The Official San Diego Chargers Forum - Blogs http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php en Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:50:37 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.chargers.com/images/misc/rss.jpg The Official San Diego Chargers Forum - Blogs http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php Week 9 Fantasy Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=308 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:52:49 GMT This week there are fantasy studs on a bye (Favre, Adrian Peterson, and Thomas Jones), so you will want to make sure you have your line-ups set and ready to go come Sunday. Now, some of you have asked what exactly does a start and sit ranking mean. I’ve explained it before, but I will go through it... This week there are fantasy studs on a bye (Favre, Adrian Peterson, and Thomas Jones), so you will want to make sure you have your line-ups set and ready to go come Sunday. Now, some of you have asked what exactly does a start and sit ranking mean. I’ve explained it before, but I will go through it one more time so you completely understand what these rankings mean.

Start definition: When I say to start someone I am saying that they will play above the level that they normally would. A QB2 will play like a QB1, a normal flex RB will be worth starting, etc.

Sit definition: Guys who would normally be a lock to start will not be worth their normal ranking. QBs should throw for 225+ yards and at least one score; RBs should get 75+ yards and a score to be worth playing; WRs should get 50+ yards and a score to be worth playing. A player doesn’t have to get a TD to be worth playing, but he would have to get a lot of yards to make up the difference. WRs and RBs in a PPR (points-per-reception) league can make up ground, but a QB really needs to throw at least one TD to be worth playing.

Also, it depends on his stats versus the other players at his position. A QB can throw for 225 yards and a score, but still be in the bottom end of the top 10-15 QBs and be a “sit” player because compared to his peers, he did worse than most.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to some predictions.

Start Em’

Aaron Rodgers: Too many people are down on Rodgers and I don’t know why. Did you know his **DVOA (explained below) this year is -69%? What does that mean? Well, it means the offense is playing below average and defenses are playing above average. Anyway, take it from a stats nerd that just got WAY more in-depth than you should ever need to, play Rodgers this weekend against the Buccaneers.

Philip Rivers: A lot of people are talking about sitting Rivers because the Chargers face the Giants in their home stadium. Personally, I am going to play Rivers because I think this will end up being a game decided through the air and Rivers is going to put up some stats.

Ray Rice: I hate to do it to the Bengals because they’ve been so good to me. But, Ray Rice is the whole offense in Baltimore and I think he is going to score enough fantasy points this weekend to finish as a high RB1. The Ravens have finally turned the reigns over to him and he is coming through.

Ryan Grant: Every time I’ve ever had Grant on my fantasy team, he has done nothing but make life miserable for me. But, if there were ever a game to play him in, it would be this one. The Packers face the Buccs, and Tampa Bay is one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. I think Grant could score a TD to go along with 75+ yards, making him worth a start in most fantasy leagues.

Chad Ochocinco: C’Mon Son! The last time the Ravens faced the Bengals Ray Lewis put a hit on Ocho that left him with a black eye and a bruised ego. I’ve been listening to Ocho all this week and you can tell he has a fire in his belly to avenge that hit and put some work in on the Ravens. Don’t let me down Chad!

Michael Crabtree: The Titans secondary is allowing a league worst 282.4 passing YPG this season and Crabtree looks to have become the new WR1 in San Francisco. I think this is the weekend he gets his first NFL TD and fantasy owners should play him as a mid-WR2 this weekend.

John Carlson: The problem with TEs is once you get passed the top 3-4, the next 5-7 are all the same really. This is now or never time for Carlson as the Lions are terrible and the Seahawks should be able to spread the ball around enough to get Carlson 5+ catches and 50+ yards. For a TE, that is about all you can hope for.

New Orleans Saints Defense: The Saints defense is still underrated, which blows my mind since they allow just 326 yards of total offense per game. I would love to play them this weekend against the Panthers struggling offense and so should you.

Sit Em’

Matt Ryan: Remember what I said, QB1 plays as a QB2. Ryan faces the Redskins and their #2 ranked pass defense this weekend, and I will be sitting him in the leagues I own him in. Washington gives up just 164.9 passing YPG and is tied for 4th with six (6) passing TDs allowed.

Eli Manning: The Giants are at home, but teams have figured out if you jam Steve Smith at the line, he doesn’t get separation like he used to. San Diego is 6th against the pass (178.4 YPG) and Manning is due for another bad game.

Ryan Moats/Steve Slaton: Indianapolis is just 17th against the run, but since the Texans refuse to give the ball to just one back, both backs will likely cancel each other out. I am sure one will score a TD, but which one is anyone’s guess. I made this pick because while I am sure one will get solid fantasy numbers, you don’t know which one so you need to sit both until the roles become clearer.

Brian Westbrook: The Cowboys are 13th against the run, but Westbrook is coming off an injury and this is a huge rivalry game where I think the Eagles will light it up with the pass. Even if they do run, I think the emergence of LeSean McCoy means the Eagles can be cautious with Westbrook and ease him back.

Mario Manningham: Manningham started off the season hot, but has really cooled off the last few weeks. Since I think Manning isn’t a good play, I certainly wouldn’t be excited to play a WR that has logged more than 58 yards just once this season and has seen more than four receptions just once. His only truly “good” game came in week 2.

Santonio Holmes: Many people drafted Holmes in the hopes that he would become a solid WR2, and so far this season he has just one TD and is averaging just 71 YPG. I personally won’t play him any higher than a WR3 against the Broncos 8th ranked passing defense.

Fred Davis: Too many people are jumping on the waiver wire to pick up Davis now that Cooley is out. I don’t think you should expect another 100+ yard game from him again. Almost any NFL player can go out and look good for one game, but now teams have watched film on him and I have a feeling he is going to go Luis Murphy/ Mohamed Massaquoi on fantasy teams.

Philadelphia Eagles Defense: I don’t care what the other sites are saying; I am going to sit the Eagles defense this weekend. The Cowboys are #2 in the league for total offensive yards (411.1 YPG) and the Eagles defense allows 296.9 YPG. Go somewhere in the middle and you are at about 350 total yards and I see 21+ points from the Cowboys, and that means negative points in fantasy leagues for points allowed.
]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=308 Week 8 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=307 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:48:25 GMT Wow, what a Monday Night Football game that was! Can I stick Darren Sharper in at WR from here on out? Oh, then there was the return of Brett Favre to Green Bay in which he showed them he still has some mojo left. Then there was the game where two RBs combined for 405 yards and four scores. Oh, and... Wow, what a Monday Night Football game that was! Can I stick Darren Sharper in at WR from here on out? Oh, then there was the return of Brett Favre to Green Bay in which he showed them he still has some mojo left. Then there was the game where two RBs combined for 405 yards and four scores. Oh, and the Cleveland Browns fired their General Manager, George Kokonis. Ya, THAT is what the problem was.

Larry Johnson and the Chiefs worked out an agreement that still suspends him for two games, but he only loses pay for one. This allows them to avoid a hearing, but the Chiefs should have just cut him and got it over with in my opinion. I know they didn’t want other veterans to start pulling this same stunt, but why do you want to keep someone on your team that doesn’t want to be there and won’t give you full effort?

Anyway, without further delay, let’s get on with the winners and losers of this weekend.

Winners

Brett Favre: Ok… ok… I’ve got to give him some love since he went into Green Bay and gave the Packers fans a big slap in the face. Favre managed to finish the game with 244 yards and 4 TDs, and didn’t allow a single sack or INT on the day. I’ve got to admit, he is looking pretty legit this season as a high end QB2.

Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers didn’t win the game, but he was able to account for 287 yards and 3 TDs when the final whistle blew. And, he might have actually been able to throw for another TD had the team not used up all their timeouts before the end of the game. If you are in a league that hands out negative points for sacks, Rodgers took 6 and that shouldn’t happen, ever.

Ryan Moats: Steve Slaton finally got benched after his seventh (7) fumble of the season. Moats came in and made the most of his opportunity by running for 126 yards and 3 TDs. Texans Coach, Gary Kubiak, is saying that all three backs will play, but I think he goes with whoever has the hot hand and that is Moats right now. Grab him if you can without losing too much.

Chris Johnson: Johnson has been up and down for fantasy owners all season long. This was one of the up weeks as he racked up 228 yards and 2 TDs. Believe it or not, Vince Young is likely to increase Johnson’s value because now the D-Line will have to respect his ability to scramble and that should open more gaps for Johnson to run through.

Ted Ginn Jr.: How does a WR get 0 receiving yards and still lead all receivers in fantasy points? Well, your league counts return yards and return TDs, that’s how. Ginn put up back-to-back scores off of returns and finished the game with 299 return yards and 2 scores this weekend. I don’t care if he catches another pass in this league, just keep on doing this for me and we are cooler than the other side of the pillow!

Reggie Wayne: I was listening to the radio station I work for, 101.7 The Team in Albuquerque (1017theteam.com) on my way to watch the Sunday football games. Well, Fox had a fantasy football show on and the guys there were saying to not play Wayne because he was too big of a risk. A risk to do what… explode? He went off for 147 yards and a score, good enough to take the #1 spot in standard scoring leagues at WR. What is the lesson we learned from this story? Email me and stop listening to the “other” people.

Kevin Boss: I know Dustin Keller had 76 yards and a TD, but Kevin Boss managed to get 70 yards and a score and he has been worthless all season long. Don’t get excited over one game, he still shouldn’t be owned in any format.

Chicago Bears Defense: The Bears held the Browns to just 6 points, but it was the sack, two INTs, 3 Fumbles recovered, one TD, and one blocked kick that really helped them to the #1 spot this weekend. Whoever the Browns play, stick the other teams defense in; even if it is the Lions.

Losers

Joe Flacco: I’m not a fan of Flacco, and this weekend showed why as he threw for just 175 yards and a score while taking two sacks. He will have more games like this than he will where he dominates, so best you deal him before the deadline hits if you can.

Alex Smith: I got tons of emails about Smith and wanting to know if he was the real deal or not. I suggested you stay away because I had a feeling he would be the 198 yard, one TD, one INT, and four sacks kind of QB he was on Sunday.

Ronnie Brown: Brown has been one of the better fantasy backs this season, but on Sunday he managed to put up just 27 yards on 11 carries and didn’t score a single TD. This will be the off game that every player has, so don’t get too worried.

Steve Slaton: Well, he lost another fumble, he gained just one yard rushing and 10 yards receiving, and then lost his starting job. I don’t care what the coach says, Slaton’s days as a starter should be over.

Mike Sims-Walker: The WR is only as good as the QB, and David Garrard had an off game. Sims-Walker finished with just two catches for nine yards, and fantasy owners are left scratching their heads and wondering what happened to that soft secondary Tennessee has had all season long.

Brandon Marshall: People were getting all excited over Marshall and getting mad at me because I was holding back my enthusiasm. I held back because I knew he was bound to have another game where he caught just four passes for 24 yards and no scores.

Jason Witten: My how the mighty have fallen. Witten managed a whopping four catches for 36 yards and no scores this weekend. Miles Austin is the new cream of the Dallas crop and Witten is quickly becoming a sell candidate based on name value. I got offered Witten for my Vernon Davis and laughed him into a rejected email.

Denver Broncos Defense: The Broncos defense recorded two sacks, but failed to get a single interception and gave up 30 points to the Ravens. Their terrible showing was enough to rank them in the bottom two for fantasy defenses this weekend.

 All right, I didn’t want to talk about this but I will… my picks. I missed on David Garrard, Kevin Smith, and Sidney Rice, but I got all the other correct. That means I was still able to finish the weekend 13-16, good enough for an 81.25% rating again this week. Trust me people, this was still about 25% better than the other sites.

Don’t forget, you can always email me or follow me on Twitter! ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=307 Week 8 Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=306 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:24:09 GMT Here we go… week 8 of the NFL season and many teams are the drama is in full swing. Larry Johnson decided to go all Twitter Sniper on himself and may have talked himself right out of a job in Kansas City. The Seahawks placed T Walter Jones on injured reserve which means Seattle will be a passing... Here we go… week 8 of the NFL season and many teams are the drama is in full swing. Larry Johnson decided to go all Twitter Sniper on himself and may have talked himself right out of a job in Kansas City. The Seahawks placed T Walter Jones on injured reserve which means Seattle will be a passing team moving forward. Jake Delhomme can’t get the Panthers coaching staff to say he is the starting QB, which is since their other options are Matt Moore and A.J. Feely.

Fantasy Update

Larry Johnson: You shouldn’t have been playing LJ anyway, so his suspension and possible release won’t mean much for fantasy teams. Jamaal Charles is who I have taking over the starting role and he is worth a look if you are thin at RB. Don’t expect Miles Austin at RB, but he will be better than other waiver wire backs.

Chris Cooley and Fred Davis: Cooley was originally supposed to miss the rest of the season, and then he came out and said he hopes to play in four weeks after foot surgery. With the Redskins already out of the playoff hunt, Cooley wanting to return brings a C’Mon Son! to my mind. Fred Davis will get all the playing time at TE while he is out, but since he is on a bye you have some time to see how the whole saga plays out.

Brian Westbrook: There is no clear answer at the time of this article as to Westbrook’s status for this weekend. Personally, I don’t see him playing because he wasn’t just injured last weekend, Westbrook was out cold and that worries the doctors and me. Check with me on Friday, but if he is still a game-time decision I would just find another option at RB.

Calvin Johnson: Megatron missed practice again Wednesday and is a game-time decision this weekend. The only things you can do here is wait, and hope.

Vince Young and Kerry Collins: There has been no official word yet on who will start, but this is a fantasy article and you shouldn’t care either way. Neither QB is worth owning unless you are in a deep league, and even then neither should start.

Byes: Bengals, Chiefs, Patriots, Steelers, Buccaneers, Redskins

Start Em’

David Garrard: Tennessee is dead last in pass defense and Garrard is due for a good fantasy game after not throwing a TD in the previous two. I would have no problems whatsoever playing Garrard at QB1 this week.

Brett Favre: As if you didn’t know this was coming! Favre, in Green Bay, on a Vikings team that is looking to take a two game lead on the Packers… C’Mon Son! You KNOW you have to play Favre in this one right?

Kevin Smith: The Lions are a bad team, a really bad team. But, St. Louis has a 27th ranked run defense and the Lions are hurting at QB and WR. I am looking for Smith to walk away from week 8 as the #1 ranked fantasy RB.

LaDainian Tomlinson: A risky pick, I know. But, the Raiders are a terrible team and Tomlinson is hungry to get his season right. I would love to see him stick it to Oakland here because of that fierce rivalry between southern and northern Cali.

Miles Austin: I normally hate putting a player in the start em’ section two weeks in a row, but Austin and the Cowboys go up against the Seahawks this weekend and Romo has found a new target in Austin. I’d play him as a top end WR1.

Sidney Rice: Wherever Favre throws, Rice is sure to follow. Bernard Berrian is all but a distant memory to fantasy players and there is a new kid of the block, and his name is Rice, Sidney Rice.

Jeremy Shockey: Shockey had a great week 7, but has been less than stellar the rest of the season. This week the Saints match up against the Atlanta Falcons and their 26th ranked pass defense. Brees needs a good game here and Shockey should post back-to-back great weeks.

San Diego Chargers Defense: The Chargers defense has been a disappointment much of this season, but this is the weekend to play them. The Raiders are division rivals and it is always a heated game when Oakland comes to town. Oakland is 2-5 and the Chargers are 3-3, San Diego needs this win to keep up with Denver.

Sit Em’

Mark Sanchez: Why people still have him on the roster is beyond me. He hasn’t thrown for more than 172 yards since week 1 and he now has 10 INTs to just six TDs. I wouldn’t own him, but if you do, I wouldn’t play him against the Dolphins this weekend.

Alex Smith: Smith has been sighted in San Francisco and the location is behind center. He has jumped ahead of Shaun Hill but isn’t worth playing against the Colts 6th ranked passing defense. Maybe this week Gore returns to glorious form, but I wouldn’t hold out hope for Smith.

Knowshon Moreno: Moreno has become a staple in many fantasy starting line-ups, but the Ravens defense has a way of making good running backs look like bench depth. Because of that, I would sit Moreno if at all possible.

Brian Westbrook: I always discussed Westbrook’s condition, so I will just simple say that if you have any other options, I would go with them. LeSean McCoy becomes a low end RB2 play.

Bernard Berrian: I think Favre and Rodgers are going to throw the ball like a kid and his father in the back yard, but Berrian won’t be the lucky recipient. Favre has locked on to Sidney Rice as his new #1 WR, just makes you wonder if anyone in Minnesota bothered to show Favre a depth chart.

Steve Breaston: Another NFL team has a fantasy section and they picked Breaston as a must start last week. I told them they were crazy, but they pushed forward. So, even with a match-up against the lowly Carolina Panthers this week, I am going to again say to sit him. If they pick him again, I am going to roll with out with a Child Pleeez!

Todd Heap: Heap doesn’t catch a lot of touchdowns, but not many TEs do. He normally gets you 40-50 yards and 4-5 catches, but this week I am going to sit him against the Broncos. Denver is allowing just 182.8 passing yards-per-game and Joe Flacco has been up and down all season if you look at his games.

New York Giants Defense: The Giants play the Eagles this week and that is a rivalry that goes all the way back to the Great Depression (1933) days. The Eagles may be without Westbrook, but McCoy is eager to fill in and Donovan McNabb has some new toys to throw to this year. I look for a fairly high scoring game and would avoid the Giants defense if you can.

You can now follow me on Twitter! ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=306 Week 7 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=305 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:27:52 GMT Week 7 was filled with some drama and some dramatics as we officially have a Alex Smith sighting in San Francisco, Larry Johnson may just have found a way out of Kansas City, and Cedric Benson asks the Bears “How you like me NOW???” *Winners* *Carson Palmer:* Palmer torched the... Week 7 was filled with some drama and some dramatics as we officially have a Alex Smith sighting in San Francisco, Larry Johnson may just have found a way out of Kansas City, and Cedric Benson asks the Bears “How you like me NOW???”

Winners

Carson Palmer: Palmer torched the Bears to the tune of 233 yards and 5 touchdowns to take the #1 spot for QBs’ in week 7. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Palmer is every bit as talented as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, he just needed players around him to step up.

Tony Romo: Romo became a household name, and then the haters took over and tried to bring him down. But, alas, Romo came out this weekend and exploded for 311 yards passing, 31 yards rushing, and threw 3 TDs to rack up nearly 50 points in standard scoring formats.

Ricky Williams: Hey, when did Sticky Ricky become worth playing in fantasy leagues? He didn’t, but this weekend you saw him score 3 TDs and run for 80 yards while on your bench. The problem is week 7 will make you want to play him in week 8 and he is little more than a flex option. That being said, three scores is three scores.

Shonn Greene: Leon Washington is out for the rest of this season and Greene made a case for why he needs to be a major player in this Jets offense. He ran the ball 19 times for 144 yards and 2 TDs, that is a 7.6 YPC average, and while he is good, he isn’t that good.

Miles Austin: Last game Austin busted out his Tecmo Super Bowl game and racked up 10 catches for 250 yards and 2 TDs; this week he found a way to catch six passes for 171 yards and 2 more scores. Hopefully you had him active for this one like I suggested.

DeSean Jackson: The guy can catch, the guy can run, and the guy can score… that is why D-Jax is a WR1 in any format. Monday night Jackson ran for 67 yards and a score and then he caught a 57 yard pass for another TD. His lack of receptions worries me a little, but two scores is two scores.

Vernon Davis: Did I call it or did I call it? I knew the guy had some crazy athletic skills, but I didn’t think he would go get seven catches for 93 yards and 3 TDs this weekend. His success killed Frank Gore’s value in week 7.

New York Jets Defense: The Jets proved that the only think the Raiders proved last week by beating the Eagles was that even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. The Jets defense held the Raiders to 0 points while getting 3 sacks, 2 INTs, and 2 fumbles recovered.

Honorable Mention

Larry Johnson: Not because he did anything on the field (16 carries for 49 yards), but getting off the Chiefs roster before they start looking up at the Cleveland Browns earns you a spot in the winner’s circle every time.

Losers

Shaun Hill: Well, he started the day off by throwing for 45 yards and no TDs, and he ended it by losing his gig to draft bust Alex Smith. Hill entered the season as my sleeper and now it looks like he slipped into a coma. I certainly didn’t mean for the 49ers to read my article and sit Hill as I suggested though.

Matt Cassel: The Chiefs already have one shoutout in this article, so why not another? Cassel cashed in on his big season in New England and is now stinking it up in KC as he finished Sunday with 97 yards passing, a TD, and 3 INTs. Now that is $63 million wasted!

Frank Gore: Glorious… hardly. Gore rushed the ball just 13 times for 32 yards this weekend making him the biggest bust of week 7. Houston is 21st against the run, and the Niners run Gore just 13 times? No wonder they lost.

Clinton Portis: I’ve been saying it since week 1; Portis just isn’t the same back we’ve become accustomed to over the past few years. The Redskins are a terrible team and Portis is suffering along with his fantasy owners. If you can find someone to trade for him, pull the trigger.

Hines Ward: Ward entered this game as the league’s leading receiver, but was targeted just three times and managed a single catch for a whopping 3 yards. This isn’t the norm for Ward and owners should feel safe with his value over the rest of the season.

Steve Breaston: Ha, the fantasy guys for the Denver Broncos predicted Breaston as a must start in week 7. You see, I have this rule: Never put a 3rd WR on the must start list because he is very likely to see two targets for one catch and 23 yards.


Visanthe Shiancoe: The problem with playing a guy like Shiancoe is he isn’t targeted enough (20th for TEs’) to be counted on from week-to-week, yet people get all excited when they see touchdowns three straight weeks. I don’t trust him because is nothing more than a check-down option for Brett Favre.


Chicago Bears Defense: One of my friends, Chris, is a HUGE Bears fan and now he isn’t talking to me because I called this game in last week’s article. The Bears gave up 45 points to the Bengals and didn’t record a sack or INT in the game. What a difference Brian Urlacher makes when he is not on the field.


Dishonorable Mentions

Marion Barber: Marion was a victim of Tony Romo and Miles Austin this weekend as he managed to gain just 47 yards on the ground and was held scoreless. It is tough for owners to walk away with four fantasy points from a solid RB1 candidate.

Matt Forte: Ok, I am officially waiving the white flag with Forte. The Bears offense has no identity and Forte is becoming the forgotten man as he rushed just six times for 24 yards and caught four passes for 25 yards. I expect this from a back-up RB, but not from a guy that was projected in the top 5 for fantasy RBs in the pre-season.


Well, I went 13-16 on my picks this weekend missing on Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Frank Gore. But, I told you last week I would get back into the 80% range and that is just what I did with an 81.25 accuracy rating this week. Try and find that on one of the “other” sites! ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=305 Twitter http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=304 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:26:30 GMT You can now follow me on Twitter. http://twitter.com/Fantasyguy23 You can now follow me on Twitter.

http://twitter.com/Fantasyguy23 ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=304 Week 7 Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=303 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:13:47 GMT The NFL trade deadline came and went without much noise, but the good news is that the fantasy trade deadline is much later in the season so there is still time to make a move if you need to. Because of the vast amount of emails I get with trade questions I get I cannot go down each and every... The NFL trade deadline came and went without much noise, but the good news is that the fantasy trade deadline is much later in the season so there is still time to make a move if you need to. Because of the vast amount of emails I get with trade questions I get I cannot go down each and every person you should look to trade away or trade for, but I will give you three guys to deal and three to deal for.

Get Em’

Carson Palmer: Outside of the Vikings in week 14, Palmer has a very nice schedule from week 11 until the fantasy finals. The Raiders, Browns, Lions, Chargers, and Chiefs should make Palmer a must start right when the playoffs get going.

Rashard Mendenhall: I told you about Mendenhall about three weeks ago, one week before the rest of the sites started pumping him up. Now, he has the starting job all to himself and will be a top 10 play every week as the season hits the second half.

Miles Austin: I had Austin as one of my pre-season sleepers… why don’t people listen to me more? Maybe you can find the guy that owners Austin and see if he thinks his big week was a one-hit wonder. Dallas needs a receiver to step up and take some attention from Roy Williams and Jason Witten, and Austin has the chance to come up big.

Send Em’ Away

Mark Sanchez: I knew Sanchez would struggle because all rookie QBs’ struggle. Braylon Edwards should help, but a rookie is a rookie and if you can find someone willing to take him, I would gladly let someone else deal with the headache.

Willie Parker: Parker has lost his job in the NFL and should be looked at as nothing more than a handcuff to Mendenhall owners. If you have him still, find the Mendenhall owner and convince him to take him as a handcuff.

Bernard Berrian: It is time to move on from Berrian. Favre doesn’t like him because he isn’t getting the looks and fantasy owners are the only ones suffering. With just 234 yards in six games, I doubt you will find many takers. But, if you do, send him packing.


Start Em’

Eli Manning: From the bench to the front of the line this Manning brother has gone. This week the Giants face the Cardinals and their 31st ranked passing defense. I look for both Manning brothers to have a great weekend, but it will be Eli that has the bounce-back game.

Ben Roethlisberger: I normally will never tell you to start Big Ben because he has always been the classic scenario of NFL value not being equal to fantasy value. But, I am starting to believe in him this season and the Vikings give up 248.3 YPG in the air and are tied for 6th in the NFL for most passing touchdowns allowed with nine. This is a week where I play Roethlisberger.

DeAngelo Williams: Another player that you have never seen on my start list is Williams. But, this week the helpless Panthers offense gets to play the league’s worst run defenders in the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have managed to allow 181.8 rushing YPG and the third most rushing TDs at eight. The Panthers may try to get Steve Smith involved some more this week, but Williams and perhaps even Jonathan Stewart are must starts at RB and the flex respectively.

Frank Gore: The Texans are 24th in the NFL against the run but Gore has missed the team’s last 2 7/8 games with an ankle injury (he had just 1 carry for 4 yards in week 3, so that is the 7/8). So why do I say to start him? Because the 49ers are a running team and Gore will shred them up like a starving man with a Thanksgiving turkey!

Wes Welker: A lot of people think that Brady’s week 6 performance could mean a week 7 letdown, but that isn’t the case here. New England faces off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they are ripe for the picking. The Patriots are a pass oriented team so Welker is a must start this weekend as high as a WR1 in most cases.

Miles Austin: Not that he is EVER going to get you 250 yards receiving again, but Austin is someone I think will have a great game in week 7 against the Falcons. Atlanta gives up 241 yards in the air and Tony Romo is just chomping at the bit to get all the haters off his back. Play Austin as a solid WR2.

Vernon Davis: Davis will benefit from Michael Crabtree more than Crabtree will help the team. Meaning that Davis won’t be covered as much with Crabtree on the field and he can get open when the Niners decide to throw the ball. If there were anyone I would say will benefit from the play of Crabtree, it would be Davis. FYI: Don’t be one of the people who pick up Crabtree, not worth the roster spot yet.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts were on the waiver wire in about half my leagues, and with them facing the St. Louis Rams this weekend they shouldn’t be. I snatched them up and so should you… I mean the Rams average just 277.8 total YPG.

Sit Em’

Donovan McNabb: This week the Eagles face the Washington Redskins 3rd ranked pass defense. McNabb looked noticeably off last week against the Raiders as he failed to throw a touchdown and took an astounding six sacks. I’d find a different option this week.

Shaun Hill: So many people are going crazy over Michael Crabtree that they are actually considering starting Shaun Hill over guys like Carson Palmer or even Matt Cassell. Don’t be one of the people chasing this fool’s gold, Hill isn’t worth owning, let alone starting.

Pierre Thomas: Miami is holding opposing teams to just 76.4 YPG on the ground, so Thomas isn’t a great option. I have a problem putting him in here because if the Saints passing game shreds Miami then the team will run it late and Thomas could snag a late garbage TD. But, I still think the odds are against Thomas and he should be sat on most benches this weekend.
Matt Forte: Forte has quickly become one of the leading candidates for fantasy bust of the year. The Bears have no identity on offense and even though my friend Chris (diehard Bears fan) thinks that makes them more dangerous, I wonder who they are a danger to exactly… the other team or themselves? Sit Forte until you have a reason not to.

Roy Williams: With the emergence of Miles Austin, Roy Williams and all his shortcomings are starting to show. I’d play Austin over Williams this week even though it should be a high scoring game indoors at home.

Santana Moss: I wanted to put Crabtree or Josh Morgan here, but there are only so many times I can tell you someone isn’t worth owning or playing. The Redskins have problems from ownership to the players and everywhere in between. Jason Campbell isn’t doing Moss any favors, so see if you can trade moss based on his one good game this season.

Chris Cooley: Cooley is one of those guys that is truly all or nothing. One week he will get you 60 yards and a TD, then the next week he goes catchless or racks up a hollow 38 yards. I’d sit him this week against the Eagles because I don’t think Campbell can get the job done anymore and the owner is starting to catch on.

Miami Dolphins: Miami has one of the better fantasy defenses, but so did the Giants and the Saints just decimated them last week. I wouldn’t come near Miami’s defense this week even if my Def1 has a bye and there are no other defenses on the waiver wire. Just take the 0 and move on. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=303 Week 6 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=302 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:53:21 GMT Wow, that is the only be the word I can use to describe the game Tom Brady had on Sunday as he threw for 380 yards (29-of-34) while tying for a career-high with six touchdowns. Brady tossed five touchdowns in the second quarter alone as the Patriots secured the largest halftime shutout in NFL... Wow, that is the only be the word I can use to describe the game Tom Brady had on Sunday as he threw for 380 yards (29-of-34) while tying for a career-high with six touchdowns. Brady tossed five touchdowns in the second quarter alone as the Patriots secured the largest halftime shutout in NFL history at 45-0. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Maurice Jones-Drew in the conversation too as he ran 33 times for 133 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Many fantasy owners were talking about jumping the MJD ship, but I told you to start him this week and I hope you listened. Did anyone notice or care that Kerry Collins may have lost his job in Tennessee? The Titans receivers combined for -22 yards on the day; yes, I didn’t type it wrong, NEGITIVE 22 YARDS!

Winners

Tom Brady: I already talked about it, but Brady put up roughly 50 points in standard fantasy scoring, enough to dwarf the competition. Brady has been somewhat off since week 1, but after week 6 he is back to his must start status.

Drew Brees: Brees is another QB taken in the first round that struggled the previous two games (362 yards and no scores), but stepped up in a big way this week as he threw for 369 yards and four scores. New Orleans is 5-0 and Brees looks to be back on track for fantasy dominance.

Maurice Jones-Drew: You would be surprised to know how many emails I got from owners thinking of benching or trading MJD the week leading up to this game. I’m sure his 133 yards on the ground, 45 yards via the air, and three scores will help reassure those people who took him in the top 3 picks that he is back on track and ready to produce.

Ray Rice: The sleeper that everyone thought was in a comma is now awake and doing well. Rice managed to gain 77 yards and two scores on the ground, and he hauled in another 117 yards on 10 receptions this weekend.

Randy Moss and Wes Welker: Whenever a QB throws for six touchdowns, there is usually a WR that had a spectacular game as well. This weekend both Moss and Walker had triple digit games as Moss posted 129 yards on eight receptions and three TDs and Welker added 10 catches for 150 yards and two TDs.

Hines Ward: Ward just never seems to get old enough to stop producing and this weekend he produced eight receptions for 159 yards and a TD. He almost nabbed another TD but it was overturned by the officials, but one is better than none.

Zach Miller: I had Miller listed on my pre-season watch for TEs’, but the whole Raiders offense has failed to impress until this weekend. TE is a feast or famine position, but Miller feasted this weekend with his six receptions for 139 yards and a TD.

Cleveland Browns Defense: Yes, I know the Packers and Patriots shut out their opponents, but the Browns weren’t expected to do anything to the Steelers and yet they recorded 3 sacks, they recovered 3 fumbles, grabbed one INT, and racked up 179 return yards while scoring a TD. Even with the 27 points allowed, the Browns still topped most standard format defenses this weekend.

Losers

Matt Hasselbeck: Easy come, easy go is what describes Hasselbeck and his weeks 5 and 6 performances. This week Hasselbeck faced the league’s worst pass defense and managed to throw for 112 yards, no scores, one INT and was sacked five times on the day. I even started him over Drew Brees in one of my leagues… yes, I lost and those five little words I teach my kids came into play: I’ll never do that again.

Kerry Collins: Collins managed a massive two completions for -7 yards, one INT, one lost fumble, and rushed three times for -1 yards. He didn’t get hurt, he didn’t tweak anything, he is just a bi-product of a terrible Tennessee Titans team.

Matt Forte: I don’t know people, it may just be time to see if you can find the Bears fan in your league and trade him Matt Forte. This weekend he managed to run the ball 15 times for a whopping 23 yards (1.5 YPC) and that is not going to get it done for fantasy owners. Forte was often hit as soon as he took the handoff from Cutler, but all we care about is stats and the stats made him a loser. I would dangle him out there and see who bites.

Julius Jones: As if Hasselbeck’s terrible day wasn’t enough for Seattle, Jones managed to carry the ball five times for five yards… kind of reminds me of Arby’s 5-for-5 deal. A sandwich would have been better for my health than watching Jones sit on the sideline and look bored.

Steve Smith (Panthers): Another guy I had high hopes for that did nothing. Smith usually torches the Buccs, but on Sunday he was held to just one catch for four yards. The problem there is that when things like that happen, things like Smith saying “It’s bittersweet. We get the win, but I have a limited role. I see this game as showing I’m no longer an asset to this team” tend to follow.

Steve Smith (Giants): This is not a typo, Steve “mini-me” Smith also had an off week as he caught just four passes for 44 yards and no scores. I warned people about the Giants in this game so hopefully you listened to me.

Kellen Winslow: Heading into this week Winslow was tied with Dallas Clark as the most targeted TE in the NFL with 42. But, this weekend Winslow was targeted just four times while catching it three times for 29 yards and no scores. Tampa Bay is a bad team which means Winslow will see a lot of check-down passes, but four targets aren’t going to make fantasy owners very happy.

New York Giants Defense: The Giants had the #1 ranked passing defense heading into week 6, but after the dust settled in New Orleans, the Giants allowed 48 points while recording just one sack and no INTs. New York still has the #1 ranked passing defense with just 147.3 YPG allowed from the air, but Carolina is nipping at their heals now and fantasy owners took one on the chin this weekend. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=302 Week 6 Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=301 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:06:16 GMT Last week Matt Hasselbeck returned and put up an impressive four passing TDs to go along with his 241 yards. On the opposite end we have Joe Flacco that came crashing back to Earth with his 186 yards, 2 INTs and one TD. This week we have some favorable fantasy match-up to take advantage of while... Last week Matt Hasselbeck returned and put up an impressive four passing TDs to go along with his 241 yards. On the opposite end we have Joe Flacco that came crashing back to Earth with his 186 yards, 2 INTs and one TD. This week we have some favorable fantasy match-up to take advantage of while other weekly starters are going to be forced to the bench. The good news is you have me here to help you navigate through the muddy waters that are known as fantasy football.

Byes: Cowboys, Colts, Dolphins, 49ers

Asterisk Mark: I feel like I must say that you need to understand my sit em’ rankings. If I say to sit a player, understand that it means they will not perform to their usual level. QB1s’ are expected to perform as QB2’s or lower; RB1 as RB2, etc.


Start Em’

Tom Brady: Ok, I’ve been pretty down on Brady all season long, but this week the Patriots hit this season’s most surprising team, the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are ranked 31st in pass defense (287.6 YPG) and 2nd in passing TD’s against (13). If there were ever a week to get back on track, this would be it.

Matt Hasselbeck: I know this looks like a bandwagon pick, but the Cardinals are dead last in the NFL for Passing defense (303 YPG) and are tied for 6th for TDs allowed with 9. He is on some waiver wires still and since the Seahawks have a less than stellar running game, I have no problem ranking him in the top 5 for QBs’ this week.

Maurice Jones-Drew: MJD has been a disappointment to a lot of owners this season and many of them are contemplating sitting him in favor of someone else. Well, don’t do it this weekend as the Jaguars face the helpless Rams. Not to mention the fact that the team is hungry to avenge their shutout last week and put some serious points on the board.

Knowshon Moreno: San Diego is ranked 27th against the run (151 YPG allowed) and Moreno is still looking for his first 100 yard game. The Chargers are much better against the pass (#12) and I see the Broncos setting the pass up by establishing the run early and often.

Steve Smith (CAR): Ok, I’m going out on a limb by picking the disappointing WR this week. The Buccs are ranked 21st against the pass and the Panthers need to get Smith involved if they want DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to have success.

Nate Burleson: I’m not a fan of Burleson or T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but I can’t ignore the match-up and what they did last week. I’d have to give them both a start this week, but Burleson made the cut for the article over Housh.

Jermichael Finley: The kid is widely unknown and on a lot of waiver wires. I could see him putting up low end TE1 stats this weekend and is a better play than say Greg Olsen, Chris Cooley, or even Kellen Winslow.

Washington Redskins Defense: The Redskins defense is on a lot of waiver wires currently, so you can snag them if you have the Giants or Bears defense. The Chiefs are a terrible team right now and I would have no problems picking up the Redskins for a week.


Sit Em’

Eli Manning: Don’t get too excited, Manning is an asterisk mark player this week. Manning has been playing so far ahead of anyone’s expectations that he is a must start each week. However, this week the Giants face the Saints and they are ranked 11th against the pass. QB2 numbers are likely.

Mark Sanchez: Everyone is all high on the rookie because the Jets are 3-2 and on top of the division. But, the Bills are ranked #6 against the pass and held Derek Anderson to just 23 yards last weekend. I know… Anderson isn’t very good… but he is the starter in Cleveland.

Steve Slaton: Slaton has not been the top 10 RB we expected him to be, and this weekend the Texans face off against the Bengals 12th ranked run defense (98.8 YPG). It is also noteworthy that there is a talk of Slaton losing carries to Chris Brown.

Willis McGahee: I am still getting emails about McGahee and his value, but I am sorry to tell you that you missed that ship. It looks like the Ravens have finally grasped the fact that Ray Rice is the future and McGahee is gone after this season. If you can find someone to take him, you’d better hurry and get rid of him.

Lee Evans: I had some solid hopes for Evans this season, but those are out the window now. I wouldn’t even be mad if someone told me they dropped Evans in favor of Maclin!

Jeremy Maclin: Now, since we are on the subject, I had to mention Maclin here because I have received so many emails from people who jumped on him just like they did with Mohammed Massaquoi and Louis Murphy. Maclin has a better QB than either of the previous two did, but DeSean Jackson is the man in Philly and I don’t get excited over one week performances.

Greg Olsen: If you have other options at TE this week, you may want to look into using them. I have Olsen ranked at around #15 for TE’s and he is more of an asterisk player than anything. I’d expect yards in the 50-70’s, but I’m not sold on him scoring.

Chicago Bears: The Bears defense has looked much different without Brian Urlacher and this week they run up against a rejuvenated Atlanta Falcons team. Michael Turner, Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez can reap havoc against fantasy defenses and I don’t have as much faith in the Bears defense as I once did. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=301 Week 5 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=300 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:56:28 GMT The NFL is a strange place in 2009 as the Broncos are 5-0 and the Titans are 0-5. But, one has to wonder at what point does Kyle Orton come back to Earth and when do the Titans finally make the switch away from Kerry Collins? I mean really, what is Vince Young going to do that Collins hasn’t… lose?... The NFL is a strange place in 2009 as the Broncos are 5-0 and the Titans are 0-5. But, one has to wonder at what point does Kyle Orton come back to Earth and when do the Titans finally make the switch away from Kerry Collins? I mean really, what is Vince Young going to do that Collins hasn’t… lose? And who is this Miles Austin the Cowboys speak of?

Winners

Kyle Orton: Now that Orton is in Denver and pulling off miracles each week, people are wondering if it was the system in Chicago that killed every QB they ever had or if Orton is just early season hype. I don’t know, but 330 yards and two TDs will get a lot of people’s attention.

Matt Ryan: Finally Matty Ice broke out and put up numbers fantasy owners have been waiting for. Ryan torched the 49ers for 329 yards, two passing TDs and a rushing TD, good enough for a top 3 QB finish this weekend.

Ahmad Bradshaw: Bradshaw came out of nowhere to post 110 yards on the ground, 55 yards via the air, and 2 TDs this weekend. In standard scoring leagues, Bradshaw sat on a lot of benches and put up enough points to rank him #1 for fantasy RBs’ this weekend.

Cedric Benson: This guy is for real this season! With 120 yards and a score, Benson ranked #3 for backs and what is most impressive about that is the Ravens were ranked #1 in rushing defense before this weekend.

Miles Austin: I had him ranked as my top WR sleeper this pre-season, but I don’t think anyone thought he would ever put up 250 receiving yards and 2 TDs. Once you saw Roy Williams was out, maybe you picked him up… just don’t expect that type of production ever again.

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin was owned in around 20% of fantasy leagues before this weekend, and already that number has jumped to 25% as of Monday night. DeSean Jackson had a terrible game, and because of that Maclin was able to post 142 receiving yards and 2 TDs.

Kellen Winslow: I have Winslow in one of my leagues, so I am happy to say he helped this weekend with his 102 yards and 2 TDs. But, you should understand that Josh Johnson is still Josh Johnson and if you could ever sell high on Winslow, this is the weekend.

Seattle Seahawks Defense: The Seahawks defense shut out the Jaguars this weekend, and that was good enough to rank them #1 for defenses this weekend. Well, the five sacks, two fumbles recovered, and defensive touchdown helped also. I expect the Seahawks to be on the waiver wire in most leagues so don’t think this was anything more than a good week.


Losers

David Garrard: Who would have thought being without Mike Sims-Walker would have been such a big loss to the Jaguars offense. Nobody expected Garrard to throw for just 188 yards and no scores, but that is what happened and I expect a rebound week from him coming.

Joe Flacco: Those of you that are wacko for Flacco might just be wacko after this weekend. Going for 186 yards, 2 INTs and 1 TD is more along the lines of what I expected from Flacco heading into this season.

Chris Johnson: I just traded for Johnson in my Jaguars league, and he managed to bust out for a whopping 34 rushing yards and 9 receiving yards this weekend. The Titans are 0-5 and things will soon turn to Johnson and the running game, so keep the faith.

Willis McGahee: Now why in the world Yahoo would rank McGahee #27 for week 5 projections is beyond me. But, as fast as his rise was, the fall has been even faster as he ran for -2 yards, but put up 4 receiving yards to bring his total yards on the day to 2.

DeSean Jackson: Jackson recorded just one catch in week 5 and that led to 1 receiving yard. I’m sure zero points isn’t what owners had in mind when they set their line-ups on Sunday morning. He’ll bounce back and you can rack this up to just an off game.

Randy Moss: I don’t know if it is time to just get out of Moss since his value is so low, but I don’t think 36 yards receiving is going to be worth starting any longer. I’d put him on your bench until he finally has a good game. Sure, you’ll miss out on the points, but it is better than wasting a starting spot on him until it happens.

Chris Cooley: I’m not a huge fan of Cooley personally, because it is because I don’t like Jason Campbell. He has been forced into a blocking role this year and he managed to go 0-fer the game in every stat fantasy owners look for.

Miami Dolphins Defense: The Dolphins may have won the game, but they allowed 27 points and managed to log just one sack and no other defense stats.



In the end, I went 13-16 this week and I’ll take 81.25% accuracy any time. I warned you about Massaquoi, but did you listen? The other pay sites were closer to 40% accuracy, but you were lucky enough to be a Chargers fan so you get double that for free! ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=300 Week 5 Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=299 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:26:14 GMT The only thing worse for fantasy owners than underperforming players are players not on the field because of their bye weeks. This week the Bears, Packers, Saints, and Chargers are all taking a break and that means there will be some studs you can’t use. Good thing for you I give you players on the... The only thing worse for fantasy owners than underperforming players are players not on the field because of their bye weeks. This week the Bears, Packers, Saints, and Chargers are all taking a break and that means there will be some studs you can’t use. Good thing for you I give you players on the rise and fall so you know what others don’t know.

On the Raise

Braylon Edwards: Now that he has been traded to the Jets, he should be able to rehab some of his lost value for his owners. Don’t expect him to regain that WR1 form he had a few years ago, but low end WR2/high end WR3 value is possible.

Rashard Mendenhall: I mentioned him in my recap, but the kid is gaining value by the minute and is worth trading for if you can get him at a reasonable rate. Don’t overpay, but certainly don’t be afraid to pull the trigger as Parker has lost a step.

Mike Sims-Walker: He has become a legit must start each week and Garrard and Sims-Walker have chemistry. He won’t be available on any wires, but he is a legit WR1 so far this season.

Jermichael Finley: Finley had an amazing week 4 with six catches for 128 yards and a TD, but you will need to temper the expectations since that one game equaled more catches and yards than he had in the previous three games combined. He has a bye this week, but if you are wasting a spot on someone like Donald Lee or Anthony Fasano, now is the time to make the switch.

David Garrard: Nobody thought about starting Garrard heading into the season, but hopefully you took my advice and played him last weekend. Garrard has a strong four game stretch coming up and should be a clear QB1 for most people during that stretch. I’d trade for him and try and play him off as an early season fluke… but you and I both know better.
On the Decline

Jake Delhomme: Delhomme is sporting a 59.3% mark in completions, 6.6 YPA, and just two TDs to 7 INTs this season. I had him on my do not draft list… did you?

Tony Romo: I am not saying to cut him, so calm down Romo lovers. But, why everyone anointed him a superstar is beyond me. He has as many interceptions as he does touchdowns and his value continues to plummet. Some may say buy low, I say bench him and hope he rebounds.

Steve Smith (CAR): Where there is smoke, there is fire. In Carolina, Smith isn’t the problem; Jake Delhomme is. With QB problems come WR problems, and Smith is learning that this season. Maybe the bye week helped solve some issues, but I doubt it. Smith is going to have a hard time regaining any value this season.

Anthony Fasano: Pennington is gone, Henne is in. Add to that the fact that all this team can run is the wildcat offense and you have a recipe for WR and TE disaster. TE has always been an all or nothing category, so players like Fasano are most likely not going to have any fantasy value now or in the second half of the season.
Start Em’


Ben Roethlisberger: I’m not a big fan of Big Ben in fantasy terms, but this week he has to be talked about in the top 3 for fantasy QBs’. The Lions are terrible and we are all waiting for the real Santonio Holmes to please stand up… please stand up.

Donovan McNabb: McNabb is back this week and some people might be thinking of giving him a week to see how healthy he really is. I am personally going to roll the dice and play McNabb in all the leagues I own him in.

Rashard Mendenhall: He blew up on the Chargers defense last week and there is little I see the Lions doing to stop him from doing it all over again this weekend. Willie Parker isn’t so fast anymore and the Steelers are a run oriented team, so Mendenhall is a must start for the time being.

Brandon Jacobs: If there was ever a week for Jacobs to get his engine started, this is the week. Oakland is one of the league’s worst teams and Jacobs can be one of the league’s top 10 backs when he is on his game. Owners who stuck with him are going to be rewarded this weekend with RB1 numbers.

Brandon Marshall: Ok, I am going to give the guy a chance and see if he finally found his groove in Denver’s new offense. He has had back-to-back weeks with a score, so maybe this is the week he breaks 100 yards.

Chad Ochocino: The Ravens are ranked #1 against the run, so if the Bengals are to move the ball on Sunday it will come via the air. Ochocinco can make the tough catches and Palmer can make the tough throws. Don’t expect miracles, but Ochocinco could be a top 15 WR play this weekend.

Vernon Davis: I am going to see if I can ride Davis for a third straight week in my leagues and you should do the same. I would put him in the top 5-7 TEs this weekend, so don’t leave him on the bench unless you have a clearly better option.

Dallas Cowboys Defense: The Boys’ have been a big disappointment to a lot of fans, and their defense to a lot of fantasy players. But, that could all end this weekend as they face the problem filled Kansas City Chiefs. I don’t see them shutting them out, but 10+ fantasy points is likely.
Sit Em’

Tom Brady: Yes, I said it… Tom Brady. The Broncos are 3rd in the league in passing yards against (162.5 YPG), they haven’t allowed a passing TD (1st), they have six INTs as a team (T-3rd), and they are 2nd in sacks (15), and 2nd in passer rating against (56.0).

Jake Delhomme: I had a question from a caller on my weekly spot on a radio show asking if Delhomme will rebound after his bye week. The answer, no. I have no faith in Delhomme even though he is playing Washington and I will not recommend you play him this weekend.

Cedric Benson: I love Benson this season, but not against the Ravens. Baltimore is just too good against the run (1st at 59.5 YPG). Not much more to it than that really.

Cadillac Williams: Williams has knee problems and while he looked good in weeks 1 and 4, knee troubles reared its ugly head in weeks 2 and 3. Derrick Ward should return this week and I don’t trust Williams and his gimpy knee to give quality fantasy production against the Eagles.

Mohamed Massaquoi: Those who couldn’t get a Raiders RB settled for Massaquoi, and there is no reason to get excited yet. The Bills are 21st against the pass and the Browns are 26th in passing, so the numbers are on my side. He reminds me a lot of someone named Louis Murphy.

Roy E. Williams: Williams has suffered along with Romo this season, and this weekend shouldn’t be any different. With just 11 receptions in four weeks, I am not going to hold my breath for a breakout weekend.

Zach Miller (OAK): I had high hopes for Miller heading into the pre-season, but JaMarcus Russell is looking more and more like a bust and that is killing any value a player wearing the silver and black.

Tennessee Titans Defense: What a wasted pick this has been for anyone that reached to pick the Titans defense. The team is 0-4 and ranked 27th in points against (108), so facing Peyton Manning and all his toys this weekend is going to help. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=299 Week 4 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=298 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:01:34 GMT I was shocked when I saw Rashard Mendenhall on the waiver wire in more than a couple of my leagues this weekend, so I decided to look a little closer and I saw that he is only owned in roughly 45% of all leagues. Maybe it was the injury last season; maybe it is the fast that Willie Parker and... I was shocked when I saw Rashard Mendenhall on the waiver wire in more than a couple of my leagues this weekend, so I decided to look a little closer and I saw that he is only owned in roughly 45% of all leagues. Maybe it was the injury last season; maybe it is the fast that Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore are still in Pittsburgh; either way, I snatched him up and kept it as low key as I could. The simple truth about Parker is it looks like he is running with two flat tires these days and Mendenhall put up 191 yards of total offense and two scores, so you know the Steelers aren’t going to bench him when Parker returns. Then there is the emergence of Steve Smith from the New York Giants as a WR1 in fantasy leagues. Has anyone from the NFL checked to see if any space aliens stole Steve Smith from the Panthers ability and gave it Steve Smith from the Giants ala Space Jam?

Winners

David Garrard: The Jaguars put a beating on the 0-4 Tennessee Titans, and it was the Garrard and friends show all day long. His 323 yards and 3 TDs were good enough to rank him as the #1 fantasy QB in week 4.

Philip Rivers: Rivers edges out Eli Manning for the #2 QB spot by an INT. I had a feeling the Chargers would be throwing all night and that is just what Rivers did on his way to posting 254 passing yards and 3 TDs.

Rashard Mendelhall: As we’ve already talked about, Mendenhall had a career night as he rushed for 165 yards and 2 TDs, then caught two passes for 26 yards, good enough to put him atop the list of fantasy backs this weekend.

Ronnie Brown: The Dolphins run the wildcat as if they invented it, and Brown is the main beneficiary of the system. Brown torched the Bills for 115 yards and 2 TDs, making him a legit RB1 in any format.

Steve Smith: Maybe this is his coming out party, or maybe this is first half success and production will drop off once Brandon Jacobs steps up his game. Either way, I’ll take 134 yards and 2 TDs from a WR any day.

Mike Sims-Walker: I called it before it happened, so hopefully you took my advice. While he didn’t break the 100 yard mark (91), he did score twice and that gives owners 12 points in standard scoring formats.

Antonio Gates: Another guy I told you to play. Gates ended the night with 124 receiving yards and 2 TDs, and that means he was only topped by Smith for points from a WR or TE.

San Francisco 49ers Defense: It looked like the 49ers were going Harlem Globetrotters on the Rams this weekend as they shut them out and scored 3 defensive touchdowns on them. A zero spot and three scores equals roughly 39 fantasy points and that is not the norm when it comes to defenses.

Losers

Drew Brees: Two weeks in a row now Brees has failed to reach 200 yards passing or score a single touchdown after putting up 669 passing yards and 9 TDs in the first two games. There is no cause for alarm with Brees, but he pretty much secured losses for his owners two straight weeks now.

Tony Romo: I was high on Romo heading into the season, but now I am starting to realize that everyone has anointed him a superstar for no real reason. Remember, I told you to sit him. This week he threw for 255 yards and an INT, but wasn’t able to score again this weekend. On the season, he has a 1:1 TD to INT ratio going (4 TDs and INTs) and I am going to shop him in the leagues I own him in.

Darren McFadden: Is it time to just go ahead and call JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden busts? I’ve seen enough from McFadden to know it is the Raiders that is killing him, but Russell I think is a bust. No matter what, McFadden was a bust this weekend with his six rushes for -3 yards and one reception for 5 yards. McFadden tore his Meniscus cartilage and will miss 2-4 weeks. Don’t cut him, but don’t play him for the next month either.

Adrian Peterson: I thought we would see more from Peterson in this game. He was able to get 25 carries on the night, but he managed just 55 yards and a cheap 1 yard TD run for his efforts. AP is still the league’s best back, but he didn’t fool the Packers in this one.

Marquis Colston: Whenever a QB has an off day, there is about a 995 chance his WRs’ will too have off days. Colston managed 33 yards and no scores, so a whopping 3 fantasy points is what he netted his owners this weekend.

Braylon Edwards: What a waste of a roster spot this guy has become the last few seasons. This weekend he failed to even log a catch, but he will blame that on the lack of any type of QB worth playing on most teams.

Jason Witten: Another case of QB troubles rears its ugly head for Witten owners. Witten caught four passes for 31 yards and no TDs. On the season, Witten is ranked #15 for fantasy TEs’ and I hate to say it, but I told you so.

New York Giants Defense: The Giants held the Chiefs to 16 points, but they only logged five sacks and one fumble recovery, but that was all they could muster. In the end, the Giants defense put up 8 fantasy points and that puts them just inside the top 15 for week 4.


Well, week 4 ended with me taking home 15 correct picks and just one wrong one. Had Thomas Jones not gotten a TD I would have been a perfect 16-16 on the weekend. I suppose I could say I got the pick right since he only had 48 yards and that equals roughly 8 fantasy points. But, for this weekend, Jones’ 8 points keep him in the RB2 range and I can’t say I was correct when he had RB2 stats. Either way, 94% is far better than you will ever see from those other guys. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=298 Week 4 Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=297 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:08:24 GMT Here we are, week 4 of the NFL season and the start of the bye week. Many people are having trouble finding who to drop so they can get a bye week filler, while others are still holding onto guys that should be cut in favor of hot pick-ups like Glen Coffee. I’ll give you a few hot waiver wire adds... Here we are, week 4 of the NFL season and the start of the bye week. Many people are having trouble finding who to drop so they can get a bye week filler, while others are still holding onto guys that should be cut in favor of hot pick-ups like Glen Coffee. I’ll give you a few hot waiver wire adds then head right into the Start/Sit predictions.

Rise and Fall of Value

Glen Coffee: Frank Gore is out at least three weeks and Coffee is going to be the feature back. The Niners have shown to have major problems passing the ball with any consistency, so Coffee will most likely see 20+ carries a game. He is a good rental while Gore is out.

Tashard Choice: Marion Barber should be back this week to face the Broncos, but at what percentage will we see him at? Felix Jones is out of commission for a while, which means Choice is an interesting handcuff to Barber owners. If Barber sits out once again, Choice could see a lot of action this weekend.

Cincinnati Bengals Defense: The Bengals are surprising some people this season after beating the Steelers last week, but I knew better since I write for them. Their defense is a legit top 15 defense and should be owned and played this week against the helpless Cleveland Browns.

Fred Jackson: Marshawn Lynch is back this week, so Fred Jackson is no longer a starting RB in fantasy leagues. You can make a case for him in the flex spot, but Lynch is the main guy in Buffalo once again.

Jerome Harrison: I told people about this guy as a possible sleeper in Cleveland, but everyone was all hyper on James Davis instead. Jamal Lewis continues to nurse hamstring injury and that could mean Harrison gets the start this weekend against the Bengals. I’d pick him up just in case you need some RB depth in the future.

Mike Sims-Walker: He is a guy to own if you need a WR. In just two games he has 12 catches for 187 yards and a TD, so why are you still holding on to Louis Murphy and not adding Sims-Walker?

Start Em’

Shaun Hill: Although I like Coffee as a waiver wire addition and possible start this week, Hill should get every chance in the world to have a big game against a Rams team that is ranked 25th against the pass (255.3 YPG). Hopefully that translates over to Josh Morgan and Vernon Davis as well because I own them in a few leagues.

Jay Cutler: Cutler hasn’t been the hottest QB on the block so far, but the Bears face off against the Lions and that is an easy match-up for fantasy owners. I would have no problems putting Cutler in the top five for fantasy QBs this week.

Glen Coffee: I already mentioned why Coffee is a good pick-up, so it is no surprise I think he is a good play against the Rams. St. Louis is weak against the pass and even worse against the run (148 YPG, ranked 27th). I think this game could get out of control before halftime and Coffee will get some good garbage time stats.

Cedric Benson: To be honest, I have more faith in Benson to put up good numbers this weekend than I do Portis, but the numbers are in Portis’ favor. Cleveland is allowing 184.3 YPG to runners and Benson has been reborn in Cincinnati.

Pierre Garcon: Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning, but who is Pierre Garcon? Garcon has increased his production each of the first three weeks (24, 48 yards and a TD, 64 yards and a TD), so it should be no surprise he is getting some fantasy love.

Mike Sims-Walker: I love the sleeper potential in this guy so much I am going to take him from the waiver wire and start him this week. The Titans give up over 274 YPG via the air and Sims-Walker has the eye of QB David Garrard. Not a homer pick, I truly believe in this one!

Antonio Gates: Now most weeks you would say I am just trying to pad my stats with correct picks. But, this week the Chargers face the Steelers and people are honestly thinking about sitting Gates down in favor of Vernon Davis. Don’t do it; the Steelers can stop the run, but they give up 212.7 passing yards and Gates will see a lot of action.

Cincinnati Bengals Defense: The Browns are just terrible. I don’t even really need to explain this pick any further than to say they switched QBs and Derek Anderson came in and threw three INTs, and they could be using a new RB this weekend too. My lock of the week is right here.

Sit Em’


Tony Romo: Romo has the tools to get the job done, which is probably why he has been anointed a superstar in the NFL. But, this weekend he faces a Broncos defense that gives up just 136.3 passing yards and they are tied for 5th with five interceptions on the season.

Mark Sanchez: Everyone loves the rookie Sanchez; but remember, he is still a rookie. The Saints have picked off opposing QBs seven times and since Brees will be out to prove he is better than his week 3 performance, Sanchez will play catch-up and the Saints should add to that INT total.

Marshawn Lynch: I know I said Lynch is the man again, but the Dolphins allow just 66 rushing yards per game and Lynch is going to be too rusty to use this weekend. You’ve been sitting him until now, so one more week won’t hurt.

Thomas Jones: I don’t see Jones busting anything big against a Saints defense that has allowed just 67 rushing YPG and two TDs this season. Jones shows flashes of still being good, but he is averaging only 3.8 YPC this season and has just two catches for one yard, not what you call a versatile back.

Dwayne Bowe: Bowe is quickly becoming a WR1 bust in that awful Chiefs offense. Bowe failed to take a single rep at practice on Wednesday and even if he does play the Giants lead the NFL in passing YPG allowed (124.0).

Roy Williams: I guess it goes hand-in-hand that Romo and Williams are on this list. Williams will match up against Champ Bailey and even though Bailey isn’t what he once was, he is still better than Williams.

John Carlson: I had so many high hopes for this guy before the season started, but when Hasselbeck went down the hopes went out the window. The Colts are ranked 10th in pass defense (192.3 YPG) and Seneca Wallace doesn’t help the value at all.

New England Patriots Defense: The Baltimore Ravens come into this game ranked #2 in total yards per game with 430.3. The Patriots don’t have the defense they once did but people keep starting them because they are still a “name” defense. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=297 Week 3 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=296 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:21:49 GMT *Week 3 Recap* Ok, let’s just get this out of the way right now; yes Brett Favre had a good game in week 3, but even a blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. We all know who Peyton Manning is, but who is Kevin Kolb and why is he throwing for 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns?...
Week 3 Recap
Ok, let’s just get this out of the way right now; yes Brett Favre had a good game in week 3, but even a blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. We all know who Peyton Manning is, but who is Kevin Kolb and why is he throwing for 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns? Either way, let’s talk some winners and losers from this weekend and see how I did with my picks.

Winners

Matt Schaub: When Schaub is healthy and in the game, the guy has a laser guided missile for an arm. Add to that Kevin Walter being back and you have a recipe for fantasy success. Keep riding Schaub until the wheels fall off.

Brett Favre: I have the integrity to admit when I am wrong, and I was wrong on Favre this weekend. Now, take away a very lucky 32-yard pass at the end of that game and Favre ends with 265 yards and a single TD. It is still a solid game, but not anything more than QB2 stats.

Maurice Jones-Drew: I told you to play him, so hopefully you listened. MJD went out and filled the boxscore with his 119 rushing yards, four receptions for 28 yards, and added three touchdowns to capture the #1 spot for RB’s this weekend.

Pierre Thomas: Thomas was another guy I told you about this week in the buy low section. He went out and rushed 14 times for 126 yards and two scores, good enough for #2 on that RB list. Reggie Bush is quickly becoming an afterthought when it comes to that New Orleans offense.

Santana Moss: If there were one player I would say always gets drafted too high, Moss has to be on that list. Washington has QB problems and that kills his value, but this weekend he tore it up with his 10 catches for 178 yards and a TD. I wouldn’t bet he will do this again this season, but owners who played him will take it nevertheless.

Derrick Mason: Another WR that is always there, but never does much. If you ask which WR you can get that will get you seven catches for 70 yards… Mason is #1 on that list. But, if you ask who will get you 118 yards and a score, Mason’s name just never pops into my mind.

Brent Celek: This is a guy I had on my pre-season sleeper list and a lot of the other “experts” out there laughed at me. But, alas, that is why I write for pro teams and they write for websites. Celek put up eight catches for 104 yards and a score this week and he could have more games like this throughout this season.

Vernon Davis: Another one of my pre-season TE sleepers. Now, we all know who Davis is, but he has never taken the next step in San Francisco until this week. He found a way to amass 96 yards on seven catches and score twice, but can he do it again?

Minnesota Vikings Defense: Yes, they allowed 18 points, but they also racked up one sack, one INT, and one defensive TD this weekend.

Losers

Drew Brees: The problem with Brees was his first two games. They were so completely outrageous, we got spoiled. But, fantasy players never want to see their #1 player throw for 172 yards and no scores. He won’t have many games like this so owners can rest their fears.

Byron Leftwich: It wasn’t like anyone should have had Lefty in their starting line-ups, but he lost his starting gig in Tampa Bay and you know Jaguars fans are flying their “I told you so” banners this week. Oh, the seven completions for 22 yards and an INT had to be one of the worst games in QB history.

Adrian Peterson: The only reason AP made the list was because he was most likely the #1 overall pick in your league and he managed just 85 yards on the ground, 14 via the air, and failed to score. Maybe we are just greedy, but I expect more from a #1 overall pick.

DeAngelo Williams: Anyone that knows me or reads my articles, knows I am not that high on Williams because of Stewart. On MNF Williams put up just 64 yards and no scores which means he got you between 4-6 points in most standard leagues.

Roddy White: Did White know the Falcons weren’t in practice? I want more than four receptions for 24 yards and no scores from a #1 WR.

Terrell Owens: I warned people about TO all pre-season long and people ignored me and ignored me. He was held without a catch for the first time since his rookie season (1996) and put up a big goose egg for fantasy players.

Tony Gonzales: With just one catch for 16 yards this weekend, it isn’t hard to figure out why he made the losers list.

John Carlson: Carlson is one of the guys I liked at TE this season, but this weekend he managed just three catches for 28 yards and no scores.

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense: The Steelers got punched in the mouth by the surprising Cincinnati Bengals this weekend and gave fantasy owners a shock too with just two sacks on defense and 17 points allowed. How much can one player mean to a team… ask Steelers fans that question right now.


Now, the most important question for all you Jaguars fans is, “How did James do?” Well, I was right on Schaub, Kolb, Jones-Drew, Forte (still had over 100 total yards and that is 10 points in most leagues), Vincent Jackson, Redskins Defense (19 points is still like 6 points), Cassel, Barber, Jones, and Watson. I missed on Henderson, Keller, Favre, Marshall, Hester, and the Jets defense. In the end I finished 60% right this weekend and it would have been higher had Brees not had a terrible game, and if Keller would have seen more than just four targets. However, I was still better than most others and I know I was close to 90% right from the emailed questions I received. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=296 Week 3 Fantasy Forecast http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=295 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:35:35 GMT Who can overlook the fantasy weekends turned in by Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, Matt Schaub, or Andre Johnson? On that note, some guys we would like to forget about are Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Tony Romo, Reggie Wayne, and Greg Jennings. Like any good game, we can’t dwell on what happened last weekend,... Who can overlook the fantasy weekends turned in by Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, Matt Schaub, or Andre Johnson? On that note, some guys we would like to forget about are Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Tony Romo, Reggie Wayne, and Greg Jennings. Like any good game, we can’t dwell on what happened last weekend, so we must move on to this weekend. This week I thought I would switch it up a little and give you some guys to sell high on and others to buy low on.


Sell High

Joe Flacco: It’s not that Flacco isn’t a good NFL QB, but right now he is ranked in the top 5-7 for all fantasy players and he isn’t that good. He isn’t a bad guy to have on the bench, but if you are weak at RB or WR, see if you can flip Flacco while he has the value.

Byron Leftwich: I’ve been burned by this guy too many times to not put him on this list. Yes, it has only been two weeks, but sometimes you have to strike while the iron is hot.

Mike Bell: Pierre Thomas is back and the fantasy ride is over for Bell. Granted, Bell looked very good against the Lions, but he was just solid against the Eagles. Bell has knee issues and Thomas was the starter heading into the off-season.

Correll Buckhalter: The Broncos didn’t draft Knowshon Moreno because they were bored. Moreno is getting the hang of the NFL game now and it won’t be long before he has the starting role all to himself.

Mario Manningham: It’s not that Manningham doesn’t have value, but he is ranked in the top 2-3 for WR’s right now and he isn’t that good. Not to mention the fact that the Giants are a running team.

Denver Broncos Defense: In week one the Broncos held the Bengals to seven points, and then they get Cleveland in week two and hold them to just six points. Since fantasy defensive points are largely based on points allowed, the Broncos fantasy numbers are inflated.

Buy Low

Donovan McNabb: McNabb is injured and that knocks his value down; Michael Vick is on the roster, strike two; Kevin Kolb threw for 391 yards and two TD’s in week two, strike three for the fickle hearted McNabb owners. People are talking QB controversy and McNabb is the man in Philly.

Matt Forte: Forte only has 84 rushing yards and no TD’s in the first two games, so owners are starting the bust talk. Jump on Forte before this weekend when the Bears try and establish the running game.

Pierre Thomas: Mike Bell looked good the first two weeks, but the job was Thomas’ before the season started for a reason. Thomas is back this week and Bell is injured, so now is the time to buy low.

Antonio Bryant: Bryant has an injury problem, but he is a talented receiver that is better than most when he is on the field. Word is he may be back by this weekend, so now is a good time to buy low.

Baltimore Ravens Defense: The Ravens have given up 50 combined points to the Chiefs and Chargers, but the Ravens defense is better than they look. I wouldn’t have any problems buying low on them if the price is right.

Start Em’

Matt Schaub: Schaub put on a clinic last weekend as he threw for 357 yards and four TD’s. The lack of a running game is forcing Schaub to pass more and he made better decisions last week, showing everyone that he can get it done.

Kevin Kolb: For just one more week Kevin Kolb will have value. The Chiefs head into week 3 ranked #14 in pass defense with 201 YPG, but Kolb should light them up for 300+ yards and a couple more TD’s. INT’s are likely, but the yards and TD’s will make up for it.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Who would have ever thought I would have to say to start MJD? In the first two games he has 163 rushing yards, 43 receiving yards and one TD, and that has many fantasy owners thinking if they should bench him. The good news is the Texans are dead last in rushing yards against with a 215 YPG average.

Matt Forte: Forte is in the same boat as Jones-Drew with fantasy owners. Bears coach Lovie Smith said Wednesday that the coaching staff "wants to get the running game going this week." Seattle is 26th for rushing yards against (166.5) and Forte is the feature back in Chicago.

Vincent Jackson: Jackson went off for six catches for 141 yards and a TD last weekend. This Sunday the Chargers match up against the Dolphins and their #23 ranked passing defense. Without LaDainian Tomlinson and a real running game, the Chargers are going to have to pass more often.

Devery Henderson: We all know the fire power that Drew Brees has at his disposal, but Henderson isn’t a name that jumps out to most fans. Look, 174 yards and a score is good enough to get my attention. Oh, did I mention that Lance Moore is dealing with a bum hamstring and Henderson should start opposite Marques Colston?

Dustin Keller: The Titans are dead last for passing yards against with 339 YPG, and Keller is looking every bit as good as Jason Witten did last year. Tight Ends are very much all or nothing plays, but Keller should be a good bet to put up some numbers against a soft passing defense.

Washington Redskins Defense: The Redskins defense is not a good one, but this week they play the helpless Detroit Lions, and that is reason enough to add them as a rental.

Sit Em’

Brett Favre: I don’t know why so many people are so high on Favre; he has done nothing to show such faith yet. I remember the days when 264 yards and three TD’s was a single game line, not a season line.

Matt Cassel: The Chiefs paid a lot of money for a guy that looks injury prone and has a sketchy supporting cast. Dwayne Bowe is every bit as good as Randy Moss, but the Chiefs have more problems than Cassel can overcome. Larry Johnson is near the end and Mark Bradley/Bobby Wade won’t scare anyone.

Marion Barber: Marion “The Barbarian” is trying to practice this week enough to play on Monday, but even if he does play it will be limited action. I would sit him until next week just in case the Cowboys decide not to risk further injury.

Thomas Jones: The Jets have the Titans this week and while they are dead last in passing defense, they rank #2 in rushing defense. Jones only has one reception for -1 yards this season, so he won’t be a factor in the passing game.

Brandon Marshall: The only reason I am even bothering to mention Marshall is because people keep asking me about trades involving him. Seriously people, it is time to trade him for whatever you can get… he is fantasy garbage at this point.

Devin Hester: Hester hasn’t been the star of the Bears passing game so far this season and he is starting to remind me a lot of Dante Hall. Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett look like better options than Hester and it is only a matter of time before the Bears realize that too.

Ben Watson: People got too hyper over the first weeks stats from Watson, don’t fall into that trap. Watson has never done what he was supposed to do and I won’t be starting him this weekend.

New York Jets Defense: The Titans can put points on the board and Chris Johnson is, well, Chris Johnson. The Jets are ranked #1 in total yards against at 241.0 YPG against, but I think this is the week that bubble gets busted. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=295 Week 2 Recap http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=294 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:14:55 GMT Week 2 of the season was a wild one as owners who had Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub, Frank Gore, Chris Johnson, Andre Johnson, and Vincent Jackson were elated, but those who have Matt Hasselbeck (I know), JaMarcus Russell, Matt Forte, Ray Rice, Eddie Royal, and Randy Moss are left wondering where... Week 2 of the season was a wild one as owners who had Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub, Frank Gore, Chris Johnson, Andre Johnson, and Vincent Jackson were elated, but those who have Matt Hasselbeck (I know), JaMarcus Russell, Matt Forte, Ray Rice, Eddie Royal, and Randy Moss are left wondering where their players were at on Sunday. Let’s go through some winners and loser that were expected and unexpected and try to figure out what went wrong exactly.

Winners

Philip Rivers: The Ravens have one of the league’s best run defenses, which means the Chargers were going to have to throw it if they wanted to move the ball down field. For some reason I didn’t take that into account when making this week’s Sit Em’ report and was flat out wrong on this one. Yes, he threw 2 INT’s, but the 436 yards and 2 TDs more than made up for it.

Kevin Kolb: I don’t know a single person that actually picked up Kolb or started him, so this one was unexpected. What he did with that type of hype was go out and burn the Saints defense for 391 yards and 2 TDs, but he also threw 3 INT’s. I’ll take the negative six points from the interceptions if it means adding 12 points for two touchdowns.

Chris Johnson: I hyped Johnson in the draft rankings because the guy can just run faster than everyone else on the field and doesn’t get tackled. He finished today with 197 yards rushing, 87 yards receiving and three TD’s. Johnson was by far the best fantasy RB of the day.

Frank Gore: Before Gore went down with a sprained ankle he amassed 207 rushing yards, 39 receiving yards and 2 TD’s. Word is he won’t miss any additional time due to the injury, but what a day from a guy that saw his team draft his replacement.

Andre Johnson: Johnson and the Texans offense is so hit and miss that it is frustrating to say the least. Today however was one of the hits as Johnson put up 10 receptions for 149 yards and 2 TD’s in a stunning win over the Titans. Johnson is a top tier WR, but this offense runs hot or cold.

Mario Manningham: Super Mario busted out on Sunday Night Football with 10 catches for 150 yards and a TD. Eli Manning was on point as he also hooked up with Steve Smith 10 times for 134 yards and a score. Manningham will see a spike in adds in fantasy leagues by Tuesday morning.

Dallas Clark: Clark busted the opening play Monday night for 80 yards and a touchdown. When the final whistle blew, Clark had totaled seven catches for 183 yards and a touchdown, by far the best stats for any TE in the NFL this week.

Washington Redskins Defense: The Skins held the Rams to just 7 points while forcing two fumbles and sacking the QB once. The fewer the points given up, the better the defense is to play.


Losers

JaMarcus Russell: What a difference a week makes! This week Russell came out and threw for a robust 109 yards and no TD’s, but managed to take two sacks in the process. Granted, neither sputtering offense did very well in this game, but there were four RB’s that had more yards than Russell did.

Matt Hasselbeck: Hasselbeck had to leave the game after taking a nasty hit from Patrick Willis, and was ruled out of the game almost instantly. But, before he was injured, he managed to go 10/18 for 97 yards passing while adding 12 rushing yards. I honestly believe that he would have ended the day respectable had he not got hurt, but that doesn’t matter since he finished with the stats he did.

Matt Forte: Jay Cutler managed to throw for 236 yards and two TD’s, but Forte only found time for 13 carries for 29 yards and five receptions for 33 yards and no scores. The Bears may have won this game, but if Forte only gets 13 carries again they will not be so lucky and fantasy owners will be fire selling him soon after.

Ray Rice: I am already done with Baltimore’s running game and will be selling Rice for whatever I can get for him. Even though Willis McGahee is in the final year of his deal and will likely walk next season, the Ravens found it appropriate to give their “featured back” (Rice) eight carries for which he gained 36 yards and five passes for which he added 46 yards and no scores. McGahee is a redzone TD vulture and someone needs to clue Baltimore in on who is the future and who isn’t.

Eddie Royal: Yep… I’m done here too. This week Royal was able to pad his stats to the tune of three receptions for 20 yards and no scores. There is a reason why Brandon Marshall was willing to kill any future contract value he had in order to get out of Denver, and Kyle Orton is his name.

Randy Moss: Nothing like a top two WR going for four catches and 24 yards to sober you up. Yes, Tom Brady was in the game, but the Jets defense shut the Patriots offense down and that hurt everyone involved.

Zack Miller (OAK): Hey, Russell was terrible at best, and that filtered over to Miller as well. I guess maybe this is why you never get excited over week 1 stats as Miller went for… well… nothing. No catches, no yards, no fantasy points. THANKS MR. RUSSEL!

Philadelphia Eagles Defense: It’s not like we thought they were going to stop, or even slow down, the Saints offense. That being said, New Orleans still hanged a 48 point total on the scoreboard and that is good enough for a goose egg in the points allowed category.


In the end, I missed on Rivers, Edwards, Gage (Chris Johnson stole the show but Gage was targeted 4 times on the day), and Barber. I was right on McFadden (the TD made it worth playing him), Matt Ryan (220 yards and 3 TD’s), Fred Jackson (163 Rush/Yds), Dustin Keller (scored a TD), Falcons Defense (just 20 points given up and they picked off one pass, forced a fumble, and recorded a sack), Mark Sanchez (163 and 1 TD aren’t starter numbers), Jay Cutler (yes, 236 yards and 2 TD’s, but there were 12 QB’s with more yards and five with more TD’s… he was a QB2 today and people think he is a QB1), Steve Slaton (59 total yards), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (62 yards and no TD), Heath Miller (3 receptions for 27 yards), and the Bengals defense (24 points allowed, no interceptions. 5 sacks and a fumble help, but 24 points allowed means for 1-2 fantasy points only). So what about Berrian you ask? Well he was targeted six times and caught all six passes, but he totaled only 46 yards. So, you can’t really say I was wrong since he did go 6-6 on the day.

I make 16 predictions per week and finished with 12 right picks and just four wrong ones, so 75% isn’t bad for week 2. ]]> Fantasy Insider http://forums.chargers.com/blog.php?b=294