Category: NFL (Page 1274 of 1282)

Three teams rolled out new quarterbacks this week, with some very mixed results. Some would say that Vinny Testaverde led the Jets to a 14-12 win over the Buccaneers, but it’d be more accurate to give the entire Jets roster credit for this tough win. Vinny was efficient, completing 13 of his 19 attempts for 163 yards, but he failed to reach the end zone and threw what could’ve been a very costly fourth-quarter interception. Vinny should have some more prolific days ahead of him, but you shouldn’t be expecting any miracles here. The fact that Laveranues Coles delivered his best game of the season (6 catches for 89 yards) is promising, though.

In San Francisco, Alex Smith looked like a rookie in his debut, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble in a 28-3 loss to the Colts. He made some poor throws, terrible reads and even worse decisions while completing just nine of his 23 attempts for 74 yards. Vinny’s arrival may prove to be good news for Laveranues Coles owners, but Smith’s promotion may be death for Brandon Lloyd’s fantasy value. Coming off two-straight 100-yard performances, Lloyd was held without a catch in Smith’s debut. Kevan Barlow, meanwhile, who’s been practically worthless for fantasy purposes this year, delivered his best game of the season (128 total yards, 99 rushing) against a very good Colts’ defense. Go figure.

Then, there’s Kelly Holcomb. If you own Lee Evans or Eric Moulds, this is the move you’ve been waiting for all year. True, Holcomb didn’t set the world on fire in his first start since replacing J.P. Losman (20-26, 169 yards, 1 TD), but he was able to get Evans (65 receiving yards) and Moulds (59 yards, 1 TD) involved in the offense while leading the Bills to a much-needed win. In fact, Evans and Holcomb got off to a quick start on Buffalo’s first possession, hooking up for a 49-yard strike that nearly resulted in six points. At best, Holcomb would be a solid backup fantasy QB, but as long as Buffalo continues to start him over Losman, Evans and Moulds should once again be decent options as #3 receivers.

SUNDAY HEADLINERS

Tom Brady: 350 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Coming into this week’s match-up against Atlanta, Brady had thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions in his last three games, numbers that had many owners understandably worried. After this performance against the Falcons, though, Brady once again looks like one of the steadier fantasy QBs around, especially with how much the struggling Pats have been relying on the pass this season.
ALSO: Matt Hasselbeck (316 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT), Matt Schaub (298 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT), Drew Bledsoe (289 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT), Josh McCown (394 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT)

Tatum Bell: 12 carries, 127 yards, 2 TD
Sure, he only got 12 carries, but Bell certainly made the most of them, ripping off TD runs of 34 and 55 yards. Mike Anderson, meanwhile, totaled just 34 yards on his 11 carries. Anderson owners should be looking to pawn him off onto an unsuspecting owner ASAP because the explosive Bell, who looked to have the inside track on the Denver featured back role heading into the season, should continue to cut into Anderson’s production. Meanwhile, if Bell is somehow available on your waiver wire, it’s time to pounce.
ALSO: Shaun Alexander (25 carries, 119 yards, 2 TD; 3 catches, 16 yards), Thomas Jones (24 carries, 137 yards, 0 TD), Domanick Davis (19 carries, 130 yards, 0 TD; 8 catches, 43 yards), Edgerrin James (21 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 42 yards)

Anquan Boldin (10 catches, 158 yards, 1 TD) & Larry Fitzgerald (9 catches, 136 yards, 1 TD)
These guys are unreal. Despite some shaky QB play from both Kurt Warner and Josh McCown, Boldin and Fitzgerald are each on pace for more than 100 catches and 1,500 yards. Fitzgerald has a slight edge in touchdowns (3 vs. 2), but at this point both receivers are must-starts for fantasy owners, no matter who’s throwing them the ball.
ALSO: Steve Smith (8 catches, 119 yards, 2 TD), Terry Glenn (7 catches, 118 yards, 2 TD), Joe Jurevicius (9 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD), Torry Holt (8 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD)

SUNDAY FLATLINERS

Aaron Brooks: 146 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Heading into the season, Brooks was known as an inconsistent fantasy QB who would take you on a roller-coaster ride during the course of the season but, by the end of the year, would deliver solid totals. At this point, Brooks looks like waiver-wire fodder, with two TDs and seven INTs on the season. The fact that he couldn’t deliver against a vulnerable Green Bay defense makes this performance even more alarming.
ALSO: Joey Harrington (97 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT), Jake Plummer (92 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT), Donovan McNabb (131 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT), David Carr (131 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT)

Brian Westbrook: 6 carries, 12 yards, 0 TD; 3 catches, 24 yards
The entire Philly offense was shut down by the Cowboys today, but Westbrook’s numbers may be the worst of the bunch since, even on his down days, fantasy owners can usually count on the versatile back to deliver close to 100 total yards. Not today. Things won’t get much easier for Westbrook, with the Chargers and Broncos waiting following a week-six bye.
ALSO: Marcel Shipp (13 carries, 22 yards, 0 TD), Mike Anderson (11 carries, 34 yards, 0 TD), Stephen Davis (18 carries, 46 yards, 1 TD), Deuce McAllister (11 carries, 31 yards, 0 TD; 3 catches, 33 yards)

Michael Clayton: 0 catches
Those who don’t own Clayton may be willing to give the second-year receiver a pass on this donut since it was revealed this week that he’s been playing with a separated left shoulder since the preseason. Clayton owners, on the other hand, just wish he’d said something about the preseason injury before they spent a high draft pick on him. Depending on your situation, it may be time to cut Clayton and look for a healthy alternative (Joe Jurevicius?) in free agency.
ALSO: Donte Stallworth (1 catch, 6 yards), Marvin Harrison (2 catches, 17 yards), Rod Smith (2 catches, 23 yards), Terrell Owens (5 catches, 50 yards)

First, let’s see how I did with last week’s picks:

START

Jake Delhomme – 206 passing yards, 2 TDs
Kevan Barlow – 55 total yards, 0 TD
Kevin Curtis – 6 catches, 78 yards

BENCH

Jake Plummer – 136 passing yards, 2 TDs
Kevin Jones – 38 rushing yards, 1 TD
Derrick Mason – 5 catches, 54 yards

What we learned: Barlow should ride the pine unless you are desperate – or Alex Smith somehow helps the running game. Curtis will get a lot of looks with Bruce still ailing. Denver’s record is 8-1 when Plummer passes for less than 200 yards, so Shanahan will continue to feature the running game.

On to this week’s picks:

START

QB – David Carr, HOU
He’s got a new offensive coordinator and he’s thrilled about it. He’s facing a Titans pass defense that has allowed 227 yards per game along with ten touchdowns. I’m not saying start him over your stud, but if you have a middle of the road guy and Carr on your bench, give the kid a look.

RB – Thomas Jones, CHI
Cedric Benson, where are you? Most thought the rookie would be carrying the load by now. But Jones has been excellent so far (276 yards and 4 TDs over the first three games) and Chicago is facing a Cleveland defense that has given up an average of 127 yards on the ground. Start him while you can.

WR – Joe Jurevicius, SEA
You may be asking – the third WR for Seattle? Well, Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram are doubtful this week and the Seahawks face the Rams, so it should be a high scoring affair. If Jurevicius is on your roster, this would be the week to play him.

BENCH

QB – Byron Leftwich, QB
The Jaguars face Cincinnati, who is surprising a lot of people with some very stout defense – (195 ypg and only 2 TDs over the first four games). Leftwich owners can only hope for a shootout.

RB – Curtis Martin, NYJ
Tampa Bay is coming to town, coming to town, coming to town. Tampa Bay is coming to town, be-ench Martin. (Sorry.) Bench all of the Jets this week.

WR – Michael Clayton, TB
I already told you to bench Laveranues Coles, so I’m going to go with an opposing WR. Clayton revealed this week that he’s been playing with a separated shoulder. That can’t be good. Throw in the fact that the Jets have only allowed an average of 168 yards a game through the air, and you have the makings of a bad game for Clayton.

KEY INJURIES

Ahman Green – Q
Bobby Engram – D
Bubba Franks – Q
Carnell Williams – Q
Chad Pennington – O
Curtis Martin – P
Darrell Jackson – D
David Akers – O
Donovan McNabb – P
Drew Bennett – Q
Erron Kinney – Q
Hines Ward – Q
Isaac Bruce – D
Jason Hanson – P
Joe Horn – Q
Justin McCareins – P
Kurt Warner – O
Michael Clayton – P
Michael Vick – P
Rudi Johnson – P
Stephen Davis – P
T.J. Houshmandzadeh – Q
Terrell Owens – P
Todd Heap – P
Tom Brady – P

Peyton Manning finally put up numbers worthy of a first round pick while Kevin Jones was benched in the second half of his game for unknown reasons. What does this mean for your team? Who knows. Post your roster questions here and we’ll give you our opinion.

QUARTERBACKS

Mark Brunell, WAS – Brunell has settled into the starting role nicely, throwing for 517 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games. He appears to be a solid fantasy backup going forward.

Josh McCown, ARI – McCown lit up a suspect San Francisco defense for 385 yards and two touchdowns. He won’t have those numbers every week, but he should top 200 yards and throw for a TD or two when the matchup is favorable.

Kelly Holcomb, BUF – If you are in dire need of QB help and have room on your roster, it might be a good time to pick up Holcomb. Starter J.P. Losman has thrown for just 433 yards in four games, tallying one touchdown against three interceptions, resulting in a quarterback rating of 55.9. Holcomb proved a capable thrower during his stint in Cleveland, and with a pretty good group of skill position players around him, he should be able to post good numbers if given the opportunity.

RUNNING BACKS

Michael Pittman, TB – Carnell Williams owners will be scrambling this week to pick up his backup as Williams nurses a sore hammy. His status for next week’s game is uncertain, but if the injury was enough to knock him out of the game, there’s a good chance he’ll miss at least one week. Hamstring injuries are notoriously difficult to predict, so he may miss some time.

Artose Pinner, DET – Kevin Jones was inexplicably benched in the second half of the game against the Bucs and received only 4 carries in the second half. The team claims he’s healthy, so the reason for the light duty is unclear. Pinner received six touches in the second half so Kevin Jones owners may want to pick up Pinner as insurance in case this situation continues. If the backs start to split time, neither will hold much fantasy value, so hopefully Mariucci will decide on a guy (preferably Jones for all those who drafted him in the first two rounds) and give the guy a lot of work. It’s hard to imagine Jones not being the guy in Detroit, but stranger things have happened.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Shaun McDonald, STL – In last week’s waiver watch, I mentioned Kevin Curtis as the main beneficiary of Isaac Bruce’s absence, and he didn’t disappoint Sunday catching six passes for 78 yards, but it was McDonald who shined hauling in nine for 121 yards. If Bruce continues to miss time, McDonald and Curtis will have a chance to shine in the Rams’ pass happy offense.

TIGHT ENDS

David Martin, GB – With Bubba Franks ailing and Javon Walker out for the year, there are quite a few extra targets going around Green Bay. Throw in the fact that the Packers seem to constantly be coming from behind, and you have the makings for a productive receiving corps. Martin is the main TE target in the passing game, with or without Franks’ presence, and is becoming one of Favre’s favorite targets. If you need TE help, especially in the short term, Martin is worth a look.

Quick: Who’s the best rookie in the league? Cadillac Williams, obviously. After ripping off three-straight 100-yard games to open his career, Williams not only looked like the best choice in this year’s mega-hyped RB draft class, he also looked like a top-10 back in fantasy leagues and a weekly must-start. But after gaining just 13 yards on 11 carries and leaving the game early with a hamstring injury Sunday against the Lions, there are suddenly some serious questions surrounding the Caddy, the main one concerning his durability. Not the healthiest back in college, Williams was given an insane workload during those first three NFL games, topping out at 37 carries last week against the Packers. Already nursing a sore foot, Cadillac now must deal with a hamstring problem. No word yet on how serious the injury is, but if Jon Gruden doesn’t cut down a bit on Williams’ workload, this most likely won’t be the last time we’re talking about an injury to the explosive rookie this year.

SUNDAY HEADLINERS

The Manning Brothers
Eli arrived Sunday and Peyton reestablished himself as the game’s best quarterback. Playing a weak St. Louis defense, Eli Manning threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Giants to a 44-24 win. Don’t look now, but the Giants have one of the game’s best offenses and Eli, with nine touchdowns and just two picks through four weeks, looks like a more than capable #2 fantasy quarterback and a fine start depending on the match-up.

Meanwhile, older brother Peyton torched the Titans for 264 yards and four touchdowns of his own. After a two-week touchdown drought, this is exactly the kind of game Manning owners needed.

Eight touchdowns, no interceptions and two wins? I’d call that a great day for the Manning clan.
ALSO: Donovan McNabb (369 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), Marc Bulger (442 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT)

LaDainian Tomlinson: 25 carries, 134 yards, 2 TD; 3 catches, 34 yards
After a slow start, Tomlinson now has 326 rushing yards and five touchdowns the last two weeks. The top overall pick in most drafts, LT is once again proving why.
ALSO: LaMont Jordan (26 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 22 yards), Tiki Barber (24 carries, 128 yars, 1 TD), Warrick Dunn (18 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD)

Plaxico Burress: 10 catches, 204 yards, 2 TD
A fellow owner in one of my leagues actually laughed out loud when I selected Burress this year, saying the former Steeler didn’t even deserve to be on someone’s roster this year. Pardon the cliche, but look who’s laughing now. At 6-5, Burress is a tantalizing target, especially downfield and in the red zone. The problem is, Burress never had anyone in Pittsburgh who could throw the deep ball. Plax, meet Eli. Burress has quickly established himself as Manning’s favorite target, totaling 396 yards and four touchdowns in four games. With the way the Giants’ offense is rolling, don’t expect a letdown anytime soon.
ALSO: Terrell Owens (11 catches, 171 yards, 1 TD), Marvin Harrison (9 catches, 109 yards, 2 TD), Joey Galloway (7 catches, 166 yards, 1 TD), Eddie Kennison (7 catches, 109 yards, 1 TD), Donte Stallworth (8 catches, 129 yards)

SUNDAY FLATLINERS

J.P. Losman: 75 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Losman’s been terrible for the Bills this year, throwing for 358 yards and one solitary touchdown in the first three games of the year, all with a nifty 48.1 completion percentage, and now the second-year QB was benched in the fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 19-7 loss to the Saints after failing to exploit one of the game’s worst defenses. In his brief game action, backup Kelly Holcomb completed three of his six attempts for 28 yards, but Willis McGahee, Lee Evans and Eric Moulds owners should all be praying the Bills make a permanent switch to Holcomb because, with Losman behind center, none of the Bills are playing up to their fantasy potential. Holcomb may not be a superstar but he’s a proven veteran who could certainly kickstart the Bills offense. Head coach Mike Mularkey said Losman was still his starter after the Saints game today, but Holcomb should get a shot soon.
ALSO: Joey Harrington (137 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT), Aaron Brooks (172 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT), Daunte Culpepper (250 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT)

Chris Brown: 10 carries, 31 yards, 0 TD
When Travis Henry was suspended four games, everyone jumped onto the Chris Brown bandwagon, and for good reason. Brown was explosive last year before having his season cut short due to injury. Now with Henry out for the next four games, Brown, who’d been sharing carries with the former Buffalo back in an effort to keep him healthy, would once again be The Man. But in his first game since Henry’s suspension, Brown was unable to get much of anything going against the Colts. He should have an easier go against Houston next week but the Bengals await after that, which means Brown may not be quite as valuable in Henry’s absence as his owners had initially expected.
ALSO: Brian Westbrook (9 carries, 15 yards; 6 catches, 33 yards; 0 TD), Curtis Martin (13 carries, 30 yards, 0 TD), Larry Johnson (7 carries, 34 yards, 0 TD)

Tony Gonzalez: 2 catches, 5 yards, 0 TD
The first or second tight end off the board in every draft this year, Gonzo has failed to deliver, with 16 catches, 129 yards and no touchdowns in four games. Guys like Steve Heiden and Chris Baker have out-produced Gonzalez to this point, and while that’s not likely going to last, we also may be in for a rare down year for Gonzo, perhaps similar to 2002’s 773-yard, 7-TD performance. The good news is, there’s still time to turn it around, but for whatever reason, the Chiefs haven’t seemed all that interested in getting Gonzalez involved in the offense.
ALSO: Michael Clayton (2 catches, 11 yards), Andre Johnson (3 catches, 38 yards), Laveranues Coles (1 catch, 16 yards), Deion Branch (1 catch, 6 yards)