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Fantasy Football Strategy, Advice, and Commentary |
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 By: Dave Stringer — March 10, 2010 @ 10:53 am
Kansas City has made its second major move in free agency, this time signing former Jets running back Thomas Jones to a 2 year contract for a reported $5 million. Jones’ signing comes on the heels of the team re-signing wide receiver Chris Chambers. The moves help solidify an offense that struggled during most of 2009.
Released by the Jets because of the emergence of Shonn Greene and because the team didn’t want to pay close to $6 million to a backup, Jones was one of the most sought after unrestricted free agent running backs.
The 31 year old player is coming off a career year in 2009, having amassed 1,402 yards rushing to go along with 14 touchdowns. During his three year stint in New York, Jones had 4,315 total yards and 31 touchdowns.
At an age where most running backs are wearing down significantly, Jones has been highly productive. Although he has topped 296 or more touches in each of the last six years, his highest number of touches during his first four years in the league was just 161. He is known for his heavy workout regime and that is a key factor in his success this late in his career.
In Kansas City, Jones figures to serve as the backup to Jamaal Charles, a dynamic young player who excelled in 2009 once given the chance to unseat Larry Johnson. The Chiefs obviously felt he was too young or, at 5’11”, 197 pounds, too small to carry the full load at the position, hence their signing of Jones, a more powerful back that Charles. The Chiefs also considered signing Willie Parker or Justin Fargas.
Fantasy Impact
The player with the biggest impact from this signing isn’t Jones because he was clearly going to carve out a role as either a starter or quality backup with potential goal line duties wherever he signed.
Charles figures to lose out significantly from a fantasy perspective with Jones now his backup. With Jones likely to assume the goal line work and get significant carries spelling Charles, Charles’ role will be significantly reduced from what it was over the last half of the 2009 season.
Simply put, Charles is a quality receiver who will likely get all of the work on passing downs, but the lack of goal line work means he can no longer be considered a low end RB1 or high end RB2. At this point, he should be considered a low end RB2 with upside in 12 team leagues or a high quality RB3 in 10 team leagues.
As for Jones, he figures to rush for between 700-800 yards and score 6-8 touchdowns in 2010. That production means he slots in as a RB3 in all leagues and becomes a desirable handcuff for Charles owners.
By: Dave Stringer — March 9, 2010 @ 9:48 am
There were plenty of solid fantasy quarterback performances in 2009, and 2010 figures to produce another bountiful crop of studs at the position.
Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers proved his monster 2008 was no fluke, moving from fantasy’s 2nd ranked quarterback into the top spot.
Meanwhile, Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub showed what he was capable of when healthy for 16 games and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger vaulted into the top 10 as the Steelers offense moved further away from being a running team.
Several veterans enjoyed stellar seasons, including Peyton Manning recording his best fantasy stats since 2006, Drew Brees continuing his amazing run in New Orleans, Brett Favre having a renaissance season for the Minnesota Vikings and Tom Brady successfully returning from a knee injury in 2009.
Looking ahead to 2010, there are storm clouds on the horizon for a couple of veteran quarterbacks, some major question marks at the position for a number of teams along with the usual question marks surrounding young players who have been vaulted into the top spot on the depth chart, courtesy of retirements and poor play from last year’s starters.
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB—Fantasy football’s top ranked QB from 2009 returns to the top spot for 2010. What propels him to the top of the projections is his rushing ability (304 yards and five TD last year).
2. Matt Schaub, HOU—Schaub led the NFL in passing yards last year and figures to do so again in 2010 with Kevin Walter re-signed and assuming Owen Daniels returns to health.
3. Peyton Manning, IND—Nice bounceback season for Manning in 2009 after posting the 2nd worst (yet still respectable) fantasy numbers of his career a year earlier. Reggie Wayne is a year older but Anthony Gonzalez returns to add even more firepower at wide receiver.
4. Drew Brees, NO—The Super Bowl champions figure to be strong again in 2010 and it looks like all of the skill position weapons will return.
5. Donovan McNabb, PHI—We’re assuming McNabb is back in Philly and gets to enjoy the benefit of perhaps the best young group of offensive skill position players in the league.
6. Philip Rivers, SD—He’s at six but could move higher if the team fails to find a running back in the draft and Malcom Floyd emerges as a big play threat opposite Vincent Jackson.
7. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT—A career year for Big Ben in 2009 and the Steelers have clearly morphed into a passing team. Hines Ward might be a year older but Santonio Holmes is coming off a career year and Mike Wallace offers tantalizing speed as the team’s 3rd wideout.
8. Jay Cutler, CHI—The team’s receivers are suspect but the Mike Martz factor propels Cutler into the top 10. Martz has turned every QB he has worked with into a fantasy stud and Cutler arguably has more natural ability than any of Martz’ previous pupils (Kurt Warner, Trent Green, Marc Bulger, Jon Kitna and J.T. O’Sullivan).
9. Tony Romo, DAL—Coming off a top 5 fantasy season, it’s easy to argue that Romo should be higher but expect the Cowboys to revert to a more ground based attack in 2010.
10. Eli Manning, NYG—Manning creeps into the top 10 and has upside potential based on the team’s three potent wideouts (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham) and durability concerns at the running back position.
11. Tom Brady, NE—Here’s the first shocker with Brady outside of the top 10. There are red flags everywhere in New England—Randy Moss is whining about this being his last year with the team, Wes Welker is coming off a major knee injury that occurred late in the 2009 season, and tight end Ben Watson doesn’t figure to be back. Buyer beware.
12. Brett Favre, MIN—Coming off a monster season, we’ll lean to Favre returning in 2010, but assuming that prediction is correct it’s still difficult to forecast that he will duplicate his best fantasy performance since 2001.
13. Joe Flacco, BAL—He’s likely to be ranked higher by most due to the addition of Anquan Boldin but the Ravens are a run first team plus Todd Heap is a year older and they haven’t groomed anybody to take his place in the offense.
14. Jason Campbell, WAS—For all the criticism Campbell gets, he has increased his yards and TD passes every year he has been in the league. If new head coach Mike Shanahan can get the offensive line straightened out, Campbell should improve again in 2010.
15. Matt Ryan, ATL—Ryan’s a talented player but the Falcons lean on the run and emphasize avoiding turnovers in the passing game.
16. David Garrard, JAC – In 2008, he passed for 3,620 yards and 15 TD while rushing for 322 yards and two TD. In 2009, it was 3,597 yards passing and 15 TD to go along with 323 yards rushing and three TD. At least he’s consistent.
17. Matthew Stafford, DET—There are some nice young parts in Detroit but running back Kevin Smith might not be ready to start the reason and tight end Brandon Pettigrew is also coming off injury. On the plus side, Nate Burleson adds a nice threat opposite Calvin Johnson.
18. Alex Smith, SF—Smith is at 15 but with some major upside if he can stay healthy and utilize the talented young skill position players that surround him in San Francisco.
19. Vince Young, TEN—Had a nice run of 10 games to end the season and has the makings of a solid, if unspectacular, group of wideouts in Kenny Britt, Justin Gage and Nate Washington, provided they can stay healthy.
20. Carson Palmer, CIN—At one time, Palmer seemed destined to be a top five fantasy quarterback for years to come. Those days are over and the team hasn’t adequately replaced T.J. Houshmandzadeh and doesn’t seem to have anybody to take over for Chad Ochocinco when he slows down.
21. Kyle Orton, DEN—Orton put up decent numbers in his first year in Denver but he’s prone to the checkdown and his numbers will suffer if Brandon Marshall leaves town as expected.
22. Matt Cassel, KC—Cassel can’t possibly be any worse than he was last year. Or can he?
23. Josh Freeman, TB—Makes some plays in the running game which help pad his fantasy stats but the team’s crop of wide receivers are not awe inspiring by any stretch.
24. Matt Leinart, ARI—Kurt Warner would be at least 14 spots higher if he were returning. Leinart looked shaky last year and his upside will cause him to get drafted much higher than 24th, although the upside did take a hit with the trade of Boldin.
25. Chad Henne, MIA—Played well as a starter in 2009 but the team’s wide receivers and tight ends offer no proven playmakers and not much upside.
26. Mark Sanchez, NYJ—Love the physical and mental aspects of his game and having Braylon Edwards for a full season will help some but the bottom line is that this is a run early, run often offense.
27. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA—He’s old, he’s injury prone, and his best receiver Nate Burleson left town and the OL has major question marks. There’s almost no upside to taking Hasselbeck.
28. Brady Quinn, CLE—No guarantee at this point that Quinn is the Browns starter in 2010 since he didn’t do much to distinguish himself in 2009.
29. Matt Moore, CAR—Jake Delhomme’s days in Carolina are over. Unfortunately for Moore, Steve Smith is slowing down, the starting spot opposite him is a black hole and no receiving tight end has emerged.
30. Marc Bulger, STL—There is almost no chance he returns as the Rams starter but that’s where he sits on the depth chart at the moment.
31. Trent Edwards, BUF—Amazingly, the signals indicate that the Bills are planning on going with the checkdown king again in 2010. Remarkable.
32. Bruce Gradkowski, OAK—Hey, I’d have him higher but the Raiders won’t bench JaMarcus Russell until midseason.
33. JaMarcus Russell, OAK—See above.
34. Seneca Wallace, CLE—Former Seahawk head coach Mike Holmgren is now in charge of the Cleveland Browns, and he just traded for backup QB Seneca Wallace from the ‘Hawks. Incumbents Quinn and Derek Anderson (who will more than likely be released) should consider Wallace a legitimate threat to take the starting job.
35. A.J. Feeley, STL—If Bulger returns, Feeley will be in there at some point.
By: Dave Stringer — March 8, 2010 @ 12:53 pm
With his primary anticipated free agent bidder the Baltimore Ravens out of the picture, wide receiver Kevin Walter chose to re-sign with the Houston Texans over the weekend.
Since the top available free agent wide receivers are generally either restricted or unrestricted players with baggage, Walter was rumoured to be a target for numerous teams with the Ravens a strong candidate to acquire his services.
However, Baltimore acquired Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals for a pair of mid-round picks and the market for Walter never seemed to materialize. Reports indicate he signed a $21.5 million, 5 year contract that includes $8 million in guarantees. The deal is slightly less than Nate Burleson’s 5 year, $25 million deal with the Detroit Lions.
Walter missed the first two games of last season with a hamstring injury which may explain why he was not able to duplicate the career year he enjoyed in 2008. His production dropped from 899 yards and eight touchdowns to just 611 yards and two touchdowns in 2009. His average yards per catch also dropped from 15.0 to 11.5.
Fantasy Impact
Walter’s fantasy prospects were almost certainly enhanced by re-upping with the Texans. The team is familiar with what he brings to the table – reliability, a willingness to go over the middle and block in the running game and the occasional big play. The Texans are a pass heavy team and a move to another team would likely have relegated him to a more minor role.
In Houston, with tight end Owen Daniels coming off a torn ACL and backup wide receiver Jacoby Jones having yet to earn the trust of the coaching staff, Walter should record between 700-800 receiving yards and 4-6 touchdowns.
The speedster Jones could eat into Walter’s playing time but it speaks volumes that the club chose to re-sign Walter rather than hand the starting spot over to Jones even though Jones is entering his 4th year in the league.
Quarterback Matt Schaub also benefits from having three talented wide receivers in the team’s stable as well as quality 4th and 5th wide receivers in David Anderson and Andre’ Davis. Barring a return to form from third year player Steve Slaton, the team acquiring Thomas Jones or using 1st or 2nd round pick on a running back in the rookie draft, Schaub may once again lead the league in passing yards which makes him a possible top three fantasy quarterback.
By: Dave Stringer — March 5, 2010 @ 11:35 pm
Moving quickly to improve on what has been the weakest position on their roster over the last several years, the Baltimore Ravens acquired Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals on the opening day of the 2010 league calendar.
Baltimore gave up its 3rd and 4th round picks in this year’s draft to acquire Boldin, a move that significantly upgrades the position from last season regardless of whether unrestricted free agents Derrick Mason and Kelley Washington re-sign with the team.
The Ravens immediately signed Boldin to a 3 year contract extension that will pay him $28 million over four years.
In acquiring Boldin, the Ravens obtain the most physical wide receiver in the league and a player with a history of solid production. In seven years in the league, he has topped 1,000 yards five times while amassing 7,520 receiving yards to go along with 44 touchdowns.
Fantasy Impact
For Boldin, his move to the Ravens is marginally positive from a fantasy perspective. At this point, Joe Flacco is more of a known commodity than Matt Leinart so there is a reduced risk fantasy wise. In addition, the depth the Cardinals have at wide receiver caused the offensive touchdowns to be spread out in 2009. Boldin shapes up as a low end WR1 or top tier WR2 in 2010.
At quarterback, Flacco acquires his first bona fide number one wide receiver since he entered the league. While Mason was productive in Baltimore, he was rarely a game-breaker. Simply put, Boldin is bigger, stronger and faster. Whereas opposing defenses respected Mason, they have to fear Boldin. Flacco should be considered a top quality back-up fantasy quarterback with upside.
In Arizona, Leinart certainly sees his fantasy stock drop with Boldin’s departure although not as much as one might think. The team has perhaps the most skilled wide receiver in the league in Larry Fitzgerald. Steve Breaston moves into the starting line-up and he topped 1,000 yards in a back-up role in 2008. Early Doucet flashed some ability last season and had 14 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns during the team’s two playoff games.
As for Mason, at this point he is a player without a team. Given that he considered retirement last year, it is possible he may go that route unless the Ravens step up to the plate to re-sign him.
By: Dave Stringer — @ 7:45 pm
The Chicago Bears have bolstered their backfield with the free agent signing of former Minnesota Vikings running back Chester Taylor. Rumours have circulated over the past week that the Bears were after Taylor, who provides the team with a solid player to pair with incumbent Matt Forte while providing the added benefit of stealing a productive player from a division opponent.
Taylor, who has served as Adrian Peterson’s backup in Minnesota for the past three years, will sign for a reported $12.5 million over four years. He has hit the dreaded 30 year old mark for running backs but does not have a history of overuse. He topped 300 touches in 2006 but does not have another season with over 200 touches in his eight year career.
Forte was not able to duplicate the success he had as a rookie in 2008. Although part of his troubles were due to hamstring and knee injuries, the Bears entered the off-season desiring an upgrade at the position.
With Taylor, they acquire a player who was coveted by many teams for his versatility and was likely the second most sought after running back behind former Jet (and former Bear) Thomas Jones.
Fantasy Impact
The Bears backfield is now fantasy kryptonite with a pair of players featuring similar skills. Because of that, predicting their roles in 2010 will not be an easy task.
Both players are excellent receivers with Forte having caught 117 passes over two years and Taylor having four seasons of 40 or more receptions, including each of the last two years.
Although neither player is exceptionally shifty, they can both make defenders miss once they get past the line of scrimmage. Both players check in around the 215 pound mark so determining who gets the goal line work is also difficult, although Taylor runs with slightly more power.
Looking ahead to fantasy drafts in 2010, with Mike Martz now running the offense in Chicago, fantasy owners are going to want to get a piece of the Bears offense, likely driving up the stock of both Forte and Taylor.
Expect a committee approach with Forte retaining his starter role and assuming a larger share of the workload and Taylor spelling him and perhaps assuming the role of receiving back on third downs.
However, given Martz’ propensity for passing, Forte will still accumulate plenty of receptions. Based on that, both players are far more attractive in points per reception leagues than in standard performance leagues.
At this point, Forte checks in as a low end RB2 with upside and Taylor as a RB3 with upside. However, the smart fantasy owner who wants a piece of the Chicago offense should prefer quarterback Jay Cutler over both players.
By: Dave Stringer — @ 12:56 pm
The Detroit Lions have made the first big splash in free agency, signing former Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson to a 5-year, $25 million contract.
The Lions have struggled to find production at the wide receiver position over recent years and their interest in a solid player to start opposite Calvin Johnson was well known. In Burleson, the Lions are getting arguably the most sought after unrestricted free agent on the market.
The 28 year old Burleson missed 15 games in 2008 after tearing knee ligaments during the opening game of the season but bounced back this year with 63 receptions for 812 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. He suffered a high ankle sprain late in the season, causing him to miss the final three games of the season.
In Detroit, Burleson will push Bryant Johnson out of a starting spot and, given Johnson’s lack of use on special teams, perhaps off the roster. With the team looking to expand the role of 2009 3rd round pick Derrick Williams and Dennis Northcutt a solid slot receiver, Johnson may be looking for a new team in 2010.
Fantasy Impact
Burleson provides the Lions with a solid receiving threat opposite Johnson and his presence should help reduce the constant double teams that he sees. However, it’s doubtful that Burleson will improve his production substantially in Detroit given the presence of Johnson and second-year tight end Brandon Pettigrew, although a marginal increase can be expected if he can stay healthy for 16 games.
At this point, he should be considered a fantasy WR3 with upside given his big play ability and quarterback Matthew Stafford’s ability to throw the deep ball.
Stafford was already expected to put up better fantasy points in 2010 but this signing enhances his prospects for next season. With Burleson on board, Stafford now has three solid wide receivers, an emerging tight end and a solid pass catching running back in Kevin Smith, provided he is fully recovered from his ACL injury. Consider him a mid-tier backup fantasy quarterback with upside and a solid option in dynasty leagues.
In Seattle, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck figures to suffer with the loss of his top wide receiver but given his struggles in 2009, continuing injury concerns and lack of upside, he shouldn’t have been on your radar for 2010 anyway. Look for the Seahawks to add to their stable of wide receivers due to declining production of veterans T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch and the uneven play of 2009 3rd round pick Deon Butler in his rookie season.
By: Dave Stringer — December 16, 2009 @ 11:28 am
Fantasy playoffs are here, so here is hoping you’re still playing, and even moreso, hopefully you’ve got guys trending up instead of trending down. There might be some waiver wire gems in here that can help you.
Moving Up
- All of your Saints – Looks like they’re going for a perfect season.
- Hakeem Nicks, Giants – Four catches for 110 yards and a touchdown looks nice but he could have doubled his production if not for a pair of drops on deep balls. He’s moved ahead of Mario Manningham into the starting line-up and it seems like he’s ready to flourish.
- Brandon Marshall, Broncos – I guess 21 receptions for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns will get you in the Moving Up category.
- Reggie Bush, Saints – Went from the doghouse in Week 13 to the penthouse in Week 14 with 79 total yards and a pair of touchdowns. What’s important is that head coach Sean Payton praised his play after the game.
- T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch, Seahawks – Looks like Nate Burleson is out with a high ankle sprain and with three games left, there is little point in keeping him on the active roster. Houshmandzadeh has struggled lately with 139 yards in his last four games but this might awaken him from his slumber. Branch becomes a desperation flex play, nothing more.
- Fred Davis, Redskins – Turns out this guy can play – double digit fantasy points in three straight games including four touchdowns over that stretch. This guy is definitely worth a spot in keeper leagues.
- Darren McFadden, Raiders – Had 21 yards rushing and 84 yards receving on 11 touches against the Redskins this week. Maybe the light has come on for him. It’s worth nothing that 74 of those yards came on two pass plays and consistency is a big problem for McFadden.
- Leonard Weaver, Eagles – Splitting the carries with LeSean McCoy and scored a touchdown this week. Good enough for nine fantasy points if you need help at running back.
- Kenneth Darby, Rams – It appears that at some point, Steven Jackson‘s bad back will cause him to miss time. If you haven’t handcuffed him yet, it’s time to jump on Darby. Of course, one bad carry and Samkon Gado may be the guy you wish you had.
Moving Down
- All of your Colts – Looks like they’re not going for a perfect season.
- Randy Moss, Patriots – Yikes! Just when the fantasy playoffs are starting, Moss goes AWOL. The good news is that the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady realized he needs to be coddled. The bad news is that nobody knows if it’s going to work.
- Marion Barber, Cowboys – Four carries from the one and no touchdown? Are you kididng me? That’s ugly but what’s worse is that he has double digit fantasy points in only five games this year. That’s RB3 territory, folks.
- Matt Ryan, Falcons – The Falcons aren’t mathematically eliminated but they might as well be which means there’s little point in risking the team’s franchise player to injury. Looks like he’s played his last snap of 2009.
- Jerricho Cotchery, Jets – With a banged up Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens under center, Cotchery has 106 yards receiving over his last three games.
- Carson Palmer, Bengals – Over the past three weeks, he’s had games of 110 and 94 yards passing. The Bengals offense is based on their ability to run the ball and Palmer’s a low end backup fantasy quarterback at this point.
- Joe Flacco, Ravens – Over the last seven weeks, he’s been more likely to throw for under 200 yards than for over 200 yards. Plus, he has only four touchdowns in those seven games.
- Matt Cassel, Chiefs – 308 yards passing and no touchdowns over the last two weeks. In leagues that take away points for interceptions, the six picks he’s thrown over that stretch means he’s right around zero fantasy points in each game.
- All of your Rams – Hopefully you were smart enough to avoid drafting any Rams players but Steven Jackson’s back held him back in Tennessee and now the offense is led by Craig Null. Here’s what you need to know about Null – 6th round pick, Division I-AA, five picks in his debut. Kyle Boller might return but hopefully you’re not counting on Kyle Boller’s return to help your fantasy squad.
Not Sold Yet
- Quinton Ganther, Redskins – 21 fantasy points on a pair of touchdowns, 50 yards rushing and 43 yards receiving is sweet, even if it was against the Raiders. What’s not sweet is having the Giants and Cowboys up next.
- Chris Jennings and Jerome Harrison, Browns – One week it’s Jennings, one week it’s Harrison. What’s nice is that the Chiefs and Raiders are up next. Good luck picking the right guy.
- Maurice Morris and Aaron Brown, Lions – Kevin Smith is out for the year but unfortunately the Lions have the Cardinals and 49ers up next. Neither of these guys is good enough to do much against those solid run defenses.
By: Dave Stringer — December 9, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Moving Up
- Robert Meachem, Saints – Touchdowns in five straight games, plays on the league’s best offense – what’s not to like? Even the schedule looks good with the Falcons, Cowboys and Bucs up next.
- Brandon Jacobs, Giants – Nice of Jacobs to throw up his best game of the year this week with 113 total yards and two touchdowns. Of course, I had him on my bench and it helped cost me a playoff spot in one of my leagues. [Editor’s note: Me too. Bench that is, not the rest of the stuff.] Maybe he’s finally ready to assume the high end RB2 status most expected entering the season.
- Antonio Gates, Chargers – Gates has been solid for most of the year but nowhere near the major stud he has been at times in previous years. However, he seems to have reclaimed his old form in the last two weeks with 15 receptions for 285 yards and two touchdowns. It looks like he’s getting hot just in time to carry some lucky owner’s fantasy squad in the playoffs.
- Jason Witten, Cowboys – Similar story here with Witten going off during the last two weeks to the tune of 19 catches for 263 yards. However, it does look like the Cowboys are using Roy Williams as their main option in the red zone.
- Alex Smith, 49ers – It’s official – the 49ers have morphed into a passing team and Smith is reaping the fantasy reward of that. In the last three games, he’s passed for 769 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception. He’s worthy of a start in two of the next three weeks – avoid using him in Week 15 against the Eagles.
- Santonio Holmes, Steelers – With 131 yards and a score in Week One, Holmes seemed ready to enjoy a breakout year in 2009. However, he failed to find the end zone again until Week 12 but has touchdowns in each of the last two games. With Hines Ward out this week, expect more targets for Holmes.
- Pierre Garcon, Colts – Garcon shredded a pretty decent Titans secondary this week with 136 yards on six receptions. He was considered a raw prospect entering the season but has come on in the last three games with 307 yards and a score. He’s a worthy starter on a weekly basis.
- Devin Thomas, Redskins – The situation in Washington isn’t a promising one but the bottom line is that Thomas has been used more and produced more since Sherman Lewis took over the play calling duties from Jim Zorn. This week it resulted in 100 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches. Maybe the light has gone on for Thomas.
- Jerome Harrison, Browns – Hey, if you’re desperate, Harrison is worth a look. The Browns fed him more than Chris Jennings this week (17 touches to six) so he’s the Cleveland back to get if nothing else is available.
- Davone Bess, Dolphins – Miami opened it up in the passing game a little bit this week and Bess responded with 10 catches for 117 yards and a score on 14 targets. While it’s hard to get excited by a guy that averages 9.3 yards per reception and has one touchdown for the year, it does look like he’s the number one guy in the Dolphin passing attack.
Moving Down
- Frank Gore, 49ers – 117 yards on 32 carries sounds like what Gore might put up in a single game. Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, that’s what he’s put up in the last three games. His performances have been saved by two receiving touchdowns but it’s not even like he’s contributing much in the passing game with just 60 yards over those games.
- Vincent Jackson, Chargers – I love Jackson’s game but what I don’t love is how he’s been utilized over the past four weeks. Over that span, he’s been targeted 18 times and has 147 receiving yards and no touchdowns plus he’s been usurped by Antonio Gates as the team’s top red zone target. That could change as soon as this week but as of now, he’s dropped to WR2 status.
- Justin Forsett, Seahawks – What can I say other than “wow”? In Julius Jones‘ return from injury, Forsett managed to get just five carries compared to 20 for Jones. Plus, now he’s hurt. Things change quickly in fantasy land.
- Jay Cutler, Bears – 8 for 17 and 143 yards and a score sounds like what Cutler should put up against the Ravens or Bears but those are his stats from last week’s matchup against the lowly Rams. Over the last three quarters, he was four of 10 for 12 yards. And, no, I don’t care that his hand was slightly banged up since the Bears themselves said the injury wasn’t serious.
- Brett Favre, Vikings – Okay, I’m not really all that down on Favre but he is coming off his first multiple interception performance of the season, he played poorly against the Cardinals and the stingy pass defenses of the Bengals and Panthers are up next. Then Week 16 features a trip to Chicago where the weather could reduce the chance of a strong fantasy performance.
- Mario Manningham, Giants – The four looks he got this week were the second fewest he’s had all year. Basically, Manningham’s hit or miss and for the past few weeks, it’s been mostly miss.
- Brandon Gibson, Rams – Gibson was interesting for a few weeks because he was getting plenty of targets and came close to scoring a couple of times. However, with Kyle Boller struggling at quarterback and the Rams unwilling to throw the ball deep, Gibson’s targets and his fantasy prospects are in the tank.
Not Sold Yet
- Bruce Gradkowski, Raiders – 308 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers looks very good. However, unless you’re extremely desperate, avoid Gradkowski because, although he seems to be trying very hard, he’s just not that good and neither is the offense he’s leading.
- Louis Murphy, Raiders – It was very nice that he had four receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns while sitting on someone’s bench this week. Unfortunately, he plays for the Raiders and the odds of him duplicating this performance are pretty much nil.
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