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Bye Weeks: N.Y. Jets, St. Louis, San Francisco, New England
Grab a Helmet
No more timeshare in Carolina.
Jonathan
Stewart @ WAS: I can’t remember the last time I recommended
a start for one of Carolina’s various ground-gainers. The Panthers
managed, oddly, to be a top 3 rushing offense in 2011 despite having
virtually no reliable options at the running back position (from
a fantasy standpoint, of course). Cam Newton gets the credit or
blame for that, depending on how you look at it, but even the big
QB has struggled this season. So why give Stewart even a second
thought this week? For starters, he’s fresh off a 17-carry, four-reception
performance in Week 8, the most touches he’s received since December
16th of 2010. In fact, the Panthers are rumored to be actively shopping
his stable mate, DeAngelo Williams. Second, Stewart is facing the
29th-ranked Washington defense, one of the better matchups you’re
gonna find on a week-in, week-out basis. Finally, GO DUCKS! Yeah,
I already said that but I figured one more for good measure couldn’t
hurt.
Doug
Martin @ OAK: The top three running backs on a per-game basis
halfway through the season are, unsurprisingly, Arian Foster, Ray
Rice, and Adrian Peterson, in that order. The #4 guy, Martin, is
sure a surprise, though. While most predicted a bright future for
the rookie from Boise St., it’s doubtful anyone thought he could
be this good this fast when he (barely) wrested the job away from
LeGarrette Blount late in the preseason. Though Blount has poached
a few carries and a few scores here and there, Martin has received
most of the work since earning the gig and has done basically nothing
to invalidate Coach Schiano’s faith in him through seven career
games. His most recent effort, a 214-yard, two-TD explosion against
a tough Vikings defense, was easily his most impressive. For an
encore, he attempts to take advantage of a slightly more susceptible
Raiders team this Sunday.
Willis
McGahee @ CIN: If number four is surprising, what does that
make McGahee, currently the fifth best fantasy back in the league?
Wasn’t this guy finished, like, four years ago? If so, somebody
forgot to tell him. Since joining the Broncos in 2011, the former
Hurricane has averaged close to 79 rushing yards per game and about
4.7 yards/carry, near career highs. This season, he’s demonstrated
some receiving chops he’s very rarely displayed in years past. Coach
Fox didn’t utilize him in that capacity last season for obvious
reasons (think Tebow), but with Peyton Manning under center, McGahee
has blossomed into an above-average check-down option for the AFC
West’s best. He may not be LaDainian Tomlinson or even Ray Rice,
his former running mate in Baltimore. Nevertheless, McGahee has
become a versatile and thus reliable threat in this, his ninth season.
Give him the start against a below-average Cincinnati defense this
weekend.
Grab a Gatorade
C.J.
Spiller or Fred
Jackson @ HOU: When the matchup is right (see Weeks
6 and 7 against Arizona and Tennessee, respectively), it isn’t
a stretch to recommend starting BOTH of the Bills’ bell cows.
When the matchup is formidable (Week 5 versus San Francisco),
it’s difficult to recommend starting either. In case you’ve been
taking a nap for several months, the Texans have officially become
formidable. They’re a once-defeated outfit that’s surrendered
precisely ZERO rushing touchdowns in 2012, making them automatically
the very last team to give up a score on the ground this season,
whenever that actually happens. Here’s my guess, for the official
record: not this week. Spiller and Jackson are good backs and
I’d love to have them on my various squads when they’re playing
teams like the Cardinals and Titans. When they aren’t, it’s tough
to gamble a fantasy matchup on the (max) 10-15 carries either
is likely to see. Steer clear of both men in Week 9.
Donald
Brown or Vick
Ballard v. MIA: This tandem is only newly hatched and
though the sample size is very small (just one week), the initial
returns are pretty promising. Brown tallied 80 yards on 14 carries
last Sunday while Ballard tallied 71 yards on 13 total touches,
including the all-important, game-winning reception in overtime
wherein he hurtled backwards, upside-down Superman style, into
the Tennessee end zone. YouTube it if you didn’t catch it because
it was pretty sweet. Here’s what isn’t sweet: Indianapolis doesn’t
play Tennessee again this week. The Fish are coming to Lucas Oil
Stadium and they’re bringing with them one of the league’s stingiest
run-stopping units (3.5 yards per carry and 82 per game). I’ll
be forced to start Ballard in one of my leagues, most likely,
but I’m not at all happy about it. Hopefully, you’ve got some
better options than yours truly sitting on the bench.
Jamaal
Charles @ SD: If you look up the word “mercurial”
in the dictionary, you’re apt to find a picture of this
guy staring back at you. OK, not really, but I’m sure you
see my point. He is the very picture of a feast or famine ball-carrier
this season. When he’s good (288 total yards and a score
against New Orleans), he’s otherworldly. When he’s
bad (10 total yards against Oakland last week), he’s…really,
really bad. The only other back who even comes close to being
this unpredictable is Chris Johnson and at least he has the decency
to stink against better opponents and flourish against the league’s
lesser weights. San Diego hasn’t really declared itself
yet (good, bad, or meh) and Charles did tally over 100 total yards
against them just over a month ago. Nevertheless, things have
taken a turn for the worse in KC. Matt Cassel looks lost, defenses
are loading up to stop the run, and the results have been fairly
ghastly for Charles, a once-shining star. You’ll start him,
I suppose, but I’m sure glad I don’t have to make
the same call.
Wide Receivers 
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