NFL Week Seven Rankings Updated: Top 25 Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler jumped up a few spots while injuries affected the bottom of the rankings. Let’s take a look at our updated QB rankings for Week Seven:

1. Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts – at St. Louis
2. Tom Brady – New England Patriots – at Tampa Bay
3. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers – at Cleveland
4. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints – at Miami
5. Eli Manning – New York Giants – vs. Arizona
6. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers – at Kansas City
7. Matt Schaub – Houston Texans – vs. San Francisco
8. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons – at Dallas
9. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Minnesota
10. Kurt Warner – Arizona Cardinals – vs. New York Giants
11. Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears – at Cincinnati
12. Donovan McNabb – Philadelphia Eagles – at Washington
13. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Atlanta
14. Carson Palmer – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Chicago
15. Brett Favre – Minnesota Vikings – at Pittsburgh
16. Mark Sanchez – New York Jets – at Oakland
17. Matt Cassel – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. San Diego
18. Shaun Hill – San Francisco 49ers – at Houston
19. Marc Bulger – St. Louis Rams – vs. Indianapolis
20. Derek Anderson – Cleveland Browns – vs. Green Bay
21. Jake Delhomme – Carolina Panthers – vs. Buffalo
22. Ryan Fitzpatrick – Buffalo Bills – at Carolina
23. Chad Henne – Miami Dolphins – vs. New Orleans
24. Josh Johnson – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New England
25. Jason Campbell – Washington Redskins – at Philadelphia

Notes:

• Trent Edwards is out due to a concussion, so Ryan Fitzpatrick replaces him in the rankings, taking his spot.
• Jason Campbell’s job is in jeopardy, so drop him to the bottom of our initial rankings.
• Jay Cutler signed a new contract extension this week, deservedly so as he has been tremendous in the early going this season.  Concerns about the lack of talent surrounding him have been proven unfounded, as he has already thrown for over 1,200 yards and 10 TD.  He gets bumped up in place of Tony Romo, who has thrown for just 6 TD and hasn’t been able to get on the same page as Roy Williams.

Original Notes:

• It was just last week where I said Peterson had to be the top rated RB no matter what. Well, I need to revise that statement. The Steelers are the second best running defense in the league, so while Peterson should still put up solid numbers, the chances of him putting up the biggest and best numbers of the week appears to be a long shot. Let’s just say that Peterson should be the top running back almost every week.
• The Bills defense has been very prone to the rushing touchdown. We all know that DeAngelo Williams is a touchdown magnet. That seems like the perfect situation, doesn’t it?
• Frank Gore is expected to return this week, but how much of the load is he going to shoulder? Glen Coffee should continue to get looks, meaning Gore’s value could be hindered a bit.
• I know, LaDainian Tomlinson seventh? Really? It may change as the week progresses, but for now he easily could get healthy rushing against the porous Chiefs defense.
• I’d rank Steve Jackson higher, but the potential of the Rams getting into a shootout with the Colts has to lower his value a bit for the upcoming week.
• Rashard Mendenhall was the main back in week six and appears primed to shoulder the load over Willie Parker. That makes him a solid play in all formats.
• Donald Brown could be a good option as a FLEX back this week. Who else likes the chances of the Colts in a romp?

What are your thoughts?  Who was left off the list?  Who should be higher?  Who should be lower?

Other Week 7 Rankings:

• Quarterbacks  (updated Oct. 23)
• Running Backs  (updated Oct. 23)
• Wide Receivers  (updated Oct. 23)
• Tight Ends
• Kickers
• Defense

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 6: Fantasy Football Target Trends

Targets is one of the hot stats this year for fantasy football owners, so let’s take a look at some of the recent trends:

Increase Targets (excluding those with Week 5 bye):

1. Derrick Mason: Baltimore Ravens: +11
2. Larry Fitzgerald: Arizona Cardinals: +9
2. DeSean Jackson: Philadelphia Eagles: +9
2. Brian Westbrook: Philadelphia Eagles: +9
2. Dustin Keller: New York Jets: +9
2. Chris Cooley: Washington Redskins: +9

Michael Sims-Walker didn’t have a bye, but he was suspended for Week 5 and therefore was not included on this list. The Eagles pretty much ditched the run, attempting just 14 rushes. That helps explain why both Jackson and Westbrook saw an increase in targets, but don’t expect them to continue at that pace.

It was nice to see Cooley get back in the mix, after being relegated to mostly blocking duties in Week 5. You should expect him to continue to see increased looks. Seeing Mason at the top of this list should not be a big surprise. He was stifled by the Bengals defense last week, but you knew the Ravens were going to try to get him the ball this time around.

Decrease in Targets:

1. Eddie Royal: Denver Broncos: -11
2. Michael Clayton: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -9
3. Antonio Bryant: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -8
3. Kellen Winslow: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -8
5. Jamaal Charles: Kansas City Chiefs: -6
5. Todd Heap: Baltimore Ravens: -6
5. Muhsin Muhammad: Carolina Panthers: -6

Is it a big surprise to see the three Buccaneers on this list?  Having thrown the ball 50 times last week, they had no place to go but down. Eddie Royal may not have had the looks in the passing game, but he surely made an impact returning kicks, taking both a kickoff and a punt to the house.  He still has tremendous value and is useful in all formats.

Top Receivers Targeted:

1. Larry Fitzgerald: Arizona Cardinals: 15
2. Andre Johnson: Houston Texans: 14
2. Dwayne Bowe: Kansas City Chiefs: 14
4. Hines Ward: Pittsburgh Steelers: 12
4. DeSean Jackson: Philadelphia Eagles: 12
4. Derrick Mason: Baltimore Ravens: 11
7. Wes Welker: New England Patriots: 11
7. Ray Rice: Baltimore Ravens: 11
7. Lee Evans: Buffalo Bills: 11
7. Zach Miller: Oakland Raiders: 11
7. Brian Westbrook: Philadelphia Eagles: 11
7. Michael Sims-Walker: Jacksonville Jaguars: 11
13. Mohammad Massaquoi: Cleveland Browns: 10
13. Randy Moss: New England Patriots: 10
13. Dustin Keller: New York Jets: 10
13. Devin Hester: Chicago Bears: 10
13. Greg Olsen: Chicago Bears: 10
18. Tony Gonzalez: Atlanta Falcons: 9
18. Owen Daniels: Houston Texans: 9
18. Braylon Edwards: New York Jets: 9
18. Steve Breaston: Arizona Cardinals: 9
18. Mario Manningham: New York Giants: 9
18. Andre Caldwell: Cincinnati Bengals: 9
18. Mike Thomas: Jacksonville Jaguars: 9
18. Antonio Gates: San Diego Chargers: 9
18. Chris Cooley: Washington Redskins: 9

Only five players who were in the Top 20 in Week 5 were in the Top 20 this week (Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, Andre Johnson, Tony Gonzalez, and Owen Daniels). There were seven tight ends (Gonzalez, Daniels, Zach Miller, Dustin Keller, Greg Olsen, Antonio Gates, and Chris Cooley) in the Top 20 this week, compared to five (Gonzalez, Daniels, Vernon Davis, Kellen Winslow, and Todd Heap) in Week 5. Two running backs came in the Top 20 for Week 7 (Ray Rice and Brian Westbrook) after none were in the Top 20 last week.

Two Games of 10+ Targets over past three weeks:

Hines Ward-Pittsburgh Steelers, Dwayne Bowe-Kansas City Chiefs, Michael Sims-Walker-Jacksonville Jaguars, Andre Johnson-Houston-Texans, Mohammad Massaquoi-Cleveland Browns, Chad Ochocinco-Cincinnati Bengals, Derrick Mason-Baltimore Ravens

Three Games of 10+ Targets over past three weeks:

Wes Welker-New England Patriots

Need more help in trying to decide who to start this week, check out our weekly rankings by clicking here.

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Inside the Huddle: A Look at Sunday Afternoon from Week 6

It was a crazy afternoon of football with some star players shining with some huge performances.  You had QBs like Ben Roethlisberger (417 yards) and Tom Brady (6 TD). You had RB like Maurice Jones-Drew (3 TD) and Thomas Jones (210 yards).

You had WR/TE like Sidney Rice (176 yards) and Larry Fitzgerald (13 catches).  Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from Week 6:

Green Bay Packers 26, Detroit Lions 0

• With Calvin Johnson out of action, the Lions managed to do very little on offense. Already without Matthew Stafford, the Lions lost Dante Culpepper (6-14, 48 yards, 1 INT) in the second quarter due to a hamstring injury, forcing the team to use Drew Stanton (5-11, 57 yards, 2 INT), the third-string quarterback.  The only positive you can point to is Dennis Northcutt, who had five receptions for 40 yards.  That gives him 10 receptions over the past two weeks, though he is still doesn’t hold much value in any format.
• The Green Bay Packers had four receivers with at least 50 yards receiving: Donald Driver (7 receptions, 70 yards), Greg Jennings (6 receptions, 64 yards), James Jones (2 receptions, 55 yards, 1 TD) and Jermichael Finley (5 receptions, 54 yards).  Over his past two games, Finley has been on fire, with 11 catches for 182 yards and 1 TD.  Tight ends are tough to depend on from week-to-week, but with Cleveland next on the schedule, he has to be an early favorite as a usable player in all formats.
• How good is Aaron Rodgers?  He went 29-37 for 358 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. That’s his second consecutive game over 350 yards, his third straight with two touchdown passes and he has thrown for at least one touchdown in all five of his starts this season.

Buffalo Bills 16, New York Jets 13 (Overtime)

• Trent Edwards started well, going 5-for-5 for 43 yards, but was forced from the game with a concussion.  He only has potential value in two quarterback formats at this point, so stay tuned if you are in need next week.
• It was an awful performance from Mark Sanchez, who went 10-for-29 for 119 yards, 0 TD and 5 INT.  He entered the day having thrown five interceptions over his first five career starts and this performance has to knock him down a few pegs (he has just one touchdown pass over his last three games).  Granted, he should still be viewed as a potential option in two quarterback formats against the Raiders next week.
• While Sanchez struggled, Thomas Jones stepped up in a big way.  He rushed the ball 22 times for 210 yards and one touchdown (plus two catches for 17 yards).  While it was a huge day, how often do you expect him to average 9.5 yards per carry?  Leon Washington had 15 carries for 99 yards while catching three balls for 46 yards.  If Jones isn’t going to see the bulk of the carries while he’s as hot as he was in this one, you have to think he never will.  I wouldn’t get too excited by this performance, since it appears he’s going to be sharing time going forward.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week Six Fantasy Rankings: Top 15 Tight Ends

We all know that tight end is one of the most unpredictable positions to rank from week-to-week, with any player having the potential to post a big day. With that said, let’s take a look at how I’d rank them for the upcoming week:

1. Antonio Gates—San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
2. Tony Gonzalez—Atlanta Falcons vs. Chicago Bears
3. Owen Daniels—Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals
4. Kellen Winslow—Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
5. John Carlson—Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals
6. Brent Celek—Philadelphia Eagles at Oakland Raiders
7. Heath Miller—Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
8. Chris Cooley—Washington Redskins vs. Kansas City Chiefs
9. Dustin Keller—New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
10. Greg Olsen—Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons
11. Jeremy Shockey—New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants
12. Jermichael Finley—Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
13. Todd Heap—Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings
14. Zach Miller—Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
15. Vishantae Shiancoe—Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens

Quick Thoughts:

• The Broncos have the fifth best passing defense, so it seems a little bit odd to rank a tight end facing them as the best in the league for this week. What the Broncos have done well is to limit 20+ yard plays (nine) and 40+ yard plays (one). That would appear to open things up for some dump down passes, wouldn’t it?
• Celek may be the biggest surprise from the tight end position in 2009 and a game against the lowly Raiders shouldn’t slow him down. He did see his production slip a bit last week with the return of Donovan McNabb, however, so keep that in mind.
• While Keller hasn’t quite lived up to expectations thus far, with Jericho Cotchery out of action this week it opens the door for him to make an impact. Like the Broncos, the Bills have also limited the big plays, so look for the Jets to work the short passes.

Other Week 6 Rankings:

• Top 20 Quarterbacks
• Top 25 Runningbacks
• Top 35 Wide Receivers

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 6 Fantasy Rankings: Top 25 Running Backs

Earlier this morning we posted our rankings for the quarterbacks in Week Six (click here to view). Next up is this week’s running back rankings. Who could be in store for a big day? Who could be ready to disappoint? Let’s take a look:

1. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens
2. Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. St. Louis Rams
3. Cedric Benson – Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans
4. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons vs. Chicago Bears
5. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots
6. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons
7. Clinton Portis – Washington Redskins vs. Kansas City Chiefs
8. Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
9. Ryan Grant – Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
10. Kevin Smith – Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
11. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. LaDainian Tomlinson – San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
13. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars
14. Steve Slaton – Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals
15. Knowshown Moreno – Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers
16. Brandon Jacobs – New York Giants at New Orleans Saints
17. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings
18. Marshawn Lynch – Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
19. Thomas Jones – New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
20. Pierre Thomas – New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants
21. Tim Hightower – Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
22. Julius Jones – Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals
23. Sammy Morris – New England Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans
24. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants at New Orleans Saints
25. Carnell Williams – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

Quick Thoughts:

• I don’t care what the matchup is, Adrian Peterson should be considered the top running back.
• It seems weird to see Cedric Benson among the top three running backs, but he’s averaging more than four yards a carry and gets to take on the team giving up the most yards per carry in the NFL. He has the potential to have a huge week.
• Clinton Portis finally found the end zone last week and he did it not once, but twice. Look for him to continue the good times against the Chiefs.
• Normally, I’d rank Brian Westbrook significantly higher, but his injury troubles as well as the presence of LeSean McCoy significantly decreases his value this week.
• If it wasn’t for the breakout of Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs would easily be a top 10 back this week. As it is, both Bradshaw and Jacobs will likely make an impact.
• Is Pierre Thomas healthy? Will he be the featured back or share carries? Those questions certainly hurt his potential value.
• I’m not big on Thomas Jones, especially with Leon Washington (and maybe even Shonn Greene) sharing carries. Still, after the debacle we saw in Buffalo last week, would it surprise anyone to see the Jets lean on the running game this week? That gives him a ton of potential to perform significantly better than his ranking here.

What are your thoughts? Who was left off the list? Who should be higher? Who should be lower?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Waiver Worthy: Week Five Fallout: Austin, Maclin, and More

Let’s take a look at some players who are potentially on your waiver wire after Week Five and determine if they are worth owning or not:

Miles Austin—WR—Dallas Cowboys
He had a humongous day, going off for 10 catches, 250 yards and two touchdowns in the absence of Roy Williams. It’s not like Williams has been excessively impressive, is it? The early word coming out of this game is that Austin is going to see an increased role in the offense, despite the team not coming out and specifically crowning him one of their starting wide outs. Still, if you have room on your bench, he’s certainly worth stashing heading into his bye week.
Verdict: Should be owned in all formats.

Jeremy Maclin—WR—Philadelphia Eagles
He was solid in the return of Donovan McNabb, catching six passes for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Of course, the rookie isn’t expected to be the main focus in the offense, with DeSean Jackson entrenched as the top receiver as well as Brian Westbrook always being in the mix. Still, Maclin has the potential to have solid games like this one on occasion, meaning that owners in deeper formats can own him.
Verdict: Leave for those in deeper formats where he can be a fill-in option.

Austin Collie—WR—Indianapolis Colts
For the second straight week, Collie put up big statistics. While he’s been great, they have a bye week on the horizon and the imminent return of Anthony Gonzalez is growing nearer and nearer. Once he returns, Collie’s role in the offense is likely to diminish, meaning now may not be the best time to stash him away.
Verdict: While he could prove usable as a bye week replacement in the future, that’s all I’d view him as.

Tashard Choice—RB—Dallas Cowboys
Is he going to remain part of the rotation once Felix Jones is back in the mix? It will be an awfully crowded backfield between Jones, Choice and Marion Barber, so depending on Choice doesn’t seem like the best idea. Barber is likely to be the main back, but none will be a guarantee for a huge week.
Verdict: Too many backs to depend on. Look elsewhere outside of leagues with a FLEX.

Donnie Avery—WR—St. Louis Rams
Someone has to have a good game now and then for this terrible team, right? I know, it’s usually Steven Jackson, but someone else is entitled. Still, with how bad this offense is, you don’t want to be depending on anyone.
Verdict: Not worth using considering the offense he’s in.

Chester Taylor—RB—Minnesota Vikings
Yeah, he had a somewhat decent game in a blowout (20 yards, 1 TD), but that’s about the only way he’s going to get an opportunity to really contribute. Next week the Vikings draw the Ravens, so it’s unlikely that’s about to happen.
Verdict: Don’t use in any format.

Josh Johnson—QB—Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Does anyone expect Tampa Bay to throw the ball 50 times very often? Even with all those attempts, he only had 240 yards while throwing three interceptions.  He’s a desperation play in two quarterback formats and even then, you should be able to find someone better.
Verdict: Only use as a bye week fill-in if you have no other option in two quarterback formats.

Mike Wallace—WR—Pittsburgh Steelers
He’s put together a couple of strong weeks in a row, but we all know that he’s the fourth option on his own team. That makes him a tough play.
Verdict: There are certainly more dependable options available.

What are your thoughts on these players? Which would you grab? Which would you avoid?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Target Trends: Increase, Decreases & More From Week Five

Increase Targets (excluding those with Week Four bye):

1. ‘Michael Clayton – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – +10
2. Eddie Royal – Denver Broncos – +9
2. Kellen Winslow – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – +9
4. Vernon Davis – San Francisco 49ers – +8
5. Miles Austin – Dallas Cowboys – +7
5. Jamal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs – +7

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers threw the ball 50 times this week, due to being down big to the Eagles early on (21-7 on the half).  I wouldn’t expect either Clayton or Winslow to continue to see these high target totals throughout the season.
• Davis is one of the main receivers for the 49ers, but with Michael Crabtree finally signing his focus in the offense could decrease in time.
• Royal has been one of the bigger disappointments, but Sunday could be his coming out party.  Obviously, 15 targets isn’t going to happen often, but it’s certainly nice to see him having a huge day.
• Austin certainly benefited from Roy Williams absence while Charles benefited from Larry Johnson’s inability.  Both could continue to have big days in the future.

Decrease in Targets:
1. Steve Smith – New York Giants – -12
2. Mike Sims-Walker – Jacksonville Jaguars – -11
2. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions – -11
4. Chris Cooley – Washington Redskins – -10
4. Derrick Mason – Tennessee Titans – -10

• Yes, Steve Smith saw a huge decrease in his focus in the offense, but the Giants just didn’t need him in their romp of the Raiders.  I wouldn’t be concerned.
• Sims-Walker didn’t get a look since he didn’t even suit up for the game.  He should return to a prime position in the offense assuming he can return from the suspension and there is no lingering problems.
• Johnson’s day ended abruptly due to injury.  Early word is that it is not a serious injury, so hopefully it will not affect him moving forward.
• An injury to Chris Samuels forced the Redskins to use Cooley more as a blocker.  He ultimately was not targeted a single time, so if Samuels cannot return to the field next week you are going to want to look elsewhere for a tight end.  While they’d have a week to game plan better, he becomes too big of a risk.
• Mason simply had a bad day, but I wouldn’t expect it to continue.  The Bengals defense was solid, forcing the Ravens to instead try to get the ball more to Ray Rice and Todd Heap.

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Waiver Worthy: Rashard Mendenhall and More Make Week Four Fantasy Moves

Let’s take a look at some players who are potentially on your waiver wire after Week Four and determine if they are worth owning or not:

Rashard Mendenhall—Running Back—Pittsburgh Steelers—There have been questions surrounding Willie Parker since the preseason. With Mendenhall performing as he did (165 yards rushing, 26 yards receiving and 2 TD), owners of Parker have got to be nervous unless you had already handcuffed him. At the very least, you have to believe that Mendenhall will likely see an increased role in the coming weeks. At worst, Parker (who was averaging just 3.1 yards per carry), becomes the understudy. Either way, Mendenhall is worth grabbing in any format.
Verdict: Worthy of owning in all formats.

Mohamed Massaquoi—Wide Receiver—Cleveland Browns—Bad teams spawn good statistics. It’s odd to think of, but how often are they going to be trying to get themselves back into games? Massaquoi, a second-round draft choice out of Georgia, found himself the constant focus of Derek Anderson (in his first start of the season, but we’ll get to him shortly), having 13 passes thrown his way. It led to eight catches for 148 yards and the potential that he has become the go-to guy in Cleveland (as Braylon Edwards has disappointed with just 139 yards and 0 TD). He’s a gamble, but if you are in need of a WR he’s likely one worth taking, though he’s not a player you want to be depending on every week.
Verdict: Worthy of owning as a bench option for now.

Mercedes Lewis—Tight End—Jacksonville Jaguars—We all know how temperamental tight ends can be, so I can’t get too excited about his fairly big week (four catches for 76 yards and one touchdown).  There’s someone like this nearly every week.
Verdict: Don’t bother.

Nate Washington—Wide Receiver—Tennessee Titans—There are three receivers who seem to be taking turns at being the go-to guy in Tennessee, with Kenny Britt and Justin Gage also getting plenty of looks. This week it was Washington who had the most targets (12, with Britt at 11 and Gage at five), but Gage led the way in two of the first three weeks. Not knowing who is going to be the consistent go-to guy limits the value of all of these receivers, as this is far from a Larry Fitzgerald/Anquan Boldin scenario.   Washington does have a TD in each of his last three games, but he was shaken up towards the end of last week’s game, so you never know. I’d consider him just a low-end option as a bye week replacement at this point, since there’s no guarantee he sees the ball too often.
Verdict: Grab him only if you are desperate.

Derek Anderson—Quarterback—Cleveland Browns—He’s not a starting option in one-quarterback formats, but if you are in a two-quarterback format it’s a different story.  He was extremely impressive in his first start, going 26-48 for 269 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.  Given how bad Brady Quinn was over the first three weeks, he’s likely earned himself a lengthy look behind center. He’s proven how good he could be in the past (let’s not forget he threw for over 3,700 yards and 29 TD in 2007), and there is reason to believe that he could thrive again.
Verdict: Should be owned in all two-quarterback formats.

Hakeem Nicks—Wide Receiver—New York Giants—He had a big reception, making a nice play on a screen pass to take it 54 yards for the TD, but that was the only catch he made.  He’s not likely to move up the depth chart very quickly, with Steve Smith emerging as the main man in New York.
Verdict: Not worth owning.

Sean Ryan—Tight End—Kansas City Chiefs—It was a nice game catching five passes for 58 yards and a touchdown, but he may be the best example for what I said regarding Mercedes Lewis above. You really just never know about tight ends so don’t bother getting excited over one good week.
Verdict: Not worth owning.

What are your thoughts on these players? Which would you grab? Which would you avoid?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Portis, Parker, and More: NFL Week Four Injury Report:

As we head into Week Four of the football season there are a lot of injuries that fantasy owners need to be aware of.  Who’s going to play? Should I pick up their replacement?  Let’s take a look at a few of the bigger questions:

Jamal Lewis – Cleveland Browns

He’s doubtful to play thanks to hamstring problems, as he did not practice at all this week.  James Davis, expected to get significant carries, was added to the injury report due to a shoulder problem and is listed as questionable.  It’s tough to rely on any of the Cleveland backs this week, but if you are desperate in deeper formats Jerome Harrison is the only way to go.

LaDanian Tomlinson – San Diego Chargers

He’s listed as probable.  I’m one of the few that are extremely high on him (click here to see where I recommended him as a buy low candidate).  Darren Sproles was not all that impressive last week and despite facing a tough Steelers defense, Tomlinson should be able to make an impact.  I’d consider using him, depending on your other options.

Matt Hasselbeck – Seattle Seahawks

He’s been ruled out, meaning Seneca Wallace will once again behind center.  They could be in store for a shootout against the Colts, making Wallace an excellent sleeper choice in all two quarterback formats.

Willie Parker – Pittsburgh Steelers

He’s listed as doubtful due to turf toe, as he’s missed a few days of practice.  I can’t imagine him playing, meaning Rashard Mendenhall has a chance this week to really entrench himself as a potential fantasy option for those with a FLEX option.  If he’s available, he’s a solid sleeper.

Dwayne Bowe – Kansas City Chiefs

Listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury, Bowe draws a tough match-up against the Giants as it is.  He’s a game-time decision, so if you have a viable alternative you may want to turn to him.

Kevin Smith – Detroit Lions

He’s listed as questionable due to shoulder concerns.  Luckily, he plays in an early game so you’ll be able to make a decision either way.  He’s not going to get the Redskins defense again (who he rushed for 101 yards against in Week Three), but if he’s in the line-up he should be active in fantasy formats.

Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants

He’s been in a boot at times this week thanks to an ankle injury, but he is expected to take the field.  However, with these injury concerns, if you were hoping to capitalize on a big game during garbage time, I’d have reservations.  It would be much safer to look elsewhere this week.

Domenik Hixon – New York Giants

He’s out for this week, and coupled with Hakeem Nicks hurting, another big week should be in store for Steve Smith & Mario Manningham.

Wes Welker – New England Patriots

At least he practiced yesterday, meaning there’s a better chance he plays but who really knows.  Check the news to see, but I’d have to think he’s going to be limited if he does take the field.

Antonio Bryant – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Does anyone really care?  It’s going to be Josh Johnson behind center, so who knows how good the passing game is going to be.  Given the way it performed last week it can’t be any worse, but I’d shy away from him if possible.

Derrick Ward – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With Cadillac Williams present, any questions surrounding Ward should cause you to shy away.  He’s listed as questionable due to a knee injury, which is enough for me to look at other options.

Clinton Portis – Washington Redskins

The news is out that he has bone spurs in both ankles, so he’s likely going to have question marks surrounding him all year long.  Proceed with caution, but selling could be a plausible option if someone is willing to take him.  If he’s playing you almost have to use him and just hope for the best.

Mike Bell – New Orleans Saints

He’s been ruled out thanks to knee problems.  With Pierre Thomas reemerging last week, he now becomes a great play for the upcoming week in all formats.  Bell’s injury is poorly timed and if Thomas can have another strong game, he could be left fairly useless moving forward.

Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys

He’s out with a knee injury and while Marion Barber is listed as probable, Tashard Choice is likely to see an increased role in the offense this week.  As a FLEX option, he should be a strong play.

Marc Bulger – St. Louis Rams

While he’s listed as questionable, it’s likely that even if he suits up it will be a back-up to Kyle Boller.  Leave him on your bench in all formats.

Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers

This one is well publicized, as Gore is out leaving Glenn Coffee to start and see the lion’s share of the work.  That makes Coffee a must play in all formats.

What are your thoughts?  Which injury will have the biggest effect?  Which player have you tried to grab?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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Target Practice: Moss, Owens & More

With three weeks in the books, we are starting to see some distinctive trends as to who is being targeted by their quarterbacks and who is not.  Let’s take a look at some of the major storylines coming out of last weekend’s games and what conclusions we can draw from them:

Steven Jackson led the Rams being targeted 8 times
It speaks volumes about the Rams passing game with Laurent Robinson injured, doesn’t it?  Donnie Avery was second on the team with seven and could emerge as the go to guy on the outside, but the truth of the matter is that Steven Jackson is the team’s entire offense at this point.  He’s the only Ram worth having in your starting line-up.

Terrell Owens was targeted 5 times
That put him fourth on the team and led to no catches.  He’s not going to stay quiet long, is he?  I’d expect him to almost force Trent Edwards to throw him the ball in the coming weeks, meaning he could be in store for some big games.

Ray Rice was targeted 7 times
It was second most on the team, behind just Derrick Mason (8).  It goes to show that even if he isn’t getting all of the carries (he had 11 last week while Willis McGahee had 7), he’s going to be given a chance to contribute in the passing game as well.  That certainly helps keep him valuable, despite McGahee getting the bulk of the scoring chances in the early going.

Vernon Davis was targeted 10 times
After being buried in the Mike Singleton’s doghouse last season, he clearly has emerged as a significant part of the 49ers offense.  He also could be on the precipice of realizing all that potential we’ve heard about.  He had 7 catches for 96 yards and 2 TD, giving him 14 catches on the young season.  If he’s on the waiver wire and you are using anyone outside of the top few tight ends, he’s worth grabbing.

Randy Moss was targeted 16 times
Does it really surprise you?  It was only a matter of time before he and Tom Brady got onto the same page.

Justin Gage was targeted 10 times
Despite it leading to just 4 catches for 47 yards, it is nice to see that he is one of the prime options for the Titans.  It’s the second time in three weeks that he lead the Titans in targets, saying a lot on how he fits into the offense.

Brett Celek was targeted 9 times
Donovan McNabb can just stay away a little longer, right?  With McNabb injured and Kevin Kolb manning the QB position, Celek has emerged with 16 catches, 208 yards and 1 TD in two games.  Granted, he did have 6 catches and one TD in Week 1, but these last two weeks have been unbelievably productive.

Michael Sims-Walker was targeted 10 times
Welcome to a major role in the Jaguars offense Mr. Sims-Walker.  He led the way (Torry Holt & Maurice Jones-Drew each had seven) and that is something that could continue.  He’s a must own in all formats if he’s still sitting available for some reason.

Santana Moss was targeted 14 times
The talk of his downfall may have been slightly overblown, huh?  He made the most of his opportunities, catching 10 passes for 178 yards and 1 TD.  Obviously, he’s not going to continue at that type of pace each week but he has a lot more to offer then he showed in the early going.

No Bear receiver was targeted more than 6 times
Jay Cutler doesn’t have one elite option, therefore he’s likely going to continually spread the ball around.  That means any option could have a big week at any time, or could have minimal impact, making it tough to count on any of them.

Mike Wallace was targeted 8 times
That led the way for the Steelers, but with Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Heath Miller in the mix, I wouldn’t expect his big day (7 catches for 102 yards) to come very often.

Eddie Royal was targeted 3 times
Not many looks and not many catches (1 reception for 4 yards).  He certainly is feeling the absence of Jay Cutler in the first few weeks, catching just 6 passes for 42 yards.  He should get a good rapport with Kyle Orton before long, so if someone is willing to sell him for pennies on the dollar, do not hesitate.  He’s better than what he’s shown.

What are your thoughts?  Which player who was targeted do you think is worth stashing?  Who do you think is going to continue to be ignored?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football 

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