You Heard It Here First! - A Fantasy Football Blog

Get Them While They're Cheap!

2011-11-03T02:04:00.000-07:00

It happens every year. A player that has been either sitting on the bench, been in a timeshare or straight sucked all year, is the difference between you missing the playoffs and winning a championship. In many cases, these guys can be had on the cheap if you can sacrifice the bench spot. These are your potential lottery tickets, but unfortunately all aren't going to be winners. I'm going to give you some guys that could carry you to a title. Take your pick and make your offers/pick-ups.

Michael Bush: Bush will probably be your most expensive player on this list given McFadden's current injury situation. However, DMC's injury could likely linger or pop up again. We all know his history and the years of fantasy disappointment. Bush is essentially an RB1 when starting and needs to be grabbed.

Kendall Hunter: Frank Gore has had plenty of running room this year for the surprising 49ers. Unfortunately, Gore has the same injury problems as DMC, missing 5 games last year and 2 each the two years before.

Felix Jones: Hear me out. Jones will be in a timeshare when he returns from injury and hasn't looked great thus far. However, Murray has a decent injury history at Oklahoma. Rookies tend to wear down and someone has to carry the ball for Dallas and their decent schedule from here on out.

CJ Spiller: Spiller has been nonexistent on the fantasy landscape this year while Fred Jackson has been putting up RB1 numbers. Positive thought on Spiller is that FJax is 30 and has been given a full wordload thus far which could lead to wearing down.

Philip Rivers: This recommendation is solely assuming Rivers is not injured. Rivers turned the ball over five times last week and his 7TDs to 11INTS has driven owners nuts. If you need a QB or need another spot filled, offer your QB for a Rivers/WR combo. Rivers could easily be top 5 once he gets his head out of his rear.

Mario Manningham: Super Mario has been disappointing owners all season, but Nicks is battling injuries and Eli has been steadily putting up a solid year.

Miles Austin: The Cowboys have an solid fantasy schedule the rest of the way and Austin could easily get back to putting up WR1 numbers.

Leonard Hankerson: The rookie was on everyone's sleeper radar in the preseason. Now Santana Moss is injured and Hankerson could be in line for a late season spike in production like we saw from Jon Baldwin in KC last week.

Good luck everyone. I hope you are in the playoff hunt and looking to take some cash home in your league(s).

Week 8 Rankings

2011-10-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

The bye weeks continue to pimp slap our fantasy teams with an open-handed right cross. This week we're dealing with the Falcons, Packers, Bears, Jets, Raiders, and Buccaneers all out on their byes. I'm not even going to get into the injuries from last week because I'd rather not cry in front of you and the salt from the tears would sting the open wound on my cheek. Pimps aren't very forgiving. My face is a hurtin' sumbitch.

Here are the week 8 rankings, full of purple drank in blingin' iced out pimp goblets. Cheers, bitches!

Rankings updated on: October 29th

Quarterbacks

Drew Brees (@ St. Louis)
Cam Newton (vs. Minnesota)
Tom Brady (@ Pittsburgh)
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. New England)
Michael Vick (vs. Dallas)
Eli Manning (vs. Miami)
Matthew Stafford (@ Denver)
Tony Romo (@ Philadelphia)
Philip Rivers (@ Kansas City)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. Washington)
Matt Schaub (vs. Jacksonville)
Tim Tebow (vs. Detroit)
Matt Hasselbeck (vs. Indianapolis)
Joe Flacco (vs. Arizona)
Matt Cassel (vs. San Diego)
Andy Dalton (@ Seattle)
John Beck (@ Buffalo)
Alex Smith (vs. Cleveland)
Colt McCoy (@ San Francisco)
Christian Ponder (@ Carolina)
Sam Bradford (vs. New Orleans)
Curtis Painter (@ Tennessee)
Matt Moore (@ New York Giants)
Kevin Kolb (@ Baltimore)
Tarvaris Jackson (vs. Cincinnati)

It sounds like Matthew Stafford is going to play. The Broncos allow the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks so Stafford will get his, but he is a little gimpy. I'm keeping expectations in check. The match ups aren't going to get much sweeter for Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning. The Patriots are the only team giving up more than 300 passing yards a game, and the Dolphins have allowed the third most passing touchdowns in the league. Start Big Ben and Eli with confidence. I expect Matt Hasselbeck to bounce back from his lousy week 7 performance. The Colts are just the cure for a terrible performance. A great spot start this week is John Beck who faces a Bills defense that allows 17.2 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs, 7th most in fantasy land. The Bills tend to pick QBs off though, so don't get carried away.

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson (@ Carolina)
Ray Rice (vs. Arizona)
Fred Jackson (vs. Washington)
Arian Foster (vs. Jacksonville)
LeSean McCoy (vs. Dallas)
Ryan Mathews (@ Kansas City)
DeMarco Murray (@ Philadelphia)
Chris Johnson (vs. Indianapolis)
Frank Gore (vs. Cleveland)
Darren Sproles (@ St. Louis)
Maurice Jones-Drew (@ Houston)
Ryan Torain (@ Buffalo)
Ahmad Bradshaw (vs. Miami)
Steven Jackson (vs. New Orleans)
Rashard Mendenhall (vs. New England)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (@ Pittsburgh)
Pierre Thomas (@ St. Louis)
Joseph Addai (@ Tennessee)
Jackie Battle (vs. San Diego)
Knowshon Moreno (vs. Detroit)
Bernard Scott (@ Seattle)
Jonathan Stewart (vs. Minnesota)
Maurice Morris (@ Denver)
Roy Helu (@ Buffalo)
Montario Hardesty (@ San Francisco)
DeAngelo Williams (vs. Minnesota)
Peyton Hillis (@ San Francisco)
Alphonso Smith (@ Baltimore)
Ben Tate (vs. Jacksonville)
Brandon Jacobs (vs. Miami)
Marshawn Lynch (vs. Cincinnati)
Keiland Williams (@ Denver)
Kendall Hunter (vs. Cleveland)
Delone Carter (@ Tennessee)
Leon Washington (vs. Cincinnati)
Reggie Bush (@ New York Giants)
Mike Tolbert (@ Kansas City)
C.J. Spiller (vs. Washington)
Lex Hilliard (@ New York Giants)
Stevan Ridley (@ Pittsburgh)

Most fantasy owners have stuck a fork in Chris Johnson, but he has to have a big game at some point, doesn't he? I mean, if he doesn't perform well against the Colts then all hope is lost. Come on, CJ. At least do something in the screen game. Please. Consider me a believer in DeMarco Murray. I've got him in the top 8 since he faces the pathetic Eagles rush defense. If he even does half of what he did last week, his ranking will be justified. Yes that's Darren Sproles in the top 10. He flat out gets it done every week and the Rams are a cake walk. I'm expecting more big things from Sproles. Peyton Hillis is killing us. I can barely even put him in as a flex play. What a rough season for the Madden cover boy. Imagine that. A guy with big time upside this week is Roy Helu. Tim Hightower is out for the year and Helu will see more touches. He could explode this week...if you have the cajones to start a Redskins running back.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (@ Denver)
Mike Wallace (vs. New England)
Steve Smith (vs. Minnesota)
Hakeem Nicks (vs. Miami)
Wes Welker (@ Pittsburgh)
Marques Colston (@ St. Louis)
Vincent Jackson (@ Kansas City)
Dwayne Bowe (vs. San Diego)
Andre Johnson (vs. Jacksonville)
A.J. Green (@ Seattle)
DeSean Jackson (vs. Dallas)
Larry Fitzgerald (@ Baltimore)
Dez Bryant (@ Philadelphia)
Steve Johnson (vs. Washington)
Anquan Boldin (vs. Arizona)
Brandon Marshall (@ New York Giants)
Miles Austin (@ Philadelphia)
Jeremy Maclin (vs. Dallas)
Pierre Garcon (@ Tennessee)
Mario Manningham (vs. Miami)
Antonio Brown (vs. New England)
Brandon Lloyd (vs. New Orleans)
Nate Washington (vs. Indianapolis)
Jabar Gaffney (@ Buffalo)
Deion Branch (@ Pittsburgh)
Reggie Wayne (@ Tennessee)
Sidney Rice (vs. Cincinnati)
Greg Little (@ San Francisco)
Percy Harvin (@ Carolina)
Lance Moore (@ St. Louis)
David Nelson (vs. Washington)
Victor Cruz (vs. Miami)
Michael Crabtree (vs. Cleveland)
Eric Decker (vs. Detroit)
Torrey Smith (vs. Arizona)
Demaryius Thomas (vs. Detroit)
Steve Breaston (vs. San Diego)
Jerome Simpson (@ Seattle)
Doug Baldwin (vs. Cincinnati)
Malcom Floyd (@ Kansas City)

Nnamdi Asomugha may shadow Miles Austin or he may shadow Dez Bryant. Or a combination of both. Tough to say. Whatever the hell he does, his presence alone makes both Bryant and Austin WR2 options this week. As you can see I like Bryant more since I think Austin gets the Nnamdi treatment more often than Dez. Andre Johnson is still a question mark but I have him ranked as though he plays. If he plays I wouldn't expect huge things, but you have to start him. Brandon Lloyd was targeted an awful lot in his first game as a St. Louis Ram (12 targets). Josh McDaniels clearly loves him and there will be a lot of garbage time fantasy points to be had in that game. He's a great start this week. With Santana Moss on the shelf, look for Jabar Gaffney to make some noise against the Bills. He's an ideal bye week fill in.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham (@ St. Louis)
Jason Witten (@ Philadelphia)
Antonio Gates (@ Kansas City)
Vernon Davis (vs. Cleveland)
Owen Daniels (vs. Jacksonville)
Rob Gronkowski (@ Pittsburgh)
Fred Davis (@ Buffalo)
Aaron Hernandez (@ Pittsburgh)
Brandon Pettigrew (@ Denver)
Jermaine Gresham (@ Seattle)
Jake Ballard (vs. Miami)
Greg Olsen (vs. Minnesota)
Dallas Clark (@ Tennessee)
Jared Cook (vs. Indianapolis)
Ed Dickson (vs. Arizona)
Ben Watson (@ San Francisco)
Visanthe Shiancoe (@ Carolina)
Heath Miller (vs. New England)
Scott Chandler (vs. Washington)
Daniel Fells (vs. Detroit)

Andre Johnson will take a lot of pressure off of Owen Daniels if he plays. When you combine that with the fact that the Jaguars allow the 5th most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, you should understand why Daniels is in my top 5 at the position this week. The last time Rob Gronkowski faced the Steelers, he had 5 catches for 72 yards and 3 TDs. He won't do that again, but he's a good bet to score at least once. Jake Ballard is your waiver wire bye week filler this week. Miami allows 10.2 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends and Ballard is becoming a bigger part of the Giants offense with each passing game.

Defense/Special Teams

Ravens (vs. Arizona)
Giants (vs. Miami)
Lions (@ Denver)
49ers (vs. Cleveland)
Saints (@ St. Louis)
Bengals (@ Seattle)
Bills (vs. Washington)
Texans (vs. Jacksonville)
Cowboys (@ Philadelphia)
Titans (vs. Indianapolis)
Chargers (@ Kansas City)
Eagles (vs. Dallas)
Seahawks (vs. Cincinnati)
Browns (@ San Francisco)
Redskins (@ Buffalo)
Steelers (vs. New England)
Broncos (@ Miami)
Vikings (@ Carolina)
Chiefs (vs. San Diego)
Panthers (vs. Vikings)

I'm not real interested in the Steelers defense facing the Patriots coming off of their bye. You drafted the Steelers defense way too high in your draft, but despite that you may want to consider benching that unit this week. The Bills simply make plays on defense. They're at home and they're facing John Beck. I can see a pick six in that match up. The Texans are a decent spot start. Blaine Gabbert doesn't make many mistakes, but he doesn't exactly pick apart defenses either. At the very least the Texans will accumulate a few sacks and likely keep the Jacksonville yardage numbers low.

Good luck in week 8!

Chugg

Week 7 Rankings

2011-10-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

We've got a ton of fake football stud-muffins out on their bye weeks and none of those players would ever use the word "stud-muffins." I'm a little embarrassed about that. My apologies. This isn't an easy week to fill out a line up with the Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Bills, 49ers, and Bengals all out on their byes. I would recommend you don't start anyone from those teams this week since they would earn you zero fantasy points. Yeah, I'm pretty good at this analysis stuff. You don't have to tell me. I already know.

Here are the week 7 rankings, full of clarity and piece of mind. But first, check the week 7 injury report over at Razzball to make sure you don't start players who have a little sand in the wazoos. They could chafe their ying-yangs and end up porkin' you in the hoo-hoo.

Rankings updated on: October 21st

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers (@ Minnesota)
Drew Brees (vs. Indianapolis)
Tony Romo (vs. St. Louis)
Cam Newton (vs. Washington)
Matt Stafford (vs. Atlanta)
Ben Roethlisberger (@ Arizona)
Philip Rivers (@ New York Jets)
Tim Tebow (@ Miami)
Matt Schaub (@ Tennessee)
Josh Freeman (vs. Chicago)
Matt Ryan (@ Detroit)
Matt Cassel (@ Oakland)
Joe Flacco (@ Jacksonville)
Matt Hasselbeck (vs. Houston)
Jay Cutler (@ Tampa Bay)
Colt McCoy (vs. Seattle)
Curtis Painter (@ New Orleans)
Mark Sanchez (vs. San Diego)
Sam Bradford (@ Dallas)
Matt Moore (vs. Denver)
John Beck (@ Carolina)
Kevin Kolb (vs. Pittsburgh)
Kyle Boller (vs. Kansas City)
Charilie Whitehurst (@ Cleveland)
Christian Ponder (vs. Green Bay)

I swear if Tony Romo lets me down this week I'm personally driving to Dallas and kicking him in the she-bang-a-bangs. He can't possibly screw up a match up like the Rams, right? Actually, don't answer that. Good thoughts. Fresh off the bye week and the waiver wire, Tim Tebow should have a solid game against the Dolphins who give up the second most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Tebow for prez!! The Lions are a tough match up for Matt Ryan, but I think he'll be throwing a lot with the Detroit man-children defensive linemen stuffing Michael Turner all game. I still like Ryan as a fantasy starter despite the so-so match up. Speaking of throwing a lot, Curtis Painter will be doing just that to keep up with Drew Brees. I can't say I trust Painter yet, but garbage points count for a lot in this pretend game we play. He's a nice bye week fill in.

Running Backs

Darren McFadden (vs. Kansas City)
Ray Rice (@ Jacksonville)
Arian Foster (@ Tennessee)
Matt Forte (@ Tampa Bay)
Adrian Peterson (vs. Green Bay)
Rashard Mendenhall (@ Arizona)
Chris Johnson (vs. Houston)
Ryan Mathews (@ New York Jets)
Beanie Wells (vs. Pittsburgh)
Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. Baltimore)
Earnest Graham (vs. Chicago)
Ryan Torain (@ Carolina)
Willis McGahee (@ Miami)
Michael Turner (@ Detroit)
Steven Jackson (@ Dallas)
Daniel Thomas (vs. Denver)
DeMarco Murray (vs. St. Louis)
Darren Sproles (vs. Indianapolis)
James Starks (@ Minnesota)
Maurice Morris (vs. Atlanta)
Jackie Battle (@ Oakland)
Marshawn Lynch (@ Cleveland)
Mark Ingram (vs. Indianapolis)
Shonn Greene (vs. San Diego)
Mike Tolbert (@ New York Jets)
Montario Hardesty (vs. Seattle)
Jonathan Stewart (vs. Washington)
Michael Bush (vs. Kansas City)
DeAngelo Williams (vs. Washington)
Tashard Choice (vs. St. Louis)
Delone Carter (@ New Orleans)
Ryan Grant (@ Minnesota)
Pierre Thomas (vs. Indianapolis)
Peyton Hillis (vs. Seattle)
Ben Tate (@ Tennessee)
Donald Brown (@ New Orleans)
Reggie Bush (vs. Denver)
LaDanian Tomlinson (vs. San Diego)
Roy Helu (@ Carolina)
Tim Hightower (@ Carolina)

I predict 6,484 yards and 37 touchdowns from Darren McFadden this week. Or something like that. The Chiefs give up the 5th most fantasy points to opposing running backs, the Raiders are starting some Kyle Boller dude, and this game will be in the Black Hole. They'll rely heavily on DMC. Giddy-up. I don't think Michael Turner does too much against those stout Detroit defensive tackles. Turner is coming off a big game, and I see him hitting a Suh/Fairley wall to some degree. I like him more as a RB2 on Sunday. DeMarco Murray has a chance to shine in a golden match up. St. Louis allows 20.8 fake points a game to running backs. I like the sound of that. I know you're tempted to use Delone Carter, but only do so if you must. He'll be a non-factor most of the second half when the Colts are losing by a lot.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (vs. Atlanta)
Mike Wallace (@ Arizona)
Greg Jennings (@ Minnesota)
Miles Austin (vs. St. Louis)
Steve Smith (vs. Washington)
Dez Bryant (vs. St. Louis)
Dwayne Bowe (@ Oakland)
Brandon Marshall (vs. Denver)
Marques Colston (vs. Indianapolis)
Larry Fitzgerald (vs. Pittsburgh)
Roddy White (@ Detroit)
Pierre Garcon (@ New Orleans)
Vincent Jackson (@ New York Jets)
Jordy Nelson (@ Minnesota)
Santonio Holmes (vs. San Diego)
Eric Decker (@ Miami)
Anquan Boldin (@ Jacksonville)
Reggie Wayne (@ New Orleans)
Santana Moss (@ Carolina)
Sidney Rice (@ Cleveland)
Mike Williams - TB (vs. Chicago)
Greg Little (vs. Seattle)
Percy Harvin (vs. Green Bay)
Darrius Heyward-Bey (vs. Kansas City)
Nate Washington (vs. Houston)
Brandon Lloyd (@ Dallas)
James Jones (@ Minnesota)
Doug Baldwin (@ Cleveland)
Lance Moore (vs. Indianapolis)
Kevin Walter (@ Tennessee)
Steve Breaston (@ Oakland)
Torrey Smith (@ Jacksonville)
Mike Thomas (vs. Baltimore)
Malcom Floyd (@ New York Jets)
Hines Ward @ Arizona)
Robert Meachem (vs. Indianapolis)
Jacoby Jones (@ Tennessee)
Devin Hester (@ Tampa Bay)
Plaxico Burress (vs. San Diego)
Danario Alexander (@ Dallas)

With the Rams being so good against opposing tight ends and not so good against opposing receivers, I expect both Miles Austin and Dez Bryant to have field days on Sunday. Both are WR1's this week in my book and my book is amazing. I'm calling it "The Prophecies of Clintstrodamus." Look for it in a book store near you. Vincent Jackson draws Darrelle Revis, but I still think Jackson does enough to justify his ranking here. Start that fool. It'll be interesting to see how Brandon Lloyd adjusts to his new team. I can't trust him as anything more than a WR3 with his QB a bit banged up, but he's reunited with Josh McDaniels which could really pay off in a few weeks. I like him as a buy-low guy right now. A sneaky start this week is Greg Little who faces a Seahawks team who consistently gets beat by wide receivers. I think Little finishes with some fairly strong numbers.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham (vs. Indianapolis)
JerMichael Finley (@ Minnesota)
Antonio Gates (@ New York Jets)
Jason Witten (vs. St. Louis)
Kellen Winslow (vs. Chicago)
Brandon Pettigrew (vs. Atlanta)
Tony Gonzalez (@ Detroit)
Owen Daniels (@ Tennessee)
Fred Davis (@ Carolina)
Dallas Clark (@ New Orleans)
Greg Olsen (vs. Washington)
Dustin Keller (vs. San Diego)
Ben Watson (vs. Seattle)
Ed Dickson (@ Jacksonville)
Lance Kendricks (@ Dallas)
Jared Cook (vs. Houston)
Heath Miller (@ Arizona)
Kevin Boss (vs. Kansas City)
Visanthe Shiancoe (vs. Green Bay)
Todd Heap (vs. Pittsburgh)

I'm a little surprised by Kellen Winslow being in the top five too. Hey, he's facing the Bears who simply cannot cover opposing tight ends, and Josh Freeman is finally playing like an NFL quarterback again. I think Winslow has a big day by Winslow's standards. You heard it here first. Antonio Gates is expected to play on Sunday, and when he plays, you start him. His numbers may not be stellar his first game back from injury, but I don't see how you can really sit the guy. He's capable of special things. Other than that, nothing too fancy with the tight end rankings this week.

Defense/Special Teams

Ravens (@ Jacksonville)
Packers (@ Minnesota)
Cowboys (vs. St. Louis)
Steelers (@ Arizona)
Saints (vs. Indianapolis)
Jets (vs. San Diego)
Lions (vs. Atlanta)
Chargers (@ New York Jets)
Bears (@ Tampa Bay)
Browns (vs. Seattle)
Buccaneers (vs. Chicago)
Redskins (@ Carolina)
Raiders (vs. Kansas City)
Texans (@ Tennessee)
Titans (vs. Houston)
Broncos (@ Miami)
Seahawks (@ Cleveland)
Panthers (vs. Washington)
Chiefs (@ Oakland)
Dolphins (vs. Denver)

Let me get this straight - the Ravens and Packers are both facing rookie quarterbacks? That really isn't fair. I suppose all is fair in love, war, and fantasy football. Both units should have big fantasy days this weekend. If you're a streaming defense kind of guy, consider the Browns this week. They're at home and face a Charlie Whitehurst lead Seattle offense. Joe Haden will be out, but I still like their chances.

Good luck in week 7 amigos!

Chugg

Trying To Fix Your Akili Smith Pick (Buy/Sell)

2011-10-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. You made a dumb call or fifteen on draft day. You loved Austin Collie as a WR1 and thought Reggie Bush was going to find his USC days in Miami. Josh Freeman and Mike Williams seemed like the perfect double-dip to take advantage of each week. You even followed a special tip from a noted four-letter guru and made sure you got Antonio Gates.

Hopefully your bench helped you out and you are still in playoff contention. If not, it's time to make moves for next year in keeper and dynasty leagues. In redraft, shoot for a weekly prize if there is one or just embrace the role of spoiler. No one likes a quitter and if you're thinking about dropping out midseason, don't think about going back to that league next year. Let's make the best of it and try to swing these players before games get rolling on Sunday. You could also take bets on the Coach's Fight Club in your spare time.

Buy

Roddy White: The Falcons said they are going devote more of their game to running the ball, but how much longer can they truly rely on the aging legs of Michael Turner? Roddy is currently WR25 in PPR and is poised to get going soon. Make an offer now.

Dez Bryant: Most still have faith in Dez, but he has disappointed in the 2nd half of games this year and can potentially be had a discount. The WR21 has top 10 potential and the Cowboys have a pass happy schedule coming up. Get him while you can.

Phillip Rivers: Rivers has looked ordinary and is currently QB13 on the board. Antonio Gates appears to be getting healthy and Rivers will likely trend back to the top 5 status you expected on draft day. See if you can make a deal with a frustrated owner.

Chris Johnson: This is becoming a bit redundant, but Johnson is coming off a bye week and still has incredible talent. Throw out an offer.

Marshawn Lynch: Beastmode may be making a reappearance in Seattle. Robert Gallery is back healthy and should open up some holes for the best looking running back in the NFL. He could probably be had for cheap.

Sell

Darren Sproles: Sproles has been what Reggie Bush was always supposed to be, but at some point you have to think that Mark Ingram is going to be the bellcow that was expected with the first round pick. I'd offer the Ingram owner Sproles straight up and hope for a second half surge from Ingram who has looked good despite limited snaps.

Jordy Nelson: Nelson will always be a boom or bust guy that you hope breaks a 70-yard TD. In the Green Bay offense, that will happen a lot, but you may be able to use Nelson in a deal for a more consistent threat like Jeremy Maclin.

Fred Jackson: This won't be popular as FJax is the #1 RB at this point in the season. However, Jackson is 30 and isn't likely to keep up with this pace unless you envision him with 1,600 yards and 15 TDs. I don't. See if you can get an owner with CJ2K to bite.

Jermichael Finley: I wrote at the preseason that I thought he was going to be the biggest bust, but his PPG average is solid due to one big game. He has been the epitome of inconsistent and all of the fears that Greg Jennings would lose targets to him haven't been seen. If he has another, I try to swing him for another top TE even if I have to throw something in.

Let me know your thoughts. Good luck trading and the rest of the season.

NFL Coaches Fight Club: AFC First Round

2011-10-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

After an exhilarating NFC FIRST ROUND that saw a few upsets - its time to move on to the AFC FIRST ROUND. I have run several million simulations through a CIA supercomputer to verify that these results are accurate. Or, again, I just made the up. Regardless, we are well on our way to crowning the winner of the NFL Coaches Fight Club.

Updated Bracket:

Jack Del Rio (1) v. Chan Gailey (16): Jack Del Rio was an All American linebacker at USC and was the Most Valuable Player of the 1985 Rose Bowl. Although Chan Gailey is only 59, he looks like he is at least 75. Del Rio had an 11 year NFL career and played in the 1994 Pro Bowl. Chan Gailey was an Eagle Scout as a boy. Jack Del Rio would not have had to change his name to play in an 80’s hair metal band. Chan is short for Chandler.# Winner: Jack Del Rio

Rex Ryan (8) v. Gary Kubiak (9): Rex Ryan has already predicted victory in the entire tournament. This may be Kubiak’s last shot. Bravado vs. desperation, which one wins out. Ryan comes out of the gate strong, using his weight advantage to gain the upper hand. Kubiak, didn’t spend all that time behind John Elway without learning how to improvise, however. He whips off his shoes and socks, mesmerizes Ryan and goes in for the kill. Winner: Gary Kubiak

Mike Munchak (5) v. Pat Shurmur (12): Munchak is a tough former Big Ten offensive lineman, and the 8th overall pick of the 1982 draft. He had a storied NFL career, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001. Shurmur is a former offensive lineman from Michigan State, and has a slight age advantage over Munchak (46 to 51). This is a tough, hard fought battle that comes down to the very last blow. Winner: Mike Munchak

John Harbaugh (4) v. Bill Belichick (13): Harbaugh, having already cheered his brother on to victory, came in a little overconfident. Although 10 years older, Belichick came in with a strong gameplan. Although his defense was lackluster, and he took too many hard blows, he was also able to blast Harbaugh with his offensive moves. Belichick started out coaching the Patriots as an underdog, and he again pulls off the major upset. I just wouldn’t expect him to go undefeated. Winner: Bill Belichick

Tony Sparano (6) v. John Fox (11): Sparano looks tough on the outside, and ended up with the 6 seed. Foxy looks friendlier, and combined with the tumultuous end to tenure in Carolina, earned him the 11 seed. Well, looks can be deceiving, my friend. Sparano had a few gimmicky moves that worked in the short term, but quickly became both disinterested and confused. Meanwhile, Foxy’s defense tired Sparano out, and he took him down. It’s like they say, defense wins championships. Winner: John Fox.

Mike Tomlin (3) v. Jim Caldwell (14): Tomlin floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. Caldwell just stood around, like he was waiting for someone to put him out of his misery. Tomlin was happy to oblige, and this one was over before it started. . Winner: Mike Tomlin

Marvin Lewis (7) v. Todd Haley (10): Marvin Lewis starts the fight by whispering in Haley’s ear, “I’ve coached enough felons to know how to fight like one.” Haley immediately turns six shades whiter. Haley has a couple of good moves, but for some reason, refuses to use them, instead resorting to slow, plodding punches that Lewis can easily dodge and counterstrike. The good news for Haley is that his blood matches the color of his Chiefs gear. Winner: Marvin Lewis

Hue Jackson (2) v. Norv Turner (15): Norv seems nice enough, but you have to wonder if he even knew that this was a fight. Hue Jackson has bravado, but seems to have substance to back it up. He starts out with a swift headbutt, and it goes downhill for Norv from there. After it’s over, Jackson leans over his defeated opponent, spits on him and says “I’m Hue Jackson, bitch.” Winner: Hue Jackson

Stay tuned folks, we’ll have the entire SECOND ROUND and will wrap this shindig up next week.

NFL Coaches Fight Club: NFC First Round

2011-10-18T10:44:00.001-07:00

Nothing is more exhilarating than two people you wouldn’t expect to fight getting into it. That’s why I think there has been so much made out of this Jim Schwartz/Jim Harbaugh incident. People like seeing people fight. People like it even more when it happens organically. This obviously got me to thinking, who would win in a Battle Royale between all of the NFL coaches? Unfortunately. its not practical to project who would win a Royal Rumble with all 32 in the ring at the same time (although it would certainly be a highly rated event). Thus, a dignified tournament is the only way to go. I gathered a team of highly respected experts from the NFL, boxing, MMA and Magnus Ver Magnusson to help me seed the 32 coaches into two brackets, NFC and AFC. That is to say, I just made it up.

Here is the overall bracket:

Let’s explore the NFC FIRST ROUND matchups on our way to crowing the winner of the NFL Coaches Fight Club.

Jim Schwartz (1) v. Sean Payton (16): This is the equivalent of Duke playing Southeastern Midwest Montana State Vocational College. Schwartz is a former college linebacker and apparently an avid chess player. Thus, he clearly has killer instincts and a mind for strategy. Plus he usually has that crazy look in his eye like he’s going to f*@k a dude up. Sean Peyton has torn ligaments in his knee and a broken leg. Forced to compete by Overlord Goodell, this one is over quickly. Winner: Jim Schwartz

Andy Reid (8) v. Mike McCarthy (9): Something about Mike McCarthy doesn’t exude the fear aspect you would want when you are sending your Head Coach into a bare knuckle fight. Reid gets the 8 seed mostly based on weight. This one is ugly, but ultimately McCarthy uses his mobility, distracts Andy Reid with a cheese steak, and hits with a sucker punch he learned from Brett Favre. Winner: Mike McCarthy

Ron Rivera (5) v. Pete Carroll (12): If you are looking for a classic 5-12 upset, you came to the wrong place. Upset over his low ranking, Rivera comes out like a starved wolverine. Carroll spends the entire fight protecting his face. Rivera’s decimated opponent is left with imprints of a 1985 Super Bowl ring all over his body. Winner: Ron Rivera

Ken Whisenhunt (4) v. Leslie Frazier (13): Another member of the 1985 Bears defense, you would think that Frazier would be seeded higher and perform better, but the committee knew he was lost from the start. Whiz has a good offensive mind, while Frazier kept looking around for instructions that never came (Musgrave was cowering in the corner). This one was over quickly. Winner: Ken Whisenhunt

Tom Coughlin (6) v. Steve Spagnuolo (11): Spags worked for Coughlin and they won a Super Bowl together, so there’s familiarity here, and the contempt that comes along with it. Spags moves quickly and methodically knowing Coughlin’s weak points. Although you would expect him to be more disciplined, Coughlin makes a few major mistakes that cost him. He looks to Eli for support, but only receives the Manning Face. When its over, Bill Cowher boards a plane for Newark International. Winner: Steve Spagnuolo.

Raheem Morris (3) v. Jason Garrett (14): Something about Raheem Morris to me, I feel he can pump himself up into a psychotic frenzy. Garrett meanwhile can’t get his strategy together while Jerry Jones stands by shouting out conflicting statements about what Garrett should have done. There was simply no chance for an upset here. Winner: Raheem Morris

Lovie Smith (7) v. Mike Shanahan (10): Shanahan is clearly upset about his fairly low seed regardless of his 6 year age difference with Smith. Smith meanwhile is somewhat complacent, seeming resigned to whatever fate falls upon him. With Mike Martz watching and giggling like a school girl, Shanny goes bezerker on Smith and its over quickly. Jay Cutler leans over and whispers in the fallen Smith’s ear “Now you know how I feel.” Winner: Mike Shanahan

Jim Harbaugh (2) v. Mike Smith (15): Harbaugh’s killer instinct earns him the number 2 seed. Smith is a former linebacker, but just isn’t able to get it up for the big game. This one is a little more competitive that originally thought, but just when it looks like Smith might have an opening, he stumbles, giving Harbaugh the opening he needs. Smith goes down quickly, left to recover and think about what might have been. Winner: Jim Harbaugh

That’s it for today. We’ll take a look at the AFC FIRST ROUND matchups tomorrow.

Week 6 Rankings

2011-10-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

It's week 6 in your fantasy football season. No more messing around and tinkering with your line ups. You can't keep waiting for your early round picks to produce. If you have to start Victor Cruz over Reggie Wayne, so be it. Ryan Fitzpatrick over Josh Freeman? Gotta do it. It's hard to sit those early round draft choices, but we're far enough into the season now to know what kind of numbers to expect from specific players. Start those who are producing. It really is that simple.

Here are the week 6 rankings, loaded with production and upside. But first, check the week 6 injury report over at Razzball to make sure you don't start players with no upside. It's updated right up to kickoff Sunday morning.

Rankings updated on: October 15th

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers (vs. St. Louis)
Tom Brady (vs. Dallas)
Cam Newton (@ Atlanta)
Michael Vick (@ Washington)
Tony Romo (@ New England)
Drew Brees (@ Tampa Bay)
Matt Stafford (vs. San Francisco)
Eli Manning (vs. Buffalo)
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. Jacksonville)
Matt Ryan (vs. Carolina)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (@ New York Giants)
Mark Sanchez (vs. Miami)
Matt Schaub (@ Baltimore)
Josh Freeman (vs. New Orleans)
Joe Flacco (vs. Houston)
Colt McCoy (@ Oakland)
Sam Bradford (@ Green Bay)
Jason Campbell (vs. Cleveland)
Andy Dalton (vs. Indianapolis)
Rex Grossman (vs. Philadelphia)
Jay Cutler (vs. Minnesota)
Alex Smith (@ Detroit)
Curtis Painter (@ Cincinnati)
Matt Moore (@ New York Jets)
Donovan McNabb (@ Chicago)

Tony Romo, fresh off of his bye, cracks the top 5 with an expected shootout in New England. I want to rank him even higher than that, but he doesn't run the ball like Mike Vick and Cam Newton do. That gives Vick and Newton the slight edge over Romo this week. I can't push Eli Manning up any further in the rankings, but I love his match up with the Bills in another game with shootout potential. It's another nice week to start Mark Sanchez if you need a replacement for Philip Rivers or Matt Hasselbeck. Miami allows 20.6 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs, second most of any team. Another nice fill in is Colt McCoy, who faces a Raiders defense that just gave up 400 yards through the air to an Andre Johnson-less Matt Schaub. The Raiders also allow the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing QBs (19.6).

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson (@ Chicago)
Fred Jackson (@ New York Giants)
LeSean McCoy (@Washington)
Ray Rice (vs. Houston)
Darren McFadden (vs. Cleveland)
Michael Turner (vs. Carolina)
Matt Forte (vs. Minnesota)
Maurice Jones-Drew (@ Pittsburgh)
Ahmad Bradshaw (vs. Buffalo)
Cedric Benson (vs. Indianapolis)
Arian Foster (@ Baltimore)
Peyton Hillis (@ Oakland)
Ryan Torain (vs. Philadelphia)
Frank Gore (@ Detroit)
Felix Jones (@ New England)
James Starks (vs. St. Louis)
Jahvid Best (vs. San Francisco)
Darren Sproles (@ Tampa Bay)
Shonn Greene (vs. Miami)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (vs. Dallas)
Earnest Graham (vs. New Orleans)
Daniel Thomas (@ New York Jets)
Steven Jackson (@ Green Bay)
Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Jacksonville)
Delone Carter (@ Cincinnati)
Ryan Grant (vs. St. Louis)
Mark Ingram (@ Tampa Bay)
DeAngelo Williams (@ Atlanta)
Pierre Thomas (@ Tampa Bay)
Jonathan Stewart (@ Atlanta)
Tim Hightower (vs. Philadelphia)
LaDanian Tomlinson (vs. Miami)
Michael Bush (vs. Cleveland)
Montario Hardesty (@ Oakland)
Stevan Ridley (vs. Dallas)
Donald Brown (@ Cincinnati)
Kendall Hunter (@ Detroit)
Issac Redman (vs. Jacksonville)
Reggie Bush (@ New York Jets)
C.J. Spiller (@ New York Giants)

The Ravens know the Texans will be without Andre Johnson again, so I imagine they'll stack the box to stop Arian Foster. They don't give up much on the ground anyways, plus they're coming off of their bye. Tough week for Foster. The only reason he's in the top 12 is his ability in the passing game. Cedric Benson is once again delaying his suspension and is a nice start against an undersized Colts defense. I'm counting on at least one TD from Benson this week. Peyton Hillis is finally healthy and will be fresh coming off of his bye. He's RB1 material against the Raiders, who give up 23.6 points per game to opposing RBs, 4th most in the league. Rashard Mendehall is expected to start, but he makes me nervous. He's been average at best so far this season and is now coming off an injury. I'd only trust him as a flex this week.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (vs. San Francisco)
Wes Welker (vs. Dallas)
Greg Jennings (vs. St. Louis)
Steve Smith (@ Atlanta)
Hakeem Nicks (vs. Buffalo)
Miles Austin (@ New England)
Mike Wallace (vs. Jacksonville)
Roddy White (vs. Carolina)
Dez Bryant (@ New England)
Steve Johnson (@ New York Giants)
DeSean Jackson (@ Washington)
A.J. Green (vs. Indianapolis)
Jeremy Maclin (@ Washington)
Santonio Holmes (vs. Miami)
Anquan Boldin (vs. Houston)
Marques Colston (@ Tampa Bay)
Victor Cruz (vs. Buffalo)
Pierre Garcon (@ Cincinnati)
Mike Williams - TB (vs. New Orleans)
Jordy Nelson (vs. St. Louis)
Deion Branch (vs. Dallas)
Plaxico Burress (vs. Miami)
Mario Manningham (vs. Buffalo)
Santana Moss (vs. Philadelphia)
Reggie Wayne (@ Cincinnati)
Brandon Marshall (@ New York Jets)
Darrius Heyward-Bey (vs. Cleveland)
Percy Harvin (@ Chicago)
Michael Crabtree (@ Detroit)
Greg Little (@ Oakland)
Robert Meachem (@ Tampa Bay)
Mike Thomas (@ Pittsburgh)
David Nelson (@ New York Giants)
Denarius Moore (vs. Cleveland)
Lance Moore (@ Tampa Bay)
Danario Alexander (@ Green Bay)
Antonio Brown (vs. Jacksonville)
James Jones (vs. St. Louis)
Kevin Walter (@ Baltimore)
Preston Parker (vs. New Orleans)

I almost put Wes Welker ahead of Calvin Johnson. Almost. But I just can't do it. It doesn't really matter. Both are unstoppable right now. Fantasy owners are happy to see Miles Austin return to action against the worst pass defense in the league. He should have a big game on Sunday. Curtis Painter clearly prefers Pierre Garcon over Reggie Wayne. Garcon is coming off back-to-back 125+, 2 TD games with Painter chucking the rock. He's now a legit WR2. So is Victor Cruz, who keeps making Eli Manning look better than he is. With the way Cruz is producing, you have to keep him active. It isn't Percy Harvin's fault he's ranked so low. It's Donovan McNabb's fault. McNabb is terrible and just kills any upside Harvin has.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham (@ Tampa Bay)
Jason Witten (@ New England)
Vernon Davis (@ Detroit)
Rob Gronkowski (vs. Dallas)
JerMichael Finley (vs. St. Louis)
Tony Gonzalez (vs. Carolina)
Aaron Hernandez (vs. Dallas)
Owen Daniels (@ Baltimore)
Brandon Pettigrew (vs. San Francisco)
Greg Olsen (@ Atlanta)
Dustin Keller (vs. Miami)
Kellen Winslow (vs. New Orleans)
Jermaine Gresham (vs. Indianapolis)
Fred Davis (vs. Philadelphia)
Visanthe Shiancoe (@ Chicago)
Ben Watson (@ Oakland)
Scott Chandler (@ New York Giants)
Jake Ballard (vs. Buffalo)
Dallas Clark (@ Cincinnati)
Joel Dreessen (vs. Oakland)

Don't get cute with your tight ends. Start your studs, even if they've been under-producing lately (I'm looking at you, Rob Gronkowski and JerMichael Finley). Both Gronkowski and Finley are due for big games, although Finley faces a tough match up for tight ends. The toughest in the league, in fact. The Rams only allow 2.5 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. I think Finley's talent wins in the end. Dustin Keller has a nice match up against the Dolphins. He's worth starting as a bye week fill-in this week. A very sneaky deep league play is Visanthe Shiancoe. Shiancoe has done next to nothing this year, but the Bears give up the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends (13.0 points per game).

Defense/Special Teams

Jets (vs. Miami)
Steelers (vs. Jacksonville)
Packers (vs. St. Louis)
Ravens (vs. Houston)
Bengals (vs. Indianapolis)
Lions (vs. San Francisco)
Saints (@ Tampa Bay)
Bears (vs. Minnesota)
49ers (@ Detroit)
Redskins (vs. Philadelphia)
Bills (@ New York Giants)
Vikings (@ Chicago)
Eagles (@ Washington)
Falcons (vs. Carolina)
Texans (@ Baltimore)
Giants (vs. Buffalo)
Dolphins (@ New York Jets)
Raiders (vs. Cleveland)
Colts (@ Cincinnati)
Jaguars (@ Pittsburgh)

The Dolphins are starting Matt Moore. How can you not like the Jets at home on Monday night? They get the #1 spot this week. I think Dick Lebeau's defense will be no match for Blaine Gabbert even if the Steelers are a little banged up. Maurice Jones-Drew will try to keep this defense honest, but by the time the 4th quarter rolls around, the advantage will go to the Steelers defense. The bye week defense to roll with this week is the Bengals. They're an underrated defense and get the Colts at home. I like them to make a few plays on Sunday.

Good luck in week 6 compadres!

Chugg

Week 6 Waiver Wire

2011-10-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

The first round of bye weeks was a kick in the pants. It's never easy dealing with those damn things. This week is just as tough. The Chargers, Seahawks, Titans, Cardinals, Broncos, and Chiefs all have their bye weeks in week six. Time to scour the waiver wire once again. Some of these guys won't help this week since they're on one of the six aforementioned bye week teams, but you best get them now before some other jackass in your league picks them up before you do.

Tim Tebow photo courtesy of everyjoe.com.

Tim Tebow (DEN - QB) - Is he going to sit in the pocket and pick apart defenses with 300 yard passing games? Nope, he sure isn't. But what he will do is run the ball an ill-advised number of times, which always translates to advised fantasy numbers. Throw in an ill-advised goal line scramble touchdown here and there and you have yourself an advised starting fantasy QB. If you're playing musical chairs with your QBs this season, Tebow offers some stability at the position long term.

Curtis Painter (IND - QB) - Mr. Painter has back-to-back 275+ yard, 2 TD, 0 INT in his first two starts as a pro. Not too shabby. These performances were against the Bucs and Chiefs so let's not all rush out to the waiver wire in a mad dash to claim this guy, but he can at least be a serviceable bye week filler if you need one. The Bengals and their 3rd ranked pass defense are a tough draw this week for Painter, but the Saints in week seven can be thrown on. Keep him in mind.

Jackie Battle (KC - RB) - It's easy to get excited about his 21 touch, 140 yard performance on Sunday, but then you take a second glance or read an amazing fantasy football blog and realize this performance came against the Colts. He needs to be added, but keep your expectations in the RB4/flex range. The Chiefs are a bad football team and will be trailing a lot, meaning Battle will be forgotten often in the second half/4th quarter of games.

Delone Carter (IND - RB) - There's no official word on the extent of Joseph Addai's hamstring injury, but he did say the following not-so-optimistic words: "Sometimes you feel it tear." A torn hamstring means several weeks on the shelf for Addai, and Carter is in line to see the majority of the carries while he's out, including the goal line carries. Between he and Donald Brown, Carter is the one to add. We've all learned our lesson on Donald Brown by now, haven't we?

Earnest Graham (TB - RB) - Initial reports aren't promising for LeGarrette Blount to play on Sunday (knee injury). If he is out, Graham will start against the Saints. New Orleans is a middle-of-the-pack rush defense (ranked 15th) so it could be worse. Even so, Graham makes enough plays in the passing game to be a worthwhile start as a deep league RB2 or flex regardless of match up. He'll get you some points.

Doug Baldwin photo courtesy of blog.seattlepi.com.

Doug Baldwin (SEA - WR) - With Baldwin's 8 catch, 136 yard, 1 TD performance against the Giants, he is now the 21st scoring fantasy receiver in standard scoring leagues. No really, he is. This production came with Mike Williams out, but he still had two games of 80+ yards receiving before Sunday's game. On the flip side, he also had two games of less than 25 yards receiving. He's going to be inconsistent, but he's worth adding in deep leagues. His solid overall play has earned him more playing time.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK - WR) - I can barely believe it myself that DHB is on the waiver wire report this week but the kid is producing. He followed up his 4 catch, 115 yard game vs. the Patriots in week four with a 7 catch, 99 yard, 1 TD game vs. the Texans on Sunday. More importantly he had 12 targets. It appears he's finally becoming a part of this offense and should be good for a flex start if the match up is right. The week six Cleveland match up isn't so hot, but the week seven Chiefs match up is. It's better to add him a week early than a week late (when he's not on waivers anymore).

Greg Little (CLE - WR) - Little has been invisible for most of the season, but the Browns named him a starter this week. Before the week five bye, Little had 6 catches for 57 yards against the Titans in week four. With more playing time, he should obviously see more targets. He's the most talented Browns wide receiver and it's only a matter of time before he makes a big impact.

Jake Ballard photo courtesy of springborofootball.com.

Harry Douglas (ATL - WR) - Julio Jones is dealing with the dreaded hamstring injury and may miss the game against the Panthers this weekend. That would open the door for Douglas to start opposite Roddy White, and with White and Tony Gonzalez commanding most of the defensive attention, Douglas is a good bet to break a long one on Sunday. This is a bit of a gut call, but I think he has a nice game against Carolina and my gut is growing by the day due to lack of any resemblance of physical activity so that should make you feel better about things.

Jake Ballard (NYG - TE) - I feel a little silly including a tight end on the waiver wire report with all the tight end talent around the league. There aren't any major TE's out on their bye week either (save Antonio Gates), but I'm going to give Ballard a little love, but not in that way. Ballard has scored (not in that way) the past two weeks and is becoming a favorite of Tom "Turn Your Head And" Coughlin in the Giants passing game. He's worth a look as a bye week replacement any given week except week seven when he is out on a bye of his own.

Drop these candy asses: Kyle Orton, Chad Henne, Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Ben Tate, Danny Woodhead, Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, LaDanian Tomlinson, Knowshon Moreno, Nate Burleson, Devery Henderson, Roy Williams, Chad Ochocinco, Mike Sims-Walker, Johnny Knox, Marcedes Lewis, Dallas Clark.

Chugg

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Week 5

2011-10-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

Fantasy football is such a wacky game. Trying to predict an unpredicable game can lead a man to the nuthouse. Wait a minute..THAT must be why my family scheduled an intervention this week. Now I get it! I'm not crazy, I swear. I swear!

Okay, enough of the madness. The NFL is one crazy league. I think we all know that by now. The best advice I can give you is to expect the unexpected. Every week there are great performances that come out of nowhere, and piss poor performances that have us searching our cabinets for crazy pills. Let's take a look at a few of them from week 5. Cue the music.

The Good

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT - QB) - It was a question as to whether or not Big Ben was even going to play on Sunday with his gimpy foot. Well, he played and flat out kicked some Titan ass to the tune of 228 yards and 5 TD passes. The Jaguars, Cardinals and Patriots are next on the Steelers schedule, so fantasy owners should feel a lot better about deploying Roethlisberger against those soft opponents after he proved he can still get it done, even when he isn't 100%.

Adrian Peterson (MIN - RB) - All Day bulldozed the Cardinals defensive backs on Sunday, pounding them into fine piles of embarrassed manhood. He then turned around to mock, point and laugh at them while little baby Jesus softly wept. Lord have mercy Peterson is a man-child. His 122 yards and 3 TDs were a thing of fantasy beauty. I wouldn't want to be a defensive player for the Chicago Bears who are next on Peterson's mission - Operation: Remove Defensive Manhood.

San Francisco 49ers - I have to give credit where credit is due. The 49ers killed the Bucs Sunday afternoon with a final score of 48-3. This team is now 4-1, folks. Alex Smith is playing arguably the best football of his career, Frank Gore has been rejuvenated, and Vernon Davis is a man among boys. Smith shouldn't be starting for fantasy teams, but he's proven he belongs on fantasy rosters as a back up or bye week replacement, and the Gore/Davis tandem should be locked in your starting fantasy line ups until further notice. They're playing good football in the Bay Area.

The Bad

Matt Ryan (ATL - QB) - In what appeared to be a golden match up with shootout potential, Ryan delivered a craptastic performance. Matty Ice was just 18/32 passing for 167 yards, 1 TD and 2 picks against the 29th ranked Packers pass defense. That's not very good. Something's off. I can't put my finger on it, but then again that isn't my job, so hopefully Mike Smith can figure it out since that's his job. I'm not too worried about the Falcons skill players yet, but they need to get this ship back on course or fantasy owners are going to go all Bobby Petrino on these guys. Yeah, I went there.

Darren McFadden (OAK - RB) - DMC had just 51 rushing yards on 16 carries, and just 2 catches for 17 yards against the Texans. He wasn't TERRIBLE, but fantasy owners were counting on him for a lot more than that. Fear not, worried fantasy owners. McFadden is still one of the best running backs in the game. Even elite talents have an off game from time to time. I know just the thing to cure what ales him - two nice juicy match ups with the Browns and Chiefs. Oh yes, boom the dynamite will go.

Mario Manningham (NYG - WR) - I'm officially worried about Manningham. Victor Cruz is kicking ass and Manningham isn't. For the second straight week Cruz was targeted more than Manningham (11 to 9), and Cruz was far and away more productive. Manningham will still have some big games, but Cruz isn't going to go away. This is going to be a frustrating fantasy situation for the rest of the year unless one of them gets injured. Both are WR3/flex options right now and can't be counted on for consistent numbers.

The Ugly

Kevin Kolb (ARZ - QB) - If Kolb doesn't realize he has one of the best receivers in the game to throw to soon, I'm going to piss and moan a little louder and continue to do absolutely nothing about it but with a little more anger. I wish I could do something about it, but until Kolb starts throwing to Larry Fitzgerald, he's going to continue delivering games like his 232 yard, 0 TD, 3 turnover crapterpiece he blessed us with on Sunday.

Jacoby Jones (HOU - WR) - Jones needed to step up with Andre Johnson out and although Matt Schaub tried and tried to help Jones out with that (11 targets), Jones refused to cooperate. Jones had a whopping 1 catch for 9 yards on those 11 targets. Hopefully you now understand why I said I trusted Kevin Walter more than Jacoby Jones in last week's waiver wire.

Dallas Clark (IND - TE) - It's time to cut your losses. Clark isn't doing anything. It doesn't matter if it's Kerry Collins or Curtis Painter at QB for the Colts, neither of them are looking Clark's way. With so much tight end talent out there, fantasy owners need to cut Clark and get someone who actually produces more than 0 fantasy points (1 catch for 7 yards on Sunday from Clark).

As expected, week 5 didn't disappoint. Week 6 won't either. I'm looking forward to it. See you then my fellow fake football nutcases!

Chugg

First Quarter 2011 Season Review

2011-10-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

The lockout is a distant memory, and one quarter of the 2011 NFL season is already in the books. So much can chance in such a short period of time, especially for Jamaal Charles and Kenny Britt owners. After a draft, you were probably pretty happy with a lineup of Big Ben, Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, Reggie Wayne, Kenny Britt, Austin Collie, Chris Cooley and the Eagles Defense. Now, that lineup has you scouring the waiver wire, and probably in last place. It’s one of the reasons that good fantasy football players draft for depth. Injuries and busts can and will happen on a regular basis. The Peyton Manning Effect is wearing down the entire Colts offense. Now, with all of that being said, let’s take a look at some of the biggest values and busts through the first quarter of the season.

Quarterback

Value: Cam Newton: (MyFantasyLeague.com PPR ADP - QB24, 176 overall). No one could have predicted that, through 4 weeks, Newton would be the third highest scoring QB, and just 8 points behind leader Aaron Rodgers. He has shown remarkable composure and poise, and an instant rapport with Carolina’s two best weapons WR Steve Smith and TE Greg Olsen. Anyone that took a late-round gamble on Newton as a high-upside QB2 has certainly reaped the benefits so far. The schedule looks fairly cooperative for his passing matchups going forward, and he has basically assumed Carolina’s goal line back role. Look for Newton to keep rolling.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Fitzpatrick (ADP QB22, 152 overall): currently QB9.

Bust: Ben Roethlisberger (ADP QB9, 67 Overall): currently QB24. Big Ben was supposed to be one of the better of the second tier QBs after Rodgers, Vick, Brees, Brady and (depending on when your draft was) Manning. Instead, he has been plagued by a banged-up offensive line, the lack of a running game, and injuries to his foot. He has a great weapon in Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown seems to be emerging, but the Steelers offense as a whole does not seem to be clicking, and that seems unlikely to change until Roethlisberger and his offensive line can get healthy.

Running Back

Value: Darren Sproles (DP RB47, 124 overall): What can you say about a guy that was basically depth fodder in most drafts and is the eighth highest scoring PPR back through four weeks. Sproles is a great player that has been the beneficiary of excellent play calling for his skill set by Sean Payton, and the fact that he developed an instant rapport with Drew Brees. The Saints get him the ball in space by design on a regular basis, and Sproles simply knows what to do next. I suspect you will see his name on the rosters of many championship teams in PPR leagues at the end of the year.

Honorable Mention: Fred Jackson (RB32, 65 overall): currently RB6, Beanie Wells (RB25, 60 overall): currently RB12, Matt Forte (RB12, 17 overall): currently RB1.

Bust: Knowshon Moreno (ADP RB22, 47 overall). Moreno has 9.8 PPR fantasy points this season, good for RB74 behind such luminaries as Alfonso Smith (12.1) points, Spencer Larsen (12.7 points) and Brian Leonard (16.7 points). Injury-prone and with a questionable work ethic anyone counting on Moreno to be an RB2 or even a flex has been sorely disappointed.

Wide Receiver

Values: There are too many good value WRs, so I’m going to cheat and give you three:

Eric Decker (ADP N/A): currently WR10: Decker went mostly undrafted, with questions about both his role and the Denver offense as a whole. But Decker, who sat out last year with an injury, has the size and skills to make plays, and Eddie Royal, who is hurt himself now anyway, was never really a serious threat to steal targets. With the Broncos projecting to be playing from behind most weeks, Decker may not maintain WR10 numbers, but should be a solid WR3 play every week with high end WR2 upside, regardless of who is playing QB (except for Brady Quinn, who isn’t really a football player and would downgrade the entire Denver offense that would essentially be playing 10 vs. 11).

Steve Smith (ADP WR34, 87 overall): currently WR3: See Cam Newton above. Playing with a QB that has the arm strength to get him the ball downfield, and the desire to get him the ball at all costs has re-energized Smith.

Jordy Nelson (ADP WR46, 123 overall): currently WR16. Nelson has emerged as the third option on the potent Green Bay offense, which is clearly producing enough targets to service Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley and Nelson. He’s a top-level WR3 play on a weekly basis.

Honorable Mention: A.J. Green (ADP WR33, 88 overall): currently WR14.

Bust: Reggie Wayne (ADP WR9, 26 overall): currently WR29: Unfortunately victim of the Peyton Manning effect. While he is still startable as a WR3, that’s not why you drafted him in the second round. He’s been the lone Curtis Painter supporter - hopefully that locker room support makes it way to the field in time to salvage his season. If Wayne can work his way back up to a WR2 at this point, consider yourself lucky.

Tight End

Value: Tony Gonzalez (ADP TE11, 103 overall): currently TE4. Talk about a resurgence. Although he finished as a low-end TE1 last year (TE8), Tony G has really stepped it up this year, and, on top of his overall stats, has made a couple of spectacular catches already this year. Perhaps the addition of Julio Jones as a quality WR2 has taken some of the heat off of him, but Gonzalez has really been a nice surprise for those that were patient and waited on tight end.

Honorable Mention: Rob Gronkowski (ADP TE9, 102 overall): currently TE2

Bust: Dallas Clark (ADP TE4, 51 overall): currently TE19: Perhaps the biggest loser under the Peyton Manning effect, Clark is no longer a TE1 and is droppable in most leagues. I have to believe he says a prayer for Peyton’s neck every night before he goes to bed in his Peyton Manning pajamas.

Tha Crossroads (So You Won't Be Losing)

2011-10-05T02:12:00.000-07:00

Tell me whatcha gonna do now,

Tell me what when there ain't no where to run

When judgement comes for you, when judgement comes for you?

And whatcha gonna do now, tell me what

When there ain't no where to hide,

When judgement comes for you, 'cause it's gonna come for you?

It's Week 5 and you are starting to get the sense of where your team stands. You are sitting at the crossroads of your season as we approach the first bye week. Which way will your team go in the coming weeks? Are the playoffs a possible goal? Are you unintentionally playing "Suck for Luck"? Keeper and dynasty leagues differ for sure, but what are going to do if you are looking to win this year?

A: Your Team is 4-0 or 3-1

Don't get over confident. Have you won your games due to piss poor opponents or is your team in the top half of points scored? If you are a paper champion who has scraped by, you likely need to check your roster and see where some upgrades can be made. I wouldn't trade my studs unless you get an offer that knocks your socks off, but there are players you can sell high on. Don't get complacent because of your week 4 record. Always look to improve for the playoffs. In this spot, I would gladly throw an offer out to the Andre Johnson owner to see if they need an immediate upgrade. You'll be glad you made this move in a couple weeks.

B: Your Team is 2-2

Your team could be at the bottom of the playoff rung. Again, check your points scored compared to the rest of your league. Your team could easily swing either way. If your team is putting up points on the board, hold tight. If your team's 2 wins are against the worst 2 teams in your league, then look for some upgrades. But don't undersell your studs, you'll regret it later.

C: Your Team is 1-3 or 0-4

First, let's keep in mind if 6 teams make the playoffs in your 12-team league, you likely need to finish 7-6 or better to ensure your seed. For those not math inclined, that means you likely need to go 6-3 or 7-2 the rest of the way. Can your band of underperforming scrubs do it? Is there a big move out there you can make? If you have Aaron Rodgers, Megatron or Darren McFadden, yet your team is still in this spot, it's time to see if you can improve your whole team by giving up your top draft pick. No sense in holding a top talent if you are awful at another spot. Try to balance your roster with a bigger upgrade at the other position than the downgrade you take. Top teams are likely to give up more. There are also those that sacrifice to live by the "Get The Best Player In The Deal" mantra. Find that guy/girl.

Buys and Sells

I'll keep it short this week but, here are some players you can target or get rid of.

Buy

Andre Johnson: As detailed above. If you've got the WRs to get you bye the next couple weeks and the AJ owner is 1-3, make an offer.

Tony Romo: Too many times people get real football confused with fantasy. That makes your Week 4 goat a perfect target. The upcoming schedule is nice, not to mention Miles Austin and a healthier Dez Bryant return after the bye week.

Chris Johnson: I'm still holding out hope here. Despite his double-digit point game in Week 4, he's still likely on a team scraping the bottom of your league.

Mark Ingram: See above. Sproles looks good, but find me a year when Pierre Thomas didn't get hurt.

Jacoby Ford: Ford would've had a TD against New England had he not been held. He also looked pretty good running the ball. He may even be on your waiver wire. Pick him up.

Sell

Beanie Wells: 3-TD games won't find Mr. Wells often. Unless you are a firm investor in the former Buckeye, look to deal him. His value will never be higher.

Frank Gore/Michael Turner: Both aging vets had solid fantasy days in Week 4, but may net you a James Starks/WR combo or something of the like.

Ryan Torain: Do you trust Mike Shanahan?

Pierre Garcon: You're not going to get a lot for him, but he looked decent on Monday night. He could possibly be packaged for a bigger talent.

Good luck in Week 5 to everyone.

Week 5 Rankings

2011-10-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

It's already week 5? Damn. This season is flying by. It may not be flying for you if you're sitting at 1-3 or 0-4. Don't give up hope, my friend. There's still a lot of football left to be played. Throw your best out there, say a prayer to the fantasy football God's, and root your ass off for your players on Sunday. Stick with your studs and you'll get your team back on track. It's time to get those line ups set. Here are the You Heard It Here First week 5 positional rankings loaded with optimism and hope.

Before you set your line up, check out the Injury Report at Razzball to make sure your players play. It's updated right to kickoff Sunday morning.

Rankings updated on: October 8th

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers (@ Atlanta)
Michael Vick (@ Buffalo)
Matt Stafford (vs. Chicago)
Drew Brees (@ Carolina)
Cam Newton (vs. New Orleans)
Tom Brady (vs. New York Jets)
Philip Rivers (@ Denver)
Matt Ryan (vs. Green Bay)
Eli Manning (vs. Seattle)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. Philadelphia)
Josh Freeman (@ San Francisco)
Mark Sanchez (@ New England)
Matt Schaub (vs. Oakland)
Kevin Kolb (@ Minnesota)
Donovan McNabb (vs. Arizona)
Matt Hasselbeck (@ Pittsburgh)
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. Tennessee)
Jay Cutler (@ Detroit)
Jason Campbell (@ Houston)
Alex Smith (vs. Tampa Bay)
Andy Dalton (@ Jacksonville)
Kyle Orton (vs. San Diego)
Curtis Painter (vs. Kansas City)
Matt Cassel (@ Indianapolis)
Tarvaris Jackson (@ New York Giants)

You're not sitting Tom Brady, but the Jets DO give up the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Of course, they haven't faced a talent like Brady yet. I'm a little down on him this week, but he'll still get his numbers. His QB counterpart in that game, Mark Sanchez, is coming off a horrendous game against Baltimore. I expect a bounce back week for him. He'll have to throw a lot to keep up with Brady, and the Patriots give up the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. I keep waiting for Cam Newton to show his rookie colors, but he doesn't. They guy fills the stat sheet every single week. The Steelers are optimistic Ben Roethlisberger plays despite an ankle sprain. I don't like his chances against a Tennessee team that doesn't allow much through the air. Look for other options.

Running Backs

Arian Foster (vs. Oakland)
Adrian Peterson (vs. Arizona)
Darren McFadden (@ Houston)
LeSean McCoy (@ Buffalo)
Fred Jackson (vs. Philadelphia)
Matt Forte (@ Detroit)
Ryan Mathews (@ Denver)
Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. Cincinnati)
Ahmad Bradshaw (vs. Seattle)
Chris Johnson (@ Pittsburgh)
Beanie Wells (@ Minnesota)
Frank Gore (vs. Tampa Bay)
Jahvid Best (vs. Chicago)
Michael Turner (vs. Green Bay)
Darren Sproles (@ Carolina)
Joseph Addai (vs. Kansas City)
Cedric Benson (@ Jacksonville)
Willis McGahee (vs. San Diego)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (vs. New York Jets)
Mark Ingram (@ Carolina)
LeGarrette Blount (@ San Francisco)
Issac Redman (vs. Tennessee)
Mike Tolbert (@ Denver)
James Starks (@ Atlanta)
Jonathan Stewart (vs. New Orleans)
LaDanian Tomlinson (@ New England)
Shonn Greene (@ New England)
Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Tennessee)
Stevan Ridley (vs. New York Jets)
DeAngelo Williams (vs. New Orleans)
Ryan Grant (@ Atlanta)
Thomas Jones (@ Indianapolis)
Marshawn Lynch (@ New York Giants)
Delone Carter (vs. Kansas City)
Michael Bush (@ Houston)
Kendall Hunter (vs. Tampa Bay)
C.J. Spiller (vs. Philadelphia)
Earnest Graham (@ San Francisco)
Pierre Thomas (@ Carolina)
Knowshon Moreno (vs. San Diego)

Arian Foster is back! Man oh man does he have a sweet match up, too. The Raiders allow 25.3 points a game to opposing running backs. Now that Andre Johnson is out, Foster will see a ton of work. I'm expecting a huge day from him. Okay, I'll start taking Beanie Wells seriously. He's playing great football, and you may as well ride him as far as you can before he gets hurt. Issac Redman will carry the load against the Titans with Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore expected to miss the game. Claim him off waivers and start him. Fresh off of the waiver wire, Stevan Ridley is a nice flex start against a Jets defense that allows 130.5 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs. They Jets have also allowed 6 rushing touchdowns on the season, worst in the league. He's splitting time with BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but he'll still get enough worth to make it worth your time.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (vs. Chicago)
Steve Smith (vs. New Orleans)
Greg Jennings (@ Atlanta)
Hakeem Nicks (vs. Seattle)
Larry Fitzgerald (@ Minnesota)
DeSean Jackson (@ Buffalo)
Wes Welker (vs. New York Jets)
Vincent Jackson (@ Denver)
Roddy White (vs. Green Bay)
Mike Wallace (vs. Tennessee)
Santonio Holmes (@ New England)
Dwayne Bowe (@ Indianapolis)
Jeremy Maclin (@ Buffalo)
A.J. Green (@ Jacksonville)
Julio Jones (vs. Green Bay)
Eric Decker (vs. San Diego)
Steve Johnson (vs. Philadelphia)
Percy Harvin (vs. Arizona)
Mike Williams - TB (@ San Francisco)
Jordy Nelson (@ Atlanta)
Brandon Lloyd (vs. San Diego)
Denarius Moore (@ Houston)
Reggie Wayne (vs. Kansas City)
Sidney Rice (@ New York Giants)
Plaxico Burress (@ New England)
Nate Washington (@ Pittsburgh)
Pierre Garcon (vs. Kansas City)
Deion Branch (vs. New York Jets)
Malcom Floyd (@ Denver)
Mike Thomas (vs. Cincinnati)
Victor Cruz (vs. Seattle)
Lance Moore (@ Carolina)
David Nelson (vs. Philadelphia)
Michael Crabtree (vs. Tampa Bay)
Nate Burleson (vs. Chicago)
Preston Parker (@ San Francisco)
Johnny Knox (@ Detroit)
Robert Meachem (@ Carolina)
Michael Jenkins (vs. Arizona)
Kevin Walter (vs. Oakland)

When Steve Smith has a quarterback, there are few fantasy wide receivers better than him. The Saints have allowed 8 touchdowns through the air so far this season, and Smith is a good bet to score at least once against them on Sunday. I have a feeling he's going to embarrass Tracy Porter. Nobody has been able to cover Wes Welker this season. I mean the dude is on pace for over 2,400 yards. Unbelievable. I think Darrelle Revis can slow him down some, but Welker will still get his. I think Percy Harvin finally finds the endzone this week. The Cardinals don't have the talent to keep up with his speed. For now it appears Victor Cruz is the #2 in New York. Until Mario Manningham shows me something, I'm going to keep believing in Cruz.

Tight Ends

JerMichael Finley (@ Atlanta)
Jimmy Graham (@ Carolina)
Owen Daniels (vs. Oakland)
Tony Gonzalez (vs. Green Bay)
Rob Gronkowski (vs. New York Jets)
Vernon Davis (vs. Tampa Bay)
Greg Olsen (vs. New Orleans)
Brandon Pettigrew (vs. Chicago)
Jermaine Gresham (@ Jacksonville)
Dustin Keller (@ New England)
Dallas Clark (vs. Kansas City)
Scott Chandler (vs. Philadelphia)
Kellen Winslow (@ San Francisco)
Aaron Hernandez (vs. New York Jets)
Visanthe Shiancoe (vs. Arizona)
James Casey (vs. Oakland)
Jared Cook (@ Pittsburgh)
Jeremy Shockey (vs. New Orleans)
Kevin Boss (@ Houston)
Marcedes Lewis (vs. Cincinnati)

With Andre Johnson out, the Texans are going to have to rely on Owen Daniels to pick up some of the slack. Even though the match up isn't great for Daniels, I think he'll still get a lot of targets. James Casey will see more action as well. It's a great week to start Greg Olsen. The Saints give up the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing tight ends (11.8 points per game). I'm looking for Olsen to have a nice afternoon. Curtis Painter is an upgrade over Kerry Collins, but he didn't look Dallas Clark's way much in his first game as a starter. It's hard to trust Clark for more than a few catches and a handful of yards.

Defense/Special Teams

Giants (vs. Seattle)
Lions (vs. Chicago)
Steelers (vs. Tennessee)
Chargers (@ Denver)
Packers (@ Atlanta)
Titans (@ Pittsburgh)
Texans (vs. Oakland)
Vikings (vs. Arizona)
Patriots (vs. New York Jets)
Bengals (@ Jacksonville)
49ers (vs. Tampa Bay)
Colts (vs. Kansas City)
Saints (@ Carolina)
Eagles (@ Buffalo)
Bucs (@ San Francisco)
Cardinals (@ Minnesota)
Jets (@ New England)
Chiefs (@ Indianapolis)
Jaguars (vs. Cincinnati)
Bears (@ Detroit)

Jay Cutler gets sacked a ton. Cutler is also known to turn the ball over from time to time. I'm loving the match up for the Lions defense. Their front four is going to wreak havoc on the Bears offensive line. The Titans are an intriguing start against a banged up Roethlisberger. That Steelers offensive line can't block anyone, either. I'm passing on the Jets and the Bears this week. I want no part of Tom Brady or the red hot Detroit Lions offense.

Deploy the troops and make us proud! Best of luck to you in week 5!

Chugg

Week 5 Waiver Wire

2011-10-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here come the bye weeks. The Ravens, Browns, Redskins, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Rams are all have a bye in week 5. Preparation for that starts now with the waiver wire. The waiver wire is always important, but it just got another kick in the pants with so many fantasy players out this upcoming week. Jump on these guys before your league mates do. There will be nothing left by Thursday. Let's see what's out there.

Jason Campbell photo courtesy of Raiders4Life.com.

Jason Campbell (OAK - QB) - Campbell didn't take advantage of the great match up like I thought he would, but he still threw for over 340 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots. The Raiders have enough weapons to keep Campbell producing respectable fantasy numbers. He's worth adding as a bye week fill in. Houston, Cleveland and Kansas City are his next three games. Not a bad schedule for a QB.

Alex Smith (SF - QB) - This is by no means a ringing endorsement to go out and add Smith, but he did play decent against a good Philly secondary. He threw for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns without throwing a pick. He gets the Bucs next who allow 270 passing yards a game and rank 21st in pass defense. Smith is an emergency guy with a nice week 5 match up if you need a spot start QB. Just don't expect big things.

Blaine Gabbert (JAX - QB) - A starter is a starter. In deep leagues Gabbert is worth a look. That's really the only reason I've included him on this weeks waiver wire. Six QBs are on their bye, and Gabbert will at LEAST get you a handful of points if you're desperate. He plays the Bengals at home this upcoming week.

Charlie Batch (PIT - QB) - Ben Roethlisberger reportedly left the stadium on Sunday in a walking boot. It's not known yet whether or not his foot is actually broken, but if it is, he'd be out for several weeks. Batch is a veteran who can still produce, particularly with the crop of explosive wide receivers the Steelers have. With Tennessee, Jacksonville and Arizona next on the Pittsburgh schedule, Batch would be worth adding as a bye week filler if Roethlisberger is out for a significant amount of time.

Ryan Torain (WAS - RB) - It pains me to even include a Washington running back on the waiver wire. Shanahan is a son of a..I mean..Shanahan is a great coach. Torain came in to the game against the Rams and recorded 19 carries for 135 yards and a TD. You have to add him. I wouldn't drop Tim Hightower or Roy Helu just yet, but Torain needs to be added. I know, it kills me to even say it. Just add him and we'll try to sort out the Redskins backfield later. Forshadowing: That will be impossible. Also, the Redskins are on their bye in week 5 so keep that in mind.

Stevan Ridley photo courtesy of masslive.com.

Stevan Ridley (NE - RB) - The time to add Ridley is now. His 10 carries for 97 yards and a score against Oakland prove he has the talent to be successful in this league. BenJarvus Green-Ellis won't completely go away, but even with just 10-12 touches a game, Ridley will be worth a flex start every week. He faces the surprisingly poor Jets rush defense next week at home in a big divisional rivalry game.

Issac Redman (PIT - RB) - Rashard Mendenhall left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. While he was out, Redman had 7 touches for 52 total yards. I would argue that Redman is the better back over Mendenhall, but I'm not the Steelers coach, unfortunately. If Big Ben and Mendenhall are both out next week and possibly beyond, the Steelers would likely rely heavily on the legs of Redman. He's worth adding with that soft upcoming schedule (TEN, JAX, @ ARZ) if Mendenhall is in fact out next week.

Eric Decker (DEN - WR) - Decker is seeing as many targets as Brandon Lloyd in the Denver passing game and is being more productive with them. Lloyd had 11 targets against the Packers, Decker had 10. Decker caught 5 of those targets for 56 yards and 2 touchdowns. That's now 4 touchdowns on the year for Decker. In fact, he's on pace for a 80 catch, 1,080 yard, 16 TD season. Looks like we've found the 2011 Austin Collie. He's floating on a few waiver wires out there and he shouldn't be.

Victor Cruz (NYG - WR) - Even with Mario Manningham returning to the line up, Cruz still delivered 6 catches for 98 yards on 9 targets. He's looking like a factor in the Giants passing game. He'll be inconsistent since his QB is inconsistent, but he's worth a roster spot at this point. Seattle and Buffalo are the next two opponents for the Giants, and both of them aren't known to have great pass defenses.

Antonio Brown (PIT - WR) - It's a battle between he and Emmanuel Sanders for the #2 WR job in Pittsburgh and Brown is consistently getting more targets. Week 2 the targets were 6 to 3 in favor of Brown. Week 3 they were 8 to 5 in favor of Brown. Week 4 they were 10 to 2 in favor of Brown. I see a trend here. Pick him up. He'll help your faux football team.

Kevin Walter (HOU - WR) - Andre Johnson tweeked his hammy. He may miss some time and someone is going to have to pick up the slack. I'm not thrilled with any of the Texans WR choices, but Walter is the one I trust the most. He'll be good for a handful of fake points, but I'd only add him if you're desperate.

Ben Watson photo courtesy of daylife.com.

Ben Watson (CLE - TE) - Watson is on his bye week in week 5, but he faces the Raiders, Seahawks, 49ers, Texans, Rams, and Jaguars after that. Look at those opponents one more time if you need to. That's a soft schedule, and Watson is a favorite target of Colt McCoy. There aren't many better bye week replacements at tight end than Ben Watson.

Ed Dickson (BAL - TE) - Dickson has seen his targets increase every week this season. He had 5 targets in week 1, 6 targets in week 2, 9 targets in week 3, and 12 targets in week 4. He's not exactly taking advantage of all those looks, but it's nice to see him so heavily involved in the passing game. It's only a matter of time before he has a huge game. I like him as an upside bye week fill in after week 5. He's on his bye this upcoming week.

Drop these candy asses: Sam Bradford, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassel, Pierre Thomas, Ben Tate, Thomas Jones, Roy Williams, Chad Ochocinco, Hines Ward, Austin Collie, Davone Bess, Devery Henderson, Marcedes Lewis, Dallas Clark.

Chugg

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Week 4

2011-10-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

Another week of NFL action is in the books. Well, all but one game, but we're basically done with a quarter of the season already. Time sure does fly when you're having fun, doesn't it? Time must be in warp speed for you if you're an Aaron Rodgers owner. I would say he's fun to own. Meanwhile, Mario Manningham owners patiently wait as the game clock slowly ticks away just like their fantasy hopes with each passing second that Manningham doesn't do a thing. It's enough to drive a pretend football player pretend insane. It has to get better, right? Either way, it's still a whole lot of fun.

Let's recap a few of the good performances, a few of the bad performances, and a few of the ugly performances from week four.

The Good

Aaron Rodgers (GB - QB) - All Rodgers did on Sunday was throw for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns, while rushing for 2 more scores on his way to a 45-point fantasy afternoon (standard scoring). It reminded me of Michael Vick's Monday Night performance against the Redskins last season. It was an absolutely dominant performance from one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He makes us fantasy "experts" look smart and he has inspired me to grow a fu manchu. Bow down to the fu manchu!

Beanie Wells (ARZ - RB) - I can't say I expected 27 carries from Wells coming off of a hamstring injury. I also can't say I expected 138 yards and 3 TDs from Wells ever. He's been playing solid football so far in the young season and is proving his worth as a fantasy football factor. He was tremendous against the Giants on Sunday, and so long as Beanie is healthy and starting, he should be starting for your fantasy team too. He's well on his way to a double-digit touchdown season with 5 TDs already. Never thought I'd say that about Beanie.

Ravens D/ST (BAL) - Granted Mark Sanchez is terrible which I'll get to in a minute, but scoring 3 defensive touchdowns isn't easy to do in the NFL against anyone. The Ravens did just that, on their way to a 32 point fantasy performance against the Jets (standard scoring). They forced 6 fumbles and recovered 3 of them, recorded two sacks, picked Sanchez off once, and held the Jets to 150 total yards of offense. That's the definition of a dominant defensive performance. These "old" guys still got it.

The Bad

Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF - QB) - Coming into Sunday's action, there arguably wasn't a hotter quarterback than Ryan Fitzpatrick in fantasy land. He earned the trust of fantasy footballers everywhere, and just when we put him into our line ups, he delivers a 199 yard, 0 TD dud performance. This is a tough fake pill to swallow, but don't lose all faith in Fitzy. This is a talented Bills team. He'll bounce back and continue to be the best back up fantasy QB you've ever drafted (or claimed off waivers).

Rashard Mendenhall (PIT - RB) - The Steelers offensive line is terrible. Mendenhall has nowhere to go, and Roethlisberger is constantly running for his life. The terrible offensive line is translating into terrible fantasy numbers for Mendenhall. Before leaving the game with a hamstring problem, Mendy had just 25 yards on 9 carries on Sunday. The only thing that kept him from being in The Ugly section this week was his short TD run. I can't trust Mendenhall for anything more than a flex option right now. His schedule softens up in the next couple of weeks, so hopefully he can turn this SS Crap Ship around.

Fred Davis (WAS - TE) - Davis has really slowed down after his two terrific games to open the season. He had just 1 catch against Dallas last week (23 yards), and just 4 catches against the Rams this week (34 yards). The tough thing here is that his value is directly correlated with the play of his QB Rex Grossman. If Grossman can't get back on track, Davis won't either. We'll see if the 'Skins can fix the passing game after their week 5 bye week. If this continues, Davis may find himself back on waivers.

The Ugly

Mark Sanchez (NYJ - QB) - The line Sanchez delivered Sunday night against the Ravens looked like this: 11/35 for 119 passing yards and a pick. He fumbled 4 times, losing 3 of them. A lot of credit goes to the Ravens defense, by my hell is Mark Sanchez horribly inaccurate. What an ugly performance. This is why Sanchez can't be counted on regularly in fantasy football.

Tim Hightower (WAS - RB) - Someone has lost their job. Hightower sat and watched Ryan Torain carry the rock 19 times for 135 yards and a touchdown. Torain looked good doing it, too. Trying to predict what Mike Shanahan will do with his running backs is about as easy as convincing Elton John that women are attractive, but Torain is someone you need to claim off waivers and Hightower is someone you need to send to waivers. At least until week 8 when this all changes again.

Mario Manningham (NYG - WR) - All we got from Manningham on Sunday was 1 catch for 10 yards. The most concerning stat is the target distribution. Manningham was targeted just 5 times while Victor Cruz was targeted 9 times. Granted Manningham was coming off of injury, but given the way Cruz has made the most of his opportunities, it's best to reserve Manningham to the bench until the #2 wide receiver job clears up in New York.

It was another wacky, wild, and entertaining weekend of NFL action. Next week will deliver more unexpected good performances, bad performances, and down right ugly performances. I can't wait to see what surprises week 5 delivers.

Chugg

Last Minute Look Ahead - Week 4

2011-10-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

The clock is ticking, and the counter is quickly approaching zero. You wipe the sweat from your brow and attempt to concentrate. One false move and it could all be over. Am I talking about a bomb in an action movie, threatening to take down an entire city? Nope, its your fantasy team. Those last minute decisions where you decide to play the injured guy that’s suiting up, or bench him for the high-upside, but riskier, rookie, are the fantasy football equivalent of deciding which wire to cut. Now - do you know? Is it the blue one or the yellow one?

Quarterback

Again we start with Michael Vick, who is going to play with his hand bruise against the 49ers, who are in the middle of the pack in passing yards allows (but number 3 in rush defense). I have a bad feeling that Vick is one Patrick Wills hit from being out for awhile. He’s going to be even more of a high-risk play this week. Meanwhile, Eli Manning should have Mario Manningham back, and assuming Hakeem Nicks plays (he’s probable), has a plus matchup against Arizona’s 25th ranked pass defense. It’s something to consider. Jason Campbell is also getting Jacoby Ford back to team with the emerging Denarius Moore against an already porous New England pass defense (ranked dead last) that will now be missing Ras-I Dowling and Leigh Bodden. He’s a good play if you have QB questions this week or over Joe Flacco going up against a Jets defense that has something to prove this week, and is ranked 6th against the pass.

Running Back

Frank Gore may attempt to go against the Eagles swiss-cheese run defense (ranked 30th), but Kendall Hunter could end up being the better play. Gore hasn’t looked that great when healthy, so, I’m not expecting him to get better on a gimpy ankle. Even if he does go, he’ll probably end up in a timeshare with Hunter this week, so I would temper expectations [Update: as of now, looks like Gore is going to be inactive - this is a 1pm start, so make sure you check the inactives list]. Peyton Hillis is over his bout with strep throat and should be ready to go. Montario Hardesty showed well last week though, so it will be interesting to see how much he eats into Hillis’ work this week. Rashard Mendenhall is running behind a line patched together with duct tape and cardboard. I’d rather bench him than Chris Johnson this week. In PPR, I’m starting Darren Sproles over Mendenhall. Ryan Grant is out with a bruised kidney, so James Starks should see about 20 carries this week. Just be prepared to see John Kuhn at the goal line and Alex Green sprinkled in.

Wide Receiver

Mario Manningham is back for the Giants and is a solid play against the aforementioned porous Arizona secondary. The same goes for Denarius Moore who has a huge plus matchup against the banged up New England secondary. Dez Bryant’s thigh bruise is still bothering him. I’m worried how much I’m going to get out of him. It wouldn’t be hard to convince me to bench him if you had other quality options. Nate Washington steps into the spotlight in Tennessee with Kenny Britt out for the season, but he’ll be battling both Joe Haden and rainy, windy conditions in Cleveland. Jeremy Maclin is apparently going to play with his bad hamstring, but remember that players with hamstring issues that start games don’t always finish them. Jacoby Ford is back this week, but may be on a snap count. Marques Colston is questionable and may return this week, but I wouldn’t play him until I saw him put in a full game and get at least 5 targets.

Tight End

Jared Cook has been a name that has been mentioned to fill some of the void left by Kenny Britt, but unless you are desperate, I’d hold off on playing Cook until those targets materialize. James Casey had a big game for the Texans last week (7 targets, 5 receptions, 126 yards and a TD), but had zero targets the week before. He’s a good speculative add if you aren’t dropping anyone good, but I wouldn’t play him until it becomes clear that he’s a part of the weekly gameplan. Ben Watson saw 10 targets last week for Cleveland. With none of their wide receivers emerging (where are you Greg Little?), he’s Colt McCoy’s most reliable option, and is a decent play for those desperate Antonio Gates (doubtful) owners.

Week 4 Rankings

2011-09-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

Week 4 has arrived my fellow fantasy die-hards. It's time to get those line ups set. Here are the You Heard It Here First week 4 positional rankings, ripe with optimism and potential.

Before we get started, check the status of your players over on the Razzball Injury Report, which is updated right up until kickoff Sunday morning.

Rankings updated on: September 30th

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady (@ Oakland)
Aaron Rodgers (vs. Denver)
Drew Brees (@ Jacksonville)
Matt Stafford (@ Dallas)
Philip Rivers (vs. Miami)
Michael Vick (vs. San Francisco)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (@ Cincinnati)
Tony Romo (vs. Detroit)
Ben Roethlisberger (@ Houston)
Cam Newton (@ Chicago)
Eli Manning (@ Arizona)
Rex Grossman (@ St. Louis)
Jason Campbell (vs. New England)
Jay Cutler (vs. Carolina)
Matt Schaub (vs. Pittsburgh)
Matt Ryan (@ Seattle)
Josh Freeman (vs. Indianapolis)
Joe Flacco (vs. New York Jets)
Kevin Kolb (vs. New York Giants)
Matt Hasselbeck (@ Cleveland)
Sam Bradford (vs. Washington)
Kyle Orton (@ Green Bay)
Mark Sanchez (@ Baltimore)
Chad Henne (@ San Diego)
Colt McCoy (vs. Tennessee)

Tony Romo is banged up and Detroit has a solid pass defense, but I'm banking on a shootout in Dallas. I think Romo airs it out a lot to keep up with Stafford and that dangerous Lions offense. Jason Campbell faces the leagues worst pass defense. The Patriots allow 377 passing yards a game, and the return of Jacoby Ford from injury gives Campbell another explosive weapon in the passing game. The match up can't get better for him. Starting Matt Schaub this week makes me nervous. Arian Foster will be back and I expect the Texans to use him a lot, plus Pittsburgh has the best pass defense in the league.

Running Backs

Adrian Peterson (vs. Kansas City)
Darren McFadden (vs. New England)
Ray Rice (vs. New York Jets)
LeSean McCoy (vs. San Francisco)
Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. New Orleans)
Fred Jackson (@ Cincinnati)
Matt Forte (vs. Carolina)
Michael Turner (@ Seattle)
LeGarrette Blount (vs. Indianapolis)
Ryan Mathews (vs. Miami)
Rashard Mendenhall (@ Houston)
Ahmad Bradshaw (@ Arizona)
Chris Johnson (@ Cleveland)
Tim Hightower (@ St. Louis)
Jahvid Best (@ Dallas)
James Starks (vs. Denver)
Peyton Hillis (vs. Tennessee)
Arian Foster (vs. Pittsburgh)
Felix Jones (vs. Detroit)
Steven Jackson (vs. Washington)
Cedric Benson (vs. Buffalo)
Beanie Wells (vs. Giants)
Darren Sproles (@ Jacksonville)
Kendall Hunter (@ Philadelphia)
Mark Ingram (@ Jacksonville)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (@ Oakland)
Frank Gore (@ Philadelphia)
Brandon Jacobs (@ Arizona)
Joseph Addai (@ Tampa Bay)
Mike Tolbert (vs. Miami)
Reggie Bush (@ San Diego)
Jonathan Stewart (@ Chicago)
Shonn Greene (@ Baltimore)
Roy Helu (@ St. Louis)
LaDanian Tomlinson (@ Baltimore)
Willis McGahee (@ Green Bay)
DeAngelo Williams (@ Chicago)
Marshawn Lynch (vs. Atlanta)
C.J. Spiller (@ Cincinnati)
Ben Tate (vs. Pittsburgh)

I don't care if the Bengals are ranked 7th against the run. Fred Jackson is a start against anyone right now. He's the #3 scoring RB (standard scoring) and is absolutely on fire. It's a nice week to start LeGarrette Blount. The Colts allowed 2 TDs to another big, bruising back (Peyton Hillis) two weeks ago, so I'm looking for a nice day from Blount. With Ryan Grant out, James Starks is a solid RB2 this week. He'll likely see 20+ touches. Arian Foster is expected to get a full work load against the Steelers, but I'm keeping expectations rather modest for him. He's worth a start, but don't expect stellar numbers. Darren Sproles has become a hell of a fantasy commodity. He's a flex start each and every week.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (@ Dallas)
Wes Welker (@ Oakland)
Vincent Jackson (vs. Miami)
Mike Wallace (@ Houston)
Greg Jennings (vs. Denver)
Larry Fitzgerald (vs. New York Giants)
Andre Johnson (vs. Pittsburgh)
Hakeem Nicks (@ Arizona)
Steve Johnson (@ Cincinnati)
Roddy White (@ Seattle)
DeSean Jackson (vs. San Francisco)
Steve Smith (@ Chicago)
Dez Bryant (vs. Detroit)
Santana Moss (@ St. Louis)
Brandon Marshall (@ San Diego)
Brandon Lloyd (@ Green Bay)
Dwayne Bowe (vs. Minnesota)
Santonio Holmes (@ Baltimore)
Mike Williams - TB (vs. Indianapolis)
Jeremy Maclin (vs. San Francisco)
Reggie Wayne (@ Tampa Bay)
Mario Manningham (@ Arizona)
Denarius Moore (vs. New England)
Nate Washington (@ Cleveland)
Percy Harvin (@ Kansas City)
Julio Jones (@ Seattle)
A.J. Green (vs. Buffalo)
Mike Thomas (vs. New Orleans)
Nate Burleson (@ Dallas)
Sidney Rice (vs. Atlanta)
Dexter McCluster (vs. Minnesota)
Lance Moore (@ Jacksonville)
Jordy Nelson (vs. Denver)
Deion Branch (@ Oakland)
Anquan Boldin (vs. New York Jets)
Robert Meachem (@ Jacksonville)
David Nelson (@ Cincinnati)
Denario Alexander (vs. Washington)
Plaxico Burress (@ Baltimore)
Eric Decker (@ Green Bay)

With Aaron Hernandez out again this week, Wes Welker will again see a ton of targets from a quarterback that throws over 44 times a game and is on pace to break all kinds of passing records. I'm a little surprised he's my #2 wide receiver too, but the numbers don't lie. Pittsburgh allows the fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs, so I have Andre Johnson lower than you might expect. It's not like you're sitting him, but I don't think he finishes as a top 5 WR this week. Denarius Moore has a sensational match up. New England is getting killed by opposing wide receivers and Moore has the talent to smoke them. I love him as a flex play.

Tight Ends

Rob Gronkowski (@ Oakland)
JerMichael Finley (vs. Denver)
Jason Witten (vs. Detroit)
Jimmy Graham (@ Jacksonville)
Owen Daniels (vs. Pittsburgh)
Vernon Davis (@ Philadelphia)
Dustin Keller (@ Baltimore)
Fred Davis (@ St. Louis)
Randy McMichael (vs. Miami)
Greg Olsen (@ Chicago)
Brandon Pettigrew (@ Dallas)
Tony Gonzalez (@ Seattle)
Kellen Winslow (vs. Indianapolis)
Scott Chandler (@ Cincinnati)
Jermaine Gresham (vs. Buffalo)
Ed Dickson (vs. New York Jets)
Dallas Clark (@ Tampa Bay)
Ben Watson (vs. Tennessee)
Jared Cook (@ Cleveland)
Jeremy Shockey (@ Chicago)

The usual suspects are at the top. No major surprises. Antonio Gates is likely out against the Dolphins, which makes Randy McMichael a starting fantasy tight end this week. Miami gives up the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. He's definitely worth a look. Scott Chandler has scored at least once every week. I think the trend continues against the Bengals, although his yardage numbers will be weak. With Curtis Painter expected to start for the Colts, I just don't see Dallas Clark producing a whole lot. It's been a tough year for him.

Defense/Special Teams

Ravens (vs. New York Jets)
Packers (vs. Denver)
Eagles (vs. San Francisco)
Bears (vs. Carolina)
Bucs (vs. Indianapolis)
Steelers (@ Houston)
Falcons (@ Seattle)
Jets (@ Baltimore)
Chargers (vs. Miami)
Redskins (@ St. Louis)
Saints (@ Jacksonville)
Lions (@ Dallas)
Giants (@ Arizona)
Texans (vs. Pittsburgh)
Titans (@ Cleveland)
Cardinals (vs. New York Giants)
Seahawks (vs. Atlanta)
Cowboys (vs. Detroit)
Panthers (@ Chicago)
Browns (vs. Tennessee)

Curtis Painter will face the Bucs this weekend. Advantage: Bucs. They're a nice plug start if you're a streaming defense kind of guy (or gal). I like the Redskins as a plug start too, but to a lesser extent. It's a good week to sit the Cowboys defense. That Lions offense is potent and I'm not going to mess with them. Other than that, start the defense you drafted way too high in your draft and hope for the best.

It's on ladies and gents! Best of luck to you all this week!

Chugg

Week 3 Waiver Wire

2011-09-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest - there isn't much out there on waivers this week. You're basically looking at one glimmer of long-term fantasy relevance (Nate Washington) and a handful of other projects or emergency players. I doubt fantasy owners will be making a mad dash to put in waiver claims this week like they did last week. It never hurts to do little window shopping though. Let's take a look at what's out there.

Bernard Scott photo courtesy of the Examiner.

Matt Hasselbeck (TEN - QB) - Someone has to carry this Titans team with Mr. $53.5 Million not doing a damn thing in the backfield. The loss of Kenny Britt kicked Hasselbeck's fantasy value in the crotch somewhat, but he's still someone to keep in mind when your QB is on his bye or if your QB goes down to injury. Hass is getting it done, averaging 16.7 fantasy points per game thus far (standard scoring).

Bernard Scott (CIN - RB) - Unless something happens in the next couple of days, Cedric Benson will play in week 4. But, he still has some kind of suspension coming and Scott will get the work when he's out. His upcoming schedule (BUF, @JAX, IND, @SEA) makes it awfully hard not to add him as a short term flex option.

Earnest Graham (TB - RB) - Graham isn't worth diddily-poo in standard leagues, but he has caught 20 passes in three games thus far, so he's a nice little PPR asset if you need one. LeGarrette Blount doesn't do diddily-poo in the passing game, which cements Graham's status as the 3rd down guy. Graham is on pace for 106 receptions. Just throwing that out there.

Roy Helu (WAS - RB) - I talked about Helu in last weeks waiver wire column and I still like him as an add in most leagues. I think at some point he takes over as the lead back in Washington. This is a bit of a hunch call, but he's more explosive than Hightower and it's only a matter of time before Hightower fumbles a game away and pisses Shanny off enough to bench him.

Nate Washington (TEN - WR) - The season-ending injury to Kenny Britt has made Washington the main man in the Tennessee passing game. With Hasselbeck playing rather well, Washington should be owned in every league going forward. If you get one waiver wire guy this week, make it Nate Washington.

Denarius Moore (OAK - WR) - Moore is another guy I talked about last week, but he's still out there on a lot of waiver wires. The guy needs to be added in all leagues. He's solidifying himself as the #1 guy on a surprisingly productive Oakland offense.

Torrey Smith photo courtesy of the Turf Show Times.

Torrey Smith (BAL - WR) - Smith exploded on the scene with a 5 catch, 152 yard, 3 TD effort against the Rams on Sunday. His play has made Lee Evans droppable in fantasy leagues. I wouldn't expect consistent production from Smith, but in best ball format leagues, Smith is a nice addition to your fantasy team. He tweaked his hammy last week, so keep an eye on that as well if you're looking to add him.

Victor Cruz (NYG - WR) - Cruz comes across as a flash in the pan, but whenever the guy plays it seems he does something spectacular. His 3 catches for 110 yards and 2 TDs on Sunday qualify as spectacular. Mario Manningham is likely to return from his concussion pretty quickly so I'm not declaring Cruz as a "must add" waiver wire guy, but if you have the roster spot available, he may be worth adding and waiting on.

Scott Chandler (BUF - TE) - I played off Chandler's early season success as nothing more than a "light shining on a dog's ass" type of situation at first, but the guy now has 4 TDs in three games. I tend to notice things like that. His reception and yardage totals aren't great, but if you're in a TD heavy league and looking for another TE threat, Chandler has some appeal. He's a favorite of Ryan Fitzpatrick down in the redzone and the Bills are scoring in bunches.

Drop these candy asses: Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton, Chad Henne, Cadillac Williams, Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown, Jerome Harrison, Kenny Britt, Braylon Edwards, Lee Evans, Hines Ward, Roy Williams, Donald Driver, Mike Williams (SEA), Zach Miller.

Chugg

Last Minute Look Ahead - Week 3

2011-09-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Remember that time you were late for something important - a job interview, your wedding, the last spray tanning appointment of the day, and you were rushing to get there? Maybe you ran a red light or a stop sign. Maybe you got away with it, maybe you didn’t. Either way, I bet you wished that you had the Star Trek transporter system to just beam you to wherever you needed to go. Well, consider me your personal Sunday morning fantasy football Scotty - beaming to you a place where you are ready to make those last minute roster decisions.

Quarterback

Looks like Michael Vick is going to play, so anyone looking to metamorphose their roster with Mike Kafka should look elsewhere. Tony Romo’s status is still unclear, and playing on Monday Night doesn’t help. You could grab Jon Kitna to ensure that you have someone to start (I’m assuming Rex Grossman is no longer on your waiver wire at this point). The issue is: how effective will Romo be if he plays? Or Kitna for that matter against a vastly improved Redskins defense? Two decent emergency options are Matt Hasselbeck, who is clicking with Kenny Britt and is going up against a Champ Bailey-less Broncos, or Andy Dalton, who has a decent matchup against the 49ers, who are 24th in the league in passing yards allowed through 2 weeks.

Running Back

Peyton Hillis has been officially ruled out with strep throat. Montario Hardesty will get a lot of work and is worth a late plug into your flex spot. Arian Foster is looking is like a no-go this week, but you either were able to handcuff him with Ben Tate or not. Tate is a Top 15 option this week. Beanie Wells is questionable with a hamstring injury in a 4:05 pm start against a Seahawks run defense that is 15th in the league in rushing yards allowed. I’d be very surprised if Peyton Hillis doesn’t start due to strep throat. Mike Tolbert, Darren Sproles, and Dexter McCluster all have Top-20 potential this week. If your desperate and Earnest Graham is still available, he could see some extended late game work if the Buccaneers are in catch-up mode against the Falcons. In the same game, Jacquizz Rodgers looks like he may have supplanted Jason Snelling as the Falcons’ third-down back.

Wide Receiver

Mario Manningham is out today for the Giants. So is Lee Evans. Miles Austin is out for Monday Night Football and Dez Bryant’s status is up in the air. Austin and Bryant owners could do worse than Kevin Ogletree. I hope you listened to me last week about Eric Decker and Denarius Moore - too late to grab those guys now. Jerome Simpson is apparently going to play this week -- only the Bungles -- thus Andre Caldwell loses some of his desperation WR3 appeal. If Greg Little is still on your waiver wire, grab him ASAP - he’s playing more snaps than any other WR on the Browns, and this could be his breakout week with Mohammed Massaquoi at less than 100% with an ankle injury.

Tight End

Marcedes Lewis should play for the Jaguars today, but Blaine Gabbert is also playing. He could be a safety blanket for the young QB, but Gabbert could also struggle all around. Fred Davis should not be on any waiver wires, but if he is, go grab him. I wasn’t buying in last week, but Scott Chandler is looking like a red zone target for the Bills, and has had 9 total targets through 2 games, and should be a decent TE2 with low-end TE1 upside going forward. If Brandon Pettigrew (shoulder) doesn’t play for the Lions today, Tony Scheffler would make a good emergency TE play.

Week 3 Rankings

2011-09-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 3, my friends. It's time to get those line ups in. Here are the You Heard It Here First week 3 positional rankings in all their shiny, radiant, blinding glory.

Before we get started, check the status of your players over on the Razzball Injury Report, which is updated right up until kickoff Sunday morning.

Rankings updated on: September 25th

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady (@ Buffalo)
Drew Brees (vs. Houston)
Matt Stafford (@ Minnesota)
Michael Vick (vs. New York Giants)
Philip Rivers (vs. Kansas City)
Aaron Rodgers (@ Chicago)
Cam Newton (vs. Jacksonville)
Matt Schaub (@ New Orleans)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. New England)
Ben Roethlisberger (@ Indianapolis)
Tony Romo (vs. Washington)
Rex Grossman (@ Dallas)
Joe Flacco (@ St. Louis)
Matt Ryan (@ Tampa Bay)
Josh Freeman (vs. Atlanta)
Kevin Kolb (@ Seattle)
Matt Hasselbeck (vs. Denver)
Mark Sanchez (@ Oakland)
Colt McCoy (vs. Miami)
Jay Cutler (vs. Green Bay)
Sam Bradford (vs. Baltimore)
Eli Manning (@ Philadelphia)
Kyle Orton (@ Tennessee)
Chad Henne (@ Cleveland)
Andy Dalton (vs. San Francisco)

Two quarterbacks are in the top 7 that I never thought would be at the beginning of the season - Matt Stafford and Cam Newton. Both are playing so well that they're awfully hard to sit. After this week, Cam Newton will be a great sell-high commodity. Michael Vick and Tony Romo are both dealing with injuries, but it sounds like both will start despite their ailments. I think you have to roll with them if they start. Eli Manning will likely be without Mario Manningham, and Nnamdi Asomugha will be shadowing Hakeem Nicks all afternoon. I think it'll be a long day for Manning.

Running Backs

Ray Rice (@ St. Louis)
Adrian Peterson (vs. Detroit)
Rashard Mendenhall (@ Indianapolis)
LeSean McCoy (vs. New York Giants)
Chris Johnson (vs. Denver)
Maurice Jones-Drew (@ Carolina)
Michael Turner (@ Tampa Bay)
Darren McFadden (vs. New York Jets)
Jahvid Best (@ Minnesota)
Matt Forte (vs. Green Bay)
Ben Tate (@ New Orleans)
Fred Jackson (vs. New England)
Ryan Mathews (vs. Kansas City)
Ahmad Bradshaw (@ Philadelphia)
Frank Gore (@ Cincinnati)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (@ Buffalo)
Mike Tolbert (vs. Kansas City)
Tim Hightower (@ Dallas)
Monterio Hardesty (vs. Miami)
James Starks (@ Chicago)
LeGarrette Blount (vs. Atlanta)
Shonn Greene (@ Oakland)
Daniel Thomas (@ Cleveland)
Cedric Benson (vs. San Francisco)
Steven Jackson (vs. Baltimore)
Brandon Jacobs (@ Philadelphia)
Mark Ingram (vs. Houston)
Jonathan Stewart (vs. Jacksonville)
Willis McGahee (@ Tennessee)
DeAngelo Williams (vs. Jacksonville)
Felix Jones (vs. Washington)
Roy Helu (@ Dallas)
LaDanian Tomlinson (@ Oakland)
C.J. Spiller (vs. New England)
Beanie Wells (@ Seattle)
Joseph Addai (vs. Pittsburgh)
Danny Woodhead (@ Buffalo)
Reggie Bush (@ Cleveland)
Ryan Grant (@ Chicago)
Pierre Thomas (vs. Houston)

This week Rashard Mendenhall owners will be rewarded with their patience. A 2-TD day from Mendy would make up for his rather pedestrian numbers in this brief season. I think he can do it. Ditto on all of that with Chris Johnson. The Chiefs give up 25.5 fantasy points a game (standard scoring) to opposing running backs, and I think San Diego will destroy the Chiefs. Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert are both solid RB2s. I think Mark Ingram finally scores his first career touchdown at home against the Texans, but I still think his yardage totals will be underwhelming. Beanie Wells takes a big tumble in the rankings since he's now a game-time decision with a hamstring issue. I'd look for better options if I'm a Wells owner.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson (@ Minnesota)
Andre Johnson (@ New Orleans)
Vincent Jackson (vs. Kansas City)
Larry Fitzgerald (@ Seattle)
Steve Smith (vs. Jacksonville)
Kenny Britt (vs. Denver)
Roddy White (@ Tampa Bay)
Greg Jennings (@ Chicago)
Mike Wallace (@ Indianapolis)
DeSean Jackson (vs. New York Giants)
Brandon Marshall (@ Cleveland)
Steve Johnson (vs. New England)
Wes Welker (@ Buffalo)
Dez Bryant (vs. Washington)
Santonio Holmes (@ Oakland)
Santana Moss (@ Dallas)
Anquan Boldin (@ St. Louis)
Brandon Lloyd (@ Tennessee)
Jeremy Maclin (vs. New York Giants)
Hakeem Nicks (@ Philadelphia)
Dwayne Bowe (@ San Diego)
Mike Williams - TB (vs. Atlanta)
Reggie Wayne (vs. Pittsburgh)
A.J. Green (vs. San Francisco)
Percy Harvin (vs. Detroit)
Nate Burleson (@ Minnesota)
Jordy Nelson (@ Chicago)
Deion Branch (@ Buffalo)
Julio Jones (@ Tampa Bay)
Robert Meachem (vs. Houston)
David Nelson (vs. New England)
Dexter McCluster (@ San Diego)
Mike Thomas (@ Carolina)
Mike Sims-Walker (vs. Baltimore)
Lance Moore (vs. Houston)
Plaxico Burress (@ Oakland)
Kevin Ogletree (vs. Washington)
Eric Decker (@ Tennessee)
Davone Bess (@ Cleveland)
Victor Cruz (@ Philadelphia)

If I have Cam Newton as a top 7 quarterback this week, it only makes sense that I have his primary weapon as a top 7 option as well. Steve Smith has been back to his dominant ways now that he has a quarterback that can get him the ball. I'm down on Mike Wallace a little this week. I don't think Roethlisberger has time to find him deep with the edge rushers the Colts possess. Of course, Wallace can take a slant to the house in the blink of an eye, so he's still a top 10 play. Steve Johnson, Dez Bryant, Santonio Holmes, and A.J. Green are all dealing with injuries, but all are expected to play. Watch their status the rest of the week to make sure they give it a go because you just never know in this league.

Tight Ends

Jason Witten (vs. Washington)
Rob Gronkowski (@ Buffalo)
JerMichael Finley (@ Chicago)
Jimmy Graham (vs. Houston)
Fred Davis (@ Dallas)
Owen Daniels (@ New Orleans)
Tony Gonzalez (@ Tampa Bay)
Vernon Davis (@ Cincinnati)
Kellen Winslow (vs. Atlanta)
Dustin Keller (@ Oakland)
Jermaine Gresham (vs. San Francisco)
Greg Olsen (vs. Jacksonville)
Ed Dickson (@ St. Louis)
Dallas Clark (vs. Pittsburgh)
Scott Chandler (vs. New England)
Tony Scheffler (@ Minnesota)
Ben Watson (vs. Miami)
Jared Cook (vs. Denver)
Lance Kendricks (vs. Baltimore)
Evan Moore (vs. Miami)

With Miles Austin out and Dez Bryant having a bum wheel, Jason Witten should get a lot of work against the 'Skins. He's playing as well as any tight end in the league anyways. I think he has another big week. Aaron Hernandez is out, so Rob Gronkowski cracks the top 3 this week. What a red zone weapon he has become for Tom Brady. He's on his way to a huge season. I don't think Brandon Pettigrew plays. Tony Scheffler will be a nice deep league/two tight end league option assuming Pettigrew is out.

Defense/Special Teams

Steelers (@ Indianapolis)
Packers (@ Chicago)
Ravens (@ St. Louis)
Chargers (vs. Kansas City)
Eagles (vs. New York Giants)
Jets (@ Oakland)
Cardinals (@ Seattle)
Lions (@ Minnesota)
Cowboys (vs. Washington)
Bengals (vs. San Francisco)
Panthers (vs. Jacksonville)
49ers (@ Cincinnati)
Patriots (@ Buffalo)
Redskins (@ Dallas)
Bears (vs. Green Bay)
Titans (vs. Denver)
Browns (vs. Miami)
Falcons (@ Tampa Bay)
Giants (@ Philadelphia)
Seahawks (vs. Arizona)

All the usual suspects are at the top. The Steelers, Packers, and Ravens not only have the talent, but they all have great match ups this week. All are obvious starts. As much as I like the Bears unit, I'd look elsewhere for a D/ST option. Aaron Rodgers can make a good defense look bad pretty quickly. One to consider is the Cardinals D/ST unit, who faces a Seahawks team with no running game a quarterback that sucks.

Let the madness begin! Best of luck to you all this week!

Chugg

Week 2 Waiver Wire

2011-09-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

Lord have mercy it was a rough week for injuries. Jamaal Charles is out for the season, Michael Vick suffered a concussion, Tony Romo has a broken rib and punctured lung, Miles Austin is expected to be out until week six with a hammy issue, and Felix Jones separated his shoulder. I'm sure I'm missing a few others, but you get the picture. Those injuries are depressing enough for me. I don't want to talk about it anymore.

So who's floating around out there to replace these clowns? There are plenty of options this week. Get comfortable. We have a lot of guys to talk about.

Cam Newton image courtesy of The Cover Two.

Cam Newton (CAR - QB) - I doubt he's available after his week one performance, but after his second straight 400+ passing yard game against a very good Packers defense, he shouldn't be available in any leagues next week. He's second only to Tom Brady in fantasy points among QBs. That's all I have to say about that.

Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF - QB) - After his 264 yard, 3 TD (1 INT) performance on Sunday, Fitzpatrick now has back-to-back 20+ fantasy point performances to start the season. He has New England next with Cincinnati to follow, and is a nice add for an owner dealing with an ailing QB (P. Manning, Vick, Romo). He's better than you think and has some nice weapons to throw to.

Rex Grossman (WAS - QB) -It's not easy to watch sexy Rexy do his thing. He makes some horrible decisions sometimes and I don't think I've seen more batted balls at the line of scrimmage than those thrown by Grossman. Despite that, he has an emerging Fred Davis and a savvy veteran in Santana Moss to throw to, and is averaging 298 passing yards and 2 TDs a game. You could do worse.

Colt McCoy (CLE - QB) - I don't like the Cleveland weapons nearly as much as the weapons of the three aforementioned waiver wire QBs, but McCoy has an incredibly soft schedule. He's home against Miami and Tennessee, then a bye in week 5, then his next seven games are as follows: at Oakland, Seattle, at San Francisco, at Houston, St. Louis, Jacksonville, at Cincinnati. McCoy will keep your fantasy team afloat if you lost Peyton Manning, or if your current starter goes down.

Tashard Choice (DAL - RB) - Felix Jones suffered a separated shoulder against the 49ers. The Cowboys are hoping he can play in their Monday night tilt against the Redskins, but he's iffy. Tashard Choice would be a nice short term plug into your fantasy line up if Jones can't go. DeMarco Murray would see touches as well, but Choice is the more proven guy.

Roy Helu (WAS - RB) - The rookie running back had 10 carries for 74 yards and added 3 catches for 38 yards on Sunday. Tim Hightower is still the primary back, at least until Mike Shanahan changes his mind, but Helu's play has earned him some touches. Hightower owners would be wise to add Helu, or if you have a disposable roster spot, Helu is a nice stash. Grab him now before his value goes up later in the year.

Delone Carter (IND - RB) - It was nearly an even split workload between Carter and Joseph Addai against the Browns. Addai had 14 carries (64 yards) and Carter had 11 carries (49 yards). Carter is worth a look in deep leagues, even though his upside will be limited due to the fact that the Colts offense pretty much sucks ass.

Denarius Moore photo courtesy of SFGate.

Dexter McCluster (KC - RB) - Fantasy darling Jamaal Charles is out for the season with a torn ACL. Son of a bitch. Someone has to pick up the slack and I like McCluster the most of the KC running backs. He's an added weapon in PPR leagues and is worth picking up for a fill in once the bye weeks start kicking in. If the Colts offense sucks ass, then the KC offense sucks a horse's ass. Keep expectations in check.

Denarius Moore (OAK - WR) -The Raiders have been looking for someone to step up and assume the #1 receiving role in the passing game and they may have found their man. Moore had 5 catches for 146 yards on Sunday, which included a sensational 50-yard TD reception in double coverage. He's a must add in dynasty leagues and should be a favorite target of Jason Campbell all season long.

David Nelson (BUF - WR) - Nelson is neck and neck with Steve Johnson when it comes to targets in the Bills passing game. He had 13 targets (to Johnson's 14) on Sunday and caught 10 of those for 83 yards and a touchdown. This after tying Johnson with the team lead in targets week one (6). With QB Ryan Fitzpatrick playing lights out, Nelson is a great add as a WR3, particularly in PPR leagues. He'll be a factor all season.

Eric Decker (DEN - WR) - In Brandon Lloyd's absence, Decker stepped up to the tune of 5 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs. He made his claim to be the Broncos' #2 wide out and should be a solid fantasy contributor this year. I like him as a WR4 fantasy option the rest of the way.

Kevin Ogletree (DAL - WR) - With Miles Austin expected to be out until week 6 with a hamstring issue and Dez Bryant still on the mend, Ogletree will see an increase in targets. He's worth a look as a WR5/bye week replacement in deep leagues.

Brandon LaFell (CAR - WR) - Cam Newton isn't going to throw for 400 yards every week, but he and LaFell are developing a nice little rapport. LaFell caught 4 balls for 70 yards in week one, and followed that up with a 4 catch, 49 yard, and 1 TD performance in week two. If pickings as slim at WR in your league, LaFell will at least get you a few points if you need him.

Fred Davis photo courtesy of Aerys Sports.

Fred Davis (WAS - TE) - Davis on Sunday: 6 catches, 86 yards, TD (7 targets). Chris Cooley on Sunday: 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs (2 targets). Not much else needs to be said. He's also just 25 years old, dynasty leaguers.

Dustin Keller (NYJ - TE) - Tight end is deep this year, but Keller is another option floating on a few waiver wires. He had 5 catches for 61 yards and a TD in week one, and another 6 catches for 101 yards and a TD in week two. He has a nice match up next week against the Raiders if you're not happy with how your current TE is producing.

Drop these candy asses: Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, Ryan Torain, Montario Hardesty, Chad Ochocinco, Michael Crabtree, Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams (SEA), Pierre Garcon, James Jones, Zach Miller, Chris Cooley.

Chugg

Greed Is Good (Buy/Sell)

2011-09-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

2-0, 1-1 or 0-2. That's where you sit right now. Despite the NFL talk that no 0-2 team made the playoffs in 2010, that is not your problem. Your 0-2 team can still get it together. Your 2-0 start could also be a fluke. Either way, there are guys out there that you can turn a profit on and those that can be had at a bargain. Hopefully you can swing a deal in your favor to get you rolling towards a fantasy football championship.

Buy

Chris Johnson: CJ2K is looking like CJ750 at this point. Ringer even vultured a TD from him this week. The talent is still there. He still has Top 5 potential. If I didn't own him, I would certainly throw an offer out to see if the owner will bite. If said owner is 0-2, you may come away with your winning ticket to your fantasy football league.

Daniel Thomas: It may be too late at this point, but it appears that Reggie Bush will get 70% of the carries only applies to Week 1. Thomas got the lion's share of the work this week and surprisingly looked good running the football. Despite the terrible preseason, Thomas looks like he has solid potential to be a solid flex if not RB2. Get him now while you can.

Mark Ingram: For the second week in a row, Ingram put up pedestrian numbers. However, the guy still was New Orleans' number one pick and future bell-cow. Pierre Thomas has an lengthy injury history that will likely cut into the 50/50 split we have seen thus far. Sproles still holds the PPR value, but Ingram will likely see those goalline touches soon and eventually learn the pass blocking that is required to be in on passing downs.

Jacoby Ford: Denarious Moore looked pretty stellar against Buffalo, finally giving Ford a #2 that can catch the ball. Ford's injured at the moment, which should make him pretty cheap. Get him while you can.

Vernon Davis: I know the TE position is beyond deep this year. But Davis still has Top 5 TE talent despite his horrendous start. If you drafted Dallas Clark, I wouldn't be against an even swap.

Mike Williams TB: His Sunday was pretty much like mine except he wore a jersey and I scored more than him in standard leagues (0.0 to -0.4). He still possesses WR1/WR2 talent and may be available.

Sell

Cam Newton/Steve Smith: Let's be honest. You didn't draft Newton to be your starter. He was a late round flier or a free agent pickup. Unless you were the unlucky winner of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, you probably have a decent playcaller ahead of Cam. The same can be said for Steve Smith who was drafted in the WR4 range. Unless you are thin at QB or WR, why not dangle either one of them at a frustrated Josh Freeman owner? Maybe play up Vick's concussion or Romo's ribs to net a decent trade to improve your team?

LeGarrette Blount: Through two weeks we've seen the gameplan when Tampa trails and it doesn't involve Mr. Blount outside of the redzone. I'd see what I could get after his 2TD game, which was on just 13 carries.

Dexter McCluster: KC's offense is a mess and Todd Haley will probably toss out the flat tire that is Thomas Jones to get the first team carries. However, McCluster is the better talent and the higher sought after player. I'd dangle him at the JC owner if you are not him or maybe towards the Arian Foster owner. See what you can get because despite McCluster's ability, his fantasy points will be far from consistent.

Dwayne Bowe: See above regarding KC's offense. He put up a 100-yard game on Sunday. I'd trade him for Mike Williams of Tampa.

So there you have it. Make some good trades. Win your league. Send me a portion of the check.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Week 2

2011-09-18T22:40:00.000-07:00

It sure feels good to be writing about fake football again. I had a computer crisis the past couple of weeks and my fantasy football brain just about had a Dennis Green size meltdown. It wasn't pretty around here. But, I'm back in the saddle and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. Thanks for sticking with me.

Week two delivered a lot of offense since no NFL team outside of the Jets, Steelers and Lions wanted to play defense on Sunday. Fine by me! That means there was plenty of fantasy goodness to go around. Of course, there are always a few players that want to break our fantasy lovin' hearts with crappy performances, loaded with extra crap. Let's take a look at a few good performances, a few bad performances, and a few ugly performances from this weekend's action.

The Good

Tom Brady (NE - QB) - Nobody in the league is playing better football that the Golden Boy. In two games, Brady has 940 passing yards, 7 TD passes and just 1 INT. Somebody wants another MVP award. We all know Brady is one of the best in the business - if not THE best - but playing at this level is just silly. Defenses look helpless against him. At this rate he'll break all kinds of records. I hope for the sake of our fake fantasy squads he keeps this up.

Fred Jackson (BUF - RB) - Jackson now has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games to start the season, including a 140 total yard, 2 TD effort against the Raiders on Sunday. Jackson is taking a lighter to any reports of C.J. Spiller threatening to take his job, burning them, and doing something to the ashes I really shouldn't talk about. You're starting him as your flex RB, but he's giving your RB1 numbers. I think he might slow down come week 10 or so, but he's a must start at this point.

Vincent Jackson (SD - WR) - After his craptastic week one performance (2 catches, 31 yards), Jackson became the receiver we thought he was in week two. Even better, actually. His 10 catch, 172 yard, 2 TD game against the Patriots this past weekend prove his name still belongs with the elite at the position. If Malcom Floyd is out for any period of time (groin injury), Vincent Jackson's chances of finishing as a top 5 fantasy receiver aren't that far fetched. He may finish in the top 5 regardless. He's that good.

The Bad

Chris Johnson (TEN - RB) - I don't know whether to blame CJ's suckfest on the lockout or the holdout. It must be the holdout since the rest of the NFL seems to be doing okay despite the lockout. Johnson followed up his terrible week one performance (6 catches, 49 total yards) with a 3 catch, 65 total yard performance on Sunday. Granted it was against the Ravens, but when CJ2K gets 27 total touches, he should do a hell of a lot better than that no matter who he plays. I'm not too worried yet, but we can't wait forever. Get it together, CJ.

Chad Ochocinco (NE - WR) - Tom Brady is passing at a record shattering pace and Ochocinco is hardly getting any love in the passing game. The target distribution for the Patriots on Sunday looked like this: Welker (11), Branch (10), Hernandez (8), Gronkowski (6), Ochocinco (2). Ocho isn't doing shizz and isn't worth hanging on to at this point. If he isn't doing anything when Brady is throwing for 400+ yards a game, he isn't going to do anything all year.

Vernon Davis (SF - TE) - A top 5 drafted tight end isn't supposed to suck this bad. It's not all his fault though. His quarterback sucks, which leads to him sucking, creating a big ol' 49er suckfest of epic proportions. Davis has the talent to be a star in the league, but as far as fantasy football goes, which is all that matters here at You Heard It Here First, guys like Fred Davis and Dustin Keller are better starts right now. That's sad.

The Ugly

Joe Flacco (BAL - QB) - Coming off one of his best career games against the Steelers, Flacco delivered a dud against the Titans. He completed less than 50% of his passes (15/32), throwing for 197 yards and 2 picks. A TD pass kept his fantasy numbers above water, but this was an ugly performance from "Joe Cool." It was extra uncool. This inconsistency is why Flacco can only be considered a back up fantasy option.

DeAngelo Williams (CAR - RB) - Carolina's $43 million dollar man had 5 carries for 13 yards, and 4 catches for 23 yards against the Packers on Sunday. Last week he had 12 carries for 30 yards and 1 catch for 6 yards. It isn't like this offense isn't moving the ball, either. Cam Newton is going off and Williams isn't doing anything. I'm reserving him to the bench until further notice. This isn't going to cut it.

Kansas City Chiefs Offense - The Chiefs got their asses handed to them by the Lions in a 48-3 blowout loss. To pour a little salt on those asses, they lost Jamaal Charles for the season. The only positive I see here is Dwayne Bowe should get plenty of targets since the Chiefs will be throwing until Matt Cassel's arm falls off. They'll be trailing a LOT.

There were plenty of other great performances this weekend, and there were plenty of other bad ones as well. Too many to put into one article. There will be good, bad and ugly performances next week too, and I'll be here to write about it. See you then my fellow fantasy football nuts.

Chugg

Last Minute Look Ahead - Week 2

2011-09-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

We’ve all run into that situation where we were no’t prepared for something that we knew was coming. Whether it was that paper due at school or a presentation at work, we all have had that moment where we woke up in the middle of the night realizing that something important the next day had slipped our minds. This situation happens all the time. I’m sure some of you woke up this morning and realized that they hadn’t prepared themselves for the possibility that a starter wouldn’t suit up today. I’m here to help. Even in your waiver wires are more depleted than the Giants defense (it pained me to make that joke in case you were wondering), there are still viable starters - especially ones with upside that you can plug in at the last minute.

Quarterback

Although Sam Bradford is probable for Monday Night Football, I’d still be looking elsewhere. He’s not all that exciting even fully healthy and with his star running back, but banged up and without SJax, I’d rather start someone else. If Rex Grossman (tasty matchup against horrible Arizona secondary) and Chad Henne (who may turn out to be one of those QBs that is better in fantasy than in real life) are not available, look for Ryan Fitzpatrick or Cam Newton. If all of those QBs are gone, you may have to stick with Bradford. If you are truly desperate, drafted Peyton Manning without taking a decent backup and started Kerry Collins, I’d rather play the other side of that matchup today - Colt McCoy. Maybe he’ll draw inspiration from Bevo’s big win last night.

Running Back

You had more than enough time to prepare for Steven Jackson being questionable this week, and his playing on MNF doesn’t make things any easier. If you weren’t able to grab Cadillac Williams off of waivers, you have two options. The first is much easier in PPR, where running backs like Earnest Graham and Jason Snelling have decent enough value to get you through a week - think 4 or 5 catches - maybe they get into the end zone (Note: this is why I love having later round players like Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead on my roster - they are usually effective injury and bye-week replacements in PPR leagues without having to scramble to the waiver wire). The second option is, if you have second RB to play, is to plug SJax into a flex spot, and then pick up a WR from the MNF game - Brandon Gibson or Greg Salas may be available (or see below Dominik Hixon). Then, if SJax plays you can start him, if not, you have someone to plug in.

Wide Receiver

The big names that might miss Week 2 are Hakeem Nicks, Dez Bryant and Santonio Holmes. If Nicks is out, Hixon is the play, if I were a Nicks owner, I’d grab him if he’s still there. Kevin Ogletree is an intriguing play in Dallas’ high-octane offense - he’s a huge boom or bust play. If someone hasn’t already snatched Jacoby Jones up -- he’s starting for the injured Kevin Walter -- he’s my favorite replacement play of the week. If Holmes doesn’t go, Derrick Mason wouldn’t be a bad play starting across from Plaxico Burress. Also with Roy Williams out (I’m assuming you weren’t planning on starting Ol’ Alligator Arms), Earl Bennett and Devin Hester could have decent games. Eric Decker looked good last week, and with the Broncos looking to be playing from behind most of the time, could be in line for 6 to 8 targets. Finally, with Jacoby Ford sidelined today, and Darrius Heyward-Bey apparently wearing wraps on this leg larger than the footballs he routinely fails to catch, Denarius Moore could also be in line for a good deal of targets, and with his blazing speed, Moore is always a threat to take it to the house.

Tight End

Marcedes Lewis is out for the Jaguars today. Lance Kendricks is hopefully over his first real game jitters and should be a decent play against the Giants, who are starting rookie Greg Jones at middle linebacker. Anthony Fasano looked really good catching the ball from Chad Henne last week and would be an adequate fill-in as well. I’m not hopping aboard the Scott Chandler bandwagon express just yet. One game doesn’t change Chan Gailey’s history of neglecting the position as a pass catching option.

Week 3 Review/Week 4 Look Ahead

2011-09-01T02:30:00.000-07:00

It's coming. It really is. One week from today, we will have NFL football. Real NFL football. Time to make sure your favorite sports bar is still functioning properly or your home viewing area is up to speed. For the next 16+ weeks, you will be focused intently on the players you drafted/will draft, keeping a keen eye on when to start/sit/trade them. You've waited a long time for this day to come. Enjoy it. Crack a beer. You deserve it!

Since we do have preseason action tonight, I'm going to focus on players who excelled in Week 3 of preseason action along with the ones you need to keep an eye out for this week to see what they will be able to contribute to your roster.

Antonio Brown: After dropping a terrible touchdown dance on us and 2 TDs against the Falcons last week, Antonio Brown is on everyone's radar. Opinions seem split on Brown as some still assume Emmanuel Sanders is ahead of him on the depth chart. That puts Brown at #4 behind Mike Wallace and Hines Ward as well. I think it's going to be hard to keep this man off the field and while his value may be low for the first couple weeks of the season, Ward is aging and Sanders has a history of injuries. So draft away, but be prepared to sit him until he earns his way on the field.

Ryan Grant: I lauded Grant as excellent value last week and Grant continues to make me look dumb. He's been getting the first team reps, but consensus opinion is that he has lost a step and that James Starks has looked like the better back in Green Bay. After seeing Starks catch 5 passed for 38 yards, I think he has higher potential in the high-powered Packer offense. You can likely get Starks later in the draft and like Bradshaw/Jacobs in New York, this looks to be an even split to start the season. Get the better value and ignore that I talked about Ryan Grant in a previous blog.

Indianapolis Colts: What a difference a week makes. Peyton Manning is activated off the PUP list and starting to practice and Curtis Painter looks like he has played QB before. The ladder went 11-21 for 171 yards and 2 TDs against the Packers hooking up with Reggie Wayne for 6-105-1TD. While Kerry Collins appears to be the #2 in Indy, you can at least take some comfort in starting your Colts WRs if Manning does miss Week 1.

Austin Collie: Collie continues to battle multiple injuries, but looks to be on pace to start the season. He's another one I talked about last week as bad value because he was being drafted in the 4th round and looked to as a WR2 or WR1 if you went with a QB and RBs early. I recently got him in the 6th round of a draft and am comfortable drafting him in the flex territory since his upside is so high.

Arian Foster: The anti-awesomeness is detailed below in @EyeoftheGator's terrific blog. Read it. Tell Eye that it was good on Twitter so he will feel cool.

Chris Johnson: Also detailed below. Rinse and repeat with the Gator praise.

Andy Dalton/AJ Green: The rookie duo finally hooked up for a TD against a stellar defense, going for a 40-yard score against the tough Carolina Panthers secondary. Wait. This isn't 2003? Hmm.... Well, at least Dalton's ginger powers can battle in the NFL's basement. While AJ Green no doubt offers amazing ability and potential stud-WR1 weeks, those weeks might occur with Andrew Luck in 2012. Don't draft Green for more than a WR4, WR3 if you are solid at all other spots.

Quick Hits

David Garrard: Newly named starter for the Jags has held off the rookie Blaine Gabbert for the time being and looks to be a decent Week 1 start against the Titans if you are holding Peyton Manning.

Chad Ochocinco: After struggling against the Lions, rumors are abound that the budding reality star is having a hard time picking up the New England offense, something that both the player and team dispute. Draft as WR3 instead of WR2 at this point.

Jermichael Finley: Finley rolled his ankle and will be held out of this week's preseason game, but the injury appears to be minor. While his injury history has me skeptical, you can't deny his talent. Get him if you love him, but be sure to get a decent TE2.

Cedric Benson: Benson is headed to jail early and could be released in time for the Week 1 tilt against the Browns. Decent matchup there for Cedric. If he cannot play, Bernard Scott could provide RB2 or flex numbers in Cleveland.

If you draft is this weekend, good luck!

The Curious Cases of Arian Foster and Chris Johnson

2011-08-31T13:52:00.001-07:00

I don’t know if its the lockout, the earthquake, Hurricane Irene or that Taco Bell I had for dinner last night, but a holdout and a hamstring have severely shaken up the top of most people’s draft boards. What started out as a consensus PPR Top 6 made up entirely of running backs -- in no particular order, Arian Foster, Chris Johnson, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy -- has seen one-third of its members fall from locks to severe questions. When experts say that there is a huge turnover rate in top top running backs from year-to-year, its an amalgam of these kinds of issues in addition to getting old, offensive line injuries and other unexplained drops in production. You very rarely see sustained greatness --most are not even one-hit wonders -- they get knocked down, but unlike Chumbawamba, they do not get back up again.

The problems with both CJ and Foster -- more so with Foster at this point -- is that neither have clear handcuffs - Javon Ringer has been dealing with a hip problem while Jamie Harper makes the most of his first team reps, and Derrick Ward is being pushed for he Texans number two running back spot by the now healthy Ben Tate. This issue presents itself in two distinct areas: one, for those that have already drafted one of these players, and, two, for those yet to draft.

If you’ve already drafted CJ or Foster, hopefully you’ve grabbed one or both of the potential handcuffs, and are ready for whoever is eventually the Week 1 starter. If not, and you didn’t draft enough running back depth to cover yourself until CJ -- who could end up missing or not being at full speed for a couple of weeks -- or Foster -- who could miss up to four weeks with his hamstring injury -- return to the lineup. The other option is to run, not walk, to the waiver wire to make sure that you have someone to play in the meantime. Depending on the number of teams in your league, and depth of rosters, pickings may be slim. Assuming you are in a 12 team league where the average team rosters 5 running backs, the following may be available for you to grab: Jason Snelling, Montario Hardesty, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Leon Washington, Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham. You should also look to see who ends up as Detroit’s second running back: Maurice Morris (coming back from a hand injury and has not played in the preseason), Jerome Harrison or Aaron Brown. While none of these players are going to win an early week contest for you, they should at least get you some points and keep you in contention.

If you haven’t drafted yet, the question becomes, when do you draft Foster or CJ? In a recent 14 team PPR draft that I was in, but before Arian Foster threw HIPAA to the wind and tweeted the “anti-awesomeness” on his MRI, Foster went 3rd overall and CJ slipped to 8th. I think the 7 to 10 range is about where you are going to see CJ while he is holding out. Just make sure you get Ringer. I think you need to be ready to pull the trigger on Ringer in the 9th or 10th. In addition, think about foregoing a backup QB or TE and grabbing Harper at the end of the draft. You can always drop whoever ends up as the third back once CJ returns. With Foster, assuming he is really out up to a month, he may drop even more, possibly out of the 1st round all together. He would represent a great value at that point, again, just make sure you grab Ward and Tate. While Ward is technically the backup as of now, Tate’s ADP is higher and the ADP of both will only rise with Foster out. You may have to bite the bullet on Tate in the 7th or 8th and again, forgo that backup QB or TE for Ward towards the end of the draft.

With a top 4 pick, you can take Rice, Peterson, Charles or McCoy with no issue. If I was picking 5th through 8th right now, I would take the highest rated wide receiver on my board -- my Top 5 in order is Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White, Hakeem Nicks -- and then grab a running back in the second. The other option is to elevate Rashard Mendenhall or Darren McFadden, but I would wait on them unless they fell to me at the 9th pick, and then see who came back to me on the turn.

Ultimately, for those that have not drafted yet, the question is: how risk adverse are you? If you like safe picks, don’t want to worry about handcuffs, or just like setting your lineup and only worrying about bye weeks and injuries, then there is plenty of talent for you to bypass Johnson and Foster all together. If you like taking the gambles that tend to either put you flat on your face or holding the championship trophy, then, at the end of the day, the situations surrounding Johnson and Foster have the potential to create great value for the those drafting in the late-middle to the end of the 1st round.

Maximum Value is Key

2011-08-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

In most things out there, obtaining maximum value for your assets is the key to gaining the most potential profit. Whether you are collecting baseball cards, buying stocks or dominating your fantasy football league, you want to buy low and sell high. If you can do neither, you likely want to hold what you've got. For the upcoming season, I'm going to offer a weekly Buy, Sell and Hold blog to give my opinion on who to target, who to dump and who will have value in the future despite their current struggles. Since we are in the middle of draft season, this first blog will be a bit different.

Who I'm Buying/Drafting:

Mario Manningham: 7 targets in the first half this past week makes me think that the PPR dynamo role that Steve Smith held for the football Giants has been passed to Mario.

Brandon Jacobs: In what is looking like a split job in New York, I want the guy you can get 2-4 rounds later.

Ryan Grant: He's getting drafted in flex territory but will get the load to make him an RB2 caliber player if he can stay healthy.

Delone Carter: Indy's new #2 back behind an injury prone Joseph Addai.

In the if you are drafting on the four-letter site and taking advantage of opponents following the four-letter rankings category

Darren McFadden: Ranked 21st.

Larry Fitzgerald: 23rd and WR6

Tim Hightower: Ranked behind Ryan Torain

Danny Amendola: PPR beast ranked 186 and WR59

Brandon Gibson: Ranked in the 300s and could be the WR1 in St. Louis

Who I'm Selling/Not Drafting:

Steven Ridley: Unless you are in a dynasty league, people seem to be reaching for Mr. Ridley. Green-Ellis and Woodhead got all of the first team snaps in Week 2. While Ridley has looked good, it's been against #2's and #3's. Also throw in that Belichick is not likely to trust a rookie back to block for Tom Terrific and I am seeing what is out there for Ridley if he's on my roster.

Reggie Bush: Looked great in Preseason Week 2 and Daniel Thomas did not. If you trust him, that's your business, but I don't think his value will be any higher than it is today.

Beanie Wells: With Ryan Williams going down for the year, Beanie has crept up draft boards. Unfortunately, he is still Beanie Wells. While he could have a DMC reawakening, I'm not holding my breath.

Austin Collie: Collie is going way too high for my liking. While he had a stellar start to 2010, he's being drafted as a high-end WR2 and some calling him as WR1 potential. The potential is there, but so are the injuries. Concussions get the headlines, but Collie has missed time within the past week to a knee problem and now a foot issue. While minor, I want a WR I can rely on a little more.

So there you have it. There's the list of guys I'm trying to get in drafts and those I am staying away from. Good luck in your drafts and your leagues.

Preseason Round Up - Week 2

2011-08-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Starters played well into the second quarter of the week 2 preseason games. Their playing time helps us fantasy folks gain a stronger sense of how these offenses are planning on doing things, and an idea of which players will do well in them. Thank you, NFL head coaches. This was helpful. I'll send you all an email in December with a photo attached of me holding my fantasy trophy which will prompt you to email me back threatening to sue if I don't leave you alone. On to the analysis!

Mike Vick photo courtesy of zimbio.com.

Michael Vick (PHI - QB) - What has two thumbs and isn't worried about Vick going 5/12 for 47 yards and 3 picks against the Steelers? Somebody with two thumbs! Vick forced throws and looked like a J.V. quarterback out there on Thursday night. Don't panic my fellow fantasy football junkie. Vick is still a human video game that will single-handedly win you fantasy games. He had a bad night. A really bad night. Perhaps this will scare other fantasy owners, but it shouldn't worry you. DeSean Jackson's inflated head is much more worrisome. He needs to see a doctor to get that thing checked out. It can't be comfortable.

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT - QB) - Big Ben went 8/12 for 125 yards and 2 TDs against a solid Eagles defense. Once the elite QBs are off the board, you should take a long hard look at this Roethlisberger fellow. He finished last season 6th in fantasy points per game among QBs. Just don't take long hard looks into house windows. That could get you in a bit of a pickle. I'm sure Roethlisberger can attest to that.

Colt McCoy (CLE - QB) - Colt followed up his 9/10, 135 yard, 1 TD game last week with a 10/18, 96 yard, 3 TD game this week. The guy is flat out kicking preseason ass. Recognize. Welcome to QB2 fantasy relevance, Mr. McCoy.

Curtis Painter/Dan Orlovsky (IND - QB) - Good God in heaven the Colts are in trouble if Peyton Manning isn't ready week one. The Brett Favre-to-the-Colts rumor is annoying as hell, but seriously, have you seen these two guys play?

Arian Foster (HOU - RB) - With Chris Johnson wanting more money than the Tennessee state fiscal budget and Adrian Peterson dealing with a swiss cheese offensive line, Arian Foster emphatically stamped his status as the #1 running back in fantasy land with his 5 carry, 47 yard, 2 TD performance against the Saints. He made it look easy. He's the #1 RB. Debate over. Also of note, Ben Tate made a statement as well (95 yards and a TD) and is the primary handcuff to Foster.

Reggie Bush photo courtesy of miasportsguy.com.

Reggie Bush (MIA - RB) - The fantasy value of Bush is like a supplement commercial. The before picture is all nasty, obese and unattractive with hair coming out of parts unreachable in a shower, then suddenly (ahem..6 months later) the after picture is showing well-defined muscles, a perfectly even tan, and a much more attractive commodity. New Orleans before, Miami after. He's now a fantasy factor in Miami after not being one in New Orleans. Stay with me here.

Bush had 8 carries for 48 yards as well as 2 receptions for 33 yards against the Panthers. Someone wants a starting job, and it's not Daniel Thomas who has been unimpressive this preseason. I like Bush as a RB3/flex, and he could even pass as a RB2 in the deepest of leagues. Those supplements are the shit man!

Brandon Jacobs (NYG - RB) - The bowling ball Giants bruiser back showed nifty moves on his way to a 18-yard TD scamper. That run capped off a 6 carry, 48 yard, 1 TD night for the big fella. Jacobs is very much a fantasy factor and is worth your flex spot. I sure as hell wouldn't want to tackle him and 195 lb. DBs don't want to either.

Beanie Wells (ARZ - RB) - The default Arizona starting running back had 11 carries for 44 yards against the Packers. Sounds about right. RB3/flex option.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis (NE - RB) - The Law Firm recorded 51 yards and 2 TDs on 11 carries. If he stays in New England he certainly has value, but this doesn't change the fact that Stevan Ridley is still around. Green-Ellis is a leading contender for "the most frustrating running back to own" award this year if there was such an award in existence.

Willis McGahee (DEN - RB) - Willis was quiet on the ground (5 carries for 6 yards), but he DID punch in a 1-yard TD. He also caught a 13-yard swing pass TD. Two running backs can be fantasy commodities in a John Fox offense, and McGahee is quickly becoming a late-round fantasy factor. Without a doubt you need to draft this guy if you draft Knowshon Moreno.

Kendall Hunter (SF - RB) - 9 carries for 105 yards and a TD, including a 53-yard TD run. Yowza! Hunter is the guy to handcuff to Frank Gore who is bitching about his contract and hasn't played a full 16 game season since 2006.

Greg Jennings (GB - WR) - Jennings now has back-to-back weeks with a TD reception. If any fantasy owners were worried about TE JerMichael Finley taking thunder away from Jennings, they should take comfort in the play of Jennings so far this preseason. He's still a bona fide #1 fantasy wide receiver.

Mario Manningham photo courtesy of nypost.com.

Mario Manningham (NYG - WR) - Manningham had just 4 catches for 39 yards, but the telling stat is his 7 targets in less than a half. He was far and away Eli Manning's favorite receiver on Monday night. Hakeem Nicks and Ahmad Bradshaw both finished with 4 targets each. Hakeem Nicks is still the red zone guy and the most valuable Giants receiver, but now you know why Manningham is quickly rising up into round 5 fantasy draft territory. He's a very legit WR2 fantasy receiver.

Lee Evans (BAL - WR) - Evans converted on all 3 of his targets, good for 68 yards. Flacco has the arm to get him the ball deep and he's a very sneaky pick late in your draft. He may end up being the most valuable Ravens receiver. No really, he might. It isn't like Anquan Boldin is doing anything worth a damn.

Nate Burleson (DET - WR) - I have a feeling Burleson isn't going to be overlooked in fantasy drafts much longer. He now has a TD reception in both preseason games, and both of them have been sensational tippy-toe catches. A healthy Matthew Stafford could help Burleson produce 7-8 TDs. Burleson had 6 TDs last year, and Stafford missed all but two games. The upside is there.

Evan Moore (CLE - TE) - While starting TE Ben Watson was watching from the sidelines, Evan Moore recorded 3 catches for 40 yards and 2 TDs. Moore isn't worth a roster spot right now since Watson IS still the starter, but Moore is playing well which means Watson's opportunities will be reduced, especially on the goal line. Bummer. Just when I was starting to like Watson as a sleeper.

We'll continue to keep you in the know here at You Heard It Here First. On to week 3 you sons of..I mean loyal YHIHF readers!

Chugg

The YHIHF Draft Preparation Links

2011-08-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

It's all about preparation when it comes to your fantasy draft, and we here at You Heard It Here First! have you covered. Here's everything you need to have a kick ass fantasy draft day.

PRE-GAME

Draft Day Rules and Etiquette: Every fantasy draft has a certain set of unwritten rules and etiquette. Consider them unwritten no more. (Clint)
Draft Day/Game Day Recipes: Boneless Barbecue Ribs, Grilled Marinated Chicken, and a Chip Dip that's a must on game days. (Clint)

FIRST QUARTER

Genuine Draft - Wide Receiver Style: How much of an impact will rookie wide receivers make? (Clint)
Genuine Draft - Running Back Style: Will the rookie running backs make an impact this season? (Clint)
Genuine Draft - Quarterback Style: What about the rookie quarterbacks? Any worth drafting? (Clint)

SECOND QUARTER

Movers and Shakers: Once the lockout was lifted, many players changed teams altering their 2011 fantasy value. See where their fantasy value stacks up now. (Clint)
2011 Off-Season News and Notes: Even when the players were locked out, there was still plenty of NFL news fantasy owners needed to know about. (Clint)
You Can Have Them!: Every year there are some players who disappoint. We look at a few potential busts for the upcoming season. (@jrnall2)
Searching Everywhere For Sleepers: Some players break out in a big way every season. Here are 11 guys to watch this year. (@EyeoftheGator)

THIRD QUARTER

Who To Target For The Fantasy Playoffs: These teams have soft schedules during weeks 12-16 of the season. (Clint)
Who To Avoid For The Fantasy Playoffs: These teams have a tough schedule during weeks 12-16 of the season. (Clint)
Finding Value in the Later Rounds: Fantasy titles are won and lost in the late rounds of fantasy drafts. We compare the numbers. (Clint)
The Great YHIHF Minion Debate: LeSean McCoy or Ray Rice? Andre Johnson or Calvin Johnson? Who should you take? (@jrnall2 and @EyeoftheGator)
Preseason Round Up - Week 1: We get you all caught up with players who raised their draft stock over the first week of preseason action. (Clint)
Preseason Round Up - Week 2: We sort through the week 2 preseason action to analyze player performances and their fantasy stock. (Clint)

FOURTH QUARTER

James Bond Fantasy Football Team Names: Your fantasy team needs a name - why not throw in a little James Bond in there while you're at it? (@EyeoftheGator)
2011 Quarterback Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
2011 Running Back Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
2011 Wide Receiver Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
2011 Tight End Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
2011 D/ST Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
2011 PPR/Keeper/Rookie Rankings: Updated regularly. (Clint)
Insuring Your Assets: The most important thing a fantasy owner can do is protect his studs. We show you the importance of handcuffing your top players. (@jrnall2)

POST-GAME

Dynasty League Targets: Dynasty leaguers need to get these guys on their teams. Somehow, some way. (Clint)

You're ready to draft. Make us proud.

Chugg

Preseason Prospects and Rookie Review

2011-08-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

Some people (especially my wife) summarily dismiss the preseason as insignificant, second rate football. I, however, especially look forward to this time of year because, for the most part, it may the only time that you get to see many of the rookies and end of the bench players take the field. Getting to see these players firsthand can give you an invaluable edge in both dynasty leagues and redraft leagues when you are deciding what players that may not have an immediate impact are worth stashing on your roster.

This year, NFL.com offered a Preseason Live package that gives you access to all preseason games, both live and on replay. This is a great feature that allows to watch those hokey local preseason broadcasts (see Raiders local sideline reporter “JT the Brick”) and study up on those players that your leaguemates are unlikely to have seen play. Here are some players that caught my eye as I was watching the preseason action:

Denarius Moore, WR, Raiders: Moore has gotten a ton of camp love after making the most of this time after injuries to Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy (those little blue pills don’t keep away nagging injuries apparently). Moore has electrifying speed and good hands. Given the shaky status of Oakland’s WRs outside of Ford, Moore could easily end up the Raiders WR3 or even WR2 sooner rather than later.

Jordan Todman, RB, Chargers: Here’s a guy that averaged 5.1 yard per carry on 334 carries at Connecticut last year (that’s 1695 rushing yards for you math-challenged people). Even more impressive is that Connecticut had an almost non-existent passing game, and teams routinely stacked the box against Todman. Playing as the third RB for the Chargers in their first preseason game, Todman averaged 5 yards per carry and caught 4 balls. He ran tough and looked comfortable catching the ball. He’s not Darren Sproles, but he is someone to keep your eye on if either Ryan Mathews or Mike Tolbert go down.

Kendall Hunter, RB, 49ers: I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for Kendall Hunter, who averaged 6.5 and 5.7 yards per carry against Big 12 competition in the two years that he had over 240 carries (Hunter was hurt for the majority of 2009). A major concern about Hunter, who is only 5’ 8”, 200 lbs, is his ability to pass block. Although he excelled in this area in college, early camp reports suggested that he was being overwhelmed. He didn’t appear to get swallowed up in the 49ers first preseason game, and looked tough running the ball 7 times for 21 yards. What was most impressive was Hunter’s ability to keep moving forward after contact and pick up extra yards. In the event of a injury to Frank Gore, look for Hunter to take more of the load than Anthony Dixon, who looks even slower with that extra fullback weight he added.

Dwayne Harris, WR, Cowboys: The speedy 6th round pick from East Carolina (hmm, anyone know any other fast guys from ECU that turned out ok?) tore up the Broncos, catching all 5 of this targets for 127 yards and 2 TDs. His night included a 76 yard TD that was mostly yards after the catch and really showcased his speed. He may very well pass Kevin Ogletree and end up as the Cowboys WR3. While he’d be picking up the target scraps left by big dogs Miles Ausin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, he’s still a player to look out for on the waiver wire in redraft, and stash on your bench if he’s still available in Dynasty leagues.

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers: Although Cobb had a slightly disappointing second preseason game, not getting to play WR after sustaining an (apparently not serious) knee bruise on a kick return, he looked every bit the playmaker he was billed as in the Packers’ first preseason game. He’s not afraid to work the middle of the field, and welcomes contact. On one kick return in the second preseason game, Cobb even put his head down and rammed forward to pick up extra yards. He’s ticketed for Donald Driver’s role in the offense in the future, and if Driver, who, correct me if I’m wrong, started his career under Lombardi, doesn’t make it through the season, Cobb may have an impact this year.

Other Miscellaneous Preseason Notes

Greg Jennings: He’s getting a ton of targets from Aaron Rodgers, and the two really seem to be clicking. The fear that the return of Finley would drain Jennings’ targets seems overstated early on.

Jermichael Finley: Played in the Packers second preseason game after skipping the first and racked up 4 catches for 33 yards on 5 targets in one half of play. His knee does not appear to be bothering him, either physically or mentally.

Matthew Stafford: Stafford has looked really sharp through 2 preseason games. If he can play all 16, he’ll have Top 10 upside.

Beanie Wells: Although the Ryan Williams injury ostensibly helps his situation, he is still playing behind a bad offensive line, lacks breakaway speed, gets nicked up easily and doesn’t seem to pick up that extra yard or two with any regularity. I wouldn’t go crazy trying to get this guy, he’ll likely be overvalued in the short term.

Preseason Round Up - Week 1

2011-08-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

This was week 1 of the 2011 preseason coming off of the longest work stoppage in NFL history. I'm not putting a lot of stock in these performances and you shouldn't either. That doesn't mean some of the preseason performances didn't get my fantasy blood pumping. My football is back and you're gonna be in trouble. Hey naa, hey naa, my football is back!

Matthew Stafford photo courtesy of Lester's Legends.

Matthew Stafford (DET - QB) - Stafford infection went 6/7 for 71 yards and a pair of TD passes in his one quarter of playing time against the Bungles. The question has never been his ability. He has that coming out his arse. The question, of course, has always been his health. His injury riddled past makes him a gamble on draft day, but as you can see the gamble can pay off with a roulette type of payout. A healthy 16 games from Stafford could produce Philip Rivers type numbers. Top 5 fantasy QB numbers. Yeah, I said it. You heard it here first.

Josh Freeman (TB - QB) - The 3rd year Bucs signal caller looked calm, poised, and confident in his play against the Chiefs on Friday night. Freeman was efficient, going 9/13 for 73 yards, but more importantly he made great decisions. He took a broken pass play in the red zone and turned it into a 5-yard TD run. This kid is the real deal and is definitely a starting caliber fantasy QB in all formats. If I own him in a dynasty league, I'm doing embarrassing gymnastic type things in my living room that no man should ever do.

Colt McCoy (CLE - QB) - McCoy finished 9/10 for 135 yards and a TD against the Packers Saturday night, including going 5/5 for 72 yards and a TD on the Browns opening possession. He's not starting fantasy material yet, but this performance against the world champs suggests we should probably take this kid a bit more seriously. The value of both Ben Watson and Greg Little is on the rise and as I said in July, McCoy is someone to target in dynasty leagues.

Tim Hightower photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Ryan Mallett (NE - QB) - Mallett proved his dynasty league worth with a solid performance against the Jaguars on Thursday. He played against the second unit, but a 12/19, 164 yard, 1 TD performance isn't too bad for a rookie quarterback against anyone. He made good decisions and this kid as a CANNON for an arm, but you already knew that. If you have the patience in a dynasty league, he's worth a deep roster spot.

Tim Hightower (WAS - RB) - Perhaps the Hightower-to-the-Redskins move IS worth a crap after all. Hightower started the game and promptly had 11 touches for 52 total yards. I'm not getting all crazy about him since Mike Shanahan likes to stick us in the fantasy cornhole with his running backs from time to time, but Hightower is worth drafting in the mid to late rounds of your fantasy draft. For now, anyways.

Stevan Ridley (NE - RB) - If you're looking for that deep late round running back to target, you've found him. Ridley was fantastic on Thursday night, recording 7 catches, 111 total yards and 3 touchdowns against the Jags. The Patriots have more running backs than necessary right now so it's still hard to see how this backfield will shake out, but Ridley's performance has to get your attention. Week 1 of the preseason doesn't hold much water but still..3 touchdowns!

Calvin Johnson (DET - WR) - Megatron went all Megatronic with a sweet back shoulder catch in the endzone. This man cannot be contained. Period. He proved why he's the #1 fantasy wide receiver here at You Heard It Here First. C.J. and a healthy Stafford could easily connect for 15 TDs this season. Beast.

Santana Moss (WAS - WR) - The future division champ Washington Redskins (right, Rex Grossman?) have a legit #1 wide receiver. Moss caught 7 balls for 64 yards and a score in limited playing time with Rex Grossman. I repeat - with Rex Grossman. According to fantasy football calculator, he's the 37th WR drafted on average. He's better than that people! Moss holds tremendous value in fantasy drafts right now, especially if Grossman ends up starting this season.

Cam Newton/Greg Olsen photo courtesy of panthers.com.

Greg Olsen (CAR - TE) - The Panthers wasted no time in getting their new toy involved in the offense. Both Jimmy Clausen and Cam Newton found Greg Olsen down the field, which lead to a very respectable 3 catch, 58 yard, 1 TD night from Olsen. The tight end class is deep this year, but if you're in a two TE league, Olsen is worth that second TE spot.

Lance Kendricks (STL - TE) - Speaking of new offensive toys, Sam Bradford has a new rookie tight end in St. Louis. Kendricks was involved in the offense early, scoring a touchdown to go along with his 5 catches and 47 yards. Again, it's only week 1 of the preseason, but with this performance Kendricks should now be on your dynasty league radar. We'll see if he continues the solid play this preseason.

Lordy it's great to see NFL football on TV again. Even if the starters only play a quarter, it's still awesome to watch and talk about. There will be new fantasy heroes this upcoming fantasy season, and these preseason games can give us a glimpse of who those heroes could potentially be. We have to keep our eyes on these guys.

Chugg

Movers And Shakers - August 9th

2011-08-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

Live NFL action is so close I can barely contain my excitement. Two days and we'll have live games people! I'm ready for some football already! My insatiable football appetite has been thrown a bone here and there in recent weeks. A lot has been happening since the last You Heard It Here First update. Let's get re-caught up with the latest NFL news.

Ryan Grant photo courtesy of thesportsbank.net.

Ryan Grant (GB - RB) - From a fantasy perspective, it's been a maddening situation in the Green Bay backfield ever since James Starks was effective in the playoffs last year. Things have cleared up recently for us fantasy footballers as reports are confidently saying Grant is the unquestioned Packers starting running back.

Considering Grant is coming off a major injury, he still comes with some risk on draft day. Even though James Starks won't start, he'll still likely see double-digit touches every game. This is actually GOOD news for Grant. Lightening Grant's load should help keep him fresh all season long, and Grant should have no problems with 20+ touches a game. I'm confident with Grant as a RB2 in deep leagues, and he's currently being drafted as a RB3/flex in most leagues. His ADP will rise, but he's turning into one of the best value picks in 2011 fantasy drafts.

Beanie Wells (ARZ - RB) - Beanie has been anointed the starting RB in Arizona. His career has been underwhelming thus far but he's still a young guy who has shown bursts of unsuckiness at times. Any starting RB holds flex value at the very least so he's worth drafting in the middle rounds, but rookie Ryan Williams will very much be a factor this season. I like Wells as a flex option, but he may only be helpful for half the season. Draft accordingly.

Daniel Thomas (MIA - RB) - Now that both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are out of Miami, Daniel Thomas' stock has gone up. It's just he and Reggie Bush in the Miami backfield (and Lex Hilliard but Hilliard won't do a lot unless there is an injury). Thomas is in line to handle the early downs with Bush spelling him from time to time and handling third downs. I'm loving Thomas as a low end RB2/flex option. He'll get a lot of work.

Mikel LeShoure (DET - RB) - The Lions rookie RB has ruptured his achilles and is out for the season which LeShoure does suck. To replace him, the Lions added running backs Jerome Harrison and Mike Bell. With all this change in the Detroit backfield I don't see the value of Jahvid Best changing all that much. I still like him as a low end RB2 in standard leagues and a high end RB2 in PPR leagues. If I'm handcuffing Best which would be smart of me to do, I'm doing it with Jerome Harrison.

Ricky Williams (BAL - RB) - Sticky Ricky signed with Baltimore. Don't panic Ray Rice owners. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR COMPOSURE!!!! Williams may steal a goal line TD or two, but Rice is still a top 6 pick in fantasy drafts. Carry on as you were.

Braylon Edwards (SF - WR) - Braylon landed in a place that fantasy owners didn't want him to go - San Francisco. Reports are suggesting Michael Crabtree will be ready for week one, so Edwards will line up opposite him and will produce weak fantasy numbers since Alex Smith isn't very good at quarterbacking NFL football teams. Edwards is a WR4 fantasy option.

Malcom Floyd (SD - WR) - Clearly all these reports of Floyd going to Baltimore were right on the money since he signed with...the Chargers. Whaaa? Well alrighty then. Floyd remains the #2 wide out in San Diego which counts for something with Philip Rivers as his quarterback. It counts for low end WR3/high end WR4 fantasy value.

Photo courtesy of theredzonereport.com.

Derrick Mason (NYJ - WR) - I'm not sure what the Jets are doing with their WR corps. Must be a money thing, which I don't pay a lot of attention to. Braylon Edwards is gone, Jerricho Cotchery is gone, Plaxico Burress has arrived, and now Derrick Mason has arrived. These seem like sideways moves to me, but whatever. Mason and Burress will keep each other in the low end WR3/high WR4 range. Mason had more value in Baltimore and was going undrafted in a lot of fantasy leagues when he was there. This move to New York doesn't change his value much. You can get him really cheap if you want him.

Kevin Boss (OAK - TE) - Oakland signed Boss to replace the departed Zach Miller. Considering the tight end position is a big part of the Raiders' offense, Boss has some sleeper potential in Oak-town. The TE fantasy options are plentiful this year so he isn't a 12-team league starter, but he's a nice bye week fill in/back up option or a great second tight end in two tight end leagues.

Two days until some live football!! Wait, I already said that. I told you I had a hard time containing my excitement. It's preseason, but at least it's something. The greatest time of the year is finally upon us, my friends. It's about to get crazy up in here, up in here. If you're a little behind with the latest happenings around the league, these bright yellow words will help you get caught up.

Back in Business - July 26th Edition

Movers And Shakers - July 27th

I Just Kolb To Say I Love You - July 30th

Movers And Shakers - August 2nd

Chugg

Movers And Shakers - August 2nd

2011-08-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

The calendar has turned to August and the news around the league keeps pouring in. In addition to some free agent signings, we're starting to see a few injuries pop up, and there has even been a retirement or two. I tell you - there is never a dull moment in the NFL when they aren't all locked out and stuff. Let's get up to speed.

Kyle Orton photo courtesy of livingreefs.com.

Kyle Orton (DEN - QB) - The Donkeys were unsuccessful at trading Mr. Orton to the Miami Dolphins. He remains in Denver, and NFL Rainman Adam Schefter says he's going to start. I'm almost positive that means he's going to be the starter. Tim Tebow isn't draftable anymore (except in dynasty leagues), and Orton is a solid back up fantasy QB. This should make you feel a little better about drafting Brandon Lloyd as your WR2 as well. Of course, this whole Broncos QB situation could change tomorrow, but that's the word from the Schef himself as of right this very millisecond so I'm rolling with it.

Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG - RB) - After flirting with Miami himself, Bradshaw re-signed with the New York Giants. His ankle/foot issues still concern me, but they must not concern the Giants too much considering they gave him a 4-year deal. Brandon Jacobs will continue to vulture TDs from Bradshaw which makes me cuss at the TV on Sundays, but Bradshaw is a terrific RB2, particularly in PPR leagues.

Ronnie Brown (PHI - RB) - The 30-year old veteran Brown did what all free agents are doing around the league - he signed with the Eagles. He'll be the handcuff to LeSean McCoy. I can't exactly say this move helps LeSean McCoy, but it doesn't really hurt him either. Brown will spell him from time to time, including a goal line carry here and there, but that shouldn't keep you from drafting McCoy in the first round as your RB1.

Tim Hightower (WAS - RB) - Hightower will now play for the Washington Redskins. This is such uninteresting news and I'm already tired as it is so I hope I don't suddenly fall asleep and my head falls on the keyboarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Cadillac Williams (STL - RB) - rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Plaxico Burress (NYJ - WR) -Mr. I-shot-myself-in-the-leg-at-a-public-establishment-like-a-jackass has found a new home with the Jets. A lot can still happen, but if Plax wins the #2 wide receiver job in New York I like him quite a bit as a WR3. The naysayers will say nay all the way to their dying day and will say he can't play after being away. Okay? Okay. However, considering Braylon Edwards put up numbers to land him as the 22nd scoring WR in fantasy last year as the Jets' #2, I see Plax as a comfortable WR3 in all formats if he wins that job. Let the naysayers naysay!

Roy Williams (CHI - WR) - The Cowboys let Williams go and the Bears picked him up. I like this move. Williams is now reunited with Mike Martz with whom he had his best season under in 2006. With a big armed gambling QB like Jay Cutler and familiarity with the offensive system, I can see Williams putting up WR3 numbers. He'll come at a WR4 price on draft day, possibly cheaper. I like that value. He can still play.

Michael Crabtree (SF -WR) - A foot injury has landed Crabtree on the PUP list, and he's at risk of missing at least the first six games of the season. The 49ers are looking into Braylon Edwards which tells me Crabtree's injury is pretty serious. His fantasy value is falling faster than a new bride's panties.

Emmanuel Sanders (PIT - WR) - Sanders underwent a minor surgery on his left foot - his third surgery since the Super Bowl. I wrote about how much I like this kid as a sleeper over at Razzball, but this raises some red flags. Antonio Brown could start the season as the #3 WR in Pittsburgh. I'm backing off of my love for Emmanuel somewhat, and Antonio Brown needs to be on your late round radar.

Zach Miller photo courtesy of boltsbeat.com.

Randy Moss (RETIRED) - Don't draft him because he doesn't want to play football anymore which wouldn't help your fantasy team much.

Zach Miller (SEA - TE) - The Seahawks won the bidding war with the Raiders for the services of Zach Miller. Considering Tarvaris Jackson is the projected starter for Seattle, Miller's fantasy value just went down the tube. He went from being a starting fantasy tight end in all leagues to basically undraftable. Your best bet is to forget about Miller on draft day.

If you want to do some more catching up with the latest happenings around the NFL, check out these little articles written by me. I'm self-promoting like that.

Back In Business - July 26th Edition (at Razzball)

Movers and Shakers - July 27th

I Just Kolb To Say I Love You - July 30th (at Razzball)

That should do the trick. You can follow me on Twitter for the latest fantasy football nuggets.

Chugg