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Fantasy Football Week 13 Sleeper: Matt Forte
Published: December 5, 2009
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Is it really possible that a player good enough for a first-round draft pick has regressed so far that he’s a sleeper for Week 13? If your name is Matt Forte, that amazingly is exactly what has happened.
While he has contributed in the passing game this season (433 yards on 46 receptions), he has yet to find the end zone through the air.
On the ground, he’s been a fraction of the player he was during his rookie season, when he rushed for 1,238 yards and eight touchdowns.
So far, this season he’s amassed just 543 yards, averaging just under 50 per game, while scoring just three touchdowns. He’s only had over 50 yards in a game four times all season and over the past four weeks has posted the following statistics:
- Week 9 – 33 yards vs. Arizona
- Week 10 – 41 yards vs. San Francisco
- Week 11 – 34 yards vs. Philadelphia
- Week 12 – 27 yards vs. Minnesota
Granted, the worst of those three defenses is Arizona, who ranks 13th in the league giving up 108.6 yards on the ground per game. The Vikings and 49ers are allowing fewer than 100 yards per game.
Still, from a player who so much was expected from, you would think he’d be able to post significantly better numbers, even against the toughest of defenses.
This week, things look to be a lot more favorable as Forte gets the Rams, ranked 28th in the league allowing 148.5 yards per game. They are tied for the second most rushing TDs allowed with 16 (the Raiders have allowed 17).
Last week they saw Justin Forsett thrash them for 130 yards. Two weeks ago, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells combined for 184 yards.
The key will be the Bears staying with the run. The Rams haven’t been burned consistently by the big run, having allowed nine runs of 20+ yards (the league worst is Buffalo with 16).
They just have consistently given up a good chunk of yards, tied for the second-worst average yardage allowed per carry at 4.8.
As long as the Bears stay patient and continue to feed Forte the ball, this should be the week that fantasy owners finally get repaid for the months of frustration. Make sure he’s in your lineup in all formats.
What do you think? Is Forte a player you would use? How good do you think he may be in Week 13?
Previous Week 13 Sleepers:
Make sure to check out our Week 13 Rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Fantasy Football Week 13 Sleeper: Jeremy Maclin
Published: December 4, 2009
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Jeremy Maclin has been coming on in recent weeks, with 17 receptions over the past three weeks and at least 60 yards a game. That was with a healthy DeSean Jackson in the lineup, who is now likely to miss Week 13 due to a concussion. Throw in that Brent Celek is potentially limited with torn ligaments in his thumb and someone is going to need to pick up some substantial slack.
Maclin’s success has come against:
- Chargers – 199.6 passing yards/game
- Bears – 214.2 passing yards/game
- Redskins – 170.4 passing yards/game, best in the league
All three of those teams find themselves in the top half of the league. This week’s opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, is the sixth-worst allowing 252.6 passing yards/game. Additionally:
- They have allowed 18 passing TDs (tied for tenth worst)
- They have just eight interceptions (only six teams have less)
- They have allowed 45 passing plays of 20+ yards (most in the league)
Needless to say, things appear to be set for the Eagles to take quite a few shots downfield in Week 13. In most weeks the player who they would take the shots with would have been Jackson (11 receptions of 20+ yards), but with him out Maclin should get his fair share of looks.
Maclin has had three of his four biggest yardage games over the past three weeks (he had 142 yards in Week Five), so you have to like the odds of him continuing that trend. While I wouldn’t consider him anything more than a WR3, this certainly seems like the perfect week to play him if you are in need of a receiver.
What do you think? Is Maclin a player you would use? How good do you think he may be in Week 13?
Previous Week 13 Sleepers:
Make sure to check out our Week 13 Rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Fantasy Football Week 12 Sleeper: Antonio Bryant
Published: November 29, 2009
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Antonio Bryant entered the 2009 season as a potential go-to receiver for fantasy owners. He set career highs in receptions (83), yards (1,248) and touchdowns (7) in 2008, but injuries have certainly put a damper on any potential upside.
After missing Weeks 9 and 10, Bryant returned last week to little fanfare. He had three catches for 40 yards, but was also the second-most targeted receiver on the team with six (Kellen Winslow led the way with 13).
That trend should continue, as the Buccaneers are not a particularly deep team at wide receiver. Winslow leads the team with 47 receptions, 483, yards and five touchdowns. He is the only player with more than 21 catches.
In fact, despite missing numerous games and being hindered by injury, Bryant is third on the team in receptions (19), second in yards (269) and second in touchdowns (2).
There is no reason to think that he can’t be productive in Week 11 against a bad Falcons passing defense:
- Last week they saw the combination of Mario Manningham and Steve Smith combine for 205 yards on 10 catches.
- Two weeks ago, it was Muhsin Muhammad who had 91 yards on six catches (Steve Smith had a pair of touchdown catches in the game as well).
Overall, they have allowed the fourth-most yards per game at 253.4 yards. It’s not only yardage, but they have also allowed 16 TDs through the air, 10th most in the league.
I wouldn’t depend on him as anything more than a WR3, especially with a rookie QB leading the offense. Still, given the matchup, if there is any week you are going to take the gamble on him, this is the one.
What are your thoughts? Will he be usable?
Other Week 12 Sleepers:
Make sure to check out our Week 12 Rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Week 12 Fantasy Football Sleeper: Justin Forsett
Published: November 28, 2009
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While there was talk of Julius Jones making his return this week, there now are some pretty big questions considering that, as he’s been limited in practice the past two days.
That opens the door for Justin Forsett, who had likely fallen out of favor after he was pitiful on the ground last week (8 rushes for 9 yards and 1 TD).
That, of course, would be ignoring his contribution through the air, where he had eight catches for 80 yards. He’s actually become an important cog in the Seahawks passing game, picking up 18 catches over the past three weeks.
Now, sprinkle in the fact that he’s facing the St. Louis Rams this week, the team who is the fifth worst in the league against the run, allowing 146.4 yards per game. They’ve also allowed the fourth most rushing TDs, at 14.
The last two weeks they’ve been burned by:
- Tim Hightower – 110 yards / Beanie Wells – 74 yards, 1 TD
- Reggie Bush – 81 yards, 1 TD (on only six carries)
Obviously, it’s not just a one-week problem, either. Back in Week One, when these two teams squared off for the first time, it was Julius Jones who rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown (while also adding two catches for 19 yards).
It all points to a big day for Forsett, who is currently owned in just 52 percent of Yahoo! leagues and 45.7 percent of ESPN leagues. He’s certainly usable as a RB2 in all formats and certainly is worth grabbing if you need a back.
What are your thoughts? Will he be usable?
Make sure to check out out Week 12 Rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Buffalo Bills: Is There Any Hope For the Offense?
Published: November 21, 2009
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The Buffalo Bills are a team that many thought would be significantly better on offense in 2009 than they’ve shown. The addition of Terrell Owens was supposed to open up the offense, especially with Lee Evans lining up across from him.
Once Marshawn Lynch returned from his early season suspension, he combined with Fred Jackson to form a mighty one-two punch. At quarterback, there were significant questions regarding Trent Edwards, but he was supposed to be able to take the next step and guide the team.
Clearly, that has not been the case through nine games. The team is ranked 29th in yards per game at 268.2 and is tied for 28th in points with 140.
In short, they have been bad.
A lot of that is due to the struggles of Trent Edwards. Has he been completely awful? No, but in his first game back after sustaining a concussion, he went 18-28 for 185 yards, one TD and one INT.
Overall, he’s actually completed 60.2 percent of his passes (better than Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, and Donovan McNabb), but has thrown just six TDs and seven INTs.
If those numbers weren’t bad enough, his inability to connect on the big play nullified the outside threats, for all intents and purposes:
1) He had just 14 completions that went for 20 yards or more, putting him 25th in the league.
2) He had just two completions that went for 40 yards or more, also tying him for 25th in the league.
When you have Lee Evans (two 1,000-yard seasons) and Terrell Owens (nine 1,000-yard seasons), you need a QB who can throw the ball deep and let them make plays.
That’s not to say that Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer, having thrown for 3,044 yards in his career on 335 completions. That doesn’t really scream success, now does it?
While Owens and Lee are due to have a bit of a resurgence (at least owners hope), I wouldn’t put much stock into Fitzpatrick being the one to lead them to greatness. They have struggled and nothing much appears primed to change.
They are low-end options and at this point, you have to think that’s how they are going to remain for the rest of 2010.
What are your thoughts on the Bills? Any chance for Owens and Evans regaining their form?
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Three Fantasy Football Answers From Dolphins-Panthers Game
Published: November 20, 2009
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Let’s take a look at a few of the fantasy questions stemming from last night’s Dolphins-Panthers game:
Question: How would Ricky Williams fare as the every-down back for the Dolphins?
Answer: It’s impossible to draw any certain conclusions, considering the Panthers are among the worst rushing defenses in the league (allowing 130.7 rushing yards per game). Still, watching him torch them for 119 yards and two TDs, while adding two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, shows you that the skill is clearly there.
Consider that the man at the helm of the offense (Chad Henne threw for just 172 yards) is there to manage the offense, not win the game for them. Consider that the group of wide receivers are lackluster, at best. Consider that the second running back, Lex Hilliard, saw his first carries of the season in last night’s game.
Sum it all up and you realize that Williams is now the one big offensive weapon that the Dolphins have. He showed his ability to shoulder the load and with games against the Bills (173.0 rushing yards/game), Patriots (110.0 rushing yards/game), Jaguars (118.7 rushing yards/game) and Titans (109.3 rushing yards/game) on the schedule the next four weeks, he is a must-use option in all formats.
Question: Is DeAngelo Williams healthy?
Answer: If he isn’t, he certainly showed no ill effects from his knee injury, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. The team split the carries between him (13 carries for 122 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (12 carries for 43 yards), as well as giving Jake Delhomme 42 passing attempts. Otherwise, how many yards could he have rushed for?
I don’t have as much of a problem with splitting the carries, but when your QB goes 19-for-42 in a game that was not a blowout, you have to ask what they were thinking?
Steve Smith had a solid game (seven catches, 87 yards, one TD), but it is clearly no longer his offense. The team needs to focus on where they dominate, and that is on the ground.
If they had stayed with their strength, this may have been a drastically different game.
Question: Who was the biggest fantasy surprise?
Answer: Panthers kicker John Kasay, which tells you a lot about this game. It was all about the two main running backs, as no one else was particularly impressive.
Kasay, however, went 3-3 on field goals, hitting from 29, 33, and 48 yards. That performance likely brought in double-digit points, depending on your league, and could be the difference between winning and losing.
Need help setting your line-up for the week? Check out our rankings:
This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Is Josh Freeman Fantasy Football Ownable?
Published: November 15, 2009
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Drafted out of Kansas State at No. 17 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, Josh Freeman was the third quarterback off the board (Matthew Stafford at No. 1 and Mark Sanchez at No. 5). At the time, there were many who believed that he was not going to be ready to make an impact in his rookie season, but things have certainly changed.
After sitting on the sidelines the first six weeks, Freeman got his first game action in Week Seven, going 2-4 for 13 yards. At 0-7, the Buccaneers turned the keys over to Freeman after their bye week and saw instant results against the Packers in Week Nine.
Freeman went 14-31 for 205 yards, three TD, and one INT in Tampa Bay’s first win of the season. After a successful first week as a starter there is the chance that he becomes usable over the next few weeks, right?
Let’s take a look at his upcoming opponents:
Week 10—at Miami
Week 11—vs. New Orleans
Week 12—at Atlanta
Week 13—at Carolina
Week 14—vs. New York Jets
Week 15—at Seattle
Week 16—at New Orleans
Week 17—vs. Atlanta
Carolina has been a good passing defense (27th) as has the Jets (31st), so those are two games that you are going to want to avoid using him. The Saints, who are 17th in the league in yards/game, actually lead the way with 16 interceptions. Those are going to be two tough games as well, including a potential fantasy football playoff matchup.
That’s four out of eight games where you definitely will not want to use him.
Now, let’s throw in the fact that he is likely to be wildly inconsistent. Let’s just look at Sanchez, who has games with three and five interceptions, as proof. Not enough?
How about Stafford’s five interception game in Week Nine against the Seahawks, a team that Freeman is also going to have to face?
The fact of the matter is, even in two quarterback formats, there are just too many questions around Freeman to trust him. With the bye weeks coming to an end, there is going to be little need to have him stashed away on your roster. Even if an injury were to occur, you should be able to find a better option for the one-week fill in.
What do you think? Is Freeman someone you think that should be owned in two-quarterback formats? Why or why not?
Check out our Week 10 Rankings: Quarterbacks , Running Backs , Wide Receivers , Tight Ends , Kickers . Defenses
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Fantasy Football Start or Sit: Jerricho Cotchery vs. Santonio Holmes
Published: November 14, 2009
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Santonio Holmes opened the season with a bang, catching nine passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Since then, while he’s had some solid days, his numbers have been more like a whimper, failing to find the end zone a single time.
Like I said, it is not like he hasn’t had some good days:
- Five catches for 83 yards in Week Two
- Five catches for 104 yards in Week Six
- Six catches for 93 yards in Week Nine
Those are all solid games, but the lack of putting six points on the board puts a serious limit on his value. This week, you have to be asking yourself: Is this the week?
He has proven that he is too good of a player to simply not be able to score. He had five TDs last season and eight in 2007. It really is just a matter of time, especially with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm of what has matured into a pass happy offense.
In Week 10 Holmes will face off against the Bengals, a team that has allowed 241.6 yards per game through the air, among the 10 worst in the league. However, yardage does not always mean scores, as the Bengals are tied for 17th with 10 TDs allowed. Four of those came at the hands of Matt Schaub, so it certainly is possible for them to get burned.
In Jerricho Cotchery, you get a player who is still working his way back from injury. He had three catches for 70 yards in his first game back, prior to last week’s bye. The injury is the only thing that has derailed him, having at least 70 yards in almost every game he’s played (outside of his one catch, four-yard performance in Week Five).
However, he too has only found the end zone once this season and certainly puts his success in significantly less dependable hands. Who would you rather have throwing you the ball, Roethlisberger or rookie Mark Sanchez?
Like Cincinnati, the Jaguars give up significant yardage, allowing 242.2 yards per game, but they have been burned for 15 TDs through the air. Rashean Mathis, the team’s best weapon in the secondary, missed some time with a broken finger but returned to the lineup last week.
The question is: Is that a good thing? He’s a well-known gambler, and if the risk doesn’t pay off, it could lead to a wide receiver for the Jets going the distance.
So, with a look at the matchups, which way do you go? For me, the two players are evenly matched (and both have a second skilled receiver on their team to battle for touches), especially when you consider the opponents in Week 10. The biggest difference is the quarterback, however.
I’d much rather take the gamble on the guy who has Roethlisberger throwing him the ball, as opposed to a rookie whose team utilizes the run to protect him. It’s close, but if I have to choose, I’m going with Holmes this week.
What about you? Which player would you use in Week 10? Why?
Previous Week 10 Start or Sit:
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Fantasy Football Week 10 Rankings: Top 15 Kickers
Published: November 11, 2009
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Let’s take a look at the position that is considered by many to be the Mr. Irrelevant of fantasy football for Week 10:
- Stephen Gostkowski – New England Patriots – at Indianapolis
- Ryan Longwell – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Detroit
- Dan Carpenter – Miami Dolphins – vs. Tampa Bay
- Matt Stover – Indianapolis Colts – vs. New England
- John Carney – New Orleans Saints – at St. Louis
- Nate Kaeding – San Diego Chargers – vs. Philadelphia
- Jeff Reed – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cincinnati
- Neil Rackers – Arizona Cardinals – vs. Seattle
- Mason Crosby – Green Bay Packers – vs. Dallas
- Steven Hauschka – Baltimore Ravens – at Cleveland
- Robbie Gould – Chicago Bears – at San Francisco
- Matt Prater – Denver Broncos – at Washington
- Nick Folk – Dallas Cowboys – at Green Bay
- Jason Elam – Atlanta Falcons – at Carolina
- David Akers – Philadelphia Eagles – at San Diego
Thoughts:
- If the Colts-Patriots game is a scorefest, as many expect, both kickers should come out with big games.
- Jeff Reed hasn’t been that great this season, but the Bengals defense has been on a roll. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a few drives end in field goals.
What are your thoughts? Who was left off the list? Who should be higher? Who should be lower?
Other Week 10 Rankings:
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Fantasy Football Week 10 Rankings: Top 15 Defenses
Published: November 11, 2009
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It’s a bit of an odd week for ranking defenses, with the Colts and Patriots squaring off on Sunday Night. That takes two of the best defenses in the league out as being usable, so let’s take a look at how the Top 15 shake out:
- Minnesota Vikings – vs. Detroit
- Denver Broncos – at Washington
- New Orleans Saints – at St. Louis
- Baltimore Ravens – at Cleveland
- Atlanta Falcons – at Carolina
- Miami Dolphins – vs. Tampa Bay
- Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cincinnati
- Tennessee Titans – vs. Buffalo
- Cincinnati Bengals – at Pittsburgh
- Dallas Cowboys – at Green Bay
- Kansas City Chiefs – at Oakland
- Chicago Bears – at San Francisco
- Arizona Cardinals – vs. Seattle
- Philadelphia Eagles – at San Diego
- Oakland Raiders – vs. Kansas City
Thoughts:
- I feel like I’ve said it before, but when things are close, you just go with the team facing the Lions.
- The Broncos have allowed the third fewest points in the league. The Redskins are one of the worst offenses and figure to be without their star running back, Clinton Portis. It just seems like a perfect match, doesn’t it?
- As good as the Colts and Patriots defenses have been, would you go anywhere near them this week?
- While the Titans have a good match-up, their defense has been terrible, allowing the most points in the league thus far. They are usable, but not among the best of the best.
- Kansas City vs. Oakland… That game just seems to have 6-3 written all over it, doesn’t it? I’m still holding out hope that the Chiefs use Jamaal Charles to his fullest potential, unlike Week Nine, which is why they are ranked first.
What are your thoughts? Who was left off the list? Who should be higher? Who should be lower?
Other Week 10 Rankings:
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
