Category: NFL (Page 240 of 1282)

      Defensive Team By Waiver Wire (DTBWW): Week 15

      December 14, 2010 /
      CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 12: Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots tackles Earl Bennett of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots defeated the Bears 36-7. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

      The strategy behind DTBWW is that each week you pick up a defense that is playing against a bad offense (preferably at home). And each week you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position.

      Last season, my top pick averaged 9.8 fantasy points per game. My second pick averaged 9.1 and my third pick averaged 7.3. On the whole, DTBWW averaged 9.3 fantasy points per game, which equate to DT5 numbers — all for the price of a few waiver wire pickups. In 2008, my top two picks averaged DT6-type numbers. (Note: To calculate fantasy points, I use this scoring system.)

      Unlike Defensive Team By Committee (DTBC), which is for those owners who prefer low maintenance teams, DTBWW strategy allows fantasy owners to virtually ignore DTs on draft day and focus on picking up an extra RB/WR flier instead.

      To be eligible, defenses have to be available on the waiver wire in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues.

      Let’s see how my Week 14 picks fared:

      #1 Falcons: 10 PA (6) + 5 SK + 1 INT + 1 FR = 13 fantasy points
      #2: Patriots: 7 PA (6) + 2 SK + 2 INT + 2 FR + 1 RET TD = 18 fp
      #3: Bills: 6 PA (8) + 1 SK + 1 INT + 2 FR = 12 fp

      Now that’s more like it. DTBWW has been a little spotty this season, but it came through in a big way in the first week of the fantasy playoffs. Truth be told, W14 was the best scoring week for defenses around the league — 14 DTs scored 10+ points, which was the most of any week this season.

      On the season, my picks are averaging 8.0 | 8.9 | 7.6 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) for an overall average of 8.2 fantasy points per game. Those are DT6 numbers when you account for each team’s bye week.

      Let’s take a look at my Week 15 picks keeping in mind that to be eligible, defenses must be available in at least 40% of ESPN fantasy leagues. There are five DTs that I really like this week, so I’m going to list all five and hope that my readers can find at least one on their waiver wire this week:

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      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Fantasy Football Q&A: Week 15

      December 14, 2010 /

      It’s playoff time!

      After checking out our Waiver Wire Watch, you can post your questions here, and unless you say differently, I’m assuming your league has a standard (non-PPR) scoring system.

      If you are wondering who to start in a standard scoring league, please wait until later this week (Wednesday) when I’ll release my official Week 15 rankings.

      And if you’re a regular visitor, please take a moment to rate my advice at Fantasy Pros (under Member Rating). I’d appreciate it.

      Also, follow me on Twitter @fantasytips.

      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      2010 NFL Week 15 Power Rankings

      December 14, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 12: Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets picks himself up after an incomplete pass against the Miami Dolphins at New Meadowlands Stadium on December 12, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      Finally, a team is offering stability at the top of the rankings.

      Check out Week 14’s Power Rankings

      1. New England Patriots
      Previous Week: 1
      This is the fourth week in a row I’ve had the Patriots in the top spot. I only mention that little factoid because before the Pats made their home atop Mount Power Rankings, the No. 1 spot acted as a revolving door for teams. New England is peaking at the right time, which has to be a scary thought for AFC playoff contenders. Tom Brady is unbeatable in blizzard-like conditions.

      2. Atlanta Falcons
      Previous Week: 2
      Never before have I seen a team fly under the radar as well as the Falcons have this season (not that they have any control of that). Even when they’re supposed to blow out a team and do just that, people aren’t impressed. Everyone is waiting for this team to fall and in the meantime, the Falcons keep winning. Here’s the real interesting part: this team hasn’t even played a complete game yet.

      3. Pittsburgh Steelers
      Previous Week: 3
      The Steelers’ defense is getting warmed up at just the right time, which is interesting because the Patriots’ offense is peaking now, too. We may be headed for a Pittsburgh-New England rematch soon enough.

      4. New Orleans Saints
      Previous Week: 4
      The Saints’ defense is starting to have that opportunistic feel about them again. They picked off Sam Bradford twice inside the red zone last week and returned one of the gifts for a touchdown right before half. I’m sure Gregg Williams wishes his unit wouldn’t give up so much yardage with the playoffs fast approaching, but he has to be pleased with the amount of turnovers its now producing.

      5. Baltimore Ravens
      Previous Week: 6
      The Ravens were lucky to escape Houston with a win on Monday night. Yes, they were up 28-7 early in the third quarter but they got too complacent and allowed the Texans to tie the game after 99 and 95-yard drives late in the fourth quarter. Houston had also stolen all the momentum heading into overtime so again, the Ravens were fortunate to make it out of Texas with a W. They have some issues to iron out before the playoffs.

      6. Philadelphia Eagles
      Previous Week: 8
      Nice win for the Birds last Sunday night in Dallas. Andy Reid’s squad fell behind in the second half but never panicked and got a couple of monster plays out of Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson. That said, Vick is still taking too many hits, which has to be a concern for Reid with the Giants’ ferocious front seven on deck.

      7. New York Giants
      Previous Week: 10
      The Giants’ performance Monday night in Minnesota wasn’t awe-inspiring from an Eli Manning standpoint, but Tom Coughlin had to love the way his running game destroyed a usually stout Minnesota front seven. The defense played incredibly well too, although most defenses will look good when the other team don’t use a quarterback. Either way, it was a huge win after a couple of days of chaos and with the Eagles game coming up. Now it’s gut-check time.

      8. San Diego Chargers
      Previous Week: 12
      The Chargers caught the Matt Cassel-less Chiefs at the right time but they’re not out of the woods yet. Any Oakland-type meltdowns the rest of the way and San Diego will be home for the playoffs. Both KC and San Diego have cakewalk schedules the rest of the year, so the Bolts will just have to pray that their division rivals collapse in the final weeks.

      9. Chicago Bears
      Previous Week: 7
      I’m not surprised the Bears lost to the Patriots last weekend. I’m surprised that they got the beating of a lifetime in what I consider “Chicago Bear conditions.” And I’m not referring to the weather, because Brady and the Pats obviously can play in the snow. I’m referring to the fact that the Bears and their fans absolutely love the underdog, we’re-better-than-everyone-says-we-are, nobody-gives-us-any-respect role. And then they go out their and they get destroyed on their home turf. Granted, if you’re going to get destroyed you might as well get destroyed by the best team in the league. I just expected more out of the eventual NFC North champs.

      10. Green Bay Packers
      Previous Week: 9
      I hate when people say that a team is better than their record because hey, their record is their record. But in the case of the Packers, I happen to think it’s true. They’ve been decimated by injuries and yet, the numbers still suggest they’re better than their record would indicate. But no matter how you slice it, the Pack are in deep trouble. They travel to New England this Sunday night and if Aaron Rodgers (concussion) can’t go, Matt Flynn isn’t going to beat the Pats on their home turf. That means Green Bay must hope the Bears lose to the Vikings on Monday night. And with how poorly Minnesota played against the Giants, that’s a long shot. It appears as though all hopes have been dashed for this once promising team.

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      External Sports, NFL

      Waiver Wire Watch, Week 15: Where Ryan Torain is once again the Redskins’ starting RB

      December 14, 2010 /
      Washington Redskins' running back Ryan Torain runs for a short gain against the the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on December 12, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch Photo via Newscom

      Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only guys eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire in at least 40% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to mention a few players that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters. I’ll rank them in the order I’d pick them up in a league with a high-performance scoring system.

      Please note that these rankings are for total value through the end of the year. Players with particularly good matchups this week are in bold.

      Josh Freeman (59.0)
      Save for a bad game against the Steelers in W3, Freeman has been solid all season throwing for at least one TD in 12 of 13 games. He’ll also add 10-40 rushing yards, which helps the bottom line. He should be able to post nice numbers in a W15 matchup against the Lions.

      Jon Kitna (18.2)
      Kitna has a pretty good matchup with the Redskins, who have struggled to stop the pass this season. He has thrown at least one TD in seven of his last eight games, so I’d expect 200+ yards and 1-2 TDs against Washington in W15.

      Matt Hasselbeck (14.3)
      The Falcons have struggled against the pass and Hasselbeck has shown that he can be productive against suspect secondaries. It would certainly help if Mike Williams and/or Ben Obomanu could make it back, since the Seahawks lost Deon Butler to a broken leg.

      David Garrard (43.2)
      I’m not psyched about Garrard’s matchup with Indy. He played well against the Colts in W4, but the Jags will continue to feature the run, so I don’t see another three-TD game in his near future. Still, he’s a decent matchup and has had success against the Colts recently.

      Ryan Fitzpatrick (33.6)
      I do like the idea of Fitzy in W16 against the Pats (though they’ve managed to shut down Mark Sanchez and Jay Cutler in recent weeks). But the Dolphins are pretty tough against the pass, so I expect I’ll rank Fitzpatrick in the high teens this week.

      Jason Campbell (6.7)
      Campbell played well in a good matchup against the Jags in W14 and now he has another good matchup against the reeling Broncos. Campbell has had his share of stinkers (W6 against the 49ers and W11 against the Steelers come to mind), but he has played well in good matchups, so I’d expect a good line this week against the Broncos.

      Kerry Collins (1.2)
      Talk about inconsistent. Collins went from dreadful against the Jags in W13 to great (fantasy-wise) against the Colts in W14. He has the Texans in W15, so I’d expect good fantasy numbers.

      Sam Bradford (34.5)
      What’s happened to the rookie? He had a run of six straight games with at least one TD pass, but has failed to throw any in the last two weeks. His matchups the next two weeks are decent, but his recent failings have shaken my confidence in the youngster.

      Drew Stanton (0.7)
      Stanton was shaky against the Packers, but Green Bay is tough to throw on. The Bucs should be a bit easier, especially with Aqib Talib out for the season.

      Chad Henne (46.9)
      With back-to-back stinkers, as well as losing his job midseason, I’m not sure how Henne is owned in almost 47% of ESPN leagues. He does have the Bills and Lions the next two weeks, so if you’re really desperate, you could do worse. (See below.)

      Alex Smith (6.7)
      Smith torched the Seahawks, but the Chargers are another story.

      Matt Flynn (0.0)
      He had one good drive against the Lions, but threw a costly pick in the endzone. I am not optimistic about his chances against the Pats, who have played pretty good pass defense of late.

      Jake Delhomme (1.4)
      Ugh.

      Tarvaris Jackson (0.9)
      UGH.

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      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Brett Favre’s streak expected to end tonight – does anyone care?

      December 13, 2010 /
      FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 31: Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sideline in the third quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 31, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

      As we get closer to kickoff for the Giants-Vikings game on Monday night, it appears as though Brett Favre’s consecutive game streak will end.

      And you know what? I truly don’t care.

      That sounds harsh given how long this streak has gone on. It started back on September 27 of 1992 and has lasted 297 games. We may never see another quarterback even sniff that number and that’s a testament to how gritty a performer Favre has been over the years.

      But again, I couldn’t care less. Cal Ripken’s streak is more impressive to me because of the man he was. It’s much easier to string together consecutive starts in baseball because the game is so much less violent on your body. But give me Cal’s streak over Lord Favre’s any day.

      I could be totally off base here, but I firmly believe that Favre wanted out of Green Bay. I think he was bored and wanted a new challenge and I think he always wanted to play for Minnesota. It made a great story, him coming back to Green Bay as a player that was wronged. But I never bought it and I’m sure neither do guys like GM Ted Thompson, who tried his best to keep Favre a Packer but eventually made the right decision to move on with Aaron Rodgers.

      The media is partially to blame for the way I feel. Had they not saturated the sports market with so many Favre headlines over the years, maybe I would have felt less inclined to write a piece like this. But he only fueled the fire by giving opened-ended comments to direct questions about his yearly and weekly playing status. He wanted to remain in the spotlight and congratulations to him – he did. But he’s paying a price with people like me (I can’t be the only one who feels as though his actions have taken most of the luster out of this achievement), who don’t care whether he suits up Monday night or not.

      Even now, hours before kickoff we wait for Brett’s answer. I’m tired of it. I don’t care if he plays and I don’t care if the streak continues. Maybe once he finally does retire and we’re not exposed to daily updates on his health and/or retirement status, I’ll begin to appreciate what he’s done because it truly is magnificent.

      But as of right now, I can honestly say I don’t care.

      External Sports, NFL

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