NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 4 New Articles Added 11/6/06

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Oct. 2, 2006, 9:29 PM
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Engel: Week 4 wrapup


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the fourth week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
Warner done as a starter: After the Cardinals dropped their third consecutive game, head coach Dennis Green confirmed rookie Matt Leinart will be his starter next week against Kansas City. Warner's early-season struggles continued, as he fumbled twice, losing one, and was intercepted once before Leinart replaced him with 13 minutes remaining in a loss to Atlanta. Leinart also a lost a fumble and threw an interception. Meanwhile, the numbers of the top Arizona wide receivers continued to be disappointing, as Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for 108 receiving yards and neither scored. Leinart does have a lot of promise, but his experience, plus the continued shaky pass protection of the offensive line, could really continue to hurt the Cardinals' offense in the weeks ahead. Fitzgerald and Boldin might look like risky starters because of the QB change. But it's clear the Cardinals are going to play from behind often, which means Leinart should throw to them quite often in the weeks ahead, and Fitzgerald and Boldin remain top starting options. Leinart is too unproven to use as a fantasy starter, but he is a smart, young QB and worth adding as a reserve if you need QB help in a league of 12 of more teams.
Miami Dullfin: For the second consecutive week, the Dolphins' passing game mostly sputtered against what seemed like a favorable opponent. Last week, Miami looked unimpressive at home against the Titans, and in their Sunday matchup with the normally vulnerable Texans, Daunte Culpepper endured the same old problems that have plagued him throughout the early weeks. Culpepper was sacked five times and pressured often, even though he frequently worked out of the shotgun. Culpepper threw for 249 yards, but tossed only one late TD pass. Chris Chambers did catch that scoring toss, but finished with only three catches for 28 yards. If Culpepper can't deliver more than 13 fantasy points against the Texans, he should be pinned to your bench until further notice. Culpepper's performance was proof that some players simply shouldn't be used as a starter because they have a friendly matchup.
The Indianapolis duo: It doesn't appear that a clear leader will emerge for the Colts' No. 1 RB job anytime soon. Both veteran Dominic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai played well in the Colts' thrilling 31-28 win over the Jets. Addai scored the first rushing TD of his pro career, and finished with 99 total yards from scrimmage. Rhodes scored on a six-yard run, his third rushing TD of the season. He continues to be a dependable short-yardage back for the Colts despite a smallish frame that has been vulnerable to injuries in the past. Addai hasn't quite blossomed to the level expected yet, and Rhodes is continuing to be dependable for the Colts in many key situations. Both are decent flex options. Addai should eventually become the clear starter, but that might not happen anytime soon. The Indy RBs look like they are headed for a time share for many weeks ahead.
Owens draws attention: Despite all the controversy he attracts off the field, what is important to fantasy owners is all the attention Terrell Owens draws when he is on the field. Owens was able to play with a plate on his broken hand, yet he still caught five passes for 88 yards. That's encouraging for owners of Owens, but Terry Glenn's fantasy owners enjoyed watching him score as Owens drew extra defenders and Glenn faced single coverage. A fine passing game also opened up the running game, as Julius Jones rushed for 122 yards and a TD, and Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson also scored. Like him or not, when Dallas has Owens, it gives the offense more balance. A minor concern, though, is that Bledsoe threw for just 179 yards and was intercepted once by Tennesssee, not the most formidable opponent. Bledsoe did throw two TD passes, but his owners might have expected better numbers is a seemingly favorable matchup, and Bledsoe certainly isn't a surefire top starter with Owens in the lineup.
Kansas City surprise: No one expected the Chiefs to dominate the 49ers like they did, especially with Damon Huard running the Kansas City offense. But Huard proved he can manage a game respectably, and put the ball where his receivers can make plays and do more work for him. Huard stunned the Niners with 208 passing yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Eddie Kennison showed he is still a viable starter with Trent Green out, as he caught six passes for 86 yards, including a 34-yard TD reception. And further pleasing owners of Larry Johnson, Huard performed well enough to keep the Niners from keying on Johnson too often. Johnson relieved his owners of any major concerns, as he scored his first two rushing TDs of the season and finished with 142 yards from scrimmage. There are no real reasons to worry about Johnson, as Huard has proved he can keep defenses honest, at least when the matchup is right.
They left their hearts in San Francisco: The 49ers seemed to be in a funk that lingered from their decisive loss to the Eagles last week. Very early in the year, it appeared Frank Gore was ready to become a top fantasy RB, and Alex Smith was quickly starting to emerge as a respectable fantasy option. Fumbling problems and injuries have lowered Gore's appeal a bit recently. Gore lost yet another fumble in the loss at Kansas City, and finished with only 65 rushing yards. While his yards per carry continue to look good (he carried 14 times), Gore hasn't been dependable for the Niners, and he doesn't appear to be quite the lock as a No. 2 fantasy starter he was two weeks ago. Smith was awful under the pressure of playing from behind, as he threw for only 92 yards, threw two interceptions, and fumbled once. Smith should only be used as an emergency bye week option until he proves himself further.
Kevin Jones rises again: Where do we draw the line with this guy? First, we thought he was a future fantasy standout, and he let us down. By this season, many of us had given up on him, and here comes Jones looking like an improved all-around player and tougher runner. Jones has now rushed for three TDs in his past two games, including two scores on Sunday in an exciting contest at St. Louis. One of Jones' scoring runs was a pretty 35-yarder in which he showed off strength, quickness and big-play ability. So is Jones suddenly looking like a must-start fantasy option again? I wouldn't recommend him as a top starter and would still consider benching him in a tough matchup, but it's apparent he can at least deliver respectable totals, even if he will never be as explosive as some experts once thought. He'll be a solid, but unspectacular fantasy RB.
Patriot party: Two New England players had major performances of note in a somewhat stunning rout of the Bengals. RB Laurence Maroney had a breakthrough performance, rushing for 125 yards and two TDs. He had a long run of 41 yards and one of his scores came on a 25-yard run. Maroney was stuffed at times in the first half, but eventually, he showed he was a great package of vision, toughness, and nifty moves, plus a very effective stiff arm in the open field. Even though Maroney doesn't start, he gets enough touches to be an outstanding flex player and a fine starting option as a No. 2 RB when the matchup is right. Doug Gabriel, who showed flashes of promise as a deep receiver in Oakland in the past, caught a TD pass from Tom Brady for the second consecutive week. He has quickly emerged as a Brady favorite and should be a regular No. 3 starter as a fantasy wide receiver.
Reggie's for real: He's no longer a bust. Reggie Williams has definitely become Jacksonville's best wide receiver from a fantasy perspective. Williams had been a major disappointment until this year, and then showed some signs of possibly improving in the preseason and at the very beginning of the 2006 season. But Williams totaled only eight receiving yards against the Colts last week, and doubts started to surface about him again. But Williams, who had heard knocks about dropped passes and the inability to absorb big hits, made some important grabs against the Redskins. He finished with 93 receiving yards on five receptions, including TD catches of 33 and 21 yards. On one of the scoring passes, Williams took a hard hit, but still scored. It's time to believe in Williams and give him regular starting consideration. Redskins revival: I must admit, the performance of Mark Brunell last week, in which he completed a record-setting 22 passes, didn't really impress me. Many of Brunell's completions were of the flat and underneath variety against a rather soft Houston defense. Little did I know the game against Washington would propel Brunell to a truly impressive performance against a much better opponent. Brunell threw for 329 yards and three TDs, and was intercepted just once by his former team. All of his TD tosses were to Santana Moss, who finished with 138 receiving yards on just four catches. Moss had not scored in the first three games, but quelled some worries about a mediocre start. I'd still like to see one more quality performance from Brunell before I'm fully sold on him again, but he has at least regained my backing as a quality fantasy reserve. But it appears the Redskins' receiving corps might finally starting to become more comfortable with each other as a unit, and the rumored threats of Brunell possibly getting benched have pumped some new life back into him, at least temporarily.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Oct. 2, 2006, 9:29 PM
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Engel: Week 4 wrapup


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the fourth week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
Warner done as a starter: After the Cardinals dropped their third consecutive game, head coach Dennis Green confirmed rookie Matt Leinart will be his starter next week against Kansas City. Warner's early-season struggles continued, as he fumbled twice, losing one, and was intercepted once before Leinart replaced him with 13 minutes remaining in a loss to Atlanta. Leinart also a lost a fumble and threw an interception. Meanwhile, the numbers of the top Arizona wide receivers continued to be disappointing, as Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for 108 receiving yards and neither scored. Leinart does have a lot of promise, but his experience, plus the continued shaky pass protection of the offensive line, could really continue to hurt the Cardinals' offense in the weeks ahead. Fitzgerald and Boldin might look like risky starters because of the QB change. But it's clear the Cardinals are going to play from behind often, which means Leinart should throw to them quite often in the weeks ahead, and Fitzgerald and Boldin remain top starting options. Leinart is too unproven to use as a fantasy starter, but he is a smart, young QB and worth adding as a reserve if you need QB help in a league of 12 of more teams.
Miami Dullfin: For the second consecutive week, the Dolphins' passing game mostly sputtered against what seemed like a favorable opponent. Last week, Miami looked unimpressive at home against the Titans, and in their Sunday matchup with the normally vulnerable Texans, Daunte Culpepper endured the same old problems that have plagued him throughout the early weeks. Culpepper was sacked five times and pressured often, even though he frequently worked out of the shotgun. Culpepper threw for 249 yards, but tossed only one late TD pass. Chris Chambers did catch that scoring toss, but finished with only three catches for 28 yards. If Culpepper can't deliver more than 13 fantasy points against the Texans, he should be pinned to your bench until further notice. Culpepper's performance was proof that some players simply shouldn't be used as a starter because they have a friendly matchup.
The Indianapolis duo: It doesn't appear that a clear leader will emerge for the Colts' No. 1 RB job anytime soon. Both veteran Dominic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai played well in the Colts' thrilling 31-28 win over the Jets. Addai scored the first rushing TD of his pro career, and finished with 99 total yards from scrimmage. Rhodes scored on a six-yard run, his third rushing TD of the season. He continues to be a dependable short-yardage back for the Colts despite a smallish frame that has been vulnerable to injuries in the past. Addai hasn't quite blossomed to the level expected yet, and Rhodes is continuing to be dependable for the Colts in many key situations. Both are decent flex options. Addai should eventually become the clear starter, but that might not happen anytime soon. The Indy RBs look like they are headed for a time share for many weeks ahead.
Owens draws attention: Despite all the controversy he attracts off the field, what is important to fantasy owners is all the attention Terrell Owens draws when he is on the field. Owens was able to play with a plate on his broken hand, yet he still caught five passes for 88 yards. That's encouraging for owners of Owens, but Terry Glenn's fantasy owners enjoyed watching him score as Owens drew extra defenders and Glenn faced single coverage. A fine passing game also opened up the running game, as Julius Jones rushed for 122 yards and a TD, and Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson also scored. Like him or not, when Dallas has Owens, it gives the offense more balance. A minor concern, though, is that Bledsoe threw for just 179 yards and was intercepted once by Tennesssee, not the most formidable opponent. Bledsoe did throw two TD passes, but his owners might have expected better numbers is a seemingly favorable matchup, and Bledsoe certainly isn't a surefire top starter with Owens in the lineup.
Kansas City surprise: No one expected the Chiefs to dominate the 49ers like they did, especially with Damon Huard running the Kansas City offense. But Huard proved he can manage a game respectably, and put the ball where his receivers can make plays and do more work for him. Huard stunned the Niners with 208 passing yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Eddie Kennison showed he is still a viable starter with Trent Green out, as he caught six passes for 86 yards, including a 34-yard TD reception. And further pleasing owners of Larry Johnson, Huard performed well enough to keep the Niners from keying on Johnson too often. Johnson relieved his owners of any major concerns, as he scored his first two rushing TDs of the season and finished with 142 yards from scrimmage. There are no real reasons to worry about Johnson, as Huard has proved he can keep defenses honest, at least when the matchup is right.
They left their hearts in San Francisco: The 49ers seemed to be in a funk that lingered from their decisive loss to the Eagles last week. Very early in the year, it appeared Frank Gore was ready to become a top fantasy RB, and Alex Smith was quickly starting to emerge as a respectable fantasy option. Fumbling problems and injuries have lowered Gore's appeal a bit recently. Gore lost yet another fumble in the loss at Kansas City, and finished with only 65 rushing yards. While his yards per carry continue to look good (he carried 14 times), Gore hasn't been dependable for the Niners, and he doesn't appear to be quite the lock as a No. 2 fantasy starter he was two weeks ago. Smith was awful under the pressure of playing from behind, as he threw for only 92 yards, threw two interceptions, and fumbled once. Smith should only be used as an emergency bye week option until he proves himself further.
Kevin Jones rises again: Where do we draw the line with this guy? First, we thought he was a future fantasy standout, and he let us down. By this season, many of us had given up on him, and here comes Jones looking like an improved all-around player and tougher runner. Jones has now rushed for three TDs in his past two games, including two scores on Sunday in an exciting contest at St. Louis. One of Jones' scoring runs was a pretty 35-yarder in which he showed off strength, quickness and big-play ability. So is Jones suddenly looking like a must-start fantasy option again? I wouldn't recommend him as a top starter and would still consider benching him in a tough matchup, but it's apparent he can at least deliver respectable totals, even if he will never be as explosive as some experts once thought. He'll be a solid, but unspectacular fantasy RB.
Patriot party: Two New England players had major performances of note in a somewhat stunning rout of the Bengals. RB Laurence Maroney had a breakthrough performance, rushing for 125 yards and two TDs. He had a long run of 41 yards and one of his scores came on a 25-yard run. Maroney was stuffed at times in the first half, but eventually, he showed he was a great package of vision, toughness, and nifty moves, plus a very effective stiff arm in the open field. Even though Maroney doesn't start, he gets enough touches to be an outstanding flex player and a fine starting option as a No. 2 RB when the matchup is right. Doug Gabriel, who showed flashes of promise as a deep receiver in Oakland in the past, caught a TD pass from Tom Brady for the second consecutive week. He has quickly emerged as a Brady favorite and should be a regular No. 3 starter as a fantasy wide receiver.
Reggie's for real: He's no longer a bust. Reggie Williams has definitely become Jacksonville's best wide receiver from a fantasy perspective. Williams had been a major disappointment until this year, and then showed some signs of possibly improving in the preseason and at the very beginning of the 2006 season. But Williams totaled only eight receiving yards against the Colts last week, and doubts started to surface about him again. But Williams, who had heard knocks about dropped passes and the inability to absorb big hits, made some important grabs against the Redskins. He finished with 93 receiving yards on five receptions, including TD catches of 33 and 21 yards. On one of the scoring passes, Williams took a hard hit, but still scored. It's time to believe in Williams and give him regular starting consideration. Redskins revival: I must admit, the performance of Mark Brunell last week, in which he completed a record-setting 22 passes, didn't really impress me. Many of Brunell's completions were of the flat and underneath variety against a rather soft Houston defense. Little did I know the game against Washington would propel Brunell to a truly impressive performance against a much better opponent. Brunell threw for 329 yards and three TDs, and was intercepted just once by his former team. All of his TD tosses were to Santana Moss, who finished with 138 receiving yards on just four catches. Moss had not scored in the first three games, but quelled some worries about a mediocre start. I'd still like to see one more quality performance from Brunell before I'm fully sold on him again, but he has at least regained my backing as a quality fantasy reserve. But it appears the Redskins' receiving corps might finally starting to become more comfortable with each other as a unit, and the rumored threats of Brunell possibly getting benched have pumped some new life back into him, at least temporarily.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Oct. 2, 2006, 1:46 PM
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Week 5: Injured defenders make a difference


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By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Most years a handful of surprises among fantasy defense/special teams units shakes up the rankings and allows commitment-shy owners to play the field for a while before settling down.
But with most of the NFL's projected top defenses chugging along as expected and the Seahawks, Bengals and Falcons approaching Week 5 byes, the pickings are fairly slim a month into the season. Under the circumstances, a normally viable unit's value could hinge on a seemingly minor flaw -- say, a single player injury. Here are four to consider moving forward:
Panthers LB Dan Morgan
Morgan has been sidelined since a concussion knocked him out of the Atlanta game in Week 1. It stands to reason that Carolina missed the speedy Morgan when the D was rung up for 252 rushing yards by the Falcons and, a week later, was gouged by Minnesota for 140.
<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" height="1" type="block"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES WORTH KEEPING 1. Seahawks: Don't sell high. Chicago was just a bad game, and the remaining schedule is as good as it gets.
2. Falcons: The rushing and red-zone D have been insanely good. The sack and turnover numbers will only get better.
3. Cowboys: The early schedule masks how effective the D has been, and the return teams have punch.
4. Vikings: Three brutal matchups have prevented this unit from unlocking its playmaking potential. Temporarily.
5. Saints: Carolina punked their run D, but some playmakers and a ball-control offense make them deep sleepers.
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But there's more to the story. The Panthers still are adjusting to a front line that includes a pair of 340-pound rhinos (DTs Kris Jenkins and Maake Kemoeatu) and a linebacker corps that is missing unheralded star LB Will Witherspoon. The Falcons snuck up on the Panthers with their spread option attack in the opener, and Carolina mistakes allowed the Vikings to hang around and run it 35 times in Week 2. WR Steve Smith's hamstring injury, which bogged down the Panthers' offense and prompted an unusual number of three-and-outs, probably was more damaging to the defense than losing one of its own would have been.
Carolina has little depth behind Morgan, but this isn't the first time the team has been forced to carry on without him. LB Adam Seward limits what the Panthers can do in their cover 2, but his strength and in-line speed make him more than serviceable as Morgan's replacement on running downs. The Panthers have allowed opponents fewer rushing yards every week, holding Tampa Bay and New Orleans to 64 and 63 yards, respectively. More sacks and takeaways are sure to come, especially with Cleveland and Baltimore up next.
Colts DT Corey Simon
Last season, after an acrimonious split with Philadelphia, Simon joined Indianapolis and quietly keyed a much-improved run defense despite being in pretty sloppy shape. Trimmed down and with the benefit of a training camp with the Colts, he was supposed to be the anvil inside that changed transformed this defense from an opportunistic vulture of a unit into a legitimate predator.
But a slow recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery performed just before the start of the regular season has put Simon out of rotation -- and left the Colts' run D spinning its wheels. Depth isn't bad, but Indy's front seven probably is the NFL's lightest and certainly doesn't hold up well to punishing power run games. Even less-than-punishing ground attacks (the Texans' and Jets') have topped 100 yards against the Colts, wearing down linebacker-size DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis and denying this unit big-play chances.
I doubt Simon can turn the tide on his own. His size and interior penetration can force opposing backs wide and put the rangy Colts defenders in chase mode, instead of into so many take-on situations. But Simon tends to wear down even on his best days, and the injury layoff might mean he'll be wheezing through another season in poor condition. The Colts will feast on opponents with weak run games, crummy offensive lines and/or inexperienced quarterbacks (hey there, Tennessee), but a post-Week 6 bye barrage of Washington, Denver and New England should force fantasy owners to seek alternatives.
Eagles CB Lito Sheppard
Though he went to the Pro Bowl last season, Sheppard might be only the third-best cornerback on his own team. Fellow starter CB Sheldon Brown is unquestionably Philadelphia's top cover man, and even CB Roderick Hood was pushing the overrated Sheppard before the latter suffered a nasty ankle injury in Week 1.
Still, Sheppard's experience can't be overstated, especially in a scheme that routinely puts stomach-turning pressure on the corners to hold up in man-to-man coverage. He isn't perfect -- Sheppard is undersized and takes too many chances -- but he gives coordinator Jim Johnson enough peace of mind to blitz like a madman. The Eagles' front four is putting steady heat on quarterbacks, even without DE Jevon Kearse, but the team will need extra rushers when some of its upcoming opponents (most likely Dallas, Tampa Bay and Washington) lean on max-protect schemes to keep their passers clean.
Sheppard reportedly practiced Saturday and was considered likely to play against Green Bay in the Monday night game. Hood and safeties Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis also were dealing with injuries, so even Sheppard's return won't ensure that Eagles opponents are kept in lockdown. But thanks to Johnson's aggressiveness and a series of upcoming matchups against iffy offensive lines, expect this unit to make a lot more plays than it gives up.
Redskins CB Shawn Springs
A groin injury has delayed the start of Springs' season and pared down the blitz packages of pressure-obsessed coordinator Gregg Williams. It went largely unnoticed, but Springs had a fantastic 2005 season -- maybe a career best -- that helped give Williams the freedom to send linebackers, safeties and, occasionally, other cornerbacks after opposing quarterbacks.
As far as we're concerned, though, even a healthy Springs might not be enough to salvage Washington's defense. The Redskins' 35 sacks in '05 ranked in the bottom half of the league. The team regularly pressured opponents, but it lacked finishers who contributed enough to fantasy owners' bottom line. On the whole, this unit is old, thin and lacks the same experience and discipline that departed LB Antonio Pierce helped instill -- and that is crucial to the success of the scheme.
Washington's offense is roping the D into more shootouts, and the secondary has holes that can be exploited. CB Kenny Wright is often overmatched at nickelback, and he's a sitting duck filling in for Springs in the starting lineup. Safeties Sean Taylor and Adam Archuleta are playmakers, but their aggressiveness gets them into trouble against a hard play fake or a good double move. Tennessee (Week 6) has some potential, but I don't see another start-worthy matchup for the Redskins' D/ST until at least Week 11, against Tampa Bay.
TWO CENTS, AND THEN SOME ...
I know he's been a nightmare, but I still think folks who sell QB Daunte Culpepper low will be sorry. He's in a funk, and I can't fully explain his too-frequent hesitation within the offense. But I'll bet he comes around as his mobility returns, he gets more comfortable in the scheme and coordinator Mike Mularkey figures out what plays suit Culpepper best. ... Repeat after me: Rookie fantasy running backs good, rookie fantasy quarterbacks bad. If you're ignoring RBs Maurice Jones-Drew, DeAngelo Williams and Jerious Norwood to chase QBs Vince Young and Matt Leinart in your league, you can't be helped.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 2 New Articles Added 9/30/06)

Oct. 2, 2006, 1:46 PM
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Week 5: Injured defenders make a difference


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Jason --><!-- lastName = Langendorf -->
By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Most years a handful of surprises among fantasy defense/special teams units shakes up the rankings and allows commitment-shy owners to play the field for a while before settling down.
But with most of the NFL's projected top defenses chugging along as expected and the Seahawks, Bengals and Falcons approaching Week 5 byes, the pickings are fairly slim a month into the season. Under the circumstances, a normally viable unit's value could hinge on a seemingly minor flaw -- say, a single player injury. Here are four to consider moving forward:
Panthers LB Dan Morgan
Morgan has been sidelined since a concussion knocked him out of the Atlanta game in Week 1. It stands to reason that Carolina missed the speedy Morgan when the D was rung up for 252 rushing yards by the Falcons and, a week later, was gouged by Minnesota for 140.
<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" height="1" type="block"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES WORTH KEEPING 1. Seahawks: Don't sell high. Chicago was just a bad game, and the remaining schedule is as good as it gets.
2. Falcons: The rushing and red-zone D have been insanely good. The sack and turnover numbers will only get better.
3. Cowboys: The early schedule masks how effective the D has been, and the return teams have punch.
4. Vikings: Three brutal matchups have prevented this unit from unlocking its playmaking potential. Temporarily.
5. Saints: Carolina punked their run D, but some playmakers and a ball-control offense make them deep sleepers.
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But there's more to the story. The Panthers still are adjusting to a front line that includes a pair of 340-pound rhinos (DTs Kris Jenkins and Maake Kemoeatu) and a linebacker corps that is missing unheralded star LB Will Witherspoon. The Falcons snuck up on the Panthers with their spread option attack in the opener, and Carolina mistakes allowed the Vikings to hang around and run it 35 times in Week 2. WR Steve Smith's hamstring injury, which bogged down the Panthers' offense and prompted an unusual number of three-and-outs, probably was more damaging to the defense than losing one of its own would have been.
Carolina has little depth behind Morgan, but this isn't the first time the team has been forced to carry on without him. LB Adam Seward limits what the Panthers can do in their cover 2, but his strength and in-line speed make him more than serviceable as Morgan's replacement on running downs. The Panthers have allowed opponents fewer rushing yards every week, holding Tampa Bay and New Orleans to 64 and 63 yards, respectively. More sacks and takeaways are sure to come, especially with Cleveland and Baltimore up next.
Colts DT Corey Simon
Last season, after an acrimonious split with Philadelphia, Simon joined Indianapolis and quietly keyed a much-improved run defense despite being in pretty sloppy shape. Trimmed down and with the benefit of a training camp with the Colts, he was supposed to be the anvil inside that changed transformed this defense from an opportunistic vulture of a unit into a legitimate predator.
But a slow recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery performed just before the start of the regular season has put Simon out of rotation -- and left the Colts' run D spinning its wheels. Depth isn't bad, but Indy's front seven probably is the NFL's lightest and certainly doesn't hold up well to punishing power run games. Even less-than-punishing ground attacks (the Texans' and Jets') have topped 100 yards against the Colts, wearing down linebacker-size DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis and denying this unit big-play chances.
I doubt Simon can turn the tide on his own. His size and interior penetration can force opposing backs wide and put the rangy Colts defenders in chase mode, instead of into so many take-on situations. But Simon tends to wear down even on his best days, and the injury layoff might mean he'll be wheezing through another season in poor condition. The Colts will feast on opponents with weak run games, crummy offensive lines and/or inexperienced quarterbacks (hey there, Tennessee), but a post-Week 6 bye barrage of Washington, Denver and New England should force fantasy owners to seek alternatives.
Eagles CB Lito Sheppard
Though he went to the Pro Bowl last season, Sheppard might be only the third-best cornerback on his own team. Fellow starter CB Sheldon Brown is unquestionably Philadelphia's top cover man, and even CB Roderick Hood was pushing the overrated Sheppard before the latter suffered a nasty ankle injury in Week 1.
Still, Sheppard's experience can't be overstated, especially in a scheme that routinely puts stomach-turning pressure on the corners to hold up in man-to-man coverage. He isn't perfect -- Sheppard is undersized and takes too many chances -- but he gives coordinator Jim Johnson enough peace of mind to blitz like a madman. The Eagles' front four is putting steady heat on quarterbacks, even without DE Jevon Kearse, but the team will need extra rushers when some of its upcoming opponents (most likely Dallas, Tampa Bay and Washington) lean on max-protect schemes to keep their passers clean.
Sheppard reportedly practiced Saturday and was considered likely to play against Green Bay in the Monday night game. Hood and safeties Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis also were dealing with injuries, so even Sheppard's return won't ensure that Eagles opponents are kept in lockdown. But thanks to Johnson's aggressiveness and a series of upcoming matchups against iffy offensive lines, expect this unit to make a lot more plays than it gives up.
Redskins CB Shawn Springs
A groin injury has delayed the start of Springs' season and pared down the blitz packages of pressure-obsessed coordinator Gregg Williams. It went largely unnoticed, but Springs had a fantastic 2005 season -- maybe a career best -- that helped give Williams the freedom to send linebackers, safeties and, occasionally, other cornerbacks after opposing quarterbacks.
As far as we're concerned, though, even a healthy Springs might not be enough to salvage Washington's defense. The Redskins' 35 sacks in '05 ranked in the bottom half of the league. The team regularly pressured opponents, but it lacked finishers who contributed enough to fantasy owners' bottom line. On the whole, this unit is old, thin and lacks the same experience and discipline that departed LB Antonio Pierce helped instill -- and that is crucial to the success of the scheme.
Washington's offense is roping the D into more shootouts, and the secondary has holes that can be exploited. CB Kenny Wright is often overmatched at nickelback, and he's a sitting duck filling in for Springs in the starting lineup. Safeties Sean Taylor and Adam Archuleta are playmakers, but their aggressiveness gets them into trouble against a hard play fake or a good double move. Tennessee (Week 6) has some potential, but I don't see another start-worthy matchup for the Redskins' D/ST until at least Week 11, against Tampa Bay.
TWO CENTS, AND THEN SOME ...
I know he's been a nightmare, but I still think folks who sell QB Daunte Culpepper low will be sorry. He's in a funk, and I can't fully explain his too-frequent hesitation within the offense. But I'll bet he comes around as his mobility returns, he gets more comfortable in the scheme and coordinator Mike Mularkey figures out what plays suit Culpepper best. ... Repeat after me: Rookie fantasy running backs good, rookie fantasy quarterbacks bad. If you're ignoring RBs Maurice Jones-Drew, DeAngelo Williams and Jerious Norwood to chase QBs Vince Young and Matt Leinart in your league, you can't be helped.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Tuesday, October 3, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Running Into Trouble


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By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Prior to this week, Brian Westbrook's knee and Ahman Green's hamstring weren't enough of an issue to keep them out of action. In fact, Westbrook looked like the ultimate exception to my fantasy rule that I always go with the healthy player over the injured guy. Westbrook had played through his injury issues early in the year, twice when he was listed as questionable, and he played very well.
But Westbrook was held out of Monday night's game against the Packers, and if you left him in your lineup for this week expecting him to vault you to a victory, you lost the gamble. Green, whose 2005 season was ruined by a quadriceps issue, missed the game as well, a week after he had played and delivered respectable fantasy totals against the Lions.
So how do you avoid getting whacked with another big zero on a Monday night, especially when there are bye weeks and a usual lack of quality talent on the free agent list this year? The apparent lesson learned on Monday night is you have to stay conservative. A player listed as questionable or a game-time decision is a boom-or-bust option that simply shouldn't be risked. Yes, Westbrook might play through the problem in his next game, and could explode again. But there's a nearly equal chance you'll get a zero if he sits out. You simply can't risk not getting any points at all.
Green isn't capable of producing great fantasy numbers anymore, so it's not worth the gamble at all if he isn't listed as probable. At least with Westbrook, he could have a big day if he plays. Green's best years are clearly behind him, and you could have players on your bench that might give you close to his production in any given week. To avoid such situations in the future, you have to make the commitment to avoid the questionable or game-time decision guy before Monday night. Put in a healthier starter and you'll know your fate by Sunday night, instead of sweating until Monday night.
Having the handcuff to a player like Westbrook and Green isn't always an ideal answer, either. The Eagles' running game was clearly much less effective without Westbrook last night, and Correll Buckhalter didn't look like the same player he was in the preseason. Vernand Morency played respectably, but for every decent Morency performance, there will be an overall stinker like Buckhalter (49 rushing yards, one lost fumble and a botched exchange) when you use a reserve who hasn't seen much game action. It's another gamble you should try to avoid. Adding the backups to an injured guy is always a great move, but depending on them when they haven't done much yet this season is another story.
The best answer to solving the issue, especially when it creeps up on a Monday night, is to have a decent backup who should get some touches and won't force you to decide between Green and Morency at 7:30 on a Monday night. If you can use a Maurice Jones-Drew or Jerious Norwood on a Sunday instead, that's a better option than hoping Green might play or his backup will be effective. Don't put the fate of your team into a game-time decision that could backfire as it did this week. Make sure you have running back depth that is just more than your handcuff players. Making a minor trade to get a good possible emergency starter isn't a major move, but it could be a critical one at any time. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
When teams don't have their top running backs, it obviously affects their quarterbacks, so also keep that in mind when making difficult lineup decisions in the future. If you're deciding between Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, or Brett Favre and Rex Grossman, the guy that has the better matchup often gets the call, but a key injury to a running back can also help you make a more educated decision. Without Westbrook, the Eagles didn't have a reliable ground attack, and their passing game sputtered in the first half. Against a better defense than Green Bay's, the Eagles could have struggled all night long, but McNabb simply attacked the vulnerable Packers' secondary with more deep throws in the second half and ultimately ran the ball himself to put the game out of reach. Against a more formidable opponent, Philadelphia won't necessarily be able to abandon the running game without Westbrook and succeed. McNabb's numbers could suffer in future games without Westbrook. As for Favre, the Eagles didn't seem threatened by Morency, who played just as well as Green could have if he were available. Green doesn't run much harder than Morency these days, but he still commands more respect from opposing defenses because of his past reputation. Philadelphia clearly came into Monday night's game ready to take away the deep ball and get pressure up front to protect their injury-depleted defensive backfield. Defending the running game seemed to be a secondary concern, as Morency simply wasn't perceived as a major threat to the defense. Favre threw no TD passes and was intercepted twice, as he had to throw the ball in most key situations. Without its top running back and a formidable backup that can actually conjure up major defensive concerns (such as DeAngelo Williams or Michael Turner), teams become more predictable on offense and throw more often. Matt Hasselbeck was certainly very predictable in how he was going to move the ball on Sunday night. Maurice Morris doesn't strike fear into the hearts of most defenses. A missing No. 1 RB can often mean a more difficult outing for the QB.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Vernand Morency, RB, Packers
26 carries, 99 yards, 0 TD
We got our first good look at what Morency can do in extensive action on Monday night. There had been flashes of big-play promise in the preseason with Houston. Then there was praise from the Green Bay coaching staff about how well Morency fit in with their new zone-blocking system after playing in a similar style of running the ball with the Texans this year before he was traded. Morency added 19 receiving yards, and his final numbers weren't bad at all. He displayed good vision, quick feet, and some cutback moves and the willingness to work for extra yards. But he is only an adequate inside runner, and the Green Bay offensive line isn't going to open the holes necessary for him to use his speed. Ahman Green might not be able to bust loose for many big runs anymore because his best years are behind him. Morency simply has to battle hard for yardage when he plays, because his offensive line will often lose many wars at the line of scrimmage. Morency was stuffed on four consecutive one-yard runs to finish the game. You can blame his blockers for not getting the proper push. Morency might deliver decent totals again if he is pressed into action, so keep him on your roster or acquire him if you have Green. He would likely produce better numbers on a better team, but he is a decent plug-in if you know in advance Green isn't going to start for sure. If Green is a game-time decision, using another RB is usually a better option to avoid the headaches.
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<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 4</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: Great time to buy low on him after disappointing outing</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>INT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>245</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>5</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>LaMont Jordan, RB, Raiders: Not a must-start, but can still produce in friendly matchups</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>128</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>13</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>21</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><!-- <tr><td align=center bgcolor="#555555" COLSPAN=6 class="stathead" colspan="6"> </td></tr> --><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Mike Furrey, WR, Lions: Burned his old team, but still has more to prove</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>8</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>82</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>11</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins: Still no TDs, but had an encouraging outing</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>70</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!-- end also see -->

<!-- begin also see2 -->Surfin' the Scoreboard

Names Makin' News
? Frank Gore has now fumbled in four consecutive games. But Mike Nolan told the San Francisco Chronicle that Gore will keep his starting job. Gore has a very friendly matchup against Oakland coming up in the fifth week.
? According to the Bengals' website, Chad Johnson confirmed that the shoulder injury that caused him to leave Sunday's game was to his right shoulder, which he injured in the second game. Johnson was able to return, and the injury does not appear to be serious.
? Donte' Stallworth had to leave Monday night's game because of a lingering hamstring problem. He caught only one pass for 26 yards before he left the game.
? Reggie Brown left Monday night's game in the third quarter after re-injuring his right shoulder. With both Philadelphia's top wide receivers hurting, Greg Lewis caught two TD passes against Green Bay. ? Monday | <A href="http://insider.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/OutOfTheBox?gameDate=20060928">Friday | Karabell's Blog





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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Tuesday, October 3, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Running Into Trouble


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By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Prior to this week, Brian Westbrook's knee and Ahman Green's hamstring weren't enough of an issue to keep them out of action. In fact, Westbrook looked like the ultimate exception to my fantasy rule that I always go with the healthy player over the injured guy. Westbrook had played through his injury issues early in the year, twice when he was listed as questionable, and he played very well.
But Westbrook was held out of Monday night's game against the Packers, and if you left him in your lineup for this week expecting him to vault you to a victory, you lost the gamble. Green, whose 2005 season was ruined by a quadriceps issue, missed the game as well, a week after he had played and delivered respectable fantasy totals against the Lions.
So how do you avoid getting whacked with another big zero on a Monday night, especially when there are bye weeks and a usual lack of quality talent on the free agent list this year? The apparent lesson learned on Monday night is you have to stay conservative. A player listed as questionable or a game-time decision is a boom-or-bust option that simply shouldn't be risked. Yes, Westbrook might play through the problem in his next game, and could explode again. But there's a nearly equal chance you'll get a zero if he sits out. You simply can't risk not getting any points at all.
Green isn't capable of producing great fantasy numbers anymore, so it's not worth the gamble at all if he isn't listed as probable. At least with Westbrook, he could have a big day if he plays. Green's best years are clearly behind him, and you could have players on your bench that might give you close to his production in any given week. To avoid such situations in the future, you have to make the commitment to avoid the questionable or game-time decision guy before Monday night. Put in a healthier starter and you'll know your fate by Sunday night, instead of sweating until Monday night.
Having the handcuff to a player like Westbrook and Green isn't always an ideal answer, either. The Eagles' running game was clearly much less effective without Westbrook last night, and Correll Buckhalter didn't look like the same player he was in the preseason. Vernand Morency played respectably, but for every decent Morency performance, there will be an overall stinker like Buckhalter (49 rushing yards, one lost fumble and a botched exchange) when you use a reserve who hasn't seen much game action. It's another gamble you should try to avoid. Adding the backups to an injured guy is always a great move, but depending on them when they haven't done much yet this season is another story.
The best answer to solving the issue, especially when it creeps up on a Monday night, is to have a decent backup who should get some touches and won't force you to decide between Green and Morency at 7:30 on a Monday night. If you can use a Maurice Jones-Drew or Jerious Norwood on a Sunday instead, that's a better option than hoping Green might play or his backup will be effective. Don't put the fate of your team into a game-time decision that could backfire as it did this week. Make sure you have running back depth that is just more than your handcuff players. Making a minor trade to get a good possible emergency starter isn't a major move, but it could be a critical one at any time. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
When teams don't have their top running backs, it obviously affects their quarterbacks, so also keep that in mind when making difficult lineup decisions in the future. If you're deciding between Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, or Brett Favre and Rex Grossman, the guy that has the better matchup often gets the call, but a key injury to a running back can also help you make a more educated decision. Without Westbrook, the Eagles didn't have a reliable ground attack, and their passing game sputtered in the first half. Against a better defense than Green Bay's, the Eagles could have struggled all night long, but McNabb simply attacked the vulnerable Packers' secondary with more deep throws in the second half and ultimately ran the ball himself to put the game out of reach. Against a more formidable opponent, Philadelphia won't necessarily be able to abandon the running game without Westbrook and succeed. McNabb's numbers could suffer in future games without Westbrook. As for Favre, the Eagles didn't seem threatened by Morency, who played just as well as Green could have if he were available. Green doesn't run much harder than Morency these days, but he still commands more respect from opposing defenses because of his past reputation. Philadelphia clearly came into Monday night's game ready to take away the deep ball and get pressure up front to protect their injury-depleted defensive backfield. Defending the running game seemed to be a secondary concern, as Morency simply wasn't perceived as a major threat to the defense. Favre threw no TD passes and was intercepted twice, as he had to throw the ball in most key situations. Without its top running back and a formidable backup that can actually conjure up major defensive concerns (such as DeAngelo Williams or Michael Turner), teams become more predictable on offense and throw more often. Matt Hasselbeck was certainly very predictable in how he was going to move the ball on Sunday night. Maurice Morris doesn't strike fear into the hearts of most defenses. A missing No. 1 RB can often mean a more difficult outing for the QB.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Vernand Morency, RB, Packers
26 carries, 99 yards, 0 TD
We got our first good look at what Morency can do in extensive action on Monday night. There had been flashes of big-play promise in the preseason with Houston. Then there was praise from the Green Bay coaching staff about how well Morency fit in with their new zone-blocking system after playing in a similar style of running the ball with the Texans this year before he was traded. Morency added 19 receiving yards, and his final numbers weren't bad at all. He displayed good vision, quick feet, and some cutback moves and the willingness to work for extra yards. But he is only an adequate inside runner, and the Green Bay offensive line isn't going to open the holes necessary for him to use his speed. Ahman Green might not be able to bust loose for many big runs anymore because his best years are behind him. Morency simply has to battle hard for yardage when he plays, because his offensive line will often lose many wars at the line of scrimmage. Morency was stuffed on four consecutive one-yard runs to finish the game. You can blame his blockers for not getting the proper push. Morency might deliver decent totals again if he is pressed into action, so keep him on your roster or acquire him if you have Green. He would likely produce better numbers on a better team, but he is a decent plug-in if you know in advance Green isn't going to start for sure. If Green is a game-time decision, using another RB is usually a better option to avoid the headaches.
<!--end leftcol --></TD><TD width=15><SPACER width="15" height="1" type="block"></TD><TD class=rightcell vAlign=top width=195><!-- begin rightcol --><!-- begin also see -->TOP LINES
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 4</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: Great time to buy low on him after disappointing outing</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>INT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>245</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>5</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>LaMont Jordan, RB, Raiders: Not a must-start, but can still produce in friendly matchups</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>128</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>13</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>21</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><!-- <tr><td align=center bgcolor="#555555" COLSPAN=6 class="stathead" colspan="6"> </td></tr> --><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Mike Furrey, WR, Lions: Burned his old team, but still has more to prove</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>8</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>82</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>11</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins: Still no TDs, but had an encouraging outing</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>70</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>0</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!-- end also see -->

<!-- begin also see2 -->Surfin' the Scoreboard

Names Makin' News
? Frank Gore has now fumbled in four consecutive games. But Mike Nolan told the San Francisco Chronicle that Gore will keep his starting job. Gore has a very friendly matchup against Oakland coming up in the fifth week.
? According to the Bengals' website, Chad Johnson confirmed that the shoulder injury that caused him to leave Sunday's game was to his right shoulder, which he injured in the second game. Johnson was able to return, and the injury does not appear to be serious.
? Donte' Stallworth had to leave Monday night's game because of a lingering hamstring problem. He caught only one pass for 26 yards before he left the game.
? Reggie Brown left Monday night's game in the third quarter after re-injuring his right shoulder. With both Philadelphia's top wide receivers hurting, Greg Lewis caught two TD passes against Green Bay. ? Monday | <A href="http://insider.espn.go.com/fantasy/football/ffl/OutOfTheBox?gameDate=20060928">Friday | Karabell's Blog





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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Oct. 3, 2006, 1:48 PM
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Carroll: Favre, Westbrook injuries analyzed


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By Will Carroll
ESPN Fantasy Games

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With so much going on this week -- great football matchups, the start of the baseball playoffs, and "The Fantasy Show" -- I was looking forward to what looked like a light week. I'd love to have one week where no one was injured, where the conduct of the game didn't lead to broken bones and torn ligaments. The crux of my work is that the sport is made better by keeping the best talent available. Too many games are lost to injury, something that is often preventable or at least reducible. The "Monday Night Football" slugfest changed all that, populating my report today with more than enough injuries to keep things hopping.
So, let's get to it:
If I understood Joe and Tony last night on "MNF," Packers quarterback Brett Favre has some sort of consecutive game streak going. Of course, I might also think that Brett Favre saved the game, defeated the Germans, and blew back a hurricane with his powerful right arm if I didn't use the TiVo to rewind to make sure I heard them right. Favre is human and actually showed it when he left Monday's game with a stinger. Michelle Tafoya did a great job of explaining that while the Packers were calling it a head injury, Favre was pointing to his shoulder. Both were right; Favre had a "stretch" stinger. As I detailed last week with Corey Dillon, a stinger occurs when the nerve bundle that comes through the shoulder and arm is either stretched or compressed. When Favre was hit in the head, it moved far enough to stretch the nerves. It's not considered serious and, like Dillon, Favre is fully expected to be back on the field next week.
Packers running back Ahman Green is dealing with a hamstring strain serious enough to keep him off the field Monday, but is this in any way related to his quad problems from last season? The answer is likely yes. The quad and hamstring are opposing muscles, the body's form of push and pull. When there is any significant imbalance in the strength of these muscles, there's an increased chance for injury. Strength coaches watch for these type of imbalances, altering workouts to keep this from happening, but rehab can change who is watching and what a player is able to do. Slight alterations in gait from any leg injury can result in cascading problems, the stage thatGreen appears to be. While Green's hamstring strain is considered moderate, expect him on the long end of the expected recovery as the team attempts to make sure the next cascade is prevented.
The Packers also seem to be without WR Robert Ferguson. The No. 3 WR left last night's game with a foot injury, something some reports are saying could be a fracture. Ferguson was injured on a return, but as yet, there are no solid reports of a diagnosis. This is definitely an injury to look for later this week, since the Packers are likely awaiting a reduction in swelling in order to get good images. The emergence of Greg Jennings has pushed Ferguson down most fantasy lists, but this should mean even more targets for Jennings and Donald Driver, especially in absence of a credible running game.
The knee is grinding. That's the simplest explanation for what's going on with Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. While Eagles coach Andy Reid said at his post-game presser that the team is unsure of the exact cause for Westbrook's swollen, painful knee, the MNF crew gave us a good clue with their video of Westbrook warming up before calling it a day. Westbrook would run, stop and "stretch" out the knee. What he was doing wasn't stretching; he was taking pressure off the knee. Clearly from these shots, Westbrook is in pain even from light running and weight bearing. As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, this is the type of thing that becomes a management situation, but this is descending quickly. Even a week off isn't giving Westbrook time to heal and get back to an effective state. I spoke with doctors about the possible causes and, currently, we don't have enough information to make a distant diagnosis. It is clear that Westbrook is going to be a very risky RB to have on your fantasy team. When healthy, he's a stud, but it's impossible to say when or how often he'll be that healthy.
Donovan McNabb ran more last night, not just because Correll Buckhalter mixed up the stick-um and the butter. By the end of the game, he was down a couple receivers, leaving his best option as himself. McNabb lost Donte' Stallworth early in the game after Stallworth's hamstring began to tighten up again. Stallworth already was limited, showing hesitation as he made any sort of cut or stop. The Eagles also lost Reggie Brown later in the game after he reinjured his right shoulder on a tackle out of bounds. Brown sprained his shoulder on the play, a recurrence of his injury from Week 3. The injury is threatening to become chronic, so watch to see when Brown returns from practice this week.
The Eagles DBs were already beat up going into the game and they come out even worse. Lito Sheppard and Roderick Hood were out and the rest of the available players seemed to drop like flies throughout the game. Sean Considine got the best of a big collision, but his initial reactions to the hit showed that he's still feeling that back problem. Brian Dawkins was slow to get up a few times while Michael Lewis, the only healthy guy back there, was having a field day on Favre's errant passes. The short week should be a big negative for getting this crew healthy, something that has to have Dallas thinking that Terry Glenn and -- oh that other guy, his name escapes me -- could have a big day in Philly this Sunday.
I'm hoping that K.C. Joyner gets a chance to take a look at Steve Smith's game tape this week. Smith gets most of his value from YAC and to this untrained eye, it appeared that he was getting more separation from the coverage this week than he was last. This makes sense, given Smith's report that he was "coasting" at "75 percent or so" last week. If Smith can be this productive at less than full-go and manage to avoid a recurrence of the hamstring strains that kept him on the bench until Week 3, he'll have plenty of time to defend his title of No. 1 overall fantasy WR. The big news on the injury front is that Smith reported no soreness after the game. The longer he goes without a recurrence, the better. By Week 8 or so, we should be able to forget this happened.
Here's one for you to try at home. Stand up straight, and then fall to your side. Land solidly on your shoulder. Now, do it again. Take a couple more hits to your shoulder. How does it feel? Probably much like Chad Johnson's shoulder. Johnson took another hard shot to the shoulder making a "tiptoe" catch on the sidelines. While not serious in and of itself, Johnson did virtually the same thing last week. These shots do add up in addition to the normal hits any WR takes during a tackle or even blocking. Adding this to the uncertain future of Chris Henry makes one take a hard look at just how valuable Bengals like Carson Palmer and Rudi Johnson will be over the next few weeks.
The Jets left last weekend's heartbreaking loss minus one of their RB trio. Cedric Houston left the game on a cart, unable to put any weight on his knee. Houston was injured near the goal line when Dwight Freeney dove through low and struck his planted foot, hyperextending the knee. While Freeney's hit wasn't intended to hurt Houston, it's a hit that would be looked at much more seriously if it had been to a QB. Sources tell me that Houston left the game on crutches with a "huge knee." I'll assume that means significant swelling. The Jets haven't given any indication as to the severity, but imaging tests are likely to be the key to this one.
The Jets are also quiet on what happened with Laveranues Coles. On that "Stanford Band" play at the end of the game, Coles was seen thrashing about in pain after being slung to the ground by a couple Colts defenders. There was no good look at Coles just after the play, but his reaction -- flailing his arms and legs -- gives us some information. Players in any sport tend to grab at the injured part to protect and stabilize it. It's instinctual and informative. Coles was clearly in severe pain for at least a short time, making me think that he landed on something, perhaps his tailbone. Keep an eye to make sure this isn't as transient as the Jets want us to think when Coles returns to practice -- or doesn't. Any limitation for Coles would cut severely into Chad Pennington's value.
The Ravens might be 4-0, but they're starting to appear vulnerable due to injury. The biggest injury they have is to OG Edwin Mulitalo, who tore his triceps during Sunday's win over San Diego. Mulitalo is done for the season and likely headed for surgery. The triceps is key for any lineman since its function is to push. Surgery has a high success rate for this type of problem so it's likely that Mulitalo can return in 2007.
The kickoff collision between the Lions' Frank Davis and the Rams' Paul Smith was one of the most violent you'll ever see. In fact, I was reminded that the NCAA exists because the flying wedge kickoff return was killing players in the pre-helmet era. I can see how given the carnage in the collision at the start of the second half, sending both players to the hospital (and ironically, to the same hospital room, according to the Detroit Free-Press.) Both players should be OK, but watching Smith spit blood as he walked off the field is just another reminder that there's a fine line between ending up in this column and ending up in the obituaries. Bumps and Bruises: Don't get too excited about new Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski. The Bucs have Luke McCown coming off the PUP list after Week 6. ? John Abraham gets the bye at just the right time. He'll be back on the Falcons' defensive front in two weeks. ? Ravens tackle Orlando Pace is still feeling the effects of the concussion, leaving him questionable at this stage for next week's game. ? Jaguars receiver Matt Jones also will use the bye to heal up, though his de facto absence really has opened the door for one-time bust Reggie Williams. ? Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri insists he could have kicked on Sunday, but was held out by the coaching staff due to wet conditions at the Meadowlands. The concern is still with his plant ankle, so this is lingering. ... Leigh Bodden missed much of the Browns' game on Sunday with a sprained ankle. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer questioned if Bodden had a high ankle sprain, something that would crush the Browns' pass coverage coming into a game with the Panthers
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Oct. 3, 2006, 1:48 PM
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Carroll: Favre, Westbrook injuries analyzed


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By Will Carroll
ESPN Fantasy Games

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With so much going on this week -- great football matchups, the start of the baseball playoffs, and "The Fantasy Show" -- I was looking forward to what looked like a light week. I'd love to have one week where no one was injured, where the conduct of the game didn't lead to broken bones and torn ligaments. The crux of my work is that the sport is made better by keeping the best talent available. Too many games are lost to injury, something that is often preventable or at least reducible. The "Monday Night Football" slugfest changed all that, populating my report today with more than enough injuries to keep things hopping.
So, let's get to it:
If I understood Joe and Tony last night on "MNF," Packers quarterback Brett Favre has some sort of consecutive game streak going. Of course, I might also think that Brett Favre saved the game, defeated the Germans, and blew back a hurricane with his powerful right arm if I didn't use the TiVo to rewind to make sure I heard them right. Favre is human and actually showed it when he left Monday's game with a stinger. Michelle Tafoya did a great job of explaining that while the Packers were calling it a head injury, Favre was pointing to his shoulder. Both were right; Favre had a "stretch" stinger. As I detailed last week with Corey Dillon, a stinger occurs when the nerve bundle that comes through the shoulder and arm is either stretched or compressed. When Favre was hit in the head, it moved far enough to stretch the nerves. It's not considered serious and, like Dillon, Favre is fully expected to be back on the field next week.
Packers running back Ahman Green is dealing with a hamstring strain serious enough to keep him off the field Monday, but is this in any way related to his quad problems from last season? The answer is likely yes. The quad and hamstring are opposing muscles, the body's form of push and pull. When there is any significant imbalance in the strength of these muscles, there's an increased chance for injury. Strength coaches watch for these type of imbalances, altering workouts to keep this from happening, but rehab can change who is watching and what a player is able to do. Slight alterations in gait from any leg injury can result in cascading problems, the stage thatGreen appears to be. While Green's hamstring strain is considered moderate, expect him on the long end of the expected recovery as the team attempts to make sure the next cascade is prevented.
The Packers also seem to be without WR Robert Ferguson. The No. 3 WR left last night's game with a foot injury, something some reports are saying could be a fracture. Ferguson was injured on a return, but as yet, there are no solid reports of a diagnosis. This is definitely an injury to look for later this week, since the Packers are likely awaiting a reduction in swelling in order to get good images. The emergence of Greg Jennings has pushed Ferguson down most fantasy lists, but this should mean even more targets for Jennings and Donald Driver, especially in absence of a credible running game.
The knee is grinding. That's the simplest explanation for what's going on with Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. While Eagles coach Andy Reid said at his post-game presser that the team is unsure of the exact cause for Westbrook's swollen, painful knee, the MNF crew gave us a good clue with their video of Westbrook warming up before calling it a day. Westbrook would run, stop and "stretch" out the knee. What he was doing wasn't stretching; he was taking pressure off the knee. Clearly from these shots, Westbrook is in pain even from light running and weight bearing. As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, this is the type of thing that becomes a management situation, but this is descending quickly. Even a week off isn't giving Westbrook time to heal and get back to an effective state. I spoke with doctors about the possible causes and, currently, we don't have enough information to make a distant diagnosis. It is clear that Westbrook is going to be a very risky RB to have on your fantasy team. When healthy, he's a stud, but it's impossible to say when or how often he'll be that healthy.
Donovan McNabb ran more last night, not just because Correll Buckhalter mixed up the stick-um and the butter. By the end of the game, he was down a couple receivers, leaving his best option as himself. McNabb lost Donte' Stallworth early in the game after Stallworth's hamstring began to tighten up again. Stallworth already was limited, showing hesitation as he made any sort of cut or stop. The Eagles also lost Reggie Brown later in the game after he reinjured his right shoulder on a tackle out of bounds. Brown sprained his shoulder on the play, a recurrence of his injury from Week 3. The injury is threatening to become chronic, so watch to see when Brown returns from practice this week.
The Eagles DBs were already beat up going into the game and they come out even worse. Lito Sheppard and Roderick Hood were out and the rest of the available players seemed to drop like flies throughout the game. Sean Considine got the best of a big collision, but his initial reactions to the hit showed that he's still feeling that back problem. Brian Dawkins was slow to get up a few times while Michael Lewis, the only healthy guy back there, was having a field day on Favre's errant passes. The short week should be a big negative for getting this crew healthy, something that has to have Dallas thinking that Terry Glenn and -- oh that other guy, his name escapes me -- could have a big day in Philly this Sunday.
I'm hoping that K.C. Joyner gets a chance to take a look at Steve Smith's game tape this week. Smith gets most of his value from YAC and to this untrained eye, it appeared that he was getting more separation from the coverage this week than he was last. This makes sense, given Smith's report that he was "coasting" at "75 percent or so" last week. If Smith can be this productive at less than full-go and manage to avoid a recurrence of the hamstring strains that kept him on the bench until Week 3, he'll have plenty of time to defend his title of No. 1 overall fantasy WR. The big news on the injury front is that Smith reported no soreness after the game. The longer he goes without a recurrence, the better. By Week 8 or so, we should be able to forget this happened.
Here's one for you to try at home. Stand up straight, and then fall to your side. Land solidly on your shoulder. Now, do it again. Take a couple more hits to your shoulder. How does it feel? Probably much like Chad Johnson's shoulder. Johnson took another hard shot to the shoulder making a "tiptoe" catch on the sidelines. While not serious in and of itself, Johnson did virtually the same thing last week. These shots do add up in addition to the normal hits any WR takes during a tackle or even blocking. Adding this to the uncertain future of Chris Henry makes one take a hard look at just how valuable Bengals like Carson Palmer and Rudi Johnson will be over the next few weeks.
The Jets left last weekend's heartbreaking loss minus one of their RB trio. Cedric Houston left the game on a cart, unable to put any weight on his knee. Houston was injured near the goal line when Dwight Freeney dove through low and struck his planted foot, hyperextending the knee. While Freeney's hit wasn't intended to hurt Houston, it's a hit that would be looked at much more seriously if it had been to a QB. Sources tell me that Houston left the game on crutches with a "huge knee." I'll assume that means significant swelling. The Jets haven't given any indication as to the severity, but imaging tests are likely to be the key to this one.
The Jets are also quiet on what happened with Laveranues Coles. On that "Stanford Band" play at the end of the game, Coles was seen thrashing about in pain after being slung to the ground by a couple Colts defenders. There was no good look at Coles just after the play, but his reaction -- flailing his arms and legs -- gives us some information. Players in any sport tend to grab at the injured part to protect and stabilize it. It's instinctual and informative. Coles was clearly in severe pain for at least a short time, making me think that he landed on something, perhaps his tailbone. Keep an eye to make sure this isn't as transient as the Jets want us to think when Coles returns to practice -- or doesn't. Any limitation for Coles would cut severely into Chad Pennington's value.
The Ravens might be 4-0, but they're starting to appear vulnerable due to injury. The biggest injury they have is to OG Edwin Mulitalo, who tore his triceps during Sunday's win over San Diego. Mulitalo is done for the season and likely headed for surgery. The triceps is key for any lineman since its function is to push. Surgery has a high success rate for this type of problem so it's likely that Mulitalo can return in 2007.
The kickoff collision between the Lions' Frank Davis and the Rams' Paul Smith was one of the most violent you'll ever see. In fact, I was reminded that the NCAA exists because the flying wedge kickoff return was killing players in the pre-helmet era. I can see how given the carnage in the collision at the start of the second half, sending both players to the hospital (and ironically, to the same hospital room, according to the Detroit Free-Press.) Both players should be OK, but watching Smith spit blood as he walked off the field is just another reminder that there's a fine line between ending up in this column and ending up in the obituaries. Bumps and Bruises: Don't get too excited about new Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski. The Bucs have Luke McCown coming off the PUP list after Week 6. ? John Abraham gets the bye at just the right time. He'll be back on the Falcons' defensive front in two weeks. ? Ravens tackle Orlando Pace is still feeling the effects of the concussion, leaving him questionable at this stage for next week's game. ? Jaguars receiver Matt Jones also will use the bye to heal up, though his de facto absence really has opened the door for one-time bust Reggie Williams. ? Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri insists he could have kicked on Sunday, but was held out by the coaching staff due to wet conditions at the Meadowlands. The concern is still with his plant ankle, so this is lingering. ... Leigh Bodden missed much of the Browns' game on Sunday with a sprained ankle. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer questioned if Bodden had a high ankle sprain, something that would crush the Browns' pass coverage coming into a game with the Panthers
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Oct. 3, 2006, 3:21 PM
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Week 5: Waiver Wire Work


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Each week, we help improve your fantasy outlook by recommending the best players to add and drop. Here are some players you should consider who are probably available on your league's free-agent list, and others you should cut loose if you need to make extra room on your roster.
TOP ADDS
Charlie Frye, QB, Browns (owned in 13.9 percent of ESPN leagues): Trying to find a decent fantasy backup quarterback isn't an easy thing these days, especially in larger leagues. Frye is strictly a pickup for depth, but he can certainly give you decent fantasy numbers when the matchup is right. He now has Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Joe Jurevicius to throw to. Frye threw three TD passes against Oakland and he's a good add if you've been suffering with Daunte Culpepper or Ben Roethlisberger to this point, and need another option. Frye has more experience than Matt Leinart or Vince Young, and you should simply have him in case your starter gets injured or you need a bye week fill-in and there isn't much else out there. Home dates against the Broncos and Jets in the seventh and eighth week of the season could produce adequate totals if his running game holds up. He threw for 298 yards at home against Baltimore, so don't dismiss him. I'd rather have Frye than a rookie QB or an unproven risk like Andrew Walter.
Jerious Norwood, RB, Falcons (25.9 percent owned): His 78-yard TD run against Arizona was another eye-opener, and he should be a hot pickup this week. There is talk coming out of Atlanta that the Falcons want to get Norwood more carries, but you should take a wait-and-see approach before starting him. Norwood hasn't carried more than 10 times in a game yet. The upside is certainly apparent, as Norwood's fine preseason led to T.J. Duckett being shipped out of town. He's a fine addition, but don't consider putting him into your starting lineup until his workload increases. One long run against a bad defense isn't enough to use him over a more dependable player yet. Like Leon Washington of the Jets (1.5 percent owned), Norwood has a lot of promise, but isn't guaranteed touches.
Vernand Morency, RB, Packers: (6.6 percent owned): If Ahman Green continues to battle a hamstring problem or other injury problems, Morency will be the main man for the Packers. He isn't going to produce terrific fantasy totals, because the Green Bay offensive line fights an uphill battle on every play. But Morency has good vision, and uses his quickness and smarts to gain necessary yardage in some key situations. Morency won't be able to get loose to display his speed often behind a shaky line, but he's not afraid to fight for yards and he's comfortable in the Packers' zone-blocking rushing offense. Morency is by no means an ideal fantasy starter. But if Green continues to miss games, Morency will make a decent flex player and decent bye week or injury replacement.
Mike Furrey, WR, Lions (1.6 percent owned): The former defensive back understands Mike Martz's offense, because he spent the first two seasons of his career in St. Louis. That gave him an advantage over players with bigger name value who simply couldn't grasp the schemes or execute them properly, such as Mike Williams and Charles Rogers. When Corey Bradford didn't fit in as expected, either, Furrey stepped in and showed he can be a good emergency possession target. He really stepped up his game against his former team this past Sunday, catching eight passes for 82 yards and two TDs. Furrey still must prove he can post respectable fantasy totals on a regular basis, but he's worth adding if the Rams game proves to be a springboard to a surprisingly productive season.
Doug Gabriel, WR, Patriots (9.9 percent owned): He's quickly becoming Tom Brady's favorite new target, so snatch him up now. Gabriel is clearly the best mix of talent and experience that New England has at wide receiver. He has caught 10 balls and scored twice in the past two games. Gabriel showed occasional big-play promise in the past with the Raiders. Gabriel will be facing several teams in the weeks ahead that he can get deep on, and he should be a regular scoring threat for many weeks to come. The Dolphins, Jets, Colts and Packers are among the teams Gabriel might burn in the upcoming weeks. Not only is he a must-add player, you should consider putting him in your starting lineup immediately if you have been struggling to find another quality option at wide receiver.
PRIME CUTS
Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals (94.2 percent owned): His fumbling problems and overall inefficiency have caused him to lose his job to a young QB again. Some experts assumed Warner would have a good year because he had a few quality statistical outings in terms of yardage last year. But that was when the Cardinals had even less of a running game than they do now, and Arizona played from behind in many of those performances. Now, the Cardinals are more interested in winning with a possibly more balanced offense or building for the future, instead of flinging the ball endlessly in the air in futile attempts to keep up with the opposition. If Warner can't lead the Cardinals to wins now, then Leinart will get his chance to learn in game action while the team builds for the future. Warner could be stuck to the bench for awhile.
Cedric Benson, RB, Bears (77.3 percent owned): Unless you play in a keeper league, you will be waiting, and waiting, and waiting for him to take over the starting job. And that's clearly not going to happen any time soon. The Bears have a formula for great success right now, and that obviously doesn't include Benson as anything more than an occasional ball carrier. Thomas Jones turned up the level of his play in the statement win over Seattle, and he has clearly distanced himself from Benson in the race for playing time. Don't waste a spot on your bench with Benson that you could be using on a more statistically productive player.
Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants: (54.9 percent owned): He hasn't been a goal-line force so far, with just one TD run in the Giants' first three games. He's also not an obvious or fully necessary handcuff to Tiki Barber, who has shown no apparent signs of wearing down yet. The Giants will also not hesitate to throw the ball in the red zone. Jacobs isn't getting enough important touches to help most fantasy teams, even as a reserve. Players like Benson and Jacobs have name value, but you can't afford to wait for them to produce up to their potential. It might not happen this season at all.
Nate Burleson, WR, Seahawks (70.8 percent owned): While he started against the Bears, his hold on the job has become very shaky, as Deion Branch has quickly emerged as a regular target for Matt Hasselbeck. Burleson should fit nicely as a third option and prime speed receiver in Seattle's passing game, but he likely won't catch enough balls to help most fantasy teams. Burleson has just one TD reception this season, and he has caught only more than one ball in a game only once this season. Eric Moulds, WR, Texans (56.4 percent owned): Don't hold onto him based on his past reputation. Moulds has only one TD catch and his best seasons are well behind him now at 33 years old. He's the much-needed complement the Texans have been seeking for Andre Johnson, and he does still command the respect of opposing defenses. But respect and reputation don't necessarily mean anything more than mediocre fantasy totals.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/2/06)

Oct. 3, 2006, 3:21 PM
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Week 5: Waiver Wire Work


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Scott --><!-- lastName = Engel -->
By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

<!-- begin presby2 -->
<!-- end presby2 -->
<!-- end bylinebox -->
<!-- begin text11 div -->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->
Each week, we help improve your fantasy outlook by recommending the best players to add and drop. Here are some players you should consider who are probably available on your league's free-agent list, and others you should cut loose if you need to make extra room on your roster.
TOP ADDS
Charlie Frye, QB, Browns (owned in 13.9 percent of ESPN leagues): Trying to find a decent fantasy backup quarterback isn't an easy thing these days, especially in larger leagues. Frye is strictly a pickup for depth, but he can certainly give you decent fantasy numbers when the matchup is right. He now has Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Joe Jurevicius to throw to. Frye threw three TD passes against Oakland and he's a good add if you've been suffering with Daunte Culpepper or Ben Roethlisberger to this point, and need another option. Frye has more experience than Matt Leinart or Vince Young, and you should simply have him in case your starter gets injured or you need a bye week fill-in and there isn't much else out there. Home dates against the Broncos and Jets in the seventh and eighth week of the season could produce adequate totals if his running game holds up. He threw for 298 yards at home against Baltimore, so don't dismiss him. I'd rather have Frye than a rookie QB or an unproven risk like Andrew Walter.
Jerious Norwood, RB, Falcons (25.9 percent owned): His 78-yard TD run against Arizona was another eye-opener, and he should be a hot pickup this week. There is talk coming out of Atlanta that the Falcons want to get Norwood more carries, but you should take a wait-and-see approach before starting him. Norwood hasn't carried more than 10 times in a game yet. The upside is certainly apparent, as Norwood's fine preseason led to T.J. Duckett being shipped out of town. He's a fine addition, but don't consider putting him into your starting lineup until his workload increases. One long run against a bad defense isn't enough to use him over a more dependable player yet. Like Leon Washington of the Jets (1.5 percent owned), Norwood has a lot of promise, but isn't guaranteed touches.
Vernand Morency, RB, Packers: (6.6 percent owned): If Ahman Green continues to battle a hamstring problem or other injury problems, Morency will be the main man for the Packers. He isn't going to produce terrific fantasy totals, because the Green Bay offensive line fights an uphill battle on every play. But Morency has good vision, and uses his quickness and smarts to gain necessary yardage in some key situations. Morency won't be able to get loose to display his speed often behind a shaky line, but he's not afraid to fight for yards and he's comfortable in the Packers' zone-blocking rushing offense. Morency is by no means an ideal fantasy starter. But if Green continues to miss games, Morency will make a decent flex player and decent bye week or injury replacement.
Mike Furrey, WR, Lions (1.6 percent owned): The former defensive back understands Mike Martz's offense, because he spent the first two seasons of his career in St. Louis. That gave him an advantage over players with bigger name value who simply couldn't grasp the schemes or execute them properly, such as Mike Williams and Charles Rogers. When Corey Bradford didn't fit in as expected, either, Furrey stepped in and showed he can be a good emergency possession target. He really stepped up his game against his former team this past Sunday, catching eight passes for 82 yards and two TDs. Furrey still must prove he can post respectable fantasy totals on a regular basis, but he's worth adding if the Rams game proves to be a springboard to a surprisingly productive season.
Doug Gabriel, WR, Patriots (9.9 percent owned): He's quickly becoming Tom Brady's favorite new target, so snatch him up now. Gabriel is clearly the best mix of talent and experience that New England has at wide receiver. He has caught 10 balls and scored twice in the past two games. Gabriel showed occasional big-play promise in the past with the Raiders. Gabriel will be facing several teams in the weeks ahead that he can get deep on, and he should be a regular scoring threat for many weeks to come. The Dolphins, Jets, Colts and Packers are among the teams Gabriel might burn in the upcoming weeks. Not only is he a must-add player, you should consider putting him in your starting lineup immediately if you have been struggling to find another quality option at wide receiver.
PRIME CUTS
Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals (94.2 percent owned): His fumbling problems and overall inefficiency have caused him to lose his job to a young QB again. Some experts assumed Warner would have a good year because he had a few quality statistical outings in terms of yardage last year. But that was when the Cardinals had even less of a running game than they do now, and Arizona played from behind in many of those performances. Now, the Cardinals are more interested in winning with a possibly more balanced offense or building for the future, instead of flinging the ball endlessly in the air in futile attempts to keep up with the opposition. If Warner can't lead the Cardinals to wins now, then Leinart will get his chance to learn in game action while the team builds for the future. Warner could be stuck to the bench for awhile.
Cedric Benson, RB, Bears (77.3 percent owned): Unless you play in a keeper league, you will be waiting, and waiting, and waiting for him to take over the starting job. And that's clearly not going to happen any time soon. The Bears have a formula for great success right now, and that obviously doesn't include Benson as anything more than an occasional ball carrier. Thomas Jones turned up the level of his play in the statement win over Seattle, and he has clearly distanced himself from Benson in the race for playing time. Don't waste a spot on your bench with Benson that you could be using on a more statistically productive player.
Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants: (54.9 percent owned): He hasn't been a goal-line force so far, with just one TD run in the Giants' first three games. He's also not an obvious or fully necessary handcuff to Tiki Barber, who has shown no apparent signs of wearing down yet. The Giants will also not hesitate to throw the ball in the red zone. Jacobs isn't getting enough important touches to help most fantasy teams, even as a reserve. Players like Benson and Jacobs have name value, but you can't afford to wait for them to produce up to their potential. It might not happen this season at all.
Nate Burleson, WR, Seahawks (70.8 percent owned): While he started against the Bears, his hold on the job has become very shaky, as Deion Branch has quickly emerged as a regular target for Matt Hasselbeck. Burleson should fit nicely as a third option and prime speed receiver in Seattle's passing game, but he likely won't catch enough balls to help most fantasy teams. Burleson has just one TD reception this season, and he has caught only more than one ball in a game only once this season. Eric Moulds, WR, Texans (56.4 percent owned): Don't hold onto him based on his past reputation. Moulds has only one TD catch and his best seasons are well behind him now at 33 years old. He's the much-needed complement the Texans have been seeking for Andre Johnson, and he does still command the respect of opposing defenses. But respect and reputation don't necessarily mean anything more than mediocre fantasy totals.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Power rankings feedback


posted: Wednesday, October 4, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

By now we're all well aware of the amazing Tom Brady story, how this sixth-round pick out of Michigan suddenly became a Super Bowl hero (multiple times) and changed the fortunes of a franchise. But back in early 2001, when Drew Bledsoe got hurt and Brady was summoned, there weren't many believers. Go back and look up the articles. The Pats were done, and nobody in fantasy football needed to learn Brady's name.

That all changed really quick. Now Brady is one of the best players in the game, and in our world, one of the top quarterbacks off the draft board.
Is Bruce Gradkowski the next Brady? What about Andrew Walter, Charlie Frye and Damon Huard? Of course nobody is going to predict Super Bowls or MVP awards for these guys, but the inclination for football fans and fantasy players is to rip new quarterbacks before they get a chance.
When Trent Green got hurt, Huard still didn't become valuable, though he was relevant. This is a guy who was drafted a decade ago! He's 33. He's not some kid like Alex Smith, he's hung around a while, and for a reason. No, he doesn't have much in the way of career numbers, so when he started in Week 2 at Denver, nobody wanted to bet on the Chiefs being competitive, and nobody in fantasy wanted Huard.
People feel differently now, eh?
Huard has completed 35 of his 46 passes in the last two games, and hasn't thrown an interception. Does this make him a fantasy force? Nope, but Huard is going to be a popular sleeper play this week against the Cardinals. I say, good for him. It's hard to remember now, but Trent Green himself was actually in this situation once upon a time. He was unproven, but Washington gave him a chance, then it was Dick Vermeil in St. Louis. He ended up hurt in the preseason, creating another Cinderella story: Kurt Warner.
We've been discussing this theme of how fantasy owners are way too reactive, and part of that is assuming a player just can't perform at a high level with the basis being that said player has never done it before. What if Bruce Gradkowski does have game? Or, eventually Tony Romo? What about Jason Campbell in Washington?
Here are QB situations fantasy owners don't seem to care about, but it's possible they might need to.
Kansas City: Huard has been more effective than expected, and he should perform well this week against a bad Arizona defense. Then you're going to want to avoid him with Pittsburgh and San Diego on the docket. But what if Huard does OK? Green is coming off a concussion and he's not exactly a kid. His return has been pushed back a few times. What if Green doesn't get the job back? Also, Tony Gonzalez owners figured Huard would use him more than Green did, but that hasn't happened yet. Huard hasn't been scared of the pass rush, doesn't throw passes with his eyes closed, he's been capable. So fantasy owners shouldn't be viewing the Chiefs offense different than they did with Green playing.
Cleveland: Nobody has more interceptions than Frye does, which is a pretty good reason to be wary of him I admit, but Frye also threw for three touchdowns last week, an impressive 298 yards against the powerful Ravens defense the week before, he clearly has weapons to deal with, and the job is his. The schedule is not kind to the Browns, which would normally scare a fantasy owner, but it shouldn't. It also means Frye gets to play from behind and throw more. I like Frye in the top half of quarterbacks for this week at Carolina (you saw how many yards Drew Brees had vs. the Panthers last week) and would consider him a worthy fill-in guy. And go get Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow if you still see them available. They've got game, and Frye is able to find them.
Tampa Bay: So far Gradkowski has thrown six passes. He's a sixth-round pick out of Toledo, and while few give this next point much credence, we did mention this guy a few times in the preseason because he was piling up the yards. In fact, Gradkowski was fifth in yards, behind Romo, Matt Cassel, Jay Cutler and J.P. Losman. Does Gradkowski's 511 yards passing prove anything other than he got lots of playing time, much of it against reserve defenders? Yes it does. It proves that Jon Gruden saw something in him, and believes he can step in and compete at a high level. The Bucs could turn to Tim Rattay, who at least has starting experience. I don't want to assume Gradkowski will fail. I've been telling people not to dump Joey Galloway or stick a fork in Carnell Williams. Tampa Bay is obviously struggling, and while it's certainly possible Gradkowski pulls an Andrew Walter (68 yards, ugh), I don't see it. I wouldn't start the guy, but Chris Simms did not play well the first three games at all, Gradkowski probably won't be any worse.
Oakland: The things I wrote about Gradkowski above I was saying about Raiders sophomore Walter (third round pick in 2005), who isn't off to a promising start. But the Raiders aren't either, and this kid shouldn't be blamed. Credit Frye for throwing on the Ravens, but don't rip Walter for struggling against the same team in Week 2. What did you expect? The Raiders will start Aaron Brooks as soon as he's ready, but in what's looking like a 3-13 type season, that might be a mistake. Walter would be wise to use his weapons more, like Randy Moss (only one catch last week, though it was a touchdown) and LaMont Jordan (arguably as good as Brian Westbrook catching passes). Sit him in fantasy until he shows something, which he very well might do against the 49ers.
Tennessee and Arizona: The rookie quarterbacks have officially taken over, and in each case probably earlier than we expected. Kurt Warner is leading in the bust of the year votes, and Matt Leinart gets the start this week. Vince Young has already started. These are heralded rookies with lots of talent, but in reality, they are not in any better situation to succeed than some of the guys listed above, like Gradkowski. They're all inexperienced at this level. Fantasy owners know the names Leinart and Young, for obvious reasons, so they keep picking them up and starting them. That's a mistake. I won't assume Leinart and Young fail this season, but it's likely whatever successes they have statistically (and in win-loss record) will be lesser than the safe, veteran guys fantasy owners keep ripping and benching (like Jake Plummer).
Others: Alex Smith was probably played by too many owners in Week 4, and he burned you with a disastrous outing at Kansas City. He's still a bit raw, and you'll have to guess correct when you play him. This week would likely be a good time to use him. Is the jury still out on Philip Rivers? I don't think so. I trust him. He didn't have great numbers at Baltimore, but I think he can have some success Sunday night vs. Pittsburgh.
And by the way all you Rex Grossman fans, I have nothing at all against him or the Bears, so you're wasting energy complaining about it. I actually said on TV yesterday that I do trust the guy and consider him a top 10 fantasy quarterback. Do I call him the best, or No. 3, which is where he's ranked? Nope. When is it enough games to believe? Hard to tell. It's been four games with him, three of them impressive enough statistically, and certainly he has the weapons, the fabulous defense and the enticing schedule. Yes, I believe to a degree, but can we stop with the MVP talk?
***
Feedback on Tuesday's blog has been tremendous, and certainly opinionated. I welcome it, but I think some of you should be reminded that we're talking about fantasy football here, and Power Rankings in general are meant to be discussion starters, theories to be debated on e-mail and around the water cooler. They're totally subjective, and if you disagree, that's OK, but it doesn't make me the enemy if I leave Grossman out of the top 12. It's possible you could have 12 different names in your top 12, I suppose. That's what makes them interesting.
Here's some of your feedback, with my thoughts.
Chris Cantzler, Columbus, Ohio: "Hi, Eric. Love your columns and just read your Fantasy Power Rankings. I'm curious about two of your just missed guys, Edgerrin James and Frank Gore. Even as a Gore owner, I'm not sure he hasn't already had his 15 minutes of fame. If he has lost goal-line duties (and who knows since they haven't been there recently) and if he continues his fumbling pace, won't he likely play himself out of a job in fantasy and real life? Edge now gets a rookie quarterback to go with his swiss cheese offensive line. Would you really rather have those guys going forward than Laurence Maroney, a now clear No. 1 Tatum Bell, or (shudder) Kevin Jones?"
Eric: I think Gore is certainly in danger of going from fantasy's biggest RB surprise the first few weeks to Lee Suggs territory if doesn't play well or loses opportunities, but I want to make sure Week 4 wasn't a negative aberration. If I had done these rankings before Week 4, Gore would have been top 12. And when it comes to Edge, I honestly don't think Leinart's going to hurt him. Edge is the No. 12 ranked running back after a month, so let's not totally rip the guy. He has been somewhat productive. I have to wait on Maroney and Tatum Bell until I see more, but yes, both are in the discussion. One has to weigh potential with past accomplishments and some players are just going to be left out for now. What if Bell fumbles this week and Mike Shanahan loses his patience with him? Could easily happen.
Neil, Pearl River, NY: "Eric, I am an avid reader of your fantasy columns, and generally agree with your analysis. However, after reading your list of Fantasy Power Rankings, I was shocked not to see Torry Holt's name in the top 10, never mind absent from the almost made it list. Holt has averaged 300 fantasy points over the past three years and has finished in the top 5 at his position during that three year span, from 2003-2005. What is your logic here? And he's in the top three again so far this year! Marc Bulger is beginning to come around under the new offense. I just think it's a fallacy to put Gore's name, or even Willis McGahee ahead of Holt in terms of fantasy value so far this year."
Eric: Fair point, and Holt is certainly deserving of top wide receiver status. In fact, if I could do them rankings over, I'd probably put Holt in place of Santana Moss in the just missed category. But fantasy football is won by running backs, and if McGahee and Gore play to a high level, they will score more points than Holt and be bigger factors. That's the game. I know how good Holt has been in his career, and in the first month. He's currently tied with two others (Bernard Berrian and Marques Colston) as the No. 3 WR so far (behind S. Moss and Andre Johnson). Maybe that's my point in a nutshell; as terrific as Holt has been he's tied with basically two newcomers for position. That doesn't happen at running back, it's tougher to succeed. Fair points, appreciate the feedback.
Jake, Chicago: "You say that your FFL Power Rankings take into account what players have accomplished, but also what you expect them to still do. My question: Why would we want to know what you think the end of the year leaderboard will look like? We can't trade for retroactive production. You should spend your time working on more accurate projections for the rest of the season and give us those."
Eric: Well, we do spend much of our time in predictive mode looking ahead to the coming week, and for the rest of the season telling you who we like long-term. If Power Rankings were just based on what people had done in four weeks, then all you'd have to do is look at the leaderboard. How is that fun? This makes you think a bit, and creates banter.
Jake T., Round Rock, Texas: "You state that you are basing your rankings on what's happened and what you expect, I sure hope it pans out with you dumping Clinton Portis at No. 4. Personally, I think he's going to be a top five back, but nowhere close to where you rank him overall, he's proven to be too brittle."
Eric: You might be right, but I had Portis ranked No. 5 overall back in the preseason, before he hurt the shoulder, and I still regard him as a top player. Look how effective he's been in limited time? The doctors tell us Portis can play all season through the injury, I believe them. In retrospect, Portis should probably be around 7 or 8 in my rankings, but if it spawns good discussion, so be it!
Ron, Honolulu: "Being a Giant fan I love that you have Tiki Barber still a top 12 guy even with his slow start. But as a fantasy fan I have to say Eli Manning should be the Giant on the list. Every Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Barber catch comes from Manning. Once Sinorice Moss is on the field for a period of time more will happen. I like Palmer and both Mannings along with Steve Smith to break into the RB club of your top 12. And by the way Frank Gore is the Chris Shelton of fantasy football." Eric: Well, this proves I'm not the only one who thinks well of Eli Manning. It's a bit premature to give him top 12 status, above a Carson Palmer and Tom Brady, but he will have some big games. As for the Gore-Shelton comment, that could be very prescient. Gore owners better hope that's not the case!

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Power rankings feedback


posted: Wednesday, October 4, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

By now we're all well aware of the amazing Tom Brady story, how this sixth-round pick out of Michigan suddenly became a Super Bowl hero (multiple times) and changed the fortunes of a franchise. But back in early 2001, when Drew Bledsoe got hurt and Brady was summoned, there weren't many believers. Go back and look up the articles. The Pats were done, and nobody in fantasy football needed to learn Brady's name.

That all changed really quick. Now Brady is one of the best players in the game, and in our world, one of the top quarterbacks off the draft board.
Is Bruce Gradkowski the next Brady? What about Andrew Walter, Charlie Frye and Damon Huard? Of course nobody is going to predict Super Bowls or MVP awards for these guys, but the inclination for football fans and fantasy players is to rip new quarterbacks before they get a chance.
When Trent Green got hurt, Huard still didn't become valuable, though he was relevant. This is a guy who was drafted a decade ago! He's 33. He's not some kid like Alex Smith, he's hung around a while, and for a reason. No, he doesn't have much in the way of career numbers, so when he started in Week 2 at Denver, nobody wanted to bet on the Chiefs being competitive, and nobody in fantasy wanted Huard.
People feel differently now, eh?
Huard has completed 35 of his 46 passes in the last two games, and hasn't thrown an interception. Does this make him a fantasy force? Nope, but Huard is going to be a popular sleeper play this week against the Cardinals. I say, good for him. It's hard to remember now, but Trent Green himself was actually in this situation once upon a time. He was unproven, but Washington gave him a chance, then it was Dick Vermeil in St. Louis. He ended up hurt in the preseason, creating another Cinderella story: Kurt Warner.
We've been discussing this theme of how fantasy owners are way too reactive, and part of that is assuming a player just can't perform at a high level with the basis being that said player has never done it before. What if Bruce Gradkowski does have game? Or, eventually Tony Romo? What about Jason Campbell in Washington?
Here are QB situations fantasy owners don't seem to care about, but it's possible they might need to.
Kansas City: Huard has been more effective than expected, and he should perform well this week against a bad Arizona defense. Then you're going to want to avoid him with Pittsburgh and San Diego on the docket. But what if Huard does OK? Green is coming off a concussion and he's not exactly a kid. His return has been pushed back a few times. What if Green doesn't get the job back? Also, Tony Gonzalez owners figured Huard would use him more than Green did, but that hasn't happened yet. Huard hasn't been scared of the pass rush, doesn't throw passes with his eyes closed, he's been capable. So fantasy owners shouldn't be viewing the Chiefs offense different than they did with Green playing.
Cleveland: Nobody has more interceptions than Frye does, which is a pretty good reason to be wary of him I admit, but Frye also threw for three touchdowns last week, an impressive 298 yards against the powerful Ravens defense the week before, he clearly has weapons to deal with, and the job is his. The schedule is not kind to the Browns, which would normally scare a fantasy owner, but it shouldn't. It also means Frye gets to play from behind and throw more. I like Frye in the top half of quarterbacks for this week at Carolina (you saw how many yards Drew Brees had vs. the Panthers last week) and would consider him a worthy fill-in guy. And go get Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow if you still see them available. They've got game, and Frye is able to find them.
Tampa Bay: So far Gradkowski has thrown six passes. He's a sixth-round pick out of Toledo, and while few give this next point much credence, we did mention this guy a few times in the preseason because he was piling up the yards. In fact, Gradkowski was fifth in yards, behind Romo, Matt Cassel, Jay Cutler and J.P. Losman. Does Gradkowski's 511 yards passing prove anything other than he got lots of playing time, much of it against reserve defenders? Yes it does. It proves that Jon Gruden saw something in him, and believes he can step in and compete at a high level. The Bucs could turn to Tim Rattay, who at least has starting experience. I don't want to assume Gradkowski will fail. I've been telling people not to dump Joey Galloway or stick a fork in Carnell Williams. Tampa Bay is obviously struggling, and while it's certainly possible Gradkowski pulls an Andrew Walter (68 yards, ugh), I don't see it. I wouldn't start the guy, but Chris Simms did not play well the first three games at all, Gradkowski probably won't be any worse.
Oakland: The things I wrote about Gradkowski above I was saying about Raiders sophomore Walter (third round pick in 2005), who isn't off to a promising start. But the Raiders aren't either, and this kid shouldn't be blamed. Credit Frye for throwing on the Ravens, but don't rip Walter for struggling against the same team in Week 2. What did you expect? The Raiders will start Aaron Brooks as soon as he's ready, but in what's looking like a 3-13 type season, that might be a mistake. Walter would be wise to use his weapons more, like Randy Moss (only one catch last week, though it was a touchdown) and LaMont Jordan (arguably as good as Brian Westbrook catching passes). Sit him in fantasy until he shows something, which he very well might do against the 49ers.
Tennessee and Arizona: The rookie quarterbacks have officially taken over, and in each case probably earlier than we expected. Kurt Warner is leading in the bust of the year votes, and Matt Leinart gets the start this week. Vince Young has already started. These are heralded rookies with lots of talent, but in reality, they are not in any better situation to succeed than some of the guys listed above, like Gradkowski. They're all inexperienced at this level. Fantasy owners know the names Leinart and Young, for obvious reasons, so they keep picking them up and starting them. That's a mistake. I won't assume Leinart and Young fail this season, but it's likely whatever successes they have statistically (and in win-loss record) will be lesser than the safe, veteran guys fantasy owners keep ripping and benching (like Jake Plummer).
Others: Alex Smith was probably played by too many owners in Week 4, and he burned you with a disastrous outing at Kansas City. He's still a bit raw, and you'll have to guess correct when you play him. This week would likely be a good time to use him. Is the jury still out on Philip Rivers? I don't think so. I trust him. He didn't have great numbers at Baltimore, but I think he can have some success Sunday night vs. Pittsburgh.
And by the way all you Rex Grossman fans, I have nothing at all against him or the Bears, so you're wasting energy complaining about it. I actually said on TV yesterday that I do trust the guy and consider him a top 10 fantasy quarterback. Do I call him the best, or No. 3, which is where he's ranked? Nope. When is it enough games to believe? Hard to tell. It's been four games with him, three of them impressive enough statistically, and certainly he has the weapons, the fabulous defense and the enticing schedule. Yes, I believe to a degree, but can we stop with the MVP talk?
***
Feedback on Tuesday's blog has been tremendous, and certainly opinionated. I welcome it, but I think some of you should be reminded that we're talking about fantasy football here, and Power Rankings in general are meant to be discussion starters, theories to be debated on e-mail and around the water cooler. They're totally subjective, and if you disagree, that's OK, but it doesn't make me the enemy if I leave Grossman out of the top 12. It's possible you could have 12 different names in your top 12, I suppose. That's what makes them interesting.
Here's some of your feedback, with my thoughts.
Chris Cantzler, Columbus, Ohio: "Hi, Eric. Love your columns and just read your Fantasy Power Rankings. I'm curious about two of your just missed guys, Edgerrin James and Frank Gore. Even as a Gore owner, I'm not sure he hasn't already had his 15 minutes of fame. If he has lost goal-line duties (and who knows since they haven't been there recently) and if he continues his fumbling pace, won't he likely play himself out of a job in fantasy and real life? Edge now gets a rookie quarterback to go with his swiss cheese offensive line. Would you really rather have those guys going forward than Laurence Maroney, a now clear No. 1 Tatum Bell, or (shudder) Kevin Jones?"
Eric: I think Gore is certainly in danger of going from fantasy's biggest RB surprise the first few weeks to Lee Suggs territory if doesn't play well or loses opportunities, but I want to make sure Week 4 wasn't a negative aberration. If I had done these rankings before Week 4, Gore would have been top 12. And when it comes to Edge, I honestly don't think Leinart's going to hurt him. Edge is the No. 12 ranked running back after a month, so let's not totally rip the guy. He has been somewhat productive. I have to wait on Maroney and Tatum Bell until I see more, but yes, both are in the discussion. One has to weigh potential with past accomplishments and some players are just going to be left out for now. What if Bell fumbles this week and Mike Shanahan loses his patience with him? Could easily happen.
Neil, Pearl River, NY: "Eric, I am an avid reader of your fantasy columns, and generally agree with your analysis. However, after reading your list of Fantasy Power Rankings, I was shocked not to see Torry Holt's name in the top 10, never mind absent from the almost made it list. Holt has averaged 300 fantasy points over the past three years and has finished in the top 5 at his position during that three year span, from 2003-2005. What is your logic here? And he's in the top three again so far this year! Marc Bulger is beginning to come around under the new offense. I just think it's a fallacy to put Gore's name, or even Willis McGahee ahead of Holt in terms of fantasy value so far this year."
Eric: Fair point, and Holt is certainly deserving of top wide receiver status. In fact, if I could do them rankings over, I'd probably put Holt in place of Santana Moss in the just missed category. But fantasy football is won by running backs, and if McGahee and Gore play to a high level, they will score more points than Holt and be bigger factors. That's the game. I know how good Holt has been in his career, and in the first month. He's currently tied with two others (Bernard Berrian and Marques Colston) as the No. 3 WR so far (behind S. Moss and Andre Johnson). Maybe that's my point in a nutshell; as terrific as Holt has been he's tied with basically two newcomers for position. That doesn't happen at running back, it's tougher to succeed. Fair points, appreciate the feedback.
Jake, Chicago: "You say that your FFL Power Rankings take into account what players have accomplished, but also what you expect them to still do. My question: Why would we want to know what you think the end of the year leaderboard will look like? We can't trade for retroactive production. You should spend your time working on more accurate projections for the rest of the season and give us those."
Eric: Well, we do spend much of our time in predictive mode looking ahead to the coming week, and for the rest of the season telling you who we like long-term. If Power Rankings were just based on what people had done in four weeks, then all you'd have to do is look at the leaderboard. How is that fun? This makes you think a bit, and creates banter.
Jake T., Round Rock, Texas: "You state that you are basing your rankings on what's happened and what you expect, I sure hope it pans out with you dumping Clinton Portis at No. 4. Personally, I think he's going to be a top five back, but nowhere close to where you rank him overall, he's proven to be too brittle."
Eric: You might be right, but I had Portis ranked No. 5 overall back in the preseason, before he hurt the shoulder, and I still regard him as a top player. Look how effective he's been in limited time? The doctors tell us Portis can play all season through the injury, I believe them. In retrospect, Portis should probably be around 7 or 8 in my rankings, but if it spawns good discussion, so be it!
Ron, Honolulu: "Being a Giant fan I love that you have Tiki Barber still a top 12 guy even with his slow start. But as a fantasy fan I have to say Eli Manning should be the Giant on the list. Every Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Barber catch comes from Manning. Once Sinorice Moss is on the field for a period of time more will happen. I like Palmer and both Mannings along with Steve Smith to break into the RB club of your top 12. And by the way Frank Gore is the Chris Shelton of fantasy football." Eric: Well, this proves I'm not the only one who thinks well of Eli Manning. It's a bit premature to give him top 12 status, above a Carson Palmer and Tom Brady, but he will have some big games. As for the Gore-Shelton comment, that could be very prescient. Gore owners better hope that's not the case!

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Fumblin' Frank


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Remember that point, earlier this season, when 49ers RB Frank Gore looked on the verge of a huge breakout, the kind of year that earns a player No. 1 weekly starter status and wins a fair share of fantasy championships for his owners? It's funny how quickly things change in the NFL; as Week 5 approaches, Gore's value is back in the questionable category.
One might wonder how a guy who rushed for 214 yards and three scores the first two weeks of the season combined could possibly have seen his stock slip so drastically in only two weeks' time. But while Gore is a promising young runner, the kind of guy who regularly racks up quality yardage totals after contact, there is one aspect of his game in which he's considerably lacking: his ability to hold on to the ball.
Through four games this season, Gore has committed four fumbles, one in each contest. Plus, his fumbles have proved awfully costly. The 49ers' opponents have scored a combined 20 points in the resulting drives immediately following a recovery of a Gore fumble, and twice, he lost the ball within two yards of his opponents' goal line. In other words, he has also cost his team two potential touchdowns, which is why RB Michael Robinson has become such a popular sleeper pickup as a goal-line back.
Coach Mike Nolan told the San Francisco Chronicle that Gore needs to hold the ball higher on his torso to reverse his fumbling problems, and perhaps that'll help. It's not like Gore's the first running back to battle a case of fumble-itis; the Giants' Tiki Barber once had nothing but trouble holding on to the ball, losing six fumbles each in 2002 and 2003. But after changing the way he carried the football, Barber seemed to cure those woes, and in his last 35 regular-season games, he has fumbled only six times, losing only three.
Keep an eye on how Gore fares in his ball-control ability in the next couple of weeks, as the amount of attention on this glaring weakness in his game probably has him an intriguing buy-low candidate right now. Remember, even with his fumbling problems taken into account, he's the sixth-ranked running back in terms of fantasy points (53). That's an impressive rating, and it does back up his status as a solid weekly No. 2 RB option. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
This sure hasn't been much of a season for running backs, has it? It's not that the entire group has lacked value, but through four weeks, or roughly a quarter of the season, the position lacks a clear-cut standout and most of the players you picked in the draft could be considered underachievers. In fact, taking a look at the cumulative statistics, only one running back, the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson, has averaged 100 rushing yards or better, and he's at 100.0 through three games. That puts him on pace for exactly 1,600 yards, and while I know most people consider 1,000 yards the benchmark for a good season, I'd call 1,600 yards the benchmark for a superstar fantasy season. And that's what we all aim for, right? I think Tomlinson will get there, but it's incredible to think no one else is on pace for the 1,600-yard club, after 13 players got there the past four seasons combined. (Five others averaged better than 100 yards per game during that span, but fell short of the mark due to a few missed contests.) That puts 2006 on par with 2001, a season in which only one player, Edgerrin James, managed better than 100 yards per contest, and he played only six games. That doesn't mark this as a poor year for running backs. After all, 24 players are on pace to crack the 1,000-yard rushing plateau, and that's not bad by any means. But what it does indicate is that we have yet to determine which members of this year's class are the ones who are going to stand up and lead their teams to a fantasy championship. Someone's going to do it, if not several someones, so it's prime time to buy low on some of these elite backs who might actually have their owners concerned. I'd look to Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson, Tiki Barber and Willie Parker as players you might actually be able to get now, but not in a couple of weeks. Plus, who's to say it won't be Tatum Bell or Laurence Maroney who steps up as a top-five kind of guy? Pounce now, because if you have running back problems, no better time than now to address them.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Daunte Culpepper, QB, Dolphins
23-for-39 passing, 249 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Looking at Culpepper's raw numbers, one might say that he enjoyed his first "successful" performance of the 2006 season. While it's true that his numbers are hardly poor, they're also nothing exceptional, which is an issue since most every other quarterback in the league tore up the Texans' secondary in the first three weeks of the season. Instead, while a guy like Mark Brunell managed a record-setting 22 consecutive completions against Houston in Week 3, Culpepper's fantasy point total against Houston in Week 4 wasn't even good enough to rank him among the top 10 at his position. No, he finished 14th, meaning guys like Rex Grossman, Damon Huard and Charlie Frye were all better fantasy starters. Brunell rode his game against the Texans to a big effort against the Jaguars in Week 4, but I'm not nearly as convinced Culpepper can parlay his performance into a standout one in New England on Sunday. He's still erratic with his passes, and looking at him throw, he seems too conservative, as if he's trying to hide the fact that he's not quite 100 percent. Miami faces far too many defenses the rest of the year that should frustrate Culpepper, meaning at this stage, he's bye-week fill-in material at best. There should be better things ahead once his knee fully heals, but let's face it, it often takes a full year of game action to come back from the type of surgery he had. In other words, he might not be "great" again until 2007.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Fumblin' Frank


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Remember that point, earlier this season, when 49ers RB Frank Gore looked on the verge of a huge breakout, the kind of year that earns a player No. 1 weekly starter status and wins a fair share of fantasy championships for his owners? It's funny how quickly things change in the NFL; as Week 5 approaches, Gore's value is back in the questionable category.
One might wonder how a guy who rushed for 214 yards and three scores the first two weeks of the season combined could possibly have seen his stock slip so drastically in only two weeks' time. But while Gore is a promising young runner, the kind of guy who regularly racks up quality yardage totals after contact, there is one aspect of his game in which he's considerably lacking: his ability to hold on to the ball.
Through four games this season, Gore has committed four fumbles, one in each contest. Plus, his fumbles have proved awfully costly. The 49ers' opponents have scored a combined 20 points in the resulting drives immediately following a recovery of a Gore fumble, and twice, he lost the ball within two yards of his opponents' goal line. In other words, he has also cost his team two potential touchdowns, which is why RB Michael Robinson has become such a popular sleeper pickup as a goal-line back.
Coach Mike Nolan told the San Francisco Chronicle that Gore needs to hold the ball higher on his torso to reverse his fumbling problems, and perhaps that'll help. It's not like Gore's the first running back to battle a case of fumble-itis; the Giants' Tiki Barber once had nothing but trouble holding on to the ball, losing six fumbles each in 2002 and 2003. But after changing the way he carried the football, Barber seemed to cure those woes, and in his last 35 regular-season games, he has fumbled only six times, losing only three.
Keep an eye on how Gore fares in his ball-control ability in the next couple of weeks, as the amount of attention on this glaring weakness in his game probably has him an intriguing buy-low candidate right now. Remember, even with his fumbling problems taken into account, he's the sixth-ranked running back in terms of fantasy points (53). That's an impressive rating, and it does back up his status as a solid weekly No. 2 RB option. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
This sure hasn't been much of a season for running backs, has it? It's not that the entire group has lacked value, but through four weeks, or roughly a quarter of the season, the position lacks a clear-cut standout and most of the players you picked in the draft could be considered underachievers. In fact, taking a look at the cumulative statistics, only one running back, the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson, has averaged 100 rushing yards or better, and he's at 100.0 through three games. That puts him on pace for exactly 1,600 yards, and while I know most people consider 1,000 yards the benchmark for a good season, I'd call 1,600 yards the benchmark for a superstar fantasy season. And that's what we all aim for, right? I think Tomlinson will get there, but it's incredible to think no one else is on pace for the 1,600-yard club, after 13 players got there the past four seasons combined. (Five others averaged better than 100 yards per game during that span, but fell short of the mark due to a few missed contests.) That puts 2006 on par with 2001, a season in which only one player, Edgerrin James, managed better than 100 yards per contest, and he played only six games. That doesn't mark this as a poor year for running backs. After all, 24 players are on pace to crack the 1,000-yard rushing plateau, and that's not bad by any means. But what it does indicate is that we have yet to determine which members of this year's class are the ones who are going to stand up and lead their teams to a fantasy championship. Someone's going to do it, if not several someones, so it's prime time to buy low on some of these elite backs who might actually have their owners concerned. I'd look to Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson, Tiki Barber and Willie Parker as players you might actually be able to get now, but not in a couple of weeks. Plus, who's to say it won't be Tatum Bell or Laurence Maroney who steps up as a top-five kind of guy? Pounce now, because if you have running back problems, no better time than now to address them.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Daunte Culpepper, QB, Dolphins
23-for-39 passing, 249 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Looking at Culpepper's raw numbers, one might say that he enjoyed his first "successful" performance of the 2006 season. While it's true that his numbers are hardly poor, they're also nothing exceptional, which is an issue since most every other quarterback in the league tore up the Texans' secondary in the first three weeks of the season. Instead, while a guy like Mark Brunell managed a record-setting 22 consecutive completions against Houston in Week 3, Culpepper's fantasy point total against Houston in Week 4 wasn't even good enough to rank him among the top 10 at his position. No, he finished 14th, meaning guys like Rex Grossman, Damon Huard and Charlie Frye were all better fantasy starters. Brunell rode his game against the Texans to a big effort against the Jaguars in Week 4, but I'm not nearly as convinced Culpepper can parlay his performance into a standout one in New England on Sunday. He's still erratic with his passes, and looking at him throw, he seems too conservative, as if he's trying to hide the fact that he's not quite 100 percent. Miami faces far too many defenses the rest of the year that should frustrate Culpepper, meaning at this stage, he's bye-week fill-in material at best. There should be better things ahead once his knee fully heals, but let's face it, it often takes a full year of game action to come back from the type of surgery he had. In other words, he might not be "great" again until 2007.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

October 4, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Running Into Trouble


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By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Prior to this week, Brian Westbrook's knee and Ahman Green's hamstring weren't enough of an issue to keep them out of action. In fact, Westbrook looked like the ultimate exception to my fantasy rule that I always go with the healthy player over the injured guy. Westbrook had played through his injury issues early in the year, twice when he was listed as questionable, and he played very well.
But Westbrook was held out of Monday night's game against the Packers, and if you left him in your lineup for this week expecting him to vault you to a victory, you lost the gamble. Green, whose 2005 season was ruined by a quadriceps issue, missed the game as well, a week after he had played and delivered respectable fantasy totals against the Lions.
So how do you avoid getting whacked with another big zero on a Monday night, especially when there are bye weeks and a usual lack of quality talent on the free agent list this year? The apparent lesson learned on Monday night is you have to stay conservative. A player listed as questionable or a game-time decision is a boom-or-bust option that simply shouldn't be risked. Yes, Westbrook might play through the problem in his next game, and could explode again. But there's a nearly equal chance you'll get a zero if he sits out. You simply can't risk not getting any points at all.
Green isn't capable of producing great fantasy numbers anymore, so it's not worth the gamble at all if he isn't listed as probable. At least with Westbrook, he could have a big day if he plays. Green's best years are clearly behind him, and you could have players on your bench that might give you close to his production in any given week. To avoid such situations in the future, you have to make the commitment to avoid the questionable or game-time decision guy before Monday night. Put in a healthier starter and you'll know your fate by Sunday night, instead of sweating until Monday night.
Having the handcuff to a player like Westbrook and Green isn't always an ideal answer, either. The Eagles' running game was clearly much less effective without Westbrook last night, and Correll Buckhalter didn't look like the same player he was in the preseason. Vernand Morency played respectably, but for every decent Morency performance, there will be an overall stinker like Buckhalter (49 rushing yards, one lost fumble and a botched exchange) when you use a reserve who hasn't seen much game action. It's another gamble you should try to avoid. Adding the backups to an injured guy is always a great move, but depending on them when they haven't done much yet this season is another story.
The best answer to solving the issue, especially when it creeps up on a Monday night, is to have a decent backup who should get some touches and won't force you to decide between Green and Morency at 7:30 on a Monday night. If you can use a Maurice Jones-Drew or Jerious Norwood on a Sunday instead, that's a better option than hoping Green might play or his backup will be effective. Don't put the fate of your team into a game-time decision that could backfire as it did this week. Make sure you have running back depth that is just more than your handcuff players. Making a minor trade to get a good possible emergency starter isn't a major move, but it could be a critical one at any time. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
When teams don't have their top running backs, it obviously affects their quarterbacks, so also keep that in mind when making difficult lineup decisions in the future. If you're deciding between Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, or Brett Favre and Rex Grossman, the guy that has the better matchup often gets the call, but a key injury to a running back can also help you make a more educated decision. Without Westbrook, the Eagles didn't have a reliable ground attack, and their passing game sputtered in the first half. Against a better defense than Green Bay's, the Eagles could have struggled all night long, but McNabb simply attacked the vulnerable Packers' secondary with more deep throws in the second half and ultimately ran the ball himself to put the game out of reach. Against a more formidable opponent, Philadelphia won't necessarily be able to abandon the running game without Westbrook and succeed. McNabb's numbers could suffer in future games without Westbrook. As for Favre, the Eagles didn't seem threatened by Morency, who played just as well as Green could have if he were available. Green doesn't run much harder than Morency these days, but he still commands more respect from opposing defenses because of his past reputation. Philadelphia clearly came into Monday night's game ready to take away the deep ball and get pressure up front to protect their injury-depleted defensive backfield. Defending the running game seemed to be a secondary concern, as Morency simply wasn't perceived as a major threat to the defense. Favre threw no TD passes and was intercepted twice, as he had to throw the ball in most key situations. Without its top running back and a formidable backup that can actually conjure up major defensive concerns (such as DeAngelo Williams or Michael Turner), teams become more predictable on offense and throw more often. Matt Hasselbeck was certainly very predictable in how he was going to move the ball on Sunday night. Maurice Morris doesn't strike fear into the hearts of most defenses. A missing No. 1 RB can often mean a more difficult outing for the QB.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Vernand Morency, RB, Packers
26 carries, 99 yards, 0 TD
We got our first good look at what Morency can do in extensive action on Monday night. There had been flashes of big-play promise in the preseason with Houston. Then there was praise from the Green Bay coaching staff about how well Morency fit in with their new zone-blocking system after playing in a similar style of running the ball with the Texans this year before he was traded. Morency added 19 receiving yards, and his final numbers weren't bad at all. He displayed good vision, quick feet, and some cutback moves and the willingness to work for extra yards. But he is only an adequate inside runner, and the Green Bay offensive line isn't going to open the holes necessary for him to use his speed. Ahman Green might not be able to bust loose for many big runs anymore because his best years are behind him. Morency simply has to battle hard for yardage when he plays, because his offensive line will often lose many wars at the line of scrimmage. Morency was stuffed on four consecutive one-yard runs to finish the game. You can blame his blockers for not getting the proper push. Morency might deliver decent totals again if he is pressed into action, so keep him on your roster or acquire him if you have Green. He would likely produce better numbers on a better team, but he is a decent plug-in if you know in advance Green isn't going to start for sure. If Green is a game-time decision, using another RB is usually a better option to avoid the headaches.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

October 4, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Running Into Trouble


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By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Prior to this week, Brian Westbrook's knee and Ahman Green's hamstring weren't enough of an issue to keep them out of action. In fact, Westbrook looked like the ultimate exception to my fantasy rule that I always go with the healthy player over the injured guy. Westbrook had played through his injury issues early in the year, twice when he was listed as questionable, and he played very well.
But Westbrook was held out of Monday night's game against the Packers, and if you left him in your lineup for this week expecting him to vault you to a victory, you lost the gamble. Green, whose 2005 season was ruined by a quadriceps issue, missed the game as well, a week after he had played and delivered respectable fantasy totals against the Lions.
So how do you avoid getting whacked with another big zero on a Monday night, especially when there are bye weeks and a usual lack of quality talent on the free agent list this year? The apparent lesson learned on Monday night is you have to stay conservative. A player listed as questionable or a game-time decision is a boom-or-bust option that simply shouldn't be risked. Yes, Westbrook might play through the problem in his next game, and could explode again. But there's a nearly equal chance you'll get a zero if he sits out. You simply can't risk not getting any points at all.
Green isn't capable of producing great fantasy numbers anymore, so it's not worth the gamble at all if he isn't listed as probable. At least with Westbrook, he could have a big day if he plays. Green's best years are clearly behind him, and you could have players on your bench that might give you close to his production in any given week. To avoid such situations in the future, you have to make the commitment to avoid the questionable or game-time decision guy before Monday night. Put in a healthier starter and you'll know your fate by Sunday night, instead of sweating until Monday night.
Having the handcuff to a player like Westbrook and Green isn't always an ideal answer, either. The Eagles' running game was clearly much less effective without Westbrook last night, and Correll Buckhalter didn't look like the same player he was in the preseason. Vernand Morency played respectably, but for every decent Morency performance, there will be an overall stinker like Buckhalter (49 rushing yards, one lost fumble and a botched exchange) when you use a reserve who hasn't seen much game action. It's another gamble you should try to avoid. Adding the backups to an injured guy is always a great move, but depending on them when they haven't done much yet this season is another story.
The best answer to solving the issue, especially when it creeps up on a Monday night, is to have a decent backup who should get some touches and won't force you to decide between Green and Morency at 7:30 on a Monday night. If you can use a Maurice Jones-Drew or Jerious Norwood on a Sunday instead, that's a better option than hoping Green might play or his backup will be effective. Don't put the fate of your team into a game-time decision that could backfire as it did this week. Make sure you have running back depth that is just more than your handcuff players. Making a minor trade to get a good possible emergency starter isn't a major move, but it could be a critical one at any time. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
When teams don't have their top running backs, it obviously affects their quarterbacks, so also keep that in mind when making difficult lineup decisions in the future. If you're deciding between Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, or Brett Favre and Rex Grossman, the guy that has the better matchup often gets the call, but a key injury to a running back can also help you make a more educated decision. Without Westbrook, the Eagles didn't have a reliable ground attack, and their passing game sputtered in the first half. Against a better defense than Green Bay's, the Eagles could have struggled all night long, but McNabb simply attacked the vulnerable Packers' secondary with more deep throws in the second half and ultimately ran the ball himself to put the game out of reach. Against a more formidable opponent, Philadelphia won't necessarily be able to abandon the running game without Westbrook and succeed. McNabb's numbers could suffer in future games without Westbrook. As for Favre, the Eagles didn't seem threatened by Morency, who played just as well as Green could have if he were available. Green doesn't run much harder than Morency these days, but he still commands more respect from opposing defenses because of his past reputation. Philadelphia clearly came into Monday night's game ready to take away the deep ball and get pressure up front to protect their injury-depleted defensive backfield. Defending the running game seemed to be a secondary concern, as Morency simply wasn't perceived as a major threat to the defense. Favre threw no TD passes and was intercepted twice, as he had to throw the ball in most key situations. Without its top running back and a formidable backup that can actually conjure up major defensive concerns (such as DeAngelo Williams or Michael Turner), teams become more predictable on offense and throw more often. Matt Hasselbeck was certainly very predictable in how he was going to move the ball on Sunday night. Maurice Morris doesn't strike fear into the hearts of most defenses. A missing No. 1 RB can often mean a more difficult outing for the QB.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Vernand Morency, RB, Packers
26 carries, 99 yards, 0 TD
We got our first good look at what Morency can do in extensive action on Monday night. There had been flashes of big-play promise in the preseason with Houston. Then there was praise from the Green Bay coaching staff about how well Morency fit in with their new zone-blocking system after playing in a similar style of running the ball with the Texans this year before he was traded. Morency added 19 receiving yards, and his final numbers weren't bad at all. He displayed good vision, quick feet, and some cutback moves and the willingness to work for extra yards. But he is only an adequate inside runner, and the Green Bay offensive line isn't going to open the holes necessary for him to use his speed. Ahman Green might not be able to bust loose for many big runs anymore because his best years are behind him. Morency simply has to battle hard for yardage when he plays, because his offensive line will often lose many wars at the line of scrimmage. Morency was stuffed on four consecutive one-yard runs to finish the game. You can blame his blockers for not getting the proper push. Morency might deliver decent totals again if he is pressed into action, so keep him on your roster or acquire him if you have Green. He would likely produce better numbers on a better team, but he is a decent plug-in if you know in advance Green isn't going to start for sure. If Green is a game-time decision, using another RB is usually a better option to avoid the headaches.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Oct. 4, 2006, 12:52 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


FFL: Week 5 Lineup Rankings


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Quarterbacks
1. Peyton Manning vs. TEN
2. Donovan McNabb vs. DAL
3. Marc Bulger at GB
<!--##FRONTSTOP##-->4. Eli Manning vs. WAS
5. Jake Delhomme vs. CLE
6. Tom Brady vs. MIA
7. Rex Grossman vs. BUF
8. Drew Brees vs. TB
9. Drew Bledsoe at PHI
10. Brett Favre vs. STL
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" height="1" type="block"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>[FONT=Arial,Helvetica, sans-serif]We rate players based on possible fantasy production each week, taking into account past production as well as matchups. These are not overall player rankings, but rather a list of who you should start for the upcoming week. Top superstars will rarely get moved out of the prime spots, as they should not be benched unless injured. Most players with an unclear injury or starting status for the upcoming week will not be included. All four major offensive positions and defense/special teams units are ranked. [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>11. Chad Pennington at JAC
12. Byron Leftwich vs. NYJ
13. Mark Brunell at NYG
14. Alex Smith vs. OAK
15. Steve McNair at DEN
16. Brad Johnson vs. DET
17. Jon Kitna at MIN
18. Daunte Culpepper at NE
19. Jake Plummer vs. BAL
20. Ben Roethlisberger at SD
21. Damon Huard at ARI
22. Charlie Frye at CAR
23. Andrew Walter at SF
24. Matt Leinart vs. KC
25. Philip Rivers vs. PIT
26. Vince Young at IND
27. J.P. Losman at CHI
28. Bruce Gradkowski at NO

Running Backs
1. Larry Johnson at ARI
2. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. PIT
3. Steven Jackson at GB
4. Tiki Barber vs. WAS
5. Clinton Portis at NYG
6. LaMont Jordan at SF
7. Frank Gore vs. OAK
8. Edgerrin James vs. KC
9. Ronnie Brown at NE
10. Willie Parker at SD
11. Brian Westbrook vs. DAL
12. Thomas Jones vs. BUF
13. DeShaun Foster vs. CLE
14. Laurence Maroney vs. MIA
15. Chester Taylor vs. DET
16. Kevin Jones at MIN
17. Tatum Bell vs. BAL
18. Willis McGahee at CHI
19. Julius Jones at PHI
20. Deuce McAllister vs. TB
21. Jamal Lewis at DEN
22. Corey Dillon vs. MIA
23. Ahman Green vs. STL
24. Dominic Rhodes vs. TEN
25. Fred Taylor vs. NYJ
26. Reuben Droughns at CAR
27. Reggie Bush vs. TB
28. Joseph Addai vs. TEN
29. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. NYJ
30. Carnell Williams at NO
31. Kevan Barlow at JAC
32. Chris Brown at IND
33. DeAngelo Williams vs. CLE
34. Leon Washington at JAC
35. Vernand Morency vs. STL
36. Ladell Betts at NYG
37. Marion Barber III at PHI
38. Michael Robinson vs. OAK
39. LenDale White at IND
40. Cedric Benson vs. BUF

Wide Receivers
1. Steve Smith vs. CLE
2. Torry Holt at GB
3. Marvin Harrison vs. TEN
4. Reggie Wayne vs. TEN
5. Terrell Owens at PHI
6. Santana Moss at NYG
7. Roy Williams at MIN
8. Antonio Bryant vs. OAK
9. Bernard Berrian vs. BUF
10. Randy Moss at SF
11. Terry Glenn at PHI
12. Greg Jennings vs. STL
13. Plaxico Burress vs. WAS
14. Anquan Boldin vs. KC
15. Larry Fitzgerald vs. KC
16. Laveranues Coles at JAC
17. Donald Driver vs. STL
18. Keyshawn Johnson vs. CLE
19. Isaac Bruce at GB
20. Amani Toomer vs. WAS
21. Marques Colston vs. TB
22. Chris Chambers at NE
23. Muhsin Muhammad vs. BUF
24. Reggie Williams vs. NYJ
25. Hines Ward at SD
26. Troy Williamson vs. DET
27. Javon Walker vs. BAL
28. Derrick Mason at DEN
29. Reggie Brown vs. DAL
30. Eddie Kennison at ARI
31. Braylon Edwards at CAR
32. Jerricho Cotchery at JAC
33. Joey Galloway at NO
34. Donte' Stallworth vs. DAL
25. Drew Bennett at IND
36. Doug Gabriel vs. MIA
37. Joe Horn vs. TB
38. Rod Smith vs. BAL
39. Lee Evans at CHI
40. Mike Furrey at MIN
41. Ernest Wilford vs. NYJ
42. Travis Taylor vs. DET
43. Arnaz Battle vs. OAK
44. Mark Clayton at DEN
45. Marty Booker at NE
46. Joe Jurevicius at CAR
47. David Givens at IND
48. Marcus Robinson vs. DET
49. Eric Parker vs. PIT
50. Cedrick Wilson at SD
51. Antwaan Randle El at NYG
52. Reche Caldwell vs. MIA
53. Michael Clayton at NO
54. Josh Reed at CHI
55. Kevin Curtis at GB
56. Brandon Lloyd at NYG
57. Peerless Price at CHI
58. Wes Welker at NE
59. Bryan Gilmore vs. OAK
60. Koren Robinson vs. STL

Tight Ends
1. Todd Heap at DEN
2. Tony Gonzalez at ARI
3. Jeremy Shockey vs. WAS
4. Antonio Gates vs. PIT
5. L.J. Smith vs. DAL
6. Desmond Clark vs. BUF
7. Kellen Winslow Jr. at CAR
8. Jason Witten at PHI
9. Heath Miller at SD
10. Chris Cooley at NYG
11. Eric Johnson vs. OAK
12. Benjamin Watson vs. MIA
13. Randy McMichael at NE
14. Dallas Clark vs. TEN
15. Jermaine Wiggins vs. DET
16. Ben Troupe at IND
17. Joe Klopfenstein at GB
18. Daniel Graham vs. MIA
19. Bo Scaife at IND
20. Bubba Franks vs. STL
21. Chris Baker at JAC
22. Courtney Anderson at SF
23. Alex Smith at NO
24. Bryan Fletcher vs. TEN
25. Ben Utecht vs. TEN

Defense/Special Teams
1. Chicago vs. BUF
2. Pittsburgh at SD
3. Baltimore at DEN
4. Indianapolis vs. TEN
5. New Orleans vs. TB
6. San Diego vs. PIT
7. Carolina vs. CLE
8. Minnesota vs. DET
9. Jacksonville vs. NYJ
10. Philadelphia vs. DAL
11. New England vs. MIA
12. N.Y. Giants vs. WAS
13. St. Louis at GB
14. Detroit at MIN
15. Miami at NE
16. Washington at NYG
17. Buffalo at CHI
18. Dallas at PHI
19. Denver vs. BAL
20. Cleveland at CAR
21. Tampa Bay at NO
22. Kansas City at ARI
23. N.Y. Jets at JAC
24. San Francisco vs. OAK
25. Arizona vs. KC
26. Green Bay vs. STL
27. Oakland at SF
28. Tennessee at IND
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Oct. 4, 2006, 12:52 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


FFL: Week 5 Lineup Rankings


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->Quarterbacks
1. Peyton Manning vs. TEN
2. Donovan McNabb vs. DAL
3. Marc Bulger at GB
<!--##FRONTSTOP##-->4. Eli Manning vs. WAS
5. Jake Delhomme vs. CLE
6. Tom Brady vs. MIA
7. Rex Grossman vs. BUF
8. Drew Brees vs. TB
9. Drew Bledsoe at PHI
10. Brett Favre vs. STL
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER width="8" height="1" type="block"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>[FONT=Arial,Helvetica, sans-serif]We rate players based on possible fantasy production each week, taking into account past production as well as matchups. These are not overall player rankings, but rather a list of who you should start for the upcoming week. Top superstars will rarely get moved out of the prime spots, as they should not be benched unless injured. Most players with an unclear injury or starting status for the upcoming week will not be included. All four major offensive positions and defense/special teams units are ranked. [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>11. Chad Pennington at JAC
12. Byron Leftwich vs. NYJ
13. Mark Brunell at NYG
14. Alex Smith vs. OAK
15. Steve McNair at DEN
16. Brad Johnson vs. DET
17. Jon Kitna at MIN
18. Daunte Culpepper at NE
19. Jake Plummer vs. BAL
20. Ben Roethlisberger at SD
21. Damon Huard at ARI
22. Charlie Frye at CAR
23. Andrew Walter at SF
24. Matt Leinart vs. KC
25. Philip Rivers vs. PIT
26. Vince Young at IND
27. J.P. Losman at CHI
28. Bruce Gradkowski at NO

Running Backs
1. Larry Johnson at ARI
2. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. PIT
3. Steven Jackson at GB
4. Tiki Barber vs. WAS
5. Clinton Portis at NYG
6. LaMont Jordan at SF
7. Frank Gore vs. OAK
8. Edgerrin James vs. KC
9. Ronnie Brown at NE
10. Willie Parker at SD
11. Brian Westbrook vs. DAL
12. Thomas Jones vs. BUF
13. DeShaun Foster vs. CLE
14. Laurence Maroney vs. MIA
15. Chester Taylor vs. DET
16. Kevin Jones at MIN
17. Tatum Bell vs. BAL
18. Willis McGahee at CHI
19. Julius Jones at PHI
20. Deuce McAllister vs. TB
21. Jamal Lewis at DEN
22. Corey Dillon vs. MIA
23. Ahman Green vs. STL
24. Dominic Rhodes vs. TEN
25. Fred Taylor vs. NYJ
26. Reuben Droughns at CAR
27. Reggie Bush vs. TB
28. Joseph Addai vs. TEN
29. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. NYJ
30. Carnell Williams at NO
31. Kevan Barlow at JAC
32. Chris Brown at IND
33. DeAngelo Williams vs. CLE
34. Leon Washington at JAC
35. Vernand Morency vs. STL
36. Ladell Betts at NYG
37. Marion Barber III at PHI
38. Michael Robinson vs. OAK
39. LenDale White at IND
40. Cedric Benson vs. BUF

Wide Receivers
1. Steve Smith vs. CLE
2. Torry Holt at GB
3. Marvin Harrison vs. TEN
4. Reggie Wayne vs. TEN
5. Terrell Owens at PHI
6. Santana Moss at NYG
7. Roy Williams at MIN
8. Antonio Bryant vs. OAK
9. Bernard Berrian vs. BUF
10. Randy Moss at SF
11. Terry Glenn at PHI
12. Greg Jennings vs. STL
13. Plaxico Burress vs. WAS
14. Anquan Boldin vs. KC
15. Larry Fitzgerald vs. KC
16. Laveranues Coles at JAC
17. Donald Driver vs. STL
18. Keyshawn Johnson vs. CLE
19. Isaac Bruce at GB
20. Amani Toomer vs. WAS
21. Marques Colston vs. TB
22. Chris Chambers at NE
23. Muhsin Muhammad vs. BUF
24. Reggie Williams vs. NYJ
25. Hines Ward at SD
26. Troy Williamson vs. DET
27. Javon Walker vs. BAL
28. Derrick Mason at DEN
29. Reggie Brown vs. DAL
30. Eddie Kennison at ARI
31. Braylon Edwards at CAR
32. Jerricho Cotchery at JAC
33. Joey Galloway at NO
34. Donte' Stallworth vs. DAL
25. Drew Bennett at IND
36. Doug Gabriel vs. MIA
37. Joe Horn vs. TB
38. Rod Smith vs. BAL
39. Lee Evans at CHI
40. Mike Furrey at MIN
41. Ernest Wilford vs. NYJ
42. Travis Taylor vs. DET
43. Arnaz Battle vs. OAK
44. Mark Clayton at DEN
45. Marty Booker at NE
46. Joe Jurevicius at CAR
47. David Givens at IND
48. Marcus Robinson vs. DET
49. Eric Parker vs. PIT
50. Cedrick Wilson at SD
51. Antwaan Randle El at NYG
52. Reche Caldwell vs. MIA
53. Michael Clayton at NO
54. Josh Reed at CHI
55. Kevin Curtis at GB
56. Brandon Lloyd at NYG
57. Peerless Price at CHI
58. Wes Welker at NE
59. Bryan Gilmore vs. OAK
60. Koren Robinson vs. STL

Tight Ends
1. Todd Heap at DEN
2. Tony Gonzalez at ARI
3. Jeremy Shockey vs. WAS
4. Antonio Gates vs. PIT
5. L.J. Smith vs. DAL
6. Desmond Clark vs. BUF
7. Kellen Winslow Jr. at CAR
8. Jason Witten at PHI
9. Heath Miller at SD
10. Chris Cooley at NYG
11. Eric Johnson vs. OAK
12. Benjamin Watson vs. MIA
13. Randy McMichael at NE
14. Dallas Clark vs. TEN
15. Jermaine Wiggins vs. DET
16. Ben Troupe at IND
17. Joe Klopfenstein at GB
18. Daniel Graham vs. MIA
19. Bo Scaife at IND
20. Bubba Franks vs. STL
21. Chris Baker at JAC
22. Courtney Anderson at SF
23. Alex Smith at NO
24. Bryan Fletcher vs. TEN
25. Ben Utecht vs. TEN

Defense/Special Teams
1. Chicago vs. BUF
2. Pittsburgh at SD
3. Baltimore at DEN
4. Indianapolis vs. TEN
5. New Orleans vs. TB
6. San Diego vs. PIT
7. Carolina vs. CLE
8. Minnesota vs. DET
9. Jacksonville vs. NYJ
10. Philadelphia vs. DAL
11. New England vs. MIA
12. N.Y. Giants vs. WAS
13. St. Louis at GB
14. Detroit at MIN
15. Miami at NE
16. Washington at NYG
17. Buffalo at CHI
18. Dallas at PHI
19. Denver vs. BAL
20. Cleveland at CAR
21. Tampa Bay at NO
22. Kansas City at ARI
23. N.Y. Jets at JAC
24. San Francisco vs. OAK
25. Arizona vs. KC
26. Green Bay vs. STL
27. Oakland at SF
28. Tennessee at IND
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Oct. 4, 2006, 4:46 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


Engel: Can Matt Leinart be successful?


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Each Wednesday, we take a quick-hitting, fantasy-style look at some of the most important stories and trends at the three critical positions in fantasy football.
Quarterbacks
The Cardinals' switch to rookie QB Matt Leinart doesn't appear to be a temporary one. Head coach Dennis Green reiterated on Monday that his decision to promote the rookie to the starting slot isn't a short-term maneuver. "If we didn't think he could carry his own water, we wouldn't play him," Green told the Arizona Republic.
Green made it clear that the QB change and any other adjustments he might consider aren't just to shake things up. "That's why you don't make them that often or make them just to make them," Green told the Republic. The Republic also reported that the team's original plan was to have Leinart back up Kurt Warner for the entire 2006 season. But the turnover-prone Warner said he and other offensive players might have been pressing to make things happen. Green said he won't put too much pressure on Leinart initially.
"We'll do the best we can to try and create an atmosphere where he can go out and let some other guys make some plays, too" Green told the Republic.
Leinart has been advertised as the most poised and pro-ready quarterback in the rookie class. He has a great pair of wide receivers, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. But that doesn't mean you should consider starting him in your fantasy league. Leinart is going to have to deal with the same offensive line issues Warner did. The shaky blocking has continued to make the running game unreliable, and Leinart is in a bad position as an inexperienced passer who won't have consistent time to throw. As he adjusts to the speed of the pro game in the regular-season setting, Leinart will get hit hard often and could make some ill-advised throws as he faces constant pressure.
The initial assumption might be that Leinart could fare well statistically because he has great receivers to throw to, and the Cardinals will play from behind often. But the receivers don't make the QB a viable starter when the passer needs to learn on the job in many adverse situations. Green has indicated he might also make some changes on the line. Adding Leinart as a backup in a larger league is a good move, but don't expect Fitzgerald and Boldin to catch a healthy amount of passes from him and raise his value. Other negative factors surrounding Leinart will limit his fantasy appeal.
QB Audibles: Reports out of Miami indicate that despite his early struggles, Daunte Culpepper is in no danger of losing his job to Joey Harrington anytime soon. ? Aaron Brooks (pectoral strain) will not play against the 49ers this Sunday, and there is still no solid timetable for his return, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Running Backs
Despite his breakthrough performance against Cincinnati this past week, there are no clear indications yet that Laurence Maroney will definitely surpass Corey Dillon as New England's primary running back. The Patriots appear comfortable with the duo sharing carries, as the two ball carriers have been able to keep defenses off-balance with different running styles and the ability to stay fresh late in games because each player isn't getting overworked.
It would seem that with Maroney's upside and quick success, the older Dillon, whose best seasons are definitely behind him, would get pushed into a lesser role. But Dillon still battles hard for tough yards and is still a very effective goal-line presence. Maroney came out of college with doubts about his ability to run inside, but he has worked closely with Dillon, and there have been obvious results. Maroney has not only been a terrific outside runner, but he has displayed outstanding vision and cutback moves on some inside runs. He has also been very hard for opposing defenses to stop near the goal line. Maroney has more of a burst than Dillon, and is a great complement for Dillon's purely physical style.
Fantasy leaguers might continue to be frustrated by the fact that neither player will get the bulk of the carries or regular goal-line work, but each RB has made the most of a split workload so far. Both backs are fine flex players, and Maroney can indeed be a quality No. 2 fantasy RB when the matchup is right. Much like the Tatum Bell/Mike Anderson time share in Denver last year, this is a situation in which a younger, more explosive runner can co-exist with a proven veteran, and both can produce good numbers often. With the Patriots not having many reliable targets in the passing game, they'll continue to run the ball often. The situation has worked out well so far, so don't expect any major changes in playing time for either Maroney or Dillon anytime soon. But if Dillon does get injured, Maroney has certainly showed he can play at quite a high level, and he would be a must-start as a No. 2 RB if he is pressed into more service.
RB Cutbacks: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said a second quarter fumble that was credited to Brett Favre on Monday was apparently Vernand Morency's fault, and nearly got him benched. Mike McCarthy still has no update on the status of Ahman Green, who has two tender hamstrings. If Green continues to miss time, Morency should continue to start after just missing the 100-yard rushing mark at Philadelphia. Behind Morency on the depth chart is Noah Herron, who has also demonstrated some problems holding on to the ball in brief appearances this season.
Wide Receivers
In the preseason, Roddy White was often mentioned as a sleeper candidate. I was one of the White watchers, as he showed glimpses of big-play ability in his rookie season, and no other Atlanta wide receiver seemed poise to finally step forward and become a more dependable target for Michael Vick. But White has been a big disappointment so far. He has yet to catch a TD pass and only has a total of six receptions so far in 2006.
White has lost his starting job to newcomer Ashley Lelie and it doesn't appear he will get it back in the near future. Lelie has impressed the Atlanta coaching staff with his blocking, which is no big surprise, considering he came from Denver, where he was able to keep a starting job for some time in a running-back heavy system. The Falcons also put a heavy emphasis on the ground game.
"Everyone knows Ashley can stretch the field," Falcons coach Jim Mora told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He can fly. The one thing that was a question for us when we were making the trade was what kind of blocker he would be for us in the run game, and he's done a nice job."
Lelie does have deep speed, but he has never been a consistent pass-catcher, and he won't be a dependable fantasy contributor on a Falcons team that will still focus mainly on the running game. Lelie caught two passes for 61 yards last week, but he has yet to find the end zone and still hasn't shown any real willingness or ability to make regular possession grabs. Just because he is starting, doesn't mean he will help your fantasy team. WR Patterns: Robert Ferguson is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Rams, and Koren Robinson is expected to step into the No. 3 receiver slot for Green Bay. Donald Driver has rib and hip problems and will be listed as questionable, so Robinson could even be forced to start if both Ferguson and Driver miss the game.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Oct. 4, 2006, 4:46 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


Engel: Can Matt Leinart be successful?


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Scott --><!-- lastName = Engel -->
By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

<!-- begin presby2 -->
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<!-- begin text11 div -->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->
Each Wednesday, we take a quick-hitting, fantasy-style look at some of the most important stories and trends at the three critical positions in fantasy football.
Quarterbacks
The Cardinals' switch to rookie QB Matt Leinart doesn't appear to be a temporary one. Head coach Dennis Green reiterated on Monday that his decision to promote the rookie to the starting slot isn't a short-term maneuver. "If we didn't think he could carry his own water, we wouldn't play him," Green told the Arizona Republic.
Green made it clear that the QB change and any other adjustments he might consider aren't just to shake things up. "That's why you don't make them that often or make them just to make them," Green told the Republic. The Republic also reported that the team's original plan was to have Leinart back up Kurt Warner for the entire 2006 season. But the turnover-prone Warner said he and other offensive players might have been pressing to make things happen. Green said he won't put too much pressure on Leinart initially.
"We'll do the best we can to try and create an atmosphere where he can go out and let some other guys make some plays, too" Green told the Republic.
Leinart has been advertised as the most poised and pro-ready quarterback in the rookie class. He has a great pair of wide receivers, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. But that doesn't mean you should consider starting him in your fantasy league. Leinart is going to have to deal with the same offensive line issues Warner did. The shaky blocking has continued to make the running game unreliable, and Leinart is in a bad position as an inexperienced passer who won't have consistent time to throw. As he adjusts to the speed of the pro game in the regular-season setting, Leinart will get hit hard often and could make some ill-advised throws as he faces constant pressure.
The initial assumption might be that Leinart could fare well statistically because he has great receivers to throw to, and the Cardinals will play from behind often. But the receivers don't make the QB a viable starter when the passer needs to learn on the job in many adverse situations. Green has indicated he might also make some changes on the line. Adding Leinart as a backup in a larger league is a good move, but don't expect Fitzgerald and Boldin to catch a healthy amount of passes from him and raise his value. Other negative factors surrounding Leinart will limit his fantasy appeal.
QB Audibles: Reports out of Miami indicate that despite his early struggles, Daunte Culpepper is in no danger of losing his job to Joey Harrington anytime soon. ? Aaron Brooks (pectoral strain) will not play against the 49ers this Sunday, and there is still no solid timetable for his return, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Running Backs
Despite his breakthrough performance against Cincinnati this past week, there are no clear indications yet that Laurence Maroney will definitely surpass Corey Dillon as New England's primary running back. The Patriots appear comfortable with the duo sharing carries, as the two ball carriers have been able to keep defenses off-balance with different running styles and the ability to stay fresh late in games because each player isn't getting overworked.
It would seem that with Maroney's upside and quick success, the older Dillon, whose best seasons are definitely behind him, would get pushed into a lesser role. But Dillon still battles hard for tough yards and is still a very effective goal-line presence. Maroney came out of college with doubts about his ability to run inside, but he has worked closely with Dillon, and there have been obvious results. Maroney has not only been a terrific outside runner, but he has displayed outstanding vision and cutback moves on some inside runs. He has also been very hard for opposing defenses to stop near the goal line. Maroney has more of a burst than Dillon, and is a great complement for Dillon's purely physical style.
Fantasy leaguers might continue to be frustrated by the fact that neither player will get the bulk of the carries or regular goal-line work, but each RB has made the most of a split workload so far. Both backs are fine flex players, and Maroney can indeed be a quality No. 2 fantasy RB when the matchup is right. Much like the Tatum Bell/Mike Anderson time share in Denver last year, this is a situation in which a younger, more explosive runner can co-exist with a proven veteran, and both can produce good numbers often. With the Patriots not having many reliable targets in the passing game, they'll continue to run the ball often. The situation has worked out well so far, so don't expect any major changes in playing time for either Maroney or Dillon anytime soon. But if Dillon does get injured, Maroney has certainly showed he can play at quite a high level, and he would be a must-start as a No. 2 RB if he is pressed into more service.
RB Cutbacks: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said a second quarter fumble that was credited to Brett Favre on Monday was apparently Vernand Morency's fault, and nearly got him benched. Mike McCarthy still has no update on the status of Ahman Green, who has two tender hamstrings. If Green continues to miss time, Morency should continue to start after just missing the 100-yard rushing mark at Philadelphia. Behind Morency on the depth chart is Noah Herron, who has also demonstrated some problems holding on to the ball in brief appearances this season.
Wide Receivers
In the preseason, Roddy White was often mentioned as a sleeper candidate. I was one of the White watchers, as he showed glimpses of big-play ability in his rookie season, and no other Atlanta wide receiver seemed poise to finally step forward and become a more dependable target for Michael Vick. But White has been a big disappointment so far. He has yet to catch a TD pass and only has a total of six receptions so far in 2006.
White has lost his starting job to newcomer Ashley Lelie and it doesn't appear he will get it back in the near future. Lelie has impressed the Atlanta coaching staff with his blocking, which is no big surprise, considering he came from Denver, where he was able to keep a starting job for some time in a running-back heavy system. The Falcons also put a heavy emphasis on the ground game.
"Everyone knows Ashley can stretch the field," Falcons coach Jim Mora told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He can fly. The one thing that was a question for us when we were making the trade was what kind of blocker he would be for us in the run game, and he's done a nice job."
Lelie does have deep speed, but he has never been a consistent pass-catcher, and he won't be a dependable fantasy contributor on a Falcons team that will still focus mainly on the running game. Lelie caught two passes for 61 yards last week, but he has yet to find the end zone and still hasn't shown any real willingness or ability to make regular possession grabs. Just because he is starting, doesn't mean he will help your fantasy team. WR Patterns: Robert Ferguson is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Rams, and Koren Robinson is expected to step into the No. 3 receiver slot for Green Bay. Donald Driver has rib and hip problems and will be listed as questionable, so Robinson could even be forced to start if both Ferguson and Driver miss the game.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Thursday, October 5, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Trade Talk


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By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->No matter what your record is, there are always methods of improving your team. Free-agent additions rarely make a major impact, so only trades can really change the look of your team in a significant manner. But it's not as simple as it might seem. There are important angles to consider when you are trying acquire players to fill your needs or improve your squad.
You can't just think about your own needs. If you really want to convince another owner to make a deal with you, you must be aware of his or her needs as well. Good trades that attract other owners fill needs on both sides. You can't just decide to target a certain player and go after him just because you want him. And you can't just start offering a player to other owners without knowing what will really make them pull the trigger.
Right now, a lot of fantasy owners would love to have a guy like Torry Holt. He's dependable and regularly productive at the often unpredictable wide receiver position. But you just can't blindly offer three of your bench players for Holt. That only helps your side, and won't make the other owner want to deal with you. And you can't offer up Carson Palmer if the other owner already has Donovan McNabb. Again, that doesn't help the other owner and gets you nowhere.
The key to finding a good trade partner is identifying your areas of strong depth and the weak areas of another team. If Holt's owner has a glaring need at running back, and you have three starting-caliber RBs, your talks should center on those positions. If you need wide receiver help, and you have Rudi Johnson, Willie Parker and Laurence Maroney, peruse the rosters in your league to find teams with good WR depth and obvious needs at RB. Don't just go after Marvin Harrison because you want him. Identify the teams in your league that can afford to deal WRs and see which wideouts on their rosters will help you the most. Don't target specific players in trades. Target specific teams. If you can't get Holt or Harrison, move on to talks with another team who has another desirable receiver.
And if you are looking to get rid of Maroney because you think his value is high, don't just wonder "who can I get for him?" Don't offer him to the owner of Greg Jennings just because you like Jennings. Again, take a look at the rosters in your league and start making offers to teams with RB needs. Being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of other teams in your league is a quick, smooth route to getting deals done. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Many times, the first reaction to dealing with a disappointing player is to try to get rid of him. You want to trade away Randy Moss or Carnell Williams because he is frustrating you. But trading players who might be injured or aren't playing well is not going to be easy to do. Other owners in your league are certainly aware that these guys aren't performing up to expectations, and why would they want to take on your problems and make them their own? You're not going to find much of a market for guys like Moss or Cadillac. And if you try to trade Brian Westbrook, you likely won't get proper value in return right now. Why does another owner want to worry about his knee? That's your problem, not his or hers. You just can't expect to trade a player away for much of anything when he has been a bust or is injured. You will rarely fool another owner into taking your problem player. The best way to rid yourself of a problem player is to include him as part of a package deal. In a two-for-two or three-for-three deal, you can compensate for the low perceived value of a Moss or Cadillac by including a player from another position with good value. You won't be able to deal Moss for Darrell Jackson in a one-for-one if you want to improve at WR. But if you have good RB depth, you can package Moss and a guy like Maroney for Greg Jennings and Chester Taylor, whose value seems to be dropping. If you're willing to take on another possible problem player and can deal from depth to improve the outlook at your original position of concern, you have a good chance of getting something done. You'll plug in Jennings for Moss, and Taylor can go to your bench.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Jake Delhomme, QB, Panthers
19-for-29 passing, 169 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
When Steve Smith sat out early in the season, Delhomme's owners were nearly ready to toss him onto the trash pile. Delhomme clearly missed his favorite target, as he scored only 10 fantasy points in his first two games. While Keyshawn Johnson was a viable target, Drew Carter didn't challenge defenses as a starter, and Keary Colbert remained invisible. Now that Smith is back, though, Delhomme is suddenly looking like a quality fantasy starter again, having scored 25 fantasy points in his past two games. Delhomme has only one 200-yard passing game so far this season, but if Smith stays healthy, Delhomme's numbers will continue to be very respectable, and he'll have a few outstanding statistical performances with the duo of Smith and Johnson to throw to. Delhomme could be good for more than two TD passes against Cleveland this week, and the buzz that surrounded him before last year's NFC championship game could return very quickly. With rookie RB DeAngelo Williams playing behind brittle DeShaun Foster, there's little chance his running game will desert him anytime soon, and he'll continue to play well at the center of a balanced offensive attack.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Thursday, October 5, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Trade Talk


<!-- begin bylinebox -->

By Scott Engel
ESPN.com

<!-- begin presby2 -->
<!-- end presby2 -->
<!-- end bylinebox -->
<!-- begin text11 div -->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->No matter what your record is, there are always methods of improving your team. Free-agent additions rarely make a major impact, so only trades can really change the look of your team in a significant manner. But it's not as simple as it might seem. There are important angles to consider when you are trying acquire players to fill your needs or improve your squad.
You can't just think about your own needs. If you really want to convince another owner to make a deal with you, you must be aware of his or her needs as well. Good trades that attract other owners fill needs on both sides. You can't just decide to target a certain player and go after him just because you want him. And you can't just start offering a player to other owners without knowing what will really make them pull the trigger.
Right now, a lot of fantasy owners would love to have a guy like Torry Holt. He's dependable and regularly productive at the often unpredictable wide receiver position. But you just can't blindly offer three of your bench players for Holt. That only helps your side, and won't make the other owner want to deal with you. And you can't offer up Carson Palmer if the other owner already has Donovan McNabb. Again, that doesn't help the other owner and gets you nowhere.
The key to finding a good trade partner is identifying your areas of strong depth and the weak areas of another team. If Holt's owner has a glaring need at running back, and you have three starting-caliber RBs, your talks should center on those positions. If you need wide receiver help, and you have Rudi Johnson, Willie Parker and Laurence Maroney, peruse the rosters in your league to find teams with good WR depth and obvious needs at RB. Don't just go after Marvin Harrison because you want him. Identify the teams in your league that can afford to deal WRs and see which wideouts on their rosters will help you the most. Don't target specific players in trades. Target specific teams. If you can't get Holt or Harrison, move on to talks with another team who has another desirable receiver.
And if you are looking to get rid of Maroney because you think his value is high, don't just wonder "who can I get for him?" Don't offer him to the owner of Greg Jennings just because you like Jennings. Again, take a look at the rosters in your league and start making offers to teams with RB needs. Being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of other teams in your league is a quick, smooth route to getting deals done. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Many times, the first reaction to dealing with a disappointing player is to try to get rid of him. You want to trade away Randy Moss or Carnell Williams because he is frustrating you. But trading players who might be injured or aren't playing well is not going to be easy to do. Other owners in your league are certainly aware that these guys aren't performing up to expectations, and why would they want to take on your problems and make them their own? You're not going to find much of a market for guys like Moss or Cadillac. And if you try to trade Brian Westbrook, you likely won't get proper value in return right now. Why does another owner want to worry about his knee? That's your problem, not his or hers. You just can't expect to trade a player away for much of anything when he has been a bust or is injured. You will rarely fool another owner into taking your problem player. The best way to rid yourself of a problem player is to include him as part of a package deal. In a two-for-two or three-for-three deal, you can compensate for the low perceived value of a Moss or Cadillac by including a player from another position with good value. You won't be able to deal Moss for Darrell Jackson in a one-for-one if you want to improve at WR. But if you have good RB depth, you can package Moss and a guy like Maroney for Greg Jennings and Chester Taylor, whose value seems to be dropping. If you're willing to take on another possible problem player and can deal from depth to improve the outlook at your original position of concern, you have a good chance of getting something done. You'll plug in Jennings for Moss, and Taylor can go to your bench.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Jake Delhomme, QB, Panthers
19-for-29 passing, 169 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
When Steve Smith sat out early in the season, Delhomme's owners were nearly ready to toss him onto the trash pile. Delhomme clearly missed his favorite target, as he scored only 10 fantasy points in his first two games. While Keyshawn Johnson was a viable target, Drew Carter didn't challenge defenses as a starter, and Keary Colbert remained invisible. Now that Smith is back, though, Delhomme is suddenly looking like a quality fantasy starter again, having scored 25 fantasy points in his past two games. Delhomme has only one 200-yard passing game so far this season, but if Smith stays healthy, Delhomme's numbers will continue to be very respectable, and he'll have a few outstanding statistical performances with the duo of Smith and Johnson to throw to. Delhomme could be good for more than two TD passes against Cleveland this week, and the buzz that surrounded him before last year's NFC championship game could return very quickly. With rookie RB DeAngelo Williams playing behind brittle DeShaun Foster, there's little chance his running game will desert him anytime soon, and he'll continue to play well at the center of a balanced offensive attack.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Oct. 5, 2006, 3:16 PM
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Week 5: 10 things to watch


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Each week, I provide my list of 10 things I'm watching on game day, so you'll be prepared for some of the week's biggest developments in advance of them happening.
Rookie watch: Vince Young. It's his second career NFL start, and while Young has no business being anywhere near a fantasy roster, it's games like these that are well worth using to scout a player who by all rights could be a top-five QB two to three years from today. He's going to make his share of mistakes this and most weeks, but games in which a quarterback is asked to throw all day to help his team keep pace on the scoreboard are ideal ones for us to get a glimpse of what kind of passer Young might someday be. Long-term, I think he'll wind up as a more appealing version of Michael Vick, with the scrambling ability but better faith in his arm. There will be better weeks for us to get a read on Young as a runner, but for your future scouting, this game against the Colts is a good one to monitor his passing ability.
Rookie watch, take 2: Matt Leinart. While Young's starting status isn't particularly relevant to the 2006 fantasy season, Leinart's is. He'll be making his first career NFL start on Sunday against the Chiefs, and again, while he doesn't belong in anyone's fantasy lineup, Leinart's progress is absolutely worth watching. After all, he has two of the league's most talented young receivers with which to work in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, and even if Leinart never makes a fantasy impact this year, he'll have a profound effect on the numbers of both receivers. Pay special attention to Boldin's and Fitzgerald's numbers, because there's a chance they could slip into matchups status with Leinart under center.
Rookie watch, take 3: Bruce Gradkowski?! That's right, Gradkowski is also a rookie, though it sure doesn't seem like it since he was a seventh-round pick in the 2006 Draft and a little-known backup to open the season. Now, with Chris Simms seemingly out for the year, Gradkowski's getting a shot to start. Hey, at least the move had some good timing, before the bye week. The bye allowed him to take extra reps in practice. Still, with such limited time to learn the offense, he's a high-risk player, meaning the Buccaneers' offense could suffer the most of any of the three teams now employing new, rookie quarterbacks. But who are we to say Gradkowski won't succeed? He's mobile at least, and the team's clearly going to adapt its offense to compensate for his shortcomings, so it's important to keep an eye on his performance against the Saints to see how much it's going to impact useful commodities like Joey Galloway and Carnell Williams.
Frank Gore's fumblitis. I'm sure this sounds like a broken record by now, but Gore's fumbling issues must be watched, because they could cost him his job -- or at least a portion of it -- if he doesn't show improvement in the next two weeks. He has lost a fumble in each of his four games this season, but Oakland's defense isn't the type that should cause him trouble in that area. After that, the schedule only gets tougher for him, with games against the Chargers and Bears, so this is a key week in which for him to rebound.
Tatum's time. If all Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was trying to do by naming Mike Bell his starting running back in the preseason was light a fire under Tatum Bell, then Mike, mission accomplished. Tatum, in his fourth career NFL start and 32nd career game in Week 3, finally received a career-high 27 carries and dashed for 123 yards in a road game against the Patriots. Now he's the team's primary back, no longer rotating series with Mike Bell, as he did in the season's first two weeks. Tatum has incredible upside, the kind that could allow him to contend for top-five fantasy RB status, but the knocks on him over the years were that he's a bit brittle and he's not much of a blocker. What Bell really needs on the "Monday Night Football" stage in Week 5 is a standout game, in his first real opportunity as a primary back and in a home game against the Ravens' top-ranked rush defense. He's got the talent to do it, but needs to perform and soon, because Shanahan is not the type of coach to be patient if Bell's slow to adapt to his increased role.
Some guy called "T.O." visits some city somewhere. At least that's what I'm told; I think I heard something about Terrell Owens returning to Philadelphia on Sunday for the first time since leaving the Eagles following the 2005 season. That's a huge storyline, because the added motivation of beating his old team could help spawn a hot streak that'll return him to his former top-five fantasy receiver status, not to mention the boost that would provide the Dallas offense. Even if it doesn't, this is the kind of game that's simply fun to watch. And as a football fan, what's wrong with some good old-fashioned football?
Passing of the Packer RB baton? Ahman Green isn't the healthiest of players these days, as he's now 29 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season, which is why the emergence of Vernand Morency in Week 4 is an important development to track. He managed 26 carries for 99 yards in place of Green, all against a tough Eagles' defense, and will see his role in the offense expand, mainly to keep Green fresh. There's a good chance we're on the verge of having another team employ a running back-by-committee, which is terrible news for Green owners. But what if Green's hamstring doesn't allow him to play in Week 5, and Morency steps in with another standout effort against the Rams? There could be some interesting sleeper potential in him, ? la Samkon Gado a year ago.
Tiki's tumble. Tiki Barber owners surely are aware of it, but the player considered a consensus top-five pick in the preseason has gotten off to only a so-so start, ranking only 26th at his position in fantasy points with 34. Part of the problem for Barber's early struggles is his team's defensive problems; the Giants have fallen behind badly in each of their last two games and abandoned the running game. He's clearly capable of better -- much better -- than this, but New York desperately needs to get its defense straightened out so the real Barber truly can shine. Otherwise, this could be quite an up-and-down season for Barber, Eli Manning and the rest of their Giants teammates.
Charlie, Browns QB. Charlie Frye never will be confused for a top-tier fantasy quarterback, but in a season where several relative no-names have stepped up with respectable early-year performances, Frye has been one of the more impressive success stories to date. He has displayed remarkable toughness for a man who will continue to take repeated hits, and is unfazed by the pressure of having to air it out when playing from behind. Plus, Frye has two of the league's better up-and-coming pass-catchers with which to work in Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr., which help his long-term chances. Frye's probably never going to be a reliable every-week fantasy option, but it's games like these, on the road in Carolina, in which his skills should shine. Mending the Eagles' broken wings. Philadelphia's offense has done nothing but dominate through four weeks, with an NFL-high 426.5 total yards per game average and 117 points, good for second in the league. However, while the Eagles are soaring in the first quarter of the season, they're also dealing with far more injuries than you'd like to see in a team this early in the year. Brian Westbrook's knee is beginning to look like an injury that could linger; Donte' Stallworth's hamstring appears likely to sideline him for Week 5; and Reggie Brown has a shoulder problem that could limit him. All three players warrant close attention in their next couple of games to ensure they'll be able to sustain their early-season paces, and the concern here is that lingering health problems could adversely affect the offense as a whole before long. While it's tough to shop players performing this well, most Eagles players could qualify as ideal sell-high candidates based on these concerns.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Oct. 5, 2006, 3:16 PM
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Week 5: 10 things to watch


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->
Each week, I provide my list of 10 things I'm watching on game day, so you'll be prepared for some of the week's biggest developments in advance of them happening.
Rookie watch: Vince Young. It's his second career NFL start, and while Young has no business being anywhere near a fantasy roster, it's games like these that are well worth using to scout a player who by all rights could be a top-five QB two to three years from today. He's going to make his share of mistakes this and most weeks, but games in which a quarterback is asked to throw all day to help his team keep pace on the scoreboard are ideal ones for us to get a glimpse of what kind of passer Young might someday be. Long-term, I think he'll wind up as a more appealing version of Michael Vick, with the scrambling ability but better faith in his arm. There will be better weeks for us to get a read on Young as a runner, but for your future scouting, this game against the Colts is a good one to monitor his passing ability.
Rookie watch, take 2: Matt Leinart. While Young's starting status isn't particularly relevant to the 2006 fantasy season, Leinart's is. He'll be making his first career NFL start on Sunday against the Chiefs, and again, while he doesn't belong in anyone's fantasy lineup, Leinart's progress is absolutely worth watching. After all, he has two of the league's most talented young receivers with which to work in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, and even if Leinart never makes a fantasy impact this year, he'll have a profound effect on the numbers of both receivers. Pay special attention to Boldin's and Fitzgerald's numbers, because there's a chance they could slip into matchups status with Leinart under center.
Rookie watch, take 3: Bruce Gradkowski?! That's right, Gradkowski is also a rookie, though it sure doesn't seem like it since he was a seventh-round pick in the 2006 Draft and a little-known backup to open the season. Now, with Chris Simms seemingly out for the year, Gradkowski's getting a shot to start. Hey, at least the move had some good timing, before the bye week. The bye allowed him to take extra reps in practice. Still, with such limited time to learn the offense, he's a high-risk player, meaning the Buccaneers' offense could suffer the most of any of the three teams now employing new, rookie quarterbacks. But who are we to say Gradkowski won't succeed? He's mobile at least, and the team's clearly going to adapt its offense to compensate for his shortcomings, so it's important to keep an eye on his performance against the Saints to see how much it's going to impact useful commodities like Joey Galloway and Carnell Williams.
Frank Gore's fumblitis. I'm sure this sounds like a broken record by now, but Gore's fumbling issues must be watched, because they could cost him his job -- or at least a portion of it -- if he doesn't show improvement in the next two weeks. He has lost a fumble in each of his four games this season, but Oakland's defense isn't the type that should cause him trouble in that area. After that, the schedule only gets tougher for him, with games against the Chargers and Bears, so this is a key week in which for him to rebound.
Tatum's time. If all Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was trying to do by naming Mike Bell his starting running back in the preseason was light a fire under Tatum Bell, then Mike, mission accomplished. Tatum, in his fourth career NFL start and 32nd career game in Week 3, finally received a career-high 27 carries and dashed for 123 yards in a road game against the Patriots. Now he's the team's primary back, no longer rotating series with Mike Bell, as he did in the season's first two weeks. Tatum has incredible upside, the kind that could allow him to contend for top-five fantasy RB status, but the knocks on him over the years were that he's a bit brittle and he's not much of a blocker. What Bell really needs on the "Monday Night Football" stage in Week 5 is a standout game, in his first real opportunity as a primary back and in a home game against the Ravens' top-ranked rush defense. He's got the talent to do it, but needs to perform and soon, because Shanahan is not the type of coach to be patient if Bell's slow to adapt to his increased role.
Some guy called "T.O." visits some city somewhere. At least that's what I'm told; I think I heard something about Terrell Owens returning to Philadelphia on Sunday for the first time since leaving the Eagles following the 2005 season. That's a huge storyline, because the added motivation of beating his old team could help spawn a hot streak that'll return him to his former top-five fantasy receiver status, not to mention the boost that would provide the Dallas offense. Even if it doesn't, this is the kind of game that's simply fun to watch. And as a football fan, what's wrong with some good old-fashioned football?
Passing of the Packer RB baton? Ahman Green isn't the healthiest of players these days, as he's now 29 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season, which is why the emergence of Vernand Morency in Week 4 is an important development to track. He managed 26 carries for 99 yards in place of Green, all against a tough Eagles' defense, and will see his role in the offense expand, mainly to keep Green fresh. There's a good chance we're on the verge of having another team employ a running back-by-committee, which is terrible news for Green owners. But what if Green's hamstring doesn't allow him to play in Week 5, and Morency steps in with another standout effort against the Rams? There could be some interesting sleeper potential in him, ? la Samkon Gado a year ago.
Tiki's tumble. Tiki Barber owners surely are aware of it, but the player considered a consensus top-five pick in the preseason has gotten off to only a so-so start, ranking only 26th at his position in fantasy points with 34. Part of the problem for Barber's early struggles is his team's defensive problems; the Giants have fallen behind badly in each of their last two games and abandoned the running game. He's clearly capable of better -- much better -- than this, but New York desperately needs to get its defense straightened out so the real Barber truly can shine. Otherwise, this could be quite an up-and-down season for Barber, Eli Manning and the rest of their Giants teammates.
Charlie, Browns QB. Charlie Frye never will be confused for a top-tier fantasy quarterback, but in a season where several relative no-names have stepped up with respectable early-year performances, Frye has been one of the more impressive success stories to date. He has displayed remarkable toughness for a man who will continue to take repeated hits, and is unfazed by the pressure of having to air it out when playing from behind. Plus, Frye has two of the league's better up-and-coming pass-catchers with which to work in Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr., which help his long-term chances. Frye's probably never going to be a reliable every-week fantasy option, but it's games like these, on the road in Carolina, in which his skills should shine. Mending the Eagles' broken wings. Philadelphia's offense has done nothing but dominate through four weeks, with an NFL-high 426.5 total yards per game average and 117 points, good for second in the league. However, while the Eagles are soaring in the first quarter of the season, they're also dealing with far more injuries than you'd like to see in a team this early in the year. Brian Westbrook's knee is beginning to look like an injury that could linger; Donte' Stallworth's hamstring appears likely to sideline him for Week 5; and Reggie Brown has a shoulder problem that could limit him. All three players warrant close attention in their next couple of games to ensure they'll be able to sustain their early-season paces, and the concern here is that lingering health problems could adversely affect the offense as a whole before long. While it's tough to shop players performing this well, most Eagles players could qualify as ideal sell-high candidates based on these concerns.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Oct. 5, 2006, 10:48 AM
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Cockcroft: Week 5 Statbook


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->FFL Statbook: Week 5

Each week, the FFL Statbook provides you with hot and cold players, historical statistics and trends to exploit and weather reports as you consider your weekly player matchups.

Bye weeks: Bengals, Falcons, Seahawks, Texans.
<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">RIDE THE HOT STREAK</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The players listed below -- three each at QB, RB and WR and one TE -- are performing well enough of late to be must-starts regardless of the match-ups.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bears defense (BUF): Chicago has allowed 1 TD or fewer in 8 consecutive home G, the longest streak in the NFL. The team also leads the league in fewest points allowed (29) and ranks in the top 10 overall in total fantasy points (60, 10th) this year. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Tatum Bell, RB, Broncos (BAL): Among RBs with 50+ carries this season, he's the NFL's leader in yards per carry average (5.1). Plus, in his last 16 regular-season G, he has 218 carries for 1,169 yards (5.4 per carry, 74.1 per G) and 8 TDs. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bernard Berrian, WR, Bears (BUF): He leads the NFL with 4 receptions of 40+ yards, is tied for 5th with 6 receptions of 20+ yards and is tied for 1st in TD catches (3). He also has 25 receptions for 538 yards and 3 TDs in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns (@CAR): He has 75+ receiving yards in each of his last 3 G, with 15 receptions for 301 yards and 1 TD in those contests. He also has 32 receptions for 542 yards (16.9 average) and 3 TDs in his last 7 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rex Grossman, QB, Bears (BUF): He has a passing TD and has 232+ passing yards in each of his 4 G this season. He's 3rd in the league in total fantasy points (73), and has averaged 265.3 passing yards with 8 TD and 3 INT for the season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Todd Heap, TE, Ravens (@DEN): He has a TD reception in each of his last 3 G and 8 TD in his last 10 G overall, and has 48 receptions for 524 yards in those contests. He also leads all tight ends in TDs (3) and is 2nd in receptions (19). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Willis McGahee, RB, Bills (@CHI): He's the NFL's leader in rushing attempts (99) and yards (389), and has 54 carries for 228 yards and a TD in his last 2 G. He has also averaged 24.2 rushing attempts and 100.4 yards in his last 5 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles (DAL): He has thrown for 2+ TDs and 288+ yards in each of his 4 G, averaging 312.0 yards with 9 TDs and 1 interception. He also has run for 86 yards and 2 TDs, and is the league's leader in fantasy points (103). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Willie Parker, RB, Steelers (@SD): He's coming off a 133-yard, 2-TD rushing performance in Week 3, and has 114 carries for 533 rushing yards (4.7 per carry, 106.6 per G), 4 100-yard efforts and 3 TDs in his last 5 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Steve Smith, WR, Panthers (CLE): He has double-digit fantasy points in his 2 G this season, with 17 receptions for 199 yards and 1 TD in those contests. He also has 10 100-yard receiving G and 13 TDs in his last 18 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Roy Williams, WR, Lions (@MIN): He has back-to-back 100-yard receiving G, and 58 receptions for 884 yards (15.2 average) and 8 TDs in his last 12 G. He's also 5th in the league in receptions (25) and 4th in receiving yards (384) this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, Browns (@CAR): He leads all tight ends in receptions (22) and is 2nd in receiving yards (228) and 2nd in TDs (2). In 6 career NFL starts, he has 27 receptions for 278 yards (10.3 average) and 2 TDs. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: I included Bell and McGahee on this list, because while their matchups look poor on paper -- Bell faces the Ravens' top-ranked rush defense (63.2 ypg) and McGahee faces the Bears' 7th-ranked rush D (80.8) -- they're getting enough touches each week to be must-starts, even if it's as a No. 2 or flex option in a fantasy lineup. Expect 20 carries for each, which is enough work for them to offer respectable yardage totals and a good chance at a score. ... Carolina's offense is a whole lot deeper now that Smith is back in the lineup, but the Panthers' defense has still had its troubles holding back opposing offenses. In a game in which Cleveland and Frye will need to air it out to keep pace with the potent Panthers attack, Frye's an interesting bye-week sub, while Edwards and Winslow should be kept active. ... Parker's matchup against the Chargers' second-ranked rush defense (66.0 ypg) isn't an easy one by any means, but keep in mind San Diego hasn't exactly faced any elite running backs in three games. Well, Oakland's LaMont Jordan (Week 1) could be called "elite," but he didn't receive any support from his quarterback or offensive line, so that's not a great example. Parker's a speedy type who should present a challenge for the Chargers, and he should be kept in as a No. 2 fantasy RB. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">AVOID THE COLD SPELL</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The players listed below -- three each at QB, RB and WR and one TE -- have struggled enough recently that they should be avoided whenever possible.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Chris Brown, RB, Titans (@IND): He has failed to crack the 100-yard rushing plateau in any of his last 19 G, and has failed to score a TD in 7 consecutive G. He also has 98 carries for 295 yards (3.0 per carry, 36.9 per G) in his last 8 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins (@NE): Since his 2-TD effort in Week 1, Brown has 53 carries for 209 yards (3.9 per carry, 69.7 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G. He has failed to top 100 yards rushing in his last 12 G, averaging 50.2 yards in those contests. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Michael Clayton, WR, Buccaneers (@NO): He has 9 receptions for 110 yards (12.2 per catch, 36.7 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, despite being targeted 19 times. He also has 41 receptions for 482 yards and 0 TDs in 17 G dating back to the start of 2005. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Daunte Culpepper, QB, Dolphins (@NE): He has yet to have a 2+ TD G passing this season, and in his last 11 G overall, he has averaged 226.6 passing yards with 8 TDs and 15 interceptions. He has also been sacked an NFL-high 21 times this year. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Kevin Curtis, WR, Rams (@GB): He has 6 receptions for 45 yards (7.5 per catch, 11.2 per G) and 0 TDs in 4 G, and has been targeted only 10 times all season. He also has only 16 receptions for 105 yards (6.6 average) and 0 TDs in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Reuben Droughns, RB, Browns (@CAR): His 100-yard rushing effort in Week 4 was his first in 9 G and 4th in 19 G since leaving Denver. Even with it included, he has only 167 carries for 523 yards (3.1 per carry, 58.1 per G) and 1 TD in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bubba Franks, TE, Packers (STL): He has 9 receptions for 89 yards (9.9 per catch, 22.2 per G) and 0 TDs in 4 G, despite being targeted 18 times. He also has 17 receptions for 154 yards and 0 TDs in his last 9 G dating back to last season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Keenan McCardell, WR, Chargers (PIT): He has 6 receptions for 76 yards (12.7 per catch, 25.3 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, and has been targeted only 8 times all season. In fact, QB Philip Rivers didn't throw the ball in his direction once in Week 4. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Panthers defense (CLE): Carolina ranks 22nd in the league in fantasy points (20) and total defense (341.5 yards per G), and 16th in points per game allowed (19.5). The Panthers have allowed 16+ points in each of their four G this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Jake Plummer, QB, Broncos (BAL): He's currently 29th among quarterbacks in fantasy points (21), having managed to complete only 44 of his 86 pass attempts (51.2 percent) for 567 yards, 2 TDs and 4 interceptions in 3 G this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (@SD): He has averaged only 1.5 fantasy points in his 2 G this season, completing only 35 of 71 passes (49.3 percent) for 258 yards, 1 TD and 4 interceptions. He now has 6 interceptions in his last 3 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Rod Smith, WR, Broncos (BAL): He has 11 receptions for 94 yards (8.5 per catch, 31.3 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, despite being targeted 21 times. He also has 17 receptions for 196 yards and 0 TDs in his last 5 G, dating back to last season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: Don't even think about using your Titans this week, any of them. Tennessee at Indianapolis could wind up the most lopsided game of the entire season, and even if you point to the fact that the Colts' defense has been inconsistent so far, the Titans are going to have to rely heavily on the pass just to keep pace. Brown is a terrible play, and QB Vince Young should make many more mistakes than TD passes. ... Don't look at the Broncos' stunning victory at New England in Week 3 as a good representation of what might happen when Miami comes to town on Sunday, nor should you consider that QB Daunte Culpepper has 2 TD passes in each of his two career games against the Patriots. Miami's offense is struggling mightily, unable to beat a Houston defense that hasn't threatened anyone this season, and the Patriots will be ready to contain the team to make up for its embarrassing last home game. ... The Chargers simply don't throw throw the ball enough to make good use of McCardell, averaging only 23.3 pass attempts per game, second fewest in the NFL. Still, it's a little shocking that he wasn't targeted a single time in Week 4, which makes his matchup against the Steelers even less appealing. ... On paper, a game against the 1-3 Browns might make the Panthers' defense an attractive fantasy option. But, as mentioned before, Carolina has had a lot of trouble defensively, and QB Charlie Frye and his blossoming young receivers should be able to rack up a decent amount of points against the Panthers. Don't assume this is a standout effort in the making. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">HISTORY LESSON</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The following players have tremendous recent track records against their scheduled opponents, making them more appealing fantasy options for this week.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Drew Bledsoe, QB, Cowboys (@PHI): He has won each of his last 3 GS vs. the Eagles, passing for 781 yards, 5 TDs and 1 interception in those contests. He has also averaged 206.6 passing yards with 14 TDs in 10 road G with the Cowboys. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Chris Chambers, WR, Dolphins (@NE): He has 40 receptions for 453 yards and 5 TDs in his last 9 G vs. the Patriots, adding four carries for 83 yards in those contests. He also has 34 receptions for 471 yards and 5 TDs in his last 5 G vs. AFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins (@NYG): He has a TD reception in 3 of 4 career G vs. the Giants, totaling 14 receptions for 95 yards and 3 TD during that span. He also has 26 receptions for 267 yards and 4 TDs in his last 7 G vs. NFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Jamal Lewis, RB, Ravens (@DEN): He has a rushing TD in each of his 3 career G vs. the Broncos (postseason incl.), totaling 87 carries for 322 yards (3.7 per carry, 107.3 per G) and 4 TDs in those contests. He also has 64 receiving yards in those games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Santana Moss, WR, Redskins (@NYG): He has 2 100-yard receiving G and 6 TDs in 3 career G vs. the Giants, totaling 19 receptions for 315 yards in those contests. He also has 31 receptions for 657 yards and 5 TDs in his last 7 G vs. NFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Terrell Owens, WR, Cowboys (@PHI): He returns to Philadelphia for the first time since leaving the Eagles following the 2005 season; in 11 career games at Lincoln Financial Field, he has 58 receptions for 876 yards (15.1 average) and 11 touchdowns. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins (@NYG): He has 302 scrimmage yards and 3 total TDs in his last 3 G vs. the Giants; he also has 3 consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts vs. NFC East foes, and 9 total TDs in 12 career G vs. NFC East foes as a Redskin. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars (NYJ): He has 90 carries for 359 yards (4.0 per carry, 119.7 per G) and 2 TDs in 3 career G vs. the Jets, and had a career-high 95 receiving yards against the Jets on 9/29/02. He has also scored 32 of his 52 career TDs in home G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Benjamin Watson, TE, Patriots (MIA): He had a TD reception in each of his 2 G vs. the Dolphins in 2005, totaling 5 receptions for 76 yards and 3 TD in those contests. The 3 TDs represent three-quarters of his entire career TD total of 4. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts (TEN): He has a TD reception in each of his last 4 G vs. the Titans, totaling 18 receptions for 313 yards and 4 TDs in those contests. He also has 56 receptions for 745 yards and 2 TDs in his last 10 home G (postseason incl.). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: Owens' return to Philadelphia is one of the biggest stories of Week 5, and I can't help but feel it's going to mean a high-scoring shoot-out. That means I'd avoid both of the defenses, but I'd also look to most anyone on either offense as a viable fantasy starter. Bledsoe, Owens, WR Terry Glenn and TE Jason Witten are must-plays, while across the field, QB Donovan McNabb, TE L.J. Smith and any of the receivers deemed healthy in advance of game time are well worth using. ... I'm not expecting nearly as impressive an outing for Lewis against the Broncos as the ones he had earlier in his career, but he'll still be a focal point of the Baltimore offense in Week 5. After all, Denver's defense has allowed only one passing touchdown all season. ... Though Doug Gabriel seems to be emerging as QB Tom Brady's preferred receiving target in New England, Watson's career numbers against the Dolphins shouldn't be overlooked. Miami's defense has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season (7.8 per game), and tight ends have scored two TDs against it. Brady has a tendency to spread the ball around, so Watson's every bit as good a bet to lead the team in the receiving categories as anyone on the roster. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">WEATHER REPORT</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">Up-to-the-minute conditions can be found on The Weather Channel's website.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rain in the forecast (40-percent chance or worse): No games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Cold temperatures (40 degrees or lower): No games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Hot temperatures (80 degrees or higher): Chiefs at Cardinals could be in the low 80s. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Weatherproof games (safest playing conditions): Buccaneers at Saints (Superdome), Lions at Vikings (Metrodome), Titans at Colts (RCA Dome) and Chiefs at Cardinals (Cardinals Stadium). </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">KICKERS IN DOMES</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">As kickers are as a whole fairly unpredictable, weather can play a big part in determining which ones to use each week. Those who kick indoors are safest from the elements and therefore least likely to hurt you, making the names below more attractive plays. Statistics listed are career numbers indoors, unless otherwise noted (G: games, FGpct: field-goal percentage; XPTpct: extra-point percentage; ppg: points per game).</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rob Bironas, Titans (@IND): 3 G, 71.4 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 7.33 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Matt Bryant, Buccaneers (@NO): 8 G, 66.7 FGpct, 90.9 XPTpct, 6.25 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>John Carney, Saints (TB): 59 G, 86.1 FGpct, 99.2 XPTpct, 8.08 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Martin Gramatica, Colts (TEN): 21 G, 70.3 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 5.76 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Jason Hanson, Lions (@MIN): 120 G, 83.9 FGpct, 99.2 XPTpct, 6.82 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Ryan Longwell, Vikings (DET): 26 G, 86.2 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 8.12 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Neil Rackers, Cardinals (KC): 14 G, 95.0 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 5.93 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Lawrence Tynes, Chiefs (@ARI): 2 G, 100.0 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 8.50 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Adam Vinatieri, Colts (TEN): 17 G, 94.9 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 9.12 ppg.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Oct. 5, 2006, 10:48 AM
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Cockcroft: Week 5 Statbook


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->FFL Statbook: Week 5

Each week, the FFL Statbook provides you with hot and cold players, historical statistics and trends to exploit and weather reports as you consider your weekly player matchups.

Bye weeks: Bengals, Falcons, Seahawks, Texans.
<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">RIDE THE HOT STREAK</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The players listed below -- three each at QB, RB and WR and one TE -- are performing well enough of late to be must-starts regardless of the match-ups.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bears defense (BUF): Chicago has allowed 1 TD or fewer in 8 consecutive home G, the longest streak in the NFL. The team also leads the league in fewest points allowed (29) and ranks in the top 10 overall in total fantasy points (60, 10th) this year. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Tatum Bell, RB, Broncos (BAL): Among RBs with 50+ carries this season, he's the NFL's leader in yards per carry average (5.1). Plus, in his last 16 regular-season G, he has 218 carries for 1,169 yards (5.4 per carry, 74.1 per G) and 8 TDs. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bernard Berrian, WR, Bears (BUF): He leads the NFL with 4 receptions of 40+ yards, is tied for 5th with 6 receptions of 20+ yards and is tied for 1st in TD catches (3). He also has 25 receptions for 538 yards and 3 TDs in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns (@CAR): He has 75+ receiving yards in each of his last 3 G, with 15 receptions for 301 yards and 1 TD in those contests. He also has 32 receptions for 542 yards (16.9 average) and 3 TDs in his last 7 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rex Grossman, QB, Bears (BUF): He has a passing TD and has 232+ passing yards in each of his 4 G this season. He's 3rd in the league in total fantasy points (73), and has averaged 265.3 passing yards with 8 TD and 3 INT for the season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Todd Heap, TE, Ravens (@DEN): He has a TD reception in each of his last 3 G and 8 TD in his last 10 G overall, and has 48 receptions for 524 yards in those contests. He also leads all tight ends in TDs (3) and is 2nd in receptions (19). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Willis McGahee, RB, Bills (@CHI): He's the NFL's leader in rushing attempts (99) and yards (389), and has 54 carries for 228 yards and a TD in his last 2 G. He has also averaged 24.2 rushing attempts and 100.4 yards in his last 5 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles (DAL): He has thrown for 2+ TDs and 288+ yards in each of his 4 G, averaging 312.0 yards with 9 TDs and 1 interception. He also has run for 86 yards and 2 TDs, and is the league's leader in fantasy points (103). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Willie Parker, RB, Steelers (@SD): He's coming off a 133-yard, 2-TD rushing performance in Week 3, and has 114 carries for 533 rushing yards (4.7 per carry, 106.6 per G), 4 100-yard efforts and 3 TDs in his last 5 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Steve Smith, WR, Panthers (CLE): He has double-digit fantasy points in his 2 G this season, with 17 receptions for 199 yards and 1 TD in those contests. He also has 10 100-yard receiving G and 13 TDs in his last 18 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Roy Williams, WR, Lions (@MIN): He has back-to-back 100-yard receiving G, and 58 receptions for 884 yards (15.2 average) and 8 TDs in his last 12 G. He's also 5th in the league in receptions (25) and 4th in receiving yards (384) this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, Browns (@CAR): He leads all tight ends in receptions (22) and is 2nd in receiving yards (228) and 2nd in TDs (2). In 6 career NFL starts, he has 27 receptions for 278 yards (10.3 average) and 2 TDs. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: I included Bell and McGahee on this list, because while their matchups look poor on paper -- Bell faces the Ravens' top-ranked rush defense (63.2 ypg) and McGahee faces the Bears' 7th-ranked rush D (80.8) -- they're getting enough touches each week to be must-starts, even if it's as a No. 2 or flex option in a fantasy lineup. Expect 20 carries for each, which is enough work for them to offer respectable yardage totals and a good chance at a score. ... Carolina's offense is a whole lot deeper now that Smith is back in the lineup, but the Panthers' defense has still had its troubles holding back opposing offenses. In a game in which Cleveland and Frye will need to air it out to keep pace with the potent Panthers attack, Frye's an interesting bye-week sub, while Edwards and Winslow should be kept active. ... Parker's matchup against the Chargers' second-ranked rush defense (66.0 ypg) isn't an easy one by any means, but keep in mind San Diego hasn't exactly faced any elite running backs in three games. Well, Oakland's LaMont Jordan (Week 1) could be called "elite," but he didn't receive any support from his quarterback or offensive line, so that's not a great example. Parker's a speedy type who should present a challenge for the Chargers, and he should be kept in as a No. 2 fantasy RB. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">AVOID THE COLD SPELL</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The players listed below -- three each at QB, RB and WR and one TE -- have struggled enough recently that they should be avoided whenever possible.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Chris Brown, RB, Titans (@IND): He has failed to crack the 100-yard rushing plateau in any of his last 19 G, and has failed to score a TD in 7 consecutive G. He also has 98 carries for 295 yards (3.0 per carry, 36.9 per G) in his last 8 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Ronnie Brown, RB, Dolphins (@NE): Since his 2-TD effort in Week 1, Brown has 53 carries for 209 yards (3.9 per carry, 69.7 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G. He has failed to top 100 yards rushing in his last 12 G, averaging 50.2 yards in those contests. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Michael Clayton, WR, Buccaneers (@NO): He has 9 receptions for 110 yards (12.2 per catch, 36.7 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, despite being targeted 19 times. He also has 41 receptions for 482 yards and 0 TDs in 17 G dating back to the start of 2005. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Daunte Culpepper, QB, Dolphins (@NE): He has yet to have a 2+ TD G passing this season, and in his last 11 G overall, he has averaged 226.6 passing yards with 8 TDs and 15 interceptions. He has also been sacked an NFL-high 21 times this year. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Kevin Curtis, WR, Rams (@GB): He has 6 receptions for 45 yards (7.5 per catch, 11.2 per G) and 0 TDs in 4 G, and has been targeted only 10 times all season. He also has only 16 receptions for 105 yards (6.6 average) and 0 TDs in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Reuben Droughns, RB, Browns (@CAR): His 100-yard rushing effort in Week 4 was his first in 9 G and 4th in 19 G since leaving Denver. Even with it included, he has only 167 carries for 523 yards (3.1 per carry, 58.1 per G) and 1 TD in his last 9 G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Bubba Franks, TE, Packers (STL): He has 9 receptions for 89 yards (9.9 per catch, 22.2 per G) and 0 TDs in 4 G, despite being targeted 18 times. He also has 17 receptions for 154 yards and 0 TDs in his last 9 G dating back to last season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Keenan McCardell, WR, Chargers (PIT): He has 6 receptions for 76 yards (12.7 per catch, 25.3 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, and has been targeted only 8 times all season. In fact, QB Philip Rivers didn't throw the ball in his direction once in Week 4. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Panthers defense (CLE): Carolina ranks 22nd in the league in fantasy points (20) and total defense (341.5 yards per G), and 16th in points per game allowed (19.5). The Panthers have allowed 16+ points in each of their four G this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Jake Plummer, QB, Broncos (BAL): He's currently 29th among quarterbacks in fantasy points (21), having managed to complete only 44 of his 86 pass attempts (51.2 percent) for 567 yards, 2 TDs and 4 interceptions in 3 G this season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers (@SD): He has averaged only 1.5 fantasy points in his 2 G this season, completing only 35 of 71 passes (49.3 percent) for 258 yards, 1 TD and 4 interceptions. He now has 6 interceptions in his last 3 regular-season G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Rod Smith, WR, Broncos (BAL): He has 11 receptions for 94 yards (8.5 per catch, 31.3 per G) and 0 TDs in 3 G, despite being targeted 21 times. He also has 17 receptions for 196 yards and 0 TDs in his last 5 G, dating back to last season. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: Don't even think about using your Titans this week, any of them. Tennessee at Indianapolis could wind up the most lopsided game of the entire season, and even if you point to the fact that the Colts' defense has been inconsistent so far, the Titans are going to have to rely heavily on the pass just to keep pace. Brown is a terrible play, and QB Vince Young should make many more mistakes than TD passes. ... Don't look at the Broncos' stunning victory at New England in Week 3 as a good representation of what might happen when Miami comes to town on Sunday, nor should you consider that QB Daunte Culpepper has 2 TD passes in each of his two career games against the Patriots. Miami's offense is struggling mightily, unable to beat a Houston defense that hasn't threatened anyone this season, and the Patriots will be ready to contain the team to make up for its embarrassing last home game. ... The Chargers simply don't throw throw the ball enough to make good use of McCardell, averaging only 23.3 pass attempts per game, second fewest in the NFL. Still, it's a little shocking that he wasn't targeted a single time in Week 4, which makes his matchup against the Steelers even less appealing. ... On paper, a game against the 1-3 Browns might make the Panthers' defense an attractive fantasy option. But, as mentioned before, Carolina has had a lot of trouble defensively, and QB Charlie Frye and his blossoming young receivers should be able to rack up a decent amount of points against the Panthers. Don't assume this is a standout effort in the making. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">HISTORY LESSON</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">The following players have tremendous recent track records against their scheduled opponents, making them more appealing fantasy options for this week.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Drew Bledsoe, QB, Cowboys (@PHI): He has won each of his last 3 GS vs. the Eagles, passing for 781 yards, 5 TDs and 1 interception in those contests. He has also averaged 206.6 passing yards with 14 TDs in 10 road G with the Cowboys. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Chris Chambers, WR, Dolphins (@NE): He has 40 receptions for 453 yards and 5 TDs in his last 9 G vs. the Patriots, adding four carries for 83 yards in those contests. He also has 34 receptions for 471 yards and 5 TDs in his last 5 G vs. AFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins (@NYG): He has a TD reception in 3 of 4 career G vs. the Giants, totaling 14 receptions for 95 yards and 3 TD during that span. He also has 26 receptions for 267 yards and 4 TDs in his last 7 G vs. NFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Jamal Lewis, RB, Ravens (@DEN): He has a rushing TD in each of his 3 career G vs. the Broncos (postseason incl.), totaling 87 carries for 322 yards (3.7 per carry, 107.3 per G) and 4 TDs in those contests. He also has 64 receiving yards in those games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Santana Moss, WR, Redskins (@NYG): He has 2 100-yard receiving G and 6 TDs in 3 career G vs. the Giants, totaling 19 receptions for 315 yards in those contests. He also has 31 receptions for 657 yards and 5 TDs in his last 7 G vs. NFC East foes. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Terrell Owens, WR, Cowboys (@PHI): He returns to Philadelphia for the first time since leaving the Eagles following the 2005 season; in 11 career games at Lincoln Financial Field, he has 58 receptions for 876 yards (15.1 average) and 11 touchdowns. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins (@NYG): He has 302 scrimmage yards and 3 total TDs in his last 3 G vs. the Giants; he also has 3 consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts vs. NFC East foes, and 9 total TDs in 12 career G vs. NFC East foes as a Redskin. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars (NYJ): He has 90 carries for 359 yards (4.0 per carry, 119.7 per G) and 2 TDs in 3 career G vs. the Jets, and had a career-high 95 receiving yards against the Jets on 9/29/02. He has also scored 32 of his 52 career TDs in home G. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Benjamin Watson, TE, Patriots (MIA): He had a TD reception in each of his 2 G vs. the Dolphins in 2005, totaling 5 receptions for 76 yards and 3 TD in those contests. The 3 TDs represent three-quarters of his entire career TD total of 4. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts (TEN): He has a TD reception in each of his last 4 G vs. the Titans, totaling 18 receptions for 313 yards and 4 TDs in those contests. He also has 56 receptions for 745 yards and 2 TDs in his last 10 home G (postseason incl.). </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>TRISTAN'S TAKE: Owens' return to Philadelphia is one of the biggest stories of Week 5, and I can't help but feel it's going to mean a high-scoring shoot-out. That means I'd avoid both of the defenses, but I'd also look to most anyone on either offense as a viable fantasy starter. Bledsoe, Owens, WR Terry Glenn and TE Jason Witten are must-plays, while across the field, QB Donovan McNabb, TE L.J. Smith and any of the receivers deemed healthy in advance of game time are well worth using. ... I'm not expecting nearly as impressive an outing for Lewis against the Broncos as the ones he had earlier in his career, but he'll still be a focal point of the Baltimore offense in Week 5. After all, Denver's defense has allowed only one passing touchdown all season. ... Though Doug Gabriel seems to be emerging as QB Tom Brady's preferred receiving target in New England, Watson's career numbers against the Dolphins shouldn't be overlooked. Miami's defense has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season (7.8 per game), and tight ends have scored two TDs against it. Brady has a tendency to spread the ball around, so Watson's every bit as good a bet to lead the team in the receiving categories as anyone on the roster. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">WEATHER REPORT</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">Up-to-the-minute conditions can be found on The Weather Channel's website.</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rain in the forecast (40-percent chance or worse): No games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Cold temperatures (40 degrees or lower): No games. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Hot temperatures (80 degrees or higher): Chiefs at Cardinals could be in the low 80s. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Weatherproof games (safest playing conditions): Buccaneers at Saints (Superdome), Lions at Vikings (Metrodome), Titans at Colts (RCA Dome) and Chiefs at Cardinals (Cardinals Stadium). </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: verdana; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c9c9c9" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="COLOR: white; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #2969ad"><TD width="100%">KICKERS IN DOMES</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #acacac"><TD width="100%">As kickers are as a whole fairly unpredictable, weather can play a big part in determining which ones to use each week. Those who kick indoors are safest from the elements and therefore least likely to hurt you, making the names below more attractive plays. Statistics listed are career numbers indoors, unless otherwise noted (G: games, FGpct: field-goal percentage; XPTpct: extra-point percentage; ppg: points per game).</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Rob Bironas, Titans (@IND): 3 G, 71.4 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 7.33 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Matt Bryant, Buccaneers (@NO): 8 G, 66.7 FGpct, 90.9 XPTpct, 6.25 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>John Carney, Saints (TB): 59 G, 86.1 FGpct, 99.2 XPTpct, 8.08 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Martin Gramatica, Colts (TEN): 21 G, 70.3 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 5.76 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Jason Hanson, Lions (@MIN): 120 G, 83.9 FGpct, 99.2 XPTpct, 6.82 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Ryan Longwell, Vikings (DET): 26 G, 86.2 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 8.12 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Neil Rackers, Cardinals (KC): 14 G, 95.0 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 5.93 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #dedede"><TD>Lawrence Tynes, Chiefs (@ARI): 2 G, 100.0 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 8.50 ppg. </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><TD>Adam Vinatieri, Colts (TEN): 17 G, 94.9 FGpct, 100.0 XPTpct, 9.12 ppg.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Friday, October 6, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Stopgap Seven: Week 5


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->The rough-and-tumble NFL can take a toll on your fantasy team's depth, so if you're looking particularly thin at a position, consider the following players who are a little more under-the-radar as starters. (I'll list my Stopgap Seven each Friday all season.)
Joseph Addai, RB, Colts (TEN): He's no longer available in many leagues, but if you scooped him up, this is a fine week to play him. Colts-Titans is a huge mismatch, and there should be enough carries to go around that he could approach Week 4's 20 again.
Colts defense (TEN): Indianapolis' defense has struggled through four weeks, but the team's slowly beginning to get healthy, which should improve matters. Expect the Colts to mount an early lead, then press Titans QB Vince Young into committing a few picks.
Charlie Frye, QB, Browns (@CAR): This might not seem the greatest matchup for Frye, but Carolina's defense has been susceptible to the pass. He'll have to throw often to keep pace with the Panthers, and at least he has three solid pass catchers at his disposal.
Doug Gabriel, WR, Patriots (MIA): I'm not entirely sold on him in the long term, as Tom Brady will keep spreading the field, but right now Brady sure seems to be riding the hot hand. Nothing wrong with sticking with Gabriel while he's getting 6-8 throws a game!
Brad Johnson, QB, Vikings (DET): At this point, almost any quarterback scheduled to face the Lions is a must-play. Detroit has allowed 10 TDs compared to no interceptions in four games, and Johnson is a skilled enough passer to make good use of the matchup.
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (NYJ): The Jaguars have begun lining him up in the slot, which increases the chances that he'll get the receptions to make up for the weeks in which he gets under 10 carries. Regardless, this is a good matchup for him as a runner.
Troy Williamson, RB, Vikings (DET): If Johnson's a good play, Williamson's a fine one as well. Lions CB Dre Bly could be matched up with him, which might scare off some owners, but even Bly has been overmatched by comparable receivers to Williamson. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Among the players I'm avoiding in Week 5: Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper had a respectable 249-yard, one-TD effort in Week 4 at Houston, but that's not enough to put him back in the "safe" fantasy category. Those who look at his two 2-TD games in his career against the Patriots might be fooled into thinking he'll be successful at New England again this week, but I won't be one of them. ... Ravens QB Steve McNair is coming off a 2-TD game against the Chargers in Week 4, but a trip to Denver is an awfully challenging matchup. The Broncos have allowed only one touchdown all season, best in the league. ... If I'm such a believer that the Colts will run away with Sunday's game against the Titans, there's no way I could count on a strong game by Tennessee RB Chris Brown. He shouldn't be much of a factor at all, doesn't get enough carries to make much of an impact when the matchup is good anyway, and is in real danger of being overtaken by rookie RB LenDale White on the depth chart. ... Most of Bills RB Willis McGahee's owners don't have the luxury of enough depth to reserve him, but if you're stocked with great alternatives, I'd think about it. Heck, I'd avoid almost anyone facing the Bears in any week, so long as I had another 15-plus-carry RB with a decent or better matchup to sub in. (Think DeShaun Foster, not Marion Barber.) That also means I'd steer clear of WR Lee Evans this week. ... Ravens WR Derrick Mason should only improve his chemistry with McNair with time, but this isn't a good week for that connection. If McNair's going to move the ball successfully against the Broncos, it's going to be by leaning heavily on his tight ends. That means Mason would need one big catch to make a noticeable fantasy impact, which seems unlikely.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints
11 carries, 22 rushing yards, 0 TD
The spotlight can sometimes be a terrible thing for an athlete, especially in the case of a young one still learning the intricacies of the professional game. Bush, one of the most hyped rookies to come around in years, has drawn plenty of attention from football fans, but remember, his name value also means he gets a lot of attention from opposing NFL defenses as well. Opponents seem to key on him a fair amount when he carries the ball, and it doesn't help that Bush spends too much time looking for the home-run play instead of going with the opportunities that he's given. He's averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, a disappointing rate, and he has yet to earn more than 15 carries in any of his four games, playing behind Deuce McAllister on the depth chart at running back. That leaves Bush to have to make the big plays on the receiving side, and he hasn't let us down at all in that area so far, with 23 receptions for 187 yards. In other words, he's getting enough touches to make a noticeable impact, but it'd be nice to see him do better in the running game and finally reach the end zone for once. A matchup against the Buccaneers this week won't make him any more likely to finally notch that first NFL touchdown, so steer clear of him outside of at your flex position. McAllister should be the better play for Week 5.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 3 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Friday, October 6, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Stopgap Seven: Week 5


<!-- begin bylinebox -->

By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

<!-- begin presby2 -->
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<!-- end bylinebox -->
<!-- begin text11 div -->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->The rough-and-tumble NFL can take a toll on your fantasy team's depth, so if you're looking particularly thin at a position, consider the following players who are a little more under-the-radar as starters. (I'll list my Stopgap Seven each Friday all season.)
Joseph Addai, RB, Colts (TEN): He's no longer available in many leagues, but if you scooped him up, this is a fine week to play him. Colts-Titans is a huge mismatch, and there should be enough carries to go around that he could approach Week 4's 20 again.
Colts defense (TEN): Indianapolis' defense has struggled through four weeks, but the team's slowly beginning to get healthy, which should improve matters. Expect the Colts to mount an early lead, then press Titans QB Vince Young into committing a few picks.
Charlie Frye, QB, Browns (@CAR): This might not seem the greatest matchup for Frye, but Carolina's defense has been susceptible to the pass. He'll have to throw often to keep pace with the Panthers, and at least he has three solid pass catchers at his disposal.
Doug Gabriel, WR, Patriots (MIA): I'm not entirely sold on him in the long term, as Tom Brady will keep spreading the field, but right now Brady sure seems to be riding the hot hand. Nothing wrong with sticking with Gabriel while he's getting 6-8 throws a game!
Brad Johnson, QB, Vikings (DET): At this point, almost any quarterback scheduled to face the Lions is a must-play. Detroit has allowed 10 TDs compared to no interceptions in four games, and Johnson is a skilled enough passer to make good use of the matchup.
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (NYJ): The Jaguars have begun lining him up in the slot, which increases the chances that he'll get the receptions to make up for the weeks in which he gets under 10 carries. Regardless, this is a good matchup for him as a runner.
Troy Williamson, RB, Vikings (DET): If Johnson's a good play, Williamson's a fine one as well. Lions CB Dre Bly could be matched up with him, which might scare off some owners, but even Bly has been overmatched by comparable receivers to Williamson. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Among the players I'm avoiding in Week 5: Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper had a respectable 249-yard, one-TD effort in Week 4 at Houston, but that's not enough to put him back in the "safe" fantasy category. Those who look at his two 2-TD games in his career against the Patriots might be fooled into thinking he'll be successful at New England again this week, but I won't be one of them. ... Ravens QB Steve McNair is coming off a 2-TD game against the Chargers in Week 4, but a trip to Denver is an awfully challenging matchup. The Broncos have allowed only one touchdown all season, best in the league. ... If I'm such a believer that the Colts will run away with Sunday's game against the Titans, there's no way I could count on a strong game by Tennessee RB Chris Brown. He shouldn't be much of a factor at all, doesn't get enough carries to make much of an impact when the matchup is good anyway, and is in real danger of being overtaken by rookie RB LenDale White on the depth chart. ... Most of Bills RB Willis McGahee's owners don't have the luxury of enough depth to reserve him, but if you're stocked with great alternatives, I'd think about it. Heck, I'd avoid almost anyone facing the Bears in any week, so long as I had another 15-plus-carry RB with a decent or better matchup to sub in. (Think DeShaun Foster, not Marion Barber.) That also means I'd steer clear of WR Lee Evans this week. ... Ravens WR Derrick Mason should only improve his chemistry with McNair with time, but this isn't a good week for that connection. If McNair's going to move the ball successfully against the Broncos, it's going to be by leaning heavily on his tight ends. That means Mason would need one big catch to make a noticeable fantasy impact, which seems unlikely.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Reggie Bush, RB, Saints
11 carries, 22 rushing yards, 0 TD
The spotlight can sometimes be a terrible thing for an athlete, especially in the case of a young one still learning the intricacies of the professional game. Bush, one of the most hyped rookies to come around in years, has drawn plenty of attention from football fans, but remember, his name value also means he gets a lot of attention from opposing NFL defenses as well. Opponents seem to key on him a fair amount when he carries the ball, and it doesn't help that Bush spends too much time looking for the home-run play instead of going with the opportunities that he's given. He's averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, a disappointing rate, and he has yet to earn more than 15 carries in any of his four games, playing behind Deuce McAllister on the depth chart at running back. That leaves Bush to have to make the big plays on the receiving side, and he hasn't let us down at all in that area so far, with 23 receptions for 187 yards. In other words, he's getting enough touches to make a noticeable impact, but it'd be nice to see him do better in the running game and finally reach the end zone for once. A matchup against the Buccaneers this week won't make him any more likely to finally notch that first NFL touchdown, so steer clear of him outside of at your flex position. McAllister should be the better play for Week 5.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

McNabb, and everyone else


posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

How low scoring was Week 5 in fantasy football? Well, let's just say there are going to be a lot of close, low scoring games in fantasy football this week. It's possible the Monday night game could provide big numbers, but the Ravens are involved. Really, what are the chances? Can you see Steve McNair throwing for 300 yards? Or<!--##FRONTSTOP##--> Jake Plummer?

How bad was it in comparison to other weeks?
In Week 1, five players had 22 or more points, led by Frank Gore.
In Week 2, 10 players and a defense had 22 or more points, seven of them quarterbacks.
In Week 3, seven players scored 22 or more, with Brian Westbrook getting 35.
And in Week 4, seven players and a defense scored 24 or more, and two of them reached 35.
So that's 29 players in four weeks to reach at least 22 points, and some topped 30. This week? Um, well, there's Donovan McNabb and the Jaguars defense and that's it. McNabb scored 28 fantasy points with his big day against the Cowboys, and the Jags got a shutout. Third place? Um, there's Fred Taylor and another defense, then future Hall of Famers Damon Huard, Robbie Gould and Hank Baskett. I'm not making this up. Win this week 56-52, and that's OK. Last week with all the points I had a team score 122 points, and it lost. It happens.
The win is the important thing, and I think there's some irony in that all week long, all the attention was on Terrell Owens and the Philly fans, how would he be treated, what would T.O. do after he scored, etc. It's nuts. And then we fast forward to the fourth quarter and see Owens yelling at his coaches and teammates, and there's McNabb scoring all the points and getting the win. Just get the win.
Let's go through the games, starting with the big one, since after that there's not a ton of fantasy scoring to discuss.
Eagles 38, Cowboys 24: The big story in fantasy was not Owens or McNabb leading into the game, but whether Brian Westbrook would or would not play. He did play, but didn't look like himself, which isn't surprising. He missed last week, and as soon as the win was secure, there was immediate (and, according to Westbrook himself unsubstantiated) conjecture that Westbrook would have his troublesome knee scoped this week and sit the next three games, then return in Week 10. It makes sense, if it happens. Can Westbrook go on like this all season, not practicing and playing in pain? The Eagles are 4-1, not a safe 4-1, but the way McNabb is playing, maybe it's wise to get Westbrook fixed for December. More on this story to come in the next few days.
MVP: Not only was McNabb the MVP of this game, he's the MVP of the season in the NFL so far. Who else? Sure, the Colts and Bears haven't lost, but you think Peyton Manning or Rex Grossman are more valuable? Manning doesn't have the numbers. Grossman has the best defense. It's McNabb. He entered the week a startling 26 fantasy points ahead of anyone else, and best I can tell with quick math, that lead will now be 39 points over the next guy, Grossman. If you have McNabb, you'd better be 4-1, at least.
LVP: Well, this isn't personal, but for all the pregame talk, Owens caught only three passes, and dropped plenty more. Drew Bledsoe was no prize either with three interceptions, but at least he ran for a score. Nothing to worry about here, as Dallas can clearly move the ball effectively and Bledsoe, 100-yard rusher Julius Jones, a pair of receivers and tight end Jason Witten all have significant fantasy value.
Interesting: Donte' Stallworth was inactive again, but at least fantasy owners had enough of a hint that would happen going in. Who's this Hank Baskett fella? It's a great story, but in reality the Philly wide receiver crew is a shared situation. Baskett caught the 87-yard touchdown, but last week Greg Lewis scored twice and next week there might be another hero. Philly wide receivers are much like New England's, you shouldn't depend on them in fantasy, yet the team wins. I could write yet again that McNabb was a top five fantasy quarterback for years before Owens showed up, but you know this already, right? Right?!?
Chiefs 23, Cardinals 20: Solid effort for newbie Matt Leinart, who completed his first six passes, two for touchdowns, and drove the team to what could have been a game-tying field goal in the final seconds. Can't blame Leinart for this and if you haven't cut Kurt Warner yet, do it this week. He's not getting this job back. Maybe the Redskins end up trading for him, who knows.
MVP: Damon Huard continues to be very effective in not only the short game, but the entire game. This week he had only 12 incompletions and only McNabb threw for more yards. Impressive. I've been saying for more than a week that it wouldn't surprise me if the Chiefs aren't rushing Trent Green back, but everyone in the know tells me that's crazy, that the minute Green is cleared to return, he starts. Huard has played pretty well, hasn't he? Of course the schedule gets tougher the next few weeks, and nobody wants Green to have a setback, but don't ignore Huard on your waiver wire if the reason is because you think he's lose the job any week now. Might not happen.
LVP: Tony Gonzalez owners are angry yet again, as their difference making tight end is making no difference at all. One catch? One stinkin' catch? C'mon, Ernie Conwell and Visanthe Shiancoe had more catches. Who? Exactly. If Huard was bad, which he's clearly not, then he would be leaning more heavily on Gonzalez. But that's not happening. Gonzalez isn't even a guaranteed start any more. Sad.
Interesting: Check out the starting running backs here and it's odd but, Edgerrin James is the one who did OK, and Larry Johnson did not, even though Johnson had more points. Johnson's expectations remain through the roof, but without the offensive line's help, he's just not the same running back. Last week he needed 30 carries to get to 101 yards in a blowout win, and this week he gets 2.3 yards per carry, with none reaching 10 yards. And there's no indication he's hurt. He did break a 78-yard reception and, on a separate play, catch a touchdown. Great. Now he's Reggie Bush? Can't deal him, just gotta wait. And Edge did exactly what we expect, but to reach double digit fantasy points, his owners aren't angry. Odd.
49ers 34, Raiders 20: I'm pleased Alex Smith bounced back with a nice game. No, his yards don't knock you out, but he threw only four incompletions and had three touchdowns, impressive numbers. He didn't over-rely on Antonio Bryant, either. Nice game. He's making strides, and Week 4 looks like a blip. As for the Oakland quarterbacks, do you think Aaron Brooks even wants to come back and play?
MVP: Frank Gore had some impressive numbers in this one. The most impressive? The number zero, for the fumbles. He rushed for 134 yards and caught the ball, and Michael Robinson offered little, including at the goal line.
LVP: What Raiders would you pick here? The quarterbacks? Who, in their right mind, would have used a Raider QB? LaMont Jordan did OK with 71 yards on too few carries. Randy Moss scored again. It's probably Bryant, Robinson and Eric Johnson from the San Fran side.
Interesting: Before you get any ideas about using the 49ers defense in fantasy, since they did have four interceptions Sunday, note that this was the last ranked fantasy defense entering the week, having not picked off any passes and having allowed the most points in the NFL.
Jaguars 41, Jets 0: OK, I was wrong. I don't know why the Jets played right with the Colts through and through, but the Colts handled the Jags, and then the Jets couldn't even score at Jacksonville. And it was ugly. Chad Pennington threw three interceptions. Fred Taylor looked like Jim Brown. How could the Jets have been so competitive, maybe surprisingly so, then done this? Were they Yankees fans?
MVP: Taylor rushed for 111 yards and scored, and similar to the situation in New England, the older guy is going to keep getting the carries. Maurice Jones-Drew scored twice on short runs, but there's room for both guys in fantasy lineups.
LVP: This is the second time this season a dominating defensive effort in a shutout still featured the losing team having a surprise 100-yard rusher. The first time was Week 1 when Ahman Green did it on the Bears. But for Leon Washington to do it, what does that say about Kevan Barlow? And just when so many fantasy owners were convinced that Barlow was worth playing, since he had scored four touchdowns in the first four games. Nobody had more. Now it looks like Barlow, who was really Mr. Negative with four carries for minus one yard and one reception for another minus yard, is bench material for the Jets, and you. Go get Washington.
Interesting: I had Byron Leftwich in a league and while the two touchdowns are nice, man, I needed more than 140 yards. I find irony in Leftwich and Tom Brady each throwing for the same amount of yards and touchdowns. Every so often Leftwich has a big game, like Brady, but more often than not it's just about the victory.
OK, and now to the 1 p.m. ET games.

Bears 40, Bills 7: OK, this one was pretty bad, so why I thought the Bills would make this competitive, I don't know. I thought J.P. Losman had shown improvement this season. The Bills defense had done a good job. But the Bears steamrolled them. It was embarrassing, 40-0 until the final minute. And that just angered those with the Bears D in fantasy. Oooh, that shutout would have been sweet.
MVP: Can someone give this Robbie Gould guy some credit? I checked the fantasy leaderboard after the early games and it was led by the Vikings defense and a kicker, Gould. Ol' Robbie is now 17-for-17 in field goal attempts after nailing four more Sunday. Remember Neil Rackers from last year? Gould's gonna smash those numbers. It's either Gould or the defense for MVP honors; Rex Grossman, who I finally called a weekly play a few days ago, didn't need to do much, but sprinkled two touchdowns in with his 182 yards.
LVP: I didn't expect much more from Willis McGahee, so his 50 yards is no big disappointment (it is nice to see the four receptions). It's gotta be Losman, who had a negative fantasy day until the touchdown pass to Lee Evans. But it's impossible to judge Losman based on the opponent. Who would have played Losman anyway in this one?
Interesting: Thomas Jones owners need not worry than Cedric Benson had more fantasy points; Jones did all the heavy lifting and topped 100 yards rushing for the first time, looking very good. Then the sophomore got the second-half carries and his second touchdown (he also scored in the second quarter). This is still Jones' job. And don't bet against the Bears at home, where they have outscored opponents 111-20.
Rams 23, Packers 20: Finally, it's an intermediate day for Brett Favre, after two very good games with identical stats of 340 yards and three scores, and two miserable efforts against good defenses in which the Packers didn't score a touchdown. Here Favre got 220 yards and a score, perfectly mediocre. It's about time! What did we learn? Nothing. Favre's worth it under the right circumstances, that's about it.
MVP: Rather than pick another kicker, which is the reasonable thing to do (Jeff Wilkins entered the day with more points than Gould, and had 11 points in this one), let's focus on Marc Bulger. He had the same amount of yards as Favre, but a pair of touchdowns. Most people expected more, actually. But kudos to Bulger for still not throwing an interception. Not a one all season. Who would have guessed that?
LVP: Once fantasy owners knew that Ahman Green wasn't going to play, Vernand Morency became the hot replacement. And why not? All he did was rush for 99 yards on Monday night football a week ago. But Morency fumbled on the first drive, and then it became the Noah Herron show, with the third-string back topping 100 yards on the day and earning a first-quarter touchdown. Keep an eye on Green, because if he doesn't play, it sure appears Herron is the option. Morency was started by too many people, and managed 15 yards.
Interesting: Last week Bulger managed to find both of his main wide receivers enough to get Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce over 100 yards receiving. This week he throws his 18 completions to nine different receivers, with nobody topping three, and the only guy topping 40 yards receiving being Tony Fisher. Yuck.
Colts 14, Titans 13: Pathetic. Give credit to Tennessee for not only making this a game, but a game they could have won. Vince Young rushes for an early score and it's 10-0 at the half. A winless team on the road beating the undefeated Colts? Hard to believe. Maybe this defense is better than people thought. Should we reevaluate Daunte Culpepper after the Titans shut him down? Um, no.
MVP: I don't know when the Titans will settle on a starting running back, but it sure looks like Travis Henry is having a better season than Chris Brown, who didn't even dress for the game. Henry ran for 123 yards and looks like a legit flex running back, at worst, if we know he's the starter. Is it me or doesn't it seem like teams are running on the Colts at will? The Jags went wild on them two weeks ago as well.
LVP: It's a disappointing game for just about every Colt to some degree, but at least the top wide receivers scored, and the running backs had some yards. Dominic Rhodes ran for 84 yards, Joseph Addai 62. Other backs did worse. But for Peyton Manning to only get 166 yards, that's far lower than expected. Chalk it up to a bad day or next time your fantasy stars play Tennessee do we have to remember the Titans?
Interesting: You say Vince Young had a big game? Well, there wasn't much doubt he could run. But 68 yards passing doesn't get it done. If it was 168 yards, maybe the Titans would have won. Young is not a good fantasy play, still.
Vikings 26, Lions 17: The final score is certainly misleading, as it was 17-3 Lions into the final quarter, and 17-16 with only a few minutes left. Then Jon Kitna got back to his old tricks sharing the ball and the score got out of hand. The Lions just aren't real good.
MVP: The Vikings defense ended up a nice play, with 20 points in ESPN leagues thanks to Kitna fumbling a ball on his own one and then the late interception return for a score. But Kitna did deliver two touchdowns, so he was worth playing, more so than Brad Johnson was (depending on how you count interceptions).
LVP: Raise your hand if you played Kevin Jones? Ten carries for eight yards? Kitna ran for eight yards on his lone carry! Looks like Jones is firmly back in the fantasy doghouse. In fairness, he did leave with a concussion, but ultimately it's tough to trust him.
Interesting: Even when they were trailing, the Vikings were able to do what they want to do with Chester Taylor, and he finished with 26 carries and a season-high 123 yards. That's ball control. But the passing game has to be more of a threat for times when sure-handed QBs are the opposition.
Patriots 20, Dolphins 10: In reality, the Dolphins didn't fare any better without Daunte Culpepper than they did with him playing poorly. Joey Harrington threw 41 times, which is only two more times than Culpepper did last week. Now what happens to the quarterback situation next game? It's Culpepper, assuming he's healthy. But the Dolphins didn't lose because of Harrington.
MVP: Sticking with the running theme of the fantasy day, few players had outstanding statistical games. The Pats scored two touchdowns, but we can't present Troy Brown or Heath Evans with awards. Tom Brady gets 140 yards? Yawn. We've gotta leave this blank.
LVP: After last week, when he rushed for 125 yards and two scores, most Laurence Maroney owners had him in the lineup. That was a mistake. Hey, I would have played him as well, but Maroney did little, needing an 11-yard run on his final carry just to average more than two yards per carry. Sure, Corey Dillon only rushed for 45 yards, but Maroney was treated like a fantasy superstar this week. Ah, the life of fantasy rookies.
Interesting: Ronnie Brown continues to anger his fantasy owners who made him a first round pick. Just 39 yards? At least he got into the end zone, which is more than the New England backs managed.
Saints 24, Buccaneers 21: What did Reggie Bush do differently in this game? He got the ball thrown his way more times, ultimately ending up with 11 catches. He wasn't a factor rushing the ball. Oh yeah, he broke a punt return for a score to win the game. That's what we expected from Reggie Bush. One play, late in the game resulted in his first pro touchdown, and now fantasy owners are happy. But in reality, it was the same Bush. If you think you can live with that in your lineup, what would have been 80 total yards and no scores until late, keep him active.
MVP: Deuce McAllister is the star of the game statistically with his 123 yards, 57 coming on one play early on, and a 24-yard TD scamper. Still, McAllister only got 15 carries, which is about his average. Can you believe the Saints are 4-1?
LVP: Rookie Marques Colston entered the day with 51 fantasy points, only four behind the leader among wide receivers, Santana Moss. Colston doesn't get any closer with this game, three catches for 38 yards. Really, Drew Brees had a very short passing game, averaging only five yards per completion. Joe Horn wasn't much better.
Interesting: So that Bruce Gradkowski performance wasn't nearly as bad as you thought, was it? Look, the kid was drafted, he obviously has some ability. He's an NFL quarterback. I had to play him in one league, and I did the research, I thought he'd be OK, which he was with 225 yards and two touchdowns. Joey Galloway caught a touchdown early and later a 52-yarder for another 100-yard day. He appears all or nothing, but as I said a week ago, Gradkowski will help his stats. Even Carnell Williams had a big day with 111 rushing yards. How did Tampa lose this game? Oh that's right, on a punt return by some rookie.
Giants 19, Redskins 3: I saw every wobbly Mark Brunell pass in this one, and it was painful. Even my kids started asking who the Redskins backup was. No turnovers in this game by either team, and the Giants held the ball for so much longer, it was methodical, and boring. Just the type of game the Giants needed.
MVP: Again, I don't want to pick a kicker. And Jay Feely could have done more. Eli Manning played smart, accumulating 256 yards and hitting Plaxico Burress on a touchdown pass. No turnovers. Smart. And no quarterback in the early games had within 20 passing yards of Eli.
LVP: Brunell was terrible. But more people played Santana Moss, who had only three receptions for 39 yards. Other than the big Moss game with three scores, he's been, well, Mark Clayton. Not good.
Interesting: Tiki Barber rushed for 123 yards. In Weeks 2 and 3 against the Eagles and Seahawks, he ran for a total of 115 yards. Not that it matters, he's never going to be on a fantasy bench anyway, right? Right?!?
Panthers 20, Browns 12: Yet another game devoid of statistical goodies. One offensive touchdown. That's it. What is there to say about this game? The Browns defense is clearly better than we expected a month ago. But all Charlie Frye could do was get Phil Dawson four field goals.
MVP: Keyshawn Johnson had more yards than Steve Smith, and scored the game's offensive touchdown. That's all it takes. Don't read much into this, Smith was healthy and still remains a top notch fantasy receiver. He did drop three passes, including one in the end zone, however.
LVP: I expected more from the combo of Frye and Braylon Edwards. Kellen Winslow caught eight passes, so he didn't disappoint.
Interesting: DeShaun Foster owners remained cool on playing him, even after last week's 105 yards, which followed up an 82-yard performance. Why fall in love with the guy for fantasy if DeAngelo Williams is just going to overtake him? Well, Williams left early with an ankle injury, and Foster ended up with season highs in carries and yards (106 yards). Foster's looking underrated. More on Tuesday from the Chargers-Steelers game and Monday night.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

McNabb, and everyone else


posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

How low scoring was Week 5 in fantasy football? Well, let's just say there are going to be a lot of close, low scoring games in fantasy football this week. It's possible the Monday night game could provide big numbers, but the Ravens are involved. Really, what are the chances? Can you see Steve McNair throwing for 300 yards? Or<!--##FRONTSTOP##--> Jake Plummer?

How bad was it in comparison to other weeks?
In Week 1, five players had 22 or more points, led by Frank Gore.
In Week 2, 10 players and a defense had 22 or more points, seven of them quarterbacks.
In Week 3, seven players scored 22 or more, with Brian Westbrook getting 35.
And in Week 4, seven players and a defense scored 24 or more, and two of them reached 35.
So that's 29 players in four weeks to reach at least 22 points, and some topped 30. This week? Um, well, there's Donovan McNabb and the Jaguars defense and that's it. McNabb scored 28 fantasy points with his big day against the Cowboys, and the Jags got a shutout. Third place? Um, there's Fred Taylor and another defense, then future Hall of Famers Damon Huard, Robbie Gould and Hank Baskett. I'm not making this up. Win this week 56-52, and that's OK. Last week with all the points I had a team score 122 points, and it lost. It happens.
The win is the important thing, and I think there's some irony in that all week long, all the attention was on Terrell Owens and the Philly fans, how would he be treated, what would T.O. do after he scored, etc. It's nuts. And then we fast forward to the fourth quarter and see Owens yelling at his coaches and teammates, and there's McNabb scoring all the points and getting the win. Just get the win.
Let's go through the games, starting with the big one, since after that there's not a ton of fantasy scoring to discuss.
Eagles 38, Cowboys 24: The big story in fantasy was not Owens or McNabb leading into the game, but whether Brian Westbrook would or would not play. He did play, but didn't look like himself, which isn't surprising. He missed last week, and as soon as the win was secure, there was immediate (and, according to Westbrook himself unsubstantiated) conjecture that Westbrook would have his troublesome knee scoped this week and sit the next three games, then return in Week 10. It makes sense, if it happens. Can Westbrook go on like this all season, not practicing and playing in pain? The Eagles are 4-1, not a safe 4-1, but the way McNabb is playing, maybe it's wise to get Westbrook fixed for December. More on this story to come in the next few days.
MVP: Not only was McNabb the MVP of this game, he's the MVP of the season in the NFL so far. Who else? Sure, the Colts and Bears haven't lost, but you think Peyton Manning or Rex Grossman are more valuable? Manning doesn't have the numbers. Grossman has the best defense. It's McNabb. He entered the week a startling 26 fantasy points ahead of anyone else, and best I can tell with quick math, that lead will now be 39 points over the next guy, Grossman. If you have McNabb, you'd better be 4-1, at least.
LVP: Well, this isn't personal, but for all the pregame talk, Owens caught only three passes, and dropped plenty more. Drew Bledsoe was no prize either with three interceptions, but at least he ran for a score. Nothing to worry about here, as Dallas can clearly move the ball effectively and Bledsoe, 100-yard rusher Julius Jones, a pair of receivers and tight end Jason Witten all have significant fantasy value.
Interesting: Donte' Stallworth was inactive again, but at least fantasy owners had enough of a hint that would happen going in. Who's this Hank Baskett fella? It's a great story, but in reality the Philly wide receiver crew is a shared situation. Baskett caught the 87-yard touchdown, but last week Greg Lewis scored twice and next week there might be another hero. Philly wide receivers are much like New England's, you shouldn't depend on them in fantasy, yet the team wins. I could write yet again that McNabb was a top five fantasy quarterback for years before Owens showed up, but you know this already, right? Right?!?
Chiefs 23, Cardinals 20: Solid effort for newbie Matt Leinart, who completed his first six passes, two for touchdowns, and drove the team to what could have been a game-tying field goal in the final seconds. Can't blame Leinart for this and if you haven't cut Kurt Warner yet, do it this week. He's not getting this job back. Maybe the Redskins end up trading for him, who knows.
MVP: Damon Huard continues to be very effective in not only the short game, but the entire game. This week he had only 12 incompletions and only McNabb threw for more yards. Impressive. I've been saying for more than a week that it wouldn't surprise me if the Chiefs aren't rushing Trent Green back, but everyone in the know tells me that's crazy, that the minute Green is cleared to return, he starts. Huard has played pretty well, hasn't he? Of course the schedule gets tougher the next few weeks, and nobody wants Green to have a setback, but don't ignore Huard on your waiver wire if the reason is because you think he's lose the job any week now. Might not happen.
LVP: Tony Gonzalez owners are angry yet again, as their difference making tight end is making no difference at all. One catch? One stinkin' catch? C'mon, Ernie Conwell and Visanthe Shiancoe had more catches. Who? Exactly. If Huard was bad, which he's clearly not, then he would be leaning more heavily on Gonzalez. But that's not happening. Gonzalez isn't even a guaranteed start any more. Sad.
Interesting: Check out the starting running backs here and it's odd but, Edgerrin James is the one who did OK, and Larry Johnson did not, even though Johnson had more points. Johnson's expectations remain through the roof, but without the offensive line's help, he's just not the same running back. Last week he needed 30 carries to get to 101 yards in a blowout win, and this week he gets 2.3 yards per carry, with none reaching 10 yards. And there's no indication he's hurt. He did break a 78-yard reception and, on a separate play, catch a touchdown. Great. Now he's Reggie Bush? Can't deal him, just gotta wait. And Edge did exactly what we expect, but to reach double digit fantasy points, his owners aren't angry. Odd.
49ers 34, Raiders 20: I'm pleased Alex Smith bounced back with a nice game. No, his yards don't knock you out, but he threw only four incompletions and had three touchdowns, impressive numbers. He didn't over-rely on Antonio Bryant, either. Nice game. He's making strides, and Week 4 looks like a blip. As for the Oakland quarterbacks, do you think Aaron Brooks even wants to come back and play?
MVP: Frank Gore had some impressive numbers in this one. The most impressive? The number zero, for the fumbles. He rushed for 134 yards and caught the ball, and Michael Robinson offered little, including at the goal line.
LVP: What Raiders would you pick here? The quarterbacks? Who, in their right mind, would have used a Raider QB? LaMont Jordan did OK with 71 yards on too few carries. Randy Moss scored again. It's probably Bryant, Robinson and Eric Johnson from the San Fran side.
Interesting: Before you get any ideas about using the 49ers defense in fantasy, since they did have four interceptions Sunday, note that this was the last ranked fantasy defense entering the week, having not picked off any passes and having allowed the most points in the NFL.
Jaguars 41, Jets 0: OK, I was wrong. I don't know why the Jets played right with the Colts through and through, but the Colts handled the Jags, and then the Jets couldn't even score at Jacksonville. And it was ugly. Chad Pennington threw three interceptions. Fred Taylor looked like Jim Brown. How could the Jets have been so competitive, maybe surprisingly so, then done this? Were they Yankees fans?
MVP: Taylor rushed for 111 yards and scored, and similar to the situation in New England, the older guy is going to keep getting the carries. Maurice Jones-Drew scored twice on short runs, but there's room for both guys in fantasy lineups.
LVP: This is the second time this season a dominating defensive effort in a shutout still featured the losing team having a surprise 100-yard rusher. The first time was Week 1 when Ahman Green did it on the Bears. But for Leon Washington to do it, what does that say about Kevan Barlow? And just when so many fantasy owners were convinced that Barlow was worth playing, since he had scored four touchdowns in the first four games. Nobody had more. Now it looks like Barlow, who was really Mr. Negative with four carries for minus one yard and one reception for another minus yard, is bench material for the Jets, and you. Go get Washington.
Interesting: I had Byron Leftwich in a league and while the two touchdowns are nice, man, I needed more than 140 yards. I find irony in Leftwich and Tom Brady each throwing for the same amount of yards and touchdowns. Every so often Leftwich has a big game, like Brady, but more often than not it's just about the victory.
OK, and now to the 1 p.m. ET games.

Bears 40, Bills 7: OK, this one was pretty bad, so why I thought the Bills would make this competitive, I don't know. I thought J.P. Losman had shown improvement this season. The Bills defense had done a good job. But the Bears steamrolled them. It was embarrassing, 40-0 until the final minute. And that just angered those with the Bears D in fantasy. Oooh, that shutout would have been sweet.
MVP: Can someone give this Robbie Gould guy some credit? I checked the fantasy leaderboard after the early games and it was led by the Vikings defense and a kicker, Gould. Ol' Robbie is now 17-for-17 in field goal attempts after nailing four more Sunday. Remember Neil Rackers from last year? Gould's gonna smash those numbers. It's either Gould or the defense for MVP honors; Rex Grossman, who I finally called a weekly play a few days ago, didn't need to do much, but sprinkled two touchdowns in with his 182 yards.
LVP: I didn't expect much more from Willis McGahee, so his 50 yards is no big disappointment (it is nice to see the four receptions). It's gotta be Losman, who had a negative fantasy day until the touchdown pass to Lee Evans. But it's impossible to judge Losman based on the opponent. Who would have played Losman anyway in this one?
Interesting: Thomas Jones owners need not worry than Cedric Benson had more fantasy points; Jones did all the heavy lifting and topped 100 yards rushing for the first time, looking very good. Then the sophomore got the second-half carries and his second touchdown (he also scored in the second quarter). This is still Jones' job. And don't bet against the Bears at home, where they have outscored opponents 111-20.
Rams 23, Packers 20: Finally, it's an intermediate day for Brett Favre, after two very good games with identical stats of 340 yards and three scores, and two miserable efforts against good defenses in which the Packers didn't score a touchdown. Here Favre got 220 yards and a score, perfectly mediocre. It's about time! What did we learn? Nothing. Favre's worth it under the right circumstances, that's about it.
MVP: Rather than pick another kicker, which is the reasonable thing to do (Jeff Wilkins entered the day with more points than Gould, and had 11 points in this one), let's focus on Marc Bulger. He had the same amount of yards as Favre, but a pair of touchdowns. Most people expected more, actually. But kudos to Bulger for still not throwing an interception. Not a one all season. Who would have guessed that?
LVP: Once fantasy owners knew that Ahman Green wasn't going to play, Vernand Morency became the hot replacement. And why not? All he did was rush for 99 yards on Monday night football a week ago. But Morency fumbled on the first drive, and then it became the Noah Herron show, with the third-string back topping 100 yards on the day and earning a first-quarter touchdown. Keep an eye on Green, because if he doesn't play, it sure appears Herron is the option. Morency was started by too many people, and managed 15 yards.
Interesting: Last week Bulger managed to find both of his main wide receivers enough to get Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce over 100 yards receiving. This week he throws his 18 completions to nine different receivers, with nobody topping three, and the only guy topping 40 yards receiving being Tony Fisher. Yuck.
Colts 14, Titans 13: Pathetic. Give credit to Tennessee for not only making this a game, but a game they could have won. Vince Young rushes for an early score and it's 10-0 at the half. A winless team on the road beating the undefeated Colts? Hard to believe. Maybe this defense is better than people thought. Should we reevaluate Daunte Culpepper after the Titans shut him down? Um, no.
MVP: I don't know when the Titans will settle on a starting running back, but it sure looks like Travis Henry is having a better season than Chris Brown, who didn't even dress for the game. Henry ran for 123 yards and looks like a legit flex running back, at worst, if we know he's the starter. Is it me or doesn't it seem like teams are running on the Colts at will? The Jags went wild on them two weeks ago as well.
LVP: It's a disappointing game for just about every Colt to some degree, but at least the top wide receivers scored, and the running backs had some yards. Dominic Rhodes ran for 84 yards, Joseph Addai 62. Other backs did worse. But for Peyton Manning to only get 166 yards, that's far lower than expected. Chalk it up to a bad day or next time your fantasy stars play Tennessee do we have to remember the Titans?
Interesting: You say Vince Young had a big game? Well, there wasn't much doubt he could run. But 68 yards passing doesn't get it done. If it was 168 yards, maybe the Titans would have won. Young is not a good fantasy play, still.
Vikings 26, Lions 17: The final score is certainly misleading, as it was 17-3 Lions into the final quarter, and 17-16 with only a few minutes left. Then Jon Kitna got back to his old tricks sharing the ball and the score got out of hand. The Lions just aren't real good.
MVP: The Vikings defense ended up a nice play, with 20 points in ESPN leagues thanks to Kitna fumbling a ball on his own one and then the late interception return for a score. But Kitna did deliver two touchdowns, so he was worth playing, more so than Brad Johnson was (depending on how you count interceptions).
LVP: Raise your hand if you played Kevin Jones? Ten carries for eight yards? Kitna ran for eight yards on his lone carry! Looks like Jones is firmly back in the fantasy doghouse. In fairness, he did leave with a concussion, but ultimately it's tough to trust him.
Interesting: Even when they were trailing, the Vikings were able to do what they want to do with Chester Taylor, and he finished with 26 carries and a season-high 123 yards. That's ball control. But the passing game has to be more of a threat for times when sure-handed QBs are the opposition.
Patriots 20, Dolphins 10: In reality, the Dolphins didn't fare any better without Daunte Culpepper than they did with him playing poorly. Joey Harrington threw 41 times, which is only two more times than Culpepper did last week. Now what happens to the quarterback situation next game? It's Culpepper, assuming he's healthy. But the Dolphins didn't lose because of Harrington.
MVP: Sticking with the running theme of the fantasy day, few players had outstanding statistical games. The Pats scored two touchdowns, but we can't present Troy Brown or Heath Evans with awards. Tom Brady gets 140 yards? Yawn. We've gotta leave this blank.
LVP: After last week, when he rushed for 125 yards and two scores, most Laurence Maroney owners had him in the lineup. That was a mistake. Hey, I would have played him as well, but Maroney did little, needing an 11-yard run on his final carry just to average more than two yards per carry. Sure, Corey Dillon only rushed for 45 yards, but Maroney was treated like a fantasy superstar this week. Ah, the life of fantasy rookies.
Interesting: Ronnie Brown continues to anger his fantasy owners who made him a first round pick. Just 39 yards? At least he got into the end zone, which is more than the New England backs managed.
Saints 24, Buccaneers 21: What did Reggie Bush do differently in this game? He got the ball thrown his way more times, ultimately ending up with 11 catches. He wasn't a factor rushing the ball. Oh yeah, he broke a punt return for a score to win the game. That's what we expected from Reggie Bush. One play, late in the game resulted in his first pro touchdown, and now fantasy owners are happy. But in reality, it was the same Bush. If you think you can live with that in your lineup, what would have been 80 total yards and no scores until late, keep him active.
MVP: Deuce McAllister is the star of the game statistically with his 123 yards, 57 coming on one play early on, and a 24-yard TD scamper. Still, McAllister only got 15 carries, which is about his average. Can you believe the Saints are 4-1?
LVP: Rookie Marques Colston entered the day with 51 fantasy points, only four behind the leader among wide receivers, Santana Moss. Colston doesn't get any closer with this game, three catches for 38 yards. Really, Drew Brees had a very short passing game, averaging only five yards per completion. Joe Horn wasn't much better.
Interesting: So that Bruce Gradkowski performance wasn't nearly as bad as you thought, was it? Look, the kid was drafted, he obviously has some ability. He's an NFL quarterback. I had to play him in one league, and I did the research, I thought he'd be OK, which he was with 225 yards and two touchdowns. Joey Galloway caught a touchdown early and later a 52-yarder for another 100-yard day. He appears all or nothing, but as I said a week ago, Gradkowski will help his stats. Even Carnell Williams had a big day with 111 rushing yards. How did Tampa lose this game? Oh that's right, on a punt return by some rookie.
Giants 19, Redskins 3: I saw every wobbly Mark Brunell pass in this one, and it was painful. Even my kids started asking who the Redskins backup was. No turnovers in this game by either team, and the Giants held the ball for so much longer, it was methodical, and boring. Just the type of game the Giants needed.
MVP: Again, I don't want to pick a kicker. And Jay Feely could have done more. Eli Manning played smart, accumulating 256 yards and hitting Plaxico Burress on a touchdown pass. No turnovers. Smart. And no quarterback in the early games had within 20 passing yards of Eli.
LVP: Brunell was terrible. But more people played Santana Moss, who had only three receptions for 39 yards. Other than the big Moss game with three scores, he's been, well, Mark Clayton. Not good.
Interesting: Tiki Barber rushed for 123 yards. In Weeks 2 and 3 against the Eagles and Seahawks, he ran for a total of 115 yards. Not that it matters, he's never going to be on a fantasy bench anyway, right? Right?!?
Panthers 20, Browns 12: Yet another game devoid of statistical goodies. One offensive touchdown. That's it. What is there to say about this game? The Browns defense is clearly better than we expected a month ago. But all Charlie Frye could do was get Phil Dawson four field goals.
MVP: Keyshawn Johnson had more yards than Steve Smith, and scored the game's offensive touchdown. That's all it takes. Don't read much into this, Smith was healthy and still remains a top notch fantasy receiver. He did drop three passes, including one in the end zone, however.
LVP: I expected more from the combo of Frye and Braylon Edwards. Kellen Winslow caught eight passes, so he didn't disappoint.
Interesting: DeShaun Foster owners remained cool on playing him, even after last week's 105 yards, which followed up an 82-yard performance. Why fall in love with the guy for fantasy if DeAngelo Williams is just going to overtake him? Well, Williams left early with an ankle injury, and Foster ended up with season highs in carries and yards (106 yards). Foster's looking underrated. More on Tuesday from the Chargers-Steelers game and Monday night.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Monday, October 9, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Where the Rivers Throws


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->It's kind of fitting that Sunday night's game pitted two 24-year-old, 2004 first-round quarterbacks against each other, because the more I watch the Chargers' Philip Rivers throw, the more I feel like I'm watching a newer version of the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger.
Oh, I know what you're thinking ... Roethlisberger has been a fantasy disaster all season, with two more interceptions on Sunday to bring his season to seven compared to zero touchdowns -- ZERO! -- while averaging only 189.7 passing yards in his three games since returning from his offseason motorcycle accident and early-season appendectomy. But the Roethlisberger to whom I compare the 2006 Rivers is not the Roethlisberger of this year, one who waits too long to locate his receivers, then more often than not makes an ill-advised throw. No, Rivers is shaping up as the kind of quarterback Roethlisberger was from 2004-05, when he was actually a pretty efficient passer.
Look at the similarities: Pittsburgh's offense, in 2004-05, was hardly a pass-friendly one, averaging only 23.0 pass attempts per game in those two seasons, and ranking dead last in the category in each year. Still, with the poised, proficient Roethlisberger under center, the Steelers nevertheless ranked in the top 10 in the league in fewest interceptions in each year, and finished a decent 19th (20) and 15th (21) in the league in touchdown passes in 2004 and 2005. That's a remarkably good performance for a guy in a conservative offense, which speaks volumes about Roethlisberger's talent ... and I do think it's still in there somewhere, hiding. Meanwhile, San Diego's offense, this season, has averaged only 26.8 pass attempts per game, which isn't dead last by any means but is also in the bottom half of the league. Rivers, though, has five TD passes compared to two interceptions, which are pretty good numbers for a guy on a team that leans so heavily on the run.
Of course, any comparison to Roethlisberger 2004-05 has to come with the postscript that he was hardly a "great" fantasy player. Sure, he had 12 multi-TD games, but his better performances were vastly unpredictable. About the greatest appeal with Roethlisberger was his tendency to avoid costly mistakes that hurt your fantasy team, which when you think about it qualifies a guy to be a perfectly respectable backup. When those bye weeks strike, it's a nice feeling to know that your stand-in quarterback at the very least won't hurt you, and that description sure fits Rivers. He's a smart passer, and even one with a little upside.
Plus, as we saw on Sunday, those "safe" types can often step up with a nice outing on occasion, like Rivers' 242-yard, 2-TD effort despite the bad matchup against Pittsburgh. He's sure rounding into peak form quickly, so don't underrate him as a solid No. 2 type. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Week 5 was a bit of a lower-scoring week, and as a result of that, some of the lesser-known names who snuck up on the fantasy points list are suddenly Monday's most-asked-about names. Should you add them? At No. 5, Eagles WR Hank Baskett (19 fantasy points) capitalized on the absence of WR Donte' Stallworth (hamstring), earning his second NFL start and grabbing three passes for 112 yards and a score. Baskett might seem like a no-name right now, but he shouldn't. Remember, before Stallworth was acquired, he was sneaking up a lot of preseason draft lists as one of the more appealing sleepers around, and really, people only forgot his name because of Stallworth's huge Week 1. I wouldn't forget about Baskett. He was targeted six times Sunday, a healthy total, and can only benefit from the fact that most other Eagles receivers are a bit less than 100 percent. ... Bears K Robbie Gould (tied for fifth with 19) is now the league's leader in points (66), five ahead of the Rams' Jeff Wilkins. Granted, I normally say "who cares about kickers," but every year, someone steps up with the "Kicker Year From Nowhere," and this season, it's Gould. He's at 73.6 percent owned right now, but that should be 100 by Week 6. ... Finally, Packers RB Noah Herron cracked the top 10 at No. 9 (18), taking advantage of starting RB Vernand Morency's fumbling problems to step in for 20 carries for 106 yards and a score in relief on Sunday. Of course, it's a battle that could all go for naught if RB Ahman Green returns healthy after the Week 6 bye, but if you're looking for the Green handcuff, Herron's looking like your man. He's the better blocker of the two backups, and many times, NFL teams turn to the more "complete" player when making these kinds of decisions.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Mark Brunell, QB, Redskins
12-for-22 passing. 109 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Among the most frustrating things in fantasy is a guy with nothing but up-and-down performances all season. You know the type: He's cold, earning a spot on the most-dropped list, then he has a big game, maybe two, beginning to regain the trust of fantasy owners and winding up back on the most-added list. Then, right when it seemed safe to trust him again, he posts another stinker of an outing. Doesn't that sound an awful lot like Brunell's 2006? Sure, a lot of people assumed his hot streak -- tearing up the woeful Texans in Week 3 and then carrying that into an impressive performance against a much better Jaguars defense in Week 4 -- would easily carry into the Week 5 game at the Meadowlands, but apparently not. Somehow, these Redskins are building a history in road games against the Giants, and it's not a good history. Last year, in Week 8, they got stomped, 36-0, and this year, they lost again (though they weren't "stomped"), 19-3. The common denominator: In both games, Washington's streaky offense made a good -- not great -- Giants defense look exceptional. Brunell simply isn't the efficient, consistent passer he was with the Jaguars in the late 1990s, and fantasy owners need to learn that while he's OK as a bye-week sub in certain matchups, by no means is he to be trusted on a regular basis. Interesting fact: In Brunell's five games before the 2005 disaster at New York, he averaged 284.4 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. Counting that game against the Giants, he averaged 163.1 yards with four TDs and six interceptions in his next seven contests. That's right, with Brunell, cold spells sure seem a lot likelier to linger than hot streaks.
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<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 5</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles: Ho hum, another week, another big game; 2 in a row as fantasy's top scorer</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>rushTD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>354</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>28</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars: Don't forget, he's still starting! His 3rd 100-yard G in 4 tries vs. NYJ (117.5/G)</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>21</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>111</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>32</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><!-- <tr><td align=center bgcolor="#555555" COLSPAN=6 class="stathead" colspan="6"> </td></tr> --><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Joey Galloway, WR, Buccaneers: QB Bruce Gradkowski didn't hurt him; he was targeted team-high 8 times</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>110</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>8</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>17</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers: His owners hope San Diego's Week 5 commitment to the passing game continues</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>55</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>11</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!-- end also see -->

<!-- begin also see2 -->Surfin' the Scoreboard

Trainer's Room
? Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald left Week 5's game against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury, and after the game he said he felt the hamstring pop, while coach Dennis Green termed it a "fairly serious" injury. It sounds as if Fitzgerald is going to miss some time, and if that's the case, consider picking up WR Bryant Johnson, who would stand to start across from WR Anquan Boldin. QB Matt Leinart did a much better job than expected in his first career start on Sunday, and Johnson was targeted eight times in the second half of the game after Fitzgerald's departure, which is an awfully promising sign.
? Chiefs RB Larry Johnson suffered a strained neck late in Week 5's game at the Cardinals when Arizona CB Antrel Rolle grabbed his facemask. Johnson left under his own power but will require an MRI on Monday to determine his status. RB Dee Brown would likely step in as the Week 6 starter if Johnson misses any time, and while he'd hardly be an appealing play against the Steelers, hey, a starting RB is a starting RB in fantasy.
? Lions RB Kevin Jones suffered a concussion on the team's final drive of the team's Week 5 game at the Vikings, while WR Roy Williams left in the team's first drive due to a back stinger. Losing both players could prove disastrous for Detroit, especially since RBs Shawn Bryson and Brian Calhoun would presumably have to share the running workload if needed for Jones, while WR Mike Furrey would receive a lot more defensive attention. WR Az-Zahir Hakim would step up to start alongside Furrey if Williams misses any time.
? Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams suffered a sprained ankle on his first carry of the Week 5 game against the Browns, and had to be carted to the locker room. His status for Week 6 is unclear, but if the injury is serious, expect RB Nick Goings to see a handful more carries behind RB DeShaun Foster, with RB Eric Shelton serving as the No. 3. ? Friday Box | Thursday Box | Karabell's Blog





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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Monday, October 9, 2006
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT> Where the Rivers Throws


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By Tristan H. Cockcroft
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=762 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=552><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->It's kind of fitting that Sunday night's game pitted two 24-year-old, 2004 first-round quarterbacks against each other, because the more I watch the Chargers' Philip Rivers throw, the more I feel like I'm watching a newer version of the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger.
Oh, I know what you're thinking ... Roethlisberger has been a fantasy disaster all season, with two more interceptions on Sunday to bring his season to seven compared to zero touchdowns -- ZERO! -- while averaging only 189.7 passing yards in his three games since returning from his offseason motorcycle accident and early-season appendectomy. But the Roethlisberger to whom I compare the 2006 Rivers is not the Roethlisberger of this year, one who waits too long to locate his receivers, then more often than not makes an ill-advised throw. No, Rivers is shaping up as the kind of quarterback Roethlisberger was from 2004-05, when he was actually a pretty efficient passer.
Look at the similarities: Pittsburgh's offense, in 2004-05, was hardly a pass-friendly one, averaging only 23.0 pass attempts per game in those two seasons, and ranking dead last in the category in each year. Still, with the poised, proficient Roethlisberger under center, the Steelers nevertheless ranked in the top 10 in the league in fewest interceptions in each year, and finished a decent 19th (20) and 15th (21) in the league in touchdown passes in 2004 and 2005. That's a remarkably good performance for a guy in a conservative offense, which speaks volumes about Roethlisberger's talent ... and I do think it's still in there somewhere, hiding. Meanwhile, San Diego's offense, this season, has averaged only 26.8 pass attempts per game, which isn't dead last by any means but is also in the bottom half of the league. Rivers, though, has five TD passes compared to two interceptions, which are pretty good numbers for a guy on a team that leans so heavily on the run.
Of course, any comparison to Roethlisberger 2004-05 has to come with the postscript that he was hardly a "great" fantasy player. Sure, he had 12 multi-TD games, but his better performances were vastly unpredictable. About the greatest appeal with Roethlisberger was his tendency to avoid costly mistakes that hurt your fantasy team, which when you think about it qualifies a guy to be a perfectly respectable backup. When those bye weeks strike, it's a nice feeling to know that your stand-in quarterback at the very least won't hurt you, and that description sure fits Rivers. He's a smart passer, and even one with a little upside.
Plus, as we saw on Sunday, those "safe" types can often step up with a nice outing on occasion, like Rivers' 242-yard, 2-TD effort despite the bad matchup against Pittsburgh. He's sure rounding into peak form quickly, so don't underrate him as a solid No. 2 type. <STYLE> .headshot { visibility: visible; padding: 0px 5px 4px 0px; float: left;} .bottom { font: 10px verdana, san-serif; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; background: #006633; padding: 5px; } </STYLE>BETWEEN THE LINES
Week 5 was a bit of a lower-scoring week, and as a result of that, some of the lesser-known names who snuck up on the fantasy points list are suddenly Monday's most-asked-about names. Should you add them? At No. 5, Eagles WR Hank Baskett (19 fantasy points) capitalized on the absence of WR Donte' Stallworth (hamstring), earning his second NFL start and grabbing three passes for 112 yards and a score. Baskett might seem like a no-name right now, but he shouldn't. Remember, before Stallworth was acquired, he was sneaking up a lot of preseason draft lists as one of the more appealing sleepers around, and really, people only forgot his name because of Stallworth's huge Week 1. I wouldn't forget about Baskett. He was targeted six times Sunday, a healthy total, and can only benefit from the fact that most other Eagles receivers are a bit less than 100 percent. ... Bears K Robbie Gould (tied for fifth with 19) is now the league's leader in points (66), five ahead of the Rams' Jeff Wilkins. Granted, I normally say "who cares about kickers," but every year, someone steps up with the "Kicker Year From Nowhere," and this season, it's Gould. He's at 73.6 percent owned right now, but that should be 100 by Week 6. ... Finally, Packers RB Noah Herron cracked the top 10 at No. 9 (18), taking advantage of starting RB Vernand Morency's fumbling problems to step in for 20 carries for 106 yards and a score in relief on Sunday. Of course, it's a battle that could all go for naught if RB Ahman Green returns healthy after the Week 6 bye, but if you're looking for the Green handcuff, Herron's looking like your man. He's the better blocker of the two backups, and many times, NFL teams turn to the more "complete" player when making these kinds of decisions.


THE BOTTOM LINE

Mark Brunell, QB, Redskins
12-for-22 passing. 109 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Among the most frustrating things in fantasy is a guy with nothing but up-and-down performances all season. You know the type: He's cold, earning a spot on the most-dropped list, then he has a big game, maybe two, beginning to regain the trust of fantasy owners and winding up back on the most-added list. Then, right when it seemed safe to trust him again, he posts another stinker of an outing. Doesn't that sound an awful lot like Brunell's 2006? Sure, a lot of people assumed his hot streak -- tearing up the woeful Texans in Week 3 and then carrying that into an impressive performance against a much better Jaguars defense in Week 4 -- would easily carry into the Week 5 game at the Meadowlands, but apparently not. Somehow, these Redskins are building a history in road games against the Giants, and it's not a good history. Last year, in Week 8, they got stomped, 36-0, and this year, they lost again (though they weren't "stomped"), 19-3. The common denominator: In both games, Washington's streaky offense made a good -- not great -- Giants defense look exceptional. Brunell simply isn't the efficient, consistent passer he was with the Jaguars in the late 1990s, and fantasy owners need to learn that while he's OK as a bye-week sub in certain matchups, by no means is he to be trusted on a regular basis. Interesting fact: In Brunell's five games before the 2005 disaster at New York, he averaged 284.4 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. Counting that game against the Giants, he averaged 163.1 yards with four TDs and six interceptions in his next seven contests. That's right, with Brunell, cold spells sure seem a lot likelier to linger than hot streaks.
<!--end leftcol --></TD><TD width=15><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="15"></TD><TD class=rightcell vAlign=top width=195><!-- begin rightcol --><!-- begin also see -->TOP LINES
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=stathead align=middle bgColor=#555555 colSpan=6>Week 5</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles: Ho hum, another week, another big game; 2 in a row as fantasy's top scorer</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>passYDS</TD><TD>passTD</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>rushTD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>354</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>2</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>28</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Fred Taylor, RB, Jaguars: Don't forget, he's still starting! His 3rd 100-yard G in 4 tries vs. NYJ (117.5/G)</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>ATT</TD><TD>rushYDS</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>21</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>111</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>32</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>20</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><!-- <tr><td align=center bgcolor="#555555" COLSPAN=6 class="stathead" colspan="6"> </td></tr> --><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Joey Galloway, WR, Buccaneers: QB Bruce Gradkowski didn't hurt him; he was targeted team-high 8 times</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>4</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>110</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>8</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>17</NOBR></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=5 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD colSpan=5>Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers: His owners hope San Diego's Week 5 commitment to the passing game continues</TD></TR><!-- inline box score --><TR class=colhead><TD>REC</TD><TD>recYDS</TD><TD>TARGET</TD><TD>TD</TD><TD>FPTS</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD><NOBR>3</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>55</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>7</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>1</NOBR></TD><TD><NOBR>11</NOBR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!-- end also see -->

<!-- begin also see2 -->Surfin' the Scoreboard

Trainer's Room
? Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald left Week 5's game against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury, and after the game he said he felt the hamstring pop, while coach Dennis Green termed it a "fairly serious" injury. It sounds as if Fitzgerald is going to miss some time, and if that's the case, consider picking up WR Bryant Johnson, who would stand to start across from WR Anquan Boldin. QB Matt Leinart did a much better job than expected in his first career start on Sunday, and Johnson was targeted eight times in the second half of the game after Fitzgerald's departure, which is an awfully promising sign.
? Chiefs RB Larry Johnson suffered a strained neck late in Week 5's game at the Cardinals when Arizona CB Antrel Rolle grabbed his facemask. Johnson left under his own power but will require an MRI on Monday to determine his status. RB Dee Brown would likely step in as the Week 6 starter if Johnson misses any time, and while he'd hardly be an appealing play against the Steelers, hey, a starting RB is a starting RB in fantasy.
? Lions RB Kevin Jones suffered a concussion on the team's final drive of the team's Week 5 game at the Vikings, while WR Roy Williams left in the team's first drive due to a back stinger. Losing both players could prove disastrous for Detroit, especially since RBs Shawn Bryson and Brian Calhoun would presumably have to share the running workload if needed for Jones, while WR Mike Furrey would receive a lot more defensive attention. WR Az-Zahir Hakim would step up to start alongside Furrey if Williams misses any time.
? Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams suffered a sprained ankle on his first carry of the Week 5 game against the Browns, and had to be carted to the locker room. His status for Week 6 is unclear, but if the injury is serious, expect RB Nick Goings to see a handful more carries behind RB DeShaun Foster, with RB Eric Shelton serving as the No. 3. ? Friday Box | Thursday Box | Karabell's Blog





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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Oct. 9, 2006, 1:13 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


Week 5: Was Giants-Skins misleading?


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By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->One of the most difficult things about my job is determining what constitutes a trend. Just like you and me, NFL players and coaches have bad days. And when a few of them coincide in one locker room, you occasionally get a steaming, stinking slag heap of a game from a quality team.
Quantifying the effect of home field, weather and favorable and unfavorable individual matchups are tough enough. But what about elements like focus, motivation and discipline? When one NFL contest constitutes 1/16th of a season -- 10 games in MLB or five in the NBA -- the impulse is to draw some sort of conclusion. Even when there's none to be had. <TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="8"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES TO EXPLOIT IN WEEK 6
5. Lions: Bills QB J.P. Losman could be a sneaky start, along with WRs Peerless Price and Roscoe Parrish.
4. Bengals: Hold off on Gradkowski, but consider RB Carnell Williams, WR Joey Galloway and TE Alex Smith a go.
3. Raiders: Oakland's D isn't terrible, but Denver will make it look that way. QB Jake Plummer and WR Rod Smith are in play.
2. Texans: Holy schniekes, are the Cowboys in line for some serious self-therapy at Texas Stadium this week.
1. Titans: Watch QB Mark Brunell get well (again) at home. RB Ladell Betts could be this week's Jones-Drew.

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And that's where I was after Sunday's Redskins-Giants game. Washington's offense was phenomenal in Weeks 3 and 4, with RB Clinton Portis getting healthy and opening things up downfield for WR Santana Moss. New York's pass rush had sputtered early in the season, and the secondary isn't good enough to keep receivers covered for more than a blink or two. But instead of a game marking the second coming of the apocalypse for the Giants, everything suddenly clicked. Or maybe they just fell apart for the Redskins.
At any rate, the middle of New York's defense -- what I considered its soft spot going into the season -- continued to hold strong as some dude named DT Barry Cofield (a fourth-round pick out of Northwestern) helped stop up Washington's formidable interior run game. DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora suddenly were getting to the quarterback -- on their own, via four-man rush, no less. Coordinator Tim Lewis didn't have to blitz as frequently, allowing for maximum personnel in coverage, and New York's veteran defense wasn't fooled by all of the Redskins' pre-snap movement.
Of course, it's important to note that Washington stayed within a field goal until two seconds before halftime. The Redskins' blitz missed QB Eli Manning by an eyelash on a big throw to WR Amani Toomer, which set up a field goal. If not for one bad step (or with a little help), FS Sean Taylor might have batted away WR Plaxico Burress' TD catch. The difference between the two teams' third-down numbers and scoring was a matter of inches.
I will say this: I'm not sold on New York's D, and I still think Washington's is only about a player away. Sure, the Giants' early schedule was a killer. The remade secondary is bound to get better with time. And if Lewis continues to dumb down the scheme, mistakes can be minimized and gimmicks like the no-huddle won't be too harmful. But New York faces playoff-caliber clubs on the road the next two weeks, and Atlanta QB Michael Vick and RBs Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood will test the gap discipline of LBs LaVar Arrington (a freelancer) and Gerris Wilkinson (a rookie).
The Redskins need a healthy CB Shawn Springs. True, they also need more depth up front to keep their aging linemen fresh, and they can't afford another injury anywhere. But the effect Springs would have -- blanketing opposing No. 1 receivers and knocking CBs Carlos Rogers and Kenny Wright down a rung -- could make the difference between a handful of sacks and a turnover or two per game. That's how close the D was against New York. And the Giants' offense, lest we forget, ain't half bad. Trouble is, Springs has been slow to come around and Washington still has Indianapolis, Dallas, Philadelphia (twice), Carolina and Atlanta on the schedule before Week 14. After next week (at home against Tennessee), you might want to consider cutting bait.
TWO CENTS, AND THEN SOME ...

I'm telling you, don't get sucked in by kid QBs Matt Leinart and Bruce Gradkowski. I understand the urge, especially with QBs Chad Pennington, Daunte Culpepper and Ben Roethlisberger playing poorly. Just resist. Chew some Nicorette or something. A rookie passer in his second and third NFL games, especially after a strong debut, is like Nuke LaLoosh catching big-league opponents the second time around. Advanced scouting reports can be a nasty weapon. ...
What happened to that tight end revolution prophecied by so many? Through five weeks, Owen Daniels, Daniel Wilcox and Chris Baker have scored more than Tony Gonzalez and Jeremy Shockey. Bo Scaife has better numbers than Chris Cooley and Jason Witten. Before the season I warned about using high picks on Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Folks who waited to grab a Kellen Winslow or L.J. Smith in the waning moments of their drafts are feeling fat and sassy right about now. ...
Lots of whining about running back platoons going on these days. But the rules are the same for all of us. Besides, karma can be a wonderful thing. RB Cedric Benson burned me Sunday (RB Thomas Jones' 11-point output by all rights should've been 24), but RB Leon Washington showed me the love. The lucky sap who owns and started both RB Fred Taylor and RB Maurice Jones-Drew surely had to unwind with a Marlboro after Jacksonville's rushfest Sunday. Stay on top of the league and use trends to your advantage. Raging against two-back offenses sounds like grandpa grumbling about that rassa-frackin', consarned high-definition whatchamajigger. It's called progress. Get used to it.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Oct. 9, 2006, 1:13 PM
<SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://ai059.insightexpressai.com/adServer/adServer.aspx?bannerID=7560"></SCRIPT>


Week 5: Was Giants-Skins misleading?


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Jason --><!-- lastName = Langendorf -->
By Jason Langendorf
ESPN Fantasy Games

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->One of the most difficult things about my job is determining what constitutes a trend. Just like you and me, NFL players and coaches have bad days. And when a few of them coincide in one locker room, you occasionally get a steaming, stinking slag heap of a game from a quality team.
Quantifying the effect of home field, weather and favorable and unfavorable individual matchups are tough enough. But what about elements like focus, motivation and discipline? When one NFL contest constitutes 1/16th of a season -- 10 games in MLB or five in the NBA -- the impulse is to draw some sort of conclusion. Even when there's none to be had. <TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="8"></TD><TD width=300 bgColor=#ecece4>FIVE DEFENSES TO EXPLOIT IN WEEK 6
5. Lions: Bills QB J.P. Losman could be a sneaky start, along with WRs Peerless Price and Roscoe Parrish.
4. Bengals: Hold off on Gradkowski, but consider RB Carnell Williams, WR Joey Galloway and TE Alex Smith a go.
3. Raiders: Oakland's D isn't terrible, but Denver will make it look that way. QB Jake Plummer and WR Rod Smith are in play.
2. Texans: Holy schniekes, are the Cowboys in line for some serious self-therapy at Texas Stadium this week.
1. Titans: Watch QB Mark Brunell get well (again) at home. RB Ladell Betts could be this week's Jones-Drew.

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And that's where I was after Sunday's Redskins-Giants game. Washington's offense was phenomenal in Weeks 3 and 4, with RB Clinton Portis getting healthy and opening things up downfield for WR Santana Moss. New York's pass rush had sputtered early in the season, and the secondary isn't good enough to keep receivers covered for more than a blink or two. But instead of a game marking the second coming of the apocalypse for the Giants, everything suddenly clicked. Or maybe they just fell apart for the Redskins.
At any rate, the middle of New York's defense -- what I considered its soft spot going into the season -- continued to hold strong as some dude named DT Barry Cofield (a fourth-round pick out of Northwestern) helped stop up Washington's formidable interior run game. DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora suddenly were getting to the quarterback -- on their own, via four-man rush, no less. Coordinator Tim Lewis didn't have to blitz as frequently, allowing for maximum personnel in coverage, and New York's veteran defense wasn't fooled by all of the Redskins' pre-snap movement.
Of course, it's important to note that Washington stayed within a field goal until two seconds before halftime. The Redskins' blitz missed QB Eli Manning by an eyelash on a big throw to WR Amani Toomer, which set up a field goal. If not for one bad step (or with a little help), FS Sean Taylor might have batted away WR Plaxico Burress' TD catch. The difference between the two teams' third-down numbers and scoring was a matter of inches.
I will say this: I'm not sold on New York's D, and I still think Washington's is only about a player away. Sure, the Giants' early schedule was a killer. The remade secondary is bound to get better with time. And if Lewis continues to dumb down the scheme, mistakes can be minimized and gimmicks like the no-huddle won't be too harmful. But New York faces playoff-caliber clubs on the road the next two weeks, and Atlanta QB Michael Vick and RBs Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood will test the gap discipline of LBs LaVar Arrington (a freelancer) and Gerris Wilkinson (a rookie).
The Redskins need a healthy CB Shawn Springs. True, they also need more depth up front to keep their aging linemen fresh, and they can't afford another injury anywhere. But the effect Springs would have -- blanketing opposing No. 1 receivers and knocking CBs Carlos Rogers and Kenny Wright down a rung -- could make the difference between a handful of sacks and a turnover or two per game. That's how close the D was against New York. And the Giants' offense, lest we forget, ain't half bad. Trouble is, Springs has been slow to come around and Washington still has Indianapolis, Dallas, Philadelphia (twice), Carolina and Atlanta on the schedule before Week 14. After next week (at home against Tennessee), you might want to consider cutting bait.
TWO CENTS, AND THEN SOME ...

I'm telling you, don't get sucked in by kid QBs Matt Leinart and Bruce Gradkowski. I understand the urge, especially with QBs Chad Pennington, Daunte Culpepper and Ben Roethlisberger playing poorly. Just resist. Chew some Nicorette or something. A rookie passer in his second and third NFL games, especially after a strong debut, is like Nuke LaLoosh catching big-league opponents the second time around. Advanced scouting reports can be a nasty weapon. ...
What happened to that tight end revolution prophecied by so many? Through five weeks, Owen Daniels, Daniel Wilcox and Chris Baker have scored more than Tony Gonzalez and Jeremy Shockey. Bo Scaife has better numbers than Chris Cooley and Jason Witten. Before the season I warned about using high picks on Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Folks who waited to grab a Kellen Winslow or L.J. Smith in the waning moments of their drafts are feeling fat and sassy right about now. ...
Lots of whining about running back platoons going on these days. But the rules are the same for all of us. Besides, karma can be a wonderful thing. RB Cedric Benson burned me Sunday (RB Thomas Jones' 11-point output by all rights should've been 24), but RB Leon Washington showed me the love. The lucky sap who owns and started both RB Fred Taylor and RB Maurice Jones-Drew surely had to unwind with a Marlboro after Jacksonville's rushfest Sunday. Stay on top of the league and use trends to your advantage. Raging against two-back offenses sounds like grandpa grumbling about that rassa-frackin', consarned high-definition whatchamajigger. It's called progress. Get used to it.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Oct. 9, 2006, 5:31 PM
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Engel: Week 5 wrapup


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By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the fourth week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
T.O. not in the flow: So much for the talk that Terrell Owens would thrive on controversy. Good defensive preparation by the Eagles overcame Owens' desire to sting his former team on Sunday. Owens didn't catch a pass until the third quarter, and he finished with only three receptions for 45 yards. Drew Bledsoe did look in Owens' direction often in the second half, but the Eagles' defensive backs frustrated him with physical coverage, denied the deep routes and didn't let Owens get behind the secondary. In the first half, Owens didn't catch a pass, as he was well-covered in both single coverage and double-team situations. Owens hasn't appeared to be open much for anything but underneath or shorter passes in the past two games. His classic big-play ability hasn't been on display for most of this season, and Owens isn't a definite fantasy starter by any means. The constant pressure on Bledsoe Sunday didn't help, but Owens simply isn't doing enough to get the ball, or making much happen when he does catch it. It appears all the extra attention he is drawing to himself is detrimental, especially on the field.
Arizona awakes: Rookie QB Matt Leinart earned instant respect in his first NFL start. Playing behind the same shaky offensive line and with the same "lesser version" of Edgerrin James that seemed to drag down the passing game under Kurt Warner, Leinart looked much better than the former fantasy superstar. He made only one turnover, managed the game well, especially for a first-year player, and most importantly, he helped Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald rediscover the end zone (Keep an eye on Fitz' status as he left the game with a hamstring injury). Leinart immediately established himself with a 49-yard scoring pass to Boldin. Leinart displayed the poise and confidence that many experts said made him look better than the average rookie. His inexperience might still hurt him at times in the weeks ahead, but Leinart has demonstrated he can pump some needed life back into the Arizona offense. If he can continue to make defenses respect the passing game, Leinart will be a fine fantasy backup who can also help James face less defensive attention while giving the RB more opportunities to score from short range. Leinart does seem aware of the shortcomings of his blockers, and seems prepared to make quick decisions instead of absorbing several big hits and sacks as Warner did.
Chester Taylor re-establishes himself: Fantasy owners of Taylor were becoming concerned about the Minnesota running back entering the season's fifth week. His number of carries had been dropping every week since the opener, and he rushed only 10 times for 23 yards at Buffalo last Sunday. Taylor was beginning to elicit worries that he couldn't handle the pounding of being a regularly featured RB, especially after an ankle problem seemed to be a factor against the Bills. But against one of the most physical defensive fronts he might face this year, Taylor showed he is still worthy of being a regular No. 2 fantasy RB. The Lions had become notorious for making opposing runners battle hard for yardage, but Taylor banged and slashed his way through the front seven for 123 yards on 26 carries. He also added 31 receiving yards. Taylor is strong, determined and versatile. If you benched him this week because of the disappointing outing against the Bills, his performance against Detroit proves any concerns you had about Taylor should have been temporary, and no longer apply.
Nearly a shocker: The Titans actually controlled the first half in an eventual loss at Indianapolis, as they controlled the clock with a surprisingly effective running game. Travis Henry ran for 123 yards, his first 100-yard game in a Tennessee uniform. Rookie LenDale White rushed for 48 yards on eight carries, and showed a lot of promise, as he bounced off many tacklers and fought hard for extra yardage. Chris Brown was inactive, and the feisty Henry showed much of the strength and authority he used to display as a Buffalo Bill a few years ago. He'll be a good free-agent addition this upcoming week, but White was very impressive at times and could still end up as the No. 1 RB at some point later this year. Meanwhile, the Colts' running game wasn't a major threat, and the Titans sat back and defended the deep ball for much of the day. Eventually, the Tennessee defense cracked, but the team does now offer some hope in the running game, and won't necessarily be a weekly pushover anymore. Green Bay's new starting RB?: When Ahman Green was deactivated, many fantasy owners rushed to plug in Packers backup Vernand Morency, who had rushed for just under 100 yards on Monday night against the Eagles. But Morency nearly was benched against the Eagles when he lost the ball on an exchange with Brett Favre. The turnover was credited to Favre, but nearly cost Morency playing time against Philly. Ultimately, Morency was sat down Sunday against St. Louis when he again fumbled in the first quarter. Noah Herron took over, and rushed for 106 yards and a TD on 20 carries, and caught five balls for 20 yards. Herron is a compact, strong runner with good vision and quick feet. If Green continues to miss time, Herron could keep a firm hold on the No. 1 RB job. Add him this week, especially if you are a Green owner. Despite all the recent public ravings about Morency from the coaching staff, he appears to have lost his chance to play regularly in Green's place for the time being.


Brilliant Bernard: For as much talk as there was of Muhsin Muhammad developing a fine on-field relationship with the improving Rex Grossman, it's clear the Bears' resurgent QB definitely has another favorite target. And it's not just because defenses respect Muhammad so much because of his reputation and past achievements. Opposing defenders already have started to pay more attention to Bernard Berrian, and still can't seem to stop him, anyway. I originally thought Berrian was just a speedster who wouldn't consistently challenge defenses. But he has proved a skeptic like me wrong, and has surprised fantasy players everywhere. When he isn't getting deep, Berrian is making tough catches over the middle and on key downs, even as opposing defensive backs hang all over him. No one saw it coming, but the Bears now have a must-start fantasy receiver, and it's a guy who wasn't even drafted in most leagues. Berrian has now caught four TD passes in five games, and has totaled only less than 70 receiving yards in a game just once this year.
Return of the Cadillac: Just when he was disappointing us so much that we couldn't confidently put him in our lineup as even a flex player anymore, Carnell Williams resurfaced in a loss to New Orleans. Maybe the bye week helped get some needed rest from recently reported back problems. The solid play of rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski certainly helped Williams, as the New Orleans defense had to respect the Tampa Bay passing game, especially after Gradowski threw a first quarter scoring toss to the ultra-reliable Joey Galloway. Williams rushed for 111 yards on just 20 carries, as he appeared smoother and sleeker than he did before the bye. But Mike Alstott scored Tampa Bay's only rushing TD of the day and will continue to play the "vulture" role. It is a good time to sell high on Cadillac this week, because he hasn't been dependable so far in his pro career. Williams can certainly be very productive at times, but injuries and inconsistent statistical contributions have dragged his value down overall. He'll need much more than just one good outing to fully regain my endorsement as a top fantasy RB.
The New Orleans RB report: Sunday's performance by Deuce McAllister was impressive, and proved he has indeed recaptured much of the form that made him a top fantasy RB before he was injured last year. McAllister rushed for 123 yards, including a 24-yard scoring run. While there is no doubt McAllister can still run effectively inside, he showed off more speed and elusiveness, especially in the open field, than he did in past weeks. McAllister is definitely running with increased confidence and isn't hesitating to use cutback ability to make defenders miss. Don't hesitate anymore to use him as your No. 2 RB. Rookie Reggie Bush scored on a 65-yard punt return, but his individual fantasy numbers weren't thrilling, again. While he caught the ball 11 times, Bush finished with just 63 receiving yards and added just 23 rushing yards on nine carries. Bush is starting to look more like a wide receiver who gets backup RB numbers as a minor bonus. When any player catches the ball 11 times and doesn't score on offense, it's a definite concern. Bush continues to draw a crowd any time he touches the ball on offense, and he's a risky starter until he starts to break loose more often as a runner or receiver.
Those maddening Miami Dolphins: Joey Harrington certainly was no major upgrade over Daunte Culpepper in his first start for the Dolphins. Harrington was healthy, but he often looked indecisive and made the same questionable type of reads that cost him his job in Detroit. Harrington threw no TD passes, was intercepted twice, and dragged down the play of his teammates. Chris Chambers finished with just 29 receiving yards. Ronnie Brown rushed for only 39 yards as he seemed to face large gangs of defenders on every carry. Brown did score once, but the Miami QB problems are certainly affecting his production, as he is simply a main focus of the defensive game plans every week. On one positive note, Randy McMichael finished with 84 receiving yards on six catches, as Harrington looked for him often. Little man, big plays: He's listed at just 5-7, so it doesn't appear, at least on paper, that Jaguars rookie Maurice Jones-Drew would be a major threat to any defense, especially in goal line situations. But Jones weighs 212 pounds and has the strong lower body of a true NFL running back. Using his legs, Jones can push his way through any pile, and he also has great speed in open space. Jones-Drew might never get regular carries, but he has now become a prime offensive weapon for the Jaguars. Jones-Drew is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, from anywhere on the field. Jones-Drew scored on runs of six and four yards against the Jets, a week after he took a reception 51 yards for a score. Jones-Drew now has four total TDs this season. He is quickly becoming one of those fantasy RBs who is very difficult to keep out of your lineup even if he gets a limited amount of touches each week.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 1 New Article Added 10/6/06)

Oct. 9, 2006, 5:31 PM
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Engel: Week 5 wrapup


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Scott --><!-- lastName = Engel -->
By Scott Engel
ESPN Fantasy Games

<!-- begin presby2 -->
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<!-- end bylinebox -->
<!-- begin text11 div -->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->
Here's a quick-hitting recap of key performances and news from the fourth week of the NFL season, complete with in-depth fantasy analysis.
T.O. not in the flow: So much for the talk that Terrell Owens would thrive on controversy. Good defensive preparation by the Eagles overcame Owens' desire to sting his former team on Sunday. Owens didn't catch a pass until the third quarter, and he finished with only three receptions for 45 yards. Drew Bledsoe did look in Owens' direction often in the second half, but the Eagles' defensive backs frustrated him with physical coverage, denied the deep routes and didn't let Owens get behind the secondary. In the first half, Owens didn't catch a pass, as he was well-covered in both single coverage and double-team situations. Owens hasn't appeared to be open much for anything but underneath or shorter passes in the past two games. His classic big-play ability hasn't been on display for most of this season, and Owens isn't a definite fantasy starter by any means. The constant pressure on Bledsoe Sunday didn't help, but Owens simply isn't doing enough to get the ball, or making much happen when he does catch it. It appears all the extra attention he is drawing to himself is detrimental, especially on the field.
Arizona awakes: Rookie QB Matt Leinart earned instant respect in his first NFL start. Playing behind the same shaky offensive line and with the same "lesser version" of Edgerrin James that seemed to drag down the passing game under Kurt Warner, Leinart looked much better than the former fantasy superstar. He made only one turnover, managed the game well, especially for a first-year player, and most importantly, he helped Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald rediscover the end zone (Keep an eye on Fitz' status as he left the game with a hamstring injury). Leinart immediately established himself with a 49-yard scoring pass to Boldin. Leinart displayed the poise and confidence that many experts said made him look better than the average rookie. His inexperience might still hurt him at times in the weeks ahead, but Leinart has demonstrated he can pump some needed life back into the Arizona offense. If he can continue to make defenses respect the passing game, Leinart will be a fine fantasy backup who can also help James face less defensive attention while giving the RB more opportunities to score from short range. Leinart does seem aware of the shortcomings of his blockers, and seems prepared to make quick decisions instead of absorbing several big hits and sacks as Warner did.
Chester Taylor re-establishes himself: Fantasy owners of Taylor were becoming concerned about the Minnesota running back entering the season's fifth week. His number of carries had been dropping every week since the opener, and he rushed only 10 times for 23 yards at Buffalo last Sunday. Taylor was beginning to elicit worries that he couldn't handle the pounding of being a regularly featured RB, especially after an ankle problem seemed to be a factor against the Bills. But against one of the most physical defensive fronts he might face this year, Taylor showed he is still worthy of being a regular No. 2 fantasy RB. The Lions had become notorious for making opposing runners battle hard for yardage, but Taylor banged and slashed his way through the front seven for 123 yards on 26 carries. He also added 31 receiving yards. Taylor is strong, determined and versatile. If you benched him this week because of the disappointing outing against the Bills, his performance against Detroit proves any concerns you had about Taylor should have been temporary, and no longer apply.
Nearly a shocker: The Titans actually controlled the first half in an eventual loss at Indianapolis, as they controlled the clock with a surprisingly effective running game. Travis Henry ran for 123 yards, his first 100-yard game in a Tennessee uniform. Rookie LenDale White rushed for 48 yards on eight carries, and showed a lot of promise, as he bounced off many tacklers and fought hard for extra yardage. Chris Brown was inactive, and the feisty Henry showed much of the strength and authority he used to display as a Buffalo Bill a few years ago. He'll be a good free-agent addition this upcoming week, but White was very impressive at times and could still end up as the No. 1 RB at some point later this year. Meanwhile, the Colts' running game wasn't a major threat, and the Titans sat back and defended the deep ball for much of the day. Eventually, the Tennessee defense cracked, but the team does now offer some hope in the running game, and won't necessarily be a weekly pushover anymore. Green Bay's new starting RB?: When Ahman Green was deactivated, many fantasy owners rushed to plug in Packers backup Vernand Morency, who had rushed for just under 100 yards on Monday night against the Eagles. But Morency nearly was benched against the Eagles when he lost the ball on an exchange with Brett Favre. The turnover was credited to Favre, but nearly cost Morency playing time against Philly. Ultimately, Morency was sat down Sunday against St. Louis when he again fumbled in the first quarter. Noah Herron took over, and rushed for 106 yards and a TD on 20 carries, and caught five balls for 20 yards. Herron is a compact, strong runner with good vision and quick feet. If Green continues to miss time, Herron could keep a firm hold on the No. 1 RB job. Add him this week, especially if you are a Green owner. Despite all the recent public ravings about Morency from the coaching staff, he appears to have lost his chance to play regularly in Green's place for the time being.


Brilliant Bernard: For as much talk as there was of Muhsin Muhammad developing a fine on-field relationship with the improving Rex Grossman, it's clear the Bears' resurgent QB definitely has another favorite target. And it's not just because defenses respect Muhammad so much because of his reputation and past achievements. Opposing defenders already have started to pay more attention to Bernard Berrian, and still can't seem to stop him, anyway. I originally thought Berrian was just a speedster who wouldn't consistently challenge defenses. But he has proved a skeptic like me wrong, and has surprised fantasy players everywhere. When he isn't getting deep, Berrian is making tough catches over the middle and on key downs, even as opposing defensive backs hang all over him. No one saw it coming, but the Bears now have a must-start fantasy receiver, and it's a guy who wasn't even drafted in most leagues. Berrian has now caught four TD passes in five games, and has totaled only less than 70 receiving yards in a game just once this year.
Return of the Cadillac: Just when he was disappointing us so much that we couldn't confidently put him in our lineup as even a flex player anymore, Carnell Williams resurfaced in a loss to New Orleans. Maybe the bye week helped get some needed rest from recently reported back problems. The solid play of rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski certainly helped Williams, as the New Orleans defense had to respect the Tampa Bay passing game, especially after Gradowski threw a first quarter scoring toss to the ultra-reliable Joey Galloway. Williams rushed for 111 yards on just 20 carries, as he appeared smoother and sleeker than he did before the bye. But Mike Alstott scored Tampa Bay's only rushing TD of the day and will continue to play the "vulture" role. It is a good time to sell high on Cadillac this week, because he hasn't been dependable so far in his pro career. Williams can certainly be very productive at times, but injuries and inconsistent statistical contributions have dragged his value down overall. He'll need much more than just one good outing to fully regain my endorsement as a top fantasy RB.
The New Orleans RB report: Sunday's performance by Deuce McAllister was impressive, and proved he has indeed recaptured much of the form that made him a top fantasy RB before he was injured last year. McAllister rushed for 123 yards, including a 24-yard scoring run. While there is no doubt McAllister can still run effectively inside, he showed off more speed and elusiveness, especially in the open field, than he did in past weeks. McAllister is definitely running with increased confidence and isn't hesitating to use cutback ability to make defenders miss. Don't hesitate anymore to use him as your No. 2 RB. Rookie Reggie Bush scored on a 65-yard punt return, but his individual fantasy numbers weren't thrilling, again. While he caught the ball 11 times, Bush finished with just 63 receiving yards and added just 23 rushing yards on nine carries. Bush is starting to look more like a wide receiver who gets backup RB numbers as a minor bonus. When any player catches the ball 11 times and doesn't score on offense, it's a definite concern. Bush continues to draw a crowd any time he touches the ball on offense, and he's a risky starter until he starts to break loose more often as a runner or receiver.
Those maddening Miami Dolphins: Joey Harrington certainly was no major upgrade over Daunte Culpepper in his first start for the Dolphins. Harrington was healthy, but he often looked indecisive and made the same questionable type of reads that cost him his job in Detroit. Harrington threw no TD passes, was intercepted twice, and dragged down the play of his teammates. Chris Chambers finished with just 29 receiving yards. Ronnie Brown rushed for only 39 yards as he seemed to face large gangs of defenders on every carry. Brown did score once, but the Miami QB problems are certainly affecting his production, as he is simply a main focus of the defensive game plans every week. On one positive note, Randy McMichael finished with 84 receiving yards on six catches, as Harrington looked for him often. Little man, big plays: He's listed at just 5-7, so it doesn't appear, at least on paper, that Jaguars rookie Maurice Jones-Drew would be a major threat to any defense, especially in goal line situations. But Jones weighs 212 pounds and has the strong lower body of a true NFL running back. Using his legs, Jones can push his way through any pile, and he also has great speed in open space. Jones-Drew might never get regular carries, but he has now become a prime offensive weapon for the Jaguars. Jones-Drew is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, from anywhere on the field. Jones-Drew scored on runs of six and four yards against the Jets, a week after he took a reception 51 yards for a score. Jones-Drew now has four total TDs this season. He is quickly becoming one of those fantasy RBs who is very difficult to keep out of your lineup even if he gets a limited amount of touches each week.
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[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Another Power Rankings


posted: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

The Power Rankings from last Tuesday were received kindly (in general) by the users, but it took me only a week to realize that it's tough to do a Power Rankings when so few players really deserve inclusion in the top 12.

I'm not going to go on another Donovan McNabb rant, but look at the ESPN performance leaders after five weeks. It's a blowout. Not even close. Last week I ranked McNabb third. If he keeps playing like this, how can't he be first? Well, he is this week. I don't even feel like burying the lead, so to speak, and teasing you. McNabb has to be No. 1.
The big question is, does anyone else, other than of course the other greatest quarterback in the league, Rex Grossman, deserve to be in the top 10? Peyton Manning and Grossman are 44 and 45 points behind McNabb, second and third respectively on the leaderboard, and top 10 choices for our rankings. Anyway, last week I had nine running backs in the top 12. LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson went 1-2, and look what they rushed for this weekend. They each rushed for 36 yards? How sad. (At least they both caught the ball). This is a 1-2?
The rest of the top 12? Clinton Portis was OK, but his team managed one field goal. Willis McGahee did little, which was expected. Steve Smith did little, which wasn't. Peyton Manning nearly suffered the most embarrassing regular season loss of his career, but for fantasy, at least he scored twice.
You can tell me that all these guys, and Shaun Alexander as well, shouldn't be in the Power Rankings, and I can understand the thought. But look at this crazy fantasy football season. Who does belong? You'll pick the popular names from a truly underwhelming Week 5 and feel good about it, but they have question marks. (Look, maybe your team topped 100 points, but only one fantasy football player even topped 20 points this week, one. The first four weeks the average was seven per week. It was a low scoring week, even if your team managed to do fine thanks to the defense and Robbie Gould!)
You want Fred Taylor in? Fumblin' Frank Gore or Damon Huard? How about Hank Baskett? Anyway, I'm going to stick to the plan of running backs being a major part of the top 12. I still think these guys will be winning fantasy leagues. It certainly doesn't appear to be the wide receivers, not with a pair of defenses and a pair of kickers trumping any wide receiver in fantasy. That's hard to believe.
1. Donovan McNabb, Eagles
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
3. Larry Johnson, Chiefs
4. Clinton Portis, Redskins
5. Rudi Johnson, Bengals
6. Rex Grossman, Bears
7. Steven Jackson, Rams
8. Brian Westbrook, Eagles
9. Peyton Manning, Colts
10. Frank Gore, 49ers
11. Chester Taylor, Vikings
12. Tiki Barber, Giants

Just missed: Torry Holt, Shaun Alexander, Steve Smith, Willis McGahee, Bears D

How & Why: LT and LJ remain the top two running backs, with better days to come. Portis actually did OK considering the team result, and Rudi didn't play, so he shouldn't drop. Grossman enters the top 6. Look, he's got to be there, the way he's playing, and with the schedule ridiculously easy. I have concerns about Philly's Westbrook making it through the entire season. I still think there's a minor surgery in his immediate future. Gore and the Vikes' Taylor enter the fray, and really, some of you will complain they aren't ranked even higher. They might get there soon.
Only two receivers even make the just missed list, and it's Holt being added. He probably should have been there last week as well. But the e-mails about Holt's last five years are missing the point. All that matters is this season. Edge leaves the list, sorry to say.
So there are the Week 5 Power Rankings. Discuss.
***
? Got a few e-mails about our reaction to the Reggie Bush game. My original point on Bush was that nothing really changed in fantasy. He didn't run the ball well. He did catch the ball well. And while it was nice seeing him break a punt return for a game-winning touchdown, that didn't help most fantasy owners, since the points are credited to the team defense. But it did go to show that Bush is capable of breaking a play at any time, he just hasn't done it on offense yet. In reality, he's going to be a terrific player, but he didn't help most fantasy teams in Week 5 any more than he did in previous weeks.
? Also got plenty of e-mails from McNabb-led fantasy teams that not only aren't 4-1, but are 1-4 or worse. OK, I admit that one player shouldn't carry a fantasy team, and even if you've got by far the best player in the league, you could be getting very little from the rest of your team, or losing simply by bad luck. But McNabb wasn't your first round pick, you should have other talent around him. It's a guy you got in round four or five in most leagues. Wouldn't it stand to reason you'd have picked a few running backs in those early rounds? Yes, but as we've established, they could stink. So, my bad for assuming a fantasy team with McNabb, who has the best start for a QB through five weeks in NFL history, would be struggling. In this crazy season, McNabb could be scoring 30 for you, and the rest of the team not matching it, so anything is possible.
? While most of us would admit that bye weeks are a drag, though they do make even the laziest of owners at least check their lineups, note that this week and next it's not just four teams playing golf, but six. So there are only 13 NFL games this weekend. That lowers the available pool of fantasy options even more. This week there's not a ton of fantasy talent sitting, but Peyton Manning, Tom Brady (and each team's running back platoon) and Chester Taylor are reliable names. Just wait until Week 9 when McNabb owners have to find another option!
***
On to the fantasy recap of the Sunday night and Monday night games.
Chargers 23, Steelers 13: The big story after this one was not really the fine play of Philip Rivers, but the continued struggles of Ben Roethlisberger, who threw two more interceptions and didn't find the end zone, making it zero touchdowns and seven picks. That does not make for a good passer rating, nor is it attractive for the fantasy owner. I'm not going to write that I saw this coming. I didn't. Of course we all knew about Big Ben's tough offseason, self-inflicted or not, but I did assume a guy who manages a game rather than throwing 40 times would be able to succeed even if he's a step slower, or a little less bold. Still not sure what the deal is. Could it be that the Steelers have faced Jacksonville, Cincinnati and San Diego, three of the better teams in the AFC and all with strong defenses, and this is why Roethlisberger is struggling? I think that's the problem, frankly. Anyone who screams for Charlie Batch isn't watching the game. Things don't get much easier for the Steelers, with an underrated Chiefs D this week and then Atlanta, but if you own Roethlisberger, don't cut him. We've already seen how streaky he and his team can be, haven't we?
MVP: We'll give proper credit to Rivers, who is not nearly as big a surprise as people think. What held him back was Drew Brees and his coach. Rivers was in the same draft as Big Ben and Eli Manning, so he should be good. Only a lack of experience holds him back, not ability. Rivers threw two touchdown passes and accrued 242 yards, coming back from a below average stat game in Baltimore. Rivers is a better fantasy option than Roethlisberger.
LVP: Fantasy owners who drafted Tomlinson don't like seeing him get only 13 carries, with Michael Turner getting 11, but this could be a trend that continues. Tomlinson did not run well, which we can attribute to the opposing defense, but he did haul in eight passes. He's not Reggie Bush. He's better. But if you entered Sunday night only needing eight points from LT, sorry, you didn't get it.
Interesting: Lost in the fact the Steelers starting QB isn't doing much is the fact his receivers are taking the hit as well. Hines Ward does have a touchdown reception, but Batch threw it. Same deal with Heath Miller, who continues to be played in fantasy despite a misleading line that includes 168 receiving yards. Um, 87 of them came on that one play with Batch, and really, how did everyone miss that he touched out of bounds? And no No. 2 receiver has emerged, though Nate Washington has potential to.
Broncos 13, Ravens 3: Wake me when it's over. Oh, it did end? What time was that? Bo-ring. This game did tell us something about misjudged players, though, while taking away one of the unbeatens. It's about defense this year, folks. The Ravens have the fifth most fantasy points in the game, while the Broncos are 12th in fantasy, despite allowing only one touchdown all season. (In fantasy, it's also about the turnovers.)
MVP: What am I thinking when Tatum Bell fumbles on the first drive? Uh oh, just when I'm starting to recommend him he coughs the ball up on national television. But Bell did have a nice game with 92 yards and he didn't shy away from contact, either. Just ask Ray Lewis. With a terrific schedule approaching, Bell is about to take off.
LVP: Sure, the Ravens were 4-0, but Steve McNair wasn't the reason, at least not statistically. Can't rely on a late fourth quarter drive every week. McNair threw mostly short passes and got picked off three times. He remains a backup fantasy QB, at best.
Interesting: Is Derrick Mason a bit overrated as well? Could be. He ended up with the same Week 5 stats as T.O. (3 recepts, 45 yards) and if you look at his season, he has only one game with more than 50 yards and he still hasn't scored! Ball control and late drives are one thing, but Mason isn't a safe start at all. OK, more blogging tomorrow. Get those waiver wire pickups ready!

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Another Power Rankings


posted: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

The Power Rankings from last Tuesday were received kindly (in general) by the users, but it took me only a week to realize that it's tough to do a Power Rankings when so few players really deserve inclusion in the top 12.

I'm not going to go on another Donovan McNabb rant, but look at the ESPN performance leaders after five weeks. It's a blowout. Not even close. Last week I ranked McNabb third. If he keeps playing like this, how can't he be first? Well, he is this week. I don't even feel like burying the lead, so to speak, and teasing you. McNabb has to be No. 1.
The big question is, does anyone else, other than of course the other greatest quarterback in the league, Rex Grossman, deserve to be in the top 10? Peyton Manning and Grossman are 44 and 45 points behind McNabb, second and third respectively on the leaderboard, and top 10 choices for our rankings. Anyway, last week I had nine running backs in the top 12. LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson went 1-2, and look what they rushed for this weekend. They each rushed for 36 yards? How sad. (At least they both caught the ball). This is a 1-2?
The rest of the top 12? Clinton Portis was OK, but his team managed one field goal. Willis McGahee did little, which was expected. Steve Smith did little, which wasn't. Peyton Manning nearly suffered the most embarrassing regular season loss of his career, but for fantasy, at least he scored twice.
You can tell me that all these guys, and Shaun Alexander as well, shouldn't be in the Power Rankings, and I can understand the thought. But look at this crazy fantasy football season. Who does belong? You'll pick the popular names from a truly underwhelming Week 5 and feel good about it, but they have question marks. (Look, maybe your team topped 100 points, but only one fantasy football player even topped 20 points this week, one. The first four weeks the average was seven per week. It was a low scoring week, even if your team managed to do fine thanks to the defense and Robbie Gould!)
You want Fred Taylor in? Fumblin' Frank Gore or Damon Huard? How about Hank Baskett? Anyway, I'm going to stick to the plan of running backs being a major part of the top 12. I still think these guys will be winning fantasy leagues. It certainly doesn't appear to be the wide receivers, not with a pair of defenses and a pair of kickers trumping any wide receiver in fantasy. That's hard to believe.
1. Donovan McNabb, Eagles
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
3. Larry Johnson, Chiefs
4. Clinton Portis, Redskins
5. Rudi Johnson, Bengals
6. Rex Grossman, Bears
7. Steven Jackson, Rams
8. Brian Westbrook, Eagles
9. Peyton Manning, Colts
10. Frank Gore, 49ers
11. Chester Taylor, Vikings
12. Tiki Barber, Giants

Just missed: Torry Holt, Shaun Alexander, Steve Smith, Willis McGahee, Bears D

How & Why: LT and LJ remain the top two running backs, with better days to come. Portis actually did OK considering the team result, and Rudi didn't play, so he shouldn't drop. Grossman enters the top 6. Look, he's got to be there, the way he's playing, and with the schedule ridiculously easy. I have concerns about Philly's Westbrook making it through the entire season. I still think there's a minor surgery in his immediate future. Gore and the Vikes' Taylor enter the fray, and really, some of you will complain they aren't ranked even higher. They might get there soon.
Only two receivers even make the just missed list, and it's Holt being added. He probably should have been there last week as well. But the e-mails about Holt's last five years are missing the point. All that matters is this season. Edge leaves the list, sorry to say.
So there are the Week 5 Power Rankings. Discuss.
***
? Got a few e-mails about our reaction to the Reggie Bush game. My original point on Bush was that nothing really changed in fantasy. He didn't run the ball well. He did catch the ball well. And while it was nice seeing him break a punt return for a game-winning touchdown, that didn't help most fantasy owners, since the points are credited to the team defense. But it did go to show that Bush is capable of breaking a play at any time, he just hasn't done it on offense yet. In reality, he's going to be a terrific player, but he didn't help most fantasy teams in Week 5 any more than he did in previous weeks.
? Also got plenty of e-mails from McNabb-led fantasy teams that not only aren't 4-1, but are 1-4 or worse. OK, I admit that one player shouldn't carry a fantasy team, and even if you've got by far the best player in the league, you could be getting very little from the rest of your team, or losing simply by bad luck. But McNabb wasn't your first round pick, you should have other talent around him. It's a guy you got in round four or five in most leagues. Wouldn't it stand to reason you'd have picked a few running backs in those early rounds? Yes, but as we've established, they could stink. So, my bad for assuming a fantasy team with McNabb, who has the best start for a QB through five weeks in NFL history, would be struggling. In this crazy season, McNabb could be scoring 30 for you, and the rest of the team not matching it, so anything is possible.
? While most of us would admit that bye weeks are a drag, though they do make even the laziest of owners at least check their lineups, note that this week and next it's not just four teams playing golf, but six. So there are only 13 NFL games this weekend. That lowers the available pool of fantasy options even more. This week there's not a ton of fantasy talent sitting, but Peyton Manning, Tom Brady (and each team's running back platoon) and Chester Taylor are reliable names. Just wait until Week 9 when McNabb owners have to find another option!
***
On to the fantasy recap of the Sunday night and Monday night games.
Chargers 23, Steelers 13: The big story after this one was not really the fine play of Philip Rivers, but the continued struggles of Ben Roethlisberger, who threw two more interceptions and didn't find the end zone, making it zero touchdowns and seven picks. That does not make for a good passer rating, nor is it attractive for the fantasy owner. I'm not going to write that I saw this coming. I didn't. Of course we all knew about Big Ben's tough offseason, self-inflicted or not, but I did assume a guy who manages a game rather than throwing 40 times would be able to succeed even if he's a step slower, or a little less bold. Still not sure what the deal is. Could it be that the Steelers have faced Jacksonville, Cincinnati and San Diego, three of the better teams in the AFC and all with strong defenses, and this is why Roethlisberger is struggling? I think that's the problem, frankly. Anyone who screams for Charlie Batch isn't watching the game. Things don't get much easier for the Steelers, with an underrated Chiefs D this week and then Atlanta, but if you own Roethlisberger, don't cut him. We've already seen how streaky he and his team can be, haven't we?
MVP: We'll give proper credit to Rivers, who is not nearly as big a surprise as people think. What held him back was Drew Brees and his coach. Rivers was in the same draft as Big Ben and Eli Manning, so he should be good. Only a lack of experience holds him back, not ability. Rivers threw two touchdown passes and accrued 242 yards, coming back from a below average stat game in Baltimore. Rivers is a better fantasy option than Roethlisberger.
LVP: Fantasy owners who drafted Tomlinson don't like seeing him get only 13 carries, with Michael Turner getting 11, but this could be a trend that continues. Tomlinson did not run well, which we can attribute to the opposing defense, but he did haul in eight passes. He's not Reggie Bush. He's better. But if you entered Sunday night only needing eight points from LT, sorry, you didn't get it.
Interesting: Lost in the fact the Steelers starting QB isn't doing much is the fact his receivers are taking the hit as well. Hines Ward does have a touchdown reception, but Batch threw it. Same deal with Heath Miller, who continues to be played in fantasy despite a misleading line that includes 168 receiving yards. Um, 87 of them came on that one play with Batch, and really, how did everyone miss that he touched out of bounds? And no No. 2 receiver has emerged, though Nate Washington has potential to.
Broncos 13, Ravens 3: Wake me when it's over. Oh, it did end? What time was that? Bo-ring. This game did tell us something about misjudged players, though, while taking away one of the unbeatens. It's about defense this year, folks. The Ravens have the fifth most fantasy points in the game, while the Broncos are 12th in fantasy, despite allowing only one touchdown all season. (In fantasy, it's also about the turnovers.)
MVP: What am I thinking when Tatum Bell fumbles on the first drive? Uh oh, just when I'm starting to recommend him he coughs the ball up on national television. But Bell did have a nice game with 92 yards and he didn't shy away from contact, either. Just ask Ray Lewis. With a terrific schedule approaching, Bell is about to take off.
LVP: Sure, the Ravens were 4-0, but Steve McNair wasn't the reason, at least not statistically. Can't rely on a late fourth quarter drive every week. McNair threw mostly short passes and got picked off three times. He remains a backup fantasy QB, at best.
Interesting: Is Derrick Mason a bit overrated as well? Could be. He ended up with the same Week 5 stats as T.O. (3 recepts, 45 yards) and if you look at his season, he has only one game with more than 50 yards and he still hasn't scored! Ball control and late drives are one thing, but Mason isn't a safe start at all. OK, more blogging tomorrow. Get those waiver wire pickups ready!

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Oct. 10, 2006, 3:59 PM
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Carroll: Fitzgerald, Westbrook and other injury news


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By Will Carroll
ESPN Fantasy Games

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Here's a quick lesson for everyone today: a tear and a sprain are the same thing. Even better, a tear and a strain are the same thing. A sprain is a torn ligament, while a strain is a torn muscle or tendon. Yes, the words sound confusingly alike and to this day, I'll still confuse them occasionally, but better descriptions help everyone understand injuries better. I don't expect anyone to bust out a "Grade II+ medial collateral sprain of the left knee," but knowing that a "torn MCL" is probably the same thing helps. Don't be confused by these interchangeable terms and certainly don't be the guy asking "Is it sprained or torn?" The NFL is anything but transparent about injuries and I understand why it feels the need for controlled and standardized information, reducing the "insider" nature of some info. The fact is, though, that gamesmanship has never been shown to have any real advantage. The Pats never won an extra game because Tom Brady is always listed as probable, and the obsessive nature of NFL coaches has seldom left them with a situation they didn't game plan for the prior week. The NFL could stand for more transparency, enforced or otherwise, even if it puts me out of a job.
There are a ton of injuries this week, so let's get to it:
Larry Fitzgerald is without question one of the top 10 WRs in the league. That means a lot of wailing and rending of garments occurred in the fantasy world when "Fitzgerald -- torn hamstring" went across the Sunday ticker. While details of just how serious the tear is are not publicly known, the indications are that it's a Grade II tear, palpable without needing any surgical intervention. It should heal without undue problem, but Fitzgerald's healthy career gives us very little to go on. The medical staff in Arizona doesn't show any decided tendencies on return time, so we're left with the broad range of two to four weeks with my guess being toward the end of that range. Losing Fitzgerald makes for some interesting fantasy decisions, but don't go making changes without facts. Studies by Pro Football Prospectus show that coverage by defensive backs is much less personnel driven than most think. The best cover corner is as likely to have his matchup chosen by position or scheme than he is by a decided head-to-head shutdown play. That's important to know for fantasy owners. You don't figure that Anquan Boldin, more a No. 1a WR than true No. 2, will get significantly more looks or even shift from his normal sets. Even Bryant Johnson, a guy who's not great by most measures like balls caught and yards after the catch, doesn't become a great fantasy play. Also, remember that the Cards have an easier second half and Matt Leinart will be getting more experience. Fitzgerald remains a solid fantasy option and if you have room on your roster, this might be a good time to steal him.
I'm loving the term "permanent maybe," so Geoff Reiss deserves the credit for coining it. Brian Westbrook is the poster child for this -- great when healthy, but there's no way aside from being Andy Reid to know when that is. Westbrook looked great on Sunday, a week removed from not even being able to keep pressure on the knee in warm-ups. Indications from Philadelphia are that the knee isn't as serious as some have speculated, though the symptoms still speak to meniscus problems. It's a tough play for Philly and the idea that a quick surgical fix (he'd miss two or three weeks after a "scrape and tape") isn't being considered makes me think it's a bit more complex. So what's a fantasy owner to do, aside from e-mail me begging for more info on Saturday night? (Thanks to all 124 of you that did so.) It's hard to get value for Westbrook in a trade, he doesn't handcuff well, so I'd hang my hat on the fact that the Eagles' medical staff seems to have used the missed week to get a handle on the swelling. That's right, I'm saying hang on to Westbrook.
It was a very scary moment for Larry Johnson, the Chiefs, and fantasy owners when a brutal face-masking left Johnson lying motionless for a few moments on Sunday. Johnson was lucky and his only aftereffect seems to be soreness. He had some imaging done on Monday, but according to all sources and reports, Johnson will be ready to go for practice this week. I'd love to see some sort of breakaway face masks in place, to prevent the next situation coming out much worse for the player than Johnson. Funny to think that Johnson is the best among the "automatic three" of Johnson, Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson so far this season, and even he's a disappointment. At least he'll have the chance to improve, something we didn't know for a few chilling seconds.
Did any Lions fans have Charles Rogers flashbacks? My initial thought on seeing Roy Williams take a vicious hit was that when he grabbed for his arm, he'd broken his collarbone. You can tell a lot from a player's reaction to injury. They tend to grab at the affected spot, though with the collarbone, it's usually to the affected side's wrist or elbow. The reason is that by supporting the arm, it takes the pressure off the collarbone and reduces pain. The body knows that instinctively. Williams doesn't have a broken collarbone, just a nasty stinger as the result of that Darren Sharper hit. He'll be ready to go this week in practice.
About 10 minutes after the start of Sunday's game, I got a text message from Antonio Freeman. He was telling me how he'd picked up Noah Herron and expected a big day. Thanks for hooking a brother up, Free ? 10 minutes late! Herron did have a big day, but don't overlook the fact that Ahman Green's two weeks off have given his hamstring time to heal up. He's expected back at practice this week and barring setback, should be back in the starting lineup In Week 7. Green seems to be at the stage in his career where he'd benefit from having a change-of-pace guy like Herron able to take a series or two during the game, so Freeman's pickup still looks smart. Since Free clued me in on Bernard Berrian and Greg Jennings already, I'm always listening.
The Jags' defense took a big hit when it lost Mike Peterson for the season. Peterson tore his pectoral (chest) muscle and will need surgery to repair the damage. He is expected to hit the IR. The Jags may have the bye week coming at the best possible time, giving Marcus Stroud extra time to heal up and be ready to hold down the middle of the line. With Peterson out, the Jags' vaunted run stopping and speed to the edges will be reduced, though that hardly makes them ineffective. It just gives those RBs matching up against the Jags a difficult task rather than a near-impossible one. The team has a favorable schedule over the next few weeks, so watch for Jack Del Rio and his staff to make adjustments on the fly.
"Explosive movement." That's what Daunte Culpepper needs to work on, according to Nick Saban. I'd have guessed he'd need to work on not throwing interceptions, but I'm just the injury guy. Culpepper's benching is more about decisions than his knee or shoulder, but what of this Saban mandate and what is "explosive movement"? That's a very good question. Calls to Miami seeking clarification went unanswered at deadline, so there's no clarity to be found there. Plyometrics are the first thing that come to mind, but given Culpepper's weight loss during his rehab, that doesn't sound like something that would really benefit the Miami QB. Culpepper has been beat up with all the sacks he's taken, but I'll leave it to Jaws to tell me if it's because of the line or Culpepper's lack of explosive movement when a DE is bearing down on him at Mach 2.
Jeff Fisher has been channeling Mike Shanahan lately, if you can channel a guy who's alive and still, at last check, a "coaching genius." As Matthew Berry says, Shanahan is the devil, constantly tormenting fantasy owners with his running back roulette. Fisher is doing much the same thing, interchanging his three RBs with no discernible pattern. None of the three has been healthy -- Chris Brown and Travis Henry both have turf toe while LenDale White has an ankle sprain and an adipose issue. (Yeah, look it up.) Brown was the odd man out, inactive for last week's game and now it appears that Brown may just be out. Henry's mild ankle sprain last week shouldn't affect him and the continuing hope of the Titans to transition to White appears to be moving forward.
Kickers continue to be problematic. Adam Vinatieri has been anything but "Automatic Adam" in Indy. Perhaps one of those Boston curses he left in his wake took. Vinatieri was ready to go as late as 10 a.m., when I do my Sunday morning med checks, but the Colts had already pulled the trigger on Martin Gramatica, re-signing him for handling kickoffs after Vinatieri looked rough going long at Saturday's practice. If you consider that kickers are really only as good as their opportunities, Vinatieri would be a disappointment anyway because the Colts have had very few FG chances and fewer-than-expected PATs. Vinatieri remains a game-time decision this week as this continuing saga suggests a more serious injury than the Colts have reported.
It was neat to see John Lynch on the bench, mic-ed up and talking with the medical staff. While the doctors went straight for his surgical scar, hoping that the area wasn't compromised, Lynch had no question what he had. "Just a stinger," he told them, describing the pain as going all the way down into his hand. Stingers, as we've seen, aren't much problem in the short term and a player like Lynch, a human heat-seeking missile, expose themselves to many stinger-inducing situations. The transparency of this one was great to see, though I'm sure Lynch would rather we not have had that moment. Bumps and Bruises: Shaun Alexander will be back at the radiologist, checking to see if his foot is healing up. Faith healing aside, Alexander sounds to be on track for a comeback in Week 7. ? Looking for some TE help? Jerramy Stevens returns this week for the Seahawks after multiple knee surgeries. ? Don't expect Donte' Stallworth back this week, despite "progress" with his severe hamstring strain. ? Kevin Jones suffered a mild concussion at the end of this week's game. Without most of his offensive line, that's no surprise. He has to be downgraded as long as his line is comprised of mostly backups. ? Brandon Stokley injured his knee in Sunday's game. Give part of the blame to his chronic ankle and part of the blame to the sticky Indy turf. ? Torry Holt shouldn't have much problem playing with a mild ankle sprain. ? DeAngelo Williams can't push DeShaun Foster for the starting job if he's on the sidelines with a sprained ankle. Foster's safe for another couple of weeks as Williams recovers.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Re: NFL Fantasy Football News/Articles - ESPN Insider 5 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Oct. 10, 2006, 3:59 PM
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Carroll: Fitzgerald, Westbrook and other injury news


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->
<!-- firstName = Will --><!-- lastName = Carroll -->
By Will Carroll
ESPN Fantasy Games

<!-- begin presby2 -->
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<!-- end bylinebox -->
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Here's a quick lesson for everyone today: a tear and a sprain are the same thing. Even better, a tear and a strain are the same thing. A sprain is a torn ligament, while a strain is a torn muscle or tendon. Yes, the words sound confusingly alike and to this day, I'll still confuse them occasionally, but better descriptions help everyone understand injuries better. I don't expect anyone to bust out a "Grade II+ medial collateral sprain of the left knee," but knowing that a "torn MCL" is probably the same thing helps. Don't be confused by these interchangeable terms and certainly don't be the guy asking "Is it sprained or torn?" The NFL is anything but transparent about injuries and I understand why it feels the need for controlled and standardized information, reducing the "insider" nature of some info. The fact is, though, that gamesmanship has never been shown to have any real advantage. The Pats never won an extra game because Tom Brady is always listed as probable, and the obsessive nature of NFL coaches has seldom left them with a situation they didn't game plan for the prior week. The NFL could stand for more transparency, enforced or otherwise, even if it puts me out of a job.
There are a ton of injuries this week, so let's get to it:
Larry Fitzgerald is without question one of the top 10 WRs in the league. That means a lot of wailing and rending of garments occurred in the fantasy world when "Fitzgerald -- torn hamstring" went across the Sunday ticker. While details of just how serious the tear is are not publicly known, the indications are that it's a Grade II tear, palpable without needing any surgical intervention. It should heal without undue problem, but Fitzgerald's healthy career gives us very little to go on. The medical staff in Arizona doesn't show any decided tendencies on return time, so we're left with the broad range of two to four weeks with my guess being toward the end of that range. Losing Fitzgerald makes for some interesting fantasy decisions, but don't go making changes without facts. Studies by Pro Football Prospectus show that coverage by defensive backs is much less personnel driven than most think. The best cover corner is as likely to have his matchup chosen by position or scheme than he is by a decided head-to-head shutdown play. That's important to know for fantasy owners. You don't figure that Anquan Boldin, more a No. 1a WR than true No. 2, will get significantly more looks or even shift from his normal sets. Even Bryant Johnson, a guy who's not great by most measures like balls caught and yards after the catch, doesn't become a great fantasy play. Also, remember that the Cards have an easier second half and Matt Leinart will be getting more experience. Fitzgerald remains a solid fantasy option and if you have room on your roster, this might be a good time to steal him.
I'm loving the term "permanent maybe," so Geoff Reiss deserves the credit for coining it. Brian Westbrook is the poster child for this -- great when healthy, but there's no way aside from being Andy Reid to know when that is. Westbrook looked great on Sunday, a week removed from not even being able to keep pressure on the knee in warm-ups. Indications from Philadelphia are that the knee isn't as serious as some have speculated, though the symptoms still speak to meniscus problems. It's a tough play for Philly and the idea that a quick surgical fix (he'd miss two or three weeks after a "scrape and tape") isn't being considered makes me think it's a bit more complex. So what's a fantasy owner to do, aside from e-mail me begging for more info on Saturday night? (Thanks to all 124 of you that did so.) It's hard to get value for Westbrook in a trade, he doesn't handcuff well, so I'd hang my hat on the fact that the Eagles' medical staff seems to have used the missed week to get a handle on the swelling. That's right, I'm saying hang on to Westbrook.
It was a very scary moment for Larry Johnson, the Chiefs, and fantasy owners when a brutal face-masking left Johnson lying motionless for a few moments on Sunday. Johnson was lucky and his only aftereffect seems to be soreness. He had some imaging done on Monday, but according to all sources and reports, Johnson will be ready to go for practice this week. I'd love to see some sort of breakaway face masks in place, to prevent the next situation coming out much worse for the player than Johnson. Funny to think that Johnson is the best among the "automatic three" of Johnson, Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson so far this season, and even he's a disappointment. At least he'll have the chance to improve, something we didn't know for a few chilling seconds.
Did any Lions fans have Charles Rogers flashbacks? My initial thought on seeing Roy Williams take a vicious hit was that when he grabbed for his arm, he'd broken his collarbone. You can tell a lot from a player's reaction to injury. They tend to grab at the affected spot, though with the collarbone, it's usually to the affected side's wrist or elbow. The reason is that by supporting the arm, it takes the pressure off the collarbone and reduces pain. The body knows that instinctively. Williams doesn't have a broken collarbone, just a nasty stinger as the result of that Darren Sharper hit. He'll be ready to go this week in practice.
About 10 minutes after the start of Sunday's game, I got a text message from Antonio Freeman. He was telling me how he'd picked up Noah Herron and expected a big day. Thanks for hooking a brother up, Free ? 10 minutes late! Herron did have a big day, but don't overlook the fact that Ahman Green's two weeks off have given his hamstring time to heal up. He's expected back at practice this week and barring setback, should be back in the starting lineup In Week 7. Green seems to be at the stage in his career where he'd benefit from having a change-of-pace guy like Herron able to take a series or two during the game, so Freeman's pickup still looks smart. Since Free clued me in on Bernard Berrian and Greg Jennings already, I'm always listening.
The Jags' defense took a big hit when it lost Mike Peterson for the season. Peterson tore his pectoral (chest) muscle and will need surgery to repair the damage. He is expected to hit the IR. The Jags may have the bye week coming at the best possible time, giving Marcus Stroud extra time to heal up and be ready to hold down the middle of the line. With Peterson out, the Jags' vaunted run stopping and speed to the edges will be reduced, though that hardly makes them ineffective. It just gives those RBs matching up against the Jags a difficult task rather than a near-impossible one. The team has a favorable schedule over the next few weeks, so watch for Jack Del Rio and his staff to make adjustments on the fly.
"Explosive movement." That's what Daunte Culpepper needs to work on, according to Nick Saban. I'd have guessed he'd need to work on not throwing interceptions, but I'm just the injury guy. Culpepper's benching is more about decisions than his knee or shoulder, but what of this Saban mandate and what is "explosive movement"? That's a very good question. Calls to Miami seeking clarification went unanswered at deadline, so there's no clarity to be found there. Plyometrics are the first thing that come to mind, but given Culpepper's weight loss during his rehab, that doesn't sound like something that would really benefit the Miami QB. Culpepper has been beat up with all the sacks he's taken, but I'll leave it to Jaws to tell me if it's because of the line or Culpepper's lack of explosive movement when a DE is bearing down on him at Mach 2.
Jeff Fisher has been channeling Mike Shanahan lately, if you can channel a guy who's alive and still, at last check, a "coaching genius." As Matthew Berry says, Shanahan is the devil, constantly tormenting fantasy owners with his running back roulette. Fisher is doing much the same thing, interchanging his three RBs with no discernible pattern. None of the three has been healthy -- Chris Brown and Travis Henry both have turf toe while LenDale White has an ankle sprain and an adipose issue. (Yeah, look it up.) Brown was the odd man out, inactive for last week's game and now it appears that Brown may just be out. Henry's mild ankle sprain last week shouldn't affect him and the continuing hope of the Titans to transition to White appears to be moving forward.
Kickers continue to be problematic. Adam Vinatieri has been anything but "Automatic Adam" in Indy. Perhaps one of those Boston curses he left in his wake took. Vinatieri was ready to go as late as 10 a.m., when I do my Sunday morning med checks, but the Colts had already pulled the trigger on Martin Gramatica, re-signing him for handling kickoffs after Vinatieri looked rough going long at Saturday's practice. If you consider that kickers are really only as good as their opportunities, Vinatieri would be a disappointment anyway because the Colts have had very few FG chances and fewer-than-expected PATs. Vinatieri remains a game-time decision this week as this continuing saga suggests a more serious injury than the Colts have reported.
It was neat to see John Lynch on the bench, mic-ed up and talking with the medical staff. While the doctors went straight for his surgical scar, hoping that the area wasn't compromised, Lynch had no question what he had. "Just a stinger," he told them, describing the pain as going all the way down into his hand. Stingers, as we've seen, aren't much problem in the short term and a player like Lynch, a human heat-seeking missile, expose themselves to many stinger-inducing situations. The transparency of this one was great to see, though I'm sure Lynch would rather we not have had that moment. Bumps and Bruises: Shaun Alexander will be back at the radiologist, checking to see if his foot is healing up. Faith healing aside, Alexander sounds to be on track for a comeback in Week 7. ? Looking for some TE help? Jerramy Stevens returns this week for the Seahawks after multiple knee surgeries. ? Don't expect Donte' Stallworth back this week, despite "progress" with his severe hamstring strain. ? Kevin Jones suffered a mild concussion at the end of this week's game. Without most of his offensive line, that's no surprise. He has to be downgraded as long as his line is comprised of mostly backups. ? Brandon Stokley injured his knee in Sunday's game. Give part of the blame to his chronic ankle and part of the blame to the sticky Indy turf. ? Torry Holt shouldn't have much problem playing with a mild ankle sprain. ? DeAngelo Williams can't push DeShaun Foster for the starting job if he's on the sidelines with a sprained ankle. Foster's safe for another couple of weeks as Williams recovers.
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