-This isn't easy for me as a Giants fan, but I'm recommending Ron Dayne this week. Not one of my favorite players, and his record as a pro is pretty spotty. That being said, the guy's on a considerable roll right now (at least 87 rushing yards in his last three games, plus three TDs in that span) and it comes at the perfect time - he faces the Colts on Sunday, and you know all about their run defense. Just recognize the risk involved (it's Ron Dayne after all, and he is a Texan). It's a gamble worth taking if you're lacking a solid No. 2 back.
-A stronger bet is Ladell Betts, who's making his case to be part of a platoon with Clinton Portis next season. Four straight 100-yard efforts make him almost a no-brainer against the Rams this week. That Skins backfield situation will be really interesting next season. And at the start of this year, who could have guessed we'd be considering Betts a better fantasy option than Shaun Alexander?
-As if you needed any more incentive to start Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor has been ruled out this week. Get him in that lineup.
-Is Tim Rattay actually a legit fantasy start? Well, the Bucs' offense finally stopped its Weekend at Bernie's impression last week in a surprisingly competitive game with the Bears, and most of that was due to Rattay (268 yards, three TDs). Unlike most of the other late-season replacement QBs around the league this year, Rattay actually has some NFL seasoning, and he's got a great matchup against the Browns. If you've got a void at QB, you could do worse. Just be a little wary of these late-season games that pit two bottom-feeders (see Thursday's Packers-Vikings game, last week's Packers-Lions game) - facing a poor defense isn't always a cure-all for a bad offense.
-Speaking of the Bucs, Cadillac Williams is out this week - too bad, because he misses out on the Brownies, a rare team he might have been able to run against. Michael Pittman will get most of the work, with a little Mike Alstott mixed in, but I don't think I'd be willing to risk my playoff life on either of those guys unless I'm in a super-deep league or I can time-warp to 2001.
-I'd ride the Mike Vick rollercoaster again this week. You never really know what you're going to get out of the guy, but he's got a tantalizing matchup at home against a Carolina's bruised bodies and bruised egos. His groin seems to be OK, and the last time he was coming off a four-TD game he followed it up with three scores (waiting another week to fizzle against the Lions and Browns and give his owners the finger).
-Gotta have a little Laveranues Coles in your stocking this Christmas (get it?) against the Dolphins ... he's had a couple huge games this year (last week included), and although his dealing with some back issues, the dude never misses games, and he always comes up big against Miami.
-Speaking of the Jets, this photo offers some insight on mastermind coach Eric Mangini's offensive gameplanning meetings. I think the furry red guy might be Brian Schottenheimer.
-Vernon Davis has scored in three of his first five games as a pro. If not for that broken leg he'd be near the top of all these discussions of the Great Rookie Class of '06. Start him against Arizona and keep him on your 2007 watch list. He'll be next year's Kellen Winslow.
-I like Buffalo's defense against Tennessee. Vince Young may be the greatest QB in the history of football, but I think the Bills will force the rook to make some mistakes up at the Ralph and maybe even score another TD.
-Willie Parker's been great, but he might have a tough time against the Ravens, who stuffed him in their first meeting (22 yards). Unless you're really deep at RB you might have to suck it up and start him, though. Hines Ward is an easier choice, as Ben Roethlisberger will be testing that hurting Baltimore secondary - as long as Big Ben can stay upright this time.
-I'd probably stay away from Donte' Stallworth this week. Last week's five-yard showing brought an end to a lot of fantasy seasons, and Stallworth's totals have been a mixed bag since Jeff Garcia took over as Eagles QB. Don't let your fate rest on this guy.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Damn you Mannings!
Plenty of playoff matchups were decided by Monday night's Colts-Bengals showdown, my own included. I had a decent-sized lead on my opponent entering that game, but that lucky S.O.B. had both Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in his lineup. I knew I'd have to hold my breath and pray for a miracle.
After the first Manning-to-Harrison TD I was dismayed but still hanging on to hope. After the duo's second TD connection, I was fuming. Stupid Bengals defense! How about a little more time studying film and a little less lawbreaking? By the third Manning-Marvin hookup, I think I switched over to some mid-90s world billiards championship on the Deuce. And with that, another season was in the books.
Sure, it was a disappointing end. Not only was I burned by Peyton, I started Eli Manning and he did diddly squat against the Eagles. Double-damn those Manning brothers (I got no beef with Cooper though).
It also didn't help that I didn't even sniff the postseason in my other main league thanks to an ill-fated roster that included LaMont Jordan, Clinton Portis, Chris Chambers, Mike Vanderjagt, Kurt Warner, Eli and the Bucs defense. Talk about ugly! But those are the breaks in fantasy land. It looked good on paper back in August.
I'm sure plenty of you have your own horror stories and heartbreaking tales from the 2006 season. And I bet a lucky few are still alive this week, perhaps thanks to that awesome display by Peyton and Co. I'll have some lineup advice for you later in the week, and as always, post your questions/comments right here or send them via e-mail to jbartolone@semosportsweb.com.
After the first Manning-to-Harrison TD I was dismayed but still hanging on to hope. After the duo's second TD connection, I was fuming. Stupid Bengals defense! How about a little more time studying film and a little less lawbreaking? By the third Manning-Marvin hookup, I think I switched over to some mid-90s world billiards championship on the Deuce. And with that, another season was in the books.
Sure, it was a disappointing end. Not only was I burned by Peyton, I started Eli Manning and he did diddly squat against the Eagles. Double-damn those Manning brothers (I got no beef with Cooper though).
It also didn't help that I didn't even sniff the postseason in my other main league thanks to an ill-fated roster that included LaMont Jordan, Clinton Portis, Chris Chambers, Mike Vanderjagt, Kurt Warner, Eli and the Bucs defense. Talk about ugly! But those are the breaks in fantasy land. It looked good on paper back in August.
I'm sure plenty of you have your own horror stories and heartbreaking tales from the 2006 season. And I bet a lucky few are still alive this week, perhaps thanks to that awesome display by Peyton and Co. I'll have some lineup advice for you later in the week, and as always, post your questions/comments right here or send them via e-mail to jbartolone@semosportsweb.com.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Playoffs??!!?
Many apologies for my recent slacking on the blog updates. I spent last weekend in my home state of New Jersey with my fiancee for a combined bachelor party/wedding shower, plus a trip to NYC, so I only got to sneak in a little bit of football watching. I'll let you guess which was greater: total beers consumed by yours truly, or number of spatulas we received as gifts. But anyway, I'm totallly focused on this weekend's crucial playoff matchups, and I'd like to make it up to you with some advice for Week 15:
-Arlen Harris seems like a quick fix for anyone suffering a code-red emergency at RB, particularly those who had Kevin Jones. Facing the Green Bay Packers might make just about anyone a semi-attractive fantasy option. But think carefully about what you're doing: Do you really want your playoff fate riding on Arlen Harris?
-While I'm not a big fan of Harris this week, I like just about everybody else in the Lions-Packers showdown: Donald Driver, Ahman Green, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Brett Favre, heck, even Jon Kitna. On paper, this game should be a fantasy points bonanza.
-Speaking of which, Monday night's Colts-Bengals tilt shouldn't be half-bad either if it comes anywhere close to last season's shootout. Rudi Johnson owners are salivating, and rightfully so against that sorry run defense of Indy's. Cincinnati's pass D isn't that much better, so Peyton Manning and Co. seem in line for their usual aerial success. With Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley out, Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht or even Ricky Proehl (yup, he's back!) might get in on the action, but you know none of those guys is a sure thing. As for the Bengals, the studs should get their numbers - even Chris Henry, assuming he's not incarcerated in the next few days.
-I like Cedric Benson a lot against the defense formerly known as the Buccaneers. Benson was already seeing a steady increase in carries before Thomas Jones tweaked his ankle. Jones is listed as questionable.
-If you really need help, give Justin Fargas a try. He's auditioning for a starting role and a new contract in 2007, and while he's been mediocre so far since with the Raiders, the Rams' run defense might offer the big breakthrough he's been looking for.
-Flash-in-the-pan Saints FB Mike Karney is not the solution, three TDs be damned. Didn't the Marcel Shipp saga teach you anything? Karney goes back to being Deuce McAllister's personal plow this week. Stick with the rest of the Saints' skill players instead - except Joe Horn, who's shut down for the rest of the regular season.
-How fun is Sunday night's LT vs. LJ matchup going to be for fantasy players? This could actually be the first time where the networks' hyping of individual players actually means more than the game itself. Between the Chiefs-Chargers on Sunday and the Colts-Bengals on Monday night, there could be some record ratings in store thanks to the fantasy playoffs. Enjoy, and good luck.
-Arlen Harris seems like a quick fix for anyone suffering a code-red emergency at RB, particularly those who had Kevin Jones. Facing the Green Bay Packers might make just about anyone a semi-attractive fantasy option. But think carefully about what you're doing: Do you really want your playoff fate riding on Arlen Harris?
-While I'm not a big fan of Harris this week, I like just about everybody else in the Lions-Packers showdown: Donald Driver, Ahman Green, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Brett Favre, heck, even Jon Kitna. On paper, this game should be a fantasy points bonanza.
-Speaking of which, Monday night's Colts-Bengals tilt shouldn't be half-bad either if it comes anywhere close to last season's shootout. Rudi Johnson owners are salivating, and rightfully so against that sorry run defense of Indy's. Cincinnati's pass D isn't that much better, so Peyton Manning and Co. seem in line for their usual aerial success. With Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokley out, Bryan Fletcher, Ben Utecht or even Ricky Proehl (yup, he's back!) might get in on the action, but you know none of those guys is a sure thing. As for the Bengals, the studs should get their numbers - even Chris Henry, assuming he's not incarcerated in the next few days.
-I like Cedric Benson a lot against the defense formerly known as the Buccaneers. Benson was already seeing a steady increase in carries before Thomas Jones tweaked his ankle. Jones is listed as questionable.
-If you really need help, give Justin Fargas a try. He's auditioning for a starting role and a new contract in 2007, and while he's been mediocre so far since with the Raiders, the Rams' run defense might offer the big breakthrough he's been looking for.
-Flash-in-the-pan Saints FB Mike Karney is not the solution, three TDs be damned. Didn't the Marcel Shipp saga teach you anything? Karney goes back to being Deuce McAllister's personal plow this week. Stick with the rest of the Saints' skill players instead - except Joe Horn, who's shut down for the rest of the regular season.
-How fun is Sunday night's LT vs. LJ matchup going to be for fantasy players? This could actually be the first time where the networks' hyping of individual players actually means more than the game itself. Between the Chiefs-Chargers on Sunday and the Colts-Bengals on Monday night, there could be some record ratings in store thanks to the fantasy playoffs. Enjoy, and good luck.
Monday, December 04, 2006
WEEK 13 - Sunday Recap
-There were a number of huge performances this week from guys who were probably on most owners' benches. Start with Reggie Bush, who had that USC-esque game we've been waiting for (four TDs), but given his track record so far, I can't blame you for not starting him. And he's probably too risky to start next Sunday night at Dallas except as a flex player.
-And how about Marcel Shipp? Talk about a blast from the past ... dude hasn't scored a TD since 2002, then out of nowhere he busts out THREE against the Rams. Please don't be the guy who goes and picks up Shipp today off the waiver wire .... Edgerrin James even cracked 100 yards against St. Louis' sorry run defense - couldn't he have at least taken one of those TDs, if only so Edge owners could say they at least got one good game out of their first-rounder?
-Corey Dillon also joined Week 13's three-TD club. Not a huge surprise since it came against the Lions - but he did have only 25 yards on nine carries, and Laurence Maroney (four for 14 yards) was even worse.
-Cedric Houston ground out 105 yards and two scores as the Jets pounded the Packers. Hey, I thought Leon Washington was going to get most of the carries ... what gives? I guess Eric Mangini is the new Mike Shanahan ....
-You probably figured the Chiefs would just pound the ball with Larry Johnson against the Browns. And of course the ever-reliable L.J. got his 100 yards, but Trent Green goes nuts for 297 yards and four TDs.
-The winds of change are blowing in Chicago, and it doesn't involve Rex Grossman (the Bears are still sticking with him, but hopefully you punted him weeks ago) ... Cedric Benson has been steadily cutting into Thomas Jones' workload these past couple weeks, and he's got a TD in his last two games. If you need help the next couple weeks, think about starting Benson against the Rams and/or Bucs since he's getting about 10 carries a game and is a good bet for a score.
-LaDainian Tomlinson: 178 yards, two TDs. That's it? Come on, man. Step it up.
-How far has former USC stud Mike Williams fallen? Well, besides watching Mike Furrey become a fantasy force for the Lions, Josh McCown is getting more snaps at WR than him. Yeah, THAT Josh McCown, the backup QB. Let's hope Dwayne Jarrett fares better.
-And how about Marcel Shipp? Talk about a blast from the past ... dude hasn't scored a TD since 2002, then out of nowhere he busts out THREE against the Rams. Please don't be the guy who goes and picks up Shipp today off the waiver wire .... Edgerrin James even cracked 100 yards against St. Louis' sorry run defense - couldn't he have at least taken one of those TDs, if only so Edge owners could say they at least got one good game out of their first-rounder?
-Corey Dillon also joined Week 13's three-TD club. Not a huge surprise since it came against the Lions - but he did have only 25 yards on nine carries, and Laurence Maroney (four for 14 yards) was even worse.
-Cedric Houston ground out 105 yards and two scores as the Jets pounded the Packers. Hey, I thought Leon Washington was going to get most of the carries ... what gives? I guess Eric Mangini is the new Mike Shanahan ....
-You probably figured the Chiefs would just pound the ball with Larry Johnson against the Browns. And of course the ever-reliable L.J. got his 100 yards, but Trent Green goes nuts for 297 yards and four TDs.
-The winds of change are blowing in Chicago, and it doesn't involve Rex Grossman (the Bears are still sticking with him, but hopefully you punted him weeks ago) ... Cedric Benson has been steadily cutting into Thomas Jones' workload these past couple weeks, and he's got a TD in his last two games. If you need help the next couple weeks, think about starting Benson against the Rams and/or Bucs since he's getting about 10 carries a game and is a good bet for a score.
-LaDainian Tomlinson: 178 yards, two TDs. That's it? Come on, man. Step it up.
-How far has former USC stud Mike Williams fallen? Well, besides watching Mike Furrey become a fantasy force for the Lions, Josh McCown is getting more snaps at WR than him. Yeah, THAT Josh McCown, the backup QB. Let's hope Dwayne Jarrett fares better.
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