With Brandon Lloyd sidelined with a sprained PCL, Rashied Davis figures to get most of the targets of all the Bears’ wideouts. Last week against the Lions, he turned nine targets into six catches for 97 yards. He’s more valuable in PPR leagues since he’s not a big WR (5’9″), and the team is more likely to go with Matt Forte or one of their TEs at the goal line.
Tag: fantasy football strategy (Page 72 of 80)
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Ryan Grant is not winning his one-on-one matchups when he gets into the secondary.
Almost every time running back Ryan Grant got into the secondary and faced a safety or cornerback one-on-one last year, he won the matchup and went on for a big gain.
This year, Grant isn’t winning those matchups. He had one with Atlanta safety Lawyer Milloy on Sunday and Milloy took him down easily after a 14-yard gain.
“That should have been a touchdown,” Grant said. “If I have a guy one-on-one, that should be a touchdown. That’s how I look at it.”
I’ve watched just about every Green Bay snap this season, and it seems to me that it’s not so much that Grant is losing these matchups as much as he’s not getting as many opportunities to reach the third level of the defense. He’s averaging 3.7 ypc in 2008 after averaging 5.1 ypc last season. Some of this has to do with the lack of the big runs that Silverstein is talking about, but I think it has more to do with the fact that the offensive line just isn’t run blocking like they were last season.
Regardless of the cause of Grant’s struggles, this week’s game against the Seahawks will be a good barometer of the Green Bay running game. Seattle is 24th against the run, allowing 130 yards per game on the ground (and 4.6 ypc). If Grant doesn’t manage to at least hit the 4.2 or 4.3 ypc mark, it might be time to get worried.
Every week, I highlight a few players to start and a few players to sit at each position. I’m a firm believer in starting your studs, so I won’t tell you about how Drew Brees or LaDainian Tomlinson has a tough matchup – just go ahead and start them. I’ll focus on the borderline guys – players you’ll only start under the right circumstances. It’s important to note that depending on your roster and situation, you may not be able to follow these recommendations. For example, if I suggest you bench a solid starter like Donovan McNabb, only do so if you have a clearly better option on your bench.
New for Week 6… I am now putting “Love ‘Em” players in the order that I’d start them.
LOVE ‘EM
QB: Jason Campbell is a great start this week against the Rams, who 28th in the league against the pass…Don’t look now, but Kyle Orton (a.k.a. “Beard”) is a starting quality fantasy QB. This week he has a Falcons defense that is 22nd in the league against the pass…Gus Frerotte plays the Lions. Start him…Matt Schaub should be back under center (and after Sage Rosenfels’ fourth quarter performance against the Colts, I don’t see Schaub losing his job anytime soon). He faces a Dolphins defense that is playing better, but has given up an average of 206 yards and 1.8 pass TD per game…JaMarcus Russell isn’t a bad start (for the desperate) against a Saints team that has yielded 245 pass yards and 1.8 pass TD per game.
RB: Get Maurice Jones-Drew into your lineups this week. He faces a Denver team that is 25th in the league against the rush…The Colts have yielded a league-worst 189 rushing yards per game on the ground, so Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain both look startable even though they’re splitting carries. It’s doubtful that the Ravens will even bother to pass the ball at all…Ronnie Brown faces the Texans, who have given up an average of 140 rushing yards and 2.0 rush TD per game this season.
WR: Greg Jennings is pretty much a must-start every week, but Donald Driver deserves a starting spot this week since he faces a Seattle defense that is really struggling against the pass…Bernard Berrian has been productive the last three games (averaging 4.7 catches for 89 yards and 0.3 TD) and this week he faces a porous Lions secondary…Andre Johnson has regained his must-start status, but Kevin Walter is a sneaky good start against the Dolphins this week…Antwaan Randle El has a nice matchup against the Rams, who are 28th in the league against the pass.
LEAVE ‘EM
QB: Joe Flacco has a tough matchup with a Colts defense that is pretty bad against the run, but quite stout against the pass (165 pass yards, 0.3 pass TD per game)…J.T. O’Sullivan has been pretty good fantasy-wise, but this week he faces the Eagles, who are 11th in the league against the pass. He’s still startable, but only if you don’t have any good options on your bench…I’d stay away from Jeff Garcia, who is back under center but faces the Panthers, who are 3rd in the league against the pass (156 pass yards, 0.8 pass TD per game).
RB: There are a number of good running backs that have bad matchups this week. They’re still startable, but proceed with caution and bench them if you have good depth at RB: Michael Turner (vs. CHI), Jamal Lewis (vs. NYG), Steve Slaton (vs. MIA), Joseph Addai (vs. BAL), Frank Gore (vs. PHI), Steven Jackson (@ WAS) and Earnest Graham (vs. CAR).
WR: Marvin Harrison isn’t himself this season, and it’s unlikely that he’ll bust out against the #1 pass defense in the league…Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton should probably ride the pine against a Colts defense that is good against the pass…I wouldn’t think that Isaac Bruce would continue his recent success (4 TD in the last three games) against a solid Eagles team that really needs a win…Ike Hilliard and Antonio Bryant should probably ride the pine against the Panthers, who have been great against the pass.
DTBWW
Welcome to the world of Defensive Team By Waiver Wire. Each week, you pick up a defense usually playing at home against a bad offense, and each week, you get pretty good numbers out of your DT position. All teams are available in at least 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Here are this week’s picks:
WAS (vs. STL) – In fact, WAS has good matchups for the next three weeks
NYJ (vs. CIN)
Last week’s picks:
Panthers: 0 PA, 3 SK, 2 INT, 1 FR = 16 fantasy points
Cardinals: 17 PA, 5 SK, 1 INT, 3 FR = 11 fantasy points
Post all of your fantasy football questions here.
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 players eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire of 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.
QUARTERBACKS
1. Kyle Orton (38.4)
“Beard” (formerly “Neck Beard”) has posted 267 yards passing and 2.3 TD over the last three weeks. He’s definitely QB2 caliber now.
2. Marc Bulger (48.8)
Bulger resumes his starting duties this week.
3. Matt Ryan (43.4)
Ryan threw for 194 yards and two TD against he Packers, and almost had a third TD.
4. Chad Pennington (35.3)
Pennington has a nice matchup with the Texans in Week 6.
5. Gus Frerotte (16.1)
With the Lions on tap in Week 6, Frerotte is a good pickup this week.
6. JaMarcus Russell (46.5)
Russell seems to be playing better, and with the Saints coming up, he’s a viable spot starter.
7. Kerry Collins (25.2)
8. Joe Flacco (15.2)
9. J.P. Losman (0.6)
The Bills are on bye and Trent Edwards should be ready for Week 7, but if not, Losman will have some value.
10. Brodie Croyle (4.0)
Croyle will be the starter after KC’s bye.
11. Jeff Garcia (17.6)
With Griese nicked up, Garcia has a chance to reclaim the starting job.
RUNNING BACKS
1. Mewelde Moore (40.0)
Moore is starter caliber as long as Willie Parker is out.
2. Warrick Dunn (39.9)
Dunn continues to split touches with Graham, which makes him a decent flex/spot-starter play.
3. Justin Fargas (56.8)
Fargas is over our 50% threshold, but he’s back at practice and may be the starter if McFadden continues to nurse his turf toe.
4. Tim Hightower (42.7)
Hightower keeps vulturing goal line carries, so he has some value.
5. Michael Bush (34.3)
Productive when given the opportunity, Bush now has to deal with Fargas coming off an injury.
6. Derrick Ward (31.5)
Even though Brandon Jacobs re-established his grip on the starting job, Ward is still a backup with major upside.
7. Maurice Morris (20.2)
If he can get healthy, he’ll likely find himself back in a timeshare with Julius Jones.
8. Cedric Benson (10.2)
As Chris Perry continues to fumble, the chances that Benson can earn a bigger role continue to increase.
9. Ladell Betts (20.1)
Like Ward, Betts would become a starter caliber RB if something were to happen to Clinton Portis.
10. Kenny Watson (22.3)
Given Chris Perry’s fumbling problems, Watson has an outside chance for major
11. Leon Washington (30.2)
12. Ahman Green (26.6)
13. Brandon Jackson (24.2)
playing time now that he’s back with Cincy.
14. Fred Jackson (17.4)
15. Dominic Rhodes (13.6)
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Bobby Engram (50.5)
8-61 in his return + Deion Branch injury = lots of opportunity for Bobby Engram.
2. Ike Hilliard (44.4)
Hilliard isn’t going to win any games single-handedly, but he’s a great backup in PPR leagues.
3. Brandon Stokley (10.4)
With Eddie Royal hobbled, Stokley shouldn’t have any problem continuing his hot run (13-132-1 over the last two weeks).
4. Steve Breaston (19.8)
As long as Anquan Boldin misses time, Breaston is a solid starter as a WR2 or WR3, especially in PPR leagues.
5. Devin Hester (27.0)
Is Hester catching on? His recent performance – eight catches for 93 yards and two TD over the last two weeks – says that maybe he is.
6. Chansi Stuckey (44.9)
7. Antwaan Randle El (41.6)
8. Amani Toomer (49.5)
9. Kevin Walter (40.5)
10. Mike Walker (0.1)
The second-year wideout has caught 11 passes for 153 yards over the last two weeks. He and David Garrard seem to be developing a rapport. There is a lot of upside here.
11. Greg Camarillo (3.1)
Over the last three weeks, Camarillo has 14 catches for 177 yards and a TD. He’s roster worthy in all PPR leagues.
12. Justin Gage (31.1)
I still like Gage. He’s the WR1 in Tennessee if he can just get healthy.
13. Ted Ginn (29.8)
After a dreadful start, Ginn has 12 catches for 104 yards over the last two weeks, which makes him an interesting pickup in PPR leagues.
14. Domenik Hixon (3.0)
He exploded with Burress out after catching three passes in each of the two previous games. Going forward, it’s tough to see him getting enough targets to be a regular fantasy starter.
15. Kevin Curtis (48.2)
Only Andy Reid knows how he’s going to fit in with DeSean Jackson and Reggie Brown.
16. Robert Meachem (40.5)
17. Matt Jones (33.2)
18. Josh Reed (30.8)
Reed has caught at least four passes in each of the last four weeks, which makes him fodder as a spot starter in PPR leagues.
19. Deion Branch (31.6)
Branch injured his right heel and did not return. He’s not worth picking up unless he’s able to play in the next week or two.
20. Jabar Gaffney (17.1)
He has nine catches for 85 yards and a TD over the last two weeks.
21. Nate Washington (0.7)
A big game against Jacksonville (6-94-1) gives a glimpse at Washington’s potential, but with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes ahead of him, he probably won’t get enough targets to produce consistently.
TIGHT ENDS
1. Bo Scaife (50.4)
Scaife is a bona fide fantasy backup and one of the Titans’ biggest “weapons” in the passing game.
2. Zach Miller (25.4)
He has as much upside as anyone on this list, but he plays with an inconsistent QB in JaMarcus Russell.
3. Donald Lee (48.1)
Not quite as consistent as last year, but he’s a decent fantasy backup.
4. L.J. Smith (37.1)
He caught three passes for 26 yards in his return.
5. Dustin Keller (23.2)
A Favre favorite around the goal line.
6. Visanthe Shiancoe (20.1)
Production is up since Frerotte took over.
7. Kevin Boss (33.2)
He was a big disappointment in Week 5 with Burress out.
8. John Carlson (50.3)
Was his goose egg in Week 5 an indication of things to come?
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