Author: John Paulsen (Page 797 of 937)

Fantasy Football: The Postgame, Week 14

December 10, 2006 / John Paulsen

Most of Week 14 has come and gone and it’s time to put up or shut up for a lot of fantasy owners, as most leagues start playoffs this week. Players from the late games took three of our four Headliner honors, while players from the early games dominated the Flatliner column. And get this: LT set the single-season touchdown record (29) by scoring three times against the Broncos, but it wasn’t enough to earn top honors. But enough with the tease, let’s get right to this week’s Headliners and Flatliners.

HEADLINERS

Matt Hasselbeck (243 pass yards, 3 TD, 32 rush yards)
Despite being bothered by a sore knee and a bruised non-throwing hand, Hass whipped the ball around the field with velocity, and showed a little something by running for 32 yards on three carries. Too bad his team couldn’t beat the Cardinals. Ouch.

Honorable Mention: Brett Favre (293 yards, 2 TD), Vince Young (218 pass yards, 1 INT, 86 rush yards, 1 rush TD), Philip Rivers (279 yards, 2 TD), Matt Leinart (232 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT), Carson Palmer (297 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT), Steve McNair (283 yards, 1 TD), Eli Manning (172 yards, 3 TD), Chris Weinke (423 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT)

Maurice Jones-Drew (16 touches, 181 yards, 2 TD)
Are you kidding me? Drew’s line is pretty amazing, but take a look at the entire Jacksonville ground game: 42 rushes, 375 yards, 4 TD. That’s 8.9 yards per carry. I knew the Colts’ rushing defense was bad, I just didn’t know it was this bad. (Note: I listed Drew ahead of Pinner even though Pinner had a better line, because no one started Artrose Pinner this week. Except for the Vikings, that is.)

Honorable Mention: Artrose Pinner (31 touches, 140 yards, 3 TD), LaDainian Tomlinson (29 touches, 112 yards, 3 TD), Rudi Johnson (31 touches, 122 yards, 2 TD), Frank Gore (22 touches, 168 yards, 1 TD), Sammy Morris (27 touches, 162 yards, 1 TD), Travis Henry (22 touches, 95 yards, 2 TD), Ron Dayne (24 touches, 99 yards, 2 TD), Fred Taylor (9 touches, 131 yards, 1 TD), Ladell Betts (35 touches, 185 yards)

Donald Driver (9 rec, 160 yards, 1 TD)
Driver took advantage of a very nice matchup against the 49ers this week, catching a 68-yard bomb to seal the victory. It seems like Driver is one of those guys that, year after year, is underestimated on draft day.

Honorable Mention: Drew Carter (8 rec, 144 yards, 1 TD), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (8 rec, 118 yards, 1 TD), Marty Booker (8 rec, 103 yards, 1 TD), Mark Clayton (5 rec, 112 yards, 1 TD), D.J. Hackett (4 rec, 104 yards, 1 TD), Ronald Curry (8 rec, 99 yards, 1 TD)

Antonio Gates (7 rec, 104 yards, 2 TD)
Now this is why fantasy owners drafted Gates in the 2nd-4th rounds. When most of the other big name tight ends are doing diddly-squat, Gates comes up with a HUGE day. As the season comes to a close, teams keep trying to stack the line to stop LT, and Gates should be able to find openings. He and Rivers are on the same page, which was not the case earlier in the season.

Honorable Mention: Tony Scheffler (3 rec, 66 yards, 2 TD), Vernon Davis (3 rec, 74 yards, 1 TD), Jeremy Shockey (6 rec, 49 yards, 1 TD)

FLATLINERS

Tom Brady (78 yards)
The entire Patriots offense was a giant disappointment against the Dolphins. Brady was miserable, but the team was pretty bad all around. Nobody thought the Pats would get blanked in Miami.

Dishonorable Mention: Michael Vick (155 pass yards, 1 INT, 5 rush yards), David Garrard (79 yards, 1 INT)

Shaun Alexander (24 touches, 84 yards)
Sure, there were guys that had worse days, but all I kept hearing while Alexander was out nursing his foot injury was how his schedule was so favorable if his fantasy owners could just get to the playoffs. Well, it’s playoff time and all he can put up is 84 total yards against the Cardinals? No, thanks.

Dishonorable Mention: Joseph Addai (12 touches, 36 yards), Carnell Williams (21 touches, 53 yards), DeShaun Foster (8 rec, 23 yards)

Randy Moss (2 rec, 28 yards)
And it continues. Moss was targeted just four times and was seen sitting down on the sideline during a crucial third down play in first half. Most owners have probably given up on the grumpy talent, and I can’t blame them. It’s not worth waiting for him to break out of his funk. I just hope everyone remembers this when it’s draft time next season. Every year, someone takes him in the first or second round and, every year, I just chuckle to myself. There’s always a chance he’ll put up a monster season, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Dishonorable Mention: Chris Chambers (3 rec, 11 yards), Eddie Kennison (1 rec, 13 yards)

Ben Watson (1 rec, 5 yards)
Surely, fantasy owners aren’t too thrilled with Ben Watson’s pitiful performance against Miami. Of course, they can take solace in the fact that the entire Pats’ offense looked like it was doped up on Vicodin for much the game. (It wasn’t like Daniel Graham went off.)

Dishonorable Mention: Tony Gonzalez (3 rec, 31 yards), Alge Crumpler (3 rec, 30 yards), Todd Heap (4 rec, 33 yards)

Fantasy Football, NFL

AI wants out

December 9, 2006 / John Paulsen

Well, it finally happened. After dealing with a summer of swirling trade rumors, and a lackluster start to the season, Allen Iverson wants to be traded.

Jarring as it was to hear Sixers chairman Ed Snider grant an interview during the Philly-Washington game and declare that Iverson has “probably” played his last game as a Sixer, this outcome can’t really surprise you.
The Sixers had to know that this would bubble over in the most toxic fashion after seriously discussing an Iverson trade with Boston during the June draft, offering up Iverson around the league in July, pulling him off the market when the team was up for sale over the summer and reporting for training camp in October with virtually no changes to a group that, by the end of last season, couldn’t guard anyone or stand each other.

Iverson could land just about anywhere, but his salary ($60 M for three years, including this season) makes things difficult. The first team that jumps to mind is Minnesota.

If the Wolves are set on keeping KG under any circumstances and KG is determined to finish his career in ‘Sota, as both parties have long maintained, it makes too much sense. Garnett and Iverson need each other.
But it goes even deeper than mere desperation.
Garnett is the game’s most unselfish superstar and actually wants to play with a ball-dominating guard.
Iverson has never been easy for guys to play with, is forever resistant to authority and punctuality and, as you might have heard once or twice, not the biggest fan of practice. Yet you suspect that KG might be the one potential teammate out there with the juice to hold him accountable.

For both players’ sakes, I hope it happens. KG should get a shot at a ring and AI might be the piece that helps the Timberwolves get back into the upper echelon of the league. AI and KG are 31 and 30, respectively, so they would probably have a two- or three-year window in which to win a title.

I just don’t know if Kevin McHale has what it takes to pull off a trade of this magnitude. In the NBA, teams have to match salaries when trading players, which means that the Wolves would have to put together a package of players that totaled at least $15 M to Philadelphia. Ricky Davis ($6.4 M) would almost certainly be included. As would Randy Foye ($2.4 M), the Wolves’ most valuable trade bait. It’s doubtful that Mike James ($5.2 M) and AI could co-exist, so he’s another prime candidate to be moved.

Such a trade would gut the team’s backcourt depth, leaving the Wolves with Troy Hudson, Marko Jaric and Trenton Hassell (and AI) as the team’s only healthy guards. This makes it more likely that a third team will need to get involved, which makes the deal all the more complicated and less likely to be completed, especially with McHale running things.

NBA

Couch Potato Alert (12/8)

December 8, 2006 / John Paulsen

There are several good matchups in the NFL this weekend, highlighted by the Cowboys/Saints tilt (the BE Game of the Week) brought to us by flex scheduling. That begs the question – why doesn’t the NBA adopt flex scheduling? I’d much rather see the Clippers/Spurs game than the Wizards/Sixers tonight.

If you need a college football fix, the Division I semifinals are today and tomorrow on ESPN2 and ESPN, respectively. Yeah, they actually have a playoff system in Division I football. Pretty weird, eh?

In college hoops, there are three Top 25 matchups, but the biggest game features #6 Texas A&M against #1 UCLA in the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim, CA. Unbelievably, the other game of the Classic (USC/George Washington) will be broadcast in HD, but the UCLA/A&M game will not. Get your act together, CBS!

All times ET.

NFL
Sun, 1 PM: NY Giants @ Carolina – FOX
Sun, 1 PM: Indianapolis @ Jacksonville – CBS
Sun, 1 PM: Baltimore @ Kansas City – CBS
Sun, 4:15 PM: Denver @ San Diego – CBS
Sun, 8:15 PM: New Orleans @ Dallas – NBC
Mon, 8:30 PM: Chicago @ St. Louis – ESPN

College Football
Fri, 7:30 PM: Massachusetts vs. Montana – ESPN2
Sat, 4 PM: Youngstown St vs. Appalachian St. – ESPN

College Basketball
Sat, 12 PM: George Mason @ (9) Duke – ESPN
Sat, 2 PM: (12) Wisconsin @ (20) Marquette – ESPN
Sat, 2:30 PM: (6) Texas A&M vs. (1) UCLA – CBS
Sat, 11 PM: (8) Washington @ (18) Gonzaga – local
Sun, 8 PM: (11) LSU @ Texas – ESPN

NBA
Fri, 7 PM: Detroit @ Orlando – local
Fri, 8 PM: Washington @ Philadelphia – ESPN
Fri, 8 PM: LA Clippers @ San Antonio – local
Fri, 10:30 PM: Miami @ Denver – ESPN
Sat, 8:30 PM: Denver @ Dallas – NBA TV
Sat, 9:30 PM: San Antonio @ LA Lakers – NBA TV

College Basketball, College Football, NBA, NFL, Television

NBA: Eye on the scoreboard

December 8, 2006 / John Paulsen

Check out this score from Thursday’s NBA action:

Phoenix 161, New Jersey 157

The game was tied at 133 at the end of regulation, then at 143 at the end of the first overtime. Steve Nash had a career-high 42 points to go along with 13 assists, which seems low considering the final score. Boris Diaw actually led the team in dimes with 14. Jason Kidd had 38 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, tying Wilt Chamberlin with 78 career triple-doubles.

In other action, the Pistons beat Dallas, 92-82. Tayshaun Prince led Detroit with 20 points, while Rasheed Wallace chipped in 19. Dirk Nowitzki posted 29 points and nine boards in the loss.

This is a good win for Detroit, and for the Eastern Conference. The Pistons went into Dallas and beat the hottest team in the league on their home court.

NBA

Fantasy Football: The Pregame, Week 14

December 6, 2006 / John Paulsen

Each week in the Pregame, I’ll provide a few players to start and a few to bench. These recommendations are based on that player’s strength of schedule (SOS) for that particular week or that player’s specific situation.

I’m a strong advocate of always starting your studs, so I won’t be telling you about LaDainian Tomlinson’s tough matchup or how Peyton Manning and company will light it up against a bad defense. Anyone can make those calls. I’ll be discussing marginal fantasy starters – guys that can start for you, but only under certain circumstances.

START

If you’re in a pinch, JEFF GARCIA, AARON BROOKS, VINCE YOUNG and BEN ROETHLISBERGER have very nice matchups against the Redskins, Bengals, Texans and Browns, respectively…CEDRIC HOUSTON and LADELL BETTS have very nice matchups this week, though neither guy is a sure thing…MIKE FURREY, DEION BRANCH and EDDIE KENNISON are marginal starters with attractive matchups against the Vikings, Cardinals and Ravens, respectively.

BENCH

It may not be a bad idea to sit MARC BULGER, JASON CAMPBELL and JOEY HARRINGTON this week due to their tough matchups against the Bears, Eagles and Patriots, respectively…It’s tough to bench JOSEPH ADDAI after his huge game two weeks ago, but he’s got a tough matchup with the Jags. The same goes for REGGIE BUSH, who faces a Cowboys defense who is very stout against RBs…SANTANA MOSS and MATT JONES will probably find the going tough against the Eagles and Colts – both teams are pretty stingy against WRs.

INJURY UPDATE (THURSDAY GAME)

JASON WRIGHT and REUBEN DROUGHNS will continue to split carries and both players should be avoided if possible…CHARLIE FRYE is listed as questionable with a bone bruise and will try to practice today. DEREK ANDERSON would start in his place if Frye can’t go…KELLEN WINSLOW is listed as questionable (knee) but is expected to play on Thursday against the Steelers…SANTONIO HOLMES should start on Thursday in place of the injured HINES WARD and CEDRICK WILSON.