Quarterbacks
Moving Up
Matt Cassel, Chiefs
The way the Chiefs are going, Cassel is going to be loading up on garbage time points in 2012. Two blowouts into the season and he is the sixth ranked fantasy passer with 559 yards and three passing touchdowns to go along with a score on the ground. Even taking away the rushing touchdown, Cassel would still be ranked in the top 10. Jonathan Baldwin’s performance in Week 2 was also encouraging.
Moving Down
Jake Locker, Titans
This isn’t as much of an indictment of Locker as it is of the entire Titans offense. The offensive line looks bad, running back Chris Johnson is in a coma, Kenny Britt is tied together with string and Nate Washington has a sore calf. There are a lot of things that need to change in Tennessee for Locker to be fantasy relevant.
Running Backs
Moving Up
C.J. Spiller, Bills
Moving Up two weeks in a row. Boring, I know, but deserved courtesy of his demolition of the Chiefs. Spiller now has 364 total yards and three touchdowns for the year, ranking him as the number one fantasy running back. It’s beginning to look like the Bills starting running back gig is Spiller’s to lose.
Michael Bush, Bears
Bears head coach Lovie Smith says Forte doesn’t have a high ankle sprain but on the other hand, they re-signed Kahlil Bell so they are obviously concerned about Forte’s availability in the short term. While Forte won’t miss significant time if Smith’s comments are true, Bush figures to start for at least a week and maybe more. The team’s offense crashed back to earth after a solid Week 1 performance but Bush could be gold as the Bears face some weak rushing defenses over the next three weeks (Rams, Cowboys, Jaguars).
Andre Brown, Giants
Ahmad Bradshaw may miss some time with a neck injury and rookie 1st round pick David Wilson is firmly in the doghouse for fumbling in Week 1. Enter Brown, who looked good, rushing for 71 yards and a score on 13 carries while adding 19 yards on a pair of receptions. He looks to be the starter if the MRI on Bradshaw’s neck turns up something serious. With a Thursday game on tap, Brown figures to get the starting nod in Week 3.
Daryl Richardson, Rams
Meet Steven Jackson’s new handcuff. Or is that SJax’s new competition? We will likely never find out the real reason SJax spent most of the game standing on the sidelines (groin injury vs. benching) but what we do know is that Richardson looked good subbing in for him. The rookie 7th round pick has usurped Isaiah Pead, one of the Rams 2nd round picks, on the depth chart and rumbled for 83 yards on 15 carries while catching two balls for 19 yards. A fumble late in the 4th quarter was the only blemish on an otherwise solid performance. Jackson isn’t likely to miss any time but his owners need to run to the waiver wire to grab Richardson.
Moving Down
CJ's fantasy value is sinking quick.
Chris Johnson, Titans
From being a Barry Sandersesque talent to being a complete dud in two years. Stunning, folks, just stunning. Johnson has just 21 yards on 19 carries this season to go along with eight receptions for 58 yards. If you have anything on your bench, then sit Johnson, who faces a pair of top 10 run defenses in each of the next two weeks (Lions, Texans).
Ryan Williams, Cardinals
It’s not like Beanie Wells has been lighting it up but Williams has been awful with 18 carries for 22 yards and four receptions for 27 yards. I will do the math for you – 22 touches, 49 yards. Not to mention an almost fatal fumble late in the 4th quarter this week, giving him two lost fumbles already in 2012.
Kevin Smith, Lions
Smith was so unimpressive against the 49ers that the coaching staff turned to some retread named Joique Bell, who is 26 years old and had never carried the ball during his three years in the league. With Mikel Leshoure returning from suspension in Week 3, Smith’s fantasy value is sinking fast.
Ronnie Brown, Chargers
He’s done. Just saying.
Wide Receivers
Moving Up
Danny Amendola, Rams
Amendola should fumble on his first reception every game. Huh? After having the Redskins return his early fumble for a touchdown, Amendola caught fire, catching 12 passes in the first half on the way to 15 receptions, 160 yards, and one touchdown. The Rams offense goes something like this. Hand it off, pass to Amendola. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Amendola just might be a PPR demon in 2012.
Wes Welker, Patriots
Five receptions on 11 targets for 95 yards and no scores shouldn’t get you Moving Up, particularly when your head coach, the best in the league at what he does, appears to want to phase you out of your team’s offense. But with tight end Aaron Hernandez expected to miss several weeks with an ankle sprain, the Patriots no longer have the luxury of phasing Welker out.
Donnie Avery, Colts
With Austin Collie sidelined, Avery has taken over his spot in the starting lineup and amassed a whopping 18 targets over the first two weeks of the season, catching 12 passes for 148 yards and a score. A former 2nd round pick of the Rams, Avery was the first wide receiver taken in the 2008 draft, mostly due to his blazing speed and he might just be ready to be a solid contributor on a Colts offense that figures to be behind early and often in 2012. Points are points whether you get them in garbage time or not and we all know about Collie’s health issues.
Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
Just a friendly reminder that Bowe is talented and the Chiefs don’t have much at tight end and neither Steve Breaston nor Jonathan Baldwin are consistent threats opposite Bowe. He went off this week against the Bills for 102 yards and a pair of scores. Bowe might be a fool at times but he is a talented fool who has played all 16 games in four of his five seasons in the league. And he’s motivated to finally get the lucrative, long-term deal that the Chiefs have yet to offer him.
Moving Down
Robert Meachem, Chargers
Kind of looking like Malcom Floyd is the new Vincent Jackson and not Meachem, who threw up an O-fer this week.
Randy Moss, 49ers
The 49ers told us Moss would be on a limited rep count and they were apparently telling the truth. Randy has had five targets in two weeks and this week’s game against the Lions told us definitively that Michael Crabtree is the team’s top weapon at wide receiver as well as quarterback Alex Smith’s go-to guy in crunch time.
Anquan Boldin, Ravens
This week’s game against the Eagles proved that Boldin cannot beat elite cornerbacks. He remains a decent WR3 but one you likely need to sit if you know he is facing a top coverage corner.
Tight Ends
Moving Up
Brandon Myers, Raiders
Two games, 11 targets, 11 receptions, 151 yards. Hey, it’s not like the Raiders have a load of proven talent at wide receiver. If you’re desperate for somebody on a roll, Myers is your man. And if he stinks it up in Week 3, it’s not like you have to feel bad for dumping him. Opposing defenses appear to be backing off the Raiders speedy wideouts and with Darren McFadden also getting plenty of attention, Myers is benefitting. For how long? Who knows.
Dante Rosario, Chargers
Three touchdowns on four targets gets you Moving Up, especially when the guy you’re playing behind can’t stay healthy. But it is worth noting that Rosario had one target in Week 1 when Antonio Gates was mostly healthy and prior to this week, Rosario last scored in 2009.
Moving Down
Fred Davis, Redskins
Two straight tough weeks for Davis who can’t seem to get on the same page with RGIII and who doesn’t seem to be a big part of what the Redskins want to do passing the ball. Even with Pierre Garcon out and facing a poor coverage corner in Craig Dahl, Davis still had only two receptions on five targets for 14 yards against the Rams.
Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
This guy can do it all but I’m beginning to get the impression he can’t do it all for 16 games. This will be the third year in a row that he has missed time due to injury, a likely high ankle sprain sending him to the sideline this time.
