for fantasy football enthusiasts to begin taking stock of their rosters. Inevitably, at least one or two owners in each league begin panicking that they have a weak roster.
With the waiver wire generally still plentiful in most leagues, owners can be reluctant to begin making trades. Unfortunately, that can leave you with a gaping mouth pointing toward your computer screen once the first few trades of the league get sent out by email. Move fast and avoid wondering why you didn’t offer up Thomas Jones for Steven Jackson to an owner who has lost his or her senses.
I’m not going to state the obvious here (move injured players, pick up their substitutes). We’re going to look at players that should be on rosters in all fantasy leagues. These are bargaining chips and trade targets.
Sell High
 Thomas Jones Thomas Jones, Jets – Jones looked good last season and he looked good in week 1 against the Texans. If there’s an owner in your league who now thinks that Mark Sanchez is the second coming of Joe Montana and Jones is ready for a repeat of his 1,300 yard, 13 TD season of a year ago, move him. He’s a decent second RB in your fantasy lineup but if somebody’s willing to overpay, take it.
Julius Jones, Seahawks – Let’s include both Jones brothers. There are a couple of bad defenses on the Seahawks schedule but overall it’s not looking pretty. With questions on the offensive line and Jones coming off a solid game against the Rams, it’s a good time to see what he’s worth.
Willis McGahee, Ravens – Ravens won’t be playing the Chiefs every week and McGahee may just have had his last multiple TD game of the season. The Ravens schedule is actually quite friendly over the first part of the season (Chargers, Browns, Patriots, Bengals, Vikings, Broncos, Bengals, Browns, Colts) so there is an argument to be made to hold onto McGahee and watch his value increase. If some RB needy team comes calling, sell high.
Joe Flacco, Ravens – Career day in week 1 for Flacco with 307 yards and 3 TD. The buzz is that the Ravens are going to throw plenty in 2009. Of course, maybe the Ravens coaches figured week one against the Chiefs was just the week to throw plenty. Just guessing.
Mark Sanchez, Jets – If there’s an owner in your league thinking Sanchez is going to put up nearly 300 yards and a TD every week, then it’s time to move him. Rookie QBs generally struggle and the Texans secondary is the weak spot on their defense, especially considering star cornerback Dunta Robinson missed all of the preseason.
Buy Low
 Greg Olsen Greg Olsen, Bears – Bears offensive coaches have poured over the game film and almost certainly figured out that 13 targets for Earl Bennett and only six for Olsen and four for Devin Hester is just a little out of whack. Olsen has been a bit of a fantasy tease for two years now so his owner just might be in panic mode.
Kurt Warner, Cardinals – Remarkably, the fantasy buzz is that Warner looked bad in week 1. However, 18 fantasy points seems pretty decent given that he was playing against a division opponent without Steve Breaston and with Anquan Boldin struggling mightily with hamstring issues.
Steven Jackson, Rams – Rams offense looked horrible and Jackson remarkably only had 16 touches with none of them coming through the air. Presumably they can’t be that bad and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will give Jackson more touches because, well, these things go hand in hand. Then again, it is the Rams.
Steve Smith, Panthers – Panthers offense struggled in week 1 courtesy of Jake Delhomme‘s five turnovers. Delhomme’s struggles affect Smith’s value but it’s doubtful he will be as putrid going forward as he was in week 1.
Brandon Marshall, Broncos – The fantasy world was down on Marshall before the season began and his stock dropped even further after a poor week 1 performance (4 receptions for 27 yards, 0 TD) against a suspect Bengals pass defense (presumably you saw the last second Brandon Stokley TD). However, Marshall missed most of training camp, wasn’t putting forth much of an effort when he was there and didn’t get a chance to develop any chemistry with his QB, who, by the way, was playing injured in week 1. It can only go up from here.
By: Dave Stringer — September 15, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
What a week to kick off the 2009 NFL season. Stud performances headlined by Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson, dud performances, key injuries, a Denver miracle in Cincinnati, a Buffalo collapse and finally, the Raiders looking respectable. For fantasy football purposes, here are the players moving up, moving down and ones that surprised, but lets keep our expectations in check.
Moving Up
- Mike Bell, Saints – No touchdowns but a 143 yard performance in week one clearly establish that Bell is, at a minimum, the handcuff to Pierre Thomas. Plus, reports out of New Orleans suggest Thomas will have to earn his job back.
- Thomas Jones, Jets – Jones didn’t look too promising in the pre-season courtesy of a rookie QB and no proven number two receivers. However, he posted 107 yards and 2 TD on the ground against the Texans.
- Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward, Bucs – The Bucs running back situation looks settled. Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward will provide the 1-2 punch and split the goal line work.
- Cedric Benson, Bengals – The guy everybody loves to hate put up 108 total yards and a TD and ran hard. If there’s a buy low candidate, Benson is likely it. There is a mounting evidence that he has become at least a servicable NFL running back.
- Nate Burleson, Seahawks – With seven receptions for 74 yards and a TD, Burleson proved he has completely healed from a torn ACL suffered in week 1 of last season.
- Mario Manningham, Giants – Three receptions for 58 yards, including a 30 yard TD is a nice start to the season. With rookie Hakeem Nicks out at least 2-3 weeks and Domenik Hixon not producing, Manningham has a chance to carve out a larger role in the Giants offense.
- Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, Colts – Anthony Gonzalez is out betweeen 2-6 weeks with a strained knee and perhaps for the season if he has a torn ACL. Collie and Garcon assume the 2-3 spots in the wide receiver rotation and it’s doubtful Reggie Wayne can go off for 10 receptions, 162 yards and a TD every week.
- Mark Sanchez, Jets – Rookie jitters? Forget about it. 272 yards, a TD and a pick in his first game looks very promising.
- Joe Flacco, Ravens – Established a career high with 307 yards plus a TD, indicating that the second year playcaller has earned the trust of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
- Patrick Crayton, Cowboys – Crayton produces when he’s thrown to as indicated by his 135 yard, 1 TD performance. With Sam Hurd and Miles Austin not pushing for playing time, Crayton looks like excellent value.
- Chansi Stuckey and Dustin Keller, Jets – With Sanchez playing well Stuckey and Keller each had solid games with Stuckey notching 64 yards and a TD and Keller totalling 94 yards.
- Ben Watson, Patriots – Joey Galloway didn’t get Tom Brady‘s attention at all in week 1. Maybe this is the year Watson finally gets consistent targets.
- Todd Heap, Ravens – It was the Chiefs but expectations were so low that you have to be impressed by his 5 reception, 74 yard plus a TD performance.
- Mark Clayton, Ravens – Similar sentiments here with the talented but injury prone Clayton putting up 5 receptions for 77 yards and a TD despite not playing a single down in the pre-season because of a hamstring injury.
- Earl Bennett, Bears – Seven receptions for 66 yards and it seemed like QB Jay Cutler was tossing it his way all night.
- Andre Caldwell, Bengals – Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry had a catch each, while Caldwell hauled in 6 for 54 yards. Could be a solid option in PPR leagues.
- Isaac Bruce, 49ers – Keep hearing about the team’s other receivers but Bruce put up 74 yards including a 50 yard catch.
Moving Down
- Jake Delhomme, Panthers – You saw the highlights (lowlights). He has committed 11 turnovers in his last two games and might find himself on the bench unless he improves drastically in week 2 against the Falcons in Atlanta. Think the Panthers are regretting giving him $20-million guaranteed during the offseason?
- Donovan McNabb, Eagles – Team figures to have a top five offense this season but McNabb won’t be leading it for a while courtesy of a cracked rib. He’s out at least a week but likely longer and you have to wonder how effective a QB can be while playing with this type of injury.
- Ronnie Brown, Dolphins – It’s not that Brown looked particularly bad. It’s just that the offensive line did plus Brown had only 13 touches compared to 9 for Ricky Williams.
- Earnest Graham, Bucs – One carry for 1 yard. It looks like he doesn’t have a role in Tampa Bay.
- Sammy Morris, Patriots – No carries and apparently behind Laurence Maroney on the depth chart.
- Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon, Giants – The Giants are saying Nicks is out 2-3 weeks with a foot sprain but he was on crutches after the game. Sounds like the team is a little overoptimistic on his recovery. Hixon saw a reduced role, perhaps confirming that the team doesn’t see as much upside in him as with the team’s younger receivers.
- Brandon Marshall, Broncos – Maybe Kyle Orton is a huge downgrade from Cutler after all.
- Braylon Edwards, Browns – One catch, 12 yards. More of the same from the enigmatic Edwards.
- Donnie Avery, Rams – Let’s see, the Rams were shutout and managed just 13 first downs and 247 yards total offense against a suspect Seahawks D that was without Marcus Trufant and lost Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu to injury. Not pretty.
- Jay Cutler, Bears – Hopefully it was just week 1 jitters. Even still, his performance in Green Bay was ugly with a capital “U”.
- Greg Olsen, Bears – Seemed to disappear in week 1, something that happened all too often in 2008.
- Deion Branch, Seahawks – Knee troubles already to go along with a bad hamstring resulted in him not suiting up on Sunday. With rookie 3rd round pick Deon Butler looking good, Branch isn’t worth owning in fantasy leagues.
- Danny Ware, Giants – One play, one dislocated elbow. Out a minimum of two weeks, maybe more.
- Jason Hill, 49ers – Despite Brandon Jones being out with and injury and 1st round pick Michael Crabtree not having signed, Hill was still inactive on game day. He’s buried on the depth chart and not worth holding on to.
Not Excited Yet
- Julius Jones, John Carlson and Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks – It was the Rams, folks, and frankly, that was about as sad as a 279 yards, 3 TD performance as you will ever see from a QB. Against a real NFL defense, Hasselbeck would have looked very poor on this day.
- Willis McGahee, Ravens – He got the goal line work and 2 TD (one receiving) but the Ravens won’t get to play the Chiefs every week.
- Tim Hightower, Cardinals – Guessing that he’s not going to catch 12 balls for 121 yards every week. Just a hunch, though.
- Devin Hester, Bears – Nice game in week 1 with four catches for 90 yards, including a 36 yard TD and an impressive catch near the sideline. However, the touchdown was the result of poor safety play and Bennett seems to be Cutler’s top target.
- Roy Williams, Cowboys – 86 yards and a TD came on only 3 catches but a solid signal nonetheless.
- Jeremy Shockey and Devery Henderson, Saints – Nice performances but it came against the Lions, who, as a reminder, were 0-16 in 2008. First TD for Shockey since week 10… of the 2007 season. Ouch.
- Jerheme Urban, Cardinals – Nice week 1 performance with 5 catches for 74 yards but that came with Steve Breaston out and Anquan Boldin playing banged up.
- Robert Royal, Browns – He caught a garbage time 26 yard TD pass. How nice.
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