Fantasy Football Info For Serious Players
| ||||
|
|
Login / Signup |
|
 |
Pre · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · P1 · P2 · P3 · P4 |
This article covers a long list of players at each position because we try to cover all the bases for those of you in leagues with 8 or 10 teams, those that use PPR scoring or even those larger leagues with 14+ teams. What we've done this week is offer a list of players who may be available in smaller leagues that we've covered at length in previous weeks of this article. If you can grab a player from one of these lists at each position, do that first, then proceed into the write-ups that follow for players that may be better targets for deeper, more competitive leagues with larger rosters. Quarterback Grab one of these quarterbacks, if they are still available. League sizes and roster limitations vary greatly, so your mileage will vary.
Add Immediately (Impact potential)
With Jeff Garcia at the helm, the Eagles won their second straight game against a divisional foe to better their chances of making the NFL playoffs. Garcia finished 15-of-23 with 164 yards passing and 2 TDs with no interceptions. He also added 7 yds rushing. Garcia has been remarkably poised in his four games throwing 8 TDs compared to ZERO interceptions. He’s amongst the top 5 or 7 fantasy QBs in that span completing 61% of his passes for 201 yds/gm. The Eagles remaining schedule begins with NY Giants and Dallas on the road followed by the porous Falcons defense back at home to end the regular season. The Giants and Falcons are both good matchups, but the Cowboys could be interesting, too. In most leagues, Garcia was quickly snatched up by the McNabb owners, though if he’s still somehow available grab him, especially if you can use him in the new few games and your current QB is shaky or has poor matchups.
Anderson proved to be a solid sleeper candidate in his first NFL start completing 21-of-37 for 276 yards with one TD and one INT and 4 yds rushing against the Steelers. Charlie Frye’s wrist injury kept him sidelined. Keep Anderson in mind if you need a short-term, viable option. He’s been productive in both of the games he appeared. Anderson has 447 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs and 48 yards rushing in the last two games. Keep in mind; the Browns are at Baltimore this week, so Anderson’s potential is offset by what appears to be a brutal matchup. If he keeps the job longer then he could be a strong sleeper at home vs Tampa and closing the season on the road in Houston. ** Pending Charlie Frye's status
Add For Depth (Starter potential)
This week, Campbell had an “ok” game throwing for 182 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs while adding 38 yards rushing. It wasn’t enough to make him a top 10 QB for the week, but if you’re in a deeper league or require two starters (as some leagues do), then Campbell would generate some interest. In his four starts, Campbell ranks around 14th to 18th in most scoring systems with 713 yards, 6 TDs and 5 INTs, along with 71 yds rushing. The Redskins remaining schedule includes @NO, @STL and NYG. Generally, the matchups are better than average. Set your expectations for Campbell to produce around the middle-tier or around the 15th to 18th going forward.
Cutler completed 17-of-30 for 188 yards and 2 TDs in San Diego this week, but he fumbled three times and lost one of them. The Broncos were shellacked by the Chargers 48-20. In his two first NFL starts, Cutler is 27-of-51 for 331 yards with 4 TDs and 2 INTs and 10 yds rushing. He’s ranked around 20th to 25th in his only two appearances in terms of fantasy production. The Broncos remaining schedule begins with Arizona next week and then home against the Bengals and 49ers. All of these matchups are better than average for QBs. What does that mean exactly? Don’t expect top 5 or even top 10 numbers, but he could be useful if you set your expectations accordingly. Add for Later (Sleeper potential)
Brooks has started the last four games completing 78-of-133 (59%) for 803 yards with 3 TDs and 6 INTS and 87 yds rushing. That’s enough to place him around 20th to 24th over that span as a fantasy QB. Not enough to help a playoff bound fantasy squad, but he could be of some help in two-QB leagues or those looking for a bench option just in case your starter goes down. The Raiders remaining schedule is against the Rams, Chiefs and then at the Jets.
Losman is checking in around 15th to 18th amongst QBs depending on the scoring parameters. In the last four games, Losman moves into the top 10 completing 66% of his passes for 850 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs and 39 yards rushing. The Bills remaining schedule begins this week with Miami then at home against the Titans and at Baltimore. Losman may be best if you pick him specifically for week 16 against Tennessee. Otherwise, Miami and Baltimore are tough matchups and Losman may not be all that productive. Add for Insurance (Injury or bye week replacement)
Jake Delhomme will return as the team’s starting QB as soon as his sprained thumb is good enough to allow it. In Delhomme’s stead, Weinke completed 34 of his 61 passes for 423 with 1 TD and 3 INTs. He also added 16 yds rushing against the Giants. The Panthers host the Steelers this week. If Delhomme is unable to go, keep Weinke on speed dial as a last second replacement and option in deeper leagues. Delhomme should be able to return beyond that, but just in case, the week 16 matchup vs Atlanta is ripe with fantasy potential. ** Pending Jake Delhomme's status next week Add for Insurance (Backup Plan for playoffs)
Grossman has simply been horrible in the second half of the season. If you pay any mind to the grapevine, the Bears could be keeping their options open going into tonight’s MNF game against the Rams. If Grossman sputters out of the gate again, the Bears could be preparing to give Griese the reigns in the second half. Granted, this is strictly here say, but would it really be a surprise to anyone following the situation? Grossman could turn it around quickly against a struggling Rams defense, but keep Griese in mind. If Grossman bombs again, it might be too late to put a claim on Griese if he’s given the reigns of the offense and responds with a solid performance. The Bears finish the season Tampa Bay, at Detroit and then home against Green Bay. All three games are better than average matchups, so keep an eye on this situation as it could bear fruit.
Running Back In most leagues, the waiver options for RBs are slim this deep into the season. Most of the players available at this point are backups on their NFL teams or part-time players. The players who garner the most attention, especially RBs, are those who benefit from injury and their role increases or those who gradually work into a larger role in their team's offense. The backs listed here are gone in most competitive leagues, but not all of them. We’ve covered others in previous weeks, but we continue to list them in the event they are available. Check this list and then start with the “Add Immediately” section and work your way down the list to find players that best fit your league’s criteria.
Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Benson gained 60 yards on nine carries this week with a 32-yard TD against the
Vikings top-ranked run defense a week ago. The previous week he scored a TD and
ran for 46 yards on 10 carries. Benson is handling 10 carries per game in the
last few weeks. If he’s out there for some strange reason, grab him as he might
come in handy if Jones is banged up going forward.
Pinner proved to be the play of the week after he surprisingly handled the bulk of the carries for the Vikings against his former team (Detroit). Ciatrick Fason was announced as the starter with Chester Taylor inactive after his attempt to get loose in pre-game warm-ups didn’t work out. Pinner started strong, breaking tackles and rambling for a TD on the team’s opening drive. Fason didn’t run hard and Pinner ran away with almost all of the carries from there on out. He finished with 29 rushes for 125 yards, 3 TDs and two catches for 15 yards. If Chester Taylor isn’t able to play next week (vs NYJ), Pinner is certainly a player to consider. Then again, I would subscribe to the theory of buyer’s beware. A lot of people bought into the Ciatrick Fason hype leading up to Sunday’s game only to be usurped by Pinner surprising performance. If Taylor plays, it’s a moot point. Otherwise, consider Pinner going forward, but know there’s potential for more of what happened last week in the midst of the Vikings RBs. ** Pending Chester Taylor's status next week
Brown filled in nicely for rookie LenDale White this week. Brown rushed for 44 yards on four carries against the Texans. He served as the team’s #2 back this week behind Travis Henry. LenDale White was inactive. Brown has been inactive most of the season, but if White is unable to go on any of the remaining games, keep Brown in mind, especially if Travis Henry gets hurt. Brown has fresh legs and he could be a nice boost for the Titans offense if Henry (in a walking boot after the game) is unable to go against the Jags this week. ** Pending Travis Henry's status next week
Kevin Jones will miss the rest of the season with a potentially serious foot injury. That leaves the Lions backfield to Aveion Cason and Arlen Harris. It’s hard to predict what exactly will happen as far as the distribution of carries or third down duty in the last three games, but reports have Cason possibly handling the primary running duties with Harris handling third down duties. That’s opposite of the arrangement when Jones hurt his ankle a few weeks back. Of course, Harris did nothing with his opportunity, so perhaps they want to give Cason a shot. The Lions face the Packers next week followed by Chicago and Dallas. It’s hard to expect much from either Cason or Harris, but grab Cason if you need to act quickly. Else, let the smoke clear and see who HC Rod Marinelli names as the team’s starter going into next week.
Houston came up small for owners who were counting on him to repeat his strong performance from the prior week. In week 13, Houston ran for 105 yards on 22 carries, scoring two TDs and catching three passes for 24 yards against Green Bay. Against the Bills, this week, Houston didn’t respond in kind. He managed only 50 yards despite getting 18 carries. He managed one reception for an additional 7 yards, but no TDs. The remaining schedule is at Minnesota, at Miami and then Oakland. Forget using him in the next two weeks. Minnesota and Miami are as tough as matchups come, but he could get something going against the Raiders if he’s still getting most of the touches at that point.
Morris put together a strong effort on Sunday against the Patriots run defense rambling 25 times for 123 yards and a TD. He broke free on a 44-yard run and also added 39 yards on two catches. Last week, he combined for 67 yards against another tough foe, the Jaguars run defense. Ronnie Brown has been week-to-week after having surgery two weeks ago. Until Brown returns, Morris is the team’s primary back. The Dolphins schedule down the stretch includes games at Buffalo, home vs NY Jets and then at Indianapolis. All three matchups are favorable, so grab Morris if you still can.
Add For Depth (Starter potential)
Jerious Norwood left this week’s game early and reports indicated that he probably won’t be ready to go next week. Warrick Dunn is also banged up, but he’s got a much better chance of playing next week. Monitor the status of the two Falcons RBs. If Dunn is worse than originally though, Griffith moves up near the top of the list for available free agent RBs. Griffith is normally the team’s fullback, but he can be effective as a runner if need be. This week, he gained 57 yards on 12 carries including a nifty 21-yard TD where he put a nice juke on the Bucs safety on his way to the end zone. If Dunn and Norwood are both sidelined, Griffith should be fairly productive against the Cowboys, despite a tough matchup. If Dunn is fine, then Griffith is more of a long shot, but he should still get 5 to 10 touches. ** Pending the status of Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood next week
Ron Dayne just won’t go away. He’s never productive or consistent enough to actually use, unless you don’t mind rolling the dice that the Texans will continue to feed him the rock like they did this week. Dayne rumbled, bumbled and stumbled his way to 87 yards and 2 TDs on 21 carries with 3 catches for another 12 yards against the Titans. Compare that to Wali Lundy’s 14 yards on 5 carries and 1 catch for 7 yards and it appears that Ron Dayne is once again the sled horse for the Texans plodding offense. If you’ve been following the Texans RBBC this year, you know that one productive week means nothing going forward – except perhaps an educated guess that Dayne would seem likely to get the majority of touches again next week. Rumors persist that Chris Taylor could still find himself in the backfield rotation before the season is over. The Texans schedule is at New England (bad matchup), Indy (someone will be productive) and Cleveland (another decent matchup).
In the last four weeks, Fargas has 60 carries for 170 yards with 1 TD (5 catches for another 39 yards). That’s not good enough to warrant any serious consideration in your starting lineup, but the fact that he’s starting – even for an offensively challenged team like the Raiders – could be enough of a lure to add him to your roster if he’s still available. The Raiders schedule going forward looks like this: vs Rams, vs Chiefs and at the Jets. There’s no “tough” matchup in the group. Keep in mind; a matchup against the Stanford Cardinals might be a challenge for the Raiders offense, but if you’re looking for a warm body to stuff onto your roster, Fargas may be available.
Vernand Morency continues to be productive with the touches he gets. He ran for
14 yards on six carries and caught 3 balls for 43 yards against the Jets this
week. Meanwhile, his counterpart Noah Herron caught seven balls for 51 yards.
Normally, Morency gets more touches, but since the Packers were down 31-0 in the
2nd quarter, Herron saw more action as a receiver out of the backfield while the
Packers were in “catch up” mode. Morency could be auditioning for a bigger role
next, as could Herron. Watch to see how he does down the stretch.
Davenport got a lot of touches this week as the Steelers rode Willie Parker to a big lead and let Davenport help run the clock out and preserve the lead. Davenport finished with 14 carries for 62 yards and one catch for another 21 yards. Davenport isn’t getting a lot of touches when the games are close or when they play from behind. Otherwise, he’s a good player to add for depth/insurance if Willie Parker gets hurt. Add for Later (Sleeper potential)
Kevin Jones will miss the rest of the season with a potentially serious foot injury. That leaves the Lions backfield to Aveion Cason and Arlen Harris. It’s hard to predict what exactly will happen as far as the distribution of carries or third down duty in the last three games, but reports have Cason possibly handling the primary running duties with Harris handling third down duties. That’s opposite of the arrangement when Jones hurt his ankle a few weeks back. Of course, Harris did nothing with his opportunity, so perhaps they want to give Cason a shot. The Lions face the Packers next week followed by Chicago and Dallas. It’s hard to expect much from either Cason or Harris, but grab Cason if you need to act quickly. Else, let the smoke clear and see who HC Rod Marinelli names as the team’s starter going into next week.
Pearman saw some action late in this week’s game with the Jaguars safely ahead, Fred Taylor resting a leg injury and Maurice Jones-Drew taking a breather. The Jags ran for a healthy 375 yards against the Colts on Sunday. Don’t expect that sort of production anytime soon, but the Jags do boast an excellent ground game. If Taylor is limited or unable to play then Pearman becomes a player of interest, but he’d only be a change-of-pace runner behind Maurice Jones-Drew and he may also split carries with LaBrandon Toefield. ** Pending Fred Taylor's status next week
Wide Receiver Here's a list of players we've covered in previous weeks in this column. Most of these players are gone in the majority of competitive 10 and 12 team leagues. That said, some of these players might be available on your league's waiver wire. If so, consider grabbing them first, but check them against the players in this week's column in the "Add Immediately" section for the players we feel will be the most sought after in this week's waivers.
Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Jurevicius registered his second strong outing in a row against the Steelers catching 7 balls for 111 yards this week. Last week, Jurevicius caught six balls for 75 yards against the Chiefs. These two games mark a little hot streak for Jurevicius since he had been nearly invisible going back to week 9 (3-76-0). Before that, he had only 5 catches in the past three games (13 targets). The Browns are at Baltimore, then home vs Tampa and at Houston. Almost all of those defenses have been favorable for WRs this year, so keep him in mind if you’re in a pinch.
The Redskins are finally beginning to use Randle El the way they had hoped to do when they signed him a free agent. He caught a 34-yd TD and he completed a 40-yard pass of his own to fellow WR Brandon Lloyd. Randle El finished with 6 catches for 85 yards on the day. He has scored 2 TDs in the last three games and he’s been targeted 16 times in the last two games. The Redskins finish the season @NO, @STL and vs NYG. Randle El could be a viable sleeper option in any of those games if you’re looking for a WR on waivers.
Robinson caught 3 balls for 45 yards against the Lions this week. Against the Cardinals in week 12, he caught a 17-yard TD amongst 7 catches and 82 yards. In week 12, he led the Vikings WRs with five receptions for 37 yards. Robinson is worth a roster spot, but he’s a gamble as a starter. The Vikings end the season against the Jets at home, at Green Bay and then home against the Rams. Robinson looks like a solid reach in each of those games and he may very well be the best of the WRs available in many leagues.
Santonio Holmes caught four balls for 81 yards and Nate Washington caught 2 for 67 yards including a 49-yard TD against the Browns on Thursday. Holmes started for the injured Cedrick Wilson. Washington started for Hines Ward. Ward thinks he may be able to play next week, so keep an eye on the health status for both of the Steelers starting WRs. Depending on who is inactive, Holmes or Washington will be worth grabbing as a solid plug-n-play option against the Panthers injury-riddled secondary. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
Curry led the Raiders with 8 catches for 99 yards and a TD against the Bengals. The previous week he caught 3 balls for 32 yards and had a 4 yard run. Prior to this week’s game, Curry was targeted 4 to 6 times in four of the last six games. New OC John Shoop likes to use screen passes so Curry could get a few more targets and have a couple decent games to finish the season. Don’t expect much though because the Raiders offense hasn’t proven to be very effective or consistent yet this year.
This week, Darrell Jackson left the game after suffering a turf toe injury allowing Hackett to get some extra reps, which he made the most of catching four balls for 104 yards including a 23-yard TD in the first quarter. Jackson returned to the game and finished with 5-60-1, so it looks like he’ll be fine going forward. Hackett has been productive in two of the Seahawks last three games though. He could be a decent bench option in the event of any other injuries to the Seahawks WR corps.
Keenan McCardell was out last week. Vincent Jackson started in his place and finished with three receptions for 95 yards, including a 55-yarder. He was targeted four times. Jackson has caught three balls in 3 of the last 4 games, but otherwise he’s been a non-factor. If McCardell is out again next week, then consider Jackson as a solid replacement with good upside, but don’t get too giddy. After all, it’s difficult to project him with any TDs by the time Tomlinson and Gates get done there isn’t much left to go around. ** Pending Keenan McCardell's status next week
Add for Later (Sleeper potential)
Proehl caught his first passes as a Colts WR on Sunday. He finished with two catches for 23 yards. The Colts figure to use more three WR sets in the coming weeks with Dallas Clark hobbled with a knee injury. Proehl could see plenty of action if Brendan Stokley can’t stay healthy.
In Bradford’s 2nd stint with the Lions this year, he’s proving to be semi-productive catching 5 balls for 40 yards this week. In the last four games, Bradford has 10 catches for 122 yards. Nothing to really get excited about, but you might notice his 5-40-0 in this week’s box score. That will probably be the high watermark for Bradford going forward unless Roy Williams or Mike Furrey gets hurt.
Jones caught a 27 yard TD in Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys. He got into the game briefly, but unless Joe Horn, Marques Colston and Devery Henderson or Terrance Copper are all limited next week, Jones will probably not be able to carry anything forward. He’s a solid young player, but he just won’t have the opportunity unless more injuries mount for the Saints WR corps.
Martin caught his first TD from Brett Favre this week on a 36-yard grab in the first quarter against the 49ers. He’s the team’s No. 3 WR. He finished with 2 catches for 42 yards. The Packers have a great matchup this week vs Detroit followed by games against Minnesota and at Chicago. Martin is a certifiable reach in all of these games unless one of the Packers starting WRs get hurt. Martin has excellent size, but he’s only been targeted 9 times in the last four games, so don’t expect a lot more TDs in his immediate future without help.
As expected, Moss is back in the Giants offense, but he’s still not having much of an effect. He has three catches for 21 yards in the last two games. He could see a few more targets down the stretch, but he’s still learning the ropes as an NFL rookie WR. The Giants remaining games are vs Philly, vs New Orleans and at Washington. The last two games, in particular, are good matchups where Moss could be a deep sleeper if he sees more action.
Eric Johnson is still hurt and the 49ers happen to have another talented rookie besides Vernon Davis who is getting some playing time. Walker is a WR/TE hybrid and he caught 2 balls this week for 30 yards. As long as Johnson is on the sidelines, look for Walker to get more opportunities and he’s a kid that could blossom next year with any luck. He’s a major reach as an option for this year, but he was active this week so he’s someone to watch for dynasty purposes at the very least.
Tight End Here's a list of the top players that are likely to be available for those of you in smaller leagues. If any of these players remain on waivers, then grab them first. If not, keep digging and look at our players below for more options.
Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Davis had his proverbial “break out game” this week catching three passes for 74 yards with a 52-yard TD against the Packers. He could put together some decent numbers in the last three games if you can still grab him (@Sea, Ari, @Den).
The Broncos talented rookie TE took another step forward in his development this week catching three balls for 66 yards with 2 TDs against the Chargers. His pair of TD catches in third quarter drew the Broncos within eight points of San Diego (28-20), before the Chargers turned on the afterburners with 20 fourth quarter points. In the last four games, Scheffler has 8 catches for 132 yards and 2 TDs with 13 targets. He wasn’t active in one of those games either (vs Pittsburgh). The week 16 matchup vs Cincinnati is particularly attractive as the Bengals have been susceptible to TEs all year. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
The Colts TE tandem of Ben Utecht (3-32-0 vs Jags this week) and Bryant Fletcher (1-5-0) are worth a look if either of them remain available with Dallas Clark out with a knee injury. The Colts are expected to use more 3 receiver sets going forward, but either one of their TEs can be a good gamble given the likely options available at this time of the season.
Ben Watson was forced out of this week’s game with a leg injury. Graham responded with four catches for 23 yards. If Watson is limited or out next week, then grab Graham as a strong injury replacement who is capable of putting together some decent numbers. He’s also a solid red zone target compared to the other TEs likely available on the waiver wire. ** Pending the status of Ben Watson next week
Kicker Here's a list of the top players that are likely to be available for those of you in smaller leagues. If any of these players remain on waivers, then grab them for your bye week needs or as a new starter if your current kicker is not producing as much as you need.
Defense At this point in the season the best defenses are almost always gone. Some defenses are cut during the season because owners don’t like to carry more than one defense so they can use roster spots for an extra RB, QB or WR. Some owners prefer to go with a Defense-by-committee approach and play the matchups to the best of their ability each week. That strategy often requires a weekly look at the waiver wire defenses so they can grab one with a good home matchup for that week. There may be a few good defenses remaining in your league that have good schedules during the fantasy playoffs. Here’s the list of defenses to target down the stretch to use either as a starting defense or to platoon with another defense and play the matchups.
|
|
|
Site Map | Contact
Us | Login
/ Signup
©Copyright Footballguys.com 2003, All rights reserved. |