Mark Sanchez Shines, Matt Stafford Joins the Party

Three weeks into the season, and I think we have a clear cut leader for Fantasy Football Rookie of the Year and a bunch of others chasing him.

Rookies around the league are getting more opportunities to contribute and they are performing well. No one is performing better than this week’s leader, however.

 

1. Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets

Sanchez was winning the first two weeks and now he is putting up big fantasy numbers. Sanchez had three touchdowns versus the Titans defense, generally considered one of the better defenses in the NFL.

Sanchez is this year’s Matt Ryan and will continue to lead all rookies if he continues to put up numbers like he did against the Titans.

 

2. Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

Harvin did not have huge numbers through the air this week with only 51 yards receiving, but he proved the can contribute in other ways. Harvin entered the scoring department this week by returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

Harvin is valuable to a fantasy and NFL team because he can contribute in a variety of ways.

 

3. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Moreno still is losing carries to Correll Buckhalter, but he still managed 90 yards and a touchdown. Moreno is the future of the Broncos and if the team starts losing expect to see Moreno to get the bulk of the carries.

Until that time it looks to be a 60-40 split.

 

4. Matt Stafford, QB, Lions

Stafford easily had his best game as quarterback for the Lions. Stafford finished with 241 yards passing with one touchdown. Most importantly Stafford had zero turnovers.

Stafford looks to be grasping the offense better which, combined with Calvin Johnson, could be scary for NFC North opponents going forward

 

5. Louis Murphy, WR, Raiders

Murphy gets this spot by default because there was a lack of production from other rookies. Murphy finished with two catches for 25 yards. He will only be able to live on the production from the first game of the season for so long.

 

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Marshawn Lynch or Fred Jackson: Decision Time in Buffalo

Changes are coming to Buffalo, and I am not just talking about the weather.

While the first cold blast of the fall moves into western New York, a familiar face moves back onto the sideline this weekend for the Bills.

Marshawn Lynch, the Bills first-round draft pick in 2007, comes off a three-game suspension to rejoin the Buffalo backfield. And in the last three weeks, it has gotten pretty crowded—not by shear numbers like in New Orleans, but by the performance of one Fred Jackson in Lynch’s stead.

Jackson has played like an RB1 for fantasy owners in points-per-reception leagues and a solid RB2 or flex option in standard leagues. He has been patient as a runner and versatile as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

He also has generated nearly half of Buffalo’s offense through the first three weeks of the season. His numbers, below.

 

Fred Jackson through three weeks

@ Patriots: 15 carries, 57 yards; five receptions, 83 yards, one touchdown

v. Buccaneers: 28 carries, 163 yards; six receptions, 25 yards

v. Saints: 18 carries, 71 yards; four receptions, 26 yards

 

Taking a deeper look at the numbers, Jackson is averaging 4.8 yards per carry on the ground and 8.9 yards per catch. He lost one fumble against Tampa Bay. And his one touchdown came through the air.

Those are some lofty numbers for a player considered No. 2 on the depth chart when Lynch is active. Lynch certainly has his work cut out for him starting this weekend.

That Jackson could not punch in a rushing touchdown during the first three weeks of the season opens the door for Lynch’s immediate role upon his return. Lynch has scored 15 rushing touchdowns over the course of his two-year career and is generally considered a better goal line running back than Jackson.

Jackson’s versatility keeps him in play. So, too, does the fact that he has performed well in Lynch’s stead through the first three weeks of the season.

Most experts expect Lynch to gradually work his way back into the feature role with Jackson playing more of a supporting role, a la Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward last year. That still leaves plenty of fantasy relevancy for Jackson and Lynch alike.

But for fantasy owners, it is just another frustrating running-back-by-committee.

 

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Daily Haze: Chad Henne, Josh Johnson, and Dynasty Owners

With yesterday’s news that Chad Pennington would be shut down for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury and Byron Leftwich would be benched in favor of Josh Johnson, dynasty league owners will get their first looks at a couple of young quarterback prospects.

Chad Henne will start for Miami in place of the injured Pennington. He was being groomed as early as last preseason to be the heir apparent to Pennington and his time has come a little sooner than the Dolphins had hoped.

However, after falling into an 0-3 hole to start the season, now might be the best time to hand Henne the ball after all.

Meanwhile, Johnson takes over for the 0-3 Buccaneers a day after Tampa gave Leftwich a vote of confidence as the starting quarterback. I guess that vote of confidence really does not mean anything when your offense cannot get a first down until the third quarter of your most recent game.

Johnson is intriguing in that he can run. The question is if he can throw the ball with any efficiency. The Bucs drafted Josh Freeman to be the quarterback of the future, and that future could come soon if Johnson struggles.

Here are today’s great reads:

• The 2009 bye week season begins this week with the Cardinals, Falcons, Panthers and Eagles. Prepare yourselves accordingly. [The Hazean]
• If your fantasy team has fallen to 0-3 on the season, it may be OK to push the panic button. But there still are ways to get your 0-3 team into the fantasy playoffs. [The Huddle]
• Who would have thought that now would be a great time to trade DeAngelo Williams, your (likely) first-round draft pick this year? [Sports Data Hub]
• The good ole’ buy or sell game focusing on the Baltimore running backs. If you have either of those guys, good luck trying to get fair value. [Top Fantasy Football]
• JaMarcus Russell, Jake Delhomme or Brady Quinn—which is the worst quarterback in the NFL? [The Fifth Down]
• And speaking of ranking the quarterbacks, the best quarterback in the NFL currently comes down to two of the usual suspects. [Shutdown Corner]
• Vernon Davis is a hot add off the waiver wire this week, but some think you should sell high on Davis after a two-touchdown performance. Not a bad idea if you can find someone willing to trade for him. [FFToolBox]

Got a pressing fantasy football question and need an answer now? Or just want to chat about all the recent developments in the sports’ world? Head over to The Hazean’s fantasy football forums for all that and more. Also remember to check out The Hazean’s fantasy rankings and mock draft database.

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Week 3 Waiver Wire Adds

Fantasy owners with high waiver wire priorities will be looking to get their hands on this weekend’s hottest prospects, hoping to strike gold once again.

Mario Manningham was the hottest addition after week two of the fantasy football season. He only delivered a 55-yard performance against the Buccaneers in week three, but a semi-dud like that was kind of expected after two solid weeks. Stick with him.

Who will be this week’s waiver wire darling?

A few of the names below were mentioned in yesterday’s Daily Haze, now with more explanation of their inclusion. Good luck grabbing your targets off the wire.

 

Pierre Garcon [WR, Colts]
Week 3: Three receptions, 64 yards, one touchdown; 17 rushing yards

In his second week starting opposite Reggie Wayne for the injured Anthony Gonzalez, it became more apparent that the Colts are beginning to develop plays for Garcon.

That is a really good sign going forward. They ran him on a reverse, in which he completely leveled a defensive back to pick up extra yards.

And then Peyton Manning sent him on a fly pattern down the sideline where Garcon outraced Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for the ball and a score.

Two touchdowns in two weeks ain’t bad for the previously relatively-unknown Garcon.

 

Glen Coffee [RB, 49ers]
Week 3: 54 rushing yards

With Frank Gore likely to miss the 49ers next two games, Coffee steps into the starting running back role on a run-first offense.

He had an impressive pre-season but an inauspicious debut as the No. 1 runner against the Vikings while filling in for Gore. However, Minnesota’s run defense is heralded as one of the best in the league.

As for the 49ers’ next opponent? The Rams. Definitely not as intimidating as the Vikings. Coffee could be a great flex play.

 

Mike Sims-Walker [WR, Jaguars]
Week 3: Six receptions, 81 yards

That makes two weeks in a row Sims-Walker shows up on waiver wire lists. This could be fantasy owners’ last chance to get their hands on the emerging favorite in the Jacksonville passing game.

David Garrard has been fairly inconsistent lately but the Jags figure to pass the ball often this year. Sims-Walker looks like the No. 1 option in the passing game right now, so the numbers should continue to exist.

 

Vernon Davis [TE, 49ers]
Week 3: Seven receptions, 96 yards, two touchdowns

Is this finally the coming-out party for Davis?

He made the sleeper watch list before the weekend and delivered with a stellar day for fantasy owners who took a chance on him.

Now he needs to show some week-to-week consistency. He certainly will be one of the hottest grabs this week, get your hands on him now before it is too late.

 

Nate Burleson [WR, Seahawks]
Week 3: Nine receptions, 109 yards

I have heard more than analyst say that Burleson is the best wide receiver on the Seattle offense right now. And that includes T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Whether or not those analysts are correct remains to be seen. But what has been seen so far this season is Burleson outplaying the highly-coveted free agent acquisition.

What makes this week’s performance even better is that Burleson did it with Seneca Wallace filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck.

 

Andre Caldwell [WR, Bengals]
Week 3: Six receptions, 52 yards, one touchdown

Caldwell, not pre-season hero Chris Henry, has been the most impressive No. 3 receiver on the Bengals so far.

Carson Palmer’s passing yardage numbers have not been that great, but as the season progresses he should put up more in that category.

Caldwell will continue to see plenty of action as it appears he has earned the trust of Palmer. Worth an add in deeper leagues.

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Daily Haze: Season-Ending Injuries Hit the Fantasy Football World

It took three weeks, but fantasy owners now have to deal with the first season-ending injuries to fantasy-relevant players.

Not that there were few injuries to fantasy players over the course of the weekend. Frank Gore is down for at least two weeks, Donovan McNabb has missed the last two weeks, and Kevin Smith is being listed as week-to-week with a shoulder injury. Until this point, however, fantasy owners have not had to deal with the season-ending variety of injury.

Not anymore.

 

Chad Pennington, QB, Dolphins

Pennington hurt his shoulder against the Chargers on Sunday and was replaced by Chad Henne. Anytime the training staff has to cut your shoulder pads off, it is not really a great sign. The Dolphins have not officially shut Pennington down yet, but that announcement could be forthcoming.

 

Laurent Robinson, WR, Rams

Robinson was off to a great start for the first time in his career, but it all ended for the upstart Rams’ receiver in Week Three. In addition to a high ankle sprain—which generally sidelines a player for multiple weeks—Robinson also fractured a bone in his leg. He will fade into the fantasy abyss after becoming one of the hotter adds off the waiver wire through the first few weeks of the season.

 

Here are today’s great reads:

• You know who to pick up off the waiver wire this week, but what about the guys that are worthy of being cut? [Bruno Boys]
• Two players fantasy owners should be concerned about after Week Three: Darren McFadden and Eddie Royal. [National Football Post]
• Game-by-game fantasy football revelations following all of the Week Three action. [SI.com]
• Plenty of options out there on the waiver wire for fantasy owners this week. Kevin Kolb remains a hot add even with Donovan McNabb due back after the bye. [FanHouse]

Got a pressing fantasy football question and need an answer now? Or just want to chat about all the recent developments in the sports world? Head over to The Hazean’s fantasy football forums for all that and more. Also remember to check out The Hazean’s fantasy rankings and mock draft database.

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Monday Morning Rehab: NFL Fantasy Update

Another NFL regular season weekend in the books and another slew of injuries plaguing fantasy rosters this morning.

After the first two weekends of the regular season, there had not been a major shakeup as in year’s past. Donovan McNabb went down early in week one but gave owners three touchdowns before the exit.

And his was not a season-ending injury, though it did leave his owners with at least a two week void.

More of the nagging, non-season ending variety this week. Fantasy owners should get used to it now.

Several big names did not even suit up for fantasy owners yesterday. McNabb, Matt Hasselbeck, Brian Westbrook, Dwayne Bowe, Jamal Lewis, and Wes Welker failed to see the field.

Next weekend is already shaping up to be more of the same, by the looks of some of this weekend’s injuries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Gore—RB, 49ers

From RotoWorld:

Gore limped off the field following his first carry of the game and was in obvious pain walking on the sidelines before taking a seat on the bench. Gore often plays banged up, but for now rookie Glen Coffee is in and Gore has been carted into the locker room.

Gore is expected to miss at least two weeks according to sources close to the 49ers. His status will more clearly be known after undergoing tests on Monday.

In the meantime, rookie Glen Coffee should be owned in all leagues. He likely will get the bulk of the work in Gore’s absence and could be a nice flex against the Rams and/or Falcons in the next two weeks.

The 49ers have a bye after those two games, meaning Gore is expected to return by the week seven matchup at Houston.

 

Laurent Robinson—WR, Rams

From RotoWorld:

The injury was originally announced as an “ankle.” An MCL sprain would likely cost Robinson two or three games at least, and an extensive tear might require surgery.

It would be upsetting to see Robinson go down for the season after such a promising start to what was to this point an underwhelming career.

Check back later this afternoon after the Rams have had a chance to run Robinson’s knee through a few tests. Best case scenario is that he misses a few weeks with a sprained knee.

 

Brian Westbrook—RB, Eagles

From FFToolBox:

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will sit out Sunday’s game against Kansas City due to an ankle injury.

Westbrook did not play and LeSean McCoy starred in his absence. If nothing else, McCoy’s performance against the Chiefs is one more reason why Westy owners need to actively pursue the Eagles’ rookie running back.

His trade value will be inflated this week.

 

Chad Pennington—QB, Dolphins

From RotoWorld:

Pennington landed on his arm after taking a hit and walked off the field holding and flexing his wrist, but the Dolphins are calling it a shoulder injury. The training staff had to cut off his jersey to begin treatment and emergency quarterback Chad Henne got the nod to replace him, so Pennington and Pat White are off limits now.

Chad Henne took over for Pennington sooner than he expected. It was an uninspiring performance by the Dolphins as a whole, who look more and more like the team from two years ago than last year’s 11-5 team.

Early word is that Pennington’s shoulder injury is not serious. Hopefully there are very few fantasy owners actually relying on Pennington’s services this early in the season. His loss could affect Ronnie Brown and Ted Ginn, however, so it is worth monitoring.

 

Wes Welker—WR, Patriots

From FFToolBox:

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker’s knee is apparently not good enough for him to play today against the Falcons. He is inactive for that game.

Go figure: An injured Patriots player quickly becoming a nightmare for fantasy owners.

Welker should not be relied upon in fantasy lineups until he actually suits up and plays a complete game. Word out of Patriots’ camp always is going to be mysterious, so fantasy owners would be better served to stay away if possible.

 

Kevin Smith—RB, Lions

From ProFootballTalk:

Our friends at Rotoworld point out that Lions running back Kevin Smith left Sunday’s game against the Redskins with a shoulder injury.

Smith suffered the injury while being tackled in the third quarter.

Good thing it does not sound too serious. There were glimmers of hope in Detroit on Sunday for the first time in forever. That includes the play of Matthew Stafford.

Stafford did not throw an interception for the first time this season and led Detroit to its first win in two seasons. If he can continue mistake-free football, it bodes well for Smith and fellow fantasy star Calvin Johnson.

 

Dwayne Bowe—WR, Chiefs

From FFToolBox:

As if things could get worse for the Kansas City Chiefs, they will be without the player who is probably their best offensive weapon Sunday, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. He was hampered during the week due to a leg injury and is officially inactive for the team’s game today at Philadelphia.

Bowe injured his hamstring late in the practice week, seriously putting his status in jeopardy for yesterday’s game. And he obviously was not well enough to play by showing up on the inactive list.

Follow his practice status this week to see if his chances of playing in week four improve. He does, however, have an unfavorable matchup against the Giants next weekend.

 

Marc Bulger—QB, Rams

From FFToolBox:

Quarterback Marc Bulger left Sunday’s game against Green Bay with a shoulder injury. League sources told the Post-Dispatch that Bulger has a rotator cuff injury in his throwing shoulder. He will have additional testing Monday, and if it’s a torn rotator cuff, the injury could end his season.

Few fantasy owners own Bulger in standard leagues. Those in deeper leagues should consider picking up Kyle Boller, who three two touchdown passes in Bulger’s absence yesterday.

 

Donovan McNabb—QB, Eagles

From RotoWorld:

Eagles coach Andy Reid said in his postgame press conference Sunday that he expects Donovan McNabb (rib) to return after the team’s Week Four bye.

McNabb is on schedule to play in the Eagles’ week five home tilt against the Buccaneers. That should be a tasty matchup for fantasy owners to exploit, even if it will be McNabb’s first live action since week one.

 

The MMR will continue to run every Monday morning as scheduled during the regular season. If you have an injury update or want an update on a certain player, please leave a note in the comments.

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Monday Morning Rehab: NFL Fantasy Update

Another NFL regular season weekend in the books and another slew of injuries plaguing fantasy rosters this morning.

After the first two weekends of the regular season, there had not been a major shakeup as in year’s past. Donovan McNabb went down early in week one but gave owners three touchdowns before the exit.

And his was not a season-ending injury, though it did leave his owners with at least a two week void.

More of the nagging, non-season ending variety this week. Fantasy owners should get used to it now.

Several big names did not even suit up for fantasy owners yesterday. McNabb, Matt Hasselbeck, Brian Westbrook, Dwayne Bowe, Jamal Lewis, and Wes Welker failed to see the field.

Next weekend is already shaping up to be more of the same, by the looks of some of this weekend’s injuries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Gore—RB, 49ers

From RotoWorld:

Gore limped off the field following his first carry of the game and was in obvious pain walking on the sidelines before taking a seat on the bench. Gore often plays banged up, but for now rookie Glen Coffee is in and Gore has been carted into the locker room.

Gore is expected to miss at least two weeks according to sources close to the 49ers. His status will more clearly be known after undergoing tests on Monday.

In the meantime, rookie Glen Coffee should be owned in all leagues. He likely will get the bulk of the work in Gore’s absence and could be a nice flex against the Rams and/or Falcons in the next two weeks.

The 49ers have a bye after those two games, meaning Gore is expected to return by the week seven matchup at Houston.

 

Laurent Robinson—WR, Rams

From RotoWorld:

The injury was originally announced as an “ankle.” An MCL sprain would likely cost Robinson two or three games at least, and an extensive tear might require surgery.

It would be upsetting to see Robinson go down for the season after such a promising start to what was to this point an underwhelming career.

Check back later this afternoon after the Rams have had a chance to run Robinson’s knee through a few tests. Best case scenario is that he misses a few weeks with a sprained knee.

 

Brian Westbrook—RB, Eagles

From FFToolBox:

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook will sit out Sunday’s game against Kansas City due to an ankle injury.

Westbrook did not play and LeSean McCoy starred in his absence. If nothing else, McCoy’s performance against the Chiefs is one more reason why Westy owners need to actively pursue the Eagles’ rookie running back.

His trade value will be inflated this week.

 

Chad Pennington—QB, Dolphins

From RotoWorld:

Pennington landed on his arm after taking a hit and walked off the field holding and flexing his wrist, but the Dolphins are calling it a shoulder injury. The training staff had to cut off his jersey to begin treatment and emergency quarterback Chad Henne got the nod to replace him, so Pennington and Pat White are off limits now.

Chad Henne took over for Pennington sooner than he expected. It was an uninspiring performance by the Dolphins as a whole, who look more and more like the team from two years ago than last year’s 11-5 team.

Early word is that Pennington’s shoulder injury is not serious. Hopefully there are very few fantasy owners actually relying on Pennington’s services this early in the season. His loss could affect Ronnie Brown and Ted Ginn, however, so it is worth monitoring.

 

Wes Welker—WR, Patriots

From FFToolBox:

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker’s knee is apparently not good enough for him to play today against the Falcons. He is inactive for that game.

Go figure: An injured Patriots player quickly becoming a nightmare for fantasy owners.

Welker should not be relied upon in fantasy lineups until he actually suits up and plays a complete game. Word out of Patriots’ camp always is going to be mysterious, so fantasy owners would be better served to stay away if possible.

 

Kevin Smith—RB, Lions

From ProFootballTalk:

Our friends at Rotoworld point out that Lions running back Kevin Smith left Sunday’s game against the Redskins with a shoulder injury.

Smith suffered the injury while being tackled in the third quarter.

Good thing it does not sound too serious. There were glimmers of hope in Detroit on Sunday for the first time in forever. That includes the play of Matthew Stafford.

Stafford did not throw an interception for the first time this season and led Detroit to its first win in two seasons. If he can continue mistake-free football, it bodes well for Smith and fellow fantasy star Calvin Johnson.

 

Dwayne Bowe—WR, Chiefs

From FFToolBox:

As if things could get worse for the Kansas City Chiefs, they will be without the player who is probably their best offensive weapon Sunday, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. He was hampered during the week due to a leg injury and is officially inactive for the team’s game today at Philadelphia.

Bowe injured his hamstring late in the practice week, seriously putting his status in jeopardy for yesterday’s game. And he obviously was not well enough to play by showing up on the inactive list.

Follow his practice status this week to see if his chances of playing in week four improve. He does, however, have an unfavorable matchup against the Giants next weekend.

 

Marc Bulger—QB, Rams

From FFToolBox:

Quarterback Marc Bulger left Sunday’s game against Green Bay with a shoulder injury. League sources told the Post-Dispatch that Bulger has a rotator cuff injury in his throwing shoulder. He will have additional testing Monday, and if it’s a torn rotator cuff, the injury could end his season.

Few fantasy owners own Bulger in standard leagues. Those in deeper leagues should consider picking up Kyle Boller, who three two touchdown passes in Bulger’s absence yesterday.

 

Donovan McNabb—QB, Eagles

From RotoWorld:

Eagles coach Andy Reid said in his postgame press conference Sunday that he expects Donovan McNabb (rib) to return after the team’s Week Four bye.

McNabb is on schedule to play in the Eagles’ week five home tilt against the Buccaneers. That should be a tasty matchup for fantasy owners to exploit, even if it will be McNabb’s first live action since week one.

 

The MMR will continue to run every Monday morning as scheduled during the regular season. If you have an injury update or want an update on a certain player, please leave a note in the comments.

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Make Subtle Changes Early in the Fantasy Season

Sometimes a minor tweak is all your fantasy roster needs to make a major difference.

Early in the fantasy football season, it is important not to hit the panic button after the first week. Or even the second week for that matter. An 0-2 hole, while not desirable, is not insurmountable.

While considering a trade here or there is not a bad thing early in the season, it does not always take a drastic overhaul to climb from the cellar.

The Hazean’s team in the blogger league faced an 0-2 hole heading into the second weekend of the fantasy football regular season. But one minor change to the starting lineup made a significant difference in the outcome of the contest.

Of course, it did not hurt to have Matt Schaub and his four touchdowns at the helm. But in this league, which rewards pass catchers favorably (0.5 points per reception), starting a pair of bruising, non-pass catching running backs on a weekly basis can lead to some unpredictable results.

So instead of starting both Michael Turner and Brandon Jacobs, I opted to start Turner and sit Jacobs. Turned out to be the right call between those two players. In Jacobs’ stead I started Fred Jackson, a much more friendly running back for the blogger league PPR format.

Ironically, Jackson did not make his biggest impact in the passing game.

He gashed the Tampa Bay defense to the tune of 163 yards rushing. He failed to reach the endzone and lost a fumble, but added the receiving element I initially planned for with six catches for 25 yards.

All in all, a subtle philosophical change made a major difference in the outcome of The Hazean’s week two matchup. It certainly did not hurt that Jackson played the Bucs and that he really is the only serviceable running back currently on the Bills roster.

Regardless, before making any drastic changes to your fantasy roster this week consider something subtle. Take risks within your roster and they could pay off in the form of that first victory of the season.

 

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

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Mark Sanchez Is Running Away from Fellow Rookies

Hard to make an accurate assessment after two weeks, but I am going to throw this out there and see what you all think.

This year’s rookies are not even close to last year’s class.

Am I going to get killed in the comments for that? Highly doubtful. With the exception of New York Jets’ quarterback Mark Sanchez, I think it’s safe to say this year’s crop has underwhelmed considerably. Good thing there still is plenty of time for the rooks to pick up the slack.

Finally, the rookies that were expected to have immediate impacts this season are starting to live up to their potential. I think I will actually be able to have a list of the top-five rookies this week for the first time since the start of the regular season.

 

1. Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets

What more can be said about Mark Sanchez? I thought he would be dead meat playing the New England Patriots. Sanchez struggled in the first half, but bounced back in the second half, while leading the Jets to a win over the Patriots.

He finished with only 163 yards passing and one touchdown, but he threw no interceptions. Sanchez has impressed so far in his first two games this season.

 

2. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Knowshon Moreno had an effective game running the ball for the Denver Broncos against the Cleveland Browns. He carried the ball 17 times for 75 yards and looks like he is on his on his way to becoming the No. 1 running back in Denver.

He is still losing touches to Correll Buckhalter and goal line carries to Peyton Hillis, but he should take carries away from Buckhalter as he improves.

 

3. Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

Percy Harvin has scored two touchdowns in two weeks. He only had 41 yards receiving due to Adrian Peterson hogging the yards from the backfield. The Minnesota Vikings don’t need to throw the ball as much because of Peterson, which may keep Harvin’s value down.

 

4. Louis Murphy, WR, Raiders

Louis Murphy did not supply the big plays he did in week one, but he did make two catches for 26 yards in week two against the Kansas City Chiefs. Murphy may soon fall from this list because of the inconsistencies in the Oakland Raiders’ passing game.

Until JaMarcus Russell can figure out how to be an NFL quarterback, Murphy will not be able to put up the numbers needed to remain on this list.

 

5. Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells, RB, Cardinals

Chris “Beanie” Wells showed a burst through the hole he has not displayed in previous opportunities probably due to preseason injuries. He finished with seven carries for 44 yards with a long of 17 yards.

Tim Hightower has performed well as the lead running back and unless he gets hurt or struggles, Wells will probably be delegated to the backup role in the desert.

 

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our Web site for more great fantasy content!

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Daily Haze: Miami’s Two-Minute Drill

Anyone stay up for the ending of the Miami-Indianapolis game last night?

Worst two-minute drill ever.

Chad Pennington and the Dolphins’ offense are not really suited for fast football. I swear I have never seen a team so lazy and slow to the ball after each play in such a crucial spot.

Ironically, Miami did have a chance to win the game on a couple occasions. The first came on a deep ball from Pennington to Ted Ginn. The ball hit Ginn in the hands—both of them—five yards deep in the endzone but he failed to hold on despite a favorable single-coverage match up.

Ginn then converted a fourth down play to give Miami one more heave into into the endzone, which was picked off by the Colts’ defense. All-in-all, a sloppy, preseason-esque two-minute drill from the Dolphins, now 0-2 on the season.

Here are today’s great reads:

• The last best fantasy football team name contest of the summer, which officially ends today. Boooooo. [The Hazean]
• In the battle for the new No. 2 spot in the Colts’ receiving corps, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon caught just one pass each. But Garcon’s went for a score. [Lester’s Legends]
• A bevy of random thoughts on the NFL after the second weekend of regular season football. The Red Zone Channel sounds pretty sweet. [The Big Lead]
• Hang in there, Matt Forte owners. The sophomore has struggled thus far, but his time should come soon. [FanHouse]
• Mark Sanchez, Mario Manningham and Correll Buckhalter headline this list of best waiver wire additions from week 2. [National Football Post]
• Wide receiver and tight end target numbers of interest from the weekend. [Sports Data Hub]
• More on Chris Johnson’s monster fantasy day. He likely set records across fantasy leagues, though I doubt most leagues keep historical stats to check this against. [Roto Arcade]

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