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      Waiver Wire Watch, Week 2: Meet Brandon Jackson, everyone!

      September 14, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers hands the ball off to Brandon Jackson during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 12, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

      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 50% 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, PPR 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.

      David Garrard (20.4)
      Always underrated, Garrard performs much better at home (195 y-40 TD-17 INT in 39 games) than he does on the road (172-26-22 in 33 games). (Nice split find by ESPN, BTW.) With Mike Thomas and Marcedes Lewis emerging, he now has a few weapons in the passing game.

      Alex Smith (23.1)
      I still like Smith, though I can understand the trepidation after Week 1. If he can’t produce against the Saints, Chiefs and Falcons over the next three weeks, then he probably shouldn’t be on fantasy rosters. He did play well last season, right?

      Kyle Orton (35.0)
      He has what looks to be a nice matchup this week against SEA (though Alex Smith might argue with that) but then he has a fairly brutal schedule over the next several weeks.

      Michael Vick (3.6)
      Vick is probably the best option for Kolb owners looking for answers. He was always a pretty good fantasy QB and he proved against the Packers that he still has the wheels to be a major threat in the running game.

      Derek Anderson (12.3)
      Anderson’s completion percentage in W1 leaves something to be desired, but once he and Fitzy get on the same page, he could be a solid fantasy QB.

      Jason Campbell (12.2)
      With STL, ARI and HOU up next there’s no reason that Campbell can’t post respectable fantasy numbers.

      Matt Hasselbeck (6.7)
      Hass was sharp against the 49ers in W1 and has a pretty nice upcoming schedule. Hopefully his back will hold up.

      Matt Cassel (12.2)
      He only threw for 68 yards, but the Chiefs had the lead for most of the game and conditions were horrible. (However, that didn’t stop Phillip Rivers from throwing for 298-2.)

      Shaun Hill (0.0)
      Hill proved in San Francisco that he was a capable backup and with all the weapons in Detroit, he should put up decent numbers.

      Sam Bradford (14.3)
      Bradford has a nice second half schedule, but all rookies have their ups and downs.

      Josh Freeman (3.4)
      It could be an ugly couple of weeks with Carolina and Pittsburgh coming up.

      Matt Moore (3.5)

      Jake Delhomme (2.3)

      Mark Sanchez (29.2)
      Like a lot of people, I’m just not sold on the Sanchize, and he didn’t do anything on Monday night to make us feel any better about him.

      Dennis Dixon (2.4)

      Trent Edwards (0.8)

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Ravens win white-knuckle thrill ride over Jets on Monday Night Football

      September 13, 2010 /
      New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez throws against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half in their NFL football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, September 13, 2010. Ravens' Trevor Pryce is at left. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Well, that was fun. Watching the Jets’ offense was roughly about as exciting as a three hour root canal in which your dentist has to jab you with a Novocain needle six times because he keeps missing the nerves in your mouth.

      The only difference between Mark Sanchez and Trent Edwards right now is $7.25 million a year. The second-year quarterback did nothing Monday night to silence critics that say he’s the one thing that will hold the Jets back from competing for a Super Bowl berth.

      In his team’s 10-9 loss to the Ravens, Sanchez completed 10-of-21 passes for 74 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. For those scoring at home, his average completion averaged a measly 3.5 yards. There’s a good chance that if he purposely tried to trip over one of his offensive lineman every play, he could have fallen forward for more yards then if he attempted a pass.

      Drop back, look down field, hold for one second, check down to running back, repeat.

      When the Jets’ offense came back onto the field down one point with under two minutes left, they had no shot to get into field goal range because Sanchez wasn’t going to throw vertical. And even when he went temporarily insane and threw the ball further than three yards on a crucial 4th and 10 at the end of the game, tight end Dustin Keller caught the ball and ran out of bounds one yard short of the first down marker when nobody was around him. Keller must have felt that the Ravens played hard enough to earn the win, so he’d just give it to them. Of course, he was hit so hard by Ray Lewis the play before that it’s possible he didn’t know what down, quarter or team he played for by that point.

      Speaking of the Ravens, they didn’t set the world on fire with their offensive performance tonight, but at least they moved the ball. Turnovers killed them in the first half and they couldn’t run against the Jets’ stingy front seven, but how good did Anquan Boldin look in his Baltimore debut? He beat Kyle Wilson so many times that the New Jersey highway patrol is going to have to stop the Ravens’ bus before it heads to the airport so they can integrate Boldin about domestic abuse.

      Does anybody else feel like they just got done watching a fourth preseason game?

      External Sports, NFL

      Matthew Stafford to avoid surgery?

      September 13, 2010 /
      DETROIT - SEPTEMBER 02: Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions talks with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan during the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field on September 2, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Bills 28-23. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

      Following a controversial 19-14 loss to the Bears on Sunday, the Lions feared that starting quarterback Matthew Stafford may have to miss up to six weeks following a shoulder injury that he suffered in the first half. But according to beat writer Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Stafford will not need surgery.

      If Stafford can avoid surgery, he’ll likely be able to return at some point this season. But that doesn’t help the Lions’ present situation, as Shaun Hill now becomes the starter for the immediate future.

      Hill completed 9-of-19 passes for 88 yards and an interception after replacing Stafford yesterday in Chicago and while his numbers would have looked much better had the touchdown to Calvin Johnson counted, the fact remains that his arm strength is a major issue. Jim Schwartz says that he won’t change the offense under Hill, but it may have to eventually because the former Niner has never been successful throwing the ball vertically.

      Stafford not having to have surgery is a plus for Lion fans, but having to watch Hill for the next couple of months is unfortunate. Of course, the fan base is used to unfortunate.

      External Sports, NFL

      Matt Moore to start if he’s healthy following concussion

      September 13, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 12: Matt Moore of the Carolina Panthers scrambles against the New York Giants on September 12, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      Matt Moore and Kevin Kolb have more in common today than they did at the start of the day yesterday.

      That’s because they both played poorly on Sunday and each suffered concussions that now leave them uncertain for Week 2. Kolb was replaced by a very effective Michael Vick in a loss to Green Bay, while Moore is currently being backed up by a rookie that some are clamoring to see get some live game action (especially after Moore looked so bad in a loss to the Giants yesterday).

      Today, head coach John Fox told the media that if he’s healthy enough to play, Moore would start against the Buccaneers this Sunday. But at this point, nobody should assume anything. Moore was atrocious against the Giants, throwing three horrendous picks and taking four sacks. He completed just 14-of-33 passes for 182 yards and never got settled in the pocket. It’s important not to draw any concussions after one game, but so far it’s the only game.

      Jimmy Clausen will likely receive snaps in the first team offense this week in practice and Moore will be evaluated over the next couple of days. The NFL now has a strict policy against players returning from concussions, so even if Fox wants Moore to play he may not be medically cleared to. Just like the Kolb situation in Philadelphia, this is will be an interesting story to keep an eye on throughout the week.

      External Sports, NFL

      Michael Vick to start against the Lions in Week 2?

      September 13, 2010 /
      Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick throws a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of NFL football action in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 12, 2010. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Eagle fans that enjoyed Michael Vick’s performance against the Packers on Sunday might get a taste of it again in Week 2.

      With Kevin Kolb’s playing status up in the air due to a concussion, beat writer Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News thinks it’s likely that Vick will start against the Lions this Sunday. The backup came in yesterday and nearly led the Eagles to a come back against the Packers by completing 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown, as well as rushing for 103 yards on 11 carries. Philly eventually lost 27-20, however.

      The Lions’ secondary is one of the weakest in the league, so it’ll be a good matchup for either Kolb or Vick. But it’ll be interesting to see what happens if Vick plays well again while Kolb is on the sidelines because it could spark a quarterback controversy in Philly. Andy Reid maintains that Kolb is the starter and he’ll certainly have to do more than look shaky for one half against one of the league’s best defenses (Green Bay) to lose his job. But when it boils down to it, the only thing that matters in the NFL is winning so this is going to be a storyline to follow for the next couple of weeks.

      External Sports, NFL

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