- DONOVAN McNABB at Washington: Did you know Donovan has thrown 4 TDs in his past 4 games against the Redskins - and they all came in one game in 2007? He's also coming off a terrible game at Oakland (22 for 46, 269 yards, 0 TDs, 66.3 QB rating). May not be the best week to play him if you have a quality backup.
- PIERRE THOMAS at Miami: The Dolphins are allowing just 76 rushing yards a game, and Thomas, who's already stuck in a three-back rotation with Mike Bell and Reggie Bush, probably won't get enough touches to warrant a start this week.
- PERCY HARVIN at Pittsburgh: The rookie is questionable with a shoulder injury and is coming off a 2-catch, 10-yard game against Baltimore. I wouldn't expect much against the Steelers.
LAST WEEK'S PICKS
- LenDale White had 6 carries for 15 yards and a fumble in Tennessee's debacle against New England last week before exiting in the first half with a knee injury. I think he's officially cemented his "bust" status for 2009, don't you?
- Speaking of busts, Terrell Owens caught 3 passes for 13 yards last Sunday, and his season is probably only going to get worse with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center for the Bills. In fact, it might even be time to drop him.
- OK, I was wrong about Hakeem Nicks, who had the best game of his young career (5 catches, 114 yards, TD). He's now scored in three straight games and could keep that streak alive this week vs. Arizona.
Showing posts with label LenDale White. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LenDale White. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sit 'Em: Week 6
-RB LENDALE WHITE at New England: Encouraged by big bad LenDale's 10 carries for 51 yards last week, his best output of the year? Don't be. A lot of those touches came late in the game after the Titans were already getting blown out. Tennessee's offense is very out of synch this year, and it appears even if things are going right they plan to give Chris Johnson the majority of the work. I'm not buying it.
- WR TERRELL OWENS at New York Jets: Sit the great T.O.? Ever think it'd come to this? Fact is, Owens has pretty much been a non-factor this year (no more than 4 catches or 60 yards receiving in any game; 1 TD), the Jets are stingy against the pass (fewer than 200 receiving yards a game and only 3 TDs allowed through the air), and T.O. will probably be blanketed by future All-Pro Darrelle Revis, who's already neutralized Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Marques Colston this year. Bench him.
- WR HAKEEM NICKS at New Orleans: His two TDs in successive weeks make him awfully attractive this week, but remember the Saints' D is better than it used to be - only 3 passing TDs allowed - and Nicks is still behind Steve Smith and Mario Manningham on the Giants' depth chart. Nicks is defnitely a prospect to hold onto if you have room on your bench, but I'm not sure he's earned fantasy starter status yet.
LAST WEEK'S PICKS
- Eddie Royal (10 catches, 90 yards) finally broke out of his funk. My bad.
- Neither Justin Fargas (11 carries, 18 yards) nor Michael Bush (12 carries, 37 yards) were particularly effective against the Giants, although Bush did score on a 5-yard run after New York turned it over deep inside their own territory.
- Mark Sanchez was just 12-for-24 for 172 yards and a TD at Miami.
- WR TERRELL OWENS at New York Jets: Sit the great T.O.? Ever think it'd come to this? Fact is, Owens has pretty much been a non-factor this year (no more than 4 catches or 60 yards receiving in any game; 1 TD), the Jets are stingy against the pass (fewer than 200 receiving yards a game and only 3 TDs allowed through the air), and T.O. will probably be blanketed by future All-Pro Darrelle Revis, who's already neutralized Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Marques Colston this year. Bench him.
- WR HAKEEM NICKS at New Orleans: His two TDs in successive weeks make him awfully attractive this week, but remember the Saints' D is better than it used to be - only 3 passing TDs allowed - and Nicks is still behind Steve Smith and Mario Manningham on the Giants' depth chart. Nicks is defnitely a prospect to hold onto if you have room on your bench, but I'm not sure he's earned fantasy starter status yet.
LAST WEEK'S PICKS
- Eddie Royal (10 catches, 90 yards) finally broke out of his funk. My bad.
- Neither Justin Fargas (11 carries, 18 yards) nor Michael Bush (12 carries, 37 yards) were particularly effective against the Giants, although Bush did score on a 5-yard run after New York turned it over deep inside their own territory.
- Mark Sanchez was just 12-for-24 for 172 yards and a TD at Miami.
Sit 'Em: Week 6
-RB LENDALE WHITE at New England: Encouraged by big bad LenDale's 10 carries for 51 yards last week, his best output of the year? Don't be. A lot of those touches came late in the game after the Titans were already getting blown out. Tennessee's offense is very out of synch this year, and it appears even if things are going right they plan to give Chris Johnson the majority of the work. I'm not buying it.
- WR TERRELL OWENS at New York Jets: Sit the great T.O.? Ever think it'd come to this? Fact is, Owens has pretty much been a non-factor this year (no more than 4 catches or 60 yards receiving in any game; 1 TD), the Jets are stingy against the pass (fewer than 200 receiving yards a game and only 3 TDs allowed through the air), and T.O. will probably be blanketed by future All-Pro Darrelle Revis, who's already neutralized Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Marques Colston this year. Bench him.
- WR HAKEEM NICKS at New Orleans: His two TDs in successive weeks make him awfully attractive this week, but remember the Saints' D is better than it used to be - only 3 passing TDs allowed - and Nicks is still behind Steve Smith and Mario Manningham on the Giants' depth chart. Nicks is defnitely a prospect to hold onto if you have room on your bench, but I'm not sure he's earned fantasy starter status yet.
LAST WEEK'S PICKS
- Eddie Royal (10 catches, 90 yards) finally broke out of his funk. My bad.
- Neither Justin Fargas (11 carries, 18 yards) nor Michael Bush (12 carries, 37 yards) were particularly effective against the Giants, although Bush did score on a 5-yard run after New York turned it over deep inside their own territory.
- Mark Sanchez was just 12-for-24 for 172 yards and a TD at Miami.
- WR TERRELL OWENS at New York Jets: Sit the great T.O.? Ever think it'd come to this? Fact is, Owens has pretty much been a non-factor this year (no more than 4 catches or 60 yards receiving in any game; 1 TD), the Jets are stingy against the pass (fewer than 200 receiving yards a game and only 3 TDs allowed through the air), and T.O. will probably be blanketed by future All-Pro Darrelle Revis, who's already neutralized Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Marques Colston this year. Bench him.
- WR HAKEEM NICKS at New Orleans: His two TDs in successive weeks make him awfully attractive this week, but remember the Saints' D is better than it used to be - only 3 passing TDs allowed - and Nicks is still behind Steve Smith and Mario Manningham on the Giants' depth chart. Nicks is defnitely a prospect to hold onto if you have room on your bench, but I'm not sure he's earned fantasy starter status yet.
LAST WEEK'S PICKS
- Eddie Royal (10 catches, 90 yards) finally broke out of his funk. My bad.
- Neither Justin Fargas (11 carries, 18 yards) nor Michael Bush (12 carries, 37 yards) were particularly effective against the Giants, although Bush did score on a 5-yard run after New York turned it over deep inside their own territory.
- Mark Sanchez was just 12-for-24 for 172 yards and a TD at Miami.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Touchdowns and turkey: Perfect together
The NFL’s Thanksgiving Day games aren’t all that intriguing, but fantasy players won’t complain. We get three midweek matchups, all seen on national TV (by those of us lucky enough to get the NFL Network, anyway) and all with a fair share of fantasy-relevant stars involved.
The holiday slate features a battle of the birds (Eagles vs. Cardinals), and quite a few turkeys (Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, the 0-11 Detroit Lions). We’ll all be watching the games - between naps, of course - and trying to get our teams off to a good start in Week 13. So in that spirit, let’s break down the matchups from a fantasy perspective:
TENNESSEE AT DETROIT
Kerry Collins, NFL MVP? I’m warming up to the idea.
Kerry Collins, fantasy starter? I’ll buy that too, at least for this week.
If there’s ever a time to start the old-timer, this is it. He’s coming off his three best efforts of the season, statistically speaking (six TDs in his past three games), and he’s facing a Lions defense that’s given up 18 scores through the air. Collins and top receiver Justin Gage are pretty decent options this week.
Even better options: The Titans’ dual rushing threat of Chris Johnson and LenDale White, going up against Detroit’s league-worst rush defense (166 yards allowed per game). Rising rookie star Johnson is an obvious must-start, but don’t let White’s one-carry, minus-one-yard, one-temper-tantrum effort last week scare you off. Coach Jeff Fisher will make sure White keeps his attitude in check, and the best way to do that is give him the rock early and often against a soft D.
As for the Lions, I like rookie Kevin Smith as a No. 2 running back this week since the Titans aren’t as good against the run as you might expect. They are, however, great against the pass, but I’d still start Calvin Johnson (a TD in six of his past seven games) and cross my fingers.
SEATTLE AT DETROIT
The Tony Romo Comeback Tour continues. Remember when America’s favorite advocate for the homeless tossed five TDs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2006 Turkey Day game? It wouldn’t surprise me if he came close to matching that against the Seahawks’ secondary. Romo and Terrell Owens (213 yards, TD) are clicking right now, so expect fireworks.
Marion Barber will find room to run, so start him with out hesitation. His Seahawks counterpart and former backfield mate, Julius Jones, will start and should have a little extra motivation, but I wouldn’t use him as anything more than a No. 3 RB or flex player if I could help it. And I’d avoid Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks receivers.
ARIZONA AT PHILADELPHIA
Speaking of extra motivation, McNabb should be out to prove his detractors wrong, and I’m expecting big things against a Cardinals defense that:
g Has allowed a league-high 22 passing touchdowns
g Has been burnt by the likes of Shaun Hill (two TDs) and Eli Manning (three TDs) in recent weeks, and
g Is traveling cross-country with a short week of practice.
Sounds like a recipe for a Thanksgiving treat from McNabb. I’d consider DeSean Jackson too if I’m short at wide receiver, and I’d take a long, hard look at a seriously banged-up Brian Westbrook as one of my RB options.
On the flip side, Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are on an absolute tear and cannot be benched. Steve Breaston is still getting looks but remains a fantasy No. 3 in most leagues. And Tim Hightower has been a boom-or-bust proposition in recent weeks, so start with caution.
The holiday slate features a battle of the birds (Eagles vs. Cardinals), and quite a few turkeys (Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, the 0-11 Detroit Lions). We’ll all be watching the games - between naps, of course - and trying to get our teams off to a good start in Week 13. So in that spirit, let’s break down the matchups from a fantasy perspective:
TENNESSEE AT DETROIT
Kerry Collins, NFL MVP? I’m warming up to the idea.
Kerry Collins, fantasy starter? I’ll buy that too, at least for this week.
If there’s ever a time to start the old-timer, this is it. He’s coming off his three best efforts of the season, statistically speaking (six TDs in his past three games), and he’s facing a Lions defense that’s given up 18 scores through the air. Collins and top receiver Justin Gage are pretty decent options this week.
Even better options: The Titans’ dual rushing threat of Chris Johnson and LenDale White, going up against Detroit’s league-worst rush defense (166 yards allowed per game). Rising rookie star Johnson is an obvious must-start, but don’t let White’s one-carry, minus-one-yard, one-temper-tantrum effort last week scare you off. Coach Jeff Fisher will make sure White keeps his attitude in check, and the best way to do that is give him the rock early and often against a soft D.
As for the Lions, I like rookie Kevin Smith as a No. 2 running back this week since the Titans aren’t as good against the run as you might expect. They are, however, great against the pass, but I’d still start Calvin Johnson (a TD in six of his past seven games) and cross my fingers.
SEATTLE AT DETROIT
The Tony Romo Comeback Tour continues. Remember when America’s favorite advocate for the homeless tossed five TDs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2006 Turkey Day game? It wouldn’t surprise me if he came close to matching that against the Seahawks’ secondary. Romo and Terrell Owens (213 yards, TD) are clicking right now, so expect fireworks.
Marion Barber will find room to run, so start him with out hesitation. His Seahawks counterpart and former backfield mate, Julius Jones, will start and should have a little extra motivation, but I wouldn’t use him as anything more than a No. 3 RB or flex player if I could help it. And I’d avoid Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks receivers.
ARIZONA AT PHILADELPHIA
Speaking of extra motivation, McNabb should be out to prove his detractors wrong, and I’m expecting big things against a Cardinals defense that:
g Has allowed a league-high 22 passing touchdowns
g Has been burnt by the likes of Shaun Hill (two TDs) and Eli Manning (three TDs) in recent weeks, and
g Is traveling cross-country with a short week of practice.
Sounds like a recipe for a Thanksgiving treat from McNabb. I’d consider DeSean Jackson too if I’m short at wide receiver, and I’d take a long, hard look at a seriously banged-up Brian Westbrook as one of my RB options.
On the flip side, Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are on an absolute tear and cannot be benched. Steve Breaston is still getting looks but remains a fantasy No. 3 in most leagues. And Tim Hightower has been a boom-or-bust proposition in recent weeks, so start with caution.
Photos by The Associated Press
Thursday, October 02, 2008
A bailout plan for your fantasy team
Your stock portfolio is tanking. Your 401(k) took a big hit. Your bank just went under, your job’s offering buyouts, and you can barely afford a gallon of milk or a tank of gas.
And worst of all, your fantasy team is 0-4.
With all the recent talk about the country’s economic mess, it got me thinking: What about a fantasy football bailout? After all, since most of us use fantasy as a pleasant diversion from all the real-life troubles we’re faced with, what fun is it if your team is struggling, too?
If you’ve had a rough four weeks to open the season, consider this column a shred of hope. Unfortunately I can’t pretend to be big government and just swoop in and forgive you for making Jeff Garcia your starting QB; nor can I divide up the points from Brett Favre’s six touchdown passes from last Sunday and distribute them to failing teams at the bottom of the standings. But what I can do is outline my own version of a fantasy bailout plan. It’s a two-pronged strategy, involving guys to start and guys to sit this week, and I guarantee it will cost the American taxpayers nowhere near $700 billion.
Here’s what you need to do to rescue your fantasy team:
Start Michael Turner. He’s alternated good and bad games (rushing totals in his first four games: 220, 42, 104, 56; touchdown totals: two, zero, three, zero). This week looks like a good one against the Green Bay Packers, who are allowing 157 rushing yards a game.
Sit LenDale White. Yes, he had a 1-yard TD run last week. But rookie Chris Johnson had TWO short-yardage scores and is a more productive runner. Plus, the Tennessee Titans are playing the Baltimore Ravens (69 rushing yards a game, zero rush TDs allowed) this week.
Start Trent Edwards. Looking for someone to hold down the fort while Favre is on a bye this week? Edwards has thrown a touchdown every game this year and faces the Arizona Cardinals, who were just gashed by Favre last week.
Sit David Garrard. Everyone’s favorite QB sleeper (well, almost everyone) still hasn’t awakened (two TDs in four games). Now he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers – third in the NFL in pass defense, three TDs allowed, six INTs.
Start Joseph Addai. He’s got four TDs in four career games against the Houston Texans, who’ve given up seven rushing TDs already this year. You do the math.
Sit Felix Jones. The matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals sure seems tempting, but when a rookie running back gets zero carries the week before and is completely healthy (as far as we know), I can’t start him in good conscience the following Sunday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)